THE EFFECT OF NEUTRON ENERGY ON DEFECT PRODUCTION IN ALUMINA

In a deuterium-tritium fusion reactor, neutrons are produced at an ene rgy of about 14 MeV. When these neutrons and other lower energy neutro ns from (n, nn) reactions travel through insulating materials in the r eactor, displacement damage will occur. Using the Monte Carlo code, TR IM (Transport of Ions in Matter), calculations using aluminum (Al) and oxygen (O) ions at energies that simulate expected recoil energy leve ls in alumina (Al2O3) were performed. This study focuses on recoil ene rgies ranging from 100 eV to 10 MeV. In addition, recoil energy spectr a for Al and O were calculated for 1 MeV and 14 MeV neutrons using the computer code, SPECTER. Combining the TRIM and SPECTER calculations, it was possible to determine the number of aluminum and oxygen vacanci es created in alumina resulting from a specific neutron energy.