Role of charged particle irradiations in the study of radiation damage correlation

Charged particle irradiations were originally expected to provide means to simulate the effect of neutron irradiations. However, it has been recognized that quantitative and sometimes even qualitative simulation of neutron radiation damage is difficult and the role of the charged particle irradiations has shifted to establishing fission-fusion correlation based on fundamental understanding of the radiation damage phenomena. The authors have been studying radiation effects in fusion materials using energetic ions from the latter standpoint. In this paper, the authors review recent results using a heavy-ion/electron microscope link facility together with sets of small heavy ion and light ion accelerators on cascade damage produced by energetic primary recoils and on the effect of helium on microstructural and microchemical evolution. Some of the other applications of the ion accelerators will also be mentioned. (orig.)