Helium behaviour in metals and metal tritides - some comparisons

The behaviour of tritium in materials has become a topic of considerable importance in many areas of fusion reactor technology. Although each area will have its own particular set of problems, one general problem will arise from the decay of tritium (half life approximately 12.3 years ) to 3He and an electron. It has been suggested that helium bubbles are formed at an early stage; eventually at a critical bubble size the bubbles rupture and lead to the observed physical effects. It is suggested that if this picture of bubble formation in tritides at low helium concentrations is accepted, then the analogies between 4He behaviour in implanted metals and 3He behaviour in tritides can be extended. (Auth.)