Abstract
Lithium wall conditioning has lowered hydrogenic recycling and dramatically improved plasma performance in many magnetic-fusion devices. In this Letter, we report quantum-classical atomistic simulations and laboratory experiments that elucidate the roles of lithium and oxygen in the uptake of hydrogen in amorphous carbon. Surprisingly, we show that lithium creates a high oxygen concentration on a carbon surface when bombarded by deuterium. Furthermore, surface oxygen, rather than lithium, plays the key role in trapping hydrogen.
- Received 7 December 2012
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.110.105001
© 2013 American Physical Society