Deuterium depth distribution in helium-ion-irradiated nickel

Depth distribution of ion-implanted deuterium in polycrystalline nickel specimens was measured and the effect of preimplanted helium to the deuterium distribution was analyzed by using the elastic recoil detection analysis (ERDA) method using 16 MeV 16O5+ ions. Depth distribution of deuterium after helium ion irradiation was in good agreement with the depth distribution of damage induced by the helium ions which was calculated using TRIM91 simulation code, while the distribution in the specimens implanted with only deuterium ion was not clear. It was found that deuterium can easily migrate at room temperature in helium-non-irradiated nickel. It was suggested that helium ions introduced vacancy clusters in the irradiated depth region and the implanted deuterium was trapped in the damages.