Simulation for plasma–material interaction on fusion science and nanotechnology

Abstract

Plasma–material interaction (PMI) refers to phenomena that occur at the interface between the plasma and solid surfaces. The plasma, which has high energy and low density, facilitates the formation of nanometer-scale structures on solid surfaces. Nanotechnology is supported by the PMI. In nuclear fusion research, plasma-induced microscopic changes in solid surfaces of the inner wall of the vacuum vessel are important issues. For instance, the reaction product of helium plasma induces a fuzzy nanostructure on a tungsten surface. In PMI, while focusing on spatially microscopic changes, the plasma irradiation time is extremely long, ranging from seconds to hours. Certain elementary processes occur on microscopic time scales; however, to elucidate the entire process, the PMI must be regarded as a special subject in microscopic space and macroscopic time. From this perspective, this study introduces the difficulty and interest in the numerical simulation of PMI for future efforts.