Outgassing of implanted He <em>via</em> short circuit transport along phase and grain boundaries in vapor co-deposited Cu-W nanocomposites

We investigate the response of physical vapor co-deposited copper (Cu)-tungsten (W) nanocomposites to helium (He) implantation. Nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) reveals that a substantial fraction of He implanted into these materials escapes during implantation. Analysis of nanocomposite microstructure shows that the He loss is likely due to its transport out of the material by diffusion along phase and grain boundaries. Lastly, our findings suggest that solid-state interfaces such as phase and grain boundaries are short circuit diffusion pathways for transport of He.. Authors: Yadav, Digvijay [Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (United States)] (ORCID:0000000191210975); Chen, Peng [Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (United States)]; Xiang, Sisi [Texas A&M University, College Station, TX (United States)] (ORCID:000000021403803X); Wang, Yongqiang [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)] (ORCID:0000000229385640); Baldwin, Jon Kevin [Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)]. DOE Contract: 89233218CNA000001; SC0018892. Subjects: 36 MATERIALS SCIENCE; Copper; Grain boundaries; Helium; Implantation; Interfaces; Nanocomposite; Nuclear reaction analysis; Precession electron diffraction; Transmission electron microscopy; Tungsten; copper; grain boundaries; helium; implantation; interfaces; nanocomposite; nuclear reaction analysis; precession electron diffraction; transmission electron microscopy; tungsten