Process optimization is necessary for the design and development of materials with new performances and high functionality, able to operate under aggressive conditions such as those of the waste energy plants, the systems for solar cells, the fossil fuel systems or the innovative nuclear systems (subcritical reactors, Generation IV reactors).
This research activity is performed in the frame of the EUROFUSION (European Consortium for the Development of Fusion Energy), Work Package WPMAT – Task EDDI research project and deals with mechanical characterization at high temperatures of materials to be used in the fusion reactor ITER (International Thermonucleat Experimental Reactor) in Cadarache (France).
ICMATE in Padova has various apparatus for the deposition of thin films by three distinct PVD systems (Physical Vapor Deposition) for Magnetron Sputtering: a) a multi-confocal magnetron, b) a multi-magnetron multi-layer, which may both work in either mode DC- both RF- Magnetron Sputtering (DC and RF-MS), and c) an innovative system High Power Impulse Magnetron Sputtering (HIPIMS).
Studies of the physico-chemical properties of the solid-liquid interfaces at high temperatures, in particular wetting and reactivity, and of the related mechanisms.
Dust in fusion devices is still an open issue from the point of view of plasma operations and safety and due to its high fuel retention capability and mobility.
Thus, dust behaviour in such environments needs to be understood.
The analysis of this behaviour is both theoretical, focused on dust mobilization conditions, and experimental, aiming at mimicking these conditions.
