Plasma-material interaction in laboratory experiments

Such processes play an important role where the boundary plasma impacts on solid surfaces.

Elementary plasma-surface-interaction processes are investigated predominantly in dedicated laboratory experiments and compared to results from real surfaces from fusion devices.

The group operates a number of small-scale and medium-scale laboratory experiments, the most important being the plasma source PlaQ and the high-flux ion source SIESTA and TAPAS.

Current research topics are sputtering, e.g., of steel but also of 3-d surfaces, permeation of hydrogen isotopes through fusion-relevant materials (tungsten, steel), investigation of liquid tin as divertor material and deuterium retention in fusion-relevant materials which is investigated in close cooperation with the group "ion beam analysis and modification".