[en] Confocal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM) is a versatile and powerful optical instrument which is gaining a strong increase of interest for biological investigations and also for the characterization of materials, microstructures and devices. We exploit its capability for the characterization of light-emitting micro and nano-structures based on color centers in lithium fluoride. CLSM was successfully used as an advanced optical reading system to detect X-ray micro-radiographies of biological specimens stored in LiF imaging detectors.

[en] Stable formation of primary F and aggregate F₂ and F₃⁺ colour centres in LiF crystals irradiated with a X-ray table-top source was investigated by optical absorption and photoluminescence measurements as a function of the irradiation dose. The F absorption band intensity follows a power law behaviour as a function of dose with a single exponent equal to 0.77, a value in excellent agreement with the predictions of a unified model for colour centres formation. The aggregate defects photoluminescence response appears suitable for applications in high dynamic range imaging plate X-ray detectors based on photoluminescence of coloured LiF. The choice of polycrystalline LiF thin films grown on different substrates allows one to obtain high resolved images even when more penetrating X-rays are used, as the colour centres formation is limited in depth by the film total thickness.

[en] In the last years the Con focal Laser Scanning Microscope (CLSM), a versatile and powerful optical instrument, gained a strong increase of interest in the scientific community, not only for biological applications, but also for the characterization of materials, microstructures and devices. The conditions that favoured its wide diffusion are surely the large availability of laser sources and powerful computer-imaging and data-processing systems at relatively low cost; however, the main reason that contributed to its popularity is the ability to obtain tri dimensional reconstruction of a great variety of biological and non-biological samples with sub micrometric resolution. In this report we show the main properties and characteristics of the Con focal Microscope Nikon Eclipse 80-i C1, which has operated sinc more than two years in the Solid State Laser and Spectroscopy Laboratory of the ENEA Research Center in Frascati. Some of the results obtained in the characterization of luminescent micro and nano structures based on lithium fluoride color centers will be presented

[en] The study of plasma-wall interactions is of paramount importance for continuous and fault free operations in thermonuclear fusion research to monitor the damages of plasma facing components (PFCs), plasma pollution from impurities and wall retention of hydrogen isotopes, like tritium. These needs make laser-induced-breakdown-spectroscopy (LIBS) a suitable candidate for a real time monitoring of PFCs in the current and next generation fusion devices, like ITER. It is also worthwhile for the quantitative analysis of surfaces, with micro-destructivity of the sample and depth profiling capabilities with sub-micrometric sensitivity. In this paper LIBS spectroscopy is exploited as a valid diagnostic tool for PFCs at the ENEA Research Center in Frascati (Italy) and at the Institute of Plasma Physics and Laser Microfusion (IPPLM) of Warsaw (Poland). The activities have been focused on LIBS characterization of samples simulating PFCs surfaces eroded/redeposited or contaminated from nuclear fuel after or during the normal operation of the reactor. (paper)

[en] The visible photoluminescence of aggregate F2 and F3+ color centers in Lithium Fluoride (LiF) thin layers, grown by thermal evaporation on various substrates (either crystalline or not) with different thicknesses, can be efficiently observed by using an optical con focal fluorescence microscope and a laser pump with emission wavelength tuned at about 450 nm. Starting from con focal fluorescence images of uniformly colored LiF samples, an automatic routine for the estimation of photoluminescence intensity noise has been developed at the Solid State Laser Laboratory and Spectroscopy of the ENEA Research Center in Frascati. We reported experimental results about application of that routine to the photoluminescence of LiF thin films, uniformly irradiated with an X-ray tube with energy spectrum centered on the Cu K? emission line (8,03 keV), at the CNR-IFN in Rome, that allow to identify a suitable statistical model for his description

[en] We report about the light-emitting properties of colour centres in lithium fluoride thin films and crystals treated with low-penetrating extreme-ultraviolet radiation and soft X-rays. Experimental fluorescence-imaging results show that, under the same irradiation conditions, stronger photoluminescence, up to a factor eight, is released by colour centres in a film thermally grown on silicon substrate than in a crystal. By using a classical-electromagnetism model, we take into account the role of the silicon substrate in the enhancement of spontaneous emission over a broad spectral range to analyze such behaviour.

[en] LIBS is a well established tool for qualitative, semi-quantitative and quantitative analysis of surfaces, with micro-destructive characteristics and some capabilities for stratigraphy. In this work, the depth profiling capabilities of LIBS has been checked by determining the composition of multilayered samples simulating the plasma facing components fusion device covered with co-deposited impurity layers. A new experimental setup has been designed and realized in order to optimize the characteristics of a LIBS system working at low pressure and remotely.

[en] High performance neutron detectors sensitive to both thermal and fast neutrons are of great interest to monitor the high neutron flux produced, e.g., by fission and fusion reactors. An obvious requirement for such an application is neutron irradiation hardness. This is why diamond based neutron detectors are currently under test in some of these facilities. In this paper the damaging effects induced in chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond based detectors by a neutron fluence of ∼2x10¹⁶ neutrons/cm² have been studied and significant changes in spectroscopic, electrical, and optical properties have been observed. The detectors are fabricated using high quality synthetic CVD single crystal diamond using the p-type/intrinsic/Schottky metal/⁶LiF layered structure recently proposed by Marinelli et al. [Appl. Phys. Lett. 89, 143509 (2006)], which allows simultaneous detection of thermal and fast neutrons. Neutron radiation hardness up to at least 2x10¹⁴ n/cm² fast (14 MeV) neutron fluence has been confirmed so far [see Pillon et al., (Fusion Eng. Des. 82, 1174 (2007)]. However, at the much higher neutron fluence of ∼2x10¹⁶ neutrons/cm² damage is observed. The detector response to 5.5 MeV ²⁴¹Am α-particles still shows a well resolved α-peak, thus confirming the good radiation hardness of the device but a remarkable degradation and a significant instability with time of charge collection efficiency and energy resolution arise. Symmetric, nearly Ohmic I-V (current-voltage) characteristics have been recorded from the metal/intrinsic/p-doped diamond layered structure, which before neutron irradiation acted as a Schottky barrier diode with a strong rectifying behavior. The nature and the distribution of the radiation induced damage have been deeply examined by means of cathodoluminescence spectroscopy. A more heavily damaged area into the intrinsic diamond at the same position and with the same extension of the ⁶LiF layer has been found, the increased damage being ascribed to the highly ionizing particles produced in the ⁶LiF layer by thermal neutrons through the nuclear reaction ⁶Li(n,α)T.

[en] In this paper a novel on-line tritium monitor is presented. It is made with a single crystal diamond detector (SCD) covered with a thin layer of LiF 95% enriched in ⁶Li. Thermal neutrons impinging on the LiF layer produce α and T ions which are detected by the active diamond. The pulse height spectrum shows two separated peaks due to α and T ions respectively. By a proper calibration in a reference thermal flux the number of ⁶Li atoms and thus the absolute n + ⁶Li → α + T reaction rate per unitary flux can be established. Once calibrated the detector can be used to measure the tritium production. Due to the many outstanding properties of diamond this detector could operate in the harsh working conditions of a fusion breeding blanket. A test of this detector was performed at the 14 MeV Frascati Neutron Generator (FNG). The detector was inserted inside a mock-up of the European Helium Cooled Lithium Lead (HCLL) Tritium Blanket Module (TBM), designed to validate the neutronic database for fusion application. The mock-up of the TBM was designed to perform a full set of experiments to validate tritium production code prediction comparing the experimental results with calculations. The measured tritium rate with the Li-Diamond detector are described in this paper. Comparison with calculations is in progress and will be reported in a future paper. (authors)

[en] Highlights: • Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy: a suitable tool to measure gas retention. • Deuterium (D) retained in the FTU toroidal limiter tiles was detected from remote. • Good resolution of D_α and H_α spectral lines under vacuum conditions. • D detected in the boron layer deposited by glow-discharge with Deuterated Diborane. -- Abstract: In this paper the Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) measurement of the deuterium (used as a proxy for tritium) retained in and the surface elemental composition of the FTU Mo (TZM) toroidal limiter tiles, carried out from remote (∼2.5 m) during short breaks of the operations or during machine maintenance, are reported. Single pulse technique has been used with the FTU vessel under high vacuum or in Nitrogen or Argon atmosphere. In vacuum experiments D_α and H_α lines have been detected with good resolution, while in Ar atmosphere (5 × 10⁴ Pa) the two lines were partially overlapped due to Stark broadening. First results of measurements in N₂ atmosphere (10⁵ Pa) showed no presence of D_α and H_α lines. These measurements were also carried out for supporting the foreseen use of a robotic arm for an extended LIBS analysis of retained deuterium in the FTU vessel components.