The investigation of the destructive effects of high-energy hydrogen ions on molybdenum and copper

The effects of high-energy protons produced in the plasma focus device on molybdenum and copper metals were studied. Molybdenum and copper samples were simultaneously irradiated with 20 hydrogen ion shots after the initial preparation and polishing of their surface. Molybdenum and copper samples were analyzed before and after irradiation by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Lee code was used to characterize the ion beam generated in the plasma focus device. The XRD results showed that the size of crystals in molybdenum samples increased from 33.1 to 41.4 nm and for copper samples from 28 to 37.2 nm. Also, the location of peaks in molybdenum and copper samples was shifted to larger angles by 0.041 and 0.174, respectively. The SEM micrographs revealed that cracks and cavities were formed on the surface of molybdenum due to the radiation of high-energy protons, while dense blisters were formed on the surface of copper, and in some areas on the surface of copper, melting and physical sputtering occurred due to the collision of high-energy ions with copper surface atoms. Lee code results indicated that each shot of the plasma focus device emits 7.9 x 10(14) ions from the plasma column.