A method for the quantification of total xenon concentration in irradiated nuclear fuel with SIMS and EPMA

L. Desgranges (1) , Ch. Valot (1) , B. Pasquet (1) , J. Lamontagne (1) , T. Blay (1) , I. Roure (1)

1 CEA-DES (ex-DEN) - CEA-Direction des Energies (ex-Direction de l'Energie Nucléaire)

A new method for the quantitative determination of the total xenon concentration in irradiated nuclear fuel is presented. The SIMS measurement of xenon enables the detection of the gas filling bubbles which are not detected with EPMA. The quantification is achieved using the EPMA data as reference at position where no or nearly no bubbles are detected. A new approach using the complementary information given by EPMA, SEM and SIMS is proposed, it opens new horizons for the characterisation of fission gases in irradiated nuclear fuel.

Keywords: SIMS; EPMA; Xenon; irradiated nuclear fuel; fission gas release

Domains: Nuclear Experiment [nucl-ex]; Nuclear Theory [nucl-th]

L. Desgranges, Ch. Valot, B. Pasquet, J. Lamontagne, T. Blay, et al.. A method for the quantification of total xenon concentration in irradiated nuclear fuel with SIMS and EPMA. Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research, 2006, 266, ⟨10.1016/j.nimb.2007.10.035⟩. ⟨cea-02356046⟩