Cu/Li alloys: Conditions for their application in fusion reactors - focussing on the interaction of segregation and sputtering phenomena

Abstract High- Z alloys containing a small portion of lithium have been studied in recent years with emphasis on their behavior in nuclear fusion relevant reactor environments. Surface segregation and diffusion of the lithium component may open a chance to produce a material for first wall components in fusion reactors, which shows a self-replenishing feature concerning a low- Z coating on a high- Z substrate, being a highly desired issue in the physics of plasma-wall interaction. This article will review the status of experimental and computational results concerning Cu/Li and will furthermore give an extrapolation to the plasma environment expected for a fusion reactor of the next generation. Mandatory material improvements that are still necessary for application of Li-containing alloys in future machines are discussed.