| Abstract Scope |
Tungsten has a melting point of 3622℃, which makes it potentially resistant to the intense heat of a nuclear fusion environment. However, off-normal events can put durability of tungsten to the test and cause severe surface deformation such as melting and erosion. In the laboratory scale, a focused fast laser generates plasma of air on a tungsten surface with multiple pulses, simulating the extreme heating conditions of fusion and other machining processes. We changed the incident angles, pulse numbers, and power, and analyzed the surface using SEM, EDS, optical profilometry, and hardness measurements. Our findings indicated that the surface formed oxide debris and laser-induced surface patterns. The size of the surface damage was influenced by laser power and pulse count. Surface roughness has increased with increasing laser power, while hardness varies with depth. These property degradations may influence the tungsten mass loss behavior, indicating the final stage of surface degradation. |