The thermal migration of Xe was studied by implanting 800keV Xe2+ ions into sintered samples to a fluence of 5 x 1015/cm2. Annealing was performed at 1673 to 1923K for 1 or 3h. The Xe concentration profiles were studied by Rutherford back-scattering spectrometry, using 2.5MeV α-particles. The migration behavior of Xe corresponded to a gas migration model. It was dominated by surface-directed transport with a slight diffusion component. The mean activation energy corresponding to the diffusive component was 2.2eV, and corresponded to the Brownian motion of Xe bubbles. The directed Xe migration could be explained in terms of bubble transport by using Evans model. The last process was largely responsible for Xe release from TiN.

Xenon Migration Behaviour in Titanium Nitride. S.Gavarini, N.Toulhoat, C.Peaucelle, P.Martin, J.Mende, Y.Pipon, H.Jaffrezic: Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2007, 362[2-3], 364-73