Tritium-doping enhancement of polystyrene by ultraviolet laser and hydrogen plasma irradiation for laser fusion experiments

•Tritium-doped polystyrene films are fabricated by the Wilzbach method with UV laser and hydrogen plasma irradiation.•The 266-nm laser-irradiated, 355-nm laser-irradiated, and hydrogen plasma-irradiated polystyrene films exhibit higher PSL intensities and specific radioactivities than the non-irradiated sample.•Tritium doping by UV laser irradiation can be largely affected by the laser wavelength because of polystyrene’s absorption.•Hydrogen plasma irradiation results to a more uniform doping concentration even at low partial pressure and short irradiation time.•UV laser and plasma irradiations can be utilized to fabricate tritium-doped polystyrene shell targets for future laser fusion experiments. We investigate the tritium-doping enhancement of polystyrene by ultraviolet (UV) laser and hydrogen plasma irradiation. Tritium-doped polystyrene films are fabricated by the Wilzbach method with UV laser and hydrogen plasma. The 266-nm laser-irradiated, 355-nm laser-irradiated, and hydrogen plasma-irradiated polystyrene films exhibit higher PSL intensities and specific radioactivities than the non-irradiated sample. Tritium doping by UV laser irradiation can be largely affected by the laser wavelength because of polystyrene’s absorption. In addition, UV laser irradiation is more localized and concentrated at the spot of laser irradiation, while hydrogen plasma irradiation results to a more uniform doping concentration even at low partial pressure and short irradiation time. Both UV laser and plasma irradiations can nevertheless be utilized to fabricate tritium-doped polystyrene targets for future laser fusion experiments. With a high doping rate and efficiency, a 1% tritium-doped polystyrene shell target having 7.6×1011Bqg−1 specific radioactivity can be obtained at a short period of time thereby decreasing tritium consumption and safety management costs.