R&D on tungsten plasma facing components for the JET ITER-like wall project

Currently, the primary ITER materials choice is a full beryllium main wall with carbon fibre composite at the divertor strike points and tungsten on the upper vertical targets and dome. The full tungsten divertor option is a possibility for the subsequent D–T phase. Neither of the ITER material combinations of first wall and divertor materials has ever been tested in a tokamak. To collect operational experience at JET with ITER relevant material combination (Be, C and W) would reduce uncertainties and focus the preparation for ITER operations. Therefore, the ITER-like wall project has been launched to install in JET a tungsten divertor and a beryllium main wall. This paper describes the R&D activities carried out for the project to develop an inertially cooled bulk tungsten divertor tile, to fully characterise tungsten coating technologies for CFC divertor tiles and to develop erosion markers for use as diagnostics on beryllium tiles.