IFMIF:: the intense neutron source to qualify materials for fusion reactors

The International Fusion Materials Irradiation Facility, IFMIF, has become a major element in international road maps to fusion power and in the Japanese-European 'ITER Broader Approach' agreement. IFMIF is an intense neutron source driven by two 40 MeV deuteron beams striking a joint lithium target producing neutrons with a peak around 14 MeV. In the high flux test module (20-55 dpa/full power year) 12 rigs with individual temperatures allow the simultaneous irradiation of about 1000 qualified specimens. Analyses on the basis of advanced codes and nuclear data libraries have shown that IFMIF offers favorable conditions both for structural and functional materials. After a brief description of IFMIF, an overview on the irradiation conditions is given with special emphasis on users' attractiveness, neutronics, gas production to damage ratios, recoil energy spectra, and possible specimen test matrices.