Development of SNAP potentials for fusion reactor materials

Fusion reactor components will be subject to high particle fluxes of mixed ion species under high thermal heat loads. Tungsten is currently the leading candidate material for the divertor component but the harsh environment inside the reactor results in a variety of microstructural changes and material degradation. Molecular dynamics can play a key role in deciphering the mechanisms of radiation damage in these components. However, there is a lack of accurate interatomic potentials for the variety of plasma species that will be present at the tungsten divertor. In this talk, the development of SNAP interatomic potentials and molecular dynamics simulations using these potentials for fusion reactor materials will be discussed.