Helium atoms, introduced into materials by helium plasma or generated by the (n, alpha) nuclear reaction, have a strong tendency to accumulate at trapping sites such as vacancy clusters and dislocations. In this paper, the effects of dislocations, single vacancies and vacancy clusters on the retention and desorption of helium atoms in nickel were studied. Low energy (0.1-0.15 keV) helium atoms were implanted in nickel with vacancies or dislocations without causing any displacement damage. He atoms, interstitial-type dislocation loops, and vacancy clusters were also introduced with irradiation damage by 5.0 keV helium ions. Helium thermal desorption peaks from dislocations, helium-vacancy clusters and helium bubbles were obtained by thermal desorption spectroscopy at 940 K, in the range from 900 to 1370 K, and at 1500 K, respectively. In addition, a thermally quasi-stable state was found for helium-vacancy clusters. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.