Assessing the Practical Constraints and Capabilities of Accelerator-Based Focused Ion Thermal Analysis
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: This study investigates the capabilities of accelerator-based Focused Ion Thermal Analysis (FITA), a remote nondestructive method developed for characterizing thermal properties using a proton beam as a localized heat source. Employing infrared (IR) imaging, FITA captures the evolution of temperature in material samples after the beam is deactivated, enabling precise extraction of thermal properties. However, the performance of FITA is inherently influenced by the IR camera's resolution and frame rate, which imposes constraints on the types of materials that can be effectively analyzed. Here, a comprehensive series of finite element analysis (FEA) simulations were performed to evaluate the applicability of FITA for a wide range of materials. These simulations assess how variations in IR camera specifications impact the effectiveness of FITA in analyzing different materials. Our findings show that the current method can characterize a wide range of materials, including the majority of nuclear materials typically used in the nuclear industry.
Source: Materials
DOI: 10.3390/ma18071514
Institution: Texas A&M University
Language: English
Subfield: Mechanics of Materials
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,137
OpenAlex ID: W4408921026