Thermal Properties of Materials for Extreme Environments Lab - Facilities

Experimental facilities of the lab provide capabilities to measure thermal transport and acoustic wave proppagation with a few micron spatial resolution. Equipment available in the lab:

• Coherent Chameleon Ti:sapphire femtosecond laser
• Netzch DSC/TGA
• Vibration isolated optical table, optics, and optomechanical components
• Electronics including network analyzer, function generator, oscilloscope, and audio and radiofrequency lock-in amplifiers
• Photodiodes and diode lasers emitting in the visible
• Equipment for ceramic powder processing: high temperature furnace, ball milling and mechanical press

Our lab's expertise is in applying transient reflectivity optical pump-probe spectroscopy to measure thermal and mechanical properties of materials. Thermoreflectance approach is used to study thermal transport in thin films and composite materials. Thin film are semiconductor materials for power electronics and ion beam irradiated ceramics for nuclear energy applications. Composite materials include ceramic matrix compiosite and coated films. Picosecond ultrasonics is used to measure propagation of acoustic waves to determine materials microstructure including grain orientation and imaging subsurface graib boundary. Experimental work is complemented by expertise in analytical modeling of thermal transport and acoustic wave propagation. 

We also have access to shared user facilities available throughout the campus including NanoTech West and OSU nuclear reactor.