Zhexian Zhang

Publications:
"A dual dynamic shutter system for accelerating ion irradiation sample throughput via lateral gas implantation gradients" Charles Hirst, Aaron G. Penders, Zhexian Zhang, Logan Clowers, Valentin Pauly, Fabian Naab, Lauren Garrison, Cody Dennett, Michael Short, Gary Was, Nuclear Instruments and Methods B Vol. 571 2025 165969 Link
experiment to a single set of irradiation parameters (e.g., dose, fluence, injection rate, temperature etc.). Despite being capable of achieving damage rates up to three orders of magnitude higher than neutron irradiation, its overall sample throughput remains low due to the need to conduct separate irradiations for each unique parameter set. To address these limitations, a novel capability has been developed at the Michigan Ion Beam Laboratory (MIBL), enabling for the creation of two-dimensional lateral ion implantation gradients using recently installed motorized-controlled ion beam shutters. This advancement can generate a wide scope of the two dimensional (H+, He2+) implantation parameter space within a single sample. Integration of this new capability enables dual- and triple-ion beam experiments to be performed with full user control over not only the ion implantation depth profile, but also over the lateral imposed concentration gradients, thus providing researchers with a high-throughput means for material testing under various irradiation conditions. Furthermore, the recent installation of a microbeam in the ion-beam analysis (IBA) target station now allows for probing these concentration gradients in irradiated alloys with unprecedently high spatial resolutions. These developments promise to significantly improve ion irradiation capabilities, offering researchers a robust and high-throughput method to efficiently investigate candidate alloys for both advanced fission and fusion reactor applications, in both a time- and cost-effective manner. This paper demonstrates all the above through showcasing detailed implantation profiling and swelling characterization conducted over the lateral gradients imposed on single crystal Si and the fusion candidate alloy F82H-IEA.
Presentations:
"3-dimentional self-ordering loop lattice in tungsten irradiated with iron ions" Zhexian Zhang, NuMat 2016 November 7-11, (2016)
"Effects of recrystallization on the aging embrittlement of FeCrAl-ODS ferritic steels" Zhexian Zhang, The Japan Institute of Metals and Materials (JIM) 2017 Annual Spring Meeting March 15-17, (2017)
"Helium effect on irradiation hardening and microstructure evolution in pure tungsten" Zhexian Zhang, ICFRM-17 October 11-16, (2015)
"Ion-irradiation effects on FeCrAl-ODS ferritic steels" Zhexian Zhang, 2017 Autumn Meeting of The Japan Institute of Metals and Materials (JIM) September 11-13, (2017)
"Material characterization of lateral transmutation gas gradients in triple-ion irradiated F82H-IEA" Zhexian Zhang, TMS Annual Meeting March 23-27, (2025)
"Swelling in Shuttered Triple-Ion Irradiation of Alloy F82H" Zhexian Zhang, MiNES December 7-11, (2025)