NSUF - Nuclear Science User Facilities

Post-irradiation Piezoelectric Property Characterization of Radiation-Tolerant Piezoelectric Materials

Full Details
Principal Investigator
Name:
Pradeep Ramuhalli
Email:
[email protected]
Phone:
(208) 526-6918
Team Members:
Name: Institution: Expertise: Status:
Andrew Casella Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Irradiation induced damage calculations Other
Joshua Daw Idaho National Laboratory in-pile ultrasonic sensor behavior Other
Shawn Riechers Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Atomic force microscopy Post Doc
Experiment Details:
Experiment Title:
Post-irradiation Piezoelectric Property Characterization of Radiation-Tolerant Piezoelectric Materials)
Work Description:
The objective of this proposal is to quantify changes in dielectric and electromechanical properties of piezoelectric materials post-irradiation. These properties will be quantified for previously irradiated BiT and AlN samples using an atomic force microscope (AFM) and compared to data on unirradiated specimens of these materials. The resulting measurements will confirm available data in the literature and provide some of the first data from irradiated piezoelectric material properties under high-dose conditions. The proposed research will utilize existing irradiated and unirradiated samples of bismuth titanate (BiT) and aluminum nitride (AlN) that have been recently received at Idaho National Laboratory (INL). These specimens were part of an ~18 month irradiation campaign at the MIT Test Reactor that evaluated the survivability of BiT and AlN-based ultrasonic sensors to a total dose of up to ~10^21 neutrons/cm^2 and at a temperature of approximately 400 degrees Celsius. SEM analysis on these specimens is being planned as a separate effort (at INL). The proposal leverages an AFM for characterizing irradiated materials (a recent investment by DOE-NE) in the RPL facility at PNNL, and takes advantage of the availability of the irradiated specimens that have been recently received at INL. We will prepare the samples by potting the piezoelectric materials in epoxy and polishing as necessary prior to performing AFM measurements. The AFM measurements will be performed under ambient conditions in a vibration-controlled chamber. Measurements will focus on topography, Piezoresponse Force Microscopy (PFM), and Kelvin Probe Force Microscopy (KPFM) using conductive probes. The data will be subjected to quantitative and qualitative analyses, with data from calibration standards used to extract the electromechanical coupling coefficient and dielectric constants from the measurements. The results will be documented in an article for submission to a journal.
Abstract
The objective of this research is to quantify the dielectric and electromechanical properties of irradiated piezoelectric materials (bismuth titanate and aluminum nitride) using atomic force microscopy. This RTE proposal addresses open questions on piezoelectric material property variations with irradiation (especially at doses in excess of 10^20 neutrons/cm^2) identified in the published research. The proposed research is focused on examining previously irradiated BiT and AlN samples using an atomic force microscope (AFM) to quantify changes in piezoelectric and dielectric properties under irradiation. The proposal leverages an AFM (recently installed at the RPL facility at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory) for examining irradiated materials, and takes advantage of the availability of the irradiated specimens that have been recently received at the Idaho National Laboratory. The resulting measurements of piezoelectric and dielectric properties will confirm available data in the literature and provide some of the first data on these properties under high-neutron dose conditions. The information may be applied for improving the material selection and design of radiation-tolerant sensors for in-pile or in-reactor measurements. The research will be conducted over a 6 month period after project award.

About Us

The Nuclear Science User Facilities (NSUF) is the U.S. Department of Energy Office of Nuclear Energy's only designated nuclear energy user facility. Through peer-reviewed proposal processes, the NSUF provides researchers access to neutron, ion, and gamma irradiations, post-irradiation examination and beamline capabilities at Idaho National Laboratory and a diverse mix of university, national laboratory and industry partner institutions.

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