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Updated: Jun 19, 2026

The Frequency Domain Thermoreflectance Technique for Thermal Property Measurements
Published on: December 5, 2025
A frequency-domain thermoreflectance method for the characterization of thermal properties
Aaron J Schmidt1, Ramez Cheaito, Matteo Chiesa
1Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA. aarons@alum.mit.edu
Abstract:
A frequency-domain thermoreflectance method for measuring the thermal properties of homogenous materials and submicron thin films is described. The method can simultaneously determine the thermal conductivity and heat capacity of a sample, provided the thermal diffusivity is greater, similar3x10(-6) m(2)/s, and can also simultaneously measure in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivities, as well the thermal boundary conductance between material layers. Two implementations are discussed, one based on an ultrafast pulsed laser system and one based on continuous-wave lasers. The theory of the method and an analysis of its sensitivity to various thermal properties are given, along with results from measurements of several standard materials over a wide range of thermal diffusivities. We obtain specific heats and thermal conductivities in good agreement with literature values, and also obtain the in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivities for crystalline quartz.
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