Photothermal Infrared Radiometry and Thermoreflectance-Unique Strategy for Thermal Transport Characterization of...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Thermal Physics

Background:

• Accurate characterization of thermal transport properties in nanolayers remains a significant research challenge.
• Existing methods often struggle with precise determination of in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivity, diffusivity, and boundary resistance.
• A need exists for advanced techniques to comprehensively analyze thermal behavior at the nanoscale.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present a unique, comprehensive strategy for measuring thermal transport parameters in thin films.
• To enable ultra-precise determination of in-plane thermal conductivity, cross-plane thermal diffusivity, and thermal boundary resistance.
• To validate the strategy using both organic and inorganic thin film samples.

Main Methods:

• Utilizes non-contact frequency domain pump-probe thermoreflectance (FDTR) and photothermal radiometry (PTR).
• Employs frequency-resolved methods, allowing for measurement of volumetric-specific heat.
• Incorporates both amplitude and phase of the thermal wave signal for enhanced parameter determination.

Main Results:

• Achieved precise measurements of thermal transport properties for organic and inorganic nanolayers.
• Determined thermal conductivity values within a range of 0.5 to 60 W/m-K across confidence intervals.
• Demonstrated the capability for accurate and precise measurement of cross-plane thermal conductivity and thermal boundary resistance.

Conclusions:

• The presented frequency-resolved strategy offers a robust approach for characterizing thermal transport in thin films.
• This method addresses the gap in accurately measuring anisotropic thermal properties of nanolayers.
• The technique provides valuable data for materials science and nanotechnology applications requiring precise thermal management.