Influence of the Electronic Structure and Optical Properties of CeO2 and UO2 for Characterization with UV-Laser Assisted Atom Probe Tomography
Oxide materials are used in numerous applications such as thermal barrier coatings, nuclear fuels, and electrical conductors and sensors, all applications where nanometer-scale stoichiometric changes can affect functional properties. Atom probe tomography can be used to characterize the precise chemical distribution of individual species and spatially quantify the oxygen to metal ratio at the nanometer scale. However, atom probe analysis of oxides can be accompanied by measurement artifacts caused by laser-material interactions. In this investigation, two technologically relevant oxide materials with the same crystal structure and an anion to cation ratio of 2.00, pure cerium oxide (CeO2) and uranium oxide (UO2) are studied. It was determined that electronic structure, optical properties, heat transfer properties, and oxide stability strongly affect their evaporation behavior, thus altering their measured stoichiometry, with thermal conductance and thermodynamic stability being strong factors.
- Research Organization:
- Energy Frontier Research Centers (EFRC) (United States). Center for Materials Science of Nuclear Fuel (CMSNF); Idaho National Lab. (INL), Idaho Falls, ID (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- DOE - SC
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC07-05ID14517
- OSTI ID:
- 1212816
- Report Number(s):
- INL/JOU-13-29561
- Journal Information:
- Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms, Vol. 359; ISSN 0168-583X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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