The frequency dependent response of the electrical impedance of UO2

AC impedance techniques in the frequency range 5 Hz to 5 MHz have been employed to measure dielectric properties of single crystal UO₂ in the form of plate specimens. The dielectric constant has been measured down to 4 K, giving results consistent with previous reports. Both barrier and volume effects have been shown to contribute to the measured impedances. The barrier effects account for the anomalously large capacitances observed in previous attempts to measure the dielectric constant by the conventional plate technique. Activation energies for carriers in both boundary and bulk regions are similar (0.18 to 0.25 eV). The behaviour is consistent with the presence of electronic holes present in the concentrations to be expected from small deviations from stoichiometry.     

The electrical impedance response of steel surface oxide layers in molten lead-bismuth eutectic

Stainless steel 316L samples were preoxidized and then immersed in molten lead-bismuth eutectic (LBE) alloy at 200 °C. The changes in their electrical impedance responses were observed over time. Negligible impedance magnitudes were observed at first, followed by a rapid increase to thousands of ohm-cm². The impedance response is sensitive to changes in the immersed sample area. Micro-indentations on samples caused their impedance magnitudes to decrease initially, but the magnitudes recovered within a few days. SEM analysis showed that the indentations were still present and visible even after the recovery of impedance response, demonstrating that the physical features of the oxide layers which govern the electrical response must be smaller than the micrometer length scale.     

Inelastic processes in ion scattering spectroscopy of solid surfaces

In ion scattering spectroscopy of solid surfaces, spectral peaks corresponding to single scattering do not always appear at a kinetic energy given by a well-known formula that is calculated for the elastic collision of a projectile ion with a free target atom. This is because (a) the target atom is actually not free but bound to surrounding atoms at the surfaces, (b) the target atom may be excited electronically, and (c) inelastic electron exchange between the projectile ion and the surface may occur. These three inelastic effects are discussed on the basis of experimental results in the low energy region. Auger and resonance electron exchange processes between the projectile ion (or atom) and the surface are also discussed.     

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy on in-situ analysis of oxide layer formation in liquid metal

Some test materials (i.e. Fe, Cr, Y and JLF-1 steel) were immersed to liquid metal lead (Pb) mainly at 773 K as the working electrode of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Some oxide layers formed on the electrodes in liquid Pb were analyzed by EIS. The impedance response was summarized as Nyquist plot, and the electrical properties and the thickness of the oxide layers were evaluated in non-destructive manner. Large impedance due to the formation of Pb oxide and Y oxide in liquid Pb was successfully detected by EIS, though impedance of Fe oxide and Cr oxide could not be detected due to their small electro resistance. The time constant of the oxide layers was evaluated from the impedance information, and this value identified the types of oxides. The change of the time constant with the immersion time indicated the change of the electrical properties determined by the chemical composition and the crystal structure. The thickness of the oxide layer estimated by EIS agreed well with that evaluated by metallurgical analysis.     

Dissolution of magnetite using an environmentally friendly chelant: an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy study

Ethylenediaminedisuccinic acid (EDDS), a biodegradable substitute for EDTA, was used as a chelant for dissolving magnetite and magnetite formed on iron metal surface. Dissolution was found to increase in presence of ferrous ions and depend on pH of solution, concentration of ferrous ion, EDDS concentration, applied cathodic potential and temperature. The impedance spectrum for the dissolution of magnetite film formed on iron exhibited two time constants. The first at high frequency range is ascribed to the reductive dissolution of magnetite. It is very crucial to carry out the dissolution process at the appropriate temperature to insure complete removal of oxide layer.     

In situ electrochemical impedance spectroscopy of Zr–1%Nb under VVER primary circuit conditions

Oxide layers were grown on tubular samples of Zr–1%Nb under conditions simulating those in VVER-type pressurised water reactors, viz. in near-neutral borate solutions in an autoclave at 290 °C. These samples were investigated using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy which was found to be suitable to follow in situ the corrosion process. A –CPE_oxR_ox– element was used to characterise the oxide layer on Zr–1%Nb. Both the CPE_ox coefficient, σ_ox, and the parallel resistance, R_ox, were found to be thickness dependent. The layer thickness, however, can only be calculated after a calibration procedure. The temperature dependence of the CPE_ox element was also found to be anomalous while the temperature dependence of R_ox indicates that the oxide layer has semiconductor properties. The relaxation time – defined as (R_oxσ_ox)^1/ – was found to be quasi-independent of oxidation time and temperature; thus it is characteristic to the oxide layer on Zr–1%Nb.     

Determination of the distribution of air and water in porous media by electrical impedance tomography and magneto-electrical imaging

Monitoring the distribution of water content is essential for understanding hydrological processes in the lithosphere and the pedosphere. The movement of water in unsaturated rock formations and in the vadose zone is influenced by different processes (mainly infiltration, evaporation, percolation and capillary flow) which may be rate determining depending on the actual conditions. The interdependence of these processes also strongly influences the transport and distribution of solutes in the pore space. In order to gain a better understanding of the movement and distribution of water in unsaturated media, systematic investigations with non-invasive or minimal invasive methods appear to be most suitable. Studies on the distribution of electrical conductivity can improve risk analysis concerning waste disposals in general and nuclear waste repositories in particular. Induced polarization and magnetic flux density determined with two highly sensitive accessories yield additional information and may allow for better discrimination of coupled flow processes. Electrical impedance tomography (EIT) with 20 current injection and 48 voltage electrodes was used here to monitor the evaporation of tap water from a container filled with sand under laboratory conditions at 20 °C. The results are compared with data obtained by determining spectral induced polarization (SIP) of sand during desaturation in a multi-step outflow equipment. Infiltration processes and evaporation from sand saturated with 0.01 M CaCl₂ were determined by magneto-electrical resistivity imaging technique (MERIT). The results were obtained from a long-term experiment under controlled conditions.     

Characterization of defect accumulation in neutron-irradiated Mo by positron annihilation spectroscopy

Positron annihilation lifetime spectroscopy measurements were performed on neutron-irradiated low carbon arc cast Mo. Irradiation took place in the high flux isotope reactor, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, at a temperature of 80 ± 10 °C. Neutron fluences ranged from 2 × 10²¹ to 8 × 10²⁴ n/m² (E > 0.1 MeV), corresponding to displacement damage levels in the range from 7.2 × 10⁻⁵ to 2.8 × 10⁻¹ displacements per atom (dpa). A high density of submicroscopic cavities was observed in the neutron-irradiated Mo and their size distributions were estimated. Cavities were detected even at a very low-dose of ∼10⁻⁴ dpa. The average size of the cavities did not change significantly with dose, in contrast to neutron-irradiated bcc Fe where cavity sizes increased with increasing dose. It is suggested that the in-cascade vacancy clustering may be significant in neutron-irradiated Mo, as predicted by molecular dynamics simulations.     

Ion-induced photon spectroscopy of insulators and application to in-situ diagnostics of nanoparticle formation processes

Ion-induced photon emission under heavy-ion bombardment has been studied over an energy range from near-infrared to vacuum-ultraviolet. Time-resolved optical devices with fast-response CCD cameras detected photons from a-SiO₂ under implantation with negative Cu ions of 60 keV, up to a dose rate of 100 μA/cm². The ion-induced photon spectra consisted of sharp line spectra due to isolated atoms of Si, Cu and a broad band of visible light. The line spectra resulted from an ion-induced glow above the surface and indicated pronounced outward transport of Cu atoms to the vacuum. Intensity of the line spectra and the broad band varied non-linearly with dose and dose rate. The in-situ spectroscopy provided diagnostic information of surface- and intra-solid processes associated with nanoparticle formation at high dose rates. The Cu sublimation reflected from presence of a Cu-depleted zone beneath the surface, which is one of the important factors to form a two-dimensional arrangement of nanoparticles.     

Diagnostic of capacitively coupled radio frequency plasma from electrical discharge characteristics: comparison with optical emission spectroscopy and fluid model simulation

The capacitively coupled radio frequency(CCRF)plasma has been widely used in various fields.In some cases,it requires us to estimate the range of key plasma parameters simpler and quicker in order to understand the behavior in plasma.In this paper,a glass vacuum chamber and a pair of plate electrodes were designed and fabricated,using 13.56 MHz radio frequency(RF)discharge technology to ionize the working gas of Ar.This discharge was mathematically described with equivalent circuit model.The discharge voltage and current of the plasma were measured atdifferent pressures and different powers.Based on the capacitively coupled homogeneous discharge model,the equivalent circuit and the analytical formula were established.The plasma density and temperature were calculated by using the equivalent impedance principle and energy balance equation.The experimental results show that when RF discharge power is 50–300 W and pressure is 25–250 Pa,the average electron temperature is about 1.7–2.1 e V and the average electron density is about 0.5?×?10~(17)–3.6?×?10~(17)m~(-3).Agreement was found when the results were compared to those given by optical emission spectroscopy and COMSOL simulation.     

Characterization of heat transfer processes in a melt pool convection and vessel-creep experiment

The results of an integral experiment on melt pool convection and vessel-creep deformation are presented and analyzed. The experiment is performed on a test facility, named Failure Of REactor VEssel Retention (FOREVER). The facility employs a 1/10-scaled 15Mo3-(German)-steel vessel of 400-mm diameter, 15-mm wall thickness and 750-mm height. A high-temperature (1300 °C) oxide melt is prepared in a SiC-crucible placed in a 50 kW induction furnace and is, then, poured into the 1/10th scale vessel. A MoSi₂ 50 kW electric heater is employed in the melt pool to heat and maintain its temperature at 1200 °C. The vessel is pressurized with argon at the desired pressure. In the FOREVER/C1 experiment, the vessel wall, maintained at about 900 °C and pressurized to 26 bars, was subjected to creep deformation in a 24-h non-stop test. The FOREVER/C1 test is the first integral experiment, in which a decay-heated oxidic naturally-convecting melt pool was maintained in long-term contact with the hemispherical lower head of a pressurized, creeping, steel vessel. A sizeable database was obtained on melt pool temperatures, melt pool energy split, heat transfer rates, heat flux distribution on the melt (crust)–vessel contact surface, vessel temperatures and, in particular the vessel wall creep rate as a function of time. The paper provides information on the FOREVER/C1 measured thermal characteristics and analysis of the observed thermal behavior. The coupled nature of thermal and mechanical processes, as well as the effect of other system conditions (such as depressurization) on the melt pool and vessel temperature responses are analyzed.     

Characterization of a microsecond pulsed non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure Ar plasma using laser scattering and optical emission spectroscopy

A non-equilibrium atmospheric pressure argon(Ar) plasma excited by microsecond pulse is studied experimentally by laser scattering and optical emission spectroscopy(OES), and theoretically by collisional-radiative(CR) model. More specifically, the electron temperature and electron density of plasma are obtained directly by the laser Thomson scattering, the gas temperature is measured by laser Raman scattering, the optical emissions of excited Ar states of plasma are measured by OES. The laser scattering results show that the electron temperature is about 1 eV which is similar to that excited by 60 Hz AC power, but the gas temperature is as low as 300 K compared to about 700 K excited by 60 Hz AC power. It is shown that the microsecond pulsed power supply, rather than nanosecond ones, is short enough to reduce the gas temperature of atmospheric pressure plasma to near room temperature. The electron temperature and electron density are also obtained by CR model based on OES, and find that the intensities of the optical emission intensity lines of 727.41, 811.73, 841.08, 842.83, 852.44 and 912.86 nm of Ar can be used to characterize the behavior of electron density and electron temperature, it is very useful to quickly estimate the activity of the atmospheric pressure Ar plasma in many applications.     

Differentiation of illicit drugs with THz time-domain spectroscopy

The terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) was used for sensing and identifying illicit drugs.The absorption spectra of seven illicit drug samples (morphine and its hydrochloride,cocaine hydrochloride,codeine phosphate,papaverine hydrochloride,pethidine hydrochloride,and thebaine) were studied by THz-TDS at 0.3-2.0 THz at room temperature.The geometric structure and vibration frequencies of morphine were calculated by density functional theory.The four absorption features were dominated by intra-/inter-molecular collective or lattice vibration modes.Each illicit drug has a distinct signature in its THz spectra.The results indicate that the THz-TDS can be used to identify and discriminate illicit drugs by their characteristic fingerprints.     

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopic study of passive zirconium

Spent, unreproccessed nuclear fuel is generally contained within the operational fuel sheathing fabricated from a zirconium alloy (Zircaloy 2, Zircaloy 4, or Zirlo) and is then stored in a swimming pool and/or dry storage facilities until permanent disposal in a licensed repository. During this period, which begins with irradiation of the fuel in the reactor during operation, the fuel sheathing is exposed to various, aggressive environments. The objective of the present study was to characterize the nature of the passive film that forms on pure zirconium in contact with an aqueous phase [0.1 M B(OH)₃ + 0.001 M LiOH, pH 6.94] at elevated temperatures (in this case, 250 °C), prior to storage, using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) with the data being interpreted in terms of the point defect model (PDM). The results show that the corrosion resistance of zirconium in high temperature, de-aerated aqueous solutions is dominated by the outer layer. The extracted model parameter values can be used in deterministic models for predicting the accumulation of general corrosion damage to zirconium under a wide range of conditions that might exist in some repositories.     

Thermal solid phase epitaxial growth and ion-beam induced crystallisation of Ge ion implanted layers in silicon

Solid phase epitaxial growth (SPEG) of amorphous SiGe layers in Si has been investigated. The amorphous layers were formed by 40 keV ⁷⁴Ge⁺ ion implantation in Si(100) single crystals with doses giving 22 at.% Ge at the maximum of the ion implanted distribution of Ge. SPEG of the amorphous layers was achieved by either thermal SPEG or a combination of thermal SPEG and ion-beam induced crystallisation (IBIC). The crystal quality of the layers was investigated by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and transmission electron microscopy. Fully crystallised SiGe alloy layers were obtained by annealing in a furnace at 550°C for 60 min or at 850°C for 20 min. However, the SiGe alloy layers contain extended defects formed at the relaxation of the built-in strain in the alloy layer. When the combination of thermal SPEG and IBIC was used for the SPEG very few of these defects were formed.     

Nondestructive assay of spent nuclear fuel with gamma-ray spectroscopy

An important issue in nuclear safeguards is to verify operator-declared data of spent nuclear fuel. Various techniques have therefore been assigned for this purpose. A nondestructive approach is to measure the gamma radiation from spent nuclear fuel assemblies. Using this technique, parameters such as burnup and cooling time can be calculated or verified.     

Measurement of the cavity-loaded quality factor in superconducting radio-frequency systems with mismatched source impedance

The accurate measurement of parameters such as the cavity-loaded quality factor( QL) and half bandwidth( f0.5) is essential for monitoring the performance of superconducting radio-frequency cavities. However, the conventional “field decay methodemployed to calibrate these values requires the cavity to satisfy a “zero-input condition. This can be challenging when the source impedance is mismatched and produce nonzero forward signals( Vf) that significantly affect the measurement accuracy.To add...