NSUF 25-5392: In Situ Characterization of Irradiation-Induced Swelling in 316L Steel Foils Using High Temperature Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy

This project aims to develop a novel in situ characterization technique for real-time monitoring of swelling in steel foils under proton irradiation. The approach is leverages a high-temperature Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (HT-RBS) system, recently developed at Texas A&M University. By alternating between a scanning beam for irradiation and a focused beam for RBS analysis, we will continuously track changes in the areal density of a 10 µm SS316 foil, facilitating in situ swelling characterization throughout the experiment. This method allows the capture of transient phenomena that traditional post-irradiation techniques often miss, which would otherwise require numerous costly experiments to observe. Swelling measurements from HT-RBS will be validated using focused ion beam (FIB) sample prep and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) to confirm microstructural evolution.

Additional Info

Field	Value
Awarded Institution	Oak Ridge National Laboratory
DOI	10.46936/NSUF/60015375
Embargo End Date	2027-09-03
Facility Tech Lead	Lin Shao, Mukesh Bachhav
Irradiation Facilities	Accelerator Laboratory
NSUF Call	FY 2025 RTE 2nd Call
PI	Kenneth Cooper
PIE Facilities	Microscopy and Characterization Suite
Prep Facilities	Accelerator Laboratory
Project Member	Professor Lin Shao, Professor - Texas A&M University (https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5703-1153)
Project Member	Dr. Di Chen, Mechanical Engineering - University of Nevada-Las Vegas (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7379-8955)
Project Member	Mr. Kenneth Cooper, Associate Staff Irradiation Engineer - Oak Ridge National Laboratory (https://orcid.org/0009-0002-6180-980X)
Project Type	RTE