The In Situ Ion Irradiation Toolbox: Time-Resolved Structure and Property Measurements

Abstract

The dynamic interactions of ions with matter drive a host of complex evolution mechanisms, requiring monitoring on short spatial and temporal scales to gain a full picture of a material response. Understanding the evolution of materials under ion irradiation and displacement damage is vital for many fields, including semiconductor processing, nuclear reactors, and space systems. Despite materials in service having a dynamic response to radiation damage, typical characterization is performed post-irradiation, washing out all information from transient processes. Characterizing active processes in situ during irradiation allows the mechanisms at play during the dynamic ion-material interaction process to be deciphered. In this review, we examine the in situ characterization techniques utilized for examining material structure, composition, and property evolution under ion irradiation. Covering analyses of microstructure, surface composition, and material properties, this work offers a perspective on the recent advances in methods for in situ monitoring of materials under ion irradiation, including a future outlook examining the role of complementary and combined characterization techniques in understanding dynamic materials evolution.

Grand challenges in nuclear materials new insights into nuclear materials using ion irradiation, CryoEM, and in-situ liquid cell microscopy

“…Ion irradiation creates damage over short time frames, enabling in-situ analysis of the effects and careful control of experiments (Lewis et al, 1979;Wang et al, 1999;Ewing et al, 2000;Jiang et al, 2017;Sassi et al, 2019;Lang et al, 2022). Both ex-situ and in-situ facilities are available for performing these types of experiments (Wirth, 2007;Li et al, 2015;Taylor et al, 2017b); although, there is a pressing need for these to be improved and equipped with more modern instrumentation.…”

Coupling Extreme Environments in the SEM: Present and Future Developments

“…Micro-and nano-scale material features dictate material form and function, and thus dictate the properties and performance. The ability to image materials on this scale in real-time will offer the transient information lacking from typical pre-and post-mortem materials characterization [1,2].…”