Optical Measurement of Thermal Conductivity Using Fiber Aligned Frequency Domain Thermoreflectance
Abstract
Fiber aligned frequency domain thermoreflectance (FAFDTR) is a simple noncontact optical technique for accurately measuring the thermal conductivity of thin films and bulk samples for a wide range of materials, including electrically conducting samples. FAFDTR is a single-sided measurement that requires minimal sample preparation and no microfabrication. Like existing thermoreflectance techniques, a modulated pump laser heats the sample surface, and a probe laser monitors the resultant thermal wave via the temperature dependent reflectance of the surface. Via the use of inexpensive fiber coupled diode lasers and common mode rejection, FAFDTR addresses three challenges of existing optical methods: complexity in setup, uncertainty in pump-probe alignment, and noise in the probe laser. FAFDTR was validated for thermal conductivities spanning three orders of magnitude (0.1–100 W/m K), and thin film thermal conductances greater than 10 W/m2 K. Uncertainties of 10–15% were typical, and were dominated by uncertainties in the laser spot size. A parametric study of sensitivity for thin film samples shows that high thermal conductivity contrast between film and substrate is essential for making accurate measurements.
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Uncertainty displayed as shaded regions was calculated using the procedure in Malen et al. by considering uncertainty in the Au-Cr transducer thickness, the Au-Cr transducer thermal conductivity, G, spot radius, and the propagation of error in the measured phase.
“Uncertainty, displayed as shaded regions in Figs 3 and 4, was calculated using the procedure in Malen et al. 42 by considering uncertainty in the Au-Cr transducer thickness (±5%), the Au-Cr transducer thermal conductivity (±5%), G (sample dependant), spot radius (3.4±0.1 mm) and the propagation of error in the measured phase (see Supplementary Note 2).”
From Broadband phonon mean free path contributions to thermal conductivity measured using frequency domain thermoreflectance (2013) · cites this paper as [42]
The transient thermoreflectance technique can be implemented as both the TDTR method and the frequency-domain thermoreflectance (FDTR) method.
“The transient thermoreflectance technique can be implemented as both the TDTR method 22, 24, 25 and the frequency-domain thermoreflectance (FDTR) method 93, 94 (see Section III(A) for more details of FDTR).”
From Tutorial: Time-domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) for thermal property characterization of bulk and thin film materials (2018) · cites this paper as [94]
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References 37 · Cited by 145
- Authors
- Malen, J. A., Baheti, K., Tong, T., Zhao, Y., Hudgings, J. A., & Majumdar, A.
- Affiliations
- University of California, Berkeley (US)
- Mount Holyoke College (US)
- Venue
- Journal of Heat Transfer
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2011-05-02
- Volume
- 133
- Issue
- 8
- ISSN
- 0022-1481 (ISSN-L)
- 1528-8943
- OpenAlex
- W2105993447
- Cited by
- 145
- References
- 37
- Citations by year
- 2026: 9 · 2025: 15 · 2024: 13 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 10 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 11 · 2019: 12 · 2018: 10 · 2017: 9 · 2016: 15 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 4 · 2013: 13 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 3.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- ASME Journal of Heat and Mass Transfer (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Physical Sciences › Materials Science › Materials Chemistry › Thermal properties of materials
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Mechanics of Materials › Thermography and Photoacoustic Techniques
- Physical Sciences › Engineering › Civil and Structural Engineering › Thermal Radiation and Cooling Technologies
- Keywords
- frequency-domain thermoreflectance, thermal conductivity measurement, thin film thermal conductivity, non-contact optical measurement, common-mode rejection, conductive materials, thermal waves, measurement uncertainty, thermal conductivity contrast
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