Automated nanosecond laser pulse-induced heating, melting and acoustics in tungsten using two-wave mixing photorefractive interferometry

Abstract

To ensure safety and high efficiency operation of nuclear power plants it is important to measure precisely and accurately solid-to-liquid phase transition and corresponding melting point temperature of nuclear fuels. Measurement of thermo-physical material properties of fresh and irradiated nuclear fuels is a key to understand, model and predict the performance of existing fuels and to develop new forms of fuels.