The laser flash analysis or laser flash method is used to measure thermal diffusivity of a variety of different materials. An energy pulse heats one side of a plane-parallel sample and the resulting time dependent temperature rise on the backside due to the energy input is detected. The higher the thermal diffusivity of the sample, the faster the energy reaches the backside.
Applications
Used to measure thermal diffusivity of a variety of different materials.
Procedure
The front surface of a plane-parallel sample is heated by a light pulse and the resulting temperature rise at the sample’s rear face is recorded as a function of time. The higher the thermal diffusivity, the faster the temperature rise reaches the rear face.