(SATURN CDT) The use of local contact impedance spectroscopy to monitor radiation damage in ceramics and glasses

About the Project

We are offering an exciting PhD opportunity to develop and validate a novel rapid, non-destructive technique for detecting and quantifying radiation-induced defects in ceramics, glasses, and other functional materials. This interdisciplinary project sits at the interface of materials science and nuclear engineering, offering exceptional exposure to both cutting-edge academic research and real-world industrial challenges in the nuclear sector.

Understanding and characterising radiation damage remains one of the central challenges in nuclear materials science. Conventional characterisation techniques, such as Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), provide powerful insights but are often destructive, time-consuming, resource-intensive, and can themselves alter or remove the very defects under investigation. This project will explore an alternative approach based on macro- and micro-contact Impedance Spectroscopy (mcIS), with the aim of establishing a rapid, non-destructive electrical method for quantifying radiation damage in a wide range of materials.

Preliminary studies on irradiated Strontium Titanate (SrTiO₃) have demonstrated strong potential for detecting radiation-induced defects and amorphisation through measurable changes in electrical response. Building on these promising results, the project will investigate mcIS across a broader suite of pristine and irradiated materials implanted with varying atomic species and defect concentrations, representing different forms of radiation damage including displacement defects, dislocations, and transmutation products.

The successful candidate will correlate mcIS responses with defect type and concentration to establish robust relationships between electrical signatures and radiation damage accumulation. This work has the potential to deliver a transformative characterisation tool that complements existing techniques while providing significant advantages in speed, scalability, non-destructive analysis, and potential for remote deployment.

The project will contribute to improved materials selection for nuclear applications, advance fundamental understanding of radiation–material interactions, and support rapid in-field assessment of material integrity in radiation-harsh environments.

A strong interest in experimental work and materials characterisation is essential. Training will be provided in all specialist techniques, so motivated candidates from adjacent fields are also encouraged to apply.