ABSTRACT
One dimensional quasi-steady state heat transfer experiments were performed to measure the thermal diffusivity of thin films. A mathematical model for one dimensional, radial heat conduction in a circular disk was derived; it was implemented in a nonlinear sequential parameter estimation program (NLIN) to estimate the thermal diffusivity. A new experimental configuration was designed which utilized a halogen lamp and ellipsoidal reflector as a heat source. The experimental technique was utilized to determine the thermal diffusivity of CVD-diamond samples, a relatively new material with thermal properties that have not yet been thoroughly quantified. Three samples of CVD-diamond were tested. The results for the thermal diffusivities of the three samples were 3.86 ± 0.21 cm2/s, 4.31 ± 0.27 cm2/s and 5.69 ± 0.09 cm2/s.
