Digitization of the 3ω-method for thin films

Abstract

The 3-omega method is a technique applied in measuring the thermal conductivity of incredibly difficult materials, such as nanometer thick thin-films. Traditional experimental 3-omega setups often rely on costly and cumbersome instrumentation, and lack a coherent interface for the user. This thesis proposes a relatively low cost and compact digitized system for measuring the thermal conductivity of materials using 3-omega sensors that streamlines testing while providing the measurement quality of traditional setups. The proposed system features minimal analog hardware to interface with physical 3-omega sensors, and provides a simple software interface to initiate and accumulate 3-omega tests. The design of this system is presented and validated by measuring the thermal conductivity of several dielectric fluids and a solid polyimide film. The outcome of this research will enable 3-omega testing outside of lab environments and promotes commercialization of the technique, where previously difficult due to its experimental process.