Theory and verification of a method for parameter-free laser-flash diffusivity measurement of a single-side object

A new single-side flash method for thermal diffusivity determination is presented. The method is based on a laser-flash pulse excitation and infrared thermography non-contact temperature measurement of a thermal response of a studied object. Using this method, the both excitation and measurement at one side (front side) of the studied object are provided. An exact knowledge of the thickness, absorbed energy, emissivity or other material parameters of the object as well as temperature measurement on the opposite side (back side) of the object are not required. Thus, the method can be described as an object parameter-free single-side thermal diffusivity measurement method. The thermal diffusivity measurement procedure and data processing using an approximation algorithm are described in the paper. Simulation and experimental verification of the method is presented for several materials.