Stability and isolation of uranium carbide phases in thin film systems

L.M. Harding; Jack Gregson; Cameron Kinross; J. Laverock; D.T. Goddard; C. Bell; R. Springell

doi:10.1016/j.tsf.2026.140911

Stability and isolation of uranium carbide phases in thin film systems

L.M. Harding^*, Jack Gregson, Cameron Kinross, J. Laverock, D.T. Goddard, C. Bell, R. Springell

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article (Academic Journal) › peer-review

Abstract

Polycrystalline uranium carbide (UC𝑥) and epitaxial single crystal uranium monocarbide (UC) thin films have been synthesised using DC magnetron sputtering. By correlating X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements, it was revealed that UC_𝑥 surfaces maintained a NaCl-type cubic structure whilst exhibiting a range of UC stoichiometries. Epitaxial [001]-oriented UC was isolated and stabilised upon the [001]∥[11̄02] Nb/Al2O3 system, with in- and out-of-plane lattice parameters of a(024) = 4.9875(5) Å and a(002) = 4.96546(7) Å, respectively. Through XPS area analysis of the U-4𝑓 and C-1𝑠 core levels, this sample was found to be stoichiometric within experimental uncertainty. This methodology presents a route to explore the physical structure and fundamental chemical properties of individual carbide phases.

Original language	English
Article number	140911
Number of pages	9
Journal	Thin Solid Films
Volume	839
Early online date	14 Mar 2026
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tsf.2026.140911
Publication status	Published - 1 Apr 2026

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2026 The Authors.

Research Groups and Themes

Materials & Devices
Nuclear

Keywords

Uranium carbide
TRISO
Spectroscopy

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Springell, R. S. (Principal Investigator)
1/10/21 → 30/09/23
Project: Research

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@article{4094e21f948b4251b1d3fe05ac8cc393,

title = "Stability and isolation of uranium carbide phases in thin film systems",

abstract = "Polycrystalline uranium carbide (UC𝑥) and epitaxial single crystal uranium monocarbide (UC) thin films have been synthesised using DC magnetron sputtering. By correlating X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements, it was revealed that UC𝑥 surfaces maintained a NaCl-type cubic structure whilst exhibiting a range of UC stoichiometries. Epitaxial [001]-oriented UC was isolated and stabilised upon the [001]∥[1{\=1}02] Nb/Al2O3 system, with in- and out-of-plane lattice parameters of a(024) = 4.9875(5) {\AA} and a(002) = 4.96546(7) {\AA}, respectively. Through XPS area analysis of the U-4𝑓 and C-1𝑠 core levels, this sample was found to be stoichiometric within experimental uncertainty. This methodology presents a route to explore the physical structure and fundamental chemical properties of individual carbide phases.",

keywords = "Uranium carbide, TRISO, Spectroscopy",

author = "L.M. Harding and Jack Gregson and Cameron Kinross and J. Laverock and D.T. Goddard and C. Bell and R. Springell",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2026 The Authors. ",

year = "2026",

month = apr,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.tsf.2026.140911",

language = "English",

volume = "839",

journal = "Thin Solid Films",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Stability and isolation of uranium carbide phases in thin film systems

AU - Harding, L.M.

AU - Gregson, Jack

AU - Kinross, Cameron

AU - Laverock, J.

AU - Goddard, D.T.

AU - Bell, C.

AU - Springell, R.

PY - 2026/4/1

Y1 - 2026/4/1

N2 - Polycrystalline uranium carbide (UC𝑥) and epitaxial single crystal uranium monocarbide (UC) thin films have been synthesised using DC magnetron sputtering. By correlating X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements, it was revealed that UC𝑥 surfaces maintained a NaCl-type cubic structure whilst exhibiting a range of UC stoichiometries. Epitaxial [001]-oriented UC was isolated and stabilised upon the [001]∥[11̄02] Nb/Al2O3 system, with in- and out-of-plane lattice parameters of a(024) = 4.9875(5) Å and a(002) = 4.96546(7) Å, respectively. Through XPS area analysis of the U-4𝑓 and C-1𝑠 core levels, this sample was found to be stoichiometric within experimental uncertainty. This methodology presents a route to explore the physical structure and fundamental chemical properties of individual carbide phases.

AB - Polycrystalline uranium carbide (UC𝑥) and epitaxial single crystal uranium monocarbide (UC) thin films have been synthesised using DC magnetron sputtering. By correlating X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements, it was revealed that UC𝑥 surfaces maintained a NaCl-type cubic structure whilst exhibiting a range of UC stoichiometries. Epitaxial [001]-oriented UC was isolated and stabilised upon the [001]∥[11̄02] Nb/Al2O3 system, with in- and out-of-plane lattice parameters of a(024) = 4.9875(5) Å and a(002) = 4.96546(7) Å, respectively. Through XPS area analysis of the U-4𝑓 and C-1𝑠 core levels, this sample was found to be stoichiometric within experimental uncertainty. This methodology presents a route to explore the physical structure and fundamental chemical properties of individual carbide phases.

KW - Uranium carbide

KW - TRISO

KW - Spectroscopy

U2 - 10.1016/j.tsf.2026.140911

DO - 10.1016/j.tsf.2026.140911

M3 - Article (Academic Journal)

SN - 0040-6090

VL - 839

JO - Thin Solid Films

JF - Thin Solid Films

M1 - 140911

ER -

Stability and isolation of uranium carbide phases in thin film systems

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Research Groups and Themes

Keywords

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Projects

Facility for Radioactive Materials Surfaces

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