Categorical Exclusion Determination
Office of NEPA Policy and Compliance
April 12, 2017
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Utah State University proposes to purchase a state-of-the-art Focused Ion Beam (FIB) microscope primarily for the milling capabilities that will enable advanced specimen preparation and 3D microstructural characterization through electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). In addition to these uses, the FIB will be used to simulate rapid neutron irradiation in the near surface region that can be used to study irradiation damage in the reactor environment. Combining these techniques allows rapid investigation of the irradiation-microstructure-property relation of nuclear materials.