Microfabrication: LIGA-X and applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kupka, R. K.; Bouamrane, F.; Cremers, C.; Megtert, S.

2000-09-01

X-ray LIGA (Lithography, Electrogrowth, Moulding) is one of today's key technologies in microfabrication and upcoming modern (meso)-(nano) fabrication, already used and anticipated for micromechanics (micromotors, microsensors, spinnerets, etc.), micro-optics, micro-hydrodynamics (fluidic devices), microbiology, in medicine, in biology, and in chemistry for microchemical reactors. It compares to micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) technology, offering a larger, non-silicon choice of materials and better inherent precision. X-ray LIGA relies on synchrotron radiation to obtain necessary X-ray fluxes and uses X-ray proximity printing. Inherent advantages are its extreme precision, depth of field and very low intrinsic surface roughness. However, the quality of fabricated structures often depends on secondary effects during exposure and effects like resist adhesion. UV-LIGA, relying on thick UV resists is an alternative for projects requiring less precision. Modulating the spectral properties of synchrotron radiation, different regimes of X-ray lithography lead to (a) the mass-fabrication of classical nanostructures, (b) the fabrication of high aspect ratio nanostructures (HARNST), (c) the fabrication of high aspect ratio microstructures (HARMST), and (d) the fabrication of high aspect ratio centimeter structures (HARCST). Reviewing very recent activities around X-ray LIGA, we show the versatility of the method, obviously finding its region of application there, where it is best and other competing microtechnologies are less advantageous. An example of surface-based X-ray and particle lenses (orthogonal reflection optics (ORO)) made by X-ray LIGA is given.

Photostimulated near-infrared persistent luminescence as a new optical read-out from Cr3+-doped LiGa5O8

PubMed Central

Liu, Feng; Yan, Wuzhao; Chuang, Yen-Jun; Zhen, Zipeng; Xie, Jin; Pan, Zhengwei

2013-01-01

In conventional photostimulable storage phosphors, the optical information written by x-ray or ultraviolet irradiation is usually read out as a visible photostimulated luminescence (PSL) signal under the stimulation of a low-energy light with appropriate wavelength. Unlike the transient PSL, here we report a new optical read-out form, photostimulated persistent luminescence (PSPL) in the near-infrared (NIR), from a Cr3+-doped LiGa5O8 NIR persistent phosphor exhibiting a super-long NIR persistent luminescence of more than 1,000 h. An intense PSPL signal peaking at 716 nm can be repeatedly obtained in a period of more than 1,000 h when an ultraviolet-light (250–360 nm) pre-irradiated LiGa5O8:Cr3+ phosphor is repeatedly stimulated with a visible light or a NIR light. The LiGa5O8:Cr3+ phosphor has promising applications in optical information storage, night-vision surveillance, and in vivo bio-imaging. PMID:23532003

First-principles study on elastic and superconducting properties of Nb3Sn and Nb3Al under hydrostatic pressure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Rui; Gao, Peifeng; Wang, Xingzhe; Zhou, Youhe

2015-10-01

The low temperature superconducting materials, such as Nb3Sn and Nb3Al, have similar crystal structures and elastic properties. However, their critical-temperature degradations always show the distinct way under mechanical stresses. In this study, first-principles calculations for the low temperature superconductors based on plane-wave pseudo-potential density functional theory within the generalized gradient approximation are implemented, and the elastic moduli of Nb3Sn and Nb3Al and those superconductivities in the presence of hydrostatic pressure are evaluated. The Debye temperatures are obtained by the bulk moduli and shear moduli of superconducting materials. The MacMillan equation is further used to acquire the critical temperatures of Nb3Sn and Nb3Al under different hydrostatic pressures. It is found that the elastic constants and bulk moduli of the low temperature superconductors are enhanced by the applied hydrostatic pressure, while the critical temperatures usually are decreased with the pressure. Additionally, the decrease of critical-temperature for Nb3Sn is more sensitive to the hydrostatic pressure than the one for Nb3Al. The prediction results show good agreement with the experimental results in the literatures qualitatively.

Total x-ray power measurements in the Sandia LIGA program.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Malinowski, Michael E.; Ting, Aili

2005-08-01

Total X-ray power measurements using aluminum block calorimetry and other techniques were made at LIGA X-ray scanner synchrotron beamlines located at both the Advanced Light Source (ALS) and the Advanced Photon Source (APS). This block calorimetry work was initially performed on the LIGA beamline 3.3.1 of the ALS to provide experimental checks of predictions of the LEX-D (LIGA Exposure- Development) code for LIGA X-ray exposures, version 7.56, the version of the code in use at the time calorimetry was done. These experiments showed that it was necessary to use bend magnet field strengths and electron storage ring energies different frommore » the default values originally in the code in order to obtain good agreement between experiment and theory. The results indicated that agreement between LEX-D predictions and experiment could be as good as 5% only if (1) more accurate values of the ring energies, (2) local values of the magnet field at the beamline source point, and (3) the NIST database for X-ray/materials interactions were used as code inputs. These local magnetic field value and accurate ring energies, together with NIST database, are now defaults in the newest release of LEX-D, version 7.61. Three dimensional simulations of the temperature distributions in the aluminum calorimeter block for a typical ALS power measurement were made with the ABAQUS code and found to be in good agreement with the experimental temperature data. As an application of the block calorimetry technique, the X-ray power exiting the mirror in place at a LIGA scanner located at the APS beamline 10 BM was measured with a calorimeter similar to the one used at the ALS. The overall results at the APS demonstrated the utility of calorimetry in helping to characterize the total X-ray power in LIGA beamlines. In addition to the block calorimetry work at the ALS and APS, a preliminary comparison of the use of heat flux sensors, photodiodes and modified beam calorimeters as total X-ray power

Cloning and Molecular Characterization of an Immunogenic LigA Protein of Leptospira interrogans

PubMed Central

Palaniappan, Raghavan U. M.; Chang, Yung-Fu; Jusuf, S. S. D.; Artiushin, S.; Timoney, John F.; McDonough, Sean P.; Barr, Steve C.; Divers, Thomas J.; Simpson, Kenneth W.; McDonough, Patrick L.; Mohammed, Hussni O.

2002-01-01

A clone expressing a novel immunoreactive leptospiral immunoglobulin-like protein A of 130 kDa (LigA) from Leptospira interrogans serovar pomona type kennewicki was isolated by screening a genomic DNA library with serum from a mare that had recently aborted due to leptospiral infection. LigA is encoded by an open reading frame of 3,675 bp, and the deduced amino acid sequence consists of a series of 90-amino-acid tandem repeats. A search of the NCBI database found that homology of the LigA repeat region was limited to an immunoglobulin-like domain of the bacterial intimin binding protein of Escherichia coli, the cell adhesion domain of Clostridium acetobutylicum, and the invasin of Yersinia pestis. Secondary structure prediction analysis indicates that LigA consists mostly of beta sheets with a few alpha-helical regions. No LigA was detectable by immunoblot analysis of lysates of the leptospires grown in vitro at 30°C or when cultures were shifted to 37°C. Strikingly, immunohistochemistry on kidney from leptospira-infected hamsters demonstrated LigA expression. These findings suggest that LigA is specifically induced only in vivo. Sera from horses, which aborted as a result of natural Leptospira infection, strongly recognize LigA. LigA is the first leptospiral protein described to have 12 tandem repeats and is also the first to be expressed only during infection. Thus, LigA may have value in serodiagnosis or as a protective immunogen in novel vaccines. PMID:12379666

Use of LigaSure™ on bile duct in rats: an experimental study.

PubMed

Marte, Antonio; Pintozzi, Lucia

2017-08-01

The closure of a cystic duct during cholecystectomy by means of radiofrequency is still controversial. We report our preliminary experimental results with the use of LigaSure™ on common bile duct in rats. Thirty Wistar rats weighing 70 to 120 g were employed for this study. The animals were all anesthetized with intraperitoneal ketamine and then divided into three groups. The first group (10 rats, Group C) underwent only laparotomy and isolation of the common bile duct. The second (10 rats, Group M) underwent laparotomy and closure of the common bile duct (CBD) with monopolar coagulation. The third group (10 rats, Group L) underwent laparotomy and sealing of the common bile duct with two application of LigaSureTM. Afterwards, all rats were kept in comfortable cages and were administered dibenzamine for five days. They were all sacrificed on day 20. Through a laparotomy, the liver and bile duct were removed for histological examination. Blood samples were obtained to dose bilirubin, amylase and transaminase levels. Mortality rate was 0 in the control group (C), 3/10 rats in group M and 0 in group L. In group L, the macroscopic examination showed a large choledochocele (3-3.5 × 1.5 cm) with few adhesions. At the histological examination there was optimal sealing of the common bile duct in 9/10 rats. In group M, 2/10 rats had liver abscesses, 3/10 rats had choledochocele and 5/10 rats, biliary peritonitis. There was intense tissue inflammation and the dissection was difficult. Analyses of blood samples showed an increase in total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) in groups M and L. The preliminary results of our study confirm that radiofrequency can be safely used for the closure of the common bile duct. The choledochocele obtained with this technique could represent a good experimental model. These results could be a further step for using the LigaSureTM in clipless cholecystectomy.

Safety and efficacy of LigaSure usage in pancreaticoduodenectomy

PubMed Central

Eng, Oliver S; Goswami, Julie; Moore, Dirk; Chen, Chunxia; Brumbaugh, Jennifer; Gannon, Christopher J; August, David A; Carpizo, Darren R

2013-01-01

Background Over recent years, use of the LigaSure™ vessel sealing device has increased in major abdominal surgery to include pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). LigaSure™ use during PD has expanded to include all steps of the procedure, including the division of the uncinate margin. This introduces the potential for thermal major vascular injury or margin positivity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LigaSure™ usage in PD in comparison to established dissection techniques. Methods One hundred and forty-eight patients who underwent PD from 2007 to 2012 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital were identified from a retrospective database. Two groups were recognized: those in which the LigaSure™ device was used (N = 114), and in those it was not (N = 34). Peri-operative outcomes were compared. Results Vascular intra-operative complications directly caused by thermal injury from LigaSure™ use occurred in 1.8% of patients. Overall vascular intra-operative complications, uncinate margin positivity, blood loss, length of stay, and complication severity were not significantly different between groups. The mean operative time was 77 min less (P < 0.010) in the LigaSure™ group. Savings per case where the LigaSure™ was used amounted to $1776.73. Conclusion LigaSure™ usage during PD is safe and effective. It is associated with decreased operative times, which may decrease operative costs in PD. PMID:23782268

Microstructural study of brass matrix internal tin multifilamentary Nb3Sn superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banno, Nobuya; Miyamoto, Yasuo; Tachikawa, Kyoji

2018-03-01

Zn addition to the Cu matrix in internal-tin-processed Nb3Sn superconductors is attractive in terms of the growth kinetics of the Nb3Sn layers. Sn activity is enhanced in the Cu-Zn (brass) matrix, which accelerates Nb3Sn layer formation. Here, we prepared multifilamentary wires using a brass matrix with a Nb core diameter of less than 10 μm and investigated the potential for further Jc improvement through microstructural and microchemical studies. Ti was added into the Sn cores in the precursor wire. Microchemical analysis showed that Ti accumulates between subelements consisting of Nb cores, which blocks Sn diffusion through this region when the spacing between the subelements in the precursor wire is a few microns. The average grain size was found to be about 230 nm through image analysis. To date, matrix Jc values of 1470 and 640 A/mm-2 have been obtained at 12 and 16 T, respectively. The area fraction of Nb cores in the filamentary region of the precursor wire was about 36.3%. There was still some unreacted Nb core area after heat treatment. Insufficient Ti diffusion into the Nb3Sn layers was identified in the outer subelements. These findings suggest that there is still room for improvement in Jc.

Safety and efficacy of LigaSure usage in pancreaticoduodenectomy.

PubMed

Eng, Oliver S; Goswami, Julie; Moore, Dirk; Chen, Chunxia; Brumbaugh, Jennifer; Gannon, Christopher J; August, David A; Carpizo, Darren R

2013-10-01

Over recent years, use of the LigaSure™ vessel sealing device has increased in major abdominal surgery to include pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). LigaSure™ use during PD has expanded to include all steps of the procedure, including the division of the uncinate margin. This introduces the potential for thermal major vascular injury or margin positivity. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the safety and efficacy of LigaSure™ usage in PD in comparison to established dissection techniques. One hundred and forty-eight patients who underwent PD from 2007 to 2012 at Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital were identified from a retrospective database. Two groups were recognized: those in which the LigaSure™ device was used (N = 114), and in those it was not (N = 34). Peri-operative outcomes were compared. Vascular intra-operative complications directly caused by thermal injury from LigaSure™ use occurred in 1.8% of patients. Overall vascular intra-operative complications, uncinate margin positivity, blood loss, length of stay, and complication severity were not significantly different between groups. The mean operative time was 77 min less (P < 0.010) in the LigaSure™ group. Savings per case where the LigaSure™ was used amounted to $1776.73. LigaSure™ usage during PD is safe and effective. It is associated with decreased operative times, which may decrease operative costs in PD. © 2013 International Hepato-Pancreato-Biliary Association.

LiNbO3 Cylinder Fiber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2004-01-01

We have successfully fabricate optical fiber with a thin layer of LiNbO3 at the boundary of the glass core and dear glass cladding. The construction of this fiber is based on our successful Semiconductor Cylinder Fibers (SCF). A schematic representation of a LiNbO3 Cylinder Fiber is shown. These fibers can be used as light modulators, sonar detectors and in other applications. The core diameter of the fiber is sufficiently small compared to the light wavelength and the indices of refraction of the core and cladding glasses are sufficiently close in value so that there is sufficient light at the core cladding boundary to interact with the LiNbO3 layer. This fiber functions best when just a single light mode propagates through the fiber. The idea for a LiNbO3 Cylinder Fiber came from Dr. Tracee Jamison of NASA. The optical properties of LiNbO3 can be changed with strain or the application of an electric field. Thus these fibers can be used as acoustic sensors as for example in a sonar. They can also be used as electric field operated light modulators. However, for this application the fibers would be made with a cross section in the form of a 'D'. The core with its surrounding LiNbO, layer would be close to the flat portion of the 'D' shaped fiber. Two metal contacts would be deposited on the flat portion of the fiber on either side of the core. A voltage applied across these contacts will result in an electric field in the core region that can be used for modulating the optical properties of the LiNbO, layer. To our knowledge this is the first ever LiNbO, Cylinder Fiber made.

Electronic structure of LiGaS 2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atuchin, V. V.; Isaenko, L. I.; Kesler, V. G.; Lobanov, S.; Huang, H.; Lin, Z. S.

2009-04-01

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurement has been performed to determine the valence band structure of LiGaS 2 crystals. The experimental measurement is compared with the electronic structure obtained from the density functional calculations. It is found that the Ga 3d states in the XPS spectrum are much higher than the calculated results. In order to eliminate this discrepancy, the LDA+ U method is employed and reasonable agreement is achieved. Further calculations show that the difference of the linear and nonlinear optical coefficients between LDA and LDA+ U calculations is negligibly small, indicating that the Ga 3d states are actually independent of the excited properties of LiGaS 2 crystals since they are located at a very deep position in the valence bands.

LiNbO3 Cylinder Fiber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kornreich, Philip

2004-01-01

We have successfully fabricate optical fiber with a thin layer of LiNbO3 at the boundary of the glass core and clear glass cladding. The construction of this fiber is based on our successful Semiconductor Cylinder Fibers (SCF). A schematic representation of a LiN bo, Cylinder Fiber. These fibers can be used as light modulators, sonar detectors and in other applications. The core diameter of the fiber is sufficiently small compared to the light wavelength and the indices of refraction of the core and cladding glasses are sufficiently close in value so that there is sufficient light at the core cladding boundary to interact with the LiNbO3 layer. This fiber functions best when just a single light mode propagates through the fiber. The idea for a LiNbO3 Cylinder Fiber came from Dr. Tracee Jamison of NASA. The optical properties of LiNbO3 can be changed with strain or the application of an electric field. Thus these fibers can be used as acoustic sensors as for example in a sonar. They can also be used as electric field operated light modulators. However, for this application the fibers would be made with a cross section in the form of a "D". The core with its surrounding LiNbO, layer would be close to the flat portion of the "D" shaped fiber. Two metal contacts would be deposited on the flat portion of the fiber on either side of the core. A voltage applied across these contacts will result in an electric field in the core region that can be used for modulating the optical properties of the LiNbO3 layer. To our knowledge this is the first ever LiNbO3 Cylinder Fiber made.

Larp Nb3Sn Quadrupole Magnets for the Lhc Luminosity Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferracin, P.

2010-04-01

The US LHC Accelerator Research Program (LARP) is a collaboration between four US laboratories (BNL, FNAL, LBNL, and SLAC) aimed at contributing to the commissioning and operation of the LHC and conducting R&D on its luminosity upgrade. Within LARP, the Magnet Program's main goal is to demonstrate that Nb3Sn superconducting magnets are a viable option for a future upgrade of the LHC Interaction Regions. Over the past four years, LARP has successfully fabricated and tested several R&D magnets: 1) the subscale quadrupole magnet SQ, to perform technology studies with 300 mm long racetrack coils, 2) the technology quadrupole TQ, to investigate support structure behavior with 1 m long cos 2θ coils, and 3) the long racetrack magnet LR, to test 3.6 m long racetrack coils. The next milestone consists in the fabrication and test of the 3.7 m long quadrupole magnet LQ, with the goal of demonstrating that Nb3Sn technology is mature for use in high energy accelerators. After an overview of design features and test result of the LARP magnets fabricated so far, this paper focuses on the status of the fabrication of LQ: we describe the production of the 3.4 m long cos 2θ coils, and the of the qualification support structure. Finally, the status of the development of the next 1 m long model HQ, conceived to explore stress and field limits of Nb3Sn superconducting, magnets, is presented.

High temperature superconductor NB3Ga

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vieland, L. J.; Wicklund, A. W.

1973-01-01

The discovery of superconductivity at 20.3 K in the Nb-Ga system by applying chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques to the materials preparation problem is reported. Films on ceramic substrates have been grown with superconducting onsets of up to 20.3 K. Critical fields at 4.2 K in excess of 300 kG and alpha's of 1100,000 T-A/sq cm have been obtained. The results confirm that the outstanding properties of Nb-Ga are due to an equilibrium configuration of the system, namely, the stoichiometric A-15 compound Nb3Ga, which is stable at relatively low temperatures. Practical materials preparation problems center on the codeposition of an adjacent Nb5Ga3 phase and the requirement that the deposition temperature be low. Some ternary alloys were also prepared, with part of the Ga replaced by Sn, Sb, Al, or Ge.

Nonequilibrium synthesis of NbAl3 and Nb-Al-V alloys by laser cladding. II - Oxidation behavior

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Haasch, R. T.; Tewari, S. K.; Sircar, S.; Loxton, C. M.; Mazumder, J.

1992-01-01

Isothermal oxidation behaviors of NbAl3 alloy synthesized by laser cladding were investigated at temperatures between 800 and 1400 C, and the effect of vanadium microalloying on the oxidation of the laser-clad alloy was examined. The oxidation kinetics of the two alloys were monitored using thermal gravimetric weight gain data, and the bulk and surface chemistries were analyzed using XRD and XPS, respectively. It was found that NbAl3 did not form an exclusive layer of protective Al2O3. The oxidation products at 800 C were found to be a mixture of Nb2O5 and Al2O3. At 1200 C, a mixture of NbAlO4, Nb2O5, and Al2O3 formed; and at 1400 C, a mixture of NbAlO4, Al2O3, NbO2, NbO(2.432), and Nb2O5 formed. The addition of V led to a dramatic increase of the oxidation rate, which may be related to the formation of (Nb, V)2O5 and VO2, which grows in preference to protective Al2O3.

Measurements of Dynamic Effects in FNAL 11 T Nb 3Sn Dipole Models

DOE PAGES

Velev, Gueorgui; Strauss, Thomas; Barzi, Emanuela; ...

2018-01-17

Fermilab, in collaboration with CERN, has developed a twin-aperture 11 T Nb 3Sn dipole suitable for the high-luminosity LHC upgrade. During 2012-2014, a 2-m long single-aperture dipole demonstrator and three 1-m long single-aperture dipole models were fabricated by FNAL and tested at its Vertical Magnet Test Facility. Collared coils from two of the 1-m long models were then used to assemble the first twin-aperture dipole demonstrator. This magnet had extensive testing in 2015-2016, including quench performance, quench protection, and field quality studies. Here, this paper reports the results of measurements of persistent current effects in the single-aperture and twin-aperture 11more » T Nb 3Sn dipoles and compares them with similar measurements in previous NbTi magnets« less

Measurements of Dynamic Effects in FNAL 11 T Nb 3Sn Dipole Models

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Velev, Gueorgui; Strauss, Thomas; Barzi, Emanuela

Fermilab, in collaboration with CERN, has developed a twin-aperture 11 T Nb 3Sn dipole suitable for the high-luminosity LHC upgrade. During 2012-2014, a 2-m long single-aperture dipole demonstrator and three 1-m long single-aperture dipole models were fabricated by FNAL and tested at its Vertical Magnet Test Facility. Collared coils from two of the 1-m long models were then used to assemble the first twin-aperture dipole demonstrator. This magnet had extensive testing in 2015-2016, including quench performance, quench protection, and field quality studies. Here, this paper reports the results of measurements of persistent current effects in the single-aperture and twin-aperture 11more » T Nb 3Sn dipoles and compares them with similar measurements in previous NbTi magnets« less

What determines the interfacial configuration of Nb/Al2O3 and Nb/MgO interface

PubMed Central

Du, J. L.; Fang, Y.; Fu, E. G.; Ding, X.; Yu, K. Y.; Wang, Y. G.; Wang, Y. Q.; Baldwin, J. K.; Wang, P. P.; Bai, Q.

2016-01-01

Nb films are deposited on single crystal Al2O3 (110) and MgO(111) substrates by e-beam evaporation technique. Structure of Nb films and orientation relationships (ORs) of Nb/Al2O3 and Nb/MgO interface are studied and compared by the combination of experiments and simulations. The experiments show that the Nb films obtain strong (110) texture, and the Nb film on Al2O3(110) substrate shows a higher crystalline quality than that on MgO(111) substrate. First principle calculations show that both the lattice mismatch and the strength of interface bonding play major roles in determining the crystalline perfection of Nb films and ORs between Nb films and single crystal ceramic substrates. The fundamental mechanisms for forming the interfacial configuration in terms of the lattice mismatch and the strength of interface bonding are discussed. PMID:27698458

New red Y 0.85Bi 0.1Eu 0.05V 1-yM yO 4 (M=Nb, P) phosphors for light-emitting diodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuhua; Sun, Yunkui; Zhang, Jiachi; Ci, Zhipeng; Zhang, Zhiya; Wang, Lei

2008-06-01

The Y 0.85Bi 0.1Eu 0.05V 1-yM yO 4 (M=Nb, P) as new near-ultraviolet excited phosphors were synthesized and their luminescence properties under 365 nm excitation were investigated in detail. It indicated that by doping small amount of P 5+ into V 5+ sites, the excitation intensity of charge transfer (CT) band of Bi-O (330-400 nm) was greatly improved. By substituting Nb 5+ for V 5+, both the CT bands of Bi-O and Eu-O (240-320 nm) were significantly enhanced. As a result, the emission intensity of Y 0.85Bi 0.1Eu 0.05V 1-yM yO 4 (M=Nb, P) could be improved about 90% by doping 5 mol% P 5+ and 110% by doping 5 mol% Nb 5+. Comparing with the commercial Y 2O 2S:Eu 3+ phosphors, the Y 0.85Bi 0.1Eu 0.05V 0.95M 0.05O 4 (M=Nb, P) phosphors exhibited excellent color purity and much higher brightness. The results showed that these Y 0.85Bi 0.1Eu 0.05V 1-yM yO 4 (M=Nb, P) phosphors could be considered as promising red phosphors for application in LED.

Radio frequency magnetic field limits of Nb and Nb 3Sn

DOE PAGES

Posen, S.; Valles, N.; Liepe, M.

2015-07-21

Superconducting radio frequency (srf) cavities, essential components of many large particle accelerators, rely on the metastable flux-free state of superconducting materials. In this Letter, we present results of experiments measuring the magnetic field limits of two srf materials, Nb and Nb 3Sn. Resonators made using these materials were probed using both high power rf pulses and dc magnetic fields. Nb, which is the current standard material for srf cavities in applications, was found to be limited by the superheating field H sh when prepared using methods to avoid excessive rf dissipation at high fields. Nb 3Sn, which is a promisingmore » alternative material that is still in the early stages of development for srf purposes, was found to be limited between the onset field of metastability H c1 and H sh. Furthermore, analysis of the results shows that the limitation is consistent with nucleation of flux penetration at defects in the rf layer.« less

Depth dependant element analysis of PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3 using muonic x-rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brown, K. L.; Stockdale, C. P. J.; Luo, H.; Zhao, X.; Li, J.-F.; Viehland, D.; Xu, G.; Gehring, P. M.; Ishida, K.; Hillier, A. D.; Stock, C.

2018-03-01

The relaxor PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3 (PMN) has received attention due to its potential applications as a piezoelectric when doped with PbTiO3 (PT). Previous results have found that there are two phases existing in the system, one linked to the near-surface regions of the sample, the other in the bulk. However, the exact origin of these two phases is unclear. In this paper, depth dependant analysis results from negative muon implantation experiments are presented. It is shown that the Pb content is constant throughout all depths probed in the sample, but the Mg and Nb content changes in the near-surface region below 100 μm. At an implantation depth of 60 μm, it is found that there is a 25% increase in Mg content, with a simultaneous 5% decrease in Nb content in order to maintain charge neutrality. These results show that the previously observed skin effects in PMN are due to a change in concentration and unit cell.

Nb K-edge x-ray absorption investigation of the pressure induced amorphization in A-site deficient double perovskite La1/3NbO3.

PubMed

Marini, C; Noked, O; Kantor, I; Joseph, B; Mathon, O; Shuker, R; Kennedy, B J; Pascarelli, S; Sterer, E

2016-02-03

Nb K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy is utilized to investigate the changes in the local structure of the A-site deficient double perovskite La1/3NbO3 which undergoes a pressure induced irreversible amorphization. EXAFS results show that with increasing pressure up to 7.5 GPa, the average Nb-O bond distance decreases in agreement with the expected compression and tilting of the NbO6 octahedra. On the contrary, above 7.5 GPa, the average Nb-O bond distance show a tendency to increase. Significant changes in the Nb K-edge XANES spectrum with evident low energy shift of the pre-peak and the absorption edge is found to happen in La1/3NbO3 above 6.3 GPa. These changes evidence a gradual reduction of the Nb cations from Nb(5+) towards Nb(4+) above 6.3 GPa. Such a valence change accompanied by the elongation of the average Nb-O bond distances in the octahedra, introduces repulsion forces between non-bonding adjacent oxygen anions in the unoccupied A-sites. Above a critical pressure, the Nb reduction mechanism can no longer be sustained by the changing local structure and amorphization occurs, apparently due to the build-up of local strain. EXAFS and XANES results indicate two distinct pressure regimes having different local and electronic response in the La1/3NbO3 system before the occurence of the pressure induced amorphization at  ∼14.5 GPa.

Superconductive coupling in tailored [(SnSe)1+δ ] m (NbSe2)1 multilayers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trahms, Martina; Grosse, Corinna; Alemayehu, Matti B.; Hite, Omar K.; Chiatti, Olivio; Mogilatenko, Anna; Johnson, David C.; Fischer, Saskia F.

2018-06-01

Ferecrystals are a new artificially layered material system, in which the individual layers are stacked with monolayer precision and are turbostratically disordered. Here, the superconducting coupling of the NbSe2 layers in [(SnSe)1+δ ] m [NbSe2]1 ferecrystals with m between 1 and 6 are investigated. The variation of m effectively increases the distance between the superconducting NbSe2 monolayers. We find a systematic decrease of the transition temperature with an increasing number of SnSe layers per repeat unit. For m = 9 a superconducting transition can no longer be observed at temperatures above 250 mK. In order to investigate the superconducting coupling between individual NbSe2 layers, the cross-plane Ginzburg–Landau coherence lengths were determined. Electric transport measurements of the superconducting transition were performed in the presence of a magnetic field, oriented parallel and perpendicular to the layers, at temperatures closely below the transition temperature. A decoupling with increasing distance of the NbSe2 layers is observed. However, ferecrystals with NbSe2 layers separated by up to six layers of SnSe are still considered as three-dimensional superconductors.

Cr3+ and Nb5+ co-doped Ti2Nb10O29 materials for high-performance lithium-ion storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Chao; Yu, Shu; Ma, Yu; Lin, Chunfu; Xu, Zhihao; Zhao, Hua; Wu, Shunqing; Zheng, Peng; Zhu, Zi-Zhong; Li, Jianbao; Wang, Ning

2017-08-01

Ti2Nb10O29 is an advanced anode material for lithium-ion batteries due to its large specific capacity and high safety. However, its poor electronic/ionic conductivity significantly limits its rate capability. To tackle this issue, a Cr3+-Nb5+ co-doping is employed, and a series of CrxTi2-2xNb10+xO29 compounds are prepared. The co-doping does not change the Wadsley-Roth shear structure but increases the unit-cell volume and decreases the particle size. Due to the increased unit-cell volumes, the co-doped samples show increased Li+-ion diffusion coefficients. Experimental data and first-principle calculations reveal significantly increased electronic conductivities arising from the formation of impurity bands after the co-doping. The improvements of the electronic/ionic conductivities and the smaller particle sizes in the co-doped samples significantly contribute to improving their electrochemical properties. During the first cycle at 0.1 C, the optimized Cr0.6Ti0.8Nb10.6O29 sample delivers a large reversible capacity of 322 mAh g-1 with a large first-cycle Coulombic efficiency of 94.7%. At 10 C, it retains a large capacity of 206 mAh g-1, while that of Ti2Nb10O29 is only 80 mAh g-1. Furthermore, Cr0.6Ti0.8Nb10.6O29 shows high cyclic stability as demonstrated in over 500 cycles at 10 C with tiny capacity loss of only 0.01% per cycle.

Role of alkali carbonate and salt in topochemical synthesis of K1/2Na1/2NbO3 and NaNbO3 templates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jae-Seok; Jeon, Jae-Ho; Choi, Si-Young

2013-11-01

Since the properties of lead-free piezoelectric materials have thus far failed to meet those of lead-based materials, either chemical doping or morphological texturing should be employed to improve the piezoelectric properties of lead-free piezoelectric ceramics. The goal of this study was to synthesize plate-like K1/2Na1/2NbO3 and NaNbO3 particles, which are the most favorable templates for morphological texturing of K1/2Na1/2NbO3 ceramics. To achieve this goal, Bi2.5Na3.5Nb5O18 precursors in a plate-like shape were first synthesized and subsequently converted into K1/2Na1/2NbO3 or NaNbO3 particles that retain the morphology of Bi2.5Na3.5Nb5O18. In this study, we found that sodium or potassium carbonate does not play a major role in converting the Bi2.5Na3.5Nb5O18 precursor to K1/2Na1/2NbO3 or NaNbO3, on the contrary to previous reports; however, the salt contributes to the conversion reaction. All synthesis processes have been performed via a molten salt method, and scanning electron microscopy, scanning probe microscopy, and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy were used to characterize the synthesized K1/2Na1/2NbO3 or NaNbO3 templates.

Effect of [Li]/[Nb] ratio on composition and defect structure of Zr:Yb:Tm:LiNbO3 crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Chunrui; Dai, Li; Wang, Luping; Shao, Yu; Yan, Zhehua; Xu, Yuheng

2018-04-01

Zr:Yb:Tm:LiNbO3 crystals with various [Li]/[Nb] ratios (0.946, 1.05, 1.20 and 1.38) were grown by the Czochralski technique. Distribution coefficients of Zr4+, Yb3+ and Tm3+ ions were analyzed by the inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES). The influence of [Li]/[Nb] ratio on the composition and defect structure of Zr:Yb:Tm:LiNbO3 crystals was investigated by X-ray diffraction and IR transmission spectrum. The results show that as the [Li]/[Nb] ratio increases in the melt, the distribution coefficients of Yb3+ and Tm3+ ions both increase while that of Zr4+ ion deceases. When the [Li]/[Nb] ratio increases to 1.20 in the melt, Zr:Yb:Tm:LiNbO3 crystal is nearly stoichiometric. In addition, when the [Li]/[Nb] ratio reaches up to 1.38, NbLi4+ are completely replaced and Li+ starts to impel the Zr4+, Yb3+ and Tm3+ into the normal Li sites.

On the Alloying and Properties of Tetragonal Nb5Si3 in Nb-Silicide Based Alloys

PubMed Central

Tsakiropoulos, Panos

2018-01-01

The alloying of Nb5Si3 modifies its properties. Actual compositions of (Nb,TM)5X3 silicides in developmental alloys, where X = Al + B + Ge + Si + Sn and TM is a transition and/or refractory metal, were used to calculate the composition weighted differences in electronegativity (Δχ) and an average valence electron concentration (VEC) and the solubility range of X to study the alloying and properties of the silicide. The calculations gave 4.11 < VEC < 4.45, 0.103 < Δχ < 0.415 and 33.6 < X < 41.6 at.%. In the silicide in Nb-24Ti-18Si-5Al-5Cr alloys with single addition of 5 at.% B, Ge, Hf, Mo, Sn and Ta, the solubility range of X decreased compared with the unalloyed Nb5Si3 or exceeded 40.5 at.% when B was with Hf or Mo or Sn and the Δχ decreased with increasing X. The Ge concentration increased with increasing Ti and the Hf concentration increased and decreased with increasing Ti or Nb respectively. The B and Sn concentrations respectively decreased and increased with increasing Ti and also depended on other additions in the silicide. The concentration of Sn was related to VEC and the concentrations of B and Ge were related to Δχ. The alloying of Nb5Si3 was demonstrated in Δχ versus VEC maps. Effects of alloying on the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) anisotropy, Young’s modulus, hardness and creep data were discussed. Compared with the hardness of binary Nb5Si3 (1360 HV), the hardness increased in silicides with Ge and dropped below 1360 HV when Al, B and Sn were present without Ge. The Al effect on hardness depended on other elements substituting Si. Sn reduced the hardness. Ti or Hf reduced the hardness more than Cr in Nb5Si3 without Ge. The (Nb,Hf)5(Si,Al)3 had the lowest hardness. VEC differentiated the effects of additions on the hardness of Nb5Si3 alloyed with Ge. Deterioration of the creep of alloyed Nb5Si3 was accompanied by decrease of VEC and increase or decrease of Δχ depending on alloying addition(s). PMID:29300327

Impact of Nb vacancies and p-type doping of the NbCoSn-NbCoSb half-Heusler thermoelectrics.

PubMed

Ferluccio, Daniella A; Smith, Ronald I; Buckman, Jim; Bos, Jan-Willem G

2018-02-07

The half-Heuslers NbCoSn and NbCoSb have promising thermoelectric properties. Here, an investigation of the NbCo 1+y Sn 1-z Sb z (y = 0, 0.05; 0 ≤ z ≤ 1) solid-solution is presented. In addition, the p-type doping of NbCoSn using Ti and Zr substitution is investigated. Rietveld analysis reveals the gradual creation of Nb vacancies to compensate for the n-type doping caused by the substitution of Sb in NbCoSn. This leads to a similar valence electron count (∼18.25) for the NbCo 1+y Sn 1-z Sb z samples (z > 0). Mass fluctuation disorder due to the Nb vacancies strongly decreases the lattice thermal conductivity from 10 W m -1 K -1 (z = 0) to 4.5 W m -1 K -1 (z = 0.5, 1). This is accompanied by a transition to degenerate semiconducting behaviour leading to large power factors, S 2 /ρ = 2.5-3 mW m -1 K -2 and figures of merit, ZT = 0.25-0.33 at 773 K. Ti and Zr can be used to achieve positive Seebeck values, e.g. S = +150 μV K -1 for 20% Zr at 773 K. However, the electrical resistivity, ρ 323K = 27-35 mΩ cm, remains too large for these materials to be considered useful p-type materials.

Crystal structure and superconducting properties of KSr2Nb3O10

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawaguchi, T.; Horigane, K.; Itoh, Y.; Kobayashi, K.; Horie, R.; Kambe, T.; Akimitsu, J.

2018-05-01

We performed X-ray diffraction (XRD) and DC magnetic susceptibility measurements to elucidate the crystal structure and superconducting properties of KSr2Nb3O10. From the diffraction pattern indexing, it was found that KSr2Nb3O10 crystallizes with monoclinic symmetry, space group P21/m(11). We succeeded in preparing high temperature (HT) and low temperature (LT) phases of KSr2Nb3O10 powder samples synthesized by a conventional solid state reaction and an ion-exchange reaction, respectively. Superconductivity was observed at 4 K by Li intercalation and it was found that the superconducting volume fraction of the LT phase ( 1.4%) is clearly larger than that of the HT phase (0.07%).

The use of LigaSure in patients with hyperthyroidism.

PubMed

Barbaros, Umut; Erbil, Yeşim; Bozbora, Alp; Deveci, Uğur; Aksakal, Nihat; Dinççağ, Ahmet; Ozarmağan, Selçuk

2006-11-01

Thyroidectomies of hyperthyroidic patients are known to be more blood-spattered than the operations performed for euthyroid nodular diseases and require careful hemostasis. Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of the use of LigaSure in patients with hyperthyroidism. Between January 2004 and October 2005, 100 patients underwent total or near-total thyroidectomy. Bipolar vessel ligation system (LigaSure) was the choice of modality for hemostasis in half of these patients, and the conventional suture ligation technique was used for the rest. The following data were evaluated non-randomized and prospectively in this study: patients demographics, thyroid pathology, operative duration, presence of complications, and the duration of the hospital stay. Comparisons of the data were evaluated by the Wilcoxon and chi-square tests. Among the patients of the LigaSure group, 14 patients were detected to have hyperthyroidism (seven patients with Graves' disease and another seven patients with multinodular toxic goiter), while 36 patients were found to be euthyroidic. The durations of the operation time and of the hospital stay of the patients in the LigaSure group were significantly lower than the conventional thyroidectomy group (p<0.05). The complication rates of the LigaSure and conventional thyroidectomy groups were 4 and 6%, respectively (p>0.05). The use of LigaSure as an operative technique in the treatment of Graves' disease and toxic goiter is a safe and effective modality that provides a shorter hospital stay and a shorter operation time as well.

Optical and transport properties of LaTi{sub 1−x}M{sub x}(O,N){sub 3±δ} (x=0; 0.1, M=Nb{sup 5+}, W{sup 6+}) thin films prepared by plasma ammonolysis

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Maegli, Alexandra E.; Sagarna, Leyre; Populoh, Sascha

2014-03-15

Oxynitride thin films of composition LaTi{sub 1−x}M{sub x}(O,N){sub 3±δ} with x=0; 0.1 and M=Nb{sup 5+}, W{sup 6+} were prepared by nitridation via microwave-induced plasma (MIP) ammonolysis, which allowed keeping the nitridation time short (16 min). The higher possible oxidation states of the B-site substituents (Nb{sup 5+}, W{sup 6+}) with respect to Ti{sup 4+} caused higher N content for LaTi{sub 0.9}Nb{sub 0.1}(O,N){sub 3±δ} and LaTi{sub 0.9}W{sub 0.1}(O,N){sub 3±δ} compared to LaTiO{sub 2}N due to charge-compensation. XPS O 1s and N 1s core level and valence band spectra evidenced for increasing N content in the order LaTiO{sub 2}N

Anomalous magnetic and spin glass behavior in Nb-substituted LaCo1 -xNbxO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukla, Rishabh; Dhaka, R. S.

2018-01-01

We report the structural, magnetic, transport, and electronic properties of Nb-substituted LaCo1 -xNbxO3 (x =0 -0.2 ). The Rietveld refinement of x-ray diffraction data demonstrate structural phase transitions from rhombohedral to orthorhombic and further to monoclinic with increasing the Nb concentration up to x ≥0.2 . Interestingly, we observed dramatic changes in the magnetization (M ) with increasing the Nb concentration, as the M sharply increases below 10 K even at 2.5% substitution. Furthermore, ac susceptibility data show the spin glass behavior in x =0.1 sample. We find that the density of states near the Fermi level decreases and the activation energy increases, which results in the decreasing conductivity with higher Nb concentration. A significant shift in the peak position of A2 g phonon mode has been observed using Raman spectroscopy, which indicates the change in the coupling due to the structural distortion with Nb substitution. The core-level photoemission study confirms that the Nb is present in 5 + valence state. Our study reveals that the nonmagnetic Nb5 + (d0) substitution converts Co3 + ions to Co2 + and stabilizes both in the high-spin state. Our results suggest that structural and spin-state transitions as well as the difference in the ionic radii between Nb5 + and Co3 + are playing an important role in tuning the physical properties.

High-pressure phases of Weyl semimetals NbP, NbAs, TaP, and TaAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, ZhaoPeng; Lu, PengChao; Chen, Tong; Wu, JueFei; Sun, Jian; Xing, DingYu

2018-03-01

In this study, we used the crystal structure search method and first-principles calculations to systematically explore the highpressure phase diagrams of the TaAs family (NbP, NbAs, TaP, and TaAs). Our calculation results show that NbAs and TaAs have similar phase diagrams, the same structural phase transition sequence I41 md→ P6¯ m2→ P21/ c→ Pm3¯ m, and slightly different transition pressures. The phase transition sequence of NbP and TaP differs somewhat from that of NbAs and TaAs, in which new structures emerge, such as the Cmcm structure in NbP and the Pmmn structure in TaP. Interestingly, we found that in the electronic structure of the high-pressure phase P6¯ m2-NbAs, there are coexistingWeyl points and triple degenerate points, similar to those found in high-pressure P6¯ m2-TaAs.

Fracture toughness study on LIGA fabricated microstructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oropeza, Catherine; Lian, Kun; Wang, Wanjun

2003-01-01

One of the major difficulties faced by MEMS researchers today is the lack of data regarding properties of electroplated metals or alloys at micro-levels as those produced by the LIGA and the LIGA related process. These mechanical properties are not well known and they cannot be extrapolated from macro-scale data without experimental verification. This lack of technical information about physical properties at microscale has affected the consistency and reliability of batch-fabricated components and leads to very low rates of successful fabrication. Therefore, this material issue is of vital importance to the development of LIGA technology and to its industrial applications. The research work reported in this paper focuses on the development of a new capability based on design, fabrication, and testing of groups of UV-LIGA fabricated nickel microspecimens for the evaluation of fracture strength. The devised testing mechanism demonstrated compatibility with the fabricated samples and capability of performing the desired experimentation by generating resistance-to-fracture values of the nickel specimens. The average fracture strength value obtained, expressed with a 95% confidence interval, was 315 +/- 54 Mpa. Further data acquisition, especially involving tensile specimen testing, and material analysis is needed to fully understand the implications of the information obtained.

Quench protection studies of the 11-T Nb 3Sn dipole for the LHC upgrade

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bermudez, Susana Izquierdo; Auchmann, Bernhard; Bajas, Hugues

The planned upgrade of the LHC collimation system foresees additional collimators to be installed in the dispersion suppressor areas. Fermilab and CERN are developing an 11 T Nb 3Sn dipole to replace some 8.33 T-15-m-long Nb-Ti LHC main dipoles providing longitudinal space for the collimators. In case of a quench, the large stored energy and the low copper stabilizer fraction make the protection of the 11 T Nb 3Sn dipoles challenging. This paper presents the results of quench protection analysis, including quench protection heater design and efficiency, quench propagation and coil heating. The numerical results are compared with the experimentalmore » data from the 2-m-long Nb 3Sn dipole models. Here, the validated model is used to predict the current decay and hot spot temperature under operating conditions in the LHC and the presently foreseen magnet protection scheme is discussed.« less

Quench protection studies of the 11-T Nb 3Sn dipole for the LHC upgrade

DOE PAGES

Bermudez, Susana Izquierdo; Auchmann, Bernhard; Bajas, Hugues; ...

2016-06-01

The planned upgrade of the LHC collimation system foresees additional collimators to be installed in the dispersion suppressor areas. Fermilab and CERN are developing an 11 T Nb 3Sn dipole to replace some 8.33 T-15-m-long Nb-Ti LHC main dipoles providing longitudinal space for the collimators. In case of a quench, the large stored energy and the low copper stabilizer fraction make the protection of the 11 T Nb 3Sn dipoles challenging. This paper presents the results of quench protection analysis, including quench protection heater design and efficiency, quench propagation and coil heating. The numerical results are compared with the experimentalmore » data from the 2-m-long Nb 3Sn dipole models. Here, the validated model is used to predict the current decay and hot spot temperature under operating conditions in the LHC and the presently foreseen magnet protection scheme is discussed.« less

A review and prospects for Nb3Sn superconductor development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Xingchen

2017-09-01

Nb3Sn superconductors have significant applications in constructing high-field (>10 T) magnets. This article briefly reviews development of Nb3Sn superconductor and proposes prospects for further improvement. It is shown that significant improvement of critical current density (J c) is needed for future accelerator magnets. After a brief review of the development of Nb3Sn superconductors, the factors controlling J c are summarized and correlated with their microstructure and chemistry. The non-matrix J c of Nb3Sn conductors is mainly determined by three factors: the fraction of current-carrying Nb3Sn phase in the non-matrix area, the upper critical field B c2, and the flux line pinning capacity. Then prospects to improve the three factors are discussed respectively. An analytic model was developed to show how the ratios of precursors determine the phase fractions after heat treatment, based on which it is predicted that the limit of current-carrying Nb3Sn fraction in subelements is ∼65%. Then, since B c2 is largely determined by the Nb3Sn stoichiometry, a thermodynamic/kinetic theory is presented to show what essentially determines the Sn content of Nb3Sn conductors. This theory explains the influences of Sn sources and Ti addition on stoichiometry and growth rate of Nb3Sn layers. Next, to improve flux pinning, previous efforts in this community to introduce additional pinning centers to Nb3Sn wires are reviewed, and an internal oxidation technique is described. Finally, prospects for further improvement of non-matrix J c of Nb3Sn conductors are discussed, and it is seen that the only opportunity for further significantly improving J c lies in improving flux pinning.

A review and prospects for Nb 3Sn superconductor development

DOE PAGES

Xu, Xingchen

2017-08-03

Nb 3Sn superconductors have significant applications in constructing high-field (> 10 T) magnets. This article briefly reviews development of Nb 3Sn superconductor and proposes prospects for further improvement. It is shown that significant improvement of critical current density (J c) is needed for future accelerator magnets. After a brief review of the development of Nb 3Sn superconductors, the factors controlling J c are summarized and correlated with their microstructure and chemistry. The non-matrix J c of Nb 3Sn conductors is mainly determined by three factors: the fraction of current-carrying Nb 3Sn phase in the non-matrix area, the upper critical fieldmore » B c2, and the flux-line pinning capacity. Then prospects to improve the three factors are discussed respectively. An analytic model was developed to show how the ratios of precursors determine the phase fractions after heat treatment, based on which it is predicted that the limit of current-carrying Nb 3Sn fraction in subelements is ~65%. Then, since B c2 is largely determined by the Nb 3Sn stoichiometry, a thermodynamic/kinetic theory was presented to show what essentially determines the Sn content of Nb 3Sn conductors. This theory explains the influences of Sn sources and Ti addition on stoichiometry and growth rate of Nb 3Sn layers. Next, to improve flux pinning, previous efforts in this community to introduce additional pinning centers (APC) to Nb 3Sn wires are reviewed, and an internal oxidation technique is described. Lastly, prospects for further improvement of non-matrix J c of Nb 3Sn conductors are discussed, and it is seen that the only opportunity for further significantly improving J c lies in improving the flux pinning.« less

Growth and photo-response of NbSe2 and NbS2 crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Patel, Kunjal; Solanki, G. K.; Pataniya, Pratik; Patel, K. D.

2018-05-01

Transition metal dichalcogenides(TMDCs) have attracted intense research efforts due to their drastic properties change as we move towards ultra-thin crystalline layers from their bulk counterparts. Many well studied members of this family such as MoS2, WS2, WSe2, WS2 etc. have shown potential for flexible electronic devices including photovoltaic applications. The TMDCs like NbSe2 and NbS2 are relatively less studied layered compounds consisting of staked sandwiches of Se-Nb-Se/S-Nb-Se tri-layers with strong covalent/ionic intra layer bonds and weak Van der Waals interlayer interactions. In the present work, author have grown the crystals of NbSe2 and NbS2 by Direct Vapour Transport (DVT) technique and the material composition is confirmed using EDAX data. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) solar cell measurements are performed under monochromatic light illumination at different intensities and various solar cell parameters are calculated. These crystalline semiconductor electrodes were also analysed by photocurrent-voltage characteristics in a PEC solar cell structure (Cu/NbSe2/(0.1M K4Fe(CN)6 + 0.1M K3Fe(CN)6) and Cu/NbS2/(0.1M K4Fe(CN)6 +0.1M K3Fe(CN)6)). Blue coloured light gave the maximum efficiency. For further analysis of photodetection properties of the grown crystals, Ag painted broad low contact resistance electrical contacts were drawn from the crystals and its transient photoresponse was studied to evaluate different detector parameters.

Solution structure of leptospiral LigA4 Big domain

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Mei, Song; Zhang, Jiahai; Zhang, Xuecheng

Pathogenic Leptospiraspecies express immunoglobulin-like proteins which serve as adhesins to bind to the extracellular matrices of host cells. Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like protein A (LigA), a surface exposed protein containing tandem repeats of bacterial immunoglobulin-like (Big) domains, has been proved to be involved in the interaction of pathogenic Leptospira with mammalian host. In this study, the solution structure of the fourth Big domain of LigA (LigA4 Big domain) from Leptospira interrogans was solved by nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The structure of LigA4 Big domain displays a similar bacterial immunoglobulin-like fold compared with other Big domains, implying some common structural aspects of Bigmore » domain family. On the other hand, it displays some structural characteristics significantly different from classic Ig-like domain. Furthermore, Stains-all assay and NMR chemical shift perturbation revealed the Ca{sup 2+} binding property of LigA4 Big domain. - Highlights: • Determining the solution structure of a bacterial immunoglobulin-like domain from a surface protein of Leptospira. • The solution structure shows some structural characteristics significantly different from the classic Ig-like domains. • A potential Ca{sup 2+}-binding site was identified by strains-all and NMR chemical shift perturbation.« less

Temperature and electric-field induced phase transition behavior and electrical properties of [001]-oriented 0.23Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-0.47Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.3PbTiO3-Mn single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhang; Chen, Jianwei; Xu, Jialin; Li, Xiaobing; Luo, Haosu

2017-12-01

The temperature and electric-field induced phase transition behavior and dielectric, piezoelectric, and ferroelectric properties of [001]-oriented 0.23Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-0.47Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.3PbTiO3-Mn (PIMNT-Mn) single crystals were investigated. Dielectric performance analysis and temperature-dependent Raman spectra show three apparent ferroelectric phase transition temperatures around 120 °C(TR-M),145 °C(TM-T), and 170 °C(TT-C), respectively. In addition, the temperature dependence of the relative Raman intensities of Lorentzian peaks indicates the poled PIMNT-Mn single crystals exhibit rhombohedral(R) → monoclinic(M) → tetragonal(T) → cubic(C) phase transition path. The electrical properties of the PIMNT-Mn single crystals such as the longitudinal electrostrictive coefficient (Q), the converse piezoelectric constant (d33), and the maximum strain value (Smax%) have changed abnormally around the phase transition temperatures (TR-M and TM-T).

Dopant occupancy and exposure energy in Hf:Nd:LiNbO3 crystal as a function of [Li]/[Nb] ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Li; Liu, Chunrui; Han, Xianbo; Yan, Zhehua; Tan, Chao; Wang, Luping; Xu, Yuheng

2017-09-01

A series of Hf: Nd: LiNbO3 crystals with various [Li]/[Nb] ratios ([Li]/[Nb] = 0.94, 1.05, 1.20, 1.38) in the melt were grown by conventional Czochralski technique. The distribution coefficients of Hf4+ and Nd3+ ions were recorded by an inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometer (ICP-AES). The effective distribution coefficient of Hf4+ is reduced and that of Nd3+ is increased with the increase of [Li]/[Nb] ratio in the melts. In all cases, the effective distribution coefficients is less than 1. The IR transmission spectroscopy of the Hf: Nd: LiNbO3 crystals were measured, getting the results that Hf: Yb: Ho: LiNbO3 crystals with 1.05 [Li]/[Nb] ratios was the stoichiometric. The optical damage resistance ability of Hf:Nd:LiNbO3 crystals were studied by light-induced scattering exposure energy flux threshold method and it increases with the increasing of [Li]/[Nb] ratios. When the [Li]/[Nb] ratio is 1.38 in the melt (the sample 4#), the exposure energy achieves 687.35 J/cm2, approximately 441 folds than that of the sample 1# ([Li]/[Nb] = 0.94) in magnitude.

Synthesis and structure determination of Sm{sub 3}NbSe{sub 3}O{sub 4}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Meerschaut, A.; Boyer, C.; Lafond, A.

1998-04-01

Sm{sub 3}NbSe{sub 3}O{sub 4} has been synthesized and its structure determined. The following crystal data were obtained: M{sub r} = 844.84 g{center_dot}mol{sup {minus}1}, orthorhombic, Pnma, a = 6.8943(4) {angstrom}, b = 7.7529(7) {angstrom}, c = 14.7644(12) {angstrom}, V = 789.2(1) {angstrom}{sup 3}, Z = 4, D{sub x} = 7.111 g{center_dot}cm{sup {minus}3}, MoK{alpha}, {lambda} = 0.71073 {angstrom}, {mu} = 372 cm{sup {minus}1}, F(000) = 1444, T = 295 K, R = 0.035 for 1466 unique reflections with F{sub o} > 4{sigma}(F{sub o}), 62 variables, GoF = 0.818. The structure of Sm{sub 3}NbSe{sub 3}O{sub 4} was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Twomore » distinct types of polyhedra can be distinguished: a very distorted one with eight surrounding atoms (four O and four Se atoms) around Sm1 and Nb, and a bicapped trigonal prismatic one around Sm2. The crystal structure of this new compound can be described on the basis of corrugated planes perpendicular to the c axis. These planes are built up from edge-sharing trigonal prismatic polyhedra (Sm2); connection between successive planes is achieved through the distorted polyhedra which surround atoms Sm1 and Nb.« less

Theoretical Study of the Statistical Properties of Single- and Double-Pass M-Mode Er3+-Ti:LiNbO3 Straight Waveguide Amplifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puscas, Liliana A.; Galatus, Ramona V.; Puscas, Niculae N.

In this article, we report a theoretical study concerning some statistical parameters which characterize the single- and double-pass Er3+-doped Ti:LiNbO3 M-mode straight waveguides. For the derivation and the evaluation of the Fano factor, the statistical fluctuation and the spontaneous emission factor we used a quasi two-level model in the small gain approximation and the unsaturated regime. The simulation results show the evolution of these parameters under various pump regimes and waveguide lengths. The obtained results can be used for the design of complex rare earth-doped integrated circuits.

Commissioning results of Nb 3Sn cavity vapor diffusion deposition system at JLab

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eremeev, Grigory; Clemens, William A.; Macha, Kurt M.

2015-09-01

Nb 3Sn as a BCS superconductor with a superconducting critical temperature higher than that of niobium offers potential benefit for SRF cavities via a lower-than-niobium surface resistance at the same temperature and frequency. A Nb 3Sn vapor diffusion deposition system designed for coating of 1.5 and 1.3 GHz single-cell cavities was built and commissioned at JLab. As the part of the commissioning, RF performance at 2.0 K of a single-cell 1.5 GHz CEBAF-shaped cavity was measured before and after coating in the system. Before Nb 3Sn coating the cavity had a Q 0 of about 10 10 and was limitedmore » by the high field Q-slope at E acc ≅ 27 MV/m. Coated cavity exhibited the superconducting transition at about 17.9 K. The low-field quality factor was about 5∙10 9 at 4.3 K and 7∙10 9 at 2.0 K decreasing with field to about 1∙10 9 at E acc ≅ 8 MV/m at both temperatures. The highest field was limited by the available RF power.« less

Selective synthesis of vitamin K3 over mesoporous NbSBA-15 catalysts synthesized by an efficient hydrothermal method.

PubMed

Selvaraj, M; Park, D-W; Kim, I; Kawi, S; Ha, C S

2012-08-28

Well hexagonally ordered NbSBA-15 catalysts synthesized by an efficient hydrothermal method were used, for the first time, for the selective synthesis of vitamin K(3) by liquid-phase oxidation of 2-methyl-1-naphthol (2MN1-OH) under various reaction conditions. The recyclable NbSBA-15 catalysts were also reused to find their catalytic activities. To investigate the leaching of non-framework niobium species on the surface of silica networks, the results of original and recyclable NbSBA-15 catalysts were correlated and compared. To find an optimum condition for the selective synthesis of vitamin K(3), the washed NbSBA-15(2.2pH) was extensively used in this reaction with various reaction parameters such as temperature, time and ratios of reactant (2M1N-OH to H(2)O(2)), and the obtained results were also demonstrated. Additionally, the liquid-phase oxidation of 2M1N-OH was carried out with different solvents to find the best solvent with a good catalytic activity. Based on the all catalytic studies, the vitamin K(3) selectivity (97.3%) is higher in NbSBA-15(2.2pH) than that of other NbSBA-15 catalysts, and the NbSBA-15(2.2pH) is found to be a highly active and eco-friendly heterogeneous catalyst for the selective synthesis of vitamin K(3).

New intermetallic MIrP (M=Ti, Zr, Nb, Mo) and MgRuP compounds related with MoM'P (M'=Ni and Ru) superconductor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kito, Hijiri; Iyo, Akira; Wada, Toshimi

2011-01-01

Using a cubic-anvil high-pressure apparatus, ternary iridium phosphides MIrP (M=Ti, Zr, Nb, Mo) and MgRuP have been prepared by reaction of stoichiometric amounts of each metal and phosphide powders at around 2 Gpa and above 1523 K for the first time. The structure of these compounds prepared at high-pressure has been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction. Diffraction lines of these compounds are assigned by the index of the Co2Si-type structure. The electrical resistivity and the d.c magnetic susceptibility of MIrP (M=Ti, Zr, Nb, Mo) have measured at low temperatures. Unfortunately, no superconducting transition for MIrP (M=Ti, Zr, Nb, Mo) and MgRuP are observed down to 2 K.

A model for phase evolution and volume expansion in tube type Nb3Sn conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, X.; Sumption, M. D.; Collings, E. W.

2013-12-01

In this work, an analytic model for phase formation and volume expansion during heat treatment in tube type Nb3Sn strands is presented. Tube type Nb3Sn conductors consist of Nb or Nb-Ta alloy tube with a simple Cu/Sn binary metal insert to form the basic subelement (filament). A number of these elements, each with an outer Cu jacket, are restacked to form a multifilamentary strand. The present tube type conductors, with 4.2 K, 12 T non-Cu critical current density (Jc) in the 2000-2500 A mm-2 range and effective subelement diameters (deff) in the 12-36 μm range, are of interest for a number of applications. During the reaction of typical tube type strands, the Sn-Cu becomes molten and reacts with the Nb tube first to form NbSn2, then Nb6Sn5. At later times in the reaction sequence, all of the NbSn2 and Nb6Sn5 is converted to Nb3Sn. Some of the Nb3Sn is formed by a Nb-Sn reaction and has a fine grain (FG) structure, while some is converted from Nb6Sn5, which results in a coarse grain (CG) region. The fractions of FG and CG A15 are important in determining the final conductor properties. In this work we develop an analytic model to predict the radial extents of the various phases, and in particular the final FG and CG fractions based on the starting Nb, Cu, and Sn amounts in the subelements. The model is then compared to experimental results and seen to give reasonable agreement. By virtue of this model we outline an approach to minimize the CG regions in tube type and PIT strands and maximize the final FG area fractions. Furthermore, the volume change during the various reaction stages was also studied. It is proposed that the Sn content in the Cu-Sn alloy has a crucial influence on the radial expansion.

Cation deficient layered Ruddlesden-Popper-related oxysulfides La2LnMS2O5 (Ln=La, Y; M=Nb, Ta).

PubMed

Cario, Laurent; Popa, Aurelian Florin; Lafond, Alain; Guillot-Deudon, Catherine; Kabbour, Houria; Meerschaut, A; Clarke, Simon J; Adamson, Paul

2007-11-12

The structures of the new oxysulfide Ruddlesden-Popper phases La2LnMS2O5 (Ln=La, Y; M=Nb, Ta) are reported together with an iodide-containing variant: La3-xNb1+xS2O5I2x (0Nb1+xO5I2x]. In the oxide slabs, the trivalent and pentavalent cations are disordered on the long-length scale probed by diffraction methods, but bond length considerations suggest that they must be ordered at least on the length scale of the unit cell. The [LnMO5] block of the iodide-free compounds derive from the ideal [Ti2O5] blocks found in Ln2Ti2S2O5 (Ln=Nd-Er; Y) by the formal substitution of two Ti4+ ions with one Ln3+ and one M5+ion. The unusual partial insertion of iodide in the perovskite voids of the [LaNbO5] block in La3NbS2O5 was found to be coupled to a La/Nb substitution, maintaining the charge balance within the [La1-xNb1+xO5I2x]2- block. The Nb5+ ions were found to be too resistant to reduction to undergo the intercalation of alkali metals observed in the Ln2Ti2S2O5 series.

Epitaxial NbN/AlN/NbN tunnel junctions on Si substrates with TiN buffer layers

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sun, Rui; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049; Makise, Kazumasa

We have developed epitaxial NbN/AlN/NbN tunnel junctions on Si (100) substrates with a TiN buffer layer. A 50-nm-thick (200)-oriented TiN thin film was introduced as the buffer layer for epitaxial growth of NbN/AlN/NbN trilayers on Si substrates. The fabricated NbN/AlN/NbN junctions demonstrated excellent tunneling properties with a high gap voltage of 5.5 mV, a large I{sub c}R{sub N} product of 3.8 mV, a sharp quasiparticle current rise with a ΔV{sub g} of 0.4 mV, and a small subgap leakage current. The junction quality factor R{sub sg}/R{sub N} was about 23 for the junction with a J{sub c} of 47 A/cm{supmore » 2} and was about 6 for the junction with a J{sub c} of 3.0 kA/cm{sup 2}. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy observations showed that the NbN/AlN/NbN trilayers were grown epitaxially on the (200)-orientated TiN buffer layer and had a highly crystalline structure with the (200) orientation.« less

Electronic, structural and magnetic studies of niobium borides of group 8 transition metals, Nb2MB2 (M=Fe, Ru, Os) from first principles calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Touzani, Rachid St.; Fokwa, Boniface P. T.

2014-03-01

The Nb2FeB2 phase (U3Si2-type, space group P4/mbm, no. 127) is known for almost 50 years, but until now its magnetic properties have not been investigated. While the synthesis of Nb2OsB2 (space group P4/mnc, no. 128, a twofold superstructure of U3Si2-type) with distorted Nb-layers and Os2-dumbbells was recently achieved, "Nb2RuB2" is still not synthesized and its crystal structure is yet to be revealed. Our first principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations have confirmed not only the experimental structures of Nb2FeB2 and Nb2OsB2, but also predict "Nb2RuB2" to crystalize with the Nb2OsB2 structure type. According to chemical bonding analysis, the homoatomic B-B interactions are optimized and very strong, but relatively strong heteroatomic M-B, B-Nb and M-Nb bonds (M=Fe, Ru, Os) are also found. These interactions, which together build a three-dimensional network, are mainly responsible for the structural stability of these ternary borides. The density-of-states at the Fermi level predicts metallic behavior, as expected, from metal-rich borides. Analysis of possible magnetic structures concluded preferred antiferromagnetic ordering for Nb2FeB2, originating from ferromagnetic interactions within iron chains and antiferromagnetic exchange interactions between them.

UV-LIGA technique for ECF micropumps using back UV exposure and self-alignment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, D.; Xia, Y.; Yokota, S.; Kim, J. W.

2017-12-01

This paper proposes and develops a novel UV-LIGA technique using back UV exposure and self-alignment to realize high aspect ratio micromachining (HARM) in high power density electro-conjugate fluid (ECF) micropumps. ECF is a functional fluid designed to be able to generate strong and active jet flow (ECF jetting) between anode and cathode in ECF when high DC voltage is applied. We have developed high power density ECF micropumps consisting of triangular prism and slit electrode pairs (TPSEs) fabricated by HARM. The traditional UV-LIGA technique for HARM is mainly divided into two approaches: (a) single thick layer and (b) multiple thin layers. Both methods have limitations—deformed molds in the former and misalignment between layers in the latter. Using the finite element method software COMSOL Multiphysics, we demonstrate that the deformed micro-molds critically impair the performance of ECF micropumps. In addition, we experimentally prove that the misalignment would easily trigger electric discharge in the ECF micropumps. To overcome these limitations, we conceive a new concept utilizing the seed electrode layer for electroforming as the UV shield and pattern photoresist (KMPR) by back UV exposure. The seed electrode layer should be composed of a non-transparent conductor (Au/Ti) for patterning and a transparent conductor (ITO) for wiring. Instead of ITO, we propose the concept of transparency-like electrodes comprised of thin metal line patterns. To verify this concept, KMPR layers with thicknesses of 70, 220, and 500 µm are experimentally investigated. In the case of 500 µm KMPR thickness, the concept of transparency-like electrode was partially proved. As a result, TPSEs with a height of 440 µm were successfully fabricated. Characteristic experiments demonstrated that ECF micropumps (367 mW cm-3) fabricated by back UV achieved almost the same output power density as ECF micropumps (391 mW cm-3) fabricated by front UV. This paper proves that the proposed

A safety-based comparison of pure LigaSure use and LigaSure-tie technique in total thyroidectomy.

PubMed

Pergel, A; Yucel, A Fikret; Aydin, I; Sahin, D A; Aras, S; Kulacoglu, H

2014-01-01

Sutureless total thyroidectomy by using vessel sealing devices has been shown to be safe in some recent clinical studies. However, some surgeons are still concerned about the use of these energy devices in the vicinity of there current laryngeal nerve and parathyroid glands. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the use of pure LigaSure on postoperative complications and to discuss the pertinent literature. A total of 456 patients having undergone a total thyroidectomy operation between June 2009 and March 2011 were included in the study. Data were prospectively collected and retrospectively evaluated. Patients were separated into 2 groups. Group L comprised of 182 patients where onlyLigaSure was used, and group LT consisted of 274 patients where ligation was used in the vicinity of the recurrent laryngeal nerve and parathyroid glands, and LigaSure was used in all other parts of the surgery. Patient's blood calcium values were checked preoperatively and at postoperative 24, 48, and 72 hours. Groups were assessed in terms of demographic properties, thyroid pathology, duration of operation, and postoperative complications. Groups were similar in respect of demographic properties, operation duration, thyroid gland pathology. No mortality rate was recorded. Laboratory hypocalcemia rate was higher in group L (P 0.003), but no significant difference was identified between groups in terms of symptomatic hypocalcemia.No permanent hypocalcemia or recurrent laryngeal nerve injury developed in any of the patients in the two groups. Pure LigaSure for total thyroidectomy may increase laboratory hypocalcemia rate, but not symptomatic hypocalcemia. Hemorrhage related complications were similar and low in the two groups. Ligations in the places close to delicate anatomic structures did not cause longer operative times and may be a safer option in total thyroidectomy. Celsius.

SAW propagation characteristics of TeO3/3C-SiC/LiNbO3 layered structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Soni, Namrata D.

2018-04-01

Surface acoustic wave (SAW) devices based on Lithium Niobate (LiNbO3) single crystal are advantageous because of its high SAW phase velocity, electromechanical coupling coefficient and cost effectiveness. In the present work a new multi-layered TeO3/3C-SiC/128° Y-X LiNbO3 SAW device has been proposed. SAW propagation properties such as phase velocity, coupling coefficient and temperature coefficient of delay (TCD) of the TeO3/SiC/128° Y-X LiNbO3 multi layered structure is examined using theoretical calculations. It is found that the integration of 0.09λ thick 3C-SiC over layer on 128° Y-X LiNbO3 increases its electromechanical coupling coefficient from 5.3% to 9.77% and SAW velocity from 3800 ms‑1 to 4394 ms‑1. The SiC/128° Y-X LiNbO3 bilayer SAW structure exhibits a high positive TCD value. A temperature stable layered SAW device could be obtained with introduction of 0.007λ TeO3 over layer on SiC/128° Y-X LiNbO3 bilayer structure without sacrificing the efficiency of the device. The proposed TeO3/3C-SiC/128° Y-X LiNbO3 multi-layered SAW structure is found to be cost effective, efficient, temperature stable and suitable for high frequency application in harsh environment.

Thickness and Nb-doping effects on ferro- and piezoelectric properties of highly a-axis-oriented Nb-doped Pb(Zr0.3Ti0.7)O3 films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Zhi-Xiang; Ruangchalermwong, C.; Li, Jing-Feng

2008-09-01

Tetragonal Nb-doped Pb(Zr0.3Ti0.7)O3 (PNZT) films with a lead oxide seeding layer were deposited on the Pt(111)/Ti/SiO2/Si(100) substrates by sol-gel processing. The as-grown PNZT films with thicknesses ranging from about 0.08 to 0.78 μm show highly a-axis preferential orientation, and their ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties improved with increasing film thickness. Due to the combined effects of Nb doping and a-axis texturing as well as reduced substrate constraint, a high d33 constant up to 196 pm/V was obtained for PNZT film at 0.78 μm in addition to a large remnant polarization of 69 μC/cm2. This well a-axis-oriented PNZT films on platinized Si with a high piezoresponse are suitable for the fabrication of microelectromechanical devices.

Aluminum-stabilized NB3SN superconductor

DOEpatents

Scanlan, Ronald M.

1988-01-01

An aluminum-stabilized Nb.sub.3 Sn superconductor and process for producing same, utilizing ultrapure aluminum. Ductile components are co-drawn with aluminum to produce a conductor suitable for winding magnets. After winding, the conductor is heated to convert it to the brittle Nb.sub.3 Sn superconductor phase, using a temperature high enough to perform the transformation but still below the melting point of the aluminum. This results in reaction of substantially all of the niobium, while providing stabilization and react-in-place features which are beneficial in the fabrication of magnets utilizing superconducting materials.

Thermoelectric properties of Nb3SbxTe7-x compounds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, J.; Wang, S.; Caillat, T.

2002-01-01

Niobium antimony telluride, Nb3Sbx,Te7-x, was synthesized and tested for thermoelectric properties in the Thermoelectrics group at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The forty atoms per unit cell of Nb3Sb2Te5 and its varied mixture of atoms yield acomplicated structure, suggesting that Nb3Sb2Te5 and related compounds may exhibit low thermal conductivity and hence a higher ZT value. Nb3SbxTe7-x, compounds were synthesized and subsequently analyzed for their Seebeck voltage, heat conduction, and electrical resistivity. Results indicate that Nb3Sb2Te5 is a heavily doped semiconductor whose thermoelectric properties are compromised by compensating n-type and p-type carriers. Attempts to dope in favor of either carrier by varying the Sb:Te ratio yielded samples containing secondary metallic phases that dominated the transport properties of the resulting compounds.

LigaSure Hemorrhoidectomy for Symptomatic Hemorrhoids: First Pediatric Experience.

PubMed

Grossmann, Ole; Soccorso, Giampiero; Murthi, Govind

2015-08-01

Hemorrhoids are uncommon in children. Third and fourth degree symptomatic hemorrhoids may be surgically excised. We describe the first experience of using LigaSure (Covidien, Mansfield, Massachusetts, United States) to perform hemorrhoidectomies in children. LigaSure hemorrhoidectomy has been well described in adults and is found to be superior in patient tolerance as compared with conventional hemorrhoidectomy. Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Thermo-magnetic instabilities in Nb 3Sn superconducting accelerator magnets

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Bordini, Bernardo

2006-09-01

The advance of High Energy Physics research using circulating accelerators strongly depends on increasing the magnetic bending field which accelerator magnets provide. To achieve high fields, the most powerful present-day accelerator magnets employ NbTi superconducting technology; however, with the start up of Large Hadron Collider (LHC) in 2007, NbTi magnets will have reached the maximum field allowed by the intrinsic properties of this superconductor. A further increase of the field strength necessarily requires a change in superconductor material; the best candidate is Nb 3Sn. Several laboratories in the US and Europe are currently working on developing Nb 3Sn accelerator magnets,more » and although these magnets have great potential, it is suspected that their performance may be fundamentally limited by conductor thermo-magnetic instabilities: an idea first proposed by the Fermilab High Field Magnet group early in 2003. This thesis presents a study of thermo-magnetic instability in high field Nb 3Sn accelerator magnets. In this chapter the following topics are described: the role of superconducting magnets in High Energy Physics; the main characteristics of superconductors for accelerator magnets; typical measurements of current capability in superconducting strands; the properties of Nb 3Sn; a description of the manufacturing process of Nb 3Sn strands; superconducting cables; a typical layout of superconducting accelerator magnets; the current state of the art of Nb 3Sn accelerator magnets; the High Field Magnet program at Fermilab; and the scope of the thesis.« less

Recent Developments in Microsystems Fabricated by the Liga-Technique

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schulz, J.; Bade, K.; El-Kholi, A.; Hein, H.; Mohr, J.

1995-01-01

As an example of microsystems fabricated by the LIGA-technique (x-ray lithography, electroplating and molding), three systems are described and characterized: a triaxial acceleration sensor system, a micro-optical switch, and a microsystem for the analysis of pollutants. The fabrication technologies are reviewed with respect to the key components of the three systems: an acceleration sensor, and electrostatic actuator, and a spectrometer made by the LIGA-technique. Aa micro-pump and micro-valve made by using micromachined tools for molding and optical fiber imaging are made possible by combining LIGA and anisotropic etching of silicon in a batch process. These examples show that the combination of technologies and components is the key to complex microsystems. The design of such microsystems will be facilitated is standardized interfaces are available.

Host-Sensitized and Tunable Luminescence of GdNbO4:Ln3+ (Ln3+ = Eu3+/Tb3+/Tm3+) Nanocrystalline Phosphors with Abundant Color.

PubMed

Liu, Xiaoming; Chen, Chen; Li, Shuailong; Dai, Yuhua; Guo, Huiqin; Tang, Xinghua; Xie, Yu; Yan, Liushui

2016-10-17

Up to now, GdNbO 4 has always been regarded as an essentially inert material in the visible region with excitation of UV light and electron beams. Nevertheless, here we demonstrate a new recreating blue emission of GdNbO 4 nanocrystalline phosphors with a quantum efficiency of 41.6% and host sensitized luminescence in GdNbO 4 :Ln 3+ (Ln 3+ = Eu 3+ /Tb 3+ /Tm 3+ ) nanocrystalline phosphors with abundant color in response to UV light and electron beams. The GdNbO 4 and GdNbO 4 :Ln 3+ (Ln 3+ = Eu 3+ /Tb 3+ /Tm 3+ ) nanocrystalline phosphors were synthesized by a Pechini-type sol-gel process. With excitation of UV light and low-voltage electron beams, the obtained GdNbO 4 nanocrystalline phosphor presents a strong blue luminescence from 280 to 650 nm centered around 440 nm, and the GdNbO 4 :Ln 3+ nanocrystalline phosphors show both host emission and respective emission lines derived from the characterize f-f transitions of the doping Eu 3+ , Tb 3+ , and Tm 3+ ions. The luminescence color of GdNbO 4 :Ln 3+ nanocrystalline phosphors can be tuned from blue to green, red, blue-green, orange, pinkish, white, etc. by varying the doping species, concentration, and relative ratio of the codoping rare earth ions in GdNbO 4 host lattice. A single-phase white-light-emission has been realized in Eu 3+ /Tb 3+ /Tm 3+ triply doped GdNbO 4 nanocrystalline phosphors. The luminescence properties and mechanisms of GdNbO 4 and GdNbO 4 :Ln 3+ (Ln 3+ = Eu 3+ /Tb 3+ /Tm 3+ ) are updated.

Linear Electrooptic Effect In Sputtered Polycrystalline LiNbO3 Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffel, G.; Ruschin, Shlomo; Croitoru, Nathan I.

1989-02-01

Light guiding and modulation was demonstrated in sputtered LiNbO3 films deposited on glass substrates. The films exhibit exceptionally low attenuation (< 2dB/cm) and the highest electrooptical coefficient reported so far for this kind of films (1.34 x 10-12 m/V).

Temperature Sensitivity Conferred by ligA Alleles from Psychrophilic Bacteria upon Substitution in Mesophilic Bacteria and a Yeast Species

PubMed Central

Pankowski, Jarosław A.; Puckett, Stephanie M.

2016-01-01

We have assembled a collection of 13 psychrophilic ligA alleles that can serve as genetic elements for engineering mesophiles to a temperature-sensitive (TS) phenotype. When these ligA alleles were substituted into Francisella novicida, they conferred a TS phenotype with restrictive temperatures between 33 and 39°C. When the F. novicida ligA hybrid strains were plated above their restrictive temperatures, eight of them generated temperature-resistant variants. For two alleles, the mutations that led to temperature resistance clustered near the 5′ end of the gene, and the mutations increased the predicted strength of the ribosome binding site at least 3-fold. Four F. novicida ligA hybrid strains generated no temperature-resistant variants at a detectable level. These results suggest that multiple mutations are needed to create temperature-resistant variants of these ligA gene products. One ligA allele was isolated from a Colwellia species that has a maximal growth temperature of 12°C, and this allele supported growth of F. novicida only as a hybrid between the psychrophilic and the F. novicida ligA genes. However, the full psychrophilic gene alone supported the growth of Salmonella enterica, imparting a restrictive temperature of 27°C. We also tested two ligA alleles from two Pseudoalteromonas strains for their ability to support the viability of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae strain that lacked its essential gene, CDC9, encoding an ATP-dependent DNA ligase. In both cases, the psychrophilic bacterial alleles supported yeast viability and their expression generated TS phenotypes. This collection of ligA alleles should be useful in engineering bacteria, and possibly eukaryotic microbes, to predictable TS phenotypes. PMID:26773080

Summary of the Persistent Current Effect Measurements in Nb 3 Sn and NbTi Accelerator Magnets at Fermilab

DOE PAGES

Velev, G. V.; Chlachidze, G.; DiMarco, J.; ...

2016-01-06

In the past 10 years, Fermilab has been executing an intensive R&D program on accelerator magnets based on Nb 3Sn superconductor technology. This R&D effort includes dipole and quadrupole models for different programs, such as LARP and 11 T dipoles for the LHC high-luminosity upgrade. Before the Nb 3Sn R&D program, Fermilab was involved in the production of the low-beta quadrupole magnets for LHC based on the NbTi superconductor. Additionally, during the 2003-2005 campaign to optimize the operation of the Tevatron, a large number of Tevatron magnets were re-measured. As a result of this field analysis, a systematic study ofmore » the persistent current decay and snapback effect in these magnets was performed. This paper summarizes the result of this study and presents a comparison between Nb 3Sn and NbTi dipoles and quadrupoles.« less

The impact of Ti and temperature on the stability of Nb5Si3 phases: a first-principles study

PubMed Central

Papadimitriou, Ioannis; Utton, Claire; Tsakiropoulos, Panos

2017-01-01

Abstract Nb-silicide based alloys could be used at T > 1423 K in future aero-engines. Titanium is an important additive to these new alloys where it improves oxidation, fracture toughness and reduces density. The microstructures of the new alloys consist of an Nb solid solution, and silicides and other intermetallics can be present. Three Nb5Si3 polymorphs are known, namely αNb5Si3 (tI32 Cr5B3-type, D8l), βNb5Si3 (tI32 W5Si3-type, D8m) and γNb5Si3 (hP16 Mn5Si3-type, D88). In these 5–3 silicides Nb atoms can be substituted by Ti atoms. The type of stable Nb5Si3 depends on temperature and concentration of Ti addition and is important for the stability and properties of the alloys. The effect of increasing concentration of Ti on the transition temperature between the polymorphs has not been studied. In this work first-principles calculations were used to predict the stability and physical properties of the various Nb5Si3 silicides alloyed with Ti. Temperature-dependent enthalpies of formation were computed, and the transition temperature between the low (α) and high (β) temperature polymorphs of Nb5Si3 was found to decrease significantly with increasing Ti content. The γNb5Si3 was found to be stable only at high Ti concentrations, above approximately 50 at. % Ti. Calculation of physical properties and the Cauchy pressures, Pugh’s index of ductility and Poisson ratio showed that as the Ti content increased, the bulk moduli of all silicides decreased, while the shear and elastic moduli and the Debye temperature increased for the αNb5Si3 and γNb5Si3 and decreased for βNb5Si3. With the addition of Ti the αNb5Si3 and γNb5Si3 became less ductile, whereas the βNb5Si3 became more ductile. When Ti was added in the αNb5Si3 and βNb5Si3 the linear thermal expansion coefficients of the silicides decreased, but the anisotropy of coefficient of thermal expansion did not change significantly. PMID:28740563

Analysis of Nb 3Sn surface layers for superconducting radio frequency cavity applications

DOE PAGES

Becker, Chaoyue; Posen, Sam; Groll, Nickolas; ...

2015-02-23

Here, we present an analysis of Nb 3Sn surface layers grown on a bulk Nb coupon prepared at the same time and by the same vapor diffusion process used to make Nb 3Sn coatings on 1.3 GHz Nb cavities. Tunneling spectroscopy reveal a well developed, homogeneous superconducting density of states at the surface with a gap value distribution centered around 2.7 ± 0.4 meV and superconducting critical temperature's (T c) up to 16.3K. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) performed on cross sections of the sample's surface shows a ~ 2 microns thick Nb 3Sn surface layer. The elemental composition map exhibitsmore » a Nb:Sn ratio of 3:1 with buried substoichiometric regions with a ratio of 5:1. Synchrotron diffraction experiments indicate a polycrystalline Nb 3Sn film and confirm the presence of Nb rich regions that occupies about a third of the coating volume. These low T c regions could play an important role in the dissipation mechanisms occurring during RF tests of Nb 3Sn -coated Nb cavities and open the way for further improving a very promising alternative to pure Nb cavities for particle accelerators.« less

Quench performance and field quality of FNAL twin-aperture 11 T Nb 3Sn dipole model for LHC upgrades

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Stoynev, Stoyan; Andreev, Nikolai; Apollinari, Giorgio

A 2 m long single-aperture dipole demonstrator and two 1 m long single-aperture models based on Nb 3Sn superconductor have been built and tested at FNAL. The two 1 m long collared coils were then assembled in a twin-aperture Nb 3Sn dipole demonstrator compatible with the LHC main dipole and tested in two thermal cycles. This paper summarizes the quench performance of the FNAL twin-aperture Nb 3Sn 11 T dipole in the temperature range of 1.9-4.5 K. The results of magnetic measurements for one of the two apertures are also presented. Test results are compared to the performance of coilsmore » in a single-aperture configuration. Lastly, a summary of quench propagation studies in both apertures is given.« less

Quench performance and field quality of FNAL twin-aperture 11 T Nb 3Sn dipole model for LHC upgrades

DOE PAGES

Stoynev, Stoyan; Andreev, Nikolai; Apollinari, Giorgio; ...

2016-12-07

A 2 m long single-aperture dipole demonstrator and two 1 m long single-aperture models based on Nb 3Sn superconductor have been built and tested at FNAL. The two 1 m long collared coils were then assembled in a twin-aperture Nb 3Sn dipole demonstrator compatible with the LHC main dipole and tested in two thermal cycles. This paper summarizes the quench performance of the FNAL twin-aperture Nb 3Sn 11 T dipole in the temperature range of 1.9-4.5 K. The results of magnetic measurements for one of the two apertures are also presented. Test results are compared to the performance of coilsmore » in a single-aperture configuration. Lastly, a summary of quench propagation studies in both apertures is given.« less

New Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-PbZrO3-PbTiO3 Quaternary Ceramics: Morphotropic Phase Boundary Design and Electrical Properties.

PubMed

Luo, Nengneng; Zhang, Shujun; Li, Qiang; Xu, Chao; Yang, Zhanlue; Yan, Qingfeng; Zhang, Yiling; Shrout, Thomas R

2016-06-22

Four series of Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-PbZrO3-PbTiO3 (PMN-PIN-PZ-PT) quaternary ceramics with compositions located at the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) regions were prepared. The MPBs of the multicomponent system were predicted using a linear combination rule and experimentally confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction and electrical measurement. The positions of MPBs in multicomponent systems were found in linear correlation with the tolerance factor and ionic radii of non-PT end-members. The phase structure, piezoelectric coefficient, electromechanical coupling coefficient, unipolar strains, and dielectric properties of as-prepared ceramics were systematically investigated. The largest d33s were obtained at S36.8, L37.4, M39.6, and N35.8, with the corresponding values of 580, 450, 420, and 530 pC/N, respectively, while the largest kps were found at S34.8, L37.4, M39.6, and N35.8, with the respective values of 0.54, 0.50, 0.47, and 0.53. The largest unipolar strain Smax and high-field piezoelectric strain coefficients d33* were also observed around the respective MPB regions. The rhombohedral-to-tetragonal phase transition temperature Trt increased with increasing PIN and PZ contents. Of particular importance is that high Trt of 140-197 °C was achieved in the M series with PZ and PIN contents being around 0.208 and 0.158, which will broaden the temperature usage range.

Quench Protection Studies of 11T Nb$$_3$$Sn Dipole Models for LHC Upgrades

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zlobin, Alexander; Chlachidze, Guram; Nobrega, Alfred

CERN and FNAL are developing 11 T Nb3Sn dipole magnets for the LHC collimation system upgrade. Due to the large stored energy, protection of these magnets during a quench is a challenging problem. This paper reports the results of experimental studies of key quench protection parameters including longitudinal and radial quench propagation in the coil, coil heating due to a quench, and energy extraction and quench-back effect. The studies were performed using a 1 m long 11 T Nb3Sn dipole coil tested in a magnetic mirror configuration.

Intrinsic high electrical conductivity of stoichiometric SrNb O3 epitaxial thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oka, Daichi; Hirose, Yasushi; Nakao, Shoichiro; Fukumura, Tomoteru; Hasegawa, Tetsuya

2015-11-01

SrV O3 and SrNb O3 are perovskite-type transition-metal oxides with the same d1 electronic configuration. Although SrNb O3 (4 d1 ) has a larger d orbital than SrV O3 (3 d1 ), the reported electrical resistivity of SrNb O3 is much higher than that of SrV O3 , probably owing to nonstoichiometry. In this paper, we grew epitaxial, high-conductivity stoichiometric SrNb O3 using pulsed laser deposition. The growth temperature strongly affected the Sr/Nb ratio and the oxygen content of the films, and we obtained stoichiometric SrNb O3 at a very narrow temperature window around 630 °C. The stoichiometric SrNb O3 epitaxial thin films grew coherently on KTa O3 (001) substrates with high crystallinity. The room-temperature resistivity of the stoichiometric film was 2.82 ×10-5Ω cm , one order of magnitude lower than the lowest reported value of SrNb O3 and comparable with that of SrV O3 . We observed a T -square dependence of resistivity below T*=180 K and non-Drude behavior in near-infrared absorption spectroscopy, attributable to the Fermi-liquid nature caused by electron correlation. Analysis of the T -square coefficient A of resistivity experimentally revealed that the 4 d orbital of Nb that is larger than the 3 d ones certainly contributes to the high electrical conduction of SrNb O3 .

Lead-free piezoelectric (K,Na)NbO3-based ceramic with planar-mode coupling coefficient comparable to that of conventional lead zirconate titanate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ohbayashi, Kazushige; Matsuoka, Takayuki; Kitamura, Kazuaki; Yamada, Hideto; Hishida, Tomoko; Yamazaki, Masato

2017-06-01

We developed a (K,Na)NbO3-based lead-free piezoelectric ceramic with a KTiNbO5 system, (K1- x Na x )0.86Ca0.04Li0.02Nb0.85O3-δ-K0.85Ti0.85Nb1.15O5-BaZrO3-Fe2O3-MgO (K1- x N x N-NTK-FM). K1- x N x N-NTK-FM ceramic exhibits a very dense microstructure and a coupling coefficient of k p = 0.59, which is almost comparable to that of conventional lead zirconate titanate (PZT). The (K,Na)NbO3-based ceramic has the Γ15 mode for a wide x range. The nanodomains of orthorhombic (K,Na)NbO3 with the M3 mode coexist within the tetragonal Γ15 mode (K,Na)NbO3 matrix. Successive phase transition cannot occur with increasing x. The maximum k p is observed at approximately the minimum x required to generate the M3 mode phase. Unlike the behavior at the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) in PZT, the characteristics of K1- x N x N-NTK-FM ceramic in this region changed moderately. This gentle phase transition seems to be a relaxor, although the diffuseness degree is not in line with this hypothesis. Furthermore, piezoelectric properties change from “soft” to “hard” upon the M3 mode phase aggregation.

Structural and magnetic phase transitions in EuTi 1-xNb xO 3

DOE PAGES

Li, Ling; Morris, James R.; Koehler, Michael R.; ...

2015-07-30

Here, we investigate the structural and magnetic phase transitions in EuTi 1-xNb xO 3 (0≤x≤0.3) with synchrotron powder x-ray diffraction, resonant ultrasound spectroscopy, and magnetization measurements. Upon Nb doping, the Pmmore » $$\\bar{3}$$m ↔ I4/mcm structural transition shifts to higher temperatures and the room temperature lattice parameter increases while the magnitude of the octahedral tilting decreases. In addition, Nb substitution for Ti destabilizes the antiferromagnetic ground state of the parent compound and long-range ferromagnetic order is observed in the samples with x≥0.1. Moreover, the structural transition in pure and doped compounds is marked by a dramatic step-like softening of the elastic moduli near T S, which resembles that of SrTiO 3 and can be adequately modeled using the Landau free energy model employing the same coupling between strain and octahedral tilting order parameter as previously used to model SrTiO 3.« less

Tuning spontaneous polarization to alter water oxidation/reduction activities of LiNbO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fu, Hongwei; Song, Yan; Wu, Yangqing; Huang, Huiting; Fan, Guozheng; Xu, Jun; Li, Zhaosheng; Zou, Zhigang

2018-02-01

Here, we investigated the effects of spontaneous polarization on photoreactivities by using a ferroelectric material n-type congruent LiNbO3 single crystal as a model. It was found that c+ LiNbO3 was superior to c- LiNbO3 in photocatalytic water reduction, while c- LiNbO3 exhibited better performances for photoelectrochemical water oxidation than c+ LiNbO3. Using Kelvin probe force microscopy and open circuit potential methods, we observed that c- LiNbO3 generated a higher photovoltage and had a slower charge-recombination rate than c+ LiNbO3. The results of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements indicated that c- LiNbO3 may favor the hole transport from the bulk to the surface compared with c+ LiNbO3, leading to the anisotropic performances of c+ and c- LiNbO3 in water oxidation/reduction. Therefore, tuning the direction of the polarization may be a strategy to dramatically prompt the photoreactivities of water oxidation or reduction.

Nanophase-separated Ni3Nb as an automobile exhaust catalyst.

PubMed

Tanabe, Toyokazu; Imai, Tsubasa; Tokunaga, Tomoharu; Arai, Shigeo; Yamamoto, Yuta; Ueda, Shigenori; Ramesh, Gubbala V; Nagao, Satoshi; Hirata, Hirohito; Matsumoto, Shin-Ichi; Fujita, Takeshi; Abe, Hideki

2017-05-01

Catalytic remediation of automobile exhaust has relied on precious metals (PMs) including platinum (Pt). Herein, we report that an intermetallic phase of Ni and niobium (Nb) ( i.e. , Ni 3 Nb) exhibits a significantly higher activity than that of Pt for the remediation of the most toxic gas in exhaust ( i.e. , nitrogen monoxide (NO)) in the presence of carbon monoxide (CO). When subjected to the exhaust-remediation atmosphere, Ni 3 Nb spontaneously evolves into a catalytically active nanophase-separated structure consisting of filamentous Ni networks (thickness < 10 nm) that are incorporated in a niobium oxide matrix ( i.e. , NbO x ( x < 5/2)). The exposure of the filamentous Ni promotes NO dissociation, CO oxidation and N 2 generation, and the NbO x matrix absorbs excessive nitrogen adatoms to retain the active Ni 0 sites at the metal/oxide interface. Furthermore, the NbO x matrix immobilizes the filamentous Ni at elevated temperatures to produce long-term and stable catalytic performance over hundreds of hours.

Efficient Ti:LiNbO3 ridge waveguide lasers: investigation of Er and Yb:Er doped waveguides pumped at 980nm and 1486nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brüske, Dominik; Suntsov, Sergiy; Volk, Martin F.; Rüter, Christian E.; Kip, Detlef

2018-02-01

Erbium-ytterbium-codoped titanium in-diffused ridge waveguides optical amplifiers in x-cut congruent LiNbO3 substrates pumped at 980.5 nm and 1486 nm are reported for the first time. An internal gain of 2.8 dB/cm has been measured in 2.3 cm long Yb:Er:Ti:LiNbO3 ridge waveguides for the coupled pump power of 145 mW at 980.5 nm, which is the highest gain ever reported, to the best of our knowledge, for erbium-based LiNbO3 waveguide amplifiers under 980 nm excitation. Furthermore, we realized an internal gain of 3.2 dB/cm for the coupled pump power of 200 mW at 1486 nm, which also exceeds the best literature values for Er:Ti:LiNbO3 waveguide amplifiers pumped at this wavelength. In addition, we report on a method for local periodic poling (periods of 30 μm and 18.4 μm) of ridge waveguides in LiNbO3, which allows for future integration of waveguide lasers and nonlinear frequency converters on the same substrate.

Sensitivity of Nb$$_3$$Sn Rutherford-Type Cables to Transverse Pressure

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Barzi, E.; Wokas, T.; Zlobin, A. V.

Fermilab is developing high field superconducting magnets for future accelerators based on Nb/sub 3/Sn strands. Testing the critical current of superconducting cables under compression is a means to appraise the performance of the produced magnet. However, these cable tests are expensive and labor-intensive. A fixture to assess the superconducting performance of a Nb/sub 3/Sn strand within a reacted and impregnated cable under pressure was designed and built at Fermilab. Several Rutherford-type cables were fabricated at Fermilab and at LBNL using multifilamentary Nb/sub 3/Sn strands. The sensitivity of Nb/sub 3/Sn to transverse pressure was measured for a number of Nb/sub 3/Snmore » technologies (Modified Jelly Roll, Powder-in-Tube, Internal Tin, and Restack Rod Process). Results on the effect of a stainless steel core in the cable are also shown.« less

Optical properties of Mg2+, Yb3+, and Ho3+ tri-doped LiNbO3 crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dai, Li; Liu, Chun-Rui; Tan, Chao; Yan, Zhe-Hua; Xu, Yu-Heng

2017-04-01

A series of LiNbO3 crystals tri-doped with Mg{}2+, Yb{}3+, and Ho{}3+ are grown by the conventional Czochraski technique. The concentrations of Mg{}2+, Yb{}3+, and Ho{}3+ ions in Mg:Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystals are measured by using an inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry. The x-ray diffraction is proposed to determine the lattice constant and analyze the internal structure of the crystal. The light-induced scattering of Mg:Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystal is quantitatively described via the threshold effect of incident exposure energy flux. The exposure energy ({E}{{r}}) is calculated to discuss the optical damage resistance ability. The exposure energy of Mg(7 mol):Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystal is 709.17 J/cm2, approximately 425 times higher than that of the Mg(1 mol):Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystal in magnitude. The blue, red, and very intense green bands of Mg:Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystal are observed under the 980-nm laser excitation to evaluate the up-conversion emission properties. The dependence of the emission intensity on pumping power indicates that the up-conversion emission is a two-photon process. The up-conversion emission mechanism is discussed in detail. This study indicates that Mg:Yb:Ho:LiNbO3 crystal can be applied to the fabrication of new multifunctional photoluminescence devices. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51301055), the Youth Science Fund of Heilongjiang Province, China (Grant No. QC2015061), the Special Funds of Harbin Innovation Talents in Science and Technology Research, China (Grant No. 2015RQQXJ045 ), and the Science Funds for the Young Innovative Talents of Harbin University of Science and Technology, China (Grant No. 201501).

Influence of Processing on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of a NbAl3-Base Alloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebsur, Mohan G.; Locci, Ivan E.; Raj, S. V.; Nathal, Michael V.

1992-01-01

Induction melting and rapid solidification processing, followed by grinding to 75-micron powder and P/M consolidation, have been used to produce a multiphase, NbAl3-based, oxidation-resistant alloy of Nb-67Al-7Cr-0.5Y-0.25W composition whose strength and ductility are significantly higher than those of the induction-melted alloy at test temperatures of up to 1200 K. Attention is given to the beneficial role of microstructural refinement; the major second phase, AlNbCr, improves both oxidation resistance and mechanical properties.

Al(0.5)Nb(1.5)(PO(4))(3).

PubMed

Zhao, Dan; Liang, Peng; Su, Ling; Chang, Huan; Yan, Shi

2011-02-12

Single crystals of the title compound, aluminium niobium triphosphate, Al(0.5)Nb(1.5)(PO(4))(3), have been synthesized by a high-temperature reaction in a platinium crucible. The Al(III) and Nb(V) atoms occupy the same site on the axis, with disorder in the ratio of 1:3. The fundamental building units of the title structure are isolated Al/NbO(6) octa-hedra and PO(4) tetra-hedra (. 2 symmetry), which are further inter-locked by corner-sharing O atoms, leading to a three-dimensional framework structure with infinite channels along the a axis.

Grain refinement of Al-Si9.8-Cu3.4 alloy by novel Al-3.5FeNb-1.5C master alloy and its effect on mechanical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Apparao, K. Ch; Birru, Anil Kumar

2018-01-01

A novel Al-3.5FeNb-1.5C master alloy with uniform microstructure was prepared using a melt reaction process for this study. In the master alloy, basic intermetallic particles such as NbAl3, NbC act as heterogeneous nucleation substrates during the solidification of aluminium. The grain refining performance of the novel master alloy on Al-Si9.8-Cu3.4 alloy has also been investigated. It is observed that the addition of 0.1 wt.% of Al-3.5FeNb-1.5C master alloy can induce very effective grain refinement of the Al-Si9.8-Cu3.4 alloy. The average grain size of α-Al is reduced to 22.90 μm from about 61.22 μm and most importantly, the inoculation of Al-Si9.8-Cu3.4 alloy with FeNb-C is not characterised by any visible poisoning effect, which is the drawback of using commercial Al-Ti-B master alloys on aluminium cast alloys. Therefore, the mechanical properties of the Al-Si9.8-Cu3.4 alloy have been improved obviously by the addition of the 0.1 wt.% of Al-3.5FeNb-1.5C master alloy, including the yield strength and elongation.

Structure of TeO2 - LiNbO3 glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shinde, A. B.; Krishna, P. S. R.; Rao, Rekha

2017-05-01

Tellurite based lithium niobate glasses with composition (100-x)TeO2-xLiNbO3 (x=0.1,0.2 & 0.3) were prepared by conventional melt quenching method. The microscopic structural investigation of these glasses is carried out by means of neutron diffraction and Raman scattering measurements. It is found that the basic structural units in these glasses are TeO4 trigonal bipyramids(TBP), TeO3 trigonal pyramids(TP) and NbO6 Octahedra depending on the composition. It is evident from Raman studies that TBPs decreases, TPs increases and NbO6 Octahedra increases with increasing x. From Neutron diffraction studies it is found that network is comprised of TBPs and TPs along with TeO3+1 structural units. Distorted NbO6 octahedral units are present and also increase with the increase in x.

Advantage and Challenges of $$Nb_3Sn$$ Superconducting Undulators

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zlobin, A. V.; Barzi, E.; Turrinoni, D.

Utilization of Nb3Sn superconducting wires offers the possibility to increase undulators’ nominal operation field and temperature margin, but requires overcoming chal-lenges that are described in this paper. The achievable field levels for a Nb3Sn version of superconducting undulators being developed at APS-ANL and the conductor choice are also presented and discussed.

Aluminum-stabilized Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductor

DOEpatents

Scanlan, R.M.

1984-02-10

This patent discloses an aluminum-stabilized Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductor and process for producing same, utilizing ultrapure aluminum. Ductile components are co-drawn with aluminum to produce a conductor suitable for winding magnets. After winding, the conductor is heated to convert it to the brittle Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductor phase, using a temperature high enough to perform the transformation but still below the melting point of the aluminum. This results in reaction of substantially all of the niobium, while providing stabilization and react-in-place features which are beneficial in the fabrication of magnets utilizing superconducting materials.

Aluminum-stabilized Nb[sub 3]Sn superconductor

DOEpatents

Scanlan, R.M.

1988-05-10

Disclosed are an aluminum-stabilized Nb[sub 3]Sn superconductor and process for producing same, utilizing ultrapure aluminum. Ductile components are co-drawn with aluminum to produce a conductor suitable for winding magnets. After winding, the conductor is heated to convert it to the brittle Nb[sub 3]Sn superconductor phase, using a temperature high enough to perform the transformation but still below the melting point of the aluminum. This results in reaction of substantially all of the niobium, while providing stabilization and react-in-place features which are beneficial in the fabrication of magnets utilizing superconducting materials. 4 figs.

Fluorescence spectra of Cr3+ dimers in LiNbO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jia, Weiyi; Liu, Huimin; Knutson, R.; Yen, W. M.

1990-06-01

Fine spectral structure has been observed in both fluorescence and excitation spectra of Cr3+:LiNbO3 on the high-energy side of the broadband emission from 4T2 at 10 K. The lifetimes of the structures are found to be much longer than the lifetime of the broadband 4T2 fluorescence. These sharp lines are assigned to the 2E-->4A2 emissions (R lines) from two types of Cr3+ sites arising from charge compensation; Cr3+ ions are found to substitute both for Li+ and for Nb5+ sites and to form dimerlike pairs.

Effects of Nb doping level on the electronic transport, photoelectric effect and magnetoresistance across La0.5Ca0.5MnO3/Nb:SrTiO3 junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, J. F.; Jiang, Y. C.; Chen, M. G.; Gao, J.

2013-12-01

Heterojunctions composed of La0.5Ca0.5MnO3 and Nb doped SrTiO3 were fabricated, and the effects of the Nb doping level on their electronic transport, photoelectric effect, and magnetoresistance were investigated. A lower doping concentration of Nb led to better rectifying properties and higher open circuit voltages. The I-V curves for La0.5Ca0.5MnO3/0.7 wt. % Nb-SrTiO3 showed a negligible response to magnetic fields for all temperatures, whereas La0.5Ca0.5MnO3/0.05 wt. % Nb-SrTiO3 exhibited distinct magnetoresistance, which depended on both the bias voltage and temperature. These results are discussed with the assistance of conventional semiconductor theories.

Upconversion of the mid-IR pulses to the near-IR in LiGaS2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kato, Kiyoshi; Umemura, Nobuhiro; Okamoto, Takuya; Petrov, Valentin

2018-02-01

This paper reports on the phase-matching properties of LiGaS2 for upconverting a Nd:YAG laser-pumped KTP and AgGaS2 optical parametric oscillator (OPO) at mid-IR to the near-IR by mixing with its pump source together with the new Sellmeier equations that provide a good reproduction of the present experimental results as well as the published data points of second-harmonic generation (SHG) and sum-frequency generation (SFG) of a CO2 laser, a Ti:Al2O3 laser-pumped optical parametric amplifier (OPA), and a Nd:YAG laser-pumped OPO in the mid-IR. This index formula gives the important information that group velocity mismatch (GVM) (Δsp = 1/υs - 1/υp) of LiGaS2 in the 4 - 11 μm range is 12 27 fs/mm lower than that of the widely used LiInS2, which makes it ideal for the upconversion of the mid-IR femtosecond pulses having large spectral bandwidths to the near-IR.

Linear electro-optic effect in sputtered polycrystalline LiNbO3 films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffel, G.; Ruschin, S.; Croitoru, N.

1989-04-01

Light guiding and modulation was demonstrated in sputtered LiNbO3 films deposited on glass substrates. We report on films' exceptionally low attenuation (<2 dB/cm) and the highest electro-optical coefficient reported so far for this kind of film (1.34×10-12 m/V).

Planar Metal-Insulator-Metal Diodes Based on the Nb/Nb2O5/X Material System

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-10-01

high -quality Nb2O5 insulator can be grown reproducibly as a pinhole-free, uniform layer on top of the Nb using an anodic oxidation process under atmos...harvesting applications. Six cathode materials (M2): Nb, Ag, Cu, Ni, Au, and Pt are studied in conjunction with Nb as the anode (M1) and Nb2O5 (I) as the...are studied in conjunction with Nb as the anode (M1) and Nb2O5 (I) as the dielectric. The cathode materials selections were based on results from a

Superconductivity in the Nb-Ru-Ge σ phase

DOE PAGES

Carnicom, Elizabeth M.; Xie, Weiwei; Sobczak, Zuzanna; ...

2017-12-07

Here, we show that the previously unreported ternary σ-phase material Nb 20.4Ru 5.7Ge 3.9 (Nb 0.68Ru 0.19Ge 0.13) is a superconductor with a critical temperature of 2.2 K. Temperature-dependent magnetic susceptibility, resistance, and specific heat measurements were used to characterize the superconducting transition. The Sommerfeld constant γ for Nb 20.4Ru 5.7Ge 3.9 is 91 mJ mol-f.u. -1K -2 (~3 mJ mol-atom -1K -2) and the specific heat anomaly at the superconducting transition, ΔC/γT c, is approximately 1.38. The zero-temperature upper critical field (µ 0Hc 2(0)) was estimated to be 2 T by resistance data. Field-dependent magnetization data analysis estimated µmore » 0Hc 1(0) to be 5.5 mT. Thus, the characterization shows Nb 20.4Ru 5.7Ge 3.9 to be a type II BCS superconductor. This material appears to be the first reported ternary phase in the Nb-Ru-Ge system, and the fact that there are no previously reported binary Nb-Ru, Nb-Ge, or Ru-Ge σ-phases shows that all three elements are necessary to stabilize the material. An analogous σ-phase in the Ta-Ru-Ge system did not display superconductivity above 1.7 K, which suggests that electron count cannot govern the superconductivity observed. Preliminary characterization of a possible superconducting σ-phase in the Nb-Ru-Ga system is also reported.« less

Development of Nb{sub 3}Sn Cavity Vapor Diffusion Deposition System

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eremeev, Grigory V.; Macha, Kurt M.; Clemens, William A.

2014-02-01

Nb{sub 3}Sn is a BCS superconductors with the superconducting critical temperature higher than that of niobium, so theoretically it surpasses the limitations of niobium in RF fields. The feasibility of technology has been demonstrated at 1.5 GHz with Nb{sub 3}Sn vapor deposition technique at Wuppertal University. The benefit at these frequencies is more pronounced at 4.2 K, where Nb{sub 3}Sn coated cavities show RF resistances an order of magnitude lower than that of niobium. At Jefferson Lab we started the development of Nb{sub 3}Sn vapor diffusion deposition system within an R\\&D development program towards compact light sources. Here we presentmore » the current progress of the system development.« less

Nb3Sn SRF Cavities for Nuclear Physics Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eremeev, Grigory

2017-01-01

Nuclear physics experiments rely increasingly on accelerators, which employ superconducting RF (SRF) technology. CEBAF, SNS, FRIB, ESS, among others exploit the low surface resistance of SRF cavities to efficiently accelerate particle beams towards experimental targets. Niobium is the cavity material of choice for all current or planned SRF accelerators, but it has been long recognized that other superconductors with high superconducting transition temperatures have the potential to surpass niobium for SRF applications. Among the alternatives, Nb3Sn coated cavities are the most advanced on the path to practical applications: Nb3Sn coatings on R&D cavities have Tc consistently close the optimal 18 K, very low RF surface resistances, and very recently were shown to reach above Hc1 without anomalous RF surface resistance increase. In my talk I will discuss the prospects of Nb3Sn SRF cavities, the research efforts to realize Nb3Sn coatings on practical multi-cell accelerating structures, and the path toward possible inclusion in CEBAF. This material is based upon work supported by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Nuclear Physics.

Method for preparing high transition temperature Nb.sub.3 Ge superconductors

DOEpatents

Newkirk, Lawrence R.; Valencia, Flavio A.

1977-01-01

Bulk coatings of Nb.sub.3 Ge superconductors having transition temperatures in excess of 20 K are readily formed by a chemical vapor deposition technique involving the coreduction of NbCl.sub.5 and GeCl.sub.4 in the presence of hydrogen. The NbCl.sub.5 vapor may advantageously be formed quantitatively in the temperature range of about 250.degree. to 260.degree. C by the chlorination of Nb metal provided the partial pressure of the product NbCl.sub.5 vapor is maintained at or below about 0.1 atm.

Composition, response to pressure, and negative thermal expansion in M IIB IVF 6 (M = Ca, Mg; B = Zr, Nb) [Composition, response to pressure, and negative thermal expansion in A IIB IVF 6; A - Ca, Mg, B - Zr, Nb

DOE PAGES

Hester, Brett R.; Hancock, Justin C.; Lapidus, Saul H.; ...

2016-12-27

CaZrF 6 has recently been shown to combine strong negative thermal expansion (NTE) over a very wide temperature range (at least 10–1000 K) with optical transparency from mid-IR into the UV range. Variable-temperature and high-pressure diffraction has been used to determine how the replacement of calcium by magnesium and zirconium by niobium(IV) modifies the phase behavior and physical properties of the compound. Similar to CaZrF 6, CaNbF 6 retains a cubic ReO 3-type structure down to 10 K and displays NTE up until at least 900 K. It undergoes a reconstructive phase transition upon compression to ~400 MPa at room temperature and pressure-induced amorphization above ~4 GPa. Prior to the first transition, it displays very strong pressure-induced softening. MgZrF 6 adopts a cubic ( Fmmore » $$\\bar{3}$$m) structure at 300 K and undergoes a symmetry-lowering phase transition involving octahedral tilts at ~100 K. Immediately above this transition, it shows modest NTE. Its’ thermal expansion increases upon heating, crossing through zero at ~500 K. Unlike CaZrF 6 and CaNbF 6, it undergoes an octahedral tilting transition upon compression (~370 MPa) prior to a reconstructive transition at ~1 GPa. Cubic MgZrF 6 displays both pressure-induced softening and stiffening upon heating. MgNbF 6 is cubic ( Fm$$\\bar{3}$$m) at room temperature, but it undergoes a symmetry-lowering octahedral tilting transition at ~280 K. It does not display NTE within the investigated temperature range (100–950 K). Furthermore the replacement of Zr(IV) by Nb(IV) leads to minor changes in phase behavior and properties, the replacement of the calcium by the smaller and more polarizing magnesium leads to large changes in both phase behavior and thermal expansion.« less

Composition, response to pressure, and negative thermal expansion in M IIB IVF 6 (M = Ca, Mg; B = Zr, Nb) [Composition, response to pressure, and negative thermal expansion in A IIB IVF 6; A - Ca, Mg, B - Zr, Nb

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Hester, Brett R.; Hancock, Justin C.; Lapidus, Saul H.

CaZrF 6 has recently been shown to combine strong negative thermal expansion (NTE) over a very wide temperature range (at least 10–1000 K) with optical transparency from mid-IR into the UV range. Variable-temperature and high-pressure diffraction has been used to determine how the replacement of calcium by magnesium and zirconium by niobium(IV) modifies the phase behavior and physical properties of the compound. Similar to CaZrF 6, CaNbF 6 retains a cubic ReO 3-type structure down to 10 K and displays NTE up until at least 900 K. It undergoes a reconstructive phase transition upon compression to ~400 MPa at room temperature and pressure-induced amorphization above ~4 GPa. Prior to the first transition, it displays very strong pressure-induced softening. MgZrF 6 adopts a cubic ( Fmmore » $$\\bar{3}$$m) structure at 300 K and undergoes a symmetry-lowering phase transition involving octahedral tilts at ~100 K. Immediately above this transition, it shows modest NTE. Its’ thermal expansion increases upon heating, crossing through zero at ~500 K. Unlike CaZrF 6 and CaNbF 6, it undergoes an octahedral tilting transition upon compression (~370 MPa) prior to a reconstructive transition at ~1 GPa. Cubic MgZrF 6 displays both pressure-induced softening and stiffening upon heating. MgNbF 6 is cubic ( Fm$$\\bar{3}$$m) at room temperature, but it undergoes a symmetry-lowering octahedral tilting transition at ~280 K. It does not display NTE within the investigated temperature range (100–950 K). Furthermore the replacement of Zr(IV) by Nb(IV) leads to minor changes in phase behavior and properties, the replacement of the calcium by the smaller and more polarizing magnesium leads to large changes in both phase behavior and thermal expansion.« less

Structural and Magnetic Properties of {Eu}(3+) Eu 3 + -Doped {CdNb}_{2} {O}_{6} CdNb 2 O 6 Powders

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Topkaya, Ramazan; Boyraz, Cihat; Ekmekçi, Mete Kaan

2018-03-01

Europium-doped CdNb2O6 powders with the molar concentration of Eu^{3+} (0.5, 3 and 6 mol%) were successfully prepared at 900°C by using molten salt synthesis method. The effect of europium (Eu) molar concentration on the structural and temperature-dependent magnetic properties of CdNb2O6 powders has been investigated by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) and ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) techniques in the temperature range of 10-300 K. XRD results confirm that all the powders have orthorhombic crystal structure. It has been confirmed from VSM and FMR measurements that Eu^{3+}-doped CdNb2O6 powders have ferromagnetic behaviour for each Eu^{3+} molar concentration between 10 and 300 K. XRD and EDX analyses indicate that there is no magnetic impurity in Eu^{3+}-doped CdNb_2O_6 powders, supporting that the ferromagnetic behaviour of the powders arises from Eu^{3+} ions. The observed ferromagnetism was elucidated with the intrinsic exchange interactions between the magnetic moments associated with the unpaired 4 f electrons in Eu^{3+} ions. The saturation magnetization decreases with increasing Eu^{3+} molar concentration. The temperature-dependent magnetization behaviour was observed not to agree with Curie-Weiss law because europium obeys Van Vleck paramagnetism. Broad FMR spectra and a g-value higher than 2 were observed from FMR measurements, indicating the ferromagnetic behaviour of the powders. It was found that while the resonance field of FMR spectra decreases, the linewidth increases as a function of Eu^{3+} molar concentration.

Immunoprotective properties of recombinant LigA and LigB in a hamster model of acute leptospirosis

PubMed Central

Lourdault, Kristel; Matsunaga, James; Haake, David A.

2017-01-01

Leptospirosis is the most widespread zoonosis and is considered a major public health problem worldwide. Currently, there is no widely available vaccine against leptospirosis for use in humans. A purified, recombinant subunit vaccine that includes the last six immunoglobulin-like (Ig-like) domains of the leptospiral protein LigA (LigA7’-13) protects against lethal infection but not renal colonization after challenge by Leptospira interrogans. In this study, we examined whether the addition of the first seven Ig-like domains of LigB (LigB0-7) to LigA7’-13, can enhance immune protection and confer sterilizing immunity in the Golden Syrian hamster model of acute leptospirosis. Hamsters were subcutaneously immunized with soluble, recombinant LigA7’-13, LigB0-7, or a combination of LigA7’-13 and LigB0-7 in Freund’s adjuvant. Immunization with Lig proteins generated a strong humoral immune response with high titers of IgG that recognized homologous protein, and cross-reacted with the heterologous protein as assessed by ELISA. LigA7’-13 alone, or in combination with LigB0-7, protected all hamsters from intraperitoneal challenge with a lethal dose of L. interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain Fiocruz L1-130. However, bacteria were recovered from the kidneys of all animals. Of eight animals immunized with LigB0-7, only three survived Leptospira challenge, one of which lacked renal colonization and had antibodies to native LigB by immunoblot. In addition, sera from two of the three LigB0-7 immunized survivors cross-reacted with LigA11-13, a region of LigA that is sufficient for protection. In summary, we confirmed that LigA7’-13 protects hamsters from death but not infection, and immunization with LigB0-7, either alone or in combination with LigA7’-13, did not confer sterilizing immunity. PMID:28704385

High-field specific heats of A15 V3Si and Nb3Sn

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stewart, G. R.; Brandt, B. L.

1984-04-01

In order to further understand the anomalous behavior of the specific heat of Nb3Sn in an 18-T magnetic field discovered by Stewart, Cort, and Webb

Effect of thermo-mechanical processing on microstructure and mechanical properties of U - Nb - Zr alloys: Part 2 - U - 3 wt % Nb - 9 wt % Zr and U - 9 wt% Nb - 3 wt% Zr

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morais, Nathanael Wagner Sales; Lopes, Denise Adorno; Schön, Cláudio Geraldo

2018-04-01

The present work is the second and final part of an extended investigation on Usbnd Nb - Zr alloys. It investigates the effect of mechanical processing routes on microstructure of alloys U - 3 wt % Nb - 9 wt % Zr and U - 9 wt% Nb - 3 wt% Zr, through X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, completing the investigation, which started with alloy U - 6 wt% Nb - 6 wt% Zr in part 1. Mechanical properties are determined using microhardness and bending tests and correlated with the developed microstructures. The results show that processing sequence, in particular the inclusion of a 1000 °C heat treatment step, affects significantly the microstructure and mechanical properties of these alloys alloy in different ways. Microstructural characterization shows that both alloys present significant volume fraction of precipitates of a body-centered cubic (BCC) γ-Nb-Zr rich phase in addition the uranium-rich matrix. Bending tests show that sample ductility does not correlate necessarily with hardness and that the key factor appears to be the amount of the γ-Nb-Zr precipitates, which controls the matrix microstructure. Samples with a monoclinic α″ cellular microstructure and/or with the tetragonally-distorted BCC phase (γ0), although not strictly ductile, showed the largest allowed strains-before-break and complete elastic recovery of the broken pieces, pointing out to the macroscopic observation of superelasticity.

Preparation and electrochemical properties of Zr-site substituted Li7La3(Zr2-xMx)O12 (M = Ta, Nb) solid electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Mian; Shoji, Mao; Shen, Yang; Nan, Ce-Wen; Munakata, Hirokazu; Kanamura, Kiyoshi

2014-09-01

Li7La3Zr2O12 (LLZ) solid electrolytes with Zr site partially substituted by Ta and Nb elements were prepared via the conventional solid-state reaction. All the compositions could lead to the cubic garnet-type structure after sintering at 1150 °C. The use of γ-Al2O3 as a sintering aid in the preparation of doped LLZ was studied. It was shown that Al could help to improve the micro-structure for Nb doping, but not necessary for Ta doping. The Ta and Nb doping enhanced the ionic conductivity at 25 °C to 4.09 × 10-4 S cm-1 and 4.50 × 10-4 S cm-1, respectively. A conductivity as high as 1.23 × 10-3 S cm-1 was obtained when measured at 50 °C in air for the Nb-doped LLZ. All-solid-state batteries with LLZTa and LLZNb solid electrolytes were assembled and tested. The cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurement indicated the successful working of the batteries.

Current Progress in Fabrication of a 14 Tesla Nb3Sn Dipole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holik, Eddie, III; Benson, Christopher; Damborsky, Kyle; Diaczenko, Nick; Elliott, Tim; Garrison, Ray; Jaisle, Andrew; McInturff, Alfred; McIntyre, Peter; Sattarov, Dior

2012-03-01

The Accelerator Technology Laboratory at Texas A&M is fabricating a model dipole magnet, TAMU3, designed to operate at a 14 Tesla bore field. The dipole employs an advanced internal-tin Nb3Sn/Cu composite strand with enhanced current density. The coils must be processed through a heat treatment after winding, during which the Sn within the heterogeneous strands diffuse into the Cu/Nb matrix to form high-performance superconducting layers. Heat treatment of the first coil assembly revealed tin leakage from the Sn cores that was caused by omission of a pre-anneal step in the heat treatment. We are evaluating the electrical properties of the coil, the microstructure and short-sample superconducting performance of cut-off samples of current leads to determine the extent of damage to the performance of the windings. Results of those tests and plans for construction of TAMU3 will be presented.

Nb3Sn superconducting radiofrequency cavities: fabrication, results, properties, and prospects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Posen, S.; Hall, D. L.

2017-03-01

A microns-thick film of Nb3Sn on the inner surface of a superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavity has been demonstrated to substantially improve cryogenic efficiency compared to the standard niobium material, and its predicted superheating field is approximately twice as high. We review in detail the advantages of Nb3Sn coatings for SRF cavities. We describe the vapor diffusion process used to fabricate this material in the most successful experiments, and we compare the differences in the process used at different labs. We overview results of Nb3Sn SRF coatings, including CW and pulsed measurements of cavities as well as microscopic measurements. We discuss special considerations that must be practised when using Nb3Sn cavities in applications. Finally, we conclude by summarizing the state-of-the-art and describing the outlook for this alternative SRF material.

Bulk critical state and fundamental length scales of superconducting nanocrystalline Nb3Al in Nb-Al matrix

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mondal, Puspen; Manekar, Meghmalhar; Srivastava, A. K.; Roy, S. B.

2009-07-01

We present the results of magnetization measurements on an as-cast nanocrystalline Nb3Al superconductor embedded in Nb-Al matrix. The typical grain size of Nb3Al ranges from about 2-8 nm with the maximum number of grains at around 3.5 nm, as visualized using transmission electron microscopy. The isothermal magnetization hysteresis loops in the superconducting state can be reasonably fitted within the well-known Kim-Anderson critical-state model. By using the same fitting parameters, we calculate the variation in field with respect to distance inside the sample and show the existence of a critical state over length scales much larger than the typical size of the superconducting grains. Our results indicate that a bulk critical current is possible in a system comprising of nanoparticles. The nonsuperconducting Nb-Al matrix thus appears to play a major role in the bulk current flow through the sample. The superconducting coherence length ξ is estimated to be around 3 nm, which is comparable to the typical grain size. The penetration depth λ is estimated to be about 94 nm, which is much larger than the largest of the superconducting grains. Our results could be useful for tuning the current carrying capability of conductors made out of composite materials which involve superconducting nanoparticles.

Growth of LiNbO{sub 3}:Er Crystals and concentration dependences of their properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Palatnikov, M. N., E-mail: palat-mn@chemy.kolasc.net.ru; Biryukova, I. V.; Shcherbina, O. B.

2016-11-15

A series of lithium niobate (LiNbO{sub 3}) crystals of congruent and stoichiometric compositions, doped with erbium, have been grown under non-steady-state thermal conditions. A series of LiNbO{sub 3}:Zn crystals, nominally pure LiNbO{sub 3} crystals of congruent and stoichiometric compositions, and a LiNbO{sub 3}:B crystal have also been grown. Both growth conditions and concentration dependences of physicochemical, ferroelectric, and structural characteristics of LiNbO{sub 3}:Er crystals are investigated. The growth regular domain microstructures and periodic nanostructures in LiNbO{sub 3}:Er crystals are analyzed by optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM). A comparative study of the optical homogeneity and photorefractive properties of LiNbO{submore » 3}:Er crystals of congruent and stoichiometric compositions and the Raman spectra of LiNbO{sub 3} crystals of different compositions is performed.« less

Photoluminescence of rare-earth ion (Eu3+, Tm3+, and Er3+)-doped and co-doped ZnNb2O6 for solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Sen-Pei; Qian, Yan-Nan; Wang, Biao

2015-08-01

Visible converted emissions produced at an excitation of 286 nm in ZnNb2O6 ceramics doped with rare-earth ions (RE = Eu3+, Tm3+, Er3+ or a combination of these ions) were investigated with the aim of increasing the photovoltaic efficiency of solar cells. The structure of RE:ZnNb2O6 ceramics was confirmed by x-ray diffraction patterns. The undoped ZnNb2O6 could emit a blue emission under 286-nm excitation, which is attributed to the self-trapped excitons’ recombination of the efficient luminescence centers of edge-shared NbO6 groups. Upon 286-nm excitation, Eu:ZnNb2O6, Tm:ZnNb2O6, and Er:ZnNb2O6 ceramics showed blue, green, and red emissions, which correspond to the transitions of 5D0 → 7FJ (J = 1-4) (Eu3+), 1G4 → 3H6 (Tm3+), and 2H11/2/4S3/2 → 4I15/2 (Er3+), respectively. The calculated CIE chromaticity coordinates of Eu:ZnNb2O6, Tm:ZnNb2O6, and Er:ZnNb2O6 are (0.50, 0.31), (0.14, 0.19), and (0.29, 0.56), respectively. RE ion-co-doped ZnNb2O6 showed a combination of characteristic emissions. The chromaticity coordinates of Eu/Tm:ZnNb2O6, Eu/Er:ZnNb2O6, and Tm/Er:ZnNb2O6 were calculated to be (0.29, 0.24), (0.45, 0.37), and (0.17, 0.25). Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 10572155 and 10732100) and the Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Ministry of Education, China (Grant No. 20130171130003).

Alloying and Hardness of Eutectics with Nbss and Nb5Si3 in Nb-silicide Based Alloys

PubMed Central

Tsakiropoulos, Panos

2018-01-01

In Nb-silicide based alloys, eutectics can form that contain the Nbss and Nb5Si3 phases. The Nb5Si3 can be rich or poor in Ti, the Nb can be substituted with other transition and refractory metals, and the Si can be substituted with simple metal and metalloid elements. For the production of directionally solidified in situ composites of multi-element Nb-silicide based alloys, data about eutectics with Nbss and Nb5Si3 is essential. In this paper, the alloying behaviour of eutectics observed in Nb-silicide based alloys was studied using the parameters ΔHmix, ΔSmix, VEC (valence electron concentration), δ (related to atomic size), Δχ (related to electronegativity), and Ω (= Tm ΔSmix/|ΔHmix|). The values of these parameters were in the ranges −41.9 < ΔHmix <−25.5 kJ/mol, 4.7 < ΔSmix < 15 J/molK, 4.33 < VEC < 4.89, 6.23 < δ < 9.44, 0.38 < Ω < 1.35, and 0.118 < Δχ < 0.248, with a gap in Δχ values between 0.164 and 0.181. Correlations between ΔSmix, Ω, ΔSmix, and VEC were found for all of the eutectics. The correlation between ΔHmix and δ for the eutectics was the same as that of the Nbss, with more negative ΔHmix for the former. The δ versus Δχ map separated the Ti-rich eutectics from the Ti-poor eutectics, with a gap in Δχ values between 0.164 and 0.181, which is within the Δχ gap of the Nbss. Eutectics were separated according to alloying additions in the Δχ versus VEC, Δχ versus , δ versus , and VEC versus maps, where = Al + Ge + Si + Sn. Convergence of data in maps occurred at δ ≈ 9.25, VEC ≈ 4.35, Δχ in the range ≈ 0.155 to 0.162, and in the range ≈ 21.6 at.% to ≈ 24.3 at.%. The convergence of data also indicated that the minimum concentration of Ti and maximum concentrations of Al and Si in the eutectic were about 8.7 at.% Ti, 6.3 at.% Al, and 21.6 at.% Si, respectively, and that the minimum concentration of Si in the eutectic was in the range 8 < Si < 10 at.%. PMID:29641503

Facile Synthesis of Nb3Sn Via a Hydrogen Reduction Process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Jun; Jiao, Shuqiang; Zhang, Long; Li, Yanxiang; Zhu, Hongmin

2017-02-01

A controllable and facile process for the preparation of Nb3Sn intermetallic compound nanopowders using NbCl5 and SnCl2 vapors reduced by hydrogen has been developed. The vaporizing rates of the two chlorides are controlled by measuring their mass loss as a function of carrier gas (argon) flow rate at certain vaporization temperatures, respectively. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns indicate that hydrogenous Nb3Sn products are obtained under the vaporizing rate of 0.155 g min-1 for NbCl5 and 0.036 g min-1 for SnCl2 with the hydrogen flow rate of 2100 ml min-1 at 1273 K (1000 °C). Results of semi-quantitative analysis by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) demonstrate that the atomic ratio of Nb to Sn in the as-synthesized products is 3.48:1, and the content of (Nb + Sn) is taken up to 89.61 wt pct from the total weight of the products. The products can be purified by vacuum heat treatment. Images of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) show that the products are homogenous particles with a mean diameter of 31 nm. In addition, the reaction ratio of the chlorides and the powder yield are controllable by hydrogen flow rate.

Nb 3Sn superconducting radiofrequency cavities: Fabrication, results, properties, and prospects

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Posen, S.; Hall, D. L.

A microns-thick film of Nb 3Sn on the inner surface of a superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavity has been demonstrated to substantially improve cryogenic efficiency compared to the standard niobium material, and its predicted superheating field is approximately twice as high. We review in detail the advantages of Nb 3Sn coatings for SRF cavities. We describe the vapor diffusion process used to fabricate this material in the most successful experiments, and we compare the differences in the process used at different labs. We overview results of Nb 3Sn SRF coatings, including CW and pulsed measurements of cavities as well as microscopicmore » measurements. We discuss special considerations that must be practised when using Nb 3Sn cavities in applications. Lastly, we conclude by summarizing the state-of-the-art and describing the outlook for this alternative SRF material.« less

Nb 3Sn superconducting radiofrequency cavities: Fabrication, results, properties, and prospects

DOE PAGES

Posen, S.; Hall, D. L.

2017-01-23

A microns-thick film of Nb 3Sn on the inner surface of a superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavity has been demonstrated to substantially improve cryogenic efficiency compared to the standard niobium material, and its predicted superheating field is approximately twice as high. We review in detail the advantages of Nb 3Sn coatings for SRF cavities. We describe the vapor diffusion process used to fabricate this material in the most successful experiments, and we compare the differences in the process used at different labs. We overview results of Nb 3Sn SRF coatings, including CW and pulsed measurements of cavities as well as microscopicmore » measurements. We discuss special considerations that must be practised when using Nb 3Sn cavities in applications. Lastly, we conclude by summarizing the state-of-the-art and describing the outlook for this alternative SRF material.« less

Structure-guided Mutational Analysis of the Nucleotidyltransferase Domain of Escherichia coli DNA Ligase (LigA).

PubMed

Wang, Li Kai; Zhu, Hui; Shuman, Stewart

2009-03-27

NAD(+)-dependent DNA ligases (LigA) are ubiquitous in bacteria, where they are essential for growth and present attractive targets for antimicrobial drug discovery. LigA has a distinctive modular structure in which a nucleotidyltransferase catalytic domain is flanked by an upstream NMN-binding module and by downstream OB-fold, zinc finger, helix-hairpin-helix, and BRCT domains. Here we conducted a structure-function analysis of the nucleotidyltransferase domain of Escherichia coli LigA, guided by the crystal structure of the LigA-DNA-adenylate intermediate. We tested the effects of 29 alanine and conservative mutations at 15 amino acids on ligase activity in vitro and in vivo. We thereby identified essential functional groups that coordinate the reactive phosphates (Arg(136)), contact the AMP adenine (Lys(290)), engage the phosphodiester backbone flanking the nick (Arg(218), Arg(308), Arg(97) plus Arg(101)), or stabilize the active domain fold (Arg(171)). Finer analysis of the mutational effects revealed step-specific functions for Arg(136), which is essential for the reaction of LigA with NAD(+) to form the covalent ligase-AMP intermediate (step 1) and for the transfer of AMP to the nick 5'-PO(4) to form the DNA-adenylate intermediate (step 2) but is dispensable for phosphodiester formation at a preadenylylated nick (step 3).

LIGA-based microsystem manufacturing:the electrochemistry of through-mold depostion and material properties.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kelly, James J.; Goods, Steven Howard

2005-06-01

The report presented below is to appear in ''Electrochemistry at the Nanoscale'', Patrik Schmuki, Ed. Springer-Verlag, (ca. 2005). The history of the LIGA process, used for fabricating dimensional precise structures for microsystem applications, is briefly reviewed, as are the basic elements of the technology. The principal focus however, is on the unique aspects of the electrochemistry of LIGA through-mask metal deposition and the generation of the fine and uniform microstructures necessary to ensure proper functionality of LIGA components. We draw from both previously published work by external researchers in the field as well as from published and unpublished studies frommore » within Sandia.« less

Twisted, multifilament Nb3Sn superconductive ribbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Coles, W. D.

1972-01-01

An experimental study of superconductor stabilization has resulted in the successful application of the concepts of filamentary structure and conductor twist to Nb3Sn ribbon. The Nb3Sn is formed in parallel, helical paths, which are continuous around the ribbon. Short lengths (12-18cm) of 1.27 cm wide superconductive ribbon were produced. The filamentary and twist characteristics are incorporated in the ribbon by means of an inert mask formed on the ribbon surface early in the fabrication process. Diffusion reaction of the niobium and tin is prevented at the filament boundaries. Described are the conductor methods of fabrication, and test results obtained. The technology required to adapt the processes for the production of long lengths of ribbon is available.

Influence of alloying elements on the oxidation behavior of NbAl3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebsur, M. G.; Stephens, J. R.; Smialek, J. L.; Barrett, C. A.; Fox, D. S.

1988-01-01

NbAL3 is one candidate material for advanced aeropropulsion systems because of its high melting point, low density, and good oxidation resistance. Although NbAl3 has the lowest oxidation rate among the binary Nb-Al alloys, it does not form exclusive layers of protective Al2O3 scales. Recently Perkin et al., have shown the feasibility of forming alumina scales on Nb-Al alloys at greatly reduced Al contents. However, the objective was to maintain the high Al content, and hence low density, while achieving the capability of growing protective alumina scales. Alloy development followed approaches similar to those used successfully for superalloys and oxidation resistant MCrAlY coatings. Among the three elements examined (Ti, Si, and Cr) as ternary additions to Nb-Al3, Cr was the most effective in favoring the selective oxidation of Al. Nb-41Al-8Cr formed exclusive layers of alumina and had a k sub p value of 0.22 mg squared/cm (sup 4)/hr at 1200 C. The addition of 1 wt percent Y to this alloy was also beneficial, resulting in nearly an order of magnitude decrease in K sub p at 1200 C. Further improvements were achieved by adding about 1 wt percent Si to the quaternary alloy. The k sub p value of 0.012 mg squared/cm (sup 4)/hr for Nb-40Al-8Cr-1Y-1Si at 1200 C was identical to the best NiAl + Zr alloys. These NbAl3 alloys also exhibited excellent cyclic oxidation resistance for 100 hr at 1200 C, being nearly equivalent to NiAl + Zr.

Ba0.06(Na,Bi)0.94Ti1-x(Ni1/3Nb2/3)xO3 ceramics: X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy studies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, R. K.; Prasad, Ashutosh; Chandra, K. P.; Prasad, K.

2018-05-01

Non-lead ceramic samples of Ba0.06(Na0.5Bi0.5)0.94Ti1-x(Ni1/3Nb2/3)xO3; 0 ≤ x ≤ 1.0 were prepared by standard high temperature ceramic synthesis method. Rietveld refinements of X-ray diffraction data of these ceramics were carried out using FullProf software and determined their crystal symmetry, space group and unit cell dimensions. Rietveld refinement revealed that Ba0.06(Na0.5Bi0.5)0.94TiO3 has a monoclinic structure with space group P4/m while B0.06(Na0.5Bi0.5)0.94(Ni1/3Nb2/3)O3 has tetragonal (pseudo-cubic) structure with space group P4/mmm. Partial replacement of Ti4+ ion by pseudo-cation (Ni1/33 +Nb2/3 5 +) 4 + resulted in the change of unit cell structure from monoclinic to tetragonal. SEM studies were carried out in order to access the quality of the prepared ceramics which showed a change in grain sizes with the increase of (Ni1/33 +Nb2/3 5 +) 4 + content. FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of perovskite type solid solutions.

Evolution of magnetic properties of CaMn1-x Nb x O3 with Nb-doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Markovich, V.; Fita, I.; Wisniewski, A.; Puzniak, R.; Martin, C.; Mogilyansky, D.; Jung, G.; Gorodetsky, G.

2015-08-01

Magnetic and structural properties of Nb-doped CaMnO3 have been studied and the effect of doping with 0.02  ⩽  x  ⩽  0.1 has been investigated. Substitution of Nb5+ ion for the Mn4+ site of the parent matrix causes one-electron doping with the chemical formula \\text{CaMn}1-2x4+\\text{Mn}x3+\\text{Nb}x5+{{\\text{O}}3} , accompanied by a monotonous increase of the lattice parameters, unit-cell volume, average Mn-O bond distance and a decrease in Mn-O-Mn bond angle, with increasing x. Low temperature magnetic ground state of CaMn1-x Nb x O3 has been found to be dependent on niobium doping level. The ground magnetic state evolves from mostly antiferromagnetic, with a weak ferromagnetic component for x = 0.02-0.08, to charge ordered C-type antiferromagnetic state at x = 0.1. Spontaneous magnetization increases sharply with increasing doping level, approaches a maximal value of 4.1 emu g-1 at T = 10 K for x = 0.08, and then decreases rapidly to reach a very small value of 0.2 emu g-1 for x = 0.1. Anomalous negative magnetization behavior below the magnetic transition temperature has been observed for the compound with x = 0.04 in the field cooled magnetization and remanent dc magnetization measurements. Vertical and horizontal shifts of the hysteresis loop of the field cooled sample have been observed for CaMn0.9Nb0.1O3 as possible signatures of the exchange bias effect. The effect of hydrostatic pressure on dc magnetization for the sample with x  >  0.02 revealed a significant increase of the ferromagnetic phase volume under pressure, linked to progressive suppression of a negative magnetization in x = 0.04 sample.

Harmonic versus LigaSure hemostasis technique in thyroid surgery: A meta-analysis

PubMed Central

Upadhyaya, Arun; Hu, Tianpeng; Meng, Zhaowei; Li, Xue; He, Xianghui; Tian, Weijun; Jia, Qiang; Tan, Jian

2016-01-01

Harmonic scalpel and LigaSure vessel sealing systems have been suggested as options for saving surgical time and reducing postoperative complications. The aim of the present meta-analysis was to compare surgical time, postoperative complications and other parameters between them in for the open thyroidectomy procedure. Studies were retrieved from MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE and ISI Web of Science until December 2015. All the randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing Harmonic scalpel and LigaSure during open thyroidectomy were selected. Following data extraction, statistical analyses were performed. Among the 24 studies that were evaluated for eligibility, 7 RCTs with 981 patients were included. The Harmonic scalpel significantly reduced surgical time compared with LigaSure techniques (8.79 min; 95% confidence interval, −15.91 to −1.67; P=0.02). However, no significant difference was observed for the intraoperative blood loss, postoperative blood loss, duration of hospital stay, thyroid weight and serum calcium level postoperatively in either group. The present meta-analysis indicated superiority of Harmonic Scalpel only in terms of surgical time compared with LigaSure hemostasis techniques in open thyroid surgery. PMID:27446546

Electro-optical detection of THz radiation in Fe implanted LiNbO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yuhua; Ni, Hongwei; Zhan, Weiting; Yuan, Jie; Wang, Ruwu

2013-01-01

In this letter, the authors present first observation of terahertz generation from Fe implantation of LiNbO3 crystal substrate. LiNbO3 single crystal is grown by Czochralski method. Metal nanoparticles synthesized by Fe ion implantation were implanted into LiNbO3 single crystal using metal vapor vacuum arc (MEVVA) ion source. 1 kHz, 35 fs laser pulsed centered at 800 nm were focused onto the samples. Terahertz was generated via optical rectification. The findings suggest that under the investigated implantation parameter, a spectral component in excess of 0.44 THz emission were found from Fe ion implantation of LiNbO3.

Extraordinary-mode refractive-index change produced by the linear electro-optic effect in LiNbO3 and reverse-poled LiNbO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boyd, Joseph T.; Servizzi, Anthony J.; Sriram, S.; Kingsley, Stuart A.

1995-07-01

To examine aspects of an integrated photonic electric-field sensor, we calculate electro-optically induced refractive-index change in regular and reverse-poled LiNbO3. Specifically, for y-propagating extraordinary modes, we determine how index change depends on electric-field magnitude and direction. To accomplish this, changes in index-ellipsoid shape and orientation are found by the use of a numerical eigenvalue procedure to diagonalize the impermeability tensor; then, refractive index is calculated by the use of a vector reference-frame transformation and a small perturbation approximation. A general formula is inferred from calculations for specific field directions. Electro-optic coefficients for reverse-poled LiNbO3 are obtained by application of a tensor reference-frame transformation to those of LiNbO3. The index-calculation procedure has utility beyond the problem that is considered.

Improved the microstructures and properties of M3:2 high-speed steel by spray forming and niobium alloying

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Lu, L.; Hou, L.G., E-mail: lghou@skl.ustb.edu.cn; Zhang, J.X.

The microstructures and properties of spray formed (SF) high-speed steels (HSSs) with or without niobium (Nb) addition were studied. Particular emphasis was placed on the effect of Nb on the solidification microstructures, decomposition of M{sub 2}C carbides, thermal stability and mechanical properties. The results show that spray forming can refine the cell size of eutectic carbides due to the rapid cooling effect during atomization. With Nb addition, further refinement of the eutectic carbides and primary austenite grains are obtained. Moreover, the Nb addition can accelerate the decomposition of M{sub 2}C carbides and increase the thermal stability of high-speed steel, andmore » also can improve the hardness and bending strength with slightly decrease the impact toughness. The high-speed steel made by spray forming and Nb alloying can give a better tool performance compared with powder metallurgy M3:2 and commercial AISI M2 high-speed steels. - Highlights: • Spray forming can effectively refine the microstructure of M3:2 steel. • Niobium accelerates the decomposition of M{sub 2}C carbides. • Niobium increases the hardness and bending strength of spray formed M3:2 steel. • Spray-formed niobium-containing M3:2 steel has the best tool performance.« less

Miniature Scroll Pumps Fabricated by LIGA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wiberg, Dean; Shcheglov, Kirill; White, Victor; Bae, Sam

2009-01-01

Miniature scroll pumps have been proposed as roughing pumps (low - vacuum pumps) for miniature scientific instruments (e.g., portable mass spectrometers and gas analyzers) that depend on vacuum. The larger scroll pumps used as roughing pumps in some older vacuum systems are fabricated by conventional machining. Typically, such an older scroll pump includes (1) an electric motor with an eccentric shaft to generate orbital motion of a scroll and (2) conventional bearings to restrict the orbital motion to a circle. The proposed miniature scroll pumps would differ from the prior, larger ones in both design and fabrication. A miniature scroll pump would include two scrolls: one mounted on a stationary baseplate and one on a flexure stage (see figure). An electromagnetic actuator in the form of two pairs of voice coils in a push-pull configuration would make the flexure stage move in the desired circular orbit. The capacitance between the scrolls would be monitored to provide position (gap) feedback to a control system that would adjust the drive signals applied to the voice coils to maintain the circular orbit as needed for precise sealing of the scrolls. To minimize power consumption and maximize precision of control, the flexure stage would be driven at the frequency of its mechanical resonance. The miniaturization of these pumps would entail both operational and manufacturing tolerances of <1 m. Such tight tolerances cannot be achieved easily by conventional machining of high-aspect-ratio structures like those of scroll-pump components. In addition, the vibrations of conventional motors and ball bearings exceed these tight tolerances by an order of magnitude. Therefore, the proposed pumps would be fabricated by the microfabrication method known by the German acronym LIGA ( lithographie, galvanoformung, abformung, which means lithography, electroforming, molding) because LIGA has been shown to be capable of providing the required tolerances at large aspect ratios.

Influence of alloying elements on the oxidation behavior of NbAl3

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebsur, M. G.; Stephens, J. R.; Smialek, J. L.; Barrett, C. A.; Fox, D. S.

1989-01-01

NbAl3 is one candidate material for advanced aeropropulsion systems because of its high melting point, low density, and good oxidation resistance. Although NbAl3 has the lowest oxidation rate among the binary Nb-Al alloys, it does not form exclusive layers of protective Al203 scales. Recently Perkin et al., have shown the feasibility of forming alumina scales on Nb-Al alloys at greatly reduced Al contents. However, the objective was to maintain the high Al content, and hence low density, while achieving the capability of growing protective alumina scales. Alloy development followed approaches similar to those used successfully for superalloys and oxidation resistant MCrAly coatings. Among the three elements examined (Ti, Si, and Cr) as ternary additions to Nb-Al3, Cr was the most effective in favoring the selective oxidation of Al. Nb-41Al-8Cr formed exclusive layers of alumina and had a k sub p value of 0.22 mg squared/cm (sup 4)/hr at 1200 C. The addition of 1 wt percent Y to this alloy was also beneficial, resulting in nearly an order of magnitude decrease in K sub p at 1200 C. Further improvements were achieved by adding about 1 wt percent Si to the quaternary alloy. The k sub p value of 0.012 mg squared/cm (sup 4)/hr for Nb-40Al-8Cr-1Y-1Si at 1200 C was identical to the best NiAl + Zr alloys. These NbAl3 alloys also exhibited excellent cyclic oxidation resistance for 100 hr at 1200 C, being nearly equivalent to NiAl + Zr.

Crystal structure and optical property of complex perovskite oxynitrides ALi0.2Nb0.8O2.8N0.2, ANa0.2Nb0.8O2.8N0.2, and AMg0.2Nb0.8O2.6N0.4 (A = Sr, Ba)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moon, Keon Ho; Avdeev, Maxim; Kim, Young-Il

2017-10-01

Oxynitride type complex perovskites AM0.2Nb0.8O3-xNx (A = Sr, Ba; M = Li, Na, Mg) were newly synthesized by the solid state diffusion of Li+, Na+, or Mg2+ into the layered oxide, A5Nb4O15, with concurrent O/N substitution. Neutron and synchrotron X-ray Rietveld refinement showed that SrLi0.2Nb0.8O2.8N0.2, SrNa0.2Nb0.8O2.8N0.2, and SrMg0.2Nb0.8O2.6N0.4 had body-centered tetragonal symmetry (I4/mcm), while those with A = Ba had simple cubic symmetry (Pm 3 ̅ m). In the tetragonal Sr-compounds, the nitrogen atoms were localized on the c-axial 4a site. However, the octahedral cations, M/Nb (M = Li, Na, Mg) were distributed randomly in all six compounds. The lattice volume of AM0.2Nb0.8O3-xNx was dependent on various factors including the type of A and the electronegativity of M. Compared to the simple perovskites, ANbO2N (A = Sr, Ba), AM0.2Nb0.8O3-xNx had wider band gaps (1.76-2.15 eV for A = Sr and 1.65-2.10 eV for A = Ba), but significantly lower sub-gap absorption.

Strain tolerance in technical Nb3Al superconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banno, N.; Takeuchi, T.; Kitaguchi, H.; Tagawa, K.

2006-10-01

We observed crack formation in transformation-processed Nb3Al wires at room temperature, the wire being bent with a small clamp fixture with a curvature. The polished cross-section parallel to the longitudinal axis was observed, using a high power optical microscope or a field-emission scanning electron microscope. The bend strain limit for microcrack formation is found, changing the radius of the curvature of the clamp. The bend strain limit was found to be around 0.3% for standard Nb3Al wires. This corresponds to the irreversible tensile strain limit of the Ic characteristics determined with a 0.1 µV cm-1 criterion. Reduction of the barrier thickness should be avoided to keep to the bend strain limit. A new configuration of the Nb3Al wire is demonstrated to improve the bend strain limit. The filament is divided into segments in the transverse cross-section. The wire is fabricated by a double-stacking method. The bend strain limit is enhanced to about 0.85% for the wire surface; the equivalent strain of the outermost filament location is about 0.66%. A simple react and wind test for this wire was performed, where the wire experienced 0.86% bend strain. The degradation of Jc was found to be very small.

Ferroelectric performances and crystal structures of (Pb, La)(Zr, Ti, Nb)O{sub 3}

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kitamura, Naoto; Division of Ecosystem Research, Research Institute for Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science, 2641 Yamazaki, Noda, Chiba 278-8510; Mizoguchi, Takuma

2014-02-15

In this study, we focused on Nb and La substituted Pb(Zr, Ti)O{sub 3}: i.e., (Pb, La)(Zr, Ti, Nb)O{sub 3}. As for the samples, dependences of ferroelectric properties on La and Nb compositions were examined. In addition, the crystal structures were analyzed by the Rietveld method, and then a relationship between the metal compositions and the crystal structures were discussed. From P–E hysteresis loop measurements, it was found that the remanant polarization of Pb(Zr, Ti)O{sub 3} was increased by both the La and Nb substitutions although the heavy substitution of La had an undesirable effect. It was also indicated that themore » Curie temperature decreased with increasing La content. The Rietveld analysis using synchrotron X-ray diffraction patterns demonstrated that the structure distortion was relaxed by the La and Nb substitutions. Such a change in the crystals was well consistent with the harmful effects on the Curie temperature and the remanent polarization by the heavy La substitution. - Graphical abstract: Rietveld refinement pattern of 2 mol% PbSiO{sub 3}-added Pb{sub 0.95}La{sub 0.05}Zr{sub 0.50}Ti{sub 0.45}Nb{sub 0.05}O{sub 3} (synchrotron X-ray diffraction). Display Omitted - Highlights: • (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti,Nb)O{sub 3} were successfully synthesized. • Remanant polarization of Pb(Zr,Ti)O{sub 3} was improved by substitutions of La and Nb. • Crystal structures of (Pb,La)(Zr,Ti,Nb)O{sub 3} were refined and the distortions were estimated.« less

Promising half-metallicity in ductile NbF3: a first-principles prediction.

PubMed

Yang, Bo; Wang, Junru; Liu, Xiaobiao; Zhao, Mingwen

2018-02-14

Materials with half-metallicity are long desired in spintronics. Using first-principles calculations, we predicted that the already-synthesized NbF 3 crystal is a promising half-metal with a large exchange splitting and stable ferromagnetism. The mechanical stability, ductility and softness of the NbF 3 crystal were confirmed by its elastic constants and moduli. The Curie temperature (T C = 120 K) estimated from the Monte Carlo simulations based on the 3D Ising model is above the liquid nitrogen temperature (78 K). The ferromagnetism and half-metallicity can be preserved on the surfaces of NbF 3 . The NbOF 2 formed by substituting F with O atoms, however, has an antiferromagnetic ground state and a normal metallic band structure. This work opens an avenue for half-metallic materials and may find applications in spintronic devices.

The transverse stress effect on the critical current of jelly-roll multifilamentary Nb sub 3 Al wires

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zeritis, D.; Iwasa, Y.; Ando, T.

This paper reports on experiments conducted to determine the effect of transverse compressive stress (TCS) on the critical current of jelly-roll multifilamentary Nb{sub 3}Al wire (0.8-mm dia.) for magnetic flux densities up to 12 T. For comparison, identical experiments were performed for bronze-process Ti-alloyed multifilamentary Nb{sub 3}Sn wire (1.0-mm dia.). Although the unstressed critical current density of Nb{sub 3}Al was inferior to that of (NbTi){sub 3}Sn at high fields, under applied TCS Nb{sub 3}Al exhibited less critical current degradation than (NbTi){sub 3}Sn. For example, at 12 T and 150 MPa, TCS-induced critical current degradation was approximately 20% for Nb{sub 3}Al,more » whereas it was approximately 65% for (NbTi){sub 3}Sn. There is optimism that Nb{sub 3}Al will evolve into a useful superconductor for large-scale, high-field applications.« less

Lithium Chloride Promotes Apoptosis in Human Leukemia NB4 Cells by Inhibiting Glycogen Synthase Kinase-3 Beta.

PubMed

Li, Liu; Song, Hao; Zhong, Liang; Yang, Rong; Yang, Xiao-Qun; Jiang, Kai-Ling; Liu, Bei-Zhong

2015-01-01

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a subtype of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). With the application of all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO), APL becomes one of best prognosis of leukemia. However, ATRA and ATO are not effective against all APLs. Therefore, a new strategy for APL treatment is necessary. Here, we investigated whether lithium chloride (LiCl), a drug used for the treatment of mental illness, could promote apoptosis in human leukemia NB4 cells. We observed that treatment with LiCl significantly accelerated apoptosis in NB4 cells and led to cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase. Moreover, LiCl significantly increased the level of Ser9-phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase 3β(p-GSK-3β), and decreased the level of Akt1 protein in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, LiCl inhibition of c-Myc also enhanced cell death with a concomitant increase in β-catnin. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that LiCl promoted apoptosis in NB4 cells through the Akt signaling pathway and that G2/M phase arrest was induced by increase of p-GSK-3β(S9).

Effect of NiO substitution on the structural and dielectric behaviour of NaNbO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

George, R. T.; Joshi, D. C.; Nayak, S.; Tiwari, N.; Chauhan, R. N.; Pramanik, P.; Dar, T. A.; Ghosh, S.; Thota, S.

2018-02-01

The structural and dielectric properties of NiO substituted NaNbO3 ceramics are reported. The orthorhombic (Pmna) crystal structure of NaNbO3 transforms to a lower symmetry monoclinic phase (Pbma) after the dilute dispersion of NiO. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals pentavalent "Nb," monovalent "Na," and divalent "Ni" states along with the signatures of non-local screening effects. The antiferroelectric to paraelectric transition (TAFE) accompanied by a structural change from the orthorhombic to the tetragonal phase shifts by 55 °C toward the low-temperature side, whereas the morphotropic phase boundary (TO-M) moves toward a higher temperature by 28 °C for nominal substitutions ( x ≤0.10 ). The generalized Lyddane-Sachs-Teller expression (ε0/-S'ε∞)= (ωl/ωt ) 2 and thermodynamic free energy models are employed to explain the anomalous behaviour of the temperature dependence of relative dielectric permittivity ( εr (T)) across TAFE and TO-M. The frequency dependence of ac-conductivity σac(ω) follows the Jonscher power law (σac = σ(0) + Aωs), suggesting the dominance of the phonon-assisted hopping mechanism, whereas the frequency independent term (σ(0)) was explained by Funke's Jump-Relaxation Model.

Large linear magnetoresistance in heavily-doped Nb:SrTiO3 epitaxial thin films

PubMed Central

Jin, Hyunwoo; Lee, Keundong; Baek, Seung-Hyub; Kim, Jin-Sang; Cheong, Byung-ki; Park, Bae Ho; Yoon, Sungwon; Suh, B. J.; Kim, Changyoung; Seo, S. S. A.; Lee, Suyoun

2016-01-01

Interaction between electrons has long been a focused topic in condensed-matter physics since it has led to the discoveries of astonishing phenomena, for example, high-Tc superconductivity and colossal magnetoresistance (CMR) in strongly-correlated materials. In the study of strongly-correlated perovskite oxides, Nb-doped SrTiO3 (Nb:SrTiO3) has been a workhorse not only as a conducting substrate, but also as a host possessing high carrier mobility. In this work, we report the observations of large linear magnetoresistance (LMR) and the metal-to-insulator transition (MIT) induced by magnetic field in heavily-doped Nb:STO (SrNb0.2Ti0.8O3) epitaxial thin films. These phenomena are associated with the interplay between the large classical MR due to high carrier mobility and the electronic localization effect due to strong spin-orbit coupling, implying that heavily Nb-doped Sr(Nb0.2Ti0.8)O3 is promising for the application in spintronic devices. PMID:27703222

Transverse stress effect on the critical current of jelly-roll multifilamentary Nb sub 3 Al wires

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zeritis, D.; Ando, T.; Takahashi, Y.

Experiments were conducted to determine the transverse stress sensitivity of the critical current ({ital I}{sub {ital c}}) of jelly-roll multifilamentary Nb{sub 3}Al wires at 8 and 12 T. For comparison, similar experiments were conducted on bronze-process (NbTi){sub 3}Sn wires. At 12 T and under a transverse compressive stress of 150 MPa{emdash}conditions expected in fusion magnets{emdash}the {ital I}{sub {ital c}} degradation of the Nb{sub 3}Al specimen was {similar to}20% vs {similar to}65% for the (NbTi){sub 3}Sn specimen. The intrinsic superiority of Nb{sub 3}Al over (NbTi){sub 3}Sn with regard to transverse compressive stress is thus clear. There is optimism that Nb{sub 3}Almore » will eventually become a useful superconductor for large-scale, high-field applications.« less

Design of high-speed optical transmission module with an integrated Ti:Er:LiNbO3 waveguide laser/ LiNbO3 electro-optic modulator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Yang; Chen, Shufen; Fu, Li; Fang, Wei; Lu, Junjun

2005-01-01

A high bit rate more than 10Gbit/s optical pulse generation device is the key to achieving high-speed and broadband optical fiber communication network system .Now, we propose a novel high-speed optical transmission module(TM) consisting of a Ti:Er:LiNbO3 waveguide laser and a Mach-Zehnder-type encoding modulator on the same Er-doped substrate. According to the standard of ITU-T, we design the 10Gbit/ s transmission module at 1.53μm on the Z cut Y propagation LiNbO3 slice. A dynamic model and the corresponding numerical code are used to analyze the waveguide laser while the electrooptic effect to design the modulator. Meanwhile, the working principle, key technology, typical characteristic parameters of the module are given. The transmission module has a high extinction ratio and a low driving voltage, which supplies the efficient, miniaturized light source for wavelength division multiplexing(WDM) system. In additional, the relation of the laser gain with the cavity parameter, as well as the relation of the bandwidth of the electrooptic modulator with some key factors are discussed .The designed module structure is simulated by BPM software and HFSS software.

Bulk and surface states carried supercurrent in ballistic Nb-Dirac semimetal Cd3As2 nanowire-Nb junctions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Cai-Zhen; Li, Chuan; Wang, Li-Xian; Wang, Shuo; Liao, Zhi-Min; Brinkman, Alexander; Yu, Da-Peng

2018-03-01

A three-dimensional Dirac semimetal has bulk Dirac cones in all three momentum directions and Fermi arc like surface states, and can be converted into a Weyl semimetal by breaking time-reversal symmetry. However, the highly conductive bulk state usually hides the electronic transport from the surface state in Dirac semimetal. Here, we demonstrate the supercurrent carried by bulk and surface states in Nb -Cd3As2 nanowire-Nb short and long junctions, respectively. For the ˜1 -μ m -long junction, the Fabry-Pérot interferences-induced oscillations of the critical supercurrent are observed, suggesting the ballistic transport of the surface states carried supercurrent, where the bulk states are decoherent and the topologically protected surface states still stay coherent. Moreover, a superconducting dome is observed in the long junction, which is attributed to the enhanced dephasing from the interaction between surface and bulk states as tuning gate voltage to increase the carrier density. The superconductivity of topological semimetal nanowire is promising for braiding of Majorana fermions toward topological quantum computing.

Controlling Cu–Sn mixing so as to enable higher critical current densities in RRP® Nb3Sn wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanabria, Charlie; Field, Michael; Lee, Peter J.; Miao, Hanping; Parrell, Jeff; Larbalestier, David C.

2018-06-01

Dipole magnets for the proposed Future Circular Collider (FCC) demand specifications significantly beyond the limits of all existing Nb3Sn wires, in particular a critical current density (J c) of more than 1500 A mm‑2 at 16 T and 4.2 K with an effective filament diameter (D eff) of less than 20 μm. The restacked-rod-process (RRP®) is the technology closest to meeting these demands, with a J c (16 T) of up to 1400 A mm‑2, residual resistivity ratio > 100, for a sub-element size D s of 58 μm (which in RRP® wires is essentially the same as D eff). An important present limitation of RRP® is that reducing the sub-element size degrades J c to as low as 900 A mm‑2 at 16 T for D s = 35 μm. To gain an understanding of the sources of this J c degradation, we have made a detailed study of the phase evolution during the Cu–Sn ‘mixing’ stages of the wire heat treatment that occur prior to Nb3Sn formation. Using extensive microstructural quantification, we have identified the critical role that the Sn–Nb–Cu ternary phase (Nausite) can play. The Nausite forms as a well-defined ring between the Sn source and the Cu/Nb filament pack, and acts as an osmotic membrane in the 300 °C–400 °C range—greatly inhibiting Sn diffusion into the Cu/Nb filament pack while supporting a strong Cu counter-diffusion from the filament pack into the Sn core. This converts the Sn core into a mixture of the low melting point (408 °C) η phase (Cu6Sn5) and the more desirable ε phase (Cu3Sn), which decomposes at 676 °C. After the mixing stages, when heated above 408 °C towards the Nb3Sn reaction, any residual η liquefies to form additional irregular Nausite on the inside of the membrane. All Nausite decomposes into NbSn2 on further heating, and ultimately transforms into coarse-grain (and often disconnected) Nb3Sn which has little contribution to current transport. Understanding this critical Nausite reaction pathway has allowed us to simplify the mixing heat treatment to

High-rate deposition of LiNb 1- xTa xO 3 films by thermal plasma spray CVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majima, T.; Yamamoto, H.; Kulinich, S. A.; Terashima, K.

2000-12-01

LiNb 1- xTa xO 3 films were prepared by a thermal plasma spray CVD method using liquid source materials. Preferentially (0 0 1)-oriented LiNb 1- xTa xO 3 films with satisfactory in-plane and out-of-plane alignment were fabricated on sapphire (0 0 1) substrates. The full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of the (0 0 6) rocking curve could achieve 0.12°, which was comparable with those of LiNbO 3 and LiTaO 3 films prepared by other conventional vapor-phase deposition methods. The deposition rate was up to 0.07 μm/min, which was 5-40 times faster than those for most other conventional vapor-phase deposition methods. From inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy analysis, x values of these films were estimated to be 0.36-0.49.

Propagation Characteristics of Surface Acoustic Waves on K3Li2Nb5O15

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasegawa, Koji; Ikeda, Yuki; Okano, Hiroshi

2005-06-01

The contour maps of the phase velocity vf, the temperature coefficient of delay (TCD), the electromechanical coupling coefficient K2, and the power flow angle (PFA) of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) on K3Li2Nb5O15 are presented for Euler angles (φ, θ, \\psi) with φ=0, 10°, 20°, 30°, and 40°, and -180° ≤ φ, θ < 180°. These maps computed by Campbell and Jonnes’ method reveal that SAWs on K3Li2Nb5O15 with Euler angles (4°, 49°, 92°), (33°, 76°, 126°), and (30°, 86°, 151°) have vf of 3255 m/s, 3383 m/s, and 3728 m/s, K2 of 0.0115, 0.0147, and 0.0045, the values of first-order TCD of 0.02 ppm/°C, 0.05 ppm/°C, and 0.04 ppm/°C, and PFAs of 0.005°, 4.7°, and 5.1°, respectively.

Studies on phase transition temperature of rare earth niobates Ln3NbO7 (Ln = Pr, Sm, Eu) with orthorhombic fluorite-related structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinatsu, Yukio; Doi, Yoshihiro

2017-06-01

The phase transition of ternary rare earth niobates Ln3NbO7 (Ln = Pr, Sm, Eu) was investigated by the measurements of high-temperature and low-temperature X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and differential thermal analysis (DTA). These compounds crystallize in an orthorhombic superstructure derived from the structure of cubic fluorite (space group Pnma for Ln = Pr; C2221 for Ln = Sm, Eu). Sm3NbO7 undergoes the phase transition when the temperature is increased through ca. 1080 K and above the transition temperature, its structure is well described with space group Pnma. For Eu3NbO7, the phase transition was not observed up to 1273 K Pr3NbO7 indicates the phase transition when the temperature is increased through ca. 370 K. The change of the phase transition temperature against the Ln ionic radius for Ln3NbO7 is quite different from those for Ln3MO7 (M = Mo, Ru, Re, Os, or Ir), i.e., no systematic relationship between the phase transition temperature and the Ln ionic radius has been observed for Ln3NbO7 compounds.

Method for preparing high transition temperature Nb/sub 3/Ge superconductors. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Newkirk, L.R.; Valencia, F.A.

1975-06-26

Bulk coatings of Nb/sub 3/Ge superconductors having transition temperatures in excess of 20/sup 0/K are readily formed by a chemical vapor deposition technique involving the coreduction of NbCl/sub 5/ and GeCl/sub 4/ in the presence of hydrogen. The NbCl/sub 5/ vapor may advantageously be formed quantitatively in the temperature range of about 250 to 260/sup 0/C by the chlorination of Nb metal provided the partial pressure of the product NbCl/sub 5/ vapor is maintained at or below about 0.1 atm.

Optical and structural characterization of Nb, Zr, Nb/Zr, Zr/Nb thin films on Si3N4 membranes windows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jimenez, K.; Gaballah, A. E. H.; Ahmed, Nadeem; Zuppella, P.; Nicolosi, P.

2017-05-01

High brilliance sources in the EUV spectral range such as Synchrotron and Free Electron Lasers (FEL) are widely used in multiple scientific and technological applications thanks to their peculiar characteristics. One main technical problem of FEL is related to the rejection of high harmonics, seed laser, first stage photons, and diffuse light; in order to improve the quality of the beam delivered by these sources, a suitable optical system acting as band-pass filters is necessary. In this paper we discuss the optical and structure characterization of Nb/Zr and Zr/Nb self-stand transmittance filters, designed for 4.5 nm-20 nm wavelength ranges. In order to understand the properties of these bilayers filters, a campaign of measurements has been planned to be performed on Zr and Nb films on Si3N4 membrane windows and silicon substrates, deposited with e- beam deposition technique. Comparison of the results has been planned too. IMD transmittance and reflectance simulations, together with preliminary AFM and reflectance measurements will be shown in this work.

Optical properties of LiGaS2: an ab initio study and spectroscopic ellipsometry measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atuchin, V. V.; Lin, Z. S.; Isaenko, L. I.; Kesler, V. G.; Kruchinin, V. N.; Lobanov, S. I.

2009-11-01

Electronic and optical properties of lithium thiogallate crystal, LiGaS2, have been investigated by both experimental and theoretical methods. The plane-wave pseudopotential method based on DFT theory has been used for band structure calculations. The electronic parameters of Ga 3d orbitals have been corrected by the DFT+U methods to be consistent with those measured with x-ray photoemission spectroscopy. Evolution of optical constants of LiGaS2 over a wide spectral range was determined by developed first-principles theory and dispersion curves were compared with optical parameters defined by spectroscopic ellipsometry in the photon energy range 1.2-5.0 eV. Good agreement has been achieved between theoretical and experimental results.

Results from the first single cell Nb 3Sn cavity coatings at JLab

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Eremeev, Grigory

2015-09-01

Nb 3Sn is a promising superconducting material for SRF applications and has the potential to exceed the limitations of niobium. We have used the recently commissioned Nb 3Sn coating system to investigate Nb 3Sn coatings on several single cell cavities by applying the same coating procedure on several different single cells with different history and pre-coating surface preparation. We report on our findings with four 1.5 GHz CEBAF-shape single cell and one 1.3 GHz ILC-shape single cavities that were coated, inspected, and tested.

Structural, electronic and optical properties of LiNbO3 using GGA-PBE and TB-mBJ functionals: A DFT study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arshad Javid, M.; Khan, Zafar Ullah; Mehmood, Zahid; Nabi, Azeem; Hussain, Fayyaz; Imran, M.; Nadeem, Muhammad; Anjum, Naeem

2018-06-01

In the present work, first-principles calculations were performed to obtain the structural, electronic and optical properties of lithium niobate crystal using two exchange-correlation functionals (GGA-PBE and TB-mBJ). The calculated structural parameters were very close to the experimental values. TB-mBJ functional was found to be good when compared to LDA and GGA functionals in case of bandgap energy of 3.715 eV of lithium niobate. It was observed that the upper valence and lower conduction bands consist mainly the O-2p and Nb-4d states, respectively. Furthermore, calculations for real and imaginary parts of frequency-dependent dielectric function 𝜀(ω) of lithium niobate crystal were performed using TD-DFT method. The ordinary refractive index no(ω), extraordinary refractive index ne(ω), its birefringence and absorption peaks in imaginary dielectric function 𝜀2(ω) were also calculated.

High capacity and stability of Nb-doped Li3VO4 as an anode material for lithium ion batteries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Long; Duan, He; Zhao, Yanming; Kuang, Quan; Fan, Qinghua; Chen, Lei; Dong, Youzhong

2018-02-01

To improve the electrochemical performance of Li3VO4, a series of Li3NbxV1-xO4 compounds are prepared via sol-gel method. The similar ionic radii of Nb5+ and V5+ in octahedral coordination make it possible to form single-phased Li3NbxV1-xO4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15). Theoretical calculations show that Li-ions migrate along the c-axis diffusion channel in a curved hopping route. The larger lattice constant caused by the substitution of V with Nb enhances the cross-sectional area, which indirectly provides a higher diffusion coefficient for Li-ion migration. Benefitting from high electronic conductivity (around two orders of magnitude) and good lithium-ion diffusion coefficient, the Li3NbxV1-xO4 (x = 0.02) exhibits the best electrochemical property as an anode of LIBs in comparison to other Li3NbxV1-xO4(x = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.04). At the current density of 30 mA g-1, the charge capacity of pure Li3VO4 is around 440 mA h g-1, whereas the Li3NbxV1-xO4 (x = 0.02) shows a higher capacity of 550 mA h g-1. Additionally, the charge/discharge capacities for Nb-doped samples are almost twice to those of the undoped Li3VO4 when the current density increases to1500 mA g-1.

Miniature Inchworm Actuators Fabricated by Use of LIGA

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yang, Eui-Hyeok

2003-01-01

Miniature inchworm actuators that would have relatively simple designs have been proposed for applications in which there are requirements for displacements of the order of microns or tens of microns and for the ability to hold their positions when electric power is not applied. The proposed actuators would be members of the class of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS), but would be designed and fabricated following an approach that is somewhat unusual for MEMS. Like other MEMS actuators, the proposed inchworm actuators could utilize thermoplastic, bimetallic, shape-memory-alloy, or piezoelectric actuation principles. The figure depicts a piezoelectric inchworm actuator according to the proposal. As in other inchworm actuators, linear motion of an extensible member would be achieved by lengthening and shortening the extensible member in synchronism with alternately clamping and releasing one and then the other end of the member. In this case, the moving member would be the middle one; the member would be piezoelectric and would be shortened by applying a voltage to it. The two outer members would also be piezoelectric; the release of the clamps on the upper or lower end would be achieved by applying a voltage to the electrodes on the upper or lower ends, respectively, of these members. Usually, MEMS actuators cannot be fabricated directly on the side walls of silicon wafers, yet the geometry of this actuator necessitates such fabrication. The solution, according to the proposal, would be to use the microfabrication technique known by the German acronym LIGA - "lithographie, galvanoformung, abformung," which means lithography, electroforming, molding. LIGA involves x-ray lithography of a polymer film followed by selective removal of material to form a three-dimensional pattern from which a mold is made. Among the advantages of LIGA for this purpose are that it is applicable to a broad range of materials, can be used to implement a variety of designs, including

Solid state {sup 31}P MAS NMR spectroscopy and conductivity measurements on NbOPO{sub 4} and H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} composite materials

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Risskov Sørensen, Daniel; Nielsen, Ulla Gro; Skou, Eivind M., E-mail: ems@kbm.sdu.dk

2014-11-15

A systematic study of composite powders of niobium oxide phosphate (NbOPO{sub 4}) and phosphoric acid (H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}) has been performed in order to characterize the material's ability to perform as an electrolyte material in medium temperature fuel cells and electrolyzers. Powders of H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} contents between 13.1 and 74.2 M% were produced and characterized with powder X-ray diffraction, {sup 31}P MAS NMR and impedance spectroscopy. NMR revealed that a significant degree of dehydration and vaporization of H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} takes place above 200 °C, and increases with temperature. At 500 °C the NbOPO{sub 4} and H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}more » has reacted to form niobium pyrophosphate (Nb{sub 2}P{sub 4}O{sub 15}). Impedance spectroscopy showed an increase in conductivity with increasing acid concentration, whereas the conductivity decreased slightly with increasing temperature. The highest conductivity measured was 2.5·10{sup −3} S/cm for a sample containing 74.2 M% of H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}. Lastly, it was shown that NbOPO{sub 4} has no significant conductivity of its own. - Graphical abstract: Conductivity of NbOPO{sub 4}/H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} composites as a function of equivalent P{sub 2}O{sub 5} content. The conductivity is insignificant for pure NbOPO{sub 4}. - Highlights: • Composites have been made from NbOPO{sub 4} and H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}. • The composites composition has been investigated with solid state NMR. • The composites have shown clear signs of acid dehydration upon heating. • The conductivity of the composites increases for increasing acid content. • NbOPO{sub 4} has no significant conductivity of its own.« less

Progress in the Long $${\\rm Nb}_{3}{\\rm Sn}$$ Quadrupole R&D by LARP

DOE PAGES

Ambrosio, G.; Andreev, N.; Anerella, M.; ...

2011-11-14

After the successful test of the first long Nb 3Sn quadrupole (LQS01) the US LHC Accelerator Research Program (LARP, a collaboration of BNL, FNAL, LBNL and SLAC) is assessing training memory, reproducibility, and other accelerator quality features of long Nb 3Sn quadrupole magnets. LQS01b (a reassembly of LQS01 with more uniform and higher pre-stress) was subjected to a full thermal cycle and reached the previous plateau of 222 T/m at 4.5 K in two quenches. A new set of four coils, made of the same type of conductor used in LQS01 (RRP 54/61 by Oxford Superconducting Technology), was assembled inmore » the LQS01 structure and tested at 4.5 K and lower temperatures. The new magnet (LQS02) reached the target gradient (200 T/m) only at 2.6 K and lower temperatures, at intermediate ramp rates. The preliminary test analysis, here reported, showed a higher instability in the limiting coil than in the other coils of LQS01 and LQS02.« less

Electron spectroscopic determinations of M and N core-hole lifetimes for the elements Nb-Te (Z=41-52)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mårtensson, Nils; Nyholm, Ralf

1981-12-01

Photoelectron spectroscopy has been used to determine M and N core-level widths for the elements Nb-Te (Z=41-52). The analysis is based on direct comparisons of the lifetime contributions to different core levels. Absolute determinations are made for the narrow 3d levels. In the metals Nb-Rh (Z=41-45) an M4M5N45 Coster-Kronig decay channel is observed through a broadening of the 3d32 core-electron lines. The rate of this Coster-Kronig process is found to have its maximum for Ru and Rh. For Pd a much reduced, but still significant, broadening of the 3d32 level is detected. This observation is discussed in terms of itinerant versus quasiatomic contributions to the Coster-Kronig process. For Z>=47 (Ag) the Coster-Kronig channel is closed. For Nb-Rh the M4M5N45 process can be used for absolute determinations of the 3d linewidths. In this connection also the properties of the M45N45N45 Auger process are discussed. The accuracy of the present method makes it possible to investigate small differences between the 3p12 and 3p32 level widths. For several elements the unusual result is obtained that the 3p32 level is broader than the 3p12 level. This finding is in good agreement with theoretical predictions. The 4s and 4p spectra of the currently investigated elements are strongly influenced by configuration-interaction (CI) effects. However, the 4s line shapes are found to be quite normal for all the 5th-period elements. For Z<=45 (Rh) the 4p12 level is found to be broadened due to N2N3N45 super-Coster-Kronig processes. For Z<=46 (Pd) the shape of the 4p32 core-electron lines can reasonably well be reproduced by broadened 3d52 line profiles. For Z>=47 (Ag) this can, however, not be achieved. This marks a transition into a region of Z values where CI effects become particularly important. The accuracy of the present method for determining core-level widths can be judged from a comparison between our analysis of the 4p levels and x-ray studies of the Mζ transition. The

Finite Element Analysis of Transverse Compressive Loads on Superconducting Nb3Sn Wires Containing Voids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Hauthuille, Luc; Zhai, Yuhu; Princeton Plasma Physics Lab Collaboration; University of Geneva Collaboration

2015-11-01

High field superconductors play an important role in many large-scale physics experiments, particularly particle colliders and fusion devices such as the LHC and ITER. The two most common superconductors used are NbTi and Nb3Sn. Nb3Sn wires are favored because of their significantly higher Jc, allowing them to produce much higher magnetic fields. The main disadvantage is that the superconducting performance of Nb3Sn is highly strain-sensitive and it is very brittle. The strain-sensitivity is strongly influenced by two factors: plasticity and cracked filaments. Cracks are induced by large stress concentrators due to the presence of voids. We will attempt to understand the correlation between Nb3Sn's irreversible strain limit and the void-induced stress concentrations around the voids. We will develop accurate 2D and 3D finite element models containing detailed filaments and possible distributions of voids in a bronze-route Nb3Sn wire. We will apply a compressive transverse load for the various cases to simulate the stress response of a Nb3Sn wire from the Lorentz force. Doing this will further improve our understanding of the effect voids have on the wire's mechanical properties, and thus, the connection between the shape & distribution of voids and performance degradation.

Proof-of-principle demonstration of Nb3Sn superconducting radiofrequency cavities for high Q0 applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Posen, S.; Liepe, M.; Hall, D. L.

2015-02-01

Many future particle accelerators require hundreds of superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities operating with high duty factor. The large dynamic heat load of the cavities causes the cryogenic plant to make up a significant part of the overall cost of the facility. This contribution can be reduced by replacing standard niobium cavities with ones coated with a low-dissipation superconductor such as Nb3Sn. In this paper, we present results for single cell cavities coated with Nb3Sn at Cornell. Five coatings were carried out, showing that at 4.2 K, high Q0 out to medium fields was reproducible, resulting in an average quench field of 14 MV/m and an average 4.2 K Q0 at quench of 8 × 109. In each case, the peak surface magnetic field at quench was well above Hc1, showing that it is not a limiting field in these cavities. The coating with the best performance had a quench field of 17 MV/m, exceeding gradient requirements for state-of-the-art high duty factor SRF accelerators. It is also shown that—taking into account the thermodynamic efficiency of the cryogenic plant—the 4.2 K Q0 values obtained meet the AC power consumption requirements of state-of-the-art high duty factor accelerators, making this a proof-of-principle demonstration for Nb3Sn cavities in future applications.

Ridge waveguide laser in Nd:LiNbO3 by Zn-diffusion and femtosecond-laser structuring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martínez de Mendívil, Jon; del Hoyo, Jesús; Solís, Javier; Lifante, Ginés

2016-12-01

Ridge waveguide lasers have been fabricated on Nd3+ doped LiNbO3 crystals. The fs-laser writing technique was used to define ridge structures on a gradient-index planar waveguide fabricated by Zn-diffusion. This planar waveguide was formed in a z-cut LiNbO3 substrate homogeneously doped with a 0.23% of Nd3+ ions. To obtain lateral light confinement, the surface was then micromachined using a multiplexed femtosecond laser writing beam, forming the ridge structures. By butting two mirrors at the channel waveguide end-facets, forming a waveguide laser cavity, TM-polarized laser action at 1085 nm was achieved by end-fire TM-pumping at 815 nm. The waveguide laser shows a threshold of 31 mW, with a 7% of slope efficiency.

Vibrational micro-energy harvesters utilizing Nb-doped Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 films on stainless steel substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Minh, L.; Sano, T.; Fujii, T.; Kuwano, H.

2016-11-01

This work presents the micromachined energy harvesters using Nb-doped Pb(Zr,Ti)O3 (PNZT) films grown directly on the stainless steel substrates (SUS430). Piezoelectric materials on metallic substrates have been attracted to practical and robust energy harvesters. Nb-doped PZT films with (001)-preferred orientation grown on SUS substrates provided excellent properties for energy harvesting - high piezoelectric coefficient (e 31 = -10.6 C/m2) and low dielectric permittivity (ɛr = 373). The PNZT-based micro-energy harvester comprising a cantilever of 1.7 mm× 5 mm × 0.05 mm and a proof mass of 3 mm× 5 mm × 47 mm achieved the normalized power density (NPD) of 2.87 mW.g-2.cm-3. It is the highest performance among the published SUS-based energy harvesters, being closer to the best Si- based energy harvesters.

(Na, K)NbO3-Based Ceramics for Self-Powered Energy Harvesting Applications.

PubMed

Kim, Jinhwan; Koh, Jung-Hyuk

2015-03-01

Self-powered energy harvesting technologies have been intensively investigated by employ- ing Pb-free piezoelectric materials. One such Pb-free piezoelectric material, the ceramic 0.97(Na0.5K0.5)NbO3-0.03(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3, was prepared by employing the conventional mixed oxide method. 0.97(Na0.5K0.5)NbO3-0.03(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 ceramics were prepared and the effect of sintering temperature on the microstructure, piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties were system- atically investigated for energy harvesting applications. The crystal structure of 0.97(Na0.5K0.5)NbO3- 0.03(Bi0.5Na0.5) TiO3 Pb-free piezoelectric ceramics, sintered at temperatures between 1080 °C and 1160 °C, was examined by X-ray diffraction analysis. The dielectric properties of 0.97(Na0.5K0.5)NbO3-0.03(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 ceramics were measured from 1 kHz to 1 MHz for the various sintering temperatures. We expect that optimization of sintering parameters can improve the piezoelectric and ferroelectric properties of 0.97 (Na0.5K0.5)NbO3-0.03(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3 ceramics for energy harvesting.

Controlling Cu–Sn mixing so as to enable higher critical current densities in RRP ® Nb 3Sn wires

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sanabria, Charlie; Field, Michael; Lee, Peter J.

Dipole magnets for the proposed Future Circular Collider (FCC) demand specifications significantly beyond the limits of all existing Nb 3Sn wires, in particular a critical current density (J c) of more than 1500 A mm -2 at 16 T and 4.2 K with an effective filament diameter (D eff) of less than 20 μm. The restacked-rod-process (RRP ®) is the technology closest to meeting these demands, with a J c (16 T) of up to 1400 A mm -2, residual resistivity ratio > 100, for a sub-element size D s of 58 μm (which in RRP ® wires is essentiallymore » the same as D eff). An important present limitation of RRP ® is that reducing the sub-element size degrades J c to as low as 900 A mm -2 at 16 T for D s = 35 μm. To gain an understanding of the sources of this J c degradation, we have made a detailed study of the phase evolution during the Cu–Sn 'mixing' stages of the wire heat treatment that occur prior to Nb 3Sn formation. Using extensive microstructural quantification, we have identified in this paper the critical role that the Sn–Nb–Cu ternary phase (Nausite) can play. The Nausite forms as a well-defined ring between the Sn source and the Cu/Nb filament pack, and acts as an osmotic membrane in the 300 °C–400 °C range—greatly inhibiting Sn diffusion into the Cu/Nb filament pack while supporting a strong Cu counter-diffusion from the filament pack into the Sn core. This converts the Sn core into a mixture of the low melting point (408 °C) η phase (Cu 6Sn 5) and the more desirable ε phase (Cu 3Sn), which decomposes at 676 °C. After the mixing stages, when heated above 408 °C towards the Nb 3Sn reaction, any residual η liquefies to form additional irregular Nausite on the inside of the membrane. All Nausite decomposes into NbSn 2 on further heating, and ultimately transforms into coarse-grain (and often disconnected) Nb 3Sn which has little contribution to current transport. Understanding this critical Nausite reaction pathway has allowed us to simplify the

Controlling Cu–Sn mixing so as to enable higher critical current densities in RRP ® Nb 3Sn wires

DOE PAGES

Sanabria, Charlie; Field, Michael; Lee, Peter J.; ...

2018-03-22

Dipole magnets for the proposed Future Circular Collider (FCC) demand specifications significantly beyond the limits of all existing Nb 3Sn wires, in particular a critical current density (J c) of more than 1500 A mm -2 at 16 T and 4.2 K with an effective filament diameter (D eff) of less than 20 μm. The restacked-rod-process (RRP ®) is the technology closest to meeting these demands, with a J c (16 T) of up to 1400 A mm -2, residual resistivity ratio > 100, for a sub-element size D s of 58 μm (which in RRP ® wires is essentiallymore » the same as D eff). An important present limitation of RRP ® is that reducing the sub-element size degrades J c to as low as 900 A mm -2 at 16 T for D s = 35 μm. To gain an understanding of the sources of this J c degradation, we have made a detailed study of the phase evolution during the Cu–Sn 'mixing' stages of the wire heat treatment that occur prior to Nb 3Sn formation. Using extensive microstructural quantification, we have identified in this paper the critical role that the Sn–Nb–Cu ternary phase (Nausite) can play. The Nausite forms as a well-defined ring between the Sn source and the Cu/Nb filament pack, and acts as an osmotic membrane in the 300 °C–400 °C range—greatly inhibiting Sn diffusion into the Cu/Nb filament pack while supporting a strong Cu counter-diffusion from the filament pack into the Sn core. This converts the Sn core into a mixture of the low melting point (408 °C) η phase (Cu 6Sn 5) and the more desirable ε phase (Cu 3Sn), which decomposes at 676 °C. After the mixing stages, when heated above 408 °C towards the Nb 3Sn reaction, any residual η liquefies to form additional irregular Nausite on the inside of the membrane. All Nausite decomposes into NbSn 2 on further heating, and ultimately transforms into coarse-grain (and often disconnected) Nb 3Sn which has little contribution to current transport. Understanding this critical Nausite reaction pathway has allowed us to simplify the

Note: High-power piezoelectric transformer fabricated with ternary relaxor ferroelectric Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O3-Pb(In(1/2)Nb(1/2))O3-PbTiO3 single crystal.

PubMed

Wang, Qing; Ma, Chuanguo; Wang, Feifei; Liu, Bao; Chen, Jianwei; Luo, Haosu; Wang, Tao; Shi, Wangzhou

2016-03-01

A plate-shaped piezoelectric transformer was designed and fabricated using ternary relaxor ferroelectric single crystal Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O3-Pb(In(1/2)Nb(1/2))O3-PbTiO3. Both the input and output sections utilized the transverse-extensional vibration mode. The frequency and load dependences of the electrical properties for the proposed transformer were systematically studied. Results indicated that under a matching load resistance of 14.9 kΩ, a maximum output power of 2.56 W was obtained with the temperature rise less than 5 °C. The corresponding power density reached up to 50 W/cm(3). This ternary single-crystal transformer had potential applications in compact-size converters requiring high power density.

Ion beam enhanced etching of LiNbO 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schrempel, F.; Gischkat, Th.; Hartung, H.; Kley, E.-B.; Wesch, W.

2006-09-01

Single crystals of z- and x-cut LiNbO 3 were irradiated at room temperature and 15 K using He +- and Ar +-ions with energies of 40 and 350 keV and ion fluences between 5 × 10 12 and 5 × 10 16 cm -2. The damage formation investigated with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) channeling analysis depends on the irradiation temperature as well as the ion species. For instance, He +-irradiation of z-cut material at 300 K provokes complete amorphization at 2.0 dpa (displacements per target atom). In contrast, 0.4 dpa is sufficient to amorphize the LiNbO 3 in the case of Ar +-irradiation. Irradiation at 15 K reduces the number of displacements per atom necessary for amorphization. To study the etching behavior, 400 nm thick amorphous layers were generated via multiple irradiation with He +- and Ar +-ions of different energies and fluences. Etching was performed in a 3.6% hydrofluoric (HF) solution at 40 °C. Although the etching rate of the perfect crystal is negligible, that of the amorphized regions amounts to 80 nm min -1. The influence of the ion species, the fluence, the irradiation temperature and subsequent thermal treatment on damage and etching of LiNbO 3 are discussed.

Mechanism of generation of large (Ti,Nb,V)(C,N)-type precipitates in H13 + Nb tool steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xie, You; Cheng, Guo-guang; Chen, Lie; Zhang, Yan-dong; Yan, Qing-zhong

2016-11-01

The characteristics and generation mechanism of (Ti,Nb,V)(C,N) precipitates larger than 2 μm in Nb-containing H13 bar steel were studied. The results show that two types of (Ti,Nb,V)(C,N) phases exist—a Ti-V-rich one and an Nb-rich one—in the form of single or complex precipitates. The sizes of the single Ti-V-rich (Ti,Nb,V)(C,N) precipitates are mostly within 5 to 10 μm, whereas the sizes of the single Nb-rich precipitates are mostly 2-5 μm. The complex precipitates are larger and contain an inner Ti-V-rich layer and an outer Nb-rich layer. The compositional distribution of (Ti,Nb,V)(C,N) is concentrated. The average composition of the single Ti-V-rich phase is (Ti0.511V0.356Nb0.133)(C x N y ), whereas that for the single Nb-rich phase is (Ti0.061V0.263Nb0.676)(C x N y ). The calculation results based on the Scheil-Gulliver model in the Thermo-Calc software combining with the thermal stability experiments show that the large phases precipitate during the solidification process. With the development of solidification, the Ti-V-rich phase precipitates first and becomes homogeneous during the subsequent temperature reduction and heat treatment processes. The Nb-rich phase appears later.

Surface microstructuring of biocompatible bone analogue material HAPEX using LIGA technique and embossing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Andreas; Rea, Susan; Huq, Ejaz; Bonfield, William

2003-04-01

HAPEX is an artificial bone analogue composite based on hydroxyapatite and polyethylene, which can be applied for growth of bone cells. Due to its biocompatibility and favourable mechanical properties, HAPEX is used for orthopaedic implants like tympanic (middle ear) bones. The morphology of HAPEX surfaces is of high interest and it is believed that surface structuring on a micron scale might improve the growth conditions for bone cells. A new and simple approach for the microstructuring of HAPEX surfaces has been investigated using LIGA technique. LIGA is a combination of several processes, in particular lithography, electroplating and forming/moulding. For HAPEX surface structuring, arrays of dots, grids and lines with typical lateral dimension ranging from 5 μm to 50 μm were created on a chromium photomask and the patterns were transferred into thick SU-8 photoresist (structure height > 10 μm) by UV lithography. Subsequently, the SU-8 structures served as moulds for electroplating nickel on Si wafers and nickel substrates. The final nickel microstructures were used as embossing master for the HAPEX material. Embossing was carried out using a conventional press (> 500 hPa) with the facility to heat the master and the HAPEX. The temperature ranged from ambient to a few degrees above glass transition temperature (Tg) of HAPEX. The paper will include details of the fabrication process and process tolerances in lateral and vertical directions. Data obtained are correlated to the temperature used during embossing.

Mechanism of action of NB2001 and NB2030, novel antibacterial agents activated by beta-lactamases.

PubMed

Stone, Geoffrey W; Zhang, Qin; Castillo, Rosario; Doppalapudi, V Ramana; Bueno, Analia R; Lee, Jean Y; Li, Qing; Sergeeva, Maria; Khambatta, Gody; Georgopapadakou, Nafsika H

2004-02-01

Two potent antibacterial agents designed to undergo enzyme-catalyzed therapeutic activation were evaluated for their mechanisms of action. The compounds, NB2001 and NB2030, contain a cephalosporin with a thienyl (NB2001) or a tetrazole (NB2030) ring at the C-7 position and are linked to the antibacterial triclosan at the C-3 position. The compounds exploit beta-lactamases to release triclosan through hydrolysis of the beta-lactam ring. Like cephalothin, NB2001 and NB2030 were hydrolyzed by class A beta-lactamases (Escherichia coli TEM-1 and, to a lesser degree, Staphylococcus aureus PC1) and class C beta-lactamases (Enterobacter cloacae P99 and E. coli AmpC) with comparable catalytic efficiencies (k(cat)/K(m)). They also bound to the penicillin-binding proteins of S. aureus and E. coli, but with reduced affinities relative to that of cephalothin. Accordingly, they produced a cell morphology in E. coli consistent with the toxophore rather than the beta-lactam being responsible for antibacterial activity. In biochemical assays, they inhibited the triclosan target enoyl reductase (FabI), with 50% inhibitory concentrations being markedly reduced relative to that of free triclosan. The transport of NB2001, NB2030, and triclosan was rapid, with significant accumulation of triclosan in both S. aureus and E. coli. Taken together, the results suggest that NB2001 and NB2030 act primarily as triclosan prodrugs in S. aureus and E. coli.

Synthesis and photoluminescence properties of multicolor tunable GdNbO4: Tb3+, Eu3+ phosphors based on energy transfer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Lu; Yi, Shuangping; Hu, Xiaoxue; Liang, Boxin; Zhao, Weiren; Wang, Yinhai

2017-03-01

A color-tunable phosphor based on Tb3+/Eu3+ co-doped GdNbO4 were synthesized by a traditional solid-state reaction method. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), diffuse reflectance spectra, photoluminescence spectra and decay curves were utilized to characterize the as-prepared phosphors. XRD result indicated that various concentrations Tb3+/Eu3+ single-doped and co-doped phosphors were well indexed to the pure GdNbO4 phase. The GdNbO4 host was proved to be a self-activated phosphor with broad absorption range from 200 nm to 325 nm. When Tb3+ ions were added into the host lattice, the energy transferring from host to Tb3+ was identified. And the broad absorption in the UV region was changed and enhanced. Therefore, we selected Tb3+ as the sensitizer ion, and adjusted red component from Eu3+ to control the emission color. The energy transfer from Tb3+ to Eu3+ was confirmed based on the luminescence spectra and decay curves. Furthermore, the energy transmission mechanism was deduced to be the dipole-quadrupole interaction. On the whole, the obtained GdNbO4, GdNbO4:Tb3+, and GdNbO4:Tb3+, Eu3+ phosphors may have potential application in the UV white-light-emitting diodes (w-LEDs) and display devices.

Electric Properties of Pb(Sb1/2Nb1/2)O3 PbTiO3 PbZrO3 Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamura, Yasushi; Ohuchi, Hiromu

1994-09-01

Solid-solution ceramics of ternary system xPb(Sb1/2Nb1/2)O3 yPbTiO3 zPbZrO3 were prepared by the solid-state reaction of powder materials. Ceramic, electric, dielectric and piezoelectric properties and crystal structures of the system were studied. Sintering of the system xPb(Sb1/2Nb1/2)O3 yPbTiO3 zPbZrO3 is much easier than that of each end composition, and well-sintered high-density ceramics were obtained for the compositions near the morphotropic transformation. Piezoelectric ceramics with high relative dielectric constants, high radial coupling coefficient and low resonant resistance were obtained for the composition near the morphotropic transformation. The composition Pb(Sb1/2Nb1/2)0.075Ti0.45Zr0.475O3 showed the highest dielectric constant (ɛr=1690), and the composition Pb(Sb1/2Nb1/2)0.05Ti0.45Zr0.5O3 showed the highest radial coupling coefficient (kp=64%).

Complete matrix properties of [001](c) and [011](c) poled 0.33Pb(In(1/2)Nb(1/2))O(3)-0.38Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O(3)-0.29PbTiO(3) single crystals.

PubMed

Sun, Enwei; Zhang, Rui; Wu, Fengmin; Cao, Wenwu

2013-03-15

The elastic, piezoelectric, and dielectric properties of [001](c) and [011](c) poled 0.33Pb(In(1/2)Nb(1/2))O(3)-0.38Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O(3)-0.29PbTiO(3) single crystals have been fully characterized at room temperature, and the temperature and frequency dependence of the dielectric susceptibility ε(33) were also measured. The depoling temperature of this crystal is more than 20 °C higher than that of the corresponding binary 0.71Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O(3)-0.29PbTiO(3) system. From the measured P-E hysteresis loops, the coercive fields along [001](c) and [011](c) directions have been determined to be 6.0 kV/cm and 6.6 kV/cm, respectively, which indicate that these domain engineered ternary relaxor-based ferroelectric single crystals are excellent candidates for high-power applications.

Anomalous domain inversion in LiNbO3 single crystals investigated by scanning probe microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lilienblum, M.; Soergel, E.

2011-09-01

Ferroelectric domains were written in lithium niobate (LiNbO3) single crystals by applying voltage pulses to the tip of a scanning force microscope. The generated domains are subsequently imaged by piezoresponse force microscopy. As it has been previously observed not only full domains but also doughnut-shaped ones arise from tip-based domain formation. In this contribution, we present our experiments which were carried out with 10-20 μm thin LiNbO3 single crystals. We show that by choosing appropriate writing parameters, domains of predetermined shape (full or doughnut) can be reliably generated. In addition to the duration and the amplitude of the voltage pulse the moment of the retraction of the tip from the sample surface was found to be a crucial parameter for reproducible domain formation.

Crystal structure and X-ray photoemission spectroscopic study of A{sub 2}LaMO{sub 6} [A=Ba, Ca; M=Nb, Ta

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Dutta, Alo, E-mail: alo_dutta@yahoo.com; Saha, Sujoy; Kumari, Premlata

2015-09-15

The X-ray photoemission spectroscopic (XPS) study of the double perovskite oxides A{sub 2}LaMO{sub 6} [A=Ba, Ca; M=Nb, Ta] synthesized by the solid-state reaction technique has been carried out to investigate the nature of the chemical state of the constituent ions and the bonding between them. The Rietveld refinement of the X-ray diffraction patterns suggests the monoclinic crystal structure of all the materials at room temperature. The negative and positive chemical shifts of the core level XPS spectrum of O-1s and Nb-3d{sub 3/2}/Ta-4f{sub 5/2} respectively suggest the covalent bonding between Nb/Ta cations and O ion. The change of the bonding strengthmore » between the anion and the cations from one material to another has been analyzed. The vibrational property of the materials is investigated using the room temperature Raman spectra. A large covalency of Ta-based compound than Nb compound is confirmed from the relative shifting of the Raman modes of the materials. - Graphical abstract: Crystal structure of two perovskite oxides CLN and CLT is investigated. XPS study confirms the two different co-ordination environments of Ca and covalent bonding between B-site cations and O-ion. - Highlights: • Ordered perovskite structure obtained by Rietveld refinement of XRD patterns. • Study of nature of chemical bonding by X-ray photoemission spectroscopy. • Opposite chemical shift of d-states of Nb/Ta with respect to O. • Covalent bonding between d-states of Nb/Ta and O. • Relative Raman shifts of CLN and CLT substantiate the more covalent character of Ta than Nb.« less

Magnetic Studies on Eu3MO7 (M = Nb, Ta, Ir) with Fluorite-related Structure by 151Eu Mössbauer Spectroscopy and Magnetic Susceptibility Measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hinatsu, Yukio; Doi, Yoshihiro; Wakeshima, Makoto

2018-06-01

Magnetic properties of europium-containing compounds Eu3MO7 (M = Nb, Ta, Ir) with fluorite-related structure have been investigated. Magnetic susceptibility measurements show that all these compounds are paramagnetic and have no magnetic ordering down to 1.8 K. At very low temperatures (T<50 K), the susceptibilities of each compound attain constant values, which is characteristic of the ground state for Eu3+ ions. The results of 151Eu Mössbauer spectroscopic measurements show that the asymmetric parameter for Eu(2) in seven-coordination is much larger than that for Eu(1) in cubic environment, which in accordance with the crystallographic result.

Development of a 15 T Nb 3Sn accelerator dipole demonstrator at Fermilab

DOE PAGES

Novitski, I.; Andreev, N.; Barzi, E.; ...

2016-06-01

Here, a 100 TeV scale Hadron Collider (HC) with a nominal operation field of at least 15 T is being considered for the post-LHC era, which requires using the Nb 3Sn technology. Practical demonstration of this field level in an accelerator-quality magnet and substantial reduction of the magnet costs are the key conditions for realization of such a machine. FNAL has started the development of a 15 T Nb 3Sn dipole demonstrator for a 100 TeV scale HC. The magnet design is based on 4-layer shell type coils, graded between the inner and outer layers to maximize the performance andmore » reduce the cost. The experience gained during the Nb 3Sn magnet R&D is applied to different aspects of the magnet design. This paper describes the magnetic and structural designs and parameters of the 15 T Nb 3Sn dipole and the steps towards the demonstration model fabrication.« less

Enhancement of wear and corrosion resistance of low modulus β-type Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3) dental alloys through thermal oxidation treatment.

PubMed

Zhang, Jianfeng; Gan, Xiaxia; Tang, Hongqun; Zhan, Yongzhong

2017-07-01

In order to obtain material with low elastic modulus, good abrasion resistance and high corrosion stability as screw for dental implant, the biomedical Zr-20Nb and Zr-20Nb-3Ti alloy with low elastic modulus were thermal oxidized respectively at 700°C for 1h and 600°C for 1.25h to obtain the compact oxidized layer to improve its wear resistance and corrosion resistance. The results show that smooth compact oxidized layer (composed of monoclinic ZrO 2 , tetragonal ZrO 2 and 6ZrO 2 -Nb 2 O 5 ) with 22.6μm-43.5μm thickness and 1252-1306HV hardness can be in-situ formed on the surface of the Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3). The adhesion of oxidized layers to the substrates is determined to be 58.35-66.25N. The oxidized Zr-20Nb-xTi alloys reveal great improvement of the pitting corrosion resistance in comparison with the un-oxidized alloys. In addition, the oxidized Zr-20Nb-3Ti exhibits sharply reduction of the corrosion rates and the oxidized Zr-20Nb shows higher corrosion rates than un-oxidized alloys, which is relevant with the content of the t-ZrO 2 . Wear test in artificial saliva demonstrates that the wear losses of the oxidized Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3) are superior to pure Ti. All of the un-oxidized Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3) alloys suffer from serious adhesive wear due to its high plasticity. Because of the protection from compact oxide layer with high adhesion and high hardness, the coefficients of friction and wear losses of the oxidized Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3) alloys decrease 50% and 95%, respectively. The defects on the oxidized Zr-20Nb have a negative effect on the friction and wear properties. In addition, after the thermal oxidation, compression test show that elastic modulus and strength of Zr-20Nb-xTi (x=0, 3) increase slightly with plastic deformation after 40% of transformation. Furthermore, stripping of the oxidized layer from the alloy matrix did not occur during the whole experiments. As the surface oxidized Zr-20Nb-3Ti alloy has a combination of excellent performance

Rapid Synthesis and Formation Mechanism of Core-Shell-Structured La-Doped SrTiO3 with a Nb-Doped Shell

PubMed Central

Park, Nam-Hee; Akamatsu, Takafumi; Itoh, Toshio; Izu, Noriya; Shin, Woosuck

2015-01-01

To provide a convenient and practical synthesis process for metal ion doping on the surface of nanoparticles in an assembled nanostructure, core-shell-structured La-doped SrTiO3 nanocubes with a Nb-doped surface layer were synthesized via a rapid synthesis combining a rapid sol-precipitation and hydrothermal process. The La-doped SrTiO3 nanocubes were formed at room temperature by a rapid dissolution of NaOH pellets during the rapid sol-precipitation process, and the Nb-doped surface (shell) along with Nb-rich edges formed on the core nanocubes via the hydrothermal process. The formation mechanism of the core-shell-structured nanocubes and their shape evolution as a function of the Nb doping level were investigated. The synthesized core-shell-structured nanocubes could be arranged face-to-face on a SiO2/Si substrate by a slow evaporation process, and this nanostructured 10 μm thick thin film showed a smooth surface. PMID:28793420

Effect of Alloying Elements on Nb-Rich Portion of Nb-Si-X Ternary Systems and In Situ Crack Observation of Nb-Si-Based Alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miura, Seiji; Hatabata, Toru; Okawa, Takuya; Mohri, Tetsuo

2014-03-01

To find a new route for microstructure control and to find additive elements beneficial for improving high-temperature strength, a systematic investigation is performed on hypoeutectic Nb-15 at. pct Si-X ternary alloys containing a transition element, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ru, Rh, Pd, Re, Os, Ir, Pt, or Au. Information on phase equilibrium is classified in terms of phase stability of silicide phases, α Nb5Si3, Nb4SiX, and Nb3Si, and the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties both at room temperature and high temperature is investigated. All the additive elements are found to stabilize either α Nb5Si3 or Nb4SiX but destabilize Nb3Si. A microstructure of Nbss/α Nb5Si3 alloy composed of spheroidized α Nb5Si3 phase embedded in the Nbss matrix is effective for toughening, regardless of the initial as-cast microstructure. Also the plastic deformation of Nbss dendrites may effectively suppress the propagation of longer cracks. High-temperature strength of alloys is governed by the deformation of Nbss phase and increases with higher melting point additives.

Proof-of-principle demonstration of Nb 3Sn superconducting radiofrequency cavities for high Q 0 applications

DOE PAGES

Posen, S.; Liepe, M.; Hall, D. L.

2015-02-23

Many future particle accelerators require hundreds of superconducting radiofrequency (SRF) cavities operating with high duty factor. The large dynamic heat load of the cavities causes the cryogenic plant to make up a significant part of the overall cost of the facility. Our contribution can be reduced by replacing standard niobium cavities with ones coated with a low-dissipation superconductor such as Nb 3Sn. Here, we present results for single cell cavities coated with Nb 3Sn at Cornell. Five coatings were carried out, showing that at 4.2 K, high Q 0 out to medium fields was reproducible, resulting in an average quenchmore » field of 14 MV/m and an average 4.2 K Q 0 at quench of 8 x 10 9 . In each case, the peak surface magnetic field at quench was well above H c1, showing that it is not a limiting field in these cavities. Furthermore, the coating with the best performance had a quench field of 17 MV/m, exceeding gradient requirements for state-of-the-art high duty factor SRF accelerators. It is also shown that—taking into account the thermodynamic efficiency of the cryogenic plant—the 4.2 K Q 0 values obtained meet the AC power consumption requirements of state-of-the-art high duty factor accelerators, making this a proof-of-principle demonstration for Nb 3Sn cavities in future applications.« less

Fabrication of Lead-free (K0.5Na0.5)1- x Ag x NbO3 Ferroelectric Ceramics and Their Dielectric Properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Byun, Jaeduk; Hyun, June Won; Kim, Yeon Jung; Bobor, Kristóf

2018-03-01

In this study, lead-free (K0.5Na0.5)1- x Ag x NbO3 ( x = 0.00, 0.10, 0.15, 0.20, 0.25, and 0.30) ferroelectric ceramics were fabricated using solid-state synthesis without A-site and B-site manufacturing step. The (K0.5Na0.5)1- x Ag x NbO3 ceramics were sintered at 1110 °C for 4 h after calcination at 800 °C for 3 h. The sintered sample was dense, and the grain size was 1.02 7.8 μm. For x ≤ 0.2, the sintered ceramic samples had a single perovskite structure. The temperature dependence of the dielectric constant in the (K0.5Na0.5)1- x Ag x NbO3 was measured at 1 kHz using an LCR meter. The high dielectric constant properties could be obtained in (K0.5Na0.5)1- x Ag x NbO3 ceramics. The orthorhombic-to-tetragonal phase transition temperature and ferroelectric Curie temperature decreased linearly with increasing mole fraction of the Ag content. The Curie temperature shifted from 393 °C for (K0.5Na0.5)NbO3 ceramics to 317 °C for (K0.5Na0.5)0.7Ag0.3NbO3 ceramics. The maximum dielectric constant was 8930 at 330 °C in the (K0.5Na0.5)0.8Ag0.2NbO3 ceramics.

{Nb288O768(OH)48(CO3)12}: A Macromolecular Polyoxometalate with Niobium Atoms Close to 300.

PubMed

Wu, Yan-Lan; Li, Xin-Xiong; Qi, Yan-Jie; Yu, Hao; Jin, Lu; Zheng, Shou-Tian

2018-05-29

A protein-sized (ca. 4.2 ᵡ 4.2 ᵡ 3.6 nm3) non-biologically derived molecule {Nb288O768(OH)48(CO3)12} (Nb288) containing up to 288 niobium atoms has been obtained, which is by far the largest and the highest nuclearity polyoxoniobate (PONb). Particularly, in terms of metal nuclearity number, Nb288 is the second largest cluster so far reported in classic polyoxometalate chemistry (V, Mo, W, Nb, and Ta). Nb288 can be described as a giant windmill-like cluster aggregate of six brand-new, nanoscale high-nuclearity PONb units {Nb47O128(OH)6(CO3)2} (Nb47) joined together by six additional Nb ions. Interestingly, the in situ generated 47-nuclearity Nb47 units can be isolated and bridged by copper complexes to form an inorganic-organic hybrid three-dimensional PONb framework, which exhibits effective catalytic activity for hydrolyzing nerve agent simulant of dimethyl methylphosphonate. The unique Nb47 cluster also provides a new type of topology to very limited family of Nb-O clusters. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Processing and characterization of Al-Al3Nb prepared by mechanical alloying and equal channel angular pressing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandran, P.; Zafari, A.; Lui, E. W.; Xia, K.

2017-05-01

Mechanically alloyed Al with immiscible elements such as Nb can lead to a uniform distribution of nanoscaled precipitates which are highly stable compared to conventional alloying and with excellent interface, resulting in significant increase in strength without problems associated with nano ceramic particles in metal matrix composites. Although immiscible, Nb can be alloyed with Al through mechanical milling, forming trialuminide (Al3Nb), either directly or upon subsequent precipitation, which possesses high strength, stiffness and stability at elevated temperatures. In the present study, Al-5 at.% Nb supersaturated solid solution was achieved after prolonged ball milling and nano Al3Nb precipitates were formed during subsequent ageing at 530°C. The Al-Al3Nb powder was consolidated by equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at 400°C, resulting in a fully dense material with a uniform distribution of nanoscaled Al3Nb precipitates in the Al matrix.

Nb5+-Doped SrCoO3-δ Perovskites as Potential Cathodes for Solid-Oxide Fuel Cells.

PubMed

Cascos, Vanessa; Alonso, José Antonio; Fernández-Díaz, María Teresa

2016-07-15

SrCoO 3- δ outperforms as cathode material in solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFC) when the three-dimensional (3C-type) perovskite structure is stabilized by the inclusion of highly-charged transition-metal ions at the octahedral positions. In a previous work we studied the Nb incorporation at the Co positions in the SrCo 1- x Nb x O 3- δ system, in which the stabilization of a tetragonal P4 / mmm perovskite superstructure was described for the x = 0.05 composition. In the present study we extend this investigation to the x = 0.10-0.15 range, also observing the formation of the tetragonal P4 / mmm structure instead of the unwanted hexagonal phase corresponding to the 2H polytype. We also investigated the effect of Nb 5+ doping on the thermal, electrical, and electrochemical properties of SrCo 1- x Nb x O 3- δ ( x = 0.1 and 0.15) perovskite oxides performing as cathodes in SOFC. In comparison with the undoped hexagonal SrCoO 3- δ phase, the resulting compounds present high thermal stability and an increase of the electrical conductivity. The single-cell tests for these compositions ( x = 0.10 and 0.15) with La 0.8 Sr 0.2 Ga 0.83 Mg 0.17 O 3- δ (LSGM) as electrolyte and SrMo 0.8 Fe 0.2 CoO 3- δ as anode gave maximum power densities of 693 and 550 mW∙cm -2 at 850 °C respectively, using pure H₂ as fuel and air as oxidant.

Investigation of Li/Nb-sublattices in ion implanted LiNbO3 by RBS and NRA in channelling configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schmidt, E.; Ritter, K.; Gärtner, K.; Wendler, E.

2017-10-01

Differently oriented LiNbO3 crystals were implanted at room temperature with 1 MeV iodine ions to fluences between 2 × 1013 and 1 × 1014 cm-2, which cover the transition from a low damage level up to complete amorphisation. The aim of this work was to explore the use of nuclear reaction analysis (NRA) in combination with Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) in channelling configuration for studying the damage evolution as a function of the ion fluence in both the Li and Nb sublattice. Protons with energies between 1.4 and 1.6 MeV and a standard RBS setup were used. Scattering events detected at low energies result from Rutherford backscattering of protons on Nb and O atoms. At high energies alpha particles are registered, which result from the nuclear reaction between protons and Li atoms. Along different low-index crystallographic directions channelling effects within both the RBS and NRA part of the spectra are observed. However, the strength of channeling within the NRA part depends on the crystallographic direction investigated. These effects are explained by the nature of ion-channelling with respect to the small atomic number of Li and is supported by calculations of minimum yields (ratio of scattering yield in aligned and random direction) applying the computer code DICADA. The consequence is that damage studies with NRA can be only performed in Z-direction of LiNbO3. In this case, the Li and Nb sublattice were found to be similarly damaged after 1 MeV iodine implantation.

Nb3Sn superconducting magnets for electron cyclotron resonance ion sources.

PubMed

Ferracin, P; Caspi, S; Felice, H; Leitner, D; Lyneis, C M; Prestemon, S; Sabbi, G L; Todd, D S

2010-02-01

Electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) ion sources are an essential component of heavy-ion accelerators. Over the past few decades advances in magnet technology and an improved understanding of the ECR ion source plasma physics have led to remarkable performance improvements of ECR ion sources. Currently third generation high field superconducting ECR ion sources operating at frequencies around 28 GHz are the state of the art ion injectors and several devices are either under commissioning or under design around the world. At the same time, the demand for increased intensities of highly charged heavy ions continues to grow, which makes the development of even higher performance ECR ion sources a necessity. To extend ECR ion sources to frequencies well above 28 GHz, new magnet technology will be needed in order to operate at higher field and force levels. The superconducting magnet program at LBNL has been developing high field superconducting magnets for particle accelerators based on Nb(3)Sn superconducting technology for several years. At the moment, Nb(3)Sn is the only practical conductor capable of operating at the 15 T field level in the relevant configurations. Recent design studies have been focused on the possibility of using Nb(3)Sn in the next generation of ECR ion sources. In the past, LBNL has worked on the VENUS ECR, a 28 GHz source with solenoids and a sextupole made with NbTi operating at fields of 6-7 T. VENUS has now been operating since 2004. We present in this paper the design of a Nb(3)Sn ECR ion source optimized to operate at an rf frequency of 56 GHz with conductor peak fields of 13-15 T. Because of the brittleness and strain sensitivity of Nb(3)Sn, particular care is required in the design of the magnet support structure, which must be capable of providing support to the coils without overstressing the conductor. In this paper, we present the main features of the support structure, featuring an external aluminum shell pretensioned with water

Quench protection challenges in long nb3sn accelerator magnets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salmi, Tiina-Mari; Ambrosio, G.; Caspi, S.; Chlachidze, Guram; Dhallé, Marc; Felice, Helene; Ferracin, Paolo; Marchevsky, M.; Sabbi, G. L.; ten Kate, H. H. J.

2012-06-01

The quench protection of the several meter long, large aperture high-field Nb3Sn quadrupoles that the LARP collaboration is developing for the LHC interaction region upgrade, requires efficient protection heaters to quickly generate large resistive segments across the windings. To support the protection design, experiments in the recently tested LARP R&D magnets are aimed to characterize the coil response to different protection schemes. In particular, the delay to quench and the final hotspot temperatures are evaluated after firing the heaters at different powering regimes and coverage. Also, the contribution of external energy extraction is investigated. Based on the performed studies and computer simulations, it seems that if the same protection efficiency per unit length that is measured in a 1 m long model magnet can be scaled to a 3.6 m long magnet, and the heater coverage can be improved, about 1 MJ/m of stored energy can be absorbed in the magnet after a quench. However, significant technology developments are needed to scale the protection heater efficiency to longer magnets and to increase the coverage.

Dimensional changes of Nb 3Sn Rutherford cables during heat treatment

DOE PAGES

Rochepault, E.; Ferracin, P.; Ambrosio, G.; ...

2016-06-01

In high field magnet applications, Nb 3Sn coils undergo a heat treatment step after winding. During this stage, coils radially expand and longitudinally contract due to the Nb 3Sn phase change. In order to prevent residual strain from altering superconducting performances, the tooling must provide the adequate space for these dimensional changes. The aim of this paper is to understand the behavior of cable dimensions during heat treatment and to provide estimates of the space to be accommodated in the tooling for coil expansion and contraction. In addition, this paper summarizes measurements of dimensional changes on strands, single Rutherford cables,more » cable stacks, and coils performed between 2013 and 2015. These samples and coils have been performed within a collaboration between CERN and the U.S. LHC Accelerator Research Program to develop Nb 3Sn quadrupole magnets for the HiLumi LHC. The results are also compared with other high field magnet projects.« less

Specific heat of Nb{sub 3}Sn: The case for a single gap

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jo, Y. J., E-mail: jophy@knu.ac.kr; Zhou, Jian; Sung, Zu Hawn

2014-10-01

The important influence of multiple gaps in the superconductivity of MgB{sub 2} and Fe-based compounds, especially because of the possibility that manipulation of a second gap can significantly raise the upper critical field H{sub c2}, has refocused attention on Nb{sub 3}Sn because anomalies in both specific heat and point-contact tunneling studies have led to the proposal that Nb{sub 3}Sn is also a two-gap superconductor. Here, we search for evidence of the second gap in a careful study of the influence of the homogenization temperature on the sample uniformity. We show that it is very difficult to fabricate samples that aremore » both homogeneous and stoichiometric. We find so-called “second-gap” anomalies disappear only after high temperature and long-term annealing. Such a well-annealed sample shows only a strong, electron-phonon-coupled, single-gap behavior. In contrast, samples reacted and annealed at lower temperatures, as in the earlier two-gap studies, show small chemical composition variations of the A15 phase. We propose that the second gap sightings are actually due to variation of T{sub c} within very difficult-to-fully homogenize samples. A curiosity of the A15 Nb{sub 3}Sn phase is that almost any mixture of Nb and Sn tries to form a stoichiometric A15 composition, but the residue of course contains off-stoichiometric A15, Nb, and other phases when the Nb:Sn ratio departs from the true 3:1 stoichiometry.« less

Nanoporous niobium nitride (Nb2N) with enhanced electrocatalytic performance for hydrogen evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Yan; Zhang, Jianli; Qian, Xingyue; Zhang, Yue; Wang, Yining; Hu, Rudan; Yao, Chao; Zhu, Junwu

2018-01-01

The transition metal nitrides (TMNs) with nanoporous structure have shown great promise as potential electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, self-organized nanoporous Nb2N was first successfully synthesized through the anodization of niobium in mixed oxalic acid/HF electrolyte, followed by a simple annealing treatment in the ammonia atmosphere. Due to the highly ordered nanoporous structure with abundant active sites and the enhanced electrical conductivity, the Nb2N exhibits a high catalytic current (326.3 mA cm-2) and low onset potential (96.3 mV), which is almost 3.9 times and 4.2 times better than that of Nb2O5, respectively. Meanwhile, the Nb2N also presents low Tafel slope (92 mV dec-1), and excellent cycling durability. More importantly, this study will provide more opportunities for designing and fabricating niobium compounds as an innovative HER catalysts.

Increased fluorescence intensity in CaTiO3:Pr3+ phosphor due to NH3 treatment and Nb Co-doping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Holliday, K. S.; Kohlgruber, T. A.; Tran, I. C.; Åberg, D.; Seeley, Z. M.; Bagge-Hansen, M.; Srivastava, A. M.; Cherepy, N. J.; Payne, S. A.

2016-10-01

Development of next generation red phosphors for commercial lighting requires understanding of how increased luminescence is achieved by various treatment strategies. In this work, we compare co-doping with Nb to NH3 treatment of CaTiO3:Pr phosphors to reveal a general mechanism responsible for the increased luminescence. The phosphors were synthesized using standard solid-state synthesis techniques and the fluorescence was characterized for potential use in fluorescent lighting, with 254 nm excitation. The lifetime of the fluorescence was determined and used to identify a change in a trap state by the co-doping of Nb5+ in the phosphor. The oxidation state of the Pr was probed by NEXAFS and revealed that both Nb5+ co-doping and NH3 treatment reduced the number of non-fluorescing Pr4+ centers. Calculations were performed to determine the energetically favorable defects. Vacuum annealing was also used to further probe the nature of the trap state. It was determined that NH3 treatments reduce the number of Pr4+ non-fluorescing centers, while Nb5+ co-doping additionally reduces the number of excess oxygen trap states that quench the fluorescence.

Increased fluorescence intensity in CaTiO 3:Pr 3+ phosphor due to NH 3 treatment and Nb Co-doping

DOE PAGES

Holliday, K. S.; Kohlgruber, T. A.; Tran, I. C.; ...

2016-08-28

Development of next generation red phosphors for commercial lighting requires understanding of how increased luminescence is achieved by various treatment strategies. In our work, we compare co-doping with Nb to NH 3 treatment of CaTiO 3:Pr phosphors to reveal a general mechanism responsible for the increased luminescence. The phosphors were synthesized using standard solid-state synthesis techniques and the fluorescence was characterized for potential use in fluorescent lighting, with 254 nm excitation. The lifetime of the fluorescence was determined and used to identify a change in a trap state by the co-doping of Nb 5+ in the phosphor. Furthermore, the oxidationmore » state of the Pr was probed by NEXAFS and revealed that both Nb 5+ co-doping and NH 3 treatment reduced the number of non-fluorescing Pr 4+ centers. We performed calculations in order to determine the energetically favorable defects. Vacuum annealing was also used to further probe the nature of the trap state. It was determined that NH 3 treatments reduce the number of Pr 4+ non-fluorescing centers, while Nb 5+ co-doping additionally reduces the number of excess oxygen trap states that quench the fluorescence.« less

Effect of thermo-mechanical stress during quench on Nb3Sn cable performance

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Linda Imbasciati et al.

2002-12-09

Several high field magnets using Nb{sub 3}Sn superconductor are under development for future particle accelerators. The high levels of stored energy in these magnets can cause high peak temperatures during a quench. The thermomechanical stress generated in the winding during the fast temperature rise can result in a permanent damage of the brittle Nb{sub 3}Sn. Although there are several studies of the critical current degradation of Nb{sub 3}Sn strands due to strain, little is known about how to apply the strain limitations to define a maximum acceptable temperature in the coils during a quench. Therefore, an experimental program was launched,more » aimed at improving the understanding of the effect of thermo-mechanical stress in coils made from brittle Nb{sub 3}Sn. A first experiment, reported here, was performed on cables. The experimental results were compared to analytical and finite element models. The next step in the experimental program will be to repeat similar measurements in small racetrack coils and later in full size magnets.« less

High-pressure Irreversible Amorphization of La1/3NbO3

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

I Halevy; A Hen; A Broide

2011-12-31

The crystallographic structure of La{sub 1/3}NbO{sub 3} perovskite was studied at high pressures using a diamond-anvil cell and synchrotron radiation. High-pressure energy dispersive (EDS) x-ray diffraction and high-pressure angle dispersive (ADS) x-ray diffraction revealed an irreversible amorphization at {approx}10 GPa. A large change in the bulk modulus accompanied the high-pressure amorphization.

Linear electro-optic properties of relaxor-based ferroelectric 0.24Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-(0.76 − x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 single crystals

PubMed Central

Wu, Fengmin; Yang, Bin; Sun, Enwei; Liu, Gang; Tian, Hao; Cao, Wenwu

2013-01-01

Linear electro-optic properties of 0.24Pb(In1/2Nb1/2)O3-(0.76 − x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 single crystals, with compositions in the rhombohedral, morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) and tetragonal phases, have been investigated. Very large effective electro-optic coefficient γc (204 pm/V) was observed in a crystal with the MPB composition when it is poled along [001]. The rhombohedral phase (x = 0.27 and 0.30) single crystals poled along [111] direction and tetragonal phase (x = 0.39) single crystal poled along [001] direction are in single domain, and their electro-optic coefficients (γc = 76, 94, and 43 pm/V for the crystals with x = 0.27, 0.30, and 0.39, respectively) were found to be much higher than that of traditional electro-optic single crystal LiNbO3 (γc = 19.9 pm/V). The electro-optic coefficients of the single crystal in the rhombohedral phase have excellent temperature stability in the experimental temperature range of 10–40 °C. The half-wave voltage Vπ was calculated to be much lower (less than 1000 V) than that of LiNbO3 single crystal (2800 V). These superior properties make the ternary relaxor-PT single crystals very promising for electro-optic modulation applications. PMID:23922449

Comprehensive Study of Z-Cut Highly Integrated LiNbO3 Optical Modulator with Adjustable Chirp Parameters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Palodiya, Vikram; Raghuwanshi, Sanjeev Kumar

2017-12-01

In this paper, the domain inversion is used in a simple fashion to improve the performance of a Z-cut highly integrated LiNbO3 optical modulator (LNOM). The Z-cut modulator having ≤ 3 V switching voltage and bandwidth of 15 GHz for an external modulator in which traveling-wave electrode length L_{m} imposed the modulating voltage, the product of V_π and L_{m} is fixed for a given electro-optic material (EOM). An investigation to achieve a low V_π by both magnitude of the electro-optic coefficient (EOC) for a wide variety of EOMs has been reported. The Sellmeier equation (SE) for the extraordinary index of congruent LiNbO3 is derived. The predictions related to phase matching are accurate between room temperature and 250 °C and wavelength ranging from 0.4 to 5 μm. The SE predicts more accurate refractive indices (RI) at long wavelengths. The different overlaps between the waveguides for the Z-cut structure are shown to yield a chirp parameter that can able to adjust 0-0.7. Theoretical results are perfectly verified by simulated results.

Anion Photoelectron Spectroscopic Studies of NbCr(CO)_n- (n = 2,3) Heterobimetallic Carbonyl Complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baudhuin, Melissa A.; Boopalachandran, Praveenkumar; Leopold, Doreen

2015-06-01

Anion photoelectron spectra and density functional calculations are reported for NbCr(CO)2- and NbCr(CO)3- complexes prepared by addition of Cr(CO)6 vapor to a flow tube equipped with a niobium cathode discharge source. Electron affinities (± 0.007 eV) are measured to be 1.668 eV for NbCr(CO)2 and 1.162 eV for NbCr(CO)3, values which exceed the 0.793 eV electron affinity previously measured for ligand-free NbCr. The vibrationally-resolved 488 nm photoelectron spectra are compared with Franck-Condon spectra predicted for various possible isomers and spin states of the anionic and neutral metal carbonyl complexes. Results are also compared with photoelectron spectra of the corresponding chromium carbonyl complexes and of NbCr and NbCr-, which have formal bond orders of 5.5 (2Δ) and 6 (1σ+), respectively. These comparisons help to elucidate the effects of sequential carbonylation on this multiple metal-metal bond, and of the formation of this bond on the chromium-carbonyl interactions.

Fabrication of multifilamentary Nb/sub 3/(Al,Ge) wires through a modified jelly roll process

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Tachikawa, K.; Kamisada, Y.; Suzuki, E.

Recently, development of Nb/sub 3/Al multifilamentary wires has gained much interests since high-field performance superior to that of Nb/sub 3/Sn can be expected in these wires. In this study, Nb/Al-Ge alloy composites were fabricated into multifilamentary wires through a modified jelly roll (MJR) process. A Nb mesh sheet produced at the Teledyne Wah Chang Co. was used as Nb component. An Al-Ge alloy prepared by a conventional casting process was forged and rolled into a sheet of 0.2 mm in thickness. The Nb/Al-Ge composite was prepared by wrapping the Nb mesh sheet together with the Al-Ge alloy sheet around amore » Nb core into a jelly roll form. The MJR composite was encased in a Cu-Ni alloy tube of which outer diameter was 43 mm. The resulting composite was hydrostatically pressed and extruded into a rod of 18 mm in diameter. A Nb barrier was then inserted between the MJR and the Cu-Ni jacket. The composite rod was swaged and drawn into a wire without any intermediate annealing. The wire was able to be drawn down to a very small diameter of 0.1 mm. The cross-sectional configuration of the MJR composite was not much disturbed by the fabrication. Superconducting transition temperature Tc of the wire, after different heat treatment including a rapid quenching from high temperatures by a continuous electron beam irradiation, was studied, and an onset Tc of 19.3K has been achieved.« less

Electron backscatter diffraction analysis of Nb3Al multifilamentary strands prepared by rapid heating, quenching and transformation annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeuchi, T.; Tsuchiya, K.; Saeda, M.; Banno, N.; Kikuchi, A.; Iijima, Y.

2010-12-01

To enhance the non-Cu critical current density Jc at 15 T and 4.2 K (1000 A mm - 2 at present) we have endeavoured to refine the grain size of rapid heating, quenching and transformation (RHQT)-processed Nb3Al. In the present study, the grain boundary structures of RHQT-processed Nb3Al were examined by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) because transgranular fracture prevents the observation of fractured cross sections of Nb3Al to statistically determine the grain size. The grain size distributions of body-centred-cubic supersaturated-solid-solution Nb(Al)ss and A15 Nb3Al filaments were measured for grains misoriented by more than 2°, 5° and 15°. A mixed grain structure, which consists of a few large grains (>25 µm) and many small grains (<1 µm), was observed for an Nb3Al filament that had been transformed from non-deformed Nb(Al)ss. Plastic deformation that had been made between the rapid heating and quenching steps and the transformation step apparently homogenized the grain size distribution and then reduced the average grain size. The misorientation angle distributions of Nb(Al)ss and Nb3Al were also measured and compared with each other. A clear relationship between the Jc and the inverse grain size was not confirmed for the RHQT Nb3Al conductors examined in the present study, which indicates the importance of making a filament compositionally homogeneous to obtain a high Jc.

Heterojunction-induced magnetic anisotropy and magnetization reversal of Ni wires on LiNbO3 substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yamaguchi, Akinobu; Ohkochi, Takuo; Yasui, Akira; Kinoshita, Toyohiko; Yamada, Keisuke

2018-05-01

We report magnetic domain formation control within micro-scale polycrystalline Ni wires on a single-crystal Y-cut 128° LiNbO3 substrate. X-ray magnetic circular dichroism photoemission electron microscopy (XCDM-PEEM), micromagnetic simulations, and magnetoresistance (MR) measurements allowed us to estimate the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy induced by the magnetoelastic effect that originated at the interface between each Ni layer and the LiNbO3 substrate. Comparison of the XMCD-PEEM and MR measurement results shows that the competition between the shape magnetic anisotropy and the uniaxial magnetic anisotropy parallel to the orientation flat (OF) direction of the substrate leads to variations in both the magnetization order and the magnetization reversal process. The uniaxial magnetic anisotropy is estimated to be approximately 3.3 kJ/m3. This heterojunction structure composed of ferromagnetic and ferroelectric layers thus offers alternative ways to produce artificial functional multiferroic materials and devices.

A low noise 410-495 heterodyne two tuner mixer, using submicron Nb/Al2O3/Nb tunneljunctions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Delange, G.; Honingh, C. E.; Dierichs, M. M. T. M.; Panhuyzen, R. A.; Schaeffer, H. H. A.; Klapwijk, T. M.; Vandestadt, H.; Degraauw, M. W. M.

1992-01-01

A 410-495 GHz heterodyne receiver, with an array of two Nb/Al2O3/Nb tunneljunctions as mixing element is described. The noise temperature of this receiver is below 230 K (DSB) over the whole frequency range, and has lowest values of 160 K in the 435-460 GHz range. The calculated DSB mixergain over the whole frequency range varies from -11.9 plus or minus 0.6 dB to -12.6 plus or minus 0.6 dB and the mixer noise is 90 plus or minus 30 K.

Holographic Reflection Filters in Photorefractive LiNbO3 Channel Waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kip, Detlef; Hukriede, Joerg

Permanent refractive-index gratings in waveguide devices are of considerable interest for optical communication systems that make use of the high spectral selectivity of holographic filters, e.g. dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) or narrow-bandwidth mirrors for integrated waveguide lasers in LiNbO3. Other possible applications include grating couplers and optical sensors. In this contribution we investigate such holographic wavelength filters in Fe- and Cu-doped LiNbO3 channel waveguides. Permanent refractive-index gratings are generated by thermal fixing of holograms in the waveguides. The samples are fabricated by successive in-diffusion of Ti stripes and thin layers of either Fe or Cu. After high-temperature recording with green light, refractive-index changes up to δ, ~10^-4 for infrared light (m} -> 1.55,m) are obtained, resulting in a reflection efficiency well above 99% for a 15 mm-long grating. Several gratings for different wavelengths can be superimposed in the same sample, which may enable the fabrication of more complex filters, laser mirrors or optical sensors. By changing the sample temperature the reflection wavelength can be tuned by thermal expansion of the grating, and wavelength filters can be switched on and off by applying moderate voltages using the electro-optic effect. Furthermore, we report on a new thermal fixing mechanism that does not need any additional development by homogeneous light illumination and therefore does not suffer from the non-vanishing dark conductivity of the material.

Phase stability, crystal structure and magnetism in (U1-xNbx)2 Ni21B6 and (UyNb1-y)3Ni20B6

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Provino, Alessia; Bhattacharya, Amitava; Dhar, Sudesh K.; Pani, Marcella; Gatti, Flavio; Paudyal, Durga; Manfrinetti, Pietro

Ternary phases with composition T2M21X6 and T3M20X6 (T = transition metal; M = 3 d metal; X = B, C, P) are reported to crystallize with the W2Cr21C6-type and Mg3Ni20B6-type, respectively (ternary ordered derivatives of the cubic Cr23C6-type, cF116). They attract interest due to their refractory, mechanical, and peculiar magnetic properties. Literature data on these compounds only concern apparently stoichiometric 2:21:6 and 3:20:6 phases. Often only nominal composition has been reported, with few structural refinements and no measurements of physical properties. Lack of detailed stoichiometry and crystallographic data does not allow sufficient understanding of the crystal chemistry and properties of these compounds. We studied stability, crystal structure and magnetism of (U1-xNbx)2 Ni21B6 and (UyNb1-y)3Ni20B6; stable phases are U2Ni21B6 and Nb3Ni20B6, as also confirmed by theoretical calculations. The two pristine compounds solubilize Nb and U, respectively, up to a given extent. The substitution of U by Nb leads to a structural change from the W2Cr21C6- to the Mg3Ni20B6-type. While U2Ni21B6 is a Pauli paramagnet (itinerant non-magnetic state of U-5 f electrons), in agreement with literature, magnetization data for (UyNb1-y)3 Ni20B6 show itinerant ferromagnetism with TC >300 K.

Fatigue properties of piezoelectric-electrostrictive Pb(Mg1/3,Nb2/3)O3-PbTiO3 monolithic bilayer composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, A.; Akdogan, E. K.; Safari, A.

2006-11-01

The fatigue response of monolithic piezoelectric 0.65Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.35PbTiO3-electrostrictive 0.90Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-0.10PbTiO3 bilayer composites was investigated experimentally. The monomorph bilayers were cosintered at 1150°C, and the polarization hysteresis, relative permittivity, displacement, and cyclic fatigue (107cycles) were measured as a function of piezoelectric-electrostrictive volume fraction (PEVF) ratio. The highest tip displacement of bilayers was found in the 3:1 PEVF monolith, reaching 40μm at 5kV/cm applied field strength. By minimizing the electrostrictive layer thickness, tip displacement substantially increased, while maintaining a lower hysteresis than the purely piezoelectric counterpart. Fatigue measurements indicated a 31% decrease in displacement after 107cycles in 3:1 monoliths, whereas the 1:3 PEVF only showed a 12% decrease under the same conditions. There is a 30% increase in polarization after 107cycles for 1:1 PEVF bilayers, which is attributed to self-poling due to a diffuse transition layer in the vicinity of the interface. It was found that partial 90° domain switching occurred prior to poling because of the residual stresses in the composite, imposed by the electrostrictive layer and the spontaneous strain associated with the cubic-tetragonal transition in the ferroelectric layer. The results indicate that the electrostrictive layer, which is electrically in series with the piezoelectric one, enhances the fatigue resistance of the monolithic bilayer composites in addition to the increase in tip displacement.

Finite-element analysis of transverse compressive and thermal loads on Nb 3Sn wires with voids

DOE PAGES

Zhai, Y.; D'Hauthuille, L.; Barth, C.; ...

2016-02-29

High-field superconducting magnets play a very important role in many large-scale physics experiments, particularly particle colliders and fusion confinement devices such as Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER). The two most common superconductors used in these applications are NbTi and Nb 3Sn. Nb 3Sn wires are favored because of their significantly higher J c (critical current density) for higher field applications. The main disadvantage of Nb 3Sn is that the superconducting performance of the wire is highly strain sensitive and it is very brittle. This strain sensitivity is strongly influenced by two factors: plasticity and crackedmore » filaments. Cracks are induced by large stress concentrators that can be traced to the presence of voids in the wire. We develop detailed 2-D and 3-D finite-element models containing wire filaments and different possible distributions of voids in a bronze-route Nb 3Sn wire. We apply compressive transverse loads for various cases of void distributions to simulate the stress and strain response of a Nb 3Sn wire under the Lorentz force. Furthermore, this paper improves our understanding of the effect voids have on the Nb 3Sn wire's mechanical properties, and in so, the connection between the distribution of voids and performance degradation such as the correlation between irreversible strain limit and the void-induced local stress concentrations.« less

High-frequency Lamb wave device composed of MEMS structure using LiNbO3 thin film and air gap.

PubMed

Kadota, Michio; Ogami, Takashi; Yamamoto, Kansho; Tochishita, Hikari; Negoro, Yasuhiro

2010-11-01

High-frequency devices operating at 3 GHz or higher are required, for instance, for future 4th generation mobile phone systems in Japan. Using a substrate with a high acoustic velocity is one method to realize a high-frequency acoustic or elastic device. A Lamb wave has a high velocity when the substrate thickness is thin. To realize a high-frequency device operating at 3 GHz or higher using a Lamb wave, a very thin (less than 0.5 μm thick) single-crystal plate must be used. It is difficult to fabricate such a very thin single crystal plate. The authors have attempted to use a c-axis orientated epitaxial LiNbO(3) thin film deposited by a chemical vapor deposition system (CVD) instead of using a thin LiNbO(3) single crystal plate. Lamb wave resonators composed of a interdigital transducer (IDT)/the LiNbO(3) film/air gap/base substrate structure like micro-electromechanical system (MEMS) transducers were fabricated. These resonators have shown a high frequency of 4.5 and 6.3 GHz, which correspond to very high acoustic velocities of 14,000 and 12,500 m/s, respectively, have excellent characteristics such as a ratio of resonant and antiresonant impedance of 52 and 38 dB and a wide band of 7.2% and 3.7%, respectively, and do not have spurious responses caused by the 0th modes of shear horizontal (SH(0)) and symmetric (S(0)) modes.

Intermediate phases in [111]- and [001]-oriented PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3-29PbTiO3 single crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kamzina, L. S.

2017-09-01

Phase transformations in [111]- and [001]-oriented PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3-29PbTiO3 single crystals have been studied using dielectric and optical measurements before and after applying an electric field. It is shown that the subsequence of phase transitions rhombohedral ( R)—tetragonal ( T)—cubic ( C) phases is observed in nonpolarized samples of both orientations as temperature increases. In the [111]-oriented crystal, an additional intermediate monoclinic phase (it is possible, M a ) is induced after preliminary polarization at room temperature and the R- M a - T- C phase transitions are observed on heating. In the [001]-oriented crystal, after its polarization, the monoclinic phase forms instead of the rhombohedral phase even at room temperature and the M a - T- C transitions occur on heating. The results are discussed from the point of view of the existence polar nanoregions with different local symmetries in a glasslike matrix.

3D surface topography study of the biofunctionalized nanocrystalline Ti-6Zr-4Nb/Ca-P

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Jakubowicz, J., E-mail: jaroslaw.jakubowicz@put.poznan.pl; Adamek, G.; Jurczyk, M.U.

2012-08-15

In this work surface of the sintered Ti-6Zr-4Nb nanocrystalline alloy was electrochemically biofunctionalized. The porous surface was produced by anodic oxidation in 1 M H{sub 3}PO{sub 4} + 2%HF electrolyte at 10 V for 30 min. Next the calcium-phosphate (Ca-P) layer was deposited, onto the formed porous surface, using cathodic potential - 5 V kept for 60 min in 0.042 M Ca(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} + 0.025 M (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}HPO{sub 4} + 0.1 M HCl electrolyte. The deposited Ca-P layer anchored in the pores. The biofunctionalized surface was studied by XRD, SEM and EDS. In vitro tests culture of normalmore » human osteoblast (NHOst) cells showed very good cells proliferation, colonization and multilayering. Using optical profiler, roughness and hybrid 3D surface topography parameters were estimated. Correlation between surface composition, morphology, roughness and biocompatibility results was done. It has been shown by us that surface with appropriate chemical composition and topography, after combined electrochemical anodic and cathodic surface treatment, supports osteoblast adhesion and proliferation. 3D topography measurements using optical profiler play a key role in the biomaterials surface analysis. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Nanocrystalline Ti-6Zr-4Nb/Ca-P material was produced for hard tissue implant applications. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Calcium-phosphate results in surface biofunctionalization. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The biofunctionalized surface shows good in-vitro behavior.« less

Ba{sub 3}ZnTa{sub 2-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 9} and Ba{sub 3}MgTa{sub 2-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 9} (0{<=}x{<=}1): synthesis, structure and dielectric properties

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Thirumal, M.; Jawahar, I.N.; Surendiran, K.P.

2002-11-20

Oxides belonging to the families Ba{sub 3}ZnTa{sub 2-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 9} and Ba{sub 3}MgTa{sub 2-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 9} were synthesized by the solid state reaction route. Sintering temperatures of 1300 deg. C led to oxides with disordered (cubic) perovskite structure. However, on sintering at 1425 deg. C hexagonally ordered structures were obtained for Ba{sub 3}MgTa{sub 2-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 9} over the entire range (0{<=}x{<=}1) of composition, while for Ba{sub 3}ZnTa{sub 2-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 9} the ordered structure exists in a limited range (0{<=}x{<=}0.5). The dielectric constant is close to 30 for the Ba{sub 3}ZnTa{sub 2-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 9} family of oxides while the Mg analoguesmore » have lower dielectric constant of {approx}18 in the range 50 Hz to 500 kHz. At microwave frequencies (5-7 GHz) dielectric constant increases with increase in niobium concentration (22-26) for Ba{sub 3}ZnTa{sub 2-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 9}; for Ba{sub 3}MgTa{sub 2-x}Nb{sub x}O{sub 9} it varies between 12 and 14. The 'Zn' compounds have much higher quality factors and lower temperature coefficient of resonant frequency compared to the 'Mg' analogues.« less

Undercooling studies on Nb-Pt and Nb-Si alloys using the 105 meter drop tube

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Robinson, M. B.; Bayuzick, R. J.; Hofmeister, W. H.

1988-01-01

Niobium-platinum samples of compositions ranging from 16 to 32 at. pct have been undercooled to as much as 540 K in the low gravity, containerless environment of a 105 meter drop tube. Undercooling was terminated in the Nb-Pt samples by the nucleation and growth of the Nb3Pt phase. In the 16-18 at. pct Pt samples, this resulted in samples which are completely Nb3Pt, in contrast to both the equilibrium phase diagram and the nonundercooled samples which formed with Nb dendrites and interdendritic Nb3Pt. Undercoolings for the Nb-Si samples were up to 670 K, which corresponds to 27 percent of the liquidus temperature or 80 percent of the estimated hypercooling limit. In the Nb-Si system, a coupled zone was identified as well as a metastable extension of the solubility limit of Si in Nb due to deep undercooling.

Differences and similarities in fatigue behaviour and its influences on critical current and residual strength between Ti-Nb and Nb3Al superconducting composite wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ochiai, Shojiro; Oki, Yuichiro; Sekino, Fumiaki; Ohno, Hiroaki; Hojo, Masaki; Moriai, Hidezumi; Sakai, Shuji; Koganeya, Masanobu; Hayashi, Kazuhiko; Yamada, Yuichi; Ayai, Naoki; Watanabe, Kazuo

2000-04-01

The influences of fatigue damage introduced at room temperature on critical current at 4.2 K and residual strength at room temperature of Ti-Nb superconducting composite wire with a low copper ratio (1.04) were studied. The experimental results were compared with those of Nb3 Al composite. The following differences between the composites were found: the fracture surface of the Ti-Nb filaments in the composite varies from a ductile pattern under static loading to a brittle one under cyclic loading, while the Nb3 Al compound always shows a brittle pattern under both loadings; the fracture strength of the Ti-Nb composite is given by the net stress criterion but that of Nb3 Al by the stress intensity factor criterion; in the Ti-Nb composite the critical current Ic decreases with increasing number of stress cycles simultaneously with the residual strength icons/Journals/Common/sigma" ALT="sigma" ALIGN="TOP"/> c ,r , while in the Nb3 Al composite Ic decreases later than icons/Journals/Common/sigma" ALT="sigma" ALIGN="TOP"/> c ,r . On the other hand, both composites have the following similarities: the filaments are fractured due to the propagation of the fatigue crack nucleated in the copper; with increasing number of stress cycles, the damage progresses in the order of stage I (formation of cracks in the clad copper), stage II (stable propagation of the fatigue crack into the inner core) and stage III (overall fracture), among which stage II occurs in the late stage beyond 85 to 90% of the fatigue life; at intermediate maximum stress, many large cracks grow into the core portion at different cross sections but not at high and low maximum stresses; accordingly, the critical current and residual strength of the portion apart from the main crack are low for the intermediate maximum stress but not for low and high maximum stresses.

Ultraviolet photorefractive effect in Mg-doped near-stoichiometric LiNbO 3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, Dengsong; Xu, Jingjun; Qiao, Haijun; Shi, Yanli; Gao, Feng; Li, Wei; Fu, Bo; Zhang, Guaquan; Zheng, Ke

2006-10-01

The ultraviolet photorefractive effect of Mg-doped near-stoichiometric LiNbO3 crystals prepared by vapor transport equilibration (VTE) technique was studied at 351 nm. It was found in the near-stoichiometric LiNbO3 crystals that the ultraviolet photorefractive effect could be enhanced greatly with the increase of Mg concentration. Based on the activation energy of dark decay of the photorefractive grating, possible centers responsible for the ultraviolet photorefractive effect were also discussed.

Beam line BL11 for LIGA process at the NewSUBARU

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mekaru, Harutaka; Utsumi, Yuichi; Hattori, Tadashi

2001-07-01

A beam line BL11 is constructed for exposure Hard X-ray Lithography (HXL) in the LIGA (German acronym for Lithographite Galvanoformung and Abformung) process at the synchrotron radiation (SR) facility NewSUBARU of the Laboratory of Advanced Science and Technology for Industry (LASTI) in Himeji Institute of Technology (HIT). This beam line was designed by the criteria; photon energy range 4-6 keV, a beam spot size on the exposure stage ⩾60×5 mm 2, a density of total irradiated photons ⩾10 11 photons/cm 2. The PMMA sheet etching was successfully demonstrated by using the output beam. We conclude that this beam line performs sufficiently well to study the exposure of HXL in the LIGA process.

Electronic structure of the chiral helimagnet and 3d-intercalated transition metal dichalcogenide Cr 1/3NbS 2

DOE PAGES

Sirca, N.; Mo, S. -K.; Bondino, F.; ...

2016-08-18

The electronic structure of the chiral helimagnet Cr 1/3NbS 2 has been studied with core level and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). Intercalated Cr atoms are found to be effective in donating electrons to the NbS 2 layers but also cause significant modifications of the electronic structure of the host NbS 2 material. Specifically, the data provide evidence that a description of the electronic structure of Cr 1/3NbS 2 on the basis of a simple rigid band picture is untenable. The data also reveal substantial inconsistencies with the predictions of standard density functional theory. In conclusion, the relevance of these resultsmore » to the attainment of a correct description of the electronic structure of chiral helimagnets, magnetic thin films/multilayers, and transition metal dichalcogenides intercalated with 3d magnetic elements is discussed.« less

Controlling the Topological Sector of Magnetic Solitons in Exfoliated Cr 1 / 3 NbS 2 Crystals

DOE PAGES

Wang, Lin; Chepiga, N.; Ki, D. -K.; ...

2017-06-23

Here, we investigate manifestations of topological order in monoaxial helimagnet Cr 1/3NbS 2 by performing transport measurements on ultrathin crystals. Upon sweeping the magnetic field perpendicularly to the helical axis, crystals thicker than one helix pitch (48 nm) but much thinner than the magnetic domain size (similar to 1 mu m) are found to exhibit sharp and hysteretic resistance jumps. We also show that these phenomena originate from transitions between topological sectors with a different number of magnetic solitons. This is confirmed by measurements on crystals thinner than 48 nm-in which the topological sector cannot change-that do not exhibit anymore » jump or hysteresis. These results show the ability to deterministically control the topological sector of finite-size Cr 1/3NbS 2 and to detect intersector transitions by transport measurements.« less

Controlling the Topological Sector of Magnetic Solitons in Exfoliated Cr 1 / 3 NbS 2 Crystals

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Lin; Chepiga, N.; Ki, D. -K.

Here, we investigate manifestations of topological order in monoaxial helimagnet Cr 1/3NbS 2 by performing transport measurements on ultrathin crystals. Upon sweeping the magnetic field perpendicularly to the helical axis, crystals thicker than one helix pitch (48 nm) but much thinner than the magnetic domain size (similar to 1 mu m) are found to exhibit sharp and hysteretic resistance jumps. We also show that these phenomena originate from transitions between topological sectors with a different number of magnetic solitons. This is confirmed by measurements on crystals thinner than 48 nm-in which the topological sector cannot change-that do not exhibit anymore » jump or hysteresis. These results show the ability to deterministically control the topological sector of finite-size Cr 1/3NbS 2 and to detect intersector transitions by transport measurements.« less

Quench in a conduction-cooled Nb3Sn SMES magnet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Korpela, Aki; Lehtonen, Jorma; Mikkonen, Risto; Perälä, Raine

2003-11-01

Due to the rapid development of cryocoolers, conduction-cooled Nb3Sn devices are nowadays enabled. A 0.2 MJ conduction-cooled Nb3Sn SMES system has been designed and constructed. The nominal current of the coil was 275 A at 10 K. The quench tests have been performed and in this paper the experimental data are compared to the computational one. Due to a slow normal zone propagation, Nb3Sn magnets are not necessarily self-protective. In conduction-cooled coils, a thermal interface provides a protection method known as a quench back. The temperature rise in the coil during a quench was measured with a sensor located on the inner radius of the coil. The current decay was also monitored. The measured temperature increased for approximately 15 s after the current had already decayed. This temperature rise is due to the heat conduction from the hot spot. Thus, the measured temperature does not represent the hot-spot temperature. A computational quench model which takes into account quench back and heat conduction after the current decay was developed in order to understand the measured temperatures. According to the results, a quench back due to the eddy current induced heating of the thermal interface of an LTS coil was an adequate protection method.

Synthesis and morphology of Ba1-xRE2x/3Nb2O6 nanocrystals with tungsten bronze structure in RE2O3-BaO-Nb2O5-B2O3 glasses (RE: Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Er)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ida, H.; Shinozaki, K.; Honma, T.; Oh-ishi, K.; Komatsu, T.

2012-12-01

Ba1-xRE2x/3Nb2O6 nanocrystals with a tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) structure are synthesized using a conventional glass crystallization technique in 2.3RE2O3-27.4BaO-34.3Nb2O5-36B2O3 (mol%) (RE=Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, and Er) glasses. One sharp crystallization peak is observed at ∼670 °C in both powdered and bulk glasses, and the formation of Ba1-xRE2x/3Nb2O6 nanocrystals with unit cell parameters of a∼1.24 nm and c∼0.39 nm was confirmed. It is found from high resolution transmission electron microscope observations that the morphology of Ba1-xRE2x/3Nb2O6 nanocrystals is ellipsoidal. Their average particle size is in the range of 15-60 nm and decreases with decreasing ionic radius of RE3+ being present in the precursor glasses. The optical transparent crystallized glass (bulk) shows the total photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of 53% in the visible region of Eu3+ ions, suggesting a high potential of Ba1-xRE2x/3Nb2O6 nanocrystals as PL materials.

Role of Boron Element on the Electronic Properties of α-Nb5Si3: A First-Principle Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Yong; Lin, Yuanhua

2018-03-01

Transition metal silicides (TMSis) are attracting increasing interest from the microelectronics and nanoelectronic industries. In this paper, we use the first-principles method to investigate the B-doped mechanism and the influence of B on the electronic properties of α-Nb5Si3. The calculated results show that B-doped Nb5Si3 is thermodynamically stable at the ground state. The calculated electronic structure shows that the thermodynamically stable B-doped Nb5Si3 is attributed to the 3D-network B-Si bonds and B-Nb bond. In particular, B element prefers to occupy B -IT4 site in comparison to other sites. Moreover, the calculated band structure indicates that Nb5Si3 exhibits metallic behavior at the ground state. We find that B-doping can improve charge overlap between conduction band and the valence band, which effectively improves the electronic properties of Nb5Si3.

High-Temperature Thermoelectric Properties of (1 - x) SrTiO3 - ( x) La1/3NbO3 Ceramic Solid Solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srivastava, Deepanshu; Azough, F.; Molinari, M.; Parker, S. C.; Freer, R.

2015-06-01

Ceramics based on SrTiO3 are of growing interest as thermoelectric materials because of their high-temperature stability and non-toxicity. Substitution of La and Nb into the perovskite structure provides opportunities to control both the microstructure and properties. Ceramic solid solutions of (1 - x) SrTiO3 - ( x) La1/3NbO3 were prepared by the mixed oxide route, using compositional steps of x = 0.1. Pressed pellets were sintered at temperatures of 1573 K to 1723 K in air. Addition of aliovalent ions (La3+, Nb5+) on the A/B sites (Sr2+, Ti4+) led to A-Site cation deficiency in the stoichiometric compositions and other defect structures which increased carrier concentration. A maximum ZT of 0.004 was obtained for the x = 0.2 stoichiometric sample, although much higher ZT values are possible by sample reduction.

Mechanism of light-induced domain nucleation in LiNbO 3 crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, De'an; Zhi, Ya'nan; Luan, Zhu; Yan, Aimin; Liu, Liren

2007-09-01

In this paper, within the spectrum range from 351 nm to 799 nm, the different reductions of nucleation field induced by the focused continuous irradiation with different light intensity are achieved in congruent LiNbO 3 crystals. The reduction proportion increases exponentially with decreasing the irradiation wavelength, and decreases exponentially with increasing the irradiation wavelength. Basing on photo-excited effect, we propose a proper model to explain the mechanism of light-induced domain nucleation in congruent LiNbO 3 crystals.

High Performance Hermetic Package For LiNbO3 Electro-Optic Waveguide Devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Preston, K. R.; Macdonald, B. M.; Harmon, R. A.; Ford, C. W.; Shaw, R. N.; Reid, I.; Davidson, J. H.; Beaumont, A. R.; Booth, R. C.

1989-02-01

A high performance fibre-tailed package for LiNbO3 electro-optic waveguide devices is described. The package is based around a hermetic metal submodule which contains no epoxy or other organic materials. The LiNbO3 chip is mounted using a soldering technique, and laser welding is used for fibre fixing to give stable, low loss optical coupling to single mode fibres. Optical reflections are minimised by the use of antireflective coatings on the fibre ends and waveguide facets. High speed electrical connections are made via coplanar glass-sealed leadthroughs to LiNb03 travelling wave devices, and packaged device operation to frequencies in excess of 4GHz is demonstrated.

Effect of dopants on the soft magnetic properties and high frequency characteristics of FeCoBM (M = Ti, Nb, Hf, and Ta) thin films.

PubMed

Hsieh, C C; Lin, T H; Chang, H W; Chang, C W; Chang, W C; Yang, C C

2011-03-01

Effect of dopants on the soft magnetic properties and high frequency characteristics of FeCoBM thin films (M = Ti, Nb, Hf, and Ta) have been studied. For (Fe0.55Co0.45)(100-x)B(x) (x = 5-15) thin films, with the increase of B content, the resistivity was increased because B could decrease the crystallinity of the films. The (Fe0.55Co0.45)90B10 thin film showed the optimum properties, where 4piM(s) = 16.1 kG, H(ce) = 64.2 Oe, H(ch) = 13.5 Oe, H(k) = 310 Oe and p = 338 microomega-cm. To reduce the coercivity of the film, the elements M, including Ti, Nb, Hf, and Ta, were selected to substitute for B in the FeCoB films. It was found that (Fe0.55Co0.45)90B6Ti2Nb2 thin film after annealing at a temperature of 200 degrees C for 30 min showed the optimal properties, where 4piM(s) = 15.8 kG, H(ce) = 4.8 Oe, H(ch) = 3.6 Oe, H(k) = 224 Oe and p = 290 microomega-cm. The theoretically calculated ferromagnetic resonance frequency of the developed films can be higher than 5 GHz.

First-principles investigation of thermodynamic, elastic and electronic properties of Al{sub 3}V and Al{sub 3}Nb intermetallics under pressures

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chen, Zhe; Zhang, Peng; Chen, Dong

2015-02-28

The thermodynamic, elastic, and electronic properties of D0{sub 22}-type Al{sub 3}V and Al{sub 3}Nb intermetallics were studied using the first-principle method. The results showed the pressure has profound effects on the structural, mechanical and electronic properties in both Al{sub 3}V and Al{sub 3}Nb. Thermodynamically, the formation enthalpies for Al{sub 3}V and Al{sub 3}Nb were derived, which agreed well with available experimental and theoretical values. Comparably, Al{sub 3}Nb was a more stable phase with the more negative H{sub f} than Al{sub 3}V. Mechanically, the calculated elastic constants showed linearly increasing tendencies, and satisfied the Born's criteria from 0–20 GPa, indicating the mechanicallymore » stability of Al{sub 3}V and Al{sub 3}Nb under this pressure range. Further, the mechanical parameters (i.e., bulk modulus (B), shear modulus (G), and Young's modulus (E)) were derived using the Voigt-Reuss-Hill (VRH) method, and in good agreement with available experimental results at the ground state. All these parameters presented the linearly increasing dependences on the external pressure. The B/G ratios and Poisson's ratio indicated that the Al{sub 3}V and Al{sub 3}Nb crystals should exhibit brittle behavior at 0–20 GPa. Additionally, the bulk modulus can be obtained through fitting the Birch-Murnaghan equation (B{sub 0}), computing by VRH method (B{sub H}), and deriving from the elastic theory (B{sub relax}) in both intermetallics. The uniformity of these calculated bulk moduli in each compound exhibited the excellent reliability and self-consistency. In addition, Debye temperature was estimated from the average sound velocity. The Debye temperature showed an increasing dependence on the pressures. Finally, through density of states analysis, Al{sub 3}V and Al{sub 3}Nb were suggested to possess naturally metallic behavior. Under pressures, it was noted that the shapes of peaks and pseudogaps exhibited relative few changes

Development of a new quaternary alloy Ti-25Ta-25Nb-3Sn for biomedical applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rangel Seixas, Mauricio; Bortolini, Celso, Jr.; Pereira, Adelvam, Jr.; Nakazato, Roberto Z.; Popat, Ketul C.; Rosifini Alves Claro, Ana Paula

2018-02-01

Metallic biomaterials have been used for biomedical applications, such as cardiovascular, orthopaedics and orthodontics, due to excellent properties. In this study, the mechanical properties and corrosion resistance of new quaternary alloy Ti25Ta25Nb3Sn were evaluated. Alloys were processing in arc melting furnace with argon atmosphere and cold worked by rotary swaging. Alloy microstructure, crystalline phases and mechanical properties such as Young’s modulus, yield strength and tensile strength were evaluated. Corrosion resistance was investigated in fluoride solution by electrochemical polarization and biocompatibility with human dermal fibroblasts were also evaluated. In our study, for quaternary alloy Ti25Ta25Nb3Sn the stabilization of beta phase was maintained. It was observed that the elastic modulus of Ti25Ta25Nb3Sn (65 GPa) was lower than CP Ti (105 GPa) and Ti6Al4V (110 GPa) and slightly higher than Ti25Ta25Nb (55 GPa) alloy. The addition of Sn suppressed the double yielding verified on ternary alloy Ti25Ta25Nb. Electrochemical studies showed that stable passive oxide film was formed on the Ti25Ta25Nb3Sn surface and an increase of HDF adhesion and proliferation on alloy surface, indicating that the alloy is non-cytotoxic may provide a favorable material for biomedical applications. Results obtained showed that Ti25Ta25Nb3Sn alloy is indicated for biomedical applications.

Dimerization of A-[alpha]-[SiNb3W9O40]7- by pH-controlled formation of individual Nb−µ-O−Nb linkages

Treesearch

Gyu-Shik Kim; Huadong Zeng; Wade A. Neiwert; Jennifer J. Cowan; Donald VanDerveer; Craig L. Hill; Ira A. Weinstock

2003-01-01

The reversible, stepwise formation of individual Nb−µ-O−Nb linkages during acid condensation of 2 equiv of A-[alpha]-[SiNb3W9O40]7- (1) to the tri-µ-oxo-bridged structure A-[alpha]-[Si2Nb6W18O77]8- (4) is demonstrated by a combination of X-ray crystallography and variable-pD solution 183W and 29Si NMR spectroscopy. Addition of DCl to a pD 8.4...

The mechanism of the UV band edge photorefractivity suppression in highly doped LiNbO3:Zr crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Fei-fei

2017-11-01

The ultraviolet (UV) band edge photorefractivity of LiNbO3:Zr at 325 nm has been investigated. The experimental results show that the resistance against photorefraction at 325 nm is quite obvious but not as strong as that at 351 nm, when the doping concentration of Zr reaches 2.0 mol%. It is reported that the photorefractivity in other tetravalently doped LiNbO3 crystals, such as LiNbO3:Hf and LiNbO3:Sn, is enhanced dramatically with doping concentration over threshold. Here we give an explicit explanation on such seemly conflicting behaviors of tetravalently doped LiNbO3, which is ascribed to the combined effect of increased photoconductivity and the absorption strength of the band edge photorefractive centers.

Effect of ultrasonic cavitation on the diffusivity of a point defect in the passive film on formed Nb in 0.5 M HCl solution.

PubMed

Li, D G

2015-11-01

This work primarily focused on the influence of ultrasonic cavitation on the transport property of the point defect in the passive film on formed Nb in 0.5M HCl solution via electrochemical techniques based on the point defect model (PDM). The influence of ultrasonic cavitation on the composition and structure of the passive film was detected by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Auger electron spectroscopy (AES). The transport property of a point defect in the passive film was characterized by the diffusivity of the point defect (D0). The influences of the ultrasonic cavitation power, passivated time and the distance between horn bottom and sample surface on D0 were analyzed. The results demonstrated that the passive film formed on Nb was an n-type semiconductor with a donor density (ND) ranging from 10(19) cm(-3) to 10(20) cm(-3) in the case of static state, while the order of ND increased one to two times by applying ultrasonic cavitation during film formation. The diffusivity of the point defect (D0) in the passive film formed on Nb at 0.5 V for 1 h in a 0.5 M HCl solution in the static state was calculated to be 9.704×10(-18) cm(2) s(-1), and it increased to 1.255×10(-16) cm(2) s(-1), 7.259×10(-16) cm(2) s(-1) and 7.296×10(-15) cm(2) s(-1) when applying the 180 W, 270 W and 450 W ultrasonic cavitation powers during film formation. D0 increased with the increment of the ultrasonic cavitation power, and decreased with the increased in formation time and distance between the horn bottom and sample surface. AES results showed the film structure and composition were changed by applying the ultrasonic cavitation. XPS results revealed that the passive film was mainly composed of Nb2O5 in the static state, and the low valence Nb-oxide (NbO) appeared in the passive film except Nb2O5 in the case of applying a 270 W ultrasonic cavitation power. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Structure-guided mutational analysis of the nucleotidyltransferase domain of Escherichia coli NAD+-dependent DNA ligase (LigA).

PubMed

Zhu, Hui; Shuman, Stewart

2005-04-01

NAD+-dependent DNA ligase (LigA) is essential for bacterial growth and a potential target for antimicrobial drug discovery. Here we queried the role of 14 conserved amino acids of Escherichia coli LigA by alanine scanning and thereby identified five new residues within the nucleotidyltransferase domain as being essential for LigA function in vitro and in vivo. Structure activity relationships were determined by conservative mutagenesis for the Glu-173, Arg-200, Arg-208, and Arg-277 side chains, as well as four other essential side chains that had been identified previously (Lys-115, Asp-117, Asp-285, and Lys-314). In addition, we identified Lys-290 as important for LigA activity. Reference to the structure of Enterococcus faecalis LigA allowed us to discriminate three classes of essential/important side chains that: (i) contact NAD+ directly (Lys-115, Glu-173, Lys-290, and Lys-314); (ii) comprise the interface between the NMN-binding domain (domain Ia) and the nucleotidyltransferase domain or comprise part of a nick-binding site on the surface of the nucleotidyltransferase domain (Arg-200 and Arg-208); or (iii) stabilize the active site fold of the nucleotidyltransferase domain (Arg-277). Analysis of mutational effects on the isolated ligase adenylylation and phosphodiester formation reactions revealed different functions for essential side chains at different steps of the DNA ligase pathway, consistent with the proposal that the active site is serially remodeled as the reaction proceeds.

Thermo-optic dispersion formula for the ordinary wave in 5 mol% MgO doped LiNbO3 and its application to temperature insensitive second-harmonic generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Umemura, Nobuhiro; Matsuda, Daisuke

2016-05-01

We report the high accuracy thermo-optic dispersion formula for the ordinary wave of 5 mol% MgO doped congruent LiNbO3 (MgO:LiNbO3), which reproduces well our experimental data for the temperature-dependent birefringent phase-matching (BPM) and quasi-phase-matching (QPM) conditions with the oo-e, oo-o, and oe-o interactions in the 0.41-3.7 μm range. In addition, we found the temperature insensitive quasi-phase-matched second-harmonic generation (QPM/SHG) points exist in periodically poled MgO:LiNbO3 (MgO:PPLN) with the oo-o and oe-o interactions for the first time.

Magnetic properties of mixed sulfides MUS/sub 3/ (M = V, Cr, Nb, Ta)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nutsubidze, P.V.; Chechernikov, V.I.; Gracheva, N.V.

1985-08-01

The authors synthesized US/sub 2/ (Beta-US/sub 2/), VS, CrS, NbS, and TaS by the vacuum-thermal method in quartz ampules heated to 1170 degrees K. They homogenized and sintered these samples and remixed and sintered appropriate amounts to form MUS/sub 2/, which crystallizes in a rhombic structure. They studied the magnetic properties of MUS/sub 2/ on a vibration magnetometer in the range 75500 degrees K. The results of their analysis of the magnetic coefficients proved consistent with thermodynamic theory. They present their data in a series of four charts and two tables.

PERSISTENT CURRENT EFFECT IN 15-16 T NB3SN ACCELERATOR DIPOLES AND ITS CORRECTION

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kashikhin, V. V.; Zlobin, A. V.

2016-11-08

Nb3Sn magnets with operating fields of 15-16 T are considered for the LHC Energy Doubler and a future Very High Energy pp Collider. Due to large coil volume, high critical current density and large superconducting (SC) filament size the persistent current effect is very large in Nb3Sn dipoles al low fields. This paper presents the results of analysis of the persistent current effect in the 15 T Nb3Sn dipole demonstrator being developed at FNAL, and describes different possibilities of its correction including passive SC wires, iron shims and coil geometry.

Synthesis mechanism and improved (100) oriented NaNbO3 templates by ultrasonication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramdasi, O. A.; Kolekar, Y. D.; Kim, D. J.; Song, T. K.; Kambale, R. C.

2016-05-01

The plate-like NaNbO3 (NN) templates with (100) preferential orientation was synthesized from bismuth layer structured ferroelectric Bi2.5Na3.5Nb5O18 (BNN) precursor by topochemical microcrystal conversion (TMC) method. The large platelets of BNN were first obtained by molten salt synthesis at the 1125 °C with a salt-to oxide weight ratio 1.5: 1. The anisotropic NN templates were derived from BNN at the 975 °C with BNN/ Na2CO3 molar ratio of 1:1.5. The NaNbO3 templates have an average length of ~ 10-14 µm. The NN templates retains their elemental constitutes of Na, Nb and O in stoichiometric proportion. The effect of ultrasonication on the orientation factor (Fh00) of NN templates was understood by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) results. The degree of (100) orientation of as synthesized NN templates (~57%) was found to be increased (~89%) after ultrasonication. Moreover, the microstructure i.e. alignment / shape of as synthesized NN templates was changed from rectangular (110) orientation to square (100) orientation geometry after ultrasonication. Hence, ultrasonication is a cost effective approach to preparing the textured piezoelectric ceramics by the template grain growth technique using tape casting.

Ferroelectricity-induced resistive switching in Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3/Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3/Nb-doped SrTiO3 epitaxial heterostructure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Md. Sadaf, Sharif; Mostafa Bourim, El; Liu, Xinjun; Hasan Choudhury, Sakeb; Kim, Dong-Wook; Hwang, Hyunsang

2012-03-01

We investigated the effect of a ferroelectric Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) thin film on the generation of resistive switching in a stacked Pr0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (PCMO)/Nb-doped SrTiO3 (Nb:STO) heterostructure forming a p-n junction. To promote the ferroelectric effect, the thin PZT active layer was deposited on an epitaxially grown p-type PCMO film on a lattice-matched n-type Nb:STO single crystal. It was concluded that the observed resistive switching behavior in the all-perovskite Pt/PZT/PCMO/Nb:STO heterostructure was related to the modulation of PCMO/Nb:STO p-n junction's depletion width, which was caused either by the PZT ferroelectric polarization field effect, the electrochemical drift of oxygen ions under an electric field, or both simultaneously.

Effect of Zr substitution on the thermal and mechanical properties of Rh3A (A=Nb,Ta) - A theoretical study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manjula, M.; Sundareswari, M.; Viswanathan, E.

2018-04-01

The present study focuses upon the thermal and mechanical properties of Rh3ZrxA1-x (A= Nb,Ta) ternary alloys using ab initio density functional theory where Nb/Ta is substituted by Zr. These ternary alloys were investigated for the first time using elastic moduli, hardness, Debye temperature, Debye average velocity and Gruneisen parameter. Further the ductile/brittle analysis was made by using Cauchy pressure, degree of brittleness and Poisson's ratio. Systematic addition of Zr with Rh3Nb/Ta shows that Rh3Zr0.75Nb0.25, Rh3Zr0.875Nb0.125 and Rh3Zr0.875Ta0.125combinations are more ductile. Further the melting temperature of Rh3Zr0.75Nb0.25(2227 K), Rh3Zr0.875Nb0.125(2200 K) and Rh3Zr0.875Ta0.125 (2134 K) alloys are nearer to those of their parent binary alloys namely Rh3Nb (2636 K) and Rh3Ta (2562 K). Their corresponding density values (10.84 gm/cm3, 10.77 gm/cm3 and 11.09 gm/cm3) are found to be much less than those of their parent materials.

Solidification processing of intermetallic Nb-Al alloys

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Preston P.; Oliver, Ben F.; Noebe, Ronald D.

1992-01-01

Several Nb-Al alloys, including single-phase NbAl3 and the eutectic of Nb2Al and NbAl3, were prepared either by nonconsumable arc melting in Ar or by zone processing in He following initial induction melting and rod casting, and the effect of the solidification route on the microstructure and room-temperature mechanical properties of these alloys was investigated. Automated control procedures and melt conditions for directional solidification of NbAl3 and the Nb2Al/Nb3Al eutectic were developed; high purity and stoichiometry were obtained. The effects of ternary additions of Ti and Ni are described.

Spectral and laser properties of Er3+/Yb3+/Ce3+ tri-doped Ca3NbGa3Si2O14 crystal at 1.55 µm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Guoliang; Chen, Yujin; Lin, Yanfu; Huang, Jianhua; Gong, Xinghong; Luo, Zundu; Huang, Yidong

2018-04-01

An Er3+/Yb3+/Ce3+ tri-doped Ca3NbGa3Si2O14 (CNGS) crystal was grown by the Czochralski method. Spectral properties of the crystal, including the polarized absorption and fluorescence spectra, the fluorescence decay, as well as the energy transfer efficiency from Yb3+ to Er3+ were investigated in detail. End-pumped by a 976 nm diode laser, a 1556 nm continuous-wave laser with a maximum output power of 202 mW and a slope efficiency of 11.4% was achieved in the Er,Yb,Ce:CNGS crystal. The results indicate the Er,Yb,Ce:CNGS crystal is a promising 1.55 µm laser gain medium.

The influence of Zr substitution for Nb on the corrosion behaviors of the Ni-Nb-Zr bulk metallic glasses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, DengKe; Zhu, ZhengWang; Zhang, HaiFeng; Wang, AiMin; Hu, ZhuangQi

2012-12-01

The influence of Zr content on corrosion behaviors of the Ni61.5Nb38.5- x Zr x ( x=1, 3, 5, 7, 9 at.%) bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) in 1 M HCl aqueous solution was investigated by potentiodynamic polarization measurements and X-ray photo-electron spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that these BMG alloys possess superior corrosion resistance, that is, with large passive region of about 1.5 V and low passive current density (as low as 0.05 Am-2 for Ni61.5Nb31.5Zr7). XPS analysis indicates that the high corrosion resistance is attributed to the formation of Nb- and Zr-enriched surface films formed in the aggressive acid solution. The Zr substitution for Nb effectively reduces the Ni content, particularly the metallic state Ni content in the surface films, which depresses the electrical conduction of the surface films and reduces the passive current density, thus leading to the enhancement of the corrosion resistance of these Ni-Nb-Zr BMGs. These alloys may potentially be useful for engineering applications.

Experimental results of 40-kA Nb[sub 3]Al cable-in-conduit conductor for fusion machines

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Takahashi, Y.; Sugimoto, M.; Isono, T.

1994-07-01

A 40-kA Nb[sub 3]Al cable-in-conduit conductor has been developed for the toroidal field coils of fusion reactors, because Nb[sub 3]Al has excellent mechanical performance. This conductor consists of 405 copper-stabilized multifilamentary strands inserted into a CuNi case circular conduit. The Nb[sub 3]Al strands are fabricated by the Jelly-roll process with a diameter of 1.22 mm. This conductor could be operated up to a current of 46 kA at an external field of 11.2 T. Accordingly, Nb[sub 3]Al promises to soon become a useful superconductor for large-scale high-field applications, such as fusion machines.

Fe4Nb2O9 : A magnetoelectric antiferromagnet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maignan, Antoine; Martin, Christine

2018-04-01

The structural, magnetic, and electrical properties of a Fe4Nb2O9 polycrystalline sample have been characterized. It is found that this compound crystallizes in the P 3 ¯c 1 space group of the α -A l2O3 structure and is thus isostructural to Co4Nb2O9 and Mn4Nb2O9 , two linear magnetoelectric oxides. But in marked contrast, its ɛ'(T ) curve reveals two broad transitions at TN 1≅90 K and TN 2≅77 K , the former corresponding to the antiferromagnetic ordering temperature. Below TN 1, the M(H ) magnetization curves reveal the existence of spin flop at about 6 T. In this temperature region, a H-induced electric polarization for μ0H >6 T is evidenced by both sets of Ip(T) H and P (H) T curves. All these results point towards Fe4Nb2O9 being a magnetoelectric member of the A4B2O9 family (A =Mn , Fe, Co and B =Nb , Ta).

Compositional Design of Dielectric, Ferroelectric and Piezoelectric Properties of (K, Na)NbO3 and (Ba, Na)(Ti, Nb)O3 Based Ceramics Prepared by Different Sintering Routes

PubMed Central

Eiras, José A.; Gerbasi, Rosimeire B. Z.; Rosso, Jaciele M.; Silva, Daniel M.; Cótica, Luiz F.; Santos, Ivair A.; Souza, Camila A.; Lente, Manuel H.

2016-01-01

Lead free piezoelectric materials are being intensively investigated in order to substitute lead based ones, commonly used in many different applications. Among the most promising lead-free materials are those with modified NaNbO3, such as (K, Na)NbO3 (KNN) and (Ba, Na)(Ti, Nb)O3 (BTNN) families. From a ceramic processing point of view, high density single phase KNN and BTNN ceramics are very difficult to sinter due to the volatility of the alkaline elements, the narrow sintering temperature range and the anomalous grain growth. In this work, Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) and high-energy ball milling (HEBM), following heat treatments (calcining and sintering), in oxidative (O2) atmosphere have been used to prepare single phase highly densified KNN (“pure” and Cu2+ or Li1+ doped), with theoretical densities ρth > 97% and BTNN ceramics (ρth ~ 90%), respectively. Using BTTN ceramics with a P4mm perovskite-like structure, we showed that by increasing the NaNbO3 content, the ferroelectric properties change from having a relaxor effect to an almost “normal” ferroelectric character, while the tetragonality and grain size increase and the shear piezoelectric coefficients (k15, g15 and d15) improve. For KNN ceramics, the results reveal that the values for remanent polarization as well as for most of the coercive field are quite similar among all compositions. These facts evidenced that Cu2+ may be incorporated into the A and/or B sites of the perovskite structure, having both hardening and softening effects. PMID:28773304

Structural and dielectric characteristics of Ba3Ln3Ti5Nb5O30 (Ln = La, Nd, Sm) filled tungsten bronze ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Wang; Gao, Ting Ting; Zhu, Xiao Li; Chen, Xiang Ming

2018-03-01

In the present work, the structural, dielectric and relaxor ferroelectric properties were investigated for Ba3Ln3Ti5Nb5O30 (Ln = La, Nd, Sm) ceramics. The filled tungsten bronze phase with space group P4/mbm was confirmed for all compositions, while a small amount of secondary phase was detected in Ba3Nd3Ti5Nb5O30 and Ba3Sm3Ti5Nb5O30. The typical relaxor ferroelectric behaviors were observed: a broad peak of dielectric constant shifting to higher temperatures and decreasing its magnitude with increasing frequency and the frequency dispersion obeying the Vogel-Fulcher relationship. The P-E (polarization-electric field) hysteresis loops were obtained for Ba3Ln3Ti5Nb5O30 (Ln = La, Nd, Sm) ceramics at low temperatures. The nanoscale ferroelectric 180° domains with strip-like shape were observed in the paraelectric matrix at room temperature, where the commensurate structural modulations were determined in the domains and incommensurate ones were determined in the matrix. The significant differences were determined between the present ceramics and Ba4Ln2Ti4Nb6O30 and Ba5LnTi3Nb7O30 because of the different distribution patterns of A1 and A2 cations.

Electrical and magnetic properties of 0-3 Ba(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3/PVDF composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ranjan, Hars; Mahto, Uttam K.; Chandra, K. P.; Kulkarni, A. R.; Prasad, A.; Prasad, K.

Lead-free Ba(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3/PVDF 0-3 composites were fabricated using melt-mixing technique. X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, dielectric, impedance, ac conductivity, magnetic force microscopy (MFM) and vibrating sample magnetometer studies were undertaken to characterize the samples. Average crystallite size of the Ba(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3 powder, estimated using Williamson-Hall approach, was found to be ˜42nm. The filler particles of ˜0.5-1μm were found to disperse in the polymer matrix of all the composites. Filler concentration-dependent values of real and imaginary parts of complex permittivity showed increasing trend and were seen to follow Bruggeman and Furukawa equations. The data for ac conductivity exhibited negative temperature coefficient of resistance character of the test materials and were found to obey Jonscher’s power law. The correlated barrier hopping model was found to explain satisfactorily the mechanism of charge transport occurring in the system. MFM confirmed the presence of magnetic phases in the composites. Typical magnetization versus applied field curves indicated the possibility of magnetoelectric coupling in the system. Hence, the present composites have shown themselves as potential multi-functional candidate materials for use in high density data storage applications.

Tunable in-line fiber optic comb filter using a side-polished single-mode fiber coupler with LiNbO 3 overlay and intermediate coupling layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sohn, Kyung-Rak; Song, Jae-Won

2002-03-01

Using a side-polished single-mode fiber covered with a polished LiNbO 3 overlay and an intermediate coupling layer, tunable fiber-optic comb filters are demonstrated. The device behaviors based on the modal properties of the fiber and the planar LiNbO 3 waveguide are analyzed by two dimensional beam propagation methods (2-D BPM) and discussed the role of an intermediate coupling layer in terms of coupling efficiency. We also show that the thermo-optic effects of this layer can be utilized to tune the comb filter. When the polished x-cut LiNbO 3 with 200 μm thickness is used as a multimode overlay waveguide, the comb output spectra with free spectral range of 4 nm are measured in 1550 nm wavelength range. The tuning rate as a function of the refractive index of an intermediate coupling layer, Δλ/ Δnb, is about -0.129 nm/-0.001. The experimental results are in good agreement with the calculated results.

Structural studies of Bi 2 O 3 -Nb 2 O 5 -TeO 2 glasses

DOE PAGES

Wilding, Martin C.; Delaizir, Gaelle; Benmore, Chris J.; ...

2016-07-25

Bi 2O 3-Nb 2O 5-TeO 2 glasses show unusual annealing behavior with appearance of spherulites within the matrix glass structure for the Bi 0.5Nb 0.5Te 3O 8 composition. The textures resemble those found previously among polyamorphic Al 2O 3-Y 2O 3 glasses containing metastably co-existing high- and low-density phases produced during quenching. However the spherulites produced within the Bi 2O 3-Nb 2O 5-TeO 2 glass are crystalline and can be identified as an “anti-glass” phase related to β-Bi 2Te 4O 11. Here, we used high energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction data to study structures of binary and ternary glasses quenched frommore » liquids within the Bi 2O 3-Nb 2O 5-TeO 2 system. These reveal a glassy network based on interconnected TeO 4 and TeO 3 units that is related to TeO 2 crystalline materials but with larger Te…Te separations due to the presence of TeO 3 groups and non-bridging oxygens linked to modifier (Bi 3 +, Nb 5 +) cations. Analysis of the viscosity-temperature relations indicates that the glass-forming liquids are “fragile” and there is no evidence for a LLPT occurring in the supercooled liquid. The glasses obtained by quenching likely correspond to a high-density amorphous (HDA) state. Subsequent annealing above T g shows mainly evidence for direct crystallization of the “anti-glass” tellurite phase. But, some evidence may exist for simultaneous formation of nanoscale amorphous spherulites that could correspond to the LDA polyamorph. The quenching and annealing behavior of Bi 2O 3-Nb 2O 5-TeO 2 supercooled liquids and glasses is compared with similar materials in the Al 2O 3-Y 2O 3 system.« less

High temperature coarsening of Cr2Nb precipitates in Cu-8 Cr-4 Nb alloy

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, Kenneth Reed

1996-01-01

A new high-temperature-strength, high-conductivity Cu-Cr-Nb alloy with a CrNb ratio of 2:1 was developed to achieve improved performance and durability. The Cu-8 Cr4 Nb alloy studied has demonstrated remarkable thermal and microstructural stability after long exposures at temperatures up to 0.98 T(sub m). This stability was mainly attributed to the slow coarsening kinetics of the Cr2Nb precipitates present in the alloy. At all temperatures, the microstructure consists of a bimodal and sometimes trimodal distribution of strengthening Cr2Nb precipitates, depending on precipitation condition, i.e. from liquid or solid solution, and cooling rates. These precipitates remain in the same size range, i.e. large precipitates of approximately I pm, and small precipitates less dm 300 nm, and effectively pin the grain boundaries thus retaining a fine grain size of 2.7 micro-m after 100 h at 1323 K. (A relatively small number of Cr-rich and Nb-rich particles were also present.) This grain boundary pinning and sluggish coarsening of Cr2Nb particles explain the retention of good mechanical properties after prolonged holding at very high temperatures, e.g., 75% of the original hardness after aging for 100 h at 1273 K. Application of LSW-based coarsening models indicated that the coarsening kinetics of the large precipitates are most likely governed by grain boundary diffsion and, to a lesser extent, volume diffusion mechanisms.

Ultraviolet-infrared laser-induced domain inversion in MgO-doped congruent LiNbO3 and near stoichiometric LiTaO3 crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhi, Ya'nan; Qu, Weijuan; Liu, De'an; Sun, Jianfeng; Yan, Aimin; Liu, Liren

2008-08-01

Laser-induced domain inversion is a promising technique for domain engineering in LiNbO3 and LiTaO3. The ultraviolet-infrared laser induced domain inversions in MgO-doped congruent LiNbO3 and near stoichiometric LiTaO3 crystals are investigated for the first time here. Within the wavelength range from 351 to 799 nm, the different reductions of nucleation field induced by the focused continuous laser irradiation are systematically investigated in the MgO-doped congruent LiNbO3 crystals. The investigation of ultrashort-pulse laser-induced domain inversion in MgO-doped congruent LiNbO3 is performed with 800 nm wavelength irradiation. The focused continuous ultraviolet laser-induced ferroelectric domain inversion in the near stoichiometric LiTaO3 is also investigated. The different physical explanations, based on space charge field and defect formation, are presented for the laser-induced domain inversion, and the solid experimental proofs are also presented. The results provide the solid experimental proofs and feasible schemes for the further investigation of laser-induced domain engineering in MgO-doped LiNbO3 and near stoichiometric LiTaO3 crystals. The important characteristics of domain inversion, including domain wall and internal field, in LiNbO3 crystals are also investigated by the digital holographic interferometry with an improved reconstruction method, and some creative experimental results and conclusions are achieved.

Determination of the electrostatic potential distribution in Pt/Fe:SrTiO3/Nb:SrTiO3 thin-film structures by electron holography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marchewka, Astrid; Cooper, David; Lenser, Christian; Menzel, Stephan; Du, Hongchu; Dittmann, Regina; Dunin-Borkowski, Rafal E.; Waser, Rainer

2014-11-01

We determined the electrostatic potential distribution in pristine Pt/Fe:SrTiO3/Nb:SrTiO3 structures by electron holography experiments, revealing the existence of a depletion layer extending into the Nb-doped bottom electrode. Simulations of potential profiles in metal-insulator-metal structures were conducted assuming different types and distributions of dopants. It is found that the presence of acceptor-type dopant concentrations at the Fe:SrTiO3/Nb:SrTiO3 interface with a donor-doped insulating layer provides a good match to the measured profile. Such acceptor-type interface concentrations may be associated with Sr vacancies on the Nb:SrTiO3 side of the bottom interface.

Theoretical analysis of photon statistics on excited number of modes and dopant concentration in Er3+:Ti:LiNbO, waveguide amplifiers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ducariu, A.; Constantin, G. C.; Puscas, N. N.

2005-08-01

In the small gain approximation and the unsaturated regime in this paper we report some original results concerning the evaluation of the Fano factor, statistical fluctuation and spontaneous emission factor which characterize the photon statistics on the number of excited modes, dopant concentration and power pumping in the single and double pass Er3+ - doped LiNbO, straight waveguide amplifiers pumped near 1484 nm using erfc, Gaussian and constant profile of the Er3+ ions in LiNbO, crystal. We demonstrated that for 50 mW input pump power the Poisson photon statistics are maintained in the above mentioned amplifiers for concentrations of the Er ions smaller than l026 m-3 and also high gains and low noise figures are achievable. The obtained results can be used for the design of optoelectronic integrated circuits.

X-ray diffraction and infrared spectroscopy studies of Ba(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3-(Na1/2Bi1/2)TiO3 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chandra, K. P.; Yadav, Anjana; Prasad, K.

2018-05-01

Ceramics (1-x)Ba(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3-x(Na1/2Bi1/2)TiO3; 0≤x≤1.0 were prepared by conventional ceramic synthesis technique. Rietveld refinements of X-ray diffraction data of these ceramics were carried out using FullProf software and determined their crystal symmetry, space group and unit cell dimensions. Rietveld refinement revealed that Ba(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3 has cubic structure with space group Pm 3 ¯ m and Na1/2Bi1/2)TiO3 has rhombohedral structure with space group R3c. Addition of (Na1/2Bi1/2)TiO3 to Ba(Fe1/2Nb1/2)O3 resulted in the change of unit cell structure from cubic to tetragonal (P4/mmm) for x = 0.75 and the X-Ray diffraction peaks slightly shift towards higher Bragg's angle, suggesting slight decrease in unit cell volume. SEM studies were carried out in order to access the quality of the prepared ceramics which showed a change in grain shapes with the increase of (Na1/2Bi1/2)TiO3 content. FTIR spectra confirmed the formation of perovskite type solid solutions.

Acquisition of negative complement regulators by the saprophyte Leptospira biflexa expressing LigA or LigB confers enhanced survival in human serum.

PubMed

Castiblanco-Valencia, Mónica M; Fraga, Tatiana R; Breda, Leandro C D; Vasconcellos, Sílvio A; Figueira, Cláudio P; Picardeau, Mathieu; Wunder, Elsio; Ko, Albert I; Barbosa, Angela S; Isaac, Lourdes

2016-05-01

Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) proteins are surface exposed molecules present in pathogenic but not in saprophytic Leptospira species. We have previously shown that Lig proteins interact with the soluble complement regulators Factor H (FH), FH like-1 (FHL-1), FH related-1 (FHR-1) and C4b Binding Protein (C4BP). In this study, we used the saprophyte L. biflexa serovar Patoc as a surrogate host to address the specific role of LigA and LigB proteins in leptospiral complement evasion. L. biflexa expressing LigA or LigB was able to acquire FH and C4BP. Bound complement regulators retained their cofactor activities of FI in the proteolytic cleavage of C3b and C4b. Moreover, heterologous expression of ligA and ligB genes in the saprophyte L. biflexa enhanced bacterial survival in human serum. Complement deposition on lig-transformed L. biflexa was assessed by flow cytometry analysis. With regard to MAC deposition, L. biflexa expressing LigA or LigB presented an intermediate profile: MAC deposition levels were greater than those found in the pathogenic L. interrogans, but lower than those observed for L. biflexa wildtype. In conclusion, Lig proteins contribute to in vitro control of complement activation on the leptospiral surface, promoting an increased bacterial survival in human serum. Copyright © 2016 European Federation of Immunological Societies. All rights reserved.

Acquisition of negative complement regulators by the saprophyte Leptospira biflexa expressing LigA or LigB confers enhanced survival in human serum

PubMed Central

Castiblanco-Valencia, Mónica M.; Fraga, Tatiana R.; Breda, Leandro C.D.; Vasconcellos, Sílvio A.; Figueira, Cláudio P.; Picardeau, Mathieu; Wunder, Elsio; Ko, Albert I.; Barbosa, Angela S.; Isaac, Lourdes

2017-01-01

Leptospiral immunoglobulin-like (Lig) proteins are surface exposed molecules present in pathogenic but not in saprophytic Leptospira species. We have previously shown that Lig proteins interact with the soluble complement regulators Factor H (FH), FH like-1 (FHL-1), FH related-1 (FHR-1) and C4b Binding Protein (C4BP). In this study, we used the saprophyte L. biflexa serovar Patoc as a surrogate host to address the specific role of LigA and LigB proteins in leptospiral complement evasion. L. biflexa expressing LigA or LigB was able to acquire FH and C4BP. Bound complement regulators retained their cofactor activities of FI in the proteolytic cleavage of C3b and C4b. Moreover, heterologous expression of ligA and ligB genes in the saprophyte L. biflexa enhanced bacterial survival in human serum. Complement deposition on lig-transformed L. biflexa was assessed by flow cytometry analysis. With regard to MAC deposition, L. biflexa expressing LigA or LigB presented an intermediate profile: MAC deposition levels were greater than those found in the pathogenic L. interrogans, but lower than those observed for L. biflexa wildtype. In conclusion, Lig proteins contribute to in vitro control of complement activation on the leptospiral surface, promoting an increased bacterial survival in human serum. PMID:26976804

High pressure transport and structural studies on Nb 3Ga superconductor

DOE PAGES

Mkrtcheyan, Vahe; Kumar, Ravhi; Baker, Jason; ...

2014-11-24

We investigated the crystal structure of A-15 superconductor Nb 3Ga with a critical temperature T c = 16.5 K by high pressure x-ray diffraction (HPXRD) using synchrotron x-rays and a diamond anvil cell under Ne pressure medium. Furthermore, the high pressure structural results indicate that Nb 3Ga is stable up to 41 GPa. The P-V plot shows an anomaly around 15 GPa even though there are no pressure induced structural transitions are observed. High pressure resistance measurements were performed up to 0.5 GPa to understand the variation of T c under pressure. Finally, our results show a positive pressure effectmore » on T c.« less

Piezo-/dielectric properties of perovskite-structure high-temperature relaxor ferroelectrics: The Pb(Lu{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3}–Pb(Zn{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}–PbTiO{sub 3} ternary ceramics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Li, Tao; University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049; Long, Xifa, E-mail: lxf@fjirsm.ac.cn

2014-03-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Pb(Zn{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-based ternary ferroelectric ceramics were prepared by solid-state synthesis method. • Morphotropic phase boundary region has been determined by XRD, di-/piezoelectric properties. • The compositions near MPB region exhibit excellent piezoelectric properties. - Abstract: A new compositional system of relaxor ferroelectrics was investigated based on the high piezoelectricity Pb(Zn{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}–PbTiO{sub 3} ferroelectric perovskite family. Compositions were fabricated near an estimated morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) of the Pb(Lu{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3}–Pb(Zn{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}–PbTiO{sub 3} (PLZNT) ternary system by a two-step synthetic process. Their structures have been analyzed by means ofmore » X-ray diffraction technique. On the basis of X-ray powder diffraction, the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) region for the ternary system was obtained. The Curie temperature T{sub C} of ternary system varied from 240 °C to 330 °C and the coercive fields E{sub c}s > 10 kV/cm. The values of piezoelectric coefficients d{sub 33} vary in the range of 260–450 pC/N with different PZN contents. It is worth noting that the optimum compositions were located at MPB region but near the tetragonal phase. The new PLZNT ceramics exhibit wider range of T{sub C}s and E{sub c}s, making it a promising material for high-powder ultrasound transducers using in a large temperature range.« less

Major enhancement of the thermoelectric performance in Pr/Nb-doped SrTiO3 under strain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, B.; Singh, N.; Tritt, T. M.; Alshareef, H. N.; Schwingenschlögl, U.

2013-07-01

The electronic structure and thermoelectric properties of strained (biaxially and uniaxially) Sr0.95Pr0.05TiO3 and SrTi0.95Nb0.05O3 are investigated in the temperature range from 300 K to 1200 K. Substitutions of Pr at the Sr site and Nb at the Ti site generate n-type doping and thus improve the thermoelectric performance as compared to pristine SrTiO3. Further enhancement is achieved by the application of strain, for example, of the Seebeck coefficient by 21% for Sr0.95Pr0.05TiO3 and 10% for SrTi0.95Nb0.05O3 at room temperature in the case of 5% biaxial strain. At 1200 K, we predict figures of merit of 0.58 and 0.55 for 2.5% biaxially strained Sr0.95Pr0.05TiO3 and SrTi0.95Nb0.05O3, respectively, which are the highest values reported for rare earth doped SrTiO3.

The Effect of Nb Addition on the Microstructure and the High-Temperature Strength of Fe3Al Aluminide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kratochvíl, Petr; Švec, Martin; Král, Robert; Veselý, Jozef; Lukáč, Pavel; Vlasák, Tomáš

2018-02-01

The microstructural and high-temperature mechanical properties of Fe-26Al-xNb (x = 3 and 5 at. pct) are compared. The alloys were investigated "as cast" and after hot rolling at 1473 K (1200 °C). Scanning electron microscopes equipped with EDS and EBSD were used for the microstructure and phase identification. The addition of 3 at. pct of Nb into the Fe3Al matrix leads to the formation of C14 λ—Laves phase (Fe,Al)2Nb (LP) particles spread in the Fe3Al matrix, while an eutectic with thin lamellae of LP C14 λ—Laves phase (Fe,Al)2Nb and matrix is also formed in the iron aluminide with 5 at. pct of Nb. The presence of incoherent precipitates is connected with the enhancement of the high-temperature strength and creep resistance.

Purely hopping conduction in c-axis oriented LiNbO3 thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shandilya, Swati; Tomar, Monika; Sreenivas, K.; Gupta, Vinay

2009-05-01

Dielectric constant and ac conductivity of highly c-axis oriented LiNbO3 thin film grown by pulsed laser deposition were studied in a metal-insulator-metal configuration over a wide temperature (200 to 450 K) and frequency (100 Hz to 1 MHz) range. The preferred oriented Al (1%) doped ZnO film with electrical conductivity 1.1×103 Ω-1 cm-1 was deposited for dual purpose: (1) to serve as nucleating center for LiNbO3 crystallites along preferred c-axis growth direction, and (2) to act as a suitable bottom electrode for electrical studies. The room temperature dc conductivity (σdc) of LiNbO3 film was about 5.34×10-10 Ω-1 cm-1 with activation energy ˜0.3 eV, indicating extrinsic conduction. The ac conductivity σac was found to be much higher in comparison to σdc in the low temperature region (<300 K) and exhibits a power law behavior due to the hopping of charge carriers. In higher temperature region (>300 K), σac shows a weak frequency dependence, whereas dielectric constant exhibits a strong frequency dispersion. The dielectric dispersion data has been discussed in the light of theoretical models based on Debye type mixed conduction and purely hopping conduction. The dominant conduction in c-axis oriented LiNbO3 thin film is attributed to the purely hopping where both σdc and σac arise due to same mechanism.

Hyper-Raman and Raman scattering from the polar modes of PbMg1/3Nb2/3O3.

PubMed

Hehlen, B; Amouri, A; Al-Zein, A; Khemakhem, H

2014-01-08

Microhyper-Raman spectroscopy of PbMg(1/3)Nb(2/3)O(3) (PMN) single crystal is performed at room temperature. The use of an optical microscope working in backscattering geometry significantly reduces the LO signal, highlighting thereby the weak contributions underneath. We clearly identify the highest frequency transverse optic mode (TO3) in addition to the previously observed soft TO-doublet at low frequency and TO2 at intermediate frequency. TO3 exhibits strong inhomogeneous broadening but perfectly fulfils the hyper-Raman cubic selection rules. The analysis shows that hyper-Raman spectroscopy is sensitive to all the vibrations of the average cubic Pm3¯m symmetry group of PMN, the three polar F1u- and the silent F2u-symmetry modes. All these vibrations can be identified in the Raman spectra alongside other vibrational bands likely arising from symmetry breaking in polar nanoregions.

The Corrosion Behavior of Ni3(Si,Nb) Alloys in Boiling 70 wt.% Sulfuric Acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsu, Jen-Hsien; Larson, Christopher M.; Newkirk, Joseph W.; Brow, Richard K.; Zhang, San-Hong

2016-02-01

Corrosion-resistant Ni3(Si,Nb) alloys are promising materials of construction for hydrogen-production systems based on the sulfur-iodine thermochemical cycle. In this work, the corrosion rates of three different Ni3(Si,Nb) alloys were measured in boiling 70 wt.% sulfuric acid and a three-stage corrosion mechanism was identified, based on the composition and morphology of surface scale that developed. The α(Ni) + β(Ni3Si) eutectic constituent of the alloy microstructure was selectively attacked by acid and, when present, is detrimental to corrosion resistance. The G-phase (Ni16Si17Nb6) is more passive than the β-matrix and seems to contribute to a lower steady-state corrosion rate.

Phase Evolution in and Creep Properties of Nb-Rich Nb-Si-Cr Eutectics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gang, Florian; Kauffmann, Alexander; Heilmaier, Martin

2018-03-01

In this work, the Nb-rich ternary eutectic in the Nb-Si-Cr system has been experimentally determined to be Nb-10.9Si-28.4Cr (in at. pct). The eutectic is composed of three main phases: Nb solid solution (Nbss), β-Cr2Nb, and Nb9(Si,Cr)5. The ternary eutectic microstructure remains stable for several hundred hours at a temperature up to 1473 K (1200 °C). At 1573 K (1300 °C) and above, the silicide phase Nb9(Si,Cr)5 decomposes into α-Nb5Si3, Nbss, and β-Cr2Nb. Under creep conditions at 1473 K (1200 °C), the alloy deforms by dislocation creep while the major creep resistance is provided by the silicide matrix. If the silicide phase is fragmented and, thus, its matrix character is destroyed by prior heat treatment [ e.g., at 1773 K (1500 °C) for 100 hours], creep is mainly controlled by the Laves phase β-Cr2Nb, resulting in increased minimum strain rates. Compared to state of the art Ni-based superalloys, the creep resistance of this three-phase eutectic alloy is significantly higher.

Improvement of stability of Nb 3 Sn superconductors by introducing high specific heat substances

DOE PAGES

Xu, X.; Li, P.; Zlobin, A. V.; ...

2018-01-24

High-J c Nb 3Sn conductors have low stability against perturbations, which accounts for the slow training rates of high-field Nb 3Sn magnets. While it is known that adding substances with high specific heat (C) into Nb 3Sn wires can increase their overall specific heat and thus improve their stability, there has not been a practical method that is compatible with the fabrication of long-length conductors. In this work, we put forward a scheme to introduce such substances to distributed-barrier Nb 3Sn wires, which adds minimum difficulty to the wire manufacturing process. Multifilamentary wires using a mixture of Cu and high-Cmore » Gd 2O 3 powders have been successfully fabricated along this line. Measurements showed that addition of Gd 2O 3 had no negative effects on residual resitivity ratio or non-Cu J c, and that flux jumps were remarkably reduced, and minimum quench energy values at 4.2 K, 14 T were increased by a factor of three, indicating that stability was significantly improved. We also discussed the influences of the positioning of high-C substances and their thermal diffusivity on their effectiveness in reducing the superconductor temperature rise against perturbations. Based on these results, we proposed an optimized conductor architecture to maximize the effectiveness of this approach.« less

Improvement of stability of Nb 3 Sn superconductors by introducing high specific heat substances

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, X.; Li, P.; Zlobin, A. V.

High-J c Nb 3Sn conductors have low stability against perturbations, which accounts for the slow training rates of high-field Nb 3Sn magnets. While it is known that adding substances with high specific heat (C) into Nb 3Sn wires can increase their overall specific heat and thus improve their stability, there has not been a practical method that is compatible with the fabrication of long-length conductors. In this work, we put forward a scheme to introduce such substances to distributed-barrier Nb 3Sn wires, which adds minimum difficulty to the wire manufacturing process. Multifilamentary wires using a mixture of Cu and high-Cmore » Gd 2O 3 powders have been successfully fabricated along this line. Measurements showed that addition of Gd 2O 3 had no negative effects on residual resitivity ratio or non-Cu J c, and that flux jumps were remarkably reduced, and minimum quench energy values at 4.2 K, 14 T were increased by a factor of three, indicating that stability was significantly improved. We also discussed the influences of the positioning of high-C substances and their thermal diffusivity on their effectiveness in reducing the superconductor temperature rise against perturbations. Based on these results, we proposed an optimized conductor architecture to maximize the effectiveness of this approach.« less

Reversing Optical Damage In LiNbO3 Switches

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gee, C. M.; Thurmond, G. D.

1985-01-01

One symptom of optical damage in Ti-diffused LiNbO3 directional-coupler switch reversed by temporarily raising input illumination to higher-thannormal power level. Healing phenomenon used to restore normal operation, increase operating-power rating, and stabilize operating characteristics at lower powers. Higher operating power is tolerated after treatment.

Microstructure and mechanical properties of the NiNbZrTiAl amorphous alloys with 10 and 25 at.% Nb content.

PubMed

Czeppe, T; Ochin, P; Sypień, A; Major, L

2010-03-01

The results of investigation of two different Ni-based glasses with compositions Ni(58)Nb(10)Zr(13)Ti(12)Al(7) and Ni(58)Nb(25)Zr(8)Ti(6)Al(3) are presented. The structure of the melt spun ribbons was amorphous. The supercooled liquid range decreased and primary crystallization temperature increased with increasing Nb content while the parameter T(g)/T(m) slightly increased. The crystallization process proceeded in a different way. The ribbon containing 10 at.% Nb showed typical primary crystallization of the 50 nm grains of the NiTi(Nb) cubic phase; the ribbon containing 25 at.% of Nb revealed high thermal stability of the amorphous phase, which crystallized only in a small amount in the range of primary crystallization, preserving large fraction of the amorphous phase even high above the end of the crystallization. The tensile load-displacement curves were also different. In both cases, the ribbons revealed quite a large range of the plastic elongation. The ribbon containing 10% Nb showed stress relaxation and was maximally elongated up to 0.6. The ribbon with 25 at.% Nb revealed a hardening effect and the slightly smaller maximal elongation following it. The microstructure of the deformed specimens showed deformation bands parallel to the tensile axis, microcracks formation along shear bands and river-like pattern at the fracture surfaces. In both cases, high resolution electron microscope did not reveal any crystallization after deformation.

Fabrication and Analysis of 150-mm-Aperture Nb 3Sn MQXF Coils

DOE PAGES

Holik, E. F.; Ambrosio, G.; Anerella, M.; ...

2016-01-12

The U.S. LHC Accelerator Research Program (LARP) and CERN are combining efforts for the HiLumi-LHC upgrade to design and fabricate 150-mm-aperture, interaction region quadrupoles with a nominal gradient of 130 T/m using Nb 3Sn. To successfully produce the necessary long MQXF triplets, the HiLumi-LHC collaboration is systematically reducing risk and design modification by heavily relying upon the experience gained from the successful 120-mm-aperture LARP HQ program. First generation MQXF short (MQXFS) coils were predominately a scaling up of the HQ quadrupole design allowing comparable cable expansion during Nb 3Sn formation heat treatment and increased insulation fraction for electrical robustness. Amore » total of 13 first generation MQXFS coils were fabricated between LARP and CERN. Systematic differences in coil size, coil alignment symmetry, and coil length contraction during heat treatment are observed and likely due to slight variances in tooling and insulation/cable systems. Analysis of coil cross sections indicate that field-shaping wedges and adjacent coil turns are systematically displaced from the nominal location and the cable is expanding less than nominally designed. Lastly, a second generation MQXF coil design seeks to correct the expansion and displacement discrepancies by increasing insulation and adding adjustable shims at the coil pole and midplanes to correct allowed magnetic field harmonics.« less

Isolation and structures of sulfonium salts derived from thioethers: [{o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)SMe)(2)}H][NbF(6)] and [{[9]aneS(3)}H][NbF(6)].

PubMed

Jura, Marek; Levason, William; Reid, Gillian; Webster, Michael

2009-10-07

Two very unusual sulfonium salts, [{o-C(6)H(4)(CH(2)SMe)(2)}H][NbF(6)] and [{[9]aneS(3)}H][NbF(6)], obtained from reaction of the thioethers with NbF(5) in CH(2)Cl(2) solution, are reported and their structures described; the eight-coordinate tetrafluoro Nb(v) cation of the dithioether is obtained from the same reaction.

The microwave properties of Ag(Ta0.8Nb0.2)O3 thick film interdigital capacitors on alumina substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Ku-Tak; Koh, Jung-Hyuk

2012-01-01

In this paper, we will introduce the microwave properties of Ag(Ta0.8Nb0.2)O3 thick film planar type interdigital capacitors fabricated on alumina substrates. The tailored paraelectric state of Ag(Ta,Nb)O3 allows the material to be regarded as a part of the family of microwave materials. As thick films formed in our experiment, Ag(Ta,Nb)O3 exhibited extremely low dielectric loss with relatively high dielectric permittivity. This low dielectric loss is a very important issue for microwave applications. Therefore, we investigated the microwave properties of Ag(Ta0.8Nb0.2)O3 thick film planar type interdigital capacitors. Ag(Ta0.8Nb0.2)O3 thick films were prepared by a screen-printing method on alumina substrates and were sintered at 1140 °C for 2 hrs. The XRD analysis results showed that the Ag(Ta0.8Nb0.2)O3 thick film has the perovskite structure. The frequency dependent dielectric permittivity showed that these Ag(Ta0.8Nb0.2)O3 thick film planar type interdigital capacitors have very weak frequency dispersions with low loss tangents in the microwave range.

Multi-dimensional multi-species modeling of transient electrodeposition in LIGA microfabrication.

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Evans, Gregory Herbert; Chen, Ken Shuang

2004-06-01

This report documents the efforts and accomplishments of the LIGA electrodeposition modeling project which was headed by the ASCI Materials and Physics Modeling Program. A multi-dimensional framework based on GOMA was developed for modeling time-dependent diffusion and migration of multiple charged species in a dilute electrolyte solution with reduction electro-chemical reactions on moving deposition surfaces. By combining the species mass conservation equations with the electroneutrality constraint, a Poisson equation that explicitly describes the electrolyte potential was derived. The set of coupled, nonlinear equations governing species transport, electric potential, velocity, hydrodynamic pressure, and mesh motion were solved in GOMA, using themore » finite-element method and a fully-coupled implicit solution scheme via Newton's method. By treating the finite-element mesh as a pseudo solid with an arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian formulation and by repeatedly performing re-meshing with CUBIT and re-mapping with MAPVAR, the moving deposition surfaces were tracked explicitly from start of deposition until the trenches were filled with metal, thus enabling the computation of local current densities that potentially influence the microstructure and frictional/mechanical properties of the deposit. The multi-dimensional, multi-species, transient computational framework was demonstrated in case studies of two-dimensional nickel electrodeposition in single and multiple trenches, without and with bath stirring or forced flow. Effects of buoyancy-induced convection on deposition were also investigated. To further illustrate its utility, the framework was employed to simulate deposition in microscreen-based LIGA molds. Lastly, future needs for modeling LIGA electrodeposition are discussed.« less

Behavioural abnormalities of the hyposulphataemic Nas1 knock-out mouse.

PubMed

Dawson, Paul Anthony; Steane, Sarah Elizabeth; Markovich, Daniel

2004-10-05

We recently generated a sodium sulphate cotransporter knock-out mouse (Nas1-/-) which has increased urinary sulphate excretion and hyposulphataemia. To examine the consequences of disturbed sulphate homeostasis in the modulation of mouse behavioural characteristics, Nas1-/- mice were compared with Nas1+/- and Nas1+/+ littermates in a series of behavioural tests. The Nas1-/- mice displayed significantly (P < 0.001) decreased marble burying behaviour (4.33 +/- 0.82 buried) when compared to Nas1+/+ (7.86 +/- 0.44) and Nas1+/- (8.40 +/- 0.37) animals, suggesting that Nas1-/- mice may have decreased object-induced anxiety. The Nas1-/- mice also displayed decreased locomotor activity by moving less distance (1.53 +/- 0.27 m, P < 0.05) in an open-field test when compared to Nas1+/+ (2.31 +/- 0.24 m) and Nas1+/- (2.15 +/- 0.19 m) mice. The three genotypes displayed similar spatiotemporal and ethological behaviours in the elevated-plus maze and open-field test, with the exception of a decreased defecation frequency by the Nas1-/- mice (40% reduction, P < 0.01). There were no significant differences between Nas1-/- and Nas1+/+ mice in a rotarod performance test of motor coordination and in the forced swim test assessing (anti-)depressant-like behaviours. This is the first study to demonstrate behavioural abnormalities in the hyposulphataemic Nas1-/- mice.

NbN/MgO/NbN edge-geometry tunnel junctions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hunt, B. D.; Leduc, H. G.; Cypher, S. R.; Stern, J. A.; Judas, A.

1989-01-01

The fabrication and low-frequency testing of the first edge-geometry NbN/MgO/NbN superconducting tunnel junctions are reported. The use of an edge geometry allows very small junction areas to be obtained, while the all-NbN electrodes permit operation at 8-10 K with a potential maximum operating frequency above 1 THz. Edge definition in the base NbN film was accomplished utilizing Ar ion milling with an Al2O3 milling mask, followed by a lower energy ion cleaning step. This process has produced all-refractory-material tunnel junctions with areas as small as 0.1 sq micron, resistance-area products less than 21 ohm sq micron, and subgap to normal state resistance ratios larger than 18.

Polaronic deformation at the Fe2+/3 + impurity site in Fe:LiNbO3 crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanson, A.; Zaltron, A.; Argiolas, N.; Sada, C.; Bazzan, M.; Schmidt, W. G.; Sanna, S.

2015-03-01

Iron doped LiNbO3 crystals with different iron valence states are investigated. An extended x-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy study highlights evident changes in the local structure around iron that can be ascribed to the presence of small polarons. In particular, when a Fe3+ replaced a Li ion, the oxygen octahedron shrinked with respect to the pure material, with an average iron-oxygen bond value very similar to that of Fe2O3 hematite. When adding an electron, it localizes at the Fe site in a configuration very close to the atomic Fe d orbitals, inducing a relaxation of the oxygen cage. The same system was modelled by spin-polarized density functional theory (DFT). Several local as well as hybrid exchange-correlation functionals were probed on the bulk LiNbO3 structural properties. The computation is then extended to the case of hematite and finally to the Fe defect in LiNbO3. The calculations reproduced with good accuracy the large lattice relaxation of the oxygen ligands associated to the electronic capture at the Fe center that can be interpreted as due to the polaron formation. The calculations reproduce satisfactorily the available EXAFS data, and allow for the estimation of the polaron energies and the optical properties of the defect.

B-site cation order/disorder and their valence states in Ba3MnNb2O9 perovskite oxide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Yan; Huang, Qing; Shafieizadeh, Zahra; Zhou, Haidong

2018-06-01

Polycrystalline samples Ba3MnNb2O9 synthesized by solid state reaction and single crystal samples grown by optical floating zone have been characterized using scanning transmission electron microscopy and electron energy loss spectroscopy. Three types of B-site Mn and Nb ordering phase are observed: fully ordered 1Mn:2Nb; fully disordered; nano-sized 1Mn:1Nb ordered. No electronic structure change for crystals with different ordering/disordering. The Mn valence is determined to be 2+, and Nb valence is 5+. Oxygen 2p orbitals hybridize with Mn 3d and Nb 4d orbitals. Factors that affect the electron energy loss near edge structures of transition metal white-lines in electron energy loss spectroscopy are explicitly illustrated and discussed.

Synthesis and visible light photocatalytic property of polyhedron-shaped AgNbO3.

PubMed

Li, Guoqiang; Yan, Shicheng; Wang, Zhiqiang; Wang, Xiangyan; Li, Zhaosheng; Ye, Jinhua; Zou, Zhigang

2009-10-28

Polyhedron-shaped AgNbO3 photocatalysts were synthesized by solvothermal and liquid-solid methods. Their photocatalytic properties were evaluated from the photocatalytic O2 evolution under visible light irradiation. The polyhedron-shaped AgNbO3 was induced to grow by shaped silver particles followed by the free-growth model. The photocatalytic results indicate that the polyhedron-shaped morphology is favourable for the photocatalytic O2 evolution under visible light irradiation in comparison with the spherical one. Furthermore, the Cu doping on the surface would enhance the visible light photocatalytic activity significantly.

Anti-site mixing and magnetic properties of Fe 3Co 3Nb 2 studied via neutron powder diffraction

DOE PAGES

Xu, Xiaoshan; Zhang, Xiaozhe; Yin, Yuewei; ...

2016-11-02

Here, we studied the crystal structure and magnetic properties of the rare-earth-free intermetallic compound Fe 3Co 3Nb 2, which has recently been demonstrated to have potentially high magnetic anisotropy, using temperature-dependent neutron powder diffraction. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the diffraction spectra reveals a magnetic transition between 300 and 400 K, in agreement with the magnetometry measurements. According to the structural refinement of the paramagnetic state and the substantial magnetic contribution to the diffuse scattering in the ferromagnetic state, the Fe/Co anti-site mixing is so strong that the site occupation for Fe and Co is almost random. The projection ofmore » the magnetic moments turned out to be non-zero along the c axis and in the a–b plane of Fe 3Co 3Nb 2, most likely because of the exchange interactions between the randomly orientated nanograins in the samples. These findings suggest that future studies on the magnetism of Fe 3Co 3Nb 2 need to take the Fe/Co anti-site mixing into account, and the exchange interactions need to be suppressed to obtain large remanence and coercivity.« less

Anti-site mixing and magnetic properties of Fe 3Co 3Nb 2 studied via neutron powder diffraction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Xu, Xiaoshan; Zhang, Xiaozhe; Yin, Yuewei

Here, we studied the crystal structure and magnetic properties of the rare-earth-free intermetallic compound Fe 3Co 3Nb 2, which has recently been demonstrated to have potentially high magnetic anisotropy, using temperature-dependent neutron powder diffraction. Furthermore, the temperature dependence of the diffraction spectra reveals a magnetic transition between 300 and 400 K, in agreement with the magnetometry measurements. According to the structural refinement of the paramagnetic state and the substantial magnetic contribution to the diffuse scattering in the ferromagnetic state, the Fe/Co anti-site mixing is so strong that the site occupation for Fe and Co is almost random. The projection ofmore » the magnetic moments turned out to be non-zero along the c axis and in the a–b plane of Fe 3Co 3Nb 2, most likely because of the exchange interactions between the randomly orientated nanograins in the samples. These findings suggest that future studies on the magnetism of Fe 3Co 3Nb 2 need to take the Fe/Co anti-site mixing into account, and the exchange interactions need to be suppressed to obtain large remanence and coercivity.« less

LiNbO3 surfaces from a microscopic perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanna, Simone; Gero Schmidt, Wolf

2017-10-01

A large number of oxides has been investigated in the last twenty years as possible new materials for various applications ranging from opto-electronics to heterogeneous catalysis. In this context, ferroelectric oxides are particularly promising. The electric polarization plays a crucial role at many oxide surfaces, and it largely determines their physical and chemical properties. Ferroelectrics offer in addition the possibility to control/switch the electric polarization and hence the surface chemistry, allowing for the realization of domain-engineered nanoscale devices such as molecular detectors or highly efficient catalysts. Lithium niobate (LiNbO3) is a ferroelectric with a high spontaneous polarization, whose surfaces have a huge and largely unexplored potential. Owing to recent advances in experimental techniques and sample preparation, peculiar and exclusive properties of LiNbO3 surfaces could be demonstrated. For example, water films freeze at different temperatures on differently polarized surfaces, and the chemical etching properties of surfaces with opposite polarization are strongly different. More important, the ferroelectric domain orientation affects temperature dependent surface stabilization mechanisms and molecular adsorption phenomena. Various ab initio theoretical investigations have been performed in order to understand the outcome of these experiments and the origin of the exotic behavior of the lithium niobate surfaces. Thanks to these studies, many aspects of their surface physics and chemistry could be clarified. Yet other puzzling features are still not understood. This review gives a résumé on the present knowledge of lithium niobate surfaces, with a particular view on their microscopic properties, explored in recent years by means of ab initio calculations. Relevant aspects and properties of the surfaces that need further investigation are briefly discussed. The review is concluded with an outlook of challenges and potential payoff

Investigation of the thermoelectric properties of Nb and oxygen vacancy co-doped SrTiO3 ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Jing; Yuan, Zhanhui; Xu, Shikui; Li, Zhuangzhi; Xu, Jingzhou; Tang, Guide

2017-05-01

High quality Nb doped SrTi1-x Nb x O3 polycrystalline ceramics were fabricated using a conventional solid state reaction method. By annealing in a reducing atmosphere at an elevated temperature, a series of Nb and oxygen vacancy co-doped SrTi1-x Nb x O3-δ (0  ⩽  x  ⩽  0.2) samples was obtained. The thermoelectric properties of the samples were measured in the temperature range from 15 K to 380 K. These measurements showed that the transport behavior of these samples is consistent with the small polaron conduction mechanism for the temperature range from room temperature to 380 K. Furthermore, after annealing, samples with a lower Nb doping were found to give a relative higher ZT value, while excess Nb led to a reduced ZT value. The x  =  0.02 sample gave the optimal thermoelectric properties, with a ZT value of 0.023 at 300 K, and 0.028 at 380 K.

Ferroelectric domain structure of anisotropically strained NaNbO3 epitaxial thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarzkopf, J.; Braun, D.; Schmidbauer, M.; Duk, A.; Wördenweber, R.

2014-05-01

NaNbO3 thin films have been grown under anisotropic biaxial strain on several oxide substrates by liquid-delivery spin metalorganic chemical vapor deposition. Compressive lattice strain of different magnitude, induced by the deposition of NaNbO3 films with varying film thickness on NdGaO3 single crystalline substrates, leads to modifications of film orientation and phase symmetry, which are similar to the phase transitions in Pb-containing oxides near the morphotropic phase boundary. Piezoresponse force microscopy measurements exhibit large out-of-plane polarization components, but no distinctive domain structure, while C-V measurements indicate relaxor properties in these films. When tensile strain is provoked by the epitaxial growth on DyScO3, TbScO3, and GdScO3 single crystalline substrates, NaNbO3 films behave rather like a normal ferroelectric. The application of these rare-earth scandate substrates yields well-ordered ferroelectric stripe domains of the type a1/a2 with coherent domain walls aligned along the [001] substrate direction as long as the films are fully strained. With increasing plastic lattice relaxation, initially, a 2D domain pattern with still exclusively in-plane electric polarization, and finally, domains with in-plane and out-of-plane polar components evolve.

Alloying and Properties of C14–NbCr2 and A15–Nb3X (X = Al, Ge, Si, Sn) in Nb–Silicide-Based Alloys

PubMed Central

Tsakiropoulos, Panos

2018-01-01

The oxidation of Nb–silicide-based alloys is improved with Al, Cr, Ge or Sn addition(s). Depending on addition(s) and its(their) concentration(s), alloyed C14-AB2 Laves and A15-A3X phases can be stable in the microstructures of the alloys. In both phases, A is the transition metal(s), and B and X respectively can be Cr, Al, Ge, Si or Sn, and Al, Ge, Si or Sn. The alloying, creep and hardness of these phases were studied using the composition weighted differences in electronegativity (∆χ), average valence electron concentrations (VEC) and atomic sizes. For the Laves phase (i) the VEC and ∆χ were in the ranges 4.976 < VEC < 5.358 and −0.503 < ∆χ < −0.107; (ii) the concentration of B (=Al + Cr + Ge + Si + Sn) varied from 50.9 to 64.5 at %; and (iii) the Cr concentration was in the range of 35.8 < Cr < 51.6 at %. Maps of ∆χ versus Cr, ∆χ versus VEC, and VEC versus atomic size separated the alloying behaviours of the elements. Compared with unalloyed NbCr2, the VEC decreased and ∆χ increased in Nb(Cr,Si)2, and the changes in both parameters increased when Nb was substituted by Ti, and Cr by Si and Al, or Si and Ge, or Si and Sn. For the A15 phase (i) the VEC and ∆χ were in the ranges 4.38 < VEC < 4.89 and 0.857 < ∆χ < 1.04, with no VEC values between 4.63 and 4.72 and (ii) the concentration of X (=Al + Ge + Si + Sn) varied from 16.3 to 22.7 at %. The VEC versus ∆χ map separated the alloying behaviours of elements. The hardness of A15-Nb3X was correlated with the parameters ∆χ and VEC. The hardness increased with increases in ∆χ and VEC. Compared with Nb3Sn, the ∆χ and hardness of Nb3(Si,Sn) increased. The substitution of Nb by Cr had the same effect on ∆χ and hardness as Hf or Ti. The ∆χ and hardness increased with Ti concentration. The addition of Al in Nb3(Si,Sn,Al) decreased the ∆χ and increased the hardness. When Ti and Hf, or Ti, Hf and Cr, were simultaneously present with Al, the ∆χ was decreased and the

Temperature compensation effects of TiO2 on Ca[(Li1/3Nb2/3)0.8Sn0.2]O3-δ microwave dielectric ceramic

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Mingzhe; Wei, Huanghe; Xiao, Lihua; Zhang, Kesheng; Hao, Yongde

2017-10-01

The crystal structure and dielectric properties of TiO2-modified Ca[(Li1/3Nb2/3)0.8Sn0.2]O3-δ microwave ceramics are investigated in the present paper. The crystal structure is probed by XRD patterns and their Rietveld refinement, results show that a single perovskite phase is formed in TiO2-modified Ca[(Li1/3Nb2/3)0.8Sn0.2]O3-δ ceramics with the crystal structure belonging to the orthorhombic Pbnm 62 space group. Raman spectra results indicate that the B-site order-disorder structure transition is a key point to the dielectric loss of TiO2-modified Ca[(Li1/3Nb2/3)0.8Sn0.2]O3-δ ceramics at microwave frequencies. After properly modified by TiO2, the large negative temperature coefficient of Ca[(Li1/3Nb2/3)0.8Sn0.2]O3-δ ceramic can be compensated and the optimal microwave dielectric properties can reach 𝜀r = 25.66, Qf = 18,894 GHz and TCF = -6.3 ppm/∘C when sintered at 1170∘C for 2.5 h, which manifests itself for potential use in microwave dielectric devices for modern wireless communication.

Low-temperature nanodoping of protonated LiNbO3 crystals by univalent ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Borodin, Yu. V.

2015-01-01

In the nanocomposite model developed here, crystals are treated as subordinate aggregate of pro- ton-selected structural elements, their blocks, and proton-containing quantum sublattices with preferred transport effects separating them. The formation of stratified reversible hexagonal structures is accompanied with protonation and formation of a dense network of H-bonds ensuring the nanocomposite properties. Nanodoping with H+ ions occurs during processing of crystals and glasses in melts as well as in aqueous solutions of Ag, Tl, Rb, and Cs salts. The isotope exchange H+ ↔ D+ and ion exchange H+ ↔ M+ lead to nanodoping of protonated materials with D+ and M+ ions. This is manifested especially clearly in Li-depleted nonequilibrium LiNbO3 and LiTaO3 crystals. Low-temperature proton-ion nanodoping over superlattices is a basically new approach to analysis of the structure and properties of extremely nonequilibrium materials.

Critical Behavior and Macroscopic Phase Diagram of the Monoaxial Chiral Helimagnet Cr 1/3NbS 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Clements, Eleanor M.; Das, Raja; Li, Ling

2017-07-26

Cr 1/3NbS 2 is a unique example of a hexagonal chiral helimagnet with high crystalline anisotropy, and has generated growing interest for a possible magnetic field control of the incommensurate spin spiral. Here, we construct a comprehensive phase diagram based on detailed magnetization measurements of a high quality single crystal of Cr 1/3NbS 2 over three magnetic field regions. An analysis of the critical properties in the forced ferromagnetic region yields 3D Heisenberg exponents β = 0.3460 ± 0.040, γ = 1.344 ± 0.002, and T C = 130.78 K ± 0.044, which are consistent with the localized nature themore » of Cr 3+ moments and suggest short-range ferromagnetic interactions. We exploit the temperature and magnetic field dependence of magnetic entropy change (ΔS M) to accurately map the nonlinear crossover to the chiral soliton lattice regime from the chiral helimagnetic phase. Our observations in the low field region are consistent with the existence of chiral ordering in a temperature range above the Curie temperature, T C < T < T*, where a first-order transition has been previously predicted. An analysis of the universal behavior of ΔS M(T,H) experimentally demonstrates for the first time the first-order nature of the onset of chiral ordering.« less

Th-REE- and Nb-Ta-accessory minerals in post-collisional Ediacaran felsic rocks from the Katerina Ring Complex (S. Sinai, Egypt): An assessment for the fractionation of Y/Nb, Th/Nb, La/Nb and Ce/Pb in highly evolved A-type granites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moreno, J. A.; Molina, J. F.; Bea, F.; Abu Anbar, M.; Montero, P.

2016-08-01

The relationships of Y/Nb, Th/Nb, La/Nb and Ce/Pb ratios in A-type felsic rocks from the Ediacaran Katerina Ring Complex, northernmost Arabian-Nubian Shield (ANS; S. Sinai, Egypt), are investigated in this work to understand their behavior during generation of highly evolved granitic magmas and to explore the nature of magma sources. Textural and compositional relationships of cognate Th-REE- and Nb-Ta-accessory minerals in Katerina felsic rocks show that chevkinite-group minerals (CGM), monazite, thorite, allanite and xenotime formed from residual liquids in quartz syenite porphyries, quartz monzonites and peralkaline granites, whereas in aluminous granites, allanite and monazite crystallized early, and thorite and columbite formed from residual liquids. Relationships of Y/Nb, Th/Nb, La/Nb and Ce/Pb ratios with Zr/Hf ratios in the aluminous granites and with Be abundances in the peralkaline granites suggest a decrease in La/Nb and Ce/Pb ratios in the former, and in Y/Nb and La/Nb ratios in the latter with crystallization progress. This contrasts with absence of systematic variations of Th/Nb and Ce/Pb ratios in the peralkaline compositions and of Y/Nb ratio in the aluminous ones. In this latter, Th/Nb ratio can present a significant decrease only in highly evolved compositions. An analysis of Y/Nb, Th/Nb, La/Nb and Ce/Pb relationships in worldwide OIB and subduction-related magmatic suites reveals that A-type felsic rocks with (Th/Nb)N < 1.3, (La/Nb)N < 1.3, and (Ce/Pb)N > 1 may have A1-type affinity, and those with (Th/Nb)N > 2, (La/Nb)N > 2, and (Ce/Pb)N < 1 tend to present A2-type affinity. The crystal fractionation of Th-LREE- and Nb-Ta-accessory minerals and mixing of components derived from the two granite groups may cause deviations from these compositional limits that can be evaluated using constraints imposed by Th/Nb-La/Nb, Ce/Pb-Th/Nb and Ce/Pb-La/Nb relationships in OIB and subduction-related magmatic suites. Three mantle sources might have been

Optical Properties of LiNbO3 Single Crystal Grown by Czochralski Method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahar, M. R.; Naim, N. M.; Hamzah, K.

2011-03-01

Pure LiNbO3 single crystal was grown by Czochralski method using Automatic Diameter Control—Crystal Growth System (ADC-CGS). The transmission spectrum was determined by using Infrared Spectroscopy while the refractive index was determined using UV-Vis spectroscopy via the Sellmeier equation. The density was also measured using the Archimedes principle. It was found that the peak for the absorption vibrational spectrum for LiNbO3 crystal occurs at 801 cm-1, 672 cm-1, 639 cm-1 and 435 cm-1. The refractive index, ne was found to be 2.480 and the crystal density was around 4.64 g/cm3.

Direct electrocaloric measurement of 0.9Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-0.1PbTiO{sub 3} films using scanning thermal microscopy

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Crossley, S.; Nair, B.; Kar-Narayan, S.

2016-01-18

We show that scanning thermal microscopy can measure reversible electrocaloric (EC) effects in <40 μm-thick ceramic films of the relaxor ferroelectric 0.9Pb(Mg{sub 1/3}Nb{sub 2/3})O{sub 3}-0.1PbTiO{sub 3}, with the substrate present. We recorded roughly the same non-adiabatic temperature change (±0.23 K) for a thinner film that was driven harder than a thicker film (±31 V μm{sup −1} across 13 μm versus ±11 V μm{sup −1} across 38 μm), because the thicker film lay relatively closer to the substantially larger adiabatic values that we predicted by thermodynamic analysis of electrical data. Film preparation was compatible with the fabrication of EC multilayer capacitors, and therefore our measurement method maymore » be exploited for rapid characterisation of candidate films for cooling applications.« less

Wide-band 'black silicon' with atomic layer deposited NbN.

PubMed

Isakov, Kirill; Perros, Alexander Pyymaki; Shah, Ali; Lipsanen, Harri

2018-08-17

Antireflection surfaces are often utilized in optical components to reduce undesired reflection and increase absorption. We report on black silicon (b-Si) with dramatically enhanced absorption over a broad wavelength range (250-2500 nm) achieved by applying a 10-15 nm conformal coating of NbN with atomic layer deposition (ALD). The improvement is especially pronounced in the near infrared (NIR) range of 1100-2500 nm where absorption is increased by >90%. A significant increase of absorption is also observed over the ultraviolet range of 200-400 nm. Preceding NbN deposition with a nanostructured ALD Al 2 O 3 (n-Al 2 O 3 ) coating to enhance the NbN texture was also examined. Such texturing further improves absorption in the NIR, especially at longer wavelengths, strong absorption up to 4-5 μm wavelengths has been attested. For comparison, double side polished silicon and sapphire coated with 10 nm thick NbN exhibited absorption of only ∼55% in the NIR range of 1100-2500 nm. The results suggest a positive correlation between the surface area of NbN coating and optical absorption. Based on the wide-band absorption, the presented NbN-coated b-Si may be an attractive candidate for use in e.g. spectroscopic systems, infrared microbolometers.

Stripe-teeth metamaterial Al- and Nb-based rectennas (Presentation Recording)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Osgood, Richard M.; Giardini, Stephen A.; Carlson, Joel B.; Joghee, Prabhuram; O'Hayre, Ryan P.; Diest, Kenneth; Rothschild, Mordechai

2015-09-01

Unlike a semiconductor, where the absorption is limited by the band gap, a "microrectenna array" could theoretically very efficiently rectify any desired portion of the infrared frequency spectrum (25 - 400 THz). We investigated vertical metal-insulator-metal (MIM) diodes that rectify vertical high-frequency fields produced by a metamaterial planar stripe-teeth Al or Au array (above the diodes), similar to stripe arrays that have demonstrated near-perfect absorption in the infrared due to critical coupling [1]. Using our design rules that maximize asymmetry (and therefore the component of the electric field pointed into the substrate, analogous to Second Harmonic Generation), we designed, fabricated, and analyzed these metamaterial-based microrectenna arrays. NbOx and Al2O3 were produced by anodization and ALD, respectively. Smaller visible-light Pt-NbOx-Nb rectennas have produced output power when illuminated by visible (514 nm) light [2]. The resonances of these new Au/NbOx/Nb and Al/Al2O3/Al microrectenna arrays, with larger dimensions and more complex nanostructures than in Ref. 1, were characterized by microscopic FTIR microscopy and agreed well with FDTD models, once the experimental refractive index values were entered into the model. Current-voltage measurements were carried out, showed that the Al/Al2O3/Al diodes have very large barrier heights and breakdown voltages, and were compared to our model of the MIM diode. We calculate expected THz-rectification using classical [3] and quantum [4] rectification models, and compare to measurements of direct current output, under infrared illumination. [1] C. Wu, et. al., Phys. Rev. B 84 (2011) 075102. [2] R. M. Osgood III, et. al., Proc. SPIE 8096, 809610 (2011). [3] A. Sanchez, et. al., J. Appl. Phys. 49 (1978) 5270. [4] J. R. Tucker and M. J. Feldman, Rev. of Mod. Phys. 57, (1985)1055.

Large room-temperature tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance and electroresistance in single ferromagnet/Nb:SrTiO3 Schottky devices.

PubMed

Kamerbeek, Alexander M; Ruiter, Roald; Banerjee, Tamalika

2018-01-22

There is a large effort in research and development to realize electronic devices capable of storing information in new ways - for instance devices which simultaneously exhibit electro and magnetoresistance. However it remains a challenge to create devices in which both effects coexist. In this work we show that the well-known electroresistance in noble metal-Nb:SrTiO 3 Schottky junctions can be augmented by a magnetoresistance effect in the same junction. This is realized by replacing the noble metal electrode with ferromagnetic Co. This magnetoresistance manifests as a room temperature tunneling anisotropic magnetoresistance (TAMR). The maximum room temperature TAMR (1.6%) is significantly larger and robuster with bias than observed earlier, not using Nb:SrTiO 3 . In a different set of devices, a thin amorphous AlO x interlayer inserted between Co and Nb:SrTiO 3 , reduces the TAMR by more than 2 orders of magnitude. This points to the importance of intimate contact between the Co and Nb:SrTiO 3 for the TAMR effect. This is explained by electric field enhanced spin-orbit coupling of the interfacial Co layer in contact with Nb:SrTiO 3 . We propose that the large TAMR likely has its origin in the 3d orbital derived conduction band and large relative permittivity of Nb:SrTiO 3 and discuss ways to further enhance the TAMR.

Processing and problems in manufacturing a Ti-modified Nb/sub 3/Sn MJR billet. Volume 2

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

McDonald, W.K.; Smathers, D.; Geno, J.D.

1985-06-18

This report is submitted to complete Task II of University of California Order Number 4321405. Task I had Teledyne Wah Chang Albany (TWCA) assemble and process by the Modified Jelly Roll (MJR) method a Ti-modified Nb/sub 3/Sn superconductor billet. This billet was identified as M103 by TWCA. The billet matrix is nominally composed of copper 13.5 wt % tin bronze sheet and niobium 1.2 wt % titanium expanded metal with a volume ratio of three parts bronze to one part niobium alloy. All processing steps and problems encountered in manufacturing billet M103 are described in this report.

Synthesis and morphology of Ba{sub 1-x}RE{sub 2x/3}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 6} nanocrystals with tungsten bronze structure in RE{sub 2}O{sub 3}-BaO-Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}-B{sub 2}O{sub 3} glasses (RE: Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, Er)

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Ida, H.; Shinozaki, K.; Honma, T.

2012-12-15

Ba{sub 1-x}RE{sub 2x/3}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 6} nanocrystals with a tetragonal tungsten bronze (TTB) structure are synthesized using a conventional glass crystallization technique in 2.3RE{sub 2}O{sub 3}-27.4BaO-34.3Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}-36B{sub 2}O{sub 3} (mol%) (RE=Sm, Eu, Gd, Dy, and Er) glasses. One sharp crystallization peak is observed at {approx}670 Degree-Sign C in both powdered and bulk glasses, and the formation of Ba{sub 1-x}RE{sub 2x/3}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 6} nanocrystals with unit cell parameters of a{approx}1.24 nm and c{approx}0.39 nm was confirmed. It is found from high resolution transmission electron microscope observations that the morphology of Ba{sub 1-x}RE{sub 2x/3}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 6} nanocrystals is ellipsoidal. Their average particlemore » size is in the range of 15-60 nm and decreases with decreasing ionic radius of RE{sup 3+} being present in the precursor glasses. The optical transparent crystallized glass (bulk) shows the total photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield of 53% in the visible region of Eu{sup 3+} ions, suggesting a high potential of Ba{sub 1-x}RE{sub 2x/3}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 6} nanocrystals as PL materials. - Graphical abstract: This figure shows a TEM photograph for the heat-treated (667 Degree-Sign C, 3 h) sample of 2.3Dy{sub 2}O{sub 3}-27.4BaO-34.3Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}-36B{sub 2}O{sub 3}. An ellipsoidal-shaped Ba{sub 1-x}Dy{sub 2x/3}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 6} nanocrystal with diameters of 17 and 28 nm is observed. The ellipsoidal morphology is a common feature in Ba{sub 1-x}RE{sub 2x/3}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 6} nanocrystals synthesized by the crystallization of 2.3RE{sub 2}O{sub 3}-27.4BaO-34.3Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}-36B{sub 2}O{sub 3} glasses. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Ba{sub 1-x}RE{sub 2x/3}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 6} nanocrystals with a tetragonal tungsten bronze structure are synthesized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer A glass crystallization technique was applied. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The morphology of Ba{sub 1-x}RE{sub 2x/3}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 6} nanocrystals

Electromechanically driven microchopper for integration in microspectrometers based on LIGA technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krippner, Peter; Mohr, Juergen; Saile, Volker

1999-09-01

In recent years, microspectrometers made by the LIGA technology for the visible wavelength range have found their way into the market. Opening the wide field of spectral analysis in the infrared range, the concept of a highly transmissive hollow waveguide has been demonstrated successfully. In combination with linear detector arrays, hollow waveguide microspectrometers can be combined into handheld infrared spectrometer systems. The only obstacle to a miniaturized system is the lack of miniaturized light modulators. To solve this problem, a miniaturized light modulator has been developed. It consists of an oscillating stop driven by an electromagnetic actuator. It is made out of permalloy by means of LIGA micromechanics. Its outer dimensions of approx. 3.0 X 3.2 mm2 and a structure height of 280 micrometer allow it to be integrated into the plane of the entrance slit of the microspectrometer of about 20 mm to 30 mm size. The spectrometer has alignment structures to ensure positioning of the oscillating stop close to the entrance slit. This simplifies assembly. The actuator is excited by an hybrid integrated coil fixed by springs snapping into place during assembly. The maximum supply voltage of 5V allows the chopper to be used in low-voltage spectrometer systems, especially in handheld systems. The highest modulation frequency is more than 1 kHz, which is sufficient to work with the lead salt detectors commonly used. In this frequency range, detector noise is greatly attenuated compared to continuous-light operation. The paper contains an outline of the concept of the whole microspectrometer system. Experimental results are discussed to demonstrate the performance of the system.

Dielectric relaxation in 0-3 PVDF-Ba(Fe{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3} composites

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Chandra, K. P., E-mail: kpchandra23@gmail.com; Singh, Rajan; Kulkarni, A. R., E-mail: ajit2957@gmail.com

2016-05-06

(1-x)PVDF-xBa(Fe{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3} ceramic-polymer composites with x = 0.025, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15 were prepared using melt-mixing technique. The crystal symmetry, space group and unit cell dimensions were determined from the XRD data of Ba(Fe{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3} using FullProf software, whereas crystallite size and lattice strain were estimated using Williamson-Hall approach. The distribution of Ba(Fe{sub 1/2}Nb{sub 1/2})O{sub 3} particles in the PVDF matrix were examined on the cryo-fractured surfaces using a scanning electron microscope. Cole-Cole and pseudo Cole-Cole analysis suggested the dielectric relaxation in this system to be of non-Debye type. Filler concentration dependent real and imaginary parts ofmore » dielectric constant as well as ac conductivity data followed definite trends of exponential growth types of variation.« less

LiNbO3 coating on concrete surface: a new and environmentally friendly route for artificial photosynthesis.

PubMed

Nath, Ranjit K; Zain, M F M; Kadhum, Abdul Amir H

2013-01-01

The addition of a photocatalyst to ordinary building materials such as concrete creates environmentally friendly materials by which air pollution or pollution of the surface can be diminished. The use of LiNbO3 photocatalyst in concrete material would be more beneficial since it can produce artificial photosynthesis in concrete. In these research photoassisted solid-gas phases reduction of carbon dioxide (artificial photosynthesis) was performed using a photocatalyst, LiNbO3, coated on concrete surface under illumination of UV-visible or sunlight and showed that LiNbO3 achieved high conversion of CO2 into products despite the low levels of band-gap light available. The high reaction efficiency of LiNbO3 is explained by its strong remnant polarization (70 µC/cm(2)), allowing a longer lifetime of photoinduced carriers as well as an alternative reaction pathway. Due to the ease of usage and good photocatalytic efficiency, the research work done showed its potential application in pollution prevention.

Discovery of carbon-vacancy ordering in Nb4AlC3–x under the guidance of first-principles calculations

PubMed Central

Zhang, Hui; Hu, Tao; Wang, Xiaohui; Li, Zhaojin; Hu, Minmin; Wu, Erdong; Zhou, Yanchun

2015-01-01

The conventional wisdom to tailor the properties of binary transition metal carbides by order-disorder phase transformation has been inapplicable for the machinable ternary carbides (MTCs) due to the absence of ordered phase in bulk sample. Here, the presence of an ordered phase with structural carbon vacancies in Nb4AlC3–x (x ≈ 0.3) ternary carbide is predicted by first-principles calculations, and experimentally identified for the first time by transmission electron microscopy and micro-Raman spectroscopy. Consistent with the first-principles prediction, the ordered phase, o-Nb4AlC3, crystalizes in P63/mcm with a = 5.423 Å, c = 24.146 Å. Coexistence of ordered (o-Nb4AlC3) and disordered (Nb4AlC3–x) phase brings about abundant domains with irregular shape in the bulk sample. Both heating and electron irradiation can induce the transformation from o-Nb4AlC3 to Nb4AlC3–x. Our findings may offer substantial insights into the roles of carbon vacancies in the structure stability and order-disorder phase transformation in MTCs. PMID:26388153

Electronic structure and optical properties of LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 single crystal, a nonlinear optical mid-IR material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lavrentyev, A. A.; Gabrelian, B. V.; Vu, Tuan V.; Isaenko, L. I.; Yelisseyev, A. P.; Khyzhun, O. Y.

2018-06-01

Measurements of X-ray photoelectron core-level and valence-band spectra for pristine and irradiated with Ar+ ions surfaces of LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 single crystal, novel nonlinear optical mid-IR selenide grown by a modified vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger technique, are reported. Electronic structure of LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 is elucidated from theoretical and experimental points of view. Notably, total and partial densities of states (DOSs) of the LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 compound are calculated based on density functional theory (DFT) using the augmented plane wave + local orbitals (APW + lo) method. In accordance with the DFT calculations, the principal contributors to the valence band are the Se 4p states, making the main input at the top and in the upper part of the band, while its bottom is dominated by contributions of the valence s states associated with Ga and In atoms. The theoretical total DOS curve peculiarities are found to be in excellent agreement with the shape of the X-ray photoelectron valence-band spectrum of the LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 single crystal. The bottom of the conduction band of LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 is formed mainly by contributions of the unoccupied Ga 4s and In 5s states in almost equal proportion, with somewhat smaller contributions of the unoccupied Se 4p states as well. Our calculations indicate that the LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 compound is a direct gap semiconductor. The principal optical constants of LiGa0.5In0.5Se2 are calculated in the present work.

Mid-infrared ridge waveguide in MgO:LiNbO3 crystal produced by combination of swift O5+ ion irradiation and precise diamond blade dicing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Yazhou; Lv, Jinman; Akhmadaliev, Shavkat; Zhou, Shengqiang; Kong, Yongfa; Chen, Feng

2015-10-01

We report on the fabrication of ridge waveguide operating at mid-infrared wavelength in MgO:LiNbO3 crystal by using O5+ ion irradiation and precise diamond blade dicing. The waveguide shows good guiding properties at the wavelength of 4 μm along the TM polarization. Thermal annealing has been implemented to improve the waveguiding performances. The propagation loss of the ridge waveguide has been reduced to be 1.0 dB/cm at 4 μm after annealing at 310 °C. The micro-Raman spectra indicate that the microstructure of the MgO:LiNbO3 crystal has no significant change along the ion track after swift O5+ ion irradiation.

Raman characterization of H:LiNbO3 waveguides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savova, I.; Savatinova, I.; Kircheva, P.; Liarokapis, E.

2001-10-01

In this work we present polarized Raman measurements of z-cut multimode H:LiNbO3 waveguides in the κi- and βi-phase states. A spectrum with unexpected form and behaviour, originating from the layer at the very surface, was observed in samples with various degrees of Li-H substitution. Possible reasons for the presence of this strange spectrum are considered.

Direct evidence of an incommensurate phase in NaNbO{sub 3} and its implication in NaNbO{sub 3}-based lead-free antiferroelectrics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Guo, Hanzheng; Randall, Clive A., E-mail: car4@psu.edu; Shimizu, Hiroyuki

2015-09-14

Hot-stage in situ transmission electron microscopy was employed to investigate the temperature-induced complex sequence of phase transitions in NaNbO{sub 3} polycrystalline. In addition to the commonly recognized P (Pbma) → R (Pmnm) → S (Pnmm) phase transitions, incommensurate phases were observed to exist in P and R phase regions. The former (in the P → R transition region) is coincident with a diffused dielectric peak appearing at ∼170 °C, and the latter (in the R → S transition region) serves as an intermediate structure to bridge the two sub-phases in the R phase region. The incommensurate phase in the P phasemore » region can be inferred from the polarization current density and differential dielectric permittivity anomalies, and it provides the bridge structure during the electric field-induced polarization reversal and antiferroelectric-to-ferroelectric transition in NaNbO{sub 3} solid solutions.« less

Nb and Ta layer doping effects on the interfacial energetics and electronic properties of LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructure: first-principles analysis.

PubMed

Nazir, Safdar; Behtash, Maziar; Cheng, Jianli; Luo, Jian; Yang, Kesong

2016-01-28

The two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) formed at the n-type (LaO)(+1)/(TiO2)(0) interface in the polar/nonpolar LaAlO3/SrTiO3 (LAO/STO) heterostructure (HS) has emerged as a prominent research area because of its great potential for nanoelectronic applications. Due to its practical implementation in devices, desired physical properties such as high charge carrier density and mobility are vital. In this respect, 4d and 5d transition metal doping near the interfacial region is expected to tailor electronic properties of the LAO/STO HS system effectively. Herein, we studied Nb and Ta-doping effects on the energetics, electronic structure, interfacial charge carrier density, magnetic moment, and the charge confinements of the 2DEG at the n-type (LaO)(+1)/(TiO2)(0) interface of LAO/STO HS using first-principles density functional theory calculations. We found that the substitutional doping of Nb(Ta) at Ti [Nb(Ta)@Ti] and Al [Nb(Ta)@Al] sites is energetically more favorable than that at La [Nb(Ta)@La] and Sr [Nb(Ta)@Sr] sites, and under appropriate thermodynamic conditions, the changes in the interfacial energy of HS systems upon Nb(Ta)@Ti and Nb(Ta)@Al doping are negative, implying that the formation of these structures is energetically favored. Our calculations also showed that Nb(Ta)@Ti and Nb(Ta)@Al doping significantly improve the interfacial charge carrier density with respect to that of the undoped system, which is because the Nb(Ta) dopant introduces excess free electrons into the system, and these free electrons reside mainly on the Nb(Ta) ions and interfacial Ti ions. Hence, along with the Ti 3d orbitals, the Nb 4d and Ta 5d orbitals also contribute to the interfacial metallic states; accordingly, the magnetic moments on the interfacial Ti ions increase significantly. As expected, the Nb@Al and Ta@Al doped LAO/STO HS systems show higher interfacial charge carrier density than the undoped and other doped systems. In contrast, Nb@Ti and Ta@Ti doped systems may

Loparite, a rare-earth ore (Ce, Na, Sr, Ca)(Ti, Nb, Ta, Fe+3)O3

USGS Publications Warehouse

Hedrick, James B.; Sinha, Shyama P.; Kosynkin, Valery D.

1997-01-01

The mineral loparite (Ce, NA, Sr, Ca)(Ti, Nb, Ta, Fe+3)O3 is the principal ore of the light-group rare-earth elements (LREE) in Russia. The complex oxide has a perovskite (ABO3) structure with coupled substitutions, polymorphism, defect chemistry and a tendency to become metamict. The A site generally contains weakly bonded, easily exchanged cations of the LREE, Na and Ca. The B site generally contains smaller, highly charged cations of Ti, Nb or Fe+3. Mine production is from Russia's Kola Peninsula. Ore is beneficiated to produce a 95% loparite concentrate containing 30% rare-earth oxides. Loparite concentrate is refined by either a chlorination process or acid decomposition process to recover rare-earths, titanium, niobium and tantalum. Rare-earths are separated by solvent extraction and selective precipitation/dissolution. The concentrate is processed at plants in Russia, Estonia and Kazakstan.

First-principles investigation of mechanical and electronic properties of tetragonal NbAl3 under tension

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiao, Zhen; Liu, Qi-Jun; Liu, Fu-Sheng; Tang, Bin

2018-06-01

Using the density functional theory calculations, the mechanical and electronic properties of NbAl3 under different tensile loads were investigated. The calculated lattice parameters, elastic constants and mechanical properties (bulk modulus, shear modulus, Young's modulus, Poisson's ratio, Pugh's criterion and Cauchy's pressure) indicated that our results were in agreement with the published experimental and theoretical data at zero tension. With respect to NbAl3 under tension in this paper, the crystal structure was changed from tetragonal to orthorhombic under tension along the [100] and [101] directions. The NbAl3 crystal has been classified as brittle material under tension from 0 to 20 GPa. The obtained Young's modulus and Debye temperature monotonically decreased with increasing tension stress. Combining with mechanical and electronic properties in detail, the decreased mechanical properties were mainly due to the weakening of covalency.

Nb2O5-γ-Al2O3 nanofibers as heterogeneous catalysts for efficient conversion of glucose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiao, Huanfeng; Zhao, Xiaoliang; Lv, Chunxiao; Wang, Yijun; Yang, Dongjiang; Li, Zhenhuan; Yao, Xiangdong

2016-09-01

One-dimensional γ-Al2O3 nanofibers were modified with Nb2O5 to be used as an efficient heterogeneous catalyst to catalyze biomass into 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF). At low Nb2O5 loading, the niobia species were well dispersed on γ-Al2O3 nanofiber through Nb-O-Al bridge bonds. The interaction between Nb2O5 precursor and γ-Al2O3 nanofiber results in the niobia species with strong Lewis acid sites and intensive Brønsted acid sites, which made 5-HMF yield from glucose to reach the maximum 55.9~59.0% over Nb2O5-γ-Al2O3 nanofiber with a loading of 0.5~1 wt% Nb2O5 at 150 °C for 4 h in dimethyl sulfoxide. However, increasing Nb2O5 loading could lead to the formation of two-dimensional polymerized niobia species, three-dimensional polymerized niobia species and crystallization, which significantly influenced the distribution and quantity of the Lewis acid sites and Brönst acid sites over Nb2O5-γ-Al2O3 nanofiber. Lewis acid site Nbδ+ played a key role on the isomerization of glucose to fructose, while Brønsted acid sites are more active for the dehydration of generated fructose to 5-HMF. In addition, the heterogeneous Nb2O5-γ-Al2O3 nanofiber catalyst with suitable ratio of Lewis acid to Brönsted sites should display an more excellent catalytic performance in the conversion of glucose to 5-HMF.

Porous TiNb24O62 microspheres as high-performance anode materials for lithium-ion batteries of electric vehicles.

PubMed

Yang, Chao; Deng, Shengjue; Lin, Chunfu; Lin, Shiwei; Chen, Yongjun; Li, Jianbao; Wu, Hui

2016-11-10

TiNb 24 O 62 is explored as a new anode material for lithium-ion batteries. Microsized TiNb 24 O 62 particles (M-TiNb 24 O 62 ) are fabricated through a simple solid-state reaction method and porous TiNb 24 O 62 microspheres (P-TiNb 24 O 62 ) are synthesized through a facile solvothermal method for the first time. TiNb 24 O 62 exhibits a Wadsley-Roth shear structure with a structural unit composed of a 3 × 4 octahedron-block and a 0.5 tetrahedron at the block-corner. P-TiNb 24 O 62 with an average sphere size of ∼2 μm is constructed by nanoparticles with an average size of ∼100 nm, forming inter-particle pores with a size of ∼8 nm and inter-sphere pores with a size of ∼55 nm. Such desirable porous microspheres are an ideal architecture for enhancing the electrochemical performances by shortening the transport distance of electrons/Li + -ions and increasing the reaction area. Consequently, P-TiNb 24 O 62 presents outstanding electrochemical performances in terms of specific capacity, rate capability and cyclic stability. The reversible capacities of P-TiNb 24 O 62 are, respectively, as large as 296, 277, 261, 245, 222, 202 and 181 mA h g -1 at 0.1, 0.5, 1, 2, 5, 10 and 20 C, which are obviously larger than those of M-TiNb 24 O 62 (258, 226, 210, 191, 166, 147 and 121 mA h g -1 ). At 10 C, the capacity of P-TiNb 24 O 62 still remains at 183 mA h g -1 over 500 cycles with a decay of only 0.02% per cycle, whereas the corresponding values of M-TiNb 24 O 62 are 119 mA h g -1 and 0.04%. These impressive results indicate that P-TiNb 24 O 62 can be a promising anode material for lithium-ion batteries of electric vehicles.

UAS in the NAS Flight Test Series 3 Overview

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Murphy, James R.

2015-01-01

The UAS Integration in the NAS Project is conducting a series of flight tests to acheive the following objectives: 1.) Validate results previously collected during project simulations with live data 2.) Evaluate TCAS IISS interoperability 3.) Test fully integrated system in a relevant live test environment 4.) Inform final DAA and C2 MOPS 5.) Reduce risk for Flight Test Series 4.

Tensile and creep rupture behavior of P/M processed Nb-base alloy, WC-3009

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hebsur, Mohan G.; Titran, Robert H.

1988-01-01

Due to its high strength at temperatures up to 1600 K, fabrication of niobium base alloy WC-3009 (Nb30Hf9W) by traditional methods is difficult. Powder metallurgy (P/M) processing offers an attractive fabrication alternative for this high strength alloy. Spherical powders of WC-3009 produced by electron beam atomizing (EBA) process were successfully consolidated into a one inch diameter rod by vacuum hot pressing and swaging techniques. Tensile strength of the fully dense P/M material at 300-1590 K were similar to the arc-melted material. Creep rupture tests in vacuum indicated that WC-3009 exhibits a class 1 solid solution (glide controlled) creep behavior in the 1480 to 1590 K temperature range and stress range of 14 to 70 MPa. The creep behavior was correlated with temperature and stress using a power law relationship. The calculated stress exponent n, was about 3.2 and the apparent activation energy, Q, was about 270 kJ/mol. The large creep ductility exhibited by WC-3009 was attributed to its high strain rate sensitivity.

UV-light-induced one-color and two-color photorefractive effects in congruent and near-stoichiometric LiNbO 3:Mg crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiao, Haijun; Xu, Jingjun; Tomita, Yasuo; Zhu, Dengsong; Fu, Bo; Zhang, Guoquan; Zhang, Guangyin

2007-03-01

We describe the ultraviolet-light one-color photorefraction (UV-OPR) at 351 nm in LiNbO3 crystals with different Mg-doping concentrations and [Li]/[Nb] ratios. It is shown that as the Mg-doping concentration and/or the [Li]/[Nb] ratio increase, the refractive index change and the two-beam coupling gain increase but the response time decreases. It is also shown that the recording sensitivity as large as ∼27 cm/J is obtainable at a recording intensity of ∼1 W/cm2 in near-stoichiometric LiNbO3 doped with 2 mol% Mg. This sensitivity is approximately one order of magnitude higher than those for other LiNbO3 crystals. We also describe the ultraviolet-light-gating two-color photorefraction (UV-TPR) using 365 nm gating and 633 nm recording beams in LiNbO3 crystals with different Mg-doping concentrations and [Li]/[Nb] ratios. It is shown that UV-TPR is only observed in near-stoichiometric crystals and the grating-formation dynamics strongly depend on the Mg concentration.

Atomic layer deposition of (K,Na)(Nb,Ta)O{sub 3} thin films

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Sønsteby, Henrik Hovde, E-mail: henrik.sonsteby@kjemi.iuio.no; Nilsen, Ola; Fjellvåg, Helmer

2016-07-15

Thin films of complex alkali oxides are frequently investigated due to the large range of electric effects that are found in this class of materials. Their piezo- and ferroelectric properties also place them as sustainable lead free alternatives in optoelectronic devices. Fully gas-based routes for deposition of such compounds are required for integration into microelectronic devices that need conformal thin films with high control of thickness- and composition. The authors here present a route for deposition of materials in the (K,Na)(Nb,Ta)O{sub 3}-system, including the four end members NaNbO{sub 3}, KNbO{sub 3}, NaTaO{sub 3}, and KTaO{sub 3}, using atomic layer depositionmore » with emphasis on control of stoichiometry in such mixed quaternary and quinary compunds.« less

Screening charge localization at LiNbO{sub 3} surface with Schottky junction

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Nagata, Takahiro, E-mail: NAGATA.Takahiro@nims.go.jp; Chikyow, Toyohiro; Kitamura, Kenji

2016-04-25

Screening charge localization was demonstrated by using a Schottky contact with LiNbO{sub 3} (LN). A Cr/LN stack structure with a 2 μm diameter hole array penetrating the Cr layer localized the screening charge of LN in the hole, although the Al/LN stack structure exhibited no surface charge localization behavior. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that Cr formed a Schottky contact with LN, which prevents the screening charge from escaping from the hole arrays. The screening charge localization was enhanced by inserting SiO{sub 2} between the metal and LN, which moved the position of the Fermi level to mid gap.

Host-sensitized luminescence properties in CaNb2O6:Ln(3+) (Ln(3+) = Eu(3+)/Tb(3+)/Dy(3+)/Sm(3+)) phosphors with abundant colors.

PubMed

Li, Kai; Liu, Xiaoming; Zhang, Yang; Li, Xuejiao; Lian, Hongzhou; Lin, Jun

2015-01-05

A series of Ln(3+) (Ln(3+) = Eu(3+)/Tb(3+)/Dy(3+)/Sm(3+)) ion doped CaNb2O6 (CNO) phosphors have been prepared via the conventional high-temperature solid-state reaction route. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) and structure refinement, diffuse reflection, photoluminescence (PL), and fluorescent decay curves were used to characterize the as-prepared samples. Under UV radiation, the CNO host present a broad emission band from about 355 to 605 nm centered around 460 nm originating from the NbO6 octahedral groups, which has spectral overlaps with the excitation of f-f transitions of Eu(3+)/Tb(3+)/Dy(3+)/Sm(3+) in CNO:Eu(3+)/Tb(3+)/Dy(3+)/Sm(3+) samples. They show both host emission and respective emission lines derived from the characteristic f-f transitions of activators, which present different emission colors owing to the energy transfer from the NbO6 group in the host to Eu(3+)/Tb(3+)/Dy(3+)/Sm(3+) with increasing activator concentrations. The decreases of decay lifetimes of host emissions in CNO:Eu(3+)/Tb(3+)/Dy(3+)/Sm(3+) demonstrate the energy transfer from the hosts to Eu(3+)/Tb(3+)/Dy(3+)/Sm(3+). The energy transfer mechanisms in CNO:Eu(3+)/Tb(3+)/Dy(3+) phosphors have been determined to be a resonant type via dipole-dipole mechanisms. For CNO:Sm(3+), the metal-metal charge transfer transition (MMCT) might contribute to the different variations of decay lifetimes and emission intensity from CNO:Eu(3+)/Tb(3+)/Dy(3+) samples. The best quantum efficiency is 71.2% for CNO:0.01/0.02Dy(3+). The PL properties of as-prepared materials indicate the promising application in UV-pumped white-emitting lighting diodes field.

CNTs-Modified Nb3O7F Hybrid Nanocrystal towards Faster Carrier Migration, Lower Bandgap and Higher Photocatalytic Activity.

PubMed

Huang, Fei; Li, Zhen; Yan, Aihua; Zhao, Hui; Liang, Huagen; Gao, Qingyu; Qiang, Yinghuai

2017-01-06

Novel semiconductor photocatalysts have been the research focus and received much attention in recent years. The key issues for novel semiconductor photocatalysts are to effectively harvest solar energy and enhance the separation efficiency of the electron-hole pairs. In this work, novel Nb 3 O 7 F/CNTs hybrid nanocomposites with enhanced photocatalytic activity have been successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal plus etching technique. The important finding is that appropriate pH values lead to the formation of Nb 3 O 7 F nanocrystal directly. A general strategy to introdue interaction between Nb 3 O 7 F and CNTs markedly enhances the photocatalytic activity of Nb 3 O 7 F. Comparatively, Nb 3 O 7 F/CNTs nanocomposites exhibit higher photodegradation efficiency and faster photodegradation rate in the solution of methylene blue (MB) under visible-light irradiation. The higher photocatalytic activity may be attributed to more exposed active sites, higher carrier migration and narrower bandgap because of good synergistic effect. The results here may inspire more engineering, new design and facile fabrication of novel photocatalysts with highly photocatalytic activity.

CNTs-Modified Nb3O7F Hybrid Nanocrystal towards Faster Carrier Migration, Lower Bandgap and Higher Photocatalytic Activity

PubMed Central

Huang, Fei; Li, Zhen; Yan, Aihua; Zhao, Hui; Liang, Huagen; Gao, Qingyu; Qiang, Yinghuai

2017-01-01

Novel semiconductor photocatalysts have been the research focus and received much attention in recent years. The key issues for novel semiconductor photocatalysts are to effectively harvest solar energy and enhance the separation efficiency of the electron-hole pairs. In this work, novel Nb3O7F/CNTs hybrid nanocomposites with enhanced photocatalytic activity have been successfully synthesized by a facile hydrothermal plus etching technique. The important finding is that appropriate pH values lead to the formation of Nb3O7F nanocrystal directly. A general strategy to introdue interaction between Nb3O7F and CNTs markedly enhances the photocatalytic activity of Nb3O7F. Comparatively, Nb3O7F/CNTs nanocomposites exhibit higher photodegradation efficiency and faster photodegradation rate in the solution of methylene blue (MB) under visible-light irradiation. The higher photocatalytic activity may be attributed to more exposed active sites, higher carrier migration and narrower bandgap because of good synergistic effect. The results here may inspire more engineering, new design and facile fabrication of novel photocatalysts with highly photocatalytic activity. PMID:28059123

Prospects for Engineering Thermoelectric Properties in La1/3NbO3 Ceramics Revealed via Atomic-Level Characterization and Modeling.

PubMed

Kepaptsoglou, Demie; Baran, Jakub D; Azough, Feridoon; Ekren, Dursun; Srivastava, Deepanshu; Molinari, Marco; Parker, Stephen C; Ramasse, Quentin M; Freer, Robert

2018-01-02

A combination of experimental and computational techniques has been employed to explore the crystal structure and thermoelectric properties of A-site-deficient perovskite La 1/3 NbO 3 ceramics. Crystallographic data from X-ray and electron diffraction confirmed that the room temperature structure is orthorhombic with Cmmm as a space group. Atomically resolved imaging and analysis showed that there are two distinct A sites: one is occupied with La and vacancies, and the second site is fully unoccupied. The diffuse superstructure reflections observed through diffraction techniques are shown to originate from La vacancy ordering. La 1/3 NbO 3 ceramics sintered in air showed promising high-temperature thermoelectric properties with a high Seebeck coefficient of S 1 = -650 to -700 μV/K and a low and temperature-stable thermal conductivity of k = 2-2.2 W/m·K in the temperature range of 300-1000 K. First-principles electronic structure calculations are used to link the temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient measured experimentally to the evolution of the density of states with temperature and indicate possible avenues for further optimization through electron doping and control of the A-site occupancies. Moreover, lattice thermal conductivity calculations give insights into the dependence of the thermal conductivity on specific crystallographic directions of the material, which could be exploited via nanostructuring to create high-efficiency compound thermoelectrics.

“Ba{sub 6}Nb{sub 4}RuO{sub 18}” and “LaBa{sub 4}Nb{sub 3}RuO{sub 15}” – The structural consequences of substituting paramagnetic cations into A{sub n}B{sub n−1}O{sub 3n} cation-deficient perovskite oxides

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Kamil, Elynor L.; Morgan, Harry W.T.; Hayward, Michael A., E-mail: michael.hayward@chem.ox.ac.uk

The B-cation deficient perovskite phases Ba{sub 6}Nb{sub 4}RuO{sub 18} and LaBa{sub 4}Nb{sub 3}RuO{sub 15} were prepared by ceramic synthesis. Neutron powder diffraction analysis indicates that rather than the 6-layer and 5-layer cation-deficient perovskite structures expected for these phases (by analogy to the known structures of Ba{sub 6}Nb{sub 4}TiO{sub 18} and LaBa{sub 4}Nb{sub 3}TiO{sub 15}) they adopt 5-layer and 4-layer B-cation deficient perovskite structures respectively, and are better described as Ba{sub 5}Nb{sub 3.33}Ru{sub 0.81}O{sub 15} and Ba{sub 3.16}La{sub 0.84}Nb{sub 2.36}Ru{sub 0.72}O{sub 12}. The factors that lead to the compositionally analogous Nb/Ru and Nb/Ti phases adopting different structures are discussed on themore » basis of the difference between d{sup 0} and non-d{sup 0} transition metal cations. - Graphical abstract: The ruthenium-containing B-cation deficient perovskite phases, Ba{sub 5}Nb{sub 3.33}Ru{sub 0.81}O{sub 15} and Ba{sub 3.16}La{sub 0.84}Nb{sub 2.36}Ru{sub 0.72}O{sub 12}, adopt 5-layer and 4-layer structures respectively, rather than the 6-layer and 5-layer cation-deficient structures adopted by the analogous titanium-containing phases Ba{sub 6}Nb{sub 4}TiO{sub 18} and LaBa{sub 4}Nb{sub 3}TiO{sub 15}. Display Omitted - Highlights: • B-cation deficient perovskite containing paramagnetic cations. • B-cation deficient structure determined by neutron powder diffraction. • Low ‘solubility’ of BaRuO{sub 3} in Ba{sub 5}Nb{sub 4}O{sub 15} leads to novel structure.« less

Synthesis, structure and electrical properties of Cu 3.21Ti 1.16Nb 2.63O 12 and the CuO x-TiO 2-Nb 2O 5 pseudoternary phase diagram

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reeves-McLaren, Nik; Ferrarelli, Matthew C.; Tung, Yuan-Wei; Sinclair, Derek C.; West, Anthony R.

2011-07-01

Subsolidus phase relations in the CuO x-TiO 2-Nb 2O 5 system were determined at 935 °C. The phase diagram contains one new phase, Cu 3.21Ti 1.16Nb 2.63O 12 (CTNO) and one rutile-structured solid solution series, Ti 1-3 xCu xNb 2 xO 2: 0< x<0.2335 (35). The crystal structure of CTNO is similar to that of CaCu 3Ti 4O 12 (CCTO) with square planar Cu 2+ but with A site vacancies and a disordered mixture of Cu +, Ti 4+ and Nb 5+ on the octahedral sites. It is a modest semiconductor with relative permittivity ˜63 and displays non-Arrhenius conductivity behavior that is essentially temperature-independent at the lowest temperatures.

Stabilized antiferroelectricity in xBiScO3-(1-x)NaNbO3 lead-free ceramics with established double hysteresis loops

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gao, Lisheng; Guo, Hanzheng; Zhang, Shujun; Randall, Clive A.

2018-02-01

We previously reported various solid solution systems that demonstrated the stabilized antiferroelectric (P) phases in NaNbO3 through lowering the tolerance factor. However, all those reported modifications were achieved by adding A2+B4+O3 type solid solutions. A lead-free antiferroelectric (AFE) solid solution xBiScO3-(1-x)NaNbO3 was rationalized by adopting the tolerance factor design rule. Specifically, adding BiScO3 was found to effectively stabilize the AFE phase without changing the crystal symmetry of NaNbO3. Microstructure and electron zone axis diffraction patterns from transmission electron microscopy revealed the stabilized AFE (P) phase in this solid solution. Besides, the electric-field-induced polarization with a double-hysteresis loop was observed. The present results pointed out that the strategy could also be applied while adding A3+B3+O3 type solid solutions. In addition, it expanded the compositional design that can be applied to antiferroelectric materials.

Nanostructured Ti-Zr-Pd-Si-(Nb) bulk metallic composites: Novel biocompatible materials with superior mechanical strength and elastic recovery.

PubMed

Hynowska, A; Blanquer, A; Pellicer, E; Fornell, J; Suriñach, S; Baró, M D; Gebert, A; Calin, M; Eckert, J; Nogués, C; Ibáñez, E; Barrios, L; Sort, J

2015-11-01

The microstructure, mechanical behaviour, and biocompatibility (cell culture, morphology, and cell adhesion) of nanostructured Ti45 Zr15 Pd35- x Si5 Nbx with x = 0, 5 (at. %) alloys, synthesized by arc melting and subsequent Cu mould suction casting, in the form of rods with 3 mm in diameter, are investigated. Both Ti-Zr-Pd-Si-(Nb) materials show a multi-phase (composite-like) microstructure. The main phase is cubic β-Ti phase (Im3m) but hexagonal α-Ti (P63/mmc), cubic TiPd (Pm3m), cubic PdZr (Fm3m), and hexagonal (Ti, Zr)5 Si3 (P63/mmc) phases are also present. Nanoindentation experiments show that the Ti45 Zr15 Pd30 Si5 Nb5 sample exhibits lower Young's modulus than Ti45 Zr15 Pd35 Si5 . Conversely, Ti45 Zr15 Pd35 Si5 is mechanically harder. Actually, both alloys exhibit larger values of hardness when compared with commercial Ti-40Nb, (HTi-Zr-Pd-Si ≈ 14 GPa, HTi-Zr-Pd-Si-Nb ≈ 10 GPa and HTi-40Nb ≈ 2.7 GPa). Concerning the biological behaviour, preliminary results of cell viability performed on several Ti-Zr-Pd-Si-(Nb) discs indicate that the number of live cells is superior to 94% in both cases. The studied Ti-Zr-Pd-Si-(Nb) bulk metallic system is thus interesting for biomedical applications because of the outstanding mechanical properties (relatively low Young's modulus combined with large hardness), together with the excellent biocompatibility. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Note: Resonance magnetoelectric interactions in laminate of FeCuNbSiB and multilayer piezoelectric stack for magnetic sensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jianqiang; Lu, Caijiang; Xu, Changbao; Zhong, Ming

2015-09-01

This paper develops a simple miniature magnetoelectric (ME) laminate FeCuNbSiB/PZT-stack made up of magnetostrictive Fe73.5Cu1Nb3Si13.5B9 (FeCuNbSiB) foils and piezoelectric Pb(Zr, Ti)O3 (PZT) multilayer stack vibrator. Resonant ME interactions of FeCuNbSiB/PZT-stack with different layers of FeCuNbSiB foil (L) are investigated in detail. The experimental results show that the ME voltage coefficient reaches maximum value of 141.5 (V/cm Oe) for FeCuNbSiB/PZT-stack with L = 6. The AC-magnetic sensitivities can reach 524.29 mV/Oe and 1.8 mV/Oe under resonance 91.6 kHz and off-resonance 1 kHz, respectively. The FeCuNbSiB/PZT-stack can distinguish small dc-magnetic field of ˜9 nT. The results indicate that the proposed ME composites are very promising for the cheap room-temperature magnetic field sensing technology.

Effects of bending on the superconducting critical current density of monofilamentary Nb3Sn wires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaiho, K.; Luhman, T. S.; Suenaga, M.; Sampson, W. B.

1980-02-01

Variations in the superconducting current density Jc of the Nb3Sn wires upon bending were measured for a series of monofilamentary wires in which the ratio Rv of the matrix (Cu+Sn) to the core (Nb3Sn,Nb) was changed from 0 to 58. In most cases Jc was found to increase slightly until the bending strain exceeded a value of ɛirrB , beyond which it severely and irreversibly degraded. For wires with intermediate values of Rv (˜2 to 10), ɛirrB , calculated by geometrical considerations, was substantially lower than the measured value of the tensile strain ɛirrT which was required to irreversibly degrade the critical current. The influence of bending strains on Jc can qualitatively be described by considering residual prestrains in the matrix and the core.

Neutron-induced reaction cross-sections of 93Nb with fast neutron based on 9Be(p,n) reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Naik, H.; Kim, G. N.; Kim, K.; Zaman, M.; Nadeem, M.; Sahid, M.

2018-02-01

The cross-sections of the 93Nb (n , 2 n)92mNb, 93Nb (n , 3 n)91mNb and 93Nb (n , 4 n)90Nb reactions with the average neutron energies of 14.4 to 34.0 MeV have been determined by using an activation and off-line γ-ray spectrometric technique. The fast neutrons were produced using the 9Be (p , n) reaction with the proton energies of 25-, 35- and 45-MeV from the MC-50 Cyclotron at the Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences (KIRAMS). The neutron flux-weighted average cross-sections of the 93Nb(n , xn ; x = 2- 4) reactions were also obtained from the mono-energetic neutron-induced reaction cross-sections of 93Nb calculated using the TALYS 1.8 code, and the neutron flux spectrum based on the MCNPX 2.6.0 code. The present results for the 93Nb(n , xn ; x = 2- 4) reactions are compared with the calculated neutron flux-weighted average values and found to be in good agreement.

Understanding cation ordering and oxygen vacancy site preference in Ba3CaNb2O9 from first-principles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ding, Hepeng; Virkar, Anil; Liu, Feng

2014-03-01

We investigate the physical mechanism underlying the formation of the B-site cation ordering and the oxygen vacancy site selection in Ba3CaNb2O9 using density functional theory calculations. We found that either cation site exchange or oxygen vacancy formation induces negligible lattice strain. This implies that the ionic radius plays an insignificant role in governing these two processes. Furthermore, the electrostatic interactions are found dominant in the ordering of mixed valence species on one or more sites, the ionic bond strength is identified as the dominant force in governing both the 1:2 B-site cation ordering along the <111>direction and the oxygen vacancy site preference in Ba3CaNb2O9. Specifically, the cation ordering can be rationalized by the increased mixing bonding energy of the Ca-O-Nb bonds over the Ca-O-Ca and Nb-O-Nb bonds, i.e., 1/2(Ca-O-Ca + Nb-O-Nb) Nb while oxygen vacancy prefers a site to minimize the electrostatic energy and to break the weaker B-O-B bond. Funded by DOE EFRC Grant Number DE-SC0001061 as a flow through from the University of South Carolina.

Low-Temperature Sintering Li3Mg1.8Ca0.2NbO6 Microwave Dielectric Ceramics with LMZBS Glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Gang; Zhang, Huaiwu; Liu, Cheng; Su, Hua; Jia, Lijun; Li, Jie; Huang, Xin; Gan, Gongwen

2018-05-01

Li3Mg1.8Ca0.2NbO6 ceramics doped with Li2O-MgO-ZnO-B2O3-SiO2 glass (LMZBS) were prepared via a solid-state route. The LMZBS glass effectively reduced the sintering temperature of Li3Mg1.8Ca0.2NbO6 ceramics to 950°C. The effects of the LMZBS glass on the sintering behavior, microstructures and microwave dielectric properties of Li3Mg1.8Ca0.2NbO6 ceramics are discussed in detail. Among all the LMZBS doped Li3Mg1.8Ca0.2NbO6 ceramics, the sample with 1 wt.% of LMZBS glass sintered at 950°C for 4 h exhibited good dielectric properties: ɛ r = 16.7, Q × f = 31,000 GHz (9.92 GHz), τ f = - 1.3 ppm/°C. The Li3Mg1.8Ca0.2NbO6 ceramics possessed excellent chemical compatibility with Ag electrodes, and could be applied in low temperature co-fired ceramics (LTCC) applications.

Electrical and structural properties of Nb-doped TiO2 at different Nb concentrations deposited by spin coating technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saurdi, I.; Shafura, A. K.; Mamat, M. H.; Ishak, A.; Rusop, M.

2018-05-01

In this paper, the Nb-doped TiO2 films were deposited on glass substrate and their electrical and structural properties were investigated. The results revealed that the resistivity of Nb-doped TiO2 films of 0 at.%, 1 at.%, 3 at.%, 5 at.% and 7 at.% were 2.78 × 105, 1.35 × 105 Ω.cm, 5.89 × 104 Ω.cm, 9.20 × 102 Ω.cm and 9.56 × 103 Ω.cm, respectively. Where, the lowest resistivity of 9.20 × 102 Ω.cm was obtained at 5at.% Nb-doped TiO2 films. The resistivity of Nb-doped TiO2 films decreases as the Nb concentration increased from 0 at.% to 5 at.%. However, the resistivity decrease at 7 at.% Nb-doped TiO2 films. Meanwhile, from the FESEM images the Nb-doped TiO2 films with 0 at.%, 1 at.%, 3 at.% and 5 at.% Nb had a rough and porous structures were observed. However, the Nb-doped TiO2 at 7 at.% has a agglomerated and denser structures.

Growth and characterization of few unit-cell NbN superconducting films on 3C-SiC/Si substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chang, H. W.; Wang, C. L.; Huang, Y. R.; Chen, T. J.; Wang, M. J.

2017-11-01

Superconducting δ-NbN ultrathin film has become a key element in extremely sensitive detector applications in recent decades because of its excellent electronic properties. We have realized the epitaxial growth of ultrathin δ-NbN films on (100)-oriented 3C-SiC/Si substrates by dc reactive magnetron sputtering at 760 °C with a deposition rate of 0.054 nm s-1. High-resolution transmission electron microscope images confirm the excellent epitaxy of these films. Even with a thickness of 1.3 nm (˜3 unit cells), the δ-NbN film shows a superconducting transition above 8 K. Furthermore, our ultrathin δ-NbN films demonstrate a long Ginzburg-Landau superconducting coherent length ({ξ }{{G}{{L}}}(0)> 5 {{nm}}) with a critical current density of about 2.2 MA cm-2, and good stability in an ambient environment.

On the enhancement of Er{sup 3+} diffusion in LiNbO{sub 3} crystals by Er{sup 3+}/Ti{sup 4+} co-diffusion

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Almeida, José Manuel Marques Martins de, E-mail: jmmma@utad.pt; Department of Physics, School of Science and Technology, University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, PO. Box 1013, 5001-801 Vila Real; Sada, Cinzia

2016-02-15

Highlights: • Enhancement of the diffusion of erbium ions (Er{sup 3+}) in lithium niobate crystals. • Incoherence on published results lead to need for systematic revision of literature. • Further insight into the topic of co-diffusion of Er{sup 3+}/Ti{sup 4+} ions into LiNbO{sub 3}. - Abstract: After carrying out a revision of the literature on the enhancement of Er{sup 3+} diffusion in LiNbO{sub 3} crystals by Er{sup 3+}/Ti{sup 4+} co-diffusion and analyzing our own experimental results, we conclude that no reproducible results were reported, meaning that further research on this subject is necessary.

Threshold Switching Characteristics of Nb/NbO 2 /TiN Vertical Devices

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Wang, Yuhan; Comes, Ryan B.; Wolf, Stuart A.

2016-01-01

Nb/NbO2/TiN vertical structures were synthesized in-situ and patterned to devices with different contact areas. The devices exhibited threshold resistive switching with minimal hysteresis and a small EThreshold (60~90 kV/cm). The switching behavior was unipolar, and demonstrated good repeatability. A less sharp but still sizable change in the device resistance was observed up to 150 °C. It was found that the resistive switching without Nb capping layer exhibited the hysteretic behavior and much larger EThreshold (~250 kV/cm) likely due to a 2-3 nm surface Nb2O5 layer. The stable threshold switching behavior well above room temperature shows the potential applications of thismore » device as an electronic switch.« less

Understanding Irreversible Degradation of Nb3Sn Wires with Fundamental Fracture Mechanics

DOE Office of Scientific and Technical Information (OSTI.GOV)

Zhai, Yuhu; Calzolaio, Ciro; Senatore, Carmine

2014-08-01

Irreversible performance degradation of advanced Nb3Sn superconducting wires subjected to transverse or axial mechanical loading is a critical issue for the design of large-scale fusion and accelerator magnets such as ITER and LHC. Recent SULTAN tests indicate that most cable-in-conduit conductors for ITER coils made of Nb3Sn wires processed by various fabrication techniques show similar performance degradation under cyclic loading. The irreversible degradation due to filament fracture and local strain accumulation in Nb3Sn wires cannot be described by the existing strand scaling law. Fracture mechanic modeling combined with X-ray diffraction imaging of filament micro-crack formation inside the wires under mechanicalmore » loading may reveal exciting insights to the wire degradation mechanisms. We apply fundamental fracture mechanics with a singularity approach to study influence of wire filament microstructure of initial void size and distribution to local stress concentration and potential crack propagation. We report impact of the scale and density of the void structure on stress concentration in the composite wire materials for crack initiation. These initial defects result in an irreversible degradation of the critical current beyond certain applied stress. We also discuss options to minimize stress concentration in the design of the material microstructure for enhanced wire performance for future applications.« less

Piezoelectric energy harvesting based on shear mode 0.71Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O3-0.29PbTiO3 single crystals.

PubMed

Ren, Bo; Or, Siu Wing; Wang, Feifei; Zhao, Xiangyong; Luo, Haosu; Li, Xiaobing; Zhang, Qinhui; Di, Wenning; Zhang, Yaoyao

2010-06-01

In this paper we theoretically and experimentally present a nonresonant vibration energy harvesting device based on the shear mode of 0.71Pb(Mg(1/3)Nb(2/3))O3-0.29PbTiO3 single crystals. The electrical properties of the energy harvesting device were evaluated using an analytical method. Good consistency was obtained between the analytical and experimental results. Under a mass load of 200 g, a peak voltage of 11.3 V and maximum power of 0.70 mW were obtained at 500 Hz when connecting a matching load resistance of 91 komega. A high output could always be obtained within a very wide frequency range. The results demonstrate the potential of the device in energy harvesting applied to low-power portable electronics and wireless sensors.

Evidence of Nb-Ta mobility in high temperature F-rich fluids evidenced by the La Bosse quartz-Nb-ferberite stockwork (Echassières, French Massif Central).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Marignac, C.; Cuney, M.

2012-04-01

In the Echassières district (northern French Massif Central), the 310 Ma Beauvoir granite (a P-rich peraluminous RMG) overprints a quartz-ferberite stockwork. The 900 m-deep GPF1 scientific hole shows that the stockwork is split into two parts by the gently dipping Beauvoir intrusion: the upper section (~ 100m thick) occurs in the La Bosse quarry, , and the lower section (≥ 60 m thick) below the granite floor. The root of the stockwork (hypothetic La Bosse granite) has not been reached. The stockwork comprises flat-lying quartz veins (≤ 0.6 m thick) concordant to the regional schistosity of surrounding micaschists, and steep N10-N50°E quartz veins (≤ 0.2 m thick). The two sets result from hydraulic fracturing, and consistently display crack seal features. A family of aplites and aplo-pegmatites dikes follow the same set of fractures, being either later (with partial dissolution of pre-existing quartz veins) or earlier, than the quartz veins. There is no alteration, nor associated mineral other than ferberite, at the La Bosse quarry, whereas micaceous selvages are observed in the lower section. Ferberite display a trend of ferberite enrichment with increasing depth (0.71 to 0.95 Fb mole%). In the La Bosse quarry, three ferberite habitus are present: acicular, lanceolate and prismatic. Acicular crystals are typically nicely zoned, with alternating Nb-rich (4.95±0.94 % Nb2O5) and Nb-poor (1.57±0.38 % Nb2O5) growth bands. Ta (up to 0.30 Ta2O5), Ti and Sn are also enriched in the Nb-rich bands. Nb and Ta incorporation into the ferberite is in the form of columbite, as either true solid solution or nanoinclusions. Lanceolate crystals have a similarly zoned acicular core and a Nb-poor rim (1.08±0.66 % Nb2O5). Prismatic crystals are unzoned and Nb-poor (0.67±0.20 % Nb2O5). In the lower part of the stockwork, the Nb contents are lower (2.17 % Nb2O5 in the Nb-rich bands, 1.36 % in the Nb-poor bands, 0.08 % in the unzoned cortex, 0.15 % in the unzoned prisms