Self-consistent electrostatic simulations of reforming double layers in the downward current region of the aurora

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gunell, H.; Andersson, L.; De Keyser, J.; Mann, I.

2015-10-01

The plasma on a magnetic field line in the downward current region of the aurora is simulated using a Vlasov model. It is found that an electric field parallel to the magnetic fields is supported by a double layer moving toward higher altitude. The double layer accelerates electrons upward, and these electrons give rise to plasma waves and electron phase-space holes through beam-plasma interaction. The double layer is disrupted when reaching altitudes of 1-2 Earth radii where the Langmuir condition no longer can be satisfied due to the diminishing density of electrons coming up from the ionosphere. During the disruption the potential drop is in part carried by the electron holes. The disruption creates favourable conditions for double layer formation near the ionosphere and double layers form anew in that region. The process repeats itself with a period of approximately 1 min. This period is determined by how far the double layer can reach before being disrupted: a higher disruption altitude corresponds to a longer repetition period. The disruption altitude is, in turn, found to increase with ionospheric density and to decrease with total voltage. The current displays oscillations around a mean value. The period of the oscillations is the same as the recurrence period of the double layer formations. The oscillation amplitude increases with increasing voltage, whereas the mean value of the current is independent of voltage in the 100 to 800 V range covered by our simulations. Instead, the mean value of the current is determined by the electron density at the ionospheric boundary.

Electron density and temperature in an atmospheric-pressure helium diffuse dielectric barrier discharge from kHz to MHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boisvert, J.-S.; Stafford, L.; Naudé, N.; Margot, J.; Massines, F.

2018-03-01

Diffuse dielectric barrier discharges are generated over a very wide range of frequencies. According to the targeted frequency, the glow, Townsend-like, hybrid, Ω and RF-α modes are sustained. In this paper, the electrical characterization of the discharge cell together with an electrical model are used to estimate the electron density from current and voltage measurements for excitation frequencies ranging from 50 kHz to 15 MHz. The electron density is found to vary from 1014 to 1017 m-3 over this frequency range. In addition, a collisional-radiative model coupled with optical emission spectroscopy is used to evaluate the electron temperature (assuming Maxwellian electron energy distribution function) in the same conditions. The time and space-averaged electron temperature is found to be about 0.3 eV in both the low-frequency and high-frequency ranges. However, in the medium-frequency range, it reaches almost twice this value as the discharge is in the hybrid mode. The hybrid mode is similar to the atmospheric-pressure glow discharge usually observed in helium DBDs at low frequency with the major difference being that the plasma is continuously sustained and is characterized by a higher power density.

Relativistic high-current electron-beam stopping-power characterization in solids and plasmas: collisional versus resistive effects.

PubMed

Vauzour, B; Santos, J J; Debayle, A; Hulin, S; Schlenvoigt, H-P; Vaisseau, X; Batani, D; Baton, S D; Honrubia, J J; Nicolaï, Ph; Beg, F N; Benocci, R; Chawla, S; Coury, M; Dorchies, F; Fourment, C; d'Humières, E; Jarrot, L C; McKenna, P; Rhee, Y J; Tikhonchuk, V T; Volpe, L; Yahia, V

2012-12-21

We present experimental and numerical results on intense-laser-pulse-produced fast electron beams transport through aluminum samples, either solid or compressed and heated by laser-induced planar shock propagation. Thanks to absolute K(α) yield measurements and its very good agreement with results from numerical simulations, we quantify the collisional and resistive fast electron stopping powers: for electron current densities of ≈ 8 × 10(10) A/cm(2) they reach 1.5 keV/μm and 0.8 keV/μm, respectively. For higher current densities up to 10(12)A/cm(2), numerical simulations show resistive and collisional energy losses at comparable levels. Analytical estimations predict the resistive stopping power will be kept on the level of 1 keV/μm for electron current densities of 10(14)A/cm(2), representative of the full-scale conditions in the fast ignition of inertially confined fusion targets.

Laser ablation in an ambient gas: Modelling and experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moscicki, Tomasz; Hoffman, Jacek; Szymanski, Zygmunt

2018-02-01

The laser ablation of graphite in ambient argon is studied both experimentally and theoretically in conditions corresponding to the initial conditions of carbon nanotube synthesis by the laser vaporization method. The results of the experiment show that the maximum plasma temperature of 24 000 K is reached 25 ns after the beginning of the laser pulse and decreases to about 4000-4500 K after 10 μs. The maximum electron density of 8 × 1025 m-3 is reached 15 ns from the beginning of the laser pulse. The hydrodynamic model applied shows comparable plasma temperatures and electron densities. The model also replicates well a shock wave and plume confinement—intrinsic features of supersonic flow of the ablated plume in an ambient gas. The results show that the theoretical model can be used to simulate nanosecond laser ablation in an ambient gas from the beginning of the process up to several microseconds.

Real-Space Multiple-Scattering Theory and Its Applications at Exascale

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

Eisenbach, Markus; Wang, Yang

In recent decades, the ab initio methods based on density functional theory (DFT) (Hohenberg and Kohn 1964, Kohn and Sham 1965) have become a widely used tool in computational materials science, which allows theoretical prediction of physical properties of materials from the first principles and theoretical interpretation of new physical phenomena found in experiments. In the framework of DFT, the original problem that requires solving a quantum mechanical equation for a many-electron system is reduced to a one-electron problem that involves an electron moving in an effective field, while the effective field potential is made up of an electrostatic potential,more » also known as Hartree potential, arising from the electronic and ion charge distribution in space and an exchange–correlation potential, which is a function of the electron density and encapsulates the exchange and correlation effects of the many-electron system. Even though the exact functional form of the exchange-correlation potential is formally unknown, a local density approximation (LDA) or a generalized gradient approximation (GGA) is usually applied so that the calculation of the exchange–correlation potential, as well as the exchange–correlation energy, becomes tractable while a required accuracy is retained. Based on DFT, ab initio electronic structure calculations for a material generally involve a self-consistent process that iterates between two computational tasks: (1) solving an one-electron Schrödinger equation, also known as Kohn–Sham equation, to obtain the electron density and, if needed, the magnetic moment density, and (2) solving the Poisson equation to obtain the electrostatic potential corresponding to the electron density and constructing the effective potential by adding the exchange–correlation potential to the electrostatic potential. This self-consistent process proceeds until a convergence criteria is reached.« less

Measurement of plasma densities by dual frequency multichannel boxcar THz time domain spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meier, St. M.; Tsankov, Ts V.; Luggenhölscher, D.; Czarnetzki, U.

2017-06-01

In this paper we show the development and the application of the terahertz time domain spectroscopy (THz TDS) diagnostic technique for the determination of plasma densities in low-pressure discharges. A commercially available system was modified to reach a better signal-to-noise ratio. For that the THz emitter and the detection method were changed and a fast lock-in amplifier was used to reach 38 MHz lock-in frequency. These modifications in a combination with the novel method of dual frequency multichannel boxcar embedded as a feature in the lock-in amplifier allowed us to make also time-resolved measurements. The temporal resolution can potentially go down to 100 ps and is limited only by the spectral range that needs to be recovered for the measurement of low electron densities. Further, the cause of artefacts found in all THz TDS based systems, but not understood until now, is identified and explained. As an application the electron densities in inductively coupled plasmas sustained in a magnetic multi-cusp chamber are determined. Results from steady-state discharges in noble gases (He, Ne, Ar, Kr, Xe) and time-resolved measurements in pulsed discharges in Ar and Ne are presented. The technique is benchmarked against microwave interferometry with good agreement in the applicability range of both techniques. The THz TDS performs reliably also in much denser plasmas where standard microwave interferometry fails. The lower limit for the technique is at a line-integrated electron density of 1012 cm-2, corresponding to about 1011 cm-3 for typical plasma dimensions.

Temperature Dependence of Electric Transport in Few-layer Graphene under Large Charge Doping Induced by Electrochemical Gating

PubMed Central

Gonnelli, R. S.; Paolucci, F.; Piatti, E.; Sharda, Kanudha; Sola, A.; Tortello, M.; Nair, Jijeesh R.; Gerbaldi, C.; Bruna, M.; Borini, S.

2015-01-01

The temperature dependence of electric transport properties of single-layer and few-layer graphene at large charge doping is of great interest both for the study of the scattering processes dominating the conductivity at different temperatures and in view of the theoretically predicted possibility to reach the superconducting state in such extreme conditions. Here we present the results obtained in 3-, 4- and 5-layer graphene devices down to 3.5 K, where a large surface charge density up to about 6.8·1014 cm−2 has been reached by employing a novel polymer electrolyte solution for the electrochemical gating. In contrast with recent results obtained in single-layer graphene, the temperature dependence of the sheet resistance between 20 K and 280 K shows a low-temperature dominance of a T2 component – that can be associated with electron-electron scattering – and, at about 100 K, a crossover to the classic electron-phonon regime. Unexpectedly, this crossover does not show any dependence on the induced charge density, i.e. on the large tuning of the Fermi energy. PMID:25906088

How electronic dynamics with Pauli exclusion produces Fermi-Dirac statistics.

PubMed

Nguyen, Triet S; Nanguneri, Ravindra; Parkhill, John

2015-04-07

It is important that any dynamics method approaches the correct population distribution at long times. In this paper, we derive a one-body reduced density matrix dynamics for electrons in energetic contact with a bath. We obtain a remarkable equation of motion which shows that in order to reach equilibrium properly, rates of electron transitions depend on the density matrix. Even though the bath drives the electrons towards a Boltzmann distribution, hole blocking factors in our equation of motion cause the electronic populations to relax to a Fermi-Dirac distribution. These factors are an old concept, but we show how they can be derived with a combination of time-dependent perturbation theory and the extended normal ordering of Mukherjee and Kutzelnigg for a general electronic state. The resulting non-equilibrium kinetic equations generalize the usual Redfield theory to many-electron systems, while ensuring that the orbital occupations remain between zero and one. In numerical applications of our equations, we show that relaxation rates of molecules are not constant because of the blocking effect. Other applications to model atomic chains are also presented which highlight the importance of treating both dephasing and relaxation. Finally, we show how the bath localizes the electron density matrix.

Rocket observation of electron density irregularities in the lower E region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Yuzo; Nakamura, Yoshiharu; Amemiya, Hiroshi

Results are presented on measurements of local ionospheric electron density irregularities, in the size range 3-300 km, observed by a Langmuir probe on board the S-310-16 sounding rocket launched on February 1, 1986 from Kagoshima Space Center (Japan). Results of a frequency analysis of data indicates that the spectral index of the irregularities is 0.9 to 1.8 and the irregularity amplitude is 1 to 15 percent. The amplitude reaches its maximum at the 88 km altitude. The mechanism involved in the generation of these irregularities is explained in the framework of the neutral turbulence theory.

Major results from the first plasma campaign of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator

DOE PAGES

Wolf, R. C.; Ali, A.; Alonso, A.; ...

2017-07-27

Here, after completing the main construction phase of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) and successfully commissioning the device, first plasma operation started at the end of 2015. Integral commissioning of plasma start-up and operation using electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and an extensive set of plasma diagnostics have been completed, allowing initial physics studies during the first operational campaign. Both in helium and hydrogen, plasma breakdown was easily achieved. Gaining experience with plasma vessel conditioning, discharge lengths could be extended gradually. Eventually, discharges lasted up to 6 s, reaching an injected energy of 4 MJ, which is twice the limit originally agreedmore » for the limiter configuration employed during the first operational campaign. At power levels of 4 MW central electron densities reached 3 × 10 19 m –3, central electron temperatures reached values of 7 keV and ion temperatures reached just above 2 keV. Important physics studies during this first operational phase include a first assessment of power balance and energy confinement, ECRH power deposition experiments, 2nd harmonic O-mode ECRH using multi-pass absorption, and current drive experiments using electron cyclotron current drive. As in many plasma discharges the electron temperature exceeds the ion temperature significantly, these plasmas are governed by core electron root confinement showing a strong positive electric field in the plasma centre.« less

Major results from the first plasma campaign of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wolf, R. C.; Ali, A.; Alonso, A.; Baldzuhn, J.; Beidler, C.; Beurskens, M.; Biedermann, C.; Bosch, H.-S.; Bozhenkov, S.; Brakel, R.; Dinklage, A.; Feng, Y.; Fuchert, G.; Geiger, J.; Grulke, O.; Helander, P.; Hirsch, M.; Höfel, U.; Jakubowski, M.; Knauer, J.; Kocsis, G.; König, R.; Kornejew, P.; Krämer-Flecken, A.; Krychowiak, M.; Landreman, M.; Langenberg, A.; Laqua, H. P.; Lazerson, S.; Maaßberg, H.; Marsen, S.; Marushchenko, M.; Moseev, D.; Niemann, H.; Pablant, N.; Pasch, E.; Rahbarnia, K.; Schlisio, G.; Stange, T.; Pedersen, T. Sunn; Svensson, J.; Szepesi, T.; Trimino Mora, H.; Turkin, Y.; Wauters, T.; Weir, G.; Wenzel, U.; Windisch, T.; Wurden, G.; Zhang, D.; Abramovic, I.; Äkäslompolo, S.; Aleynikov, P.; Aleynikova, K.; Alzbutas, R.; Anda, G.; Andreeva, T.; Ascasibar, E.; Assmann, J.; Baek, S.-G.; Banduch, M.; Barbui, T.; Barlak, M.; Baumann, K.; Behr, W.; Benndorf, A.; Bertuch, O.; Biel, W.; Birus, D.; Blackwell, B.; Blanco, E.; Blatzheim, M.; Bluhm, T.; Böckenhoff, D.; Bolgert, P.; Borchardt, M.; Borsuk, V.; Boscary, J.; Böttger, L.-G.; Brand, H.; Brandt, Ch.; Bräuer, T.; Braune, H.; Brezinsek, S.; Brunner, K.-J.; Brünner, B.; Burhenn, R.; Buttenschön, B.; Bykov, V.; Calvo, I.; Cannas, B.; Cappa, A.; Carls, A.; Carraro, L.; Carvalho, B.; Castejon, F.; Charl, A.; Chernyshev, F.; Cianciosa, M.; Citarella, R.; Ciupiński, Ł.; Claps, G.; Cole, M.; Cole, M. J.; Cordella, F.; Cseh, G.; Czarnecka, A.; Czermak, A.; Czerski, K.; Czerwinski, M.; Czymek, G.; da Molin, A.; da Silva, A.; Dammertz, G.; Danielson, J.; de la Pena, A.; Degenkolbe, S.; Denner, P.; Dhard, D. P.; Dostal, M.; Drevlak, M.; Drewelow, P.; Drews, Ph.; Dudek, A.; Dundulis, G.; Durodie, F.; van Eeten, P.; Effenberg, F.; Ehrke, G.; Endler, M.; Ennis, D.; Erckmann, E.; Esteban, H.; Estrada, T.; Fahrenkamp, N.; Feist, J.-H.; Fellinger, J.; Fernandes, H.; Fietz, W. H.; Figacz, W.; Fontdecaba, J.; Ford, O.; Fornal, T.; Frerichs, H.; Freund, A.; Führer, M.; Funaba, T.; Galkowski, A.; Gantenbein, G.; Gao, Y.; García Regaña, J.; Garcia-Munoz, M.; Gates, D.; Gawlik, G.; Geiger, B.; Giannella, V.; Gierse, N.; Gogoleva, A.; Goncalves, B.; Goriaev, A.; Gradic, D.; Grahl, M.; Green, J.; Grosman, A.; Grote, H.; Gruca, M.; Guerard, C.; Haiduk, L.; Han, X.; Harberts, F.; Harris, J. H.; Hartfuß, H.-J.; Hartmann, D.; Hathiramani, D.; Hein, B.; Heinemann, B.; Heitzenroeder, P.; Henneberg, S.; Hennig, C.; Hernandez Sanchez, J.; Hidalgo, C.; Hölbe, H.; Hollfeld, K. P.; Hölting, A.; Höschen, D.; Houry, M.; Howard, J.; Huang, X.; Huber, M.; Huber, V.; Hunger, H.; Ida, K.; Ilkei, T.; Illy, S.; Israeli, B.; Ivanov, A.; Jablonski, S.; Jagielski, J.; Jelonnek, J.; Jenzsch, H.; Junghans, P.; Kacmarczyk, J.; Kaliatka, T.; Kallmeyer, J.-P.; Kamionka, U.; Karalevicius, R.; Kasahara, H.; Kasparek, W.; Kenmochi, N.; Keunecke, M.; Khilchenko, A.; Kinna, D.; Kleiber, R.; Klinger, T.; Knaup, M.; Kobarg, Th.; Köchl, F.; Kolesnichenko, Y.; Könies, A.; Köppen, M.; Koshurinov, J.; Koslowski, R.; Köster, F.; Koziol, R.; Krämer, M.; Krampitz, R.; Kraszewsk, P.; Krawczyk, N.; Kremeyer, T.; Krings, Th.; Krom, J.; Krzesinski, G.; Ksiazek, I.; Kubkowska, M.; Kühner, G.; Kurki-Suonio, T.; Kwak, S.; Lang, R.; Langish, S.; Laqua, H.; Laube, R.; Lechte, C.; Lennartz, M.; Leonhardt, W.; Lewerentz, L.; Liang, Y.; Linsmeier, Ch.; Liu, S.; Lobsien, J.-F.; Loesser, D.; Loizu Cisquella, J.; Lore, J.; Lorenz, A.; Losert, M.; Lubyako, L.; Lücke, A.; Lumsdaine, A.; Lutsenko, V.; Majano-Brown, J.; Marchuk, O.; Mardenfeld, M.; Marek, P.; Massidda, S.; Masuzaki, S.; Maurer, D.; McCarthy, K.; McNeely, P.; Meier, A.; Mellein, D.; Mendelevitch, B.; Mertens, Ph.; Mikkelsen, D.; Mishchenko, O.; Missal, B.; Mittelstaedt, J.; Mizuuchi, T.; Mollen, A.; Moncada, V.; Mönnich, T.; Morizaki, T.; Munk, R.; Murakami, S.; Musielok, F.; Náfrádi, G.; Nagel, M.; Naujoks, D.; Neilson, H.; Neubauer, O.; Neuner, U.; Ngo, T.; Nocentini, R.; Nührenberg, C.; Nührenberg, J.; Obermayer, S.; Offermanns, G.; Ogawa, K.; Ongena, J.; Oosterbeek, J. W.; Orozco, G.; Otte, M.; Pacios Rodriguez, L.; Pan, W.; Panadero, N.; Panadero Alvarez, N.; Panin, A.; Papenfuß, D.; Paqay, S.; Pavone, A.; Pawelec, E.; Pelka, G.; Peng, X.; Perseo, V.; Peterson, B.; Pieper, A.; Pilopp, D.; Pingel, S.; Pisano, F.; Plaum, B.; Plunk, G.; Povilaitis, M.; Preinhaelter, J.; Proll, J.; Puiatti, M.-E.; Sitjes, A. Puig; Purps, F.; Rack, M.; Récsei, S.; Reiman, A.; Reiter, D.; Remppel, F.; Renard, S.; Riedl, R.; Riemann, J.; Rimkevicius, S.; Riße, K.; Rodatos, A.; Röhlinger, H.; Romé, M.; Rong, P.; Roscher, H.-J.; Roth, B.; Rudischhauser, L.; Rummel, K.; Rummel, T.; Runov, A.; Rust, N.; Ryc, L.; Ryosuke, S.; Sakamoto, R.; Samartsev, A.; Sanchez, M.; Sano, F.; Satake, S.; Satheeswaran, G.; Schacht, J.; Schauer, F.; Scherer, T.; Schlaich, A.; Schlüter, K.-H.; Schmitt, J.; Schmitz, H.; Schmitz, O.; Schmuck, S.; Schneider, M.; Schneider, W.; Scholz, M.; Scholz, P.; Schrittwieser, R.; Schröder, M.; Schröder, T.; Schroeder, R.; Schumacher, H.; Schweer, B.; Shanahan, B.; Shikhovtsev, I. V.; Sibilia, M.; Sinha, P.; Sipliä, S.; Skodzik, J.; Slaby, C.; Smith, H.; Spiess, W.; Spong, D. A.; Spring, A.; Stadler, R.; Standley, B.; Stephey, L.; Stoneking, M.; Stridde, U.; Sulek, Z.; Surko, C.; Suzuki, Y.; Szabó, V.; Szabolics, T.; Szökefalvi-Nagy, Z.; Tamura, N.; Terra, A.; Terry, J.; Thomas, J.; Thomsen, H.; Thumm, M.; von Thun, C. P.; Timmermann, D.; Titus, P.; Toi, K.; Travere, J. M.; Traverso, P.; Tretter, J.; Tsuchiya, H.; Tsujimura, T.; Tulipán, S.; Turnyanskiy, M.; Unterberg, B.; Urban, J.; Urbonavicius, E.; Vakulchyk, I.; Valet, S.; van Millingen, B.; Vela, L.; Velasco, J.-L.; Vergote, M.; Vervier, M.; Vianello, N.; Viebke, H.; Vilbrandt, R.; Vorkörper, A.; Wadle, S.; Wagner, F.; Wang, E.; Wang, N.; Warmer, F.; Wegener, L.; Weggen, J.; Wei, Y.; Wendorf, J.; Werner, A.; Wiegel, B.; Wilde, F.; Winkler, E.; Winters, V.; Wolf, S.; Wolowski, J.; Wright, A.; Xanthopoulos, P.; Yamada, H.; Yamada, I.; Yasuhara, R.; Yokoyama, M.; Zajac, J.; Zarnstorff, M.; Zeitler, A.; Zhang, H.; Zhu, J.; Zilker, M.; Zimbal, A.; Zocco, A.; Zoletnik, S.; Zuin, M.

2017-10-01

After completing the main construction phase of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) and successfully commissioning the device, first plasma operation started at the end of 2015. Integral commissioning of plasma start-up and operation using electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and an extensive set of plasma diagnostics have been completed, allowing initial physics studies during the first operational campaign. Both in helium and hydrogen, plasma breakdown was easily achieved. Gaining experience with plasma vessel conditioning, discharge lengths could be extended gradually. Eventually, discharges lasted up to 6 s, reaching an injected energy of 4 MJ, which is twice the limit originally agreed for the limiter configuration employed during the first operational campaign. At power levels of 4 MW central electron densities reached 3  ×  1019 m-3, central electron temperatures reached values of 7 keV and ion temperatures reached just above 2 keV. Important physics studies during this first operational phase include a first assessment of power balance and energy confinement, ECRH power deposition experiments, 2nd harmonic O-mode ECRH using multi-pass absorption, and current drive experiments using electron cyclotron current drive. As in many plasma discharges the electron temperature exceeds the ion temperature significantly, these plasmas are governed by core electron root confinement showing a strong positive electric field in the plasma centre.

Major results from the first plasma campaign of the Wendelstein 7-X stellarator

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

Wolf, R. C.; Ali, A.; Alonso, A.

Here, after completing the main construction phase of Wendelstein 7-X (W7-X) and successfully commissioning the device, first plasma operation started at the end of 2015. Integral commissioning of plasma start-up and operation using electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and an extensive set of plasma diagnostics have been completed, allowing initial physics studies during the first operational campaign. Both in helium and hydrogen, plasma breakdown was easily achieved. Gaining experience with plasma vessel conditioning, discharge lengths could be extended gradually. Eventually, discharges lasted up to 6 s, reaching an injected energy of 4 MJ, which is twice the limit originally agreedmore » for the limiter configuration employed during the first operational campaign. At power levels of 4 MW central electron densities reached 3 × 10 19 m –3, central electron temperatures reached values of 7 keV and ion temperatures reached just above 2 keV. Important physics studies during this first operational phase include a first assessment of power balance and energy confinement, ECRH power deposition experiments, 2nd harmonic O-mode ECRH using multi-pass absorption, and current drive experiments using electron cyclotron current drive. As in many plasma discharges the electron temperature exceeds the ion temperature significantly, these plasmas are governed by core electron root confinement showing a strong positive electric field in the plasma centre.« less

Extreme plasma states in laser-governed vacuum breakdown.

PubMed

Efimenko, Evgeny S; Bashinov, Aleksei V; Bastrakov, Sergei I; Gonoskov, Arkady A; Muraviev, Alexander A; Meyerov, Iosif B; Kim, Arkady V; Sergeev, Alexander M

2018-02-05

Triggering vacuum breakdown at laser facility is expected to provide rapid electron-positron pair production for studies in laboratory astrophysics and fundamental physics. However, the density of the produced plasma may cease to increase at a relativistic critical density, when the plasma becomes opaque. Here, we identify the opportunity of breaking this limit using optimal beam configuration of petawatt-class lasers. Tightly focused laser fields allow generating plasma in a small focal volume much less than λ 3 and creating extreme plasma states in terms of density and produced currents. These states can be regarded to be a new object of nonlinear plasma physics. Using 3D QED-PIC simulations we demonstrate a possibility of reaching densities over 10 25  cm -3 , which is an order of magnitude higher than expected earlier. Controlling the process via initial target parameters provides an opportunity to reach the discovered plasma states at the upcoming laser facilities.

β-Cobalt sulfide nanoparticles decorated graphene composite electrodes for high capacity and power supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qu, Baihua; Chen, Yuejiao; Zhang, Ming; Hu, Lingling; Lei, Danni; Lu, Bingan; Li, Qiuhong; Wang, Yanguo; Chen, Libao; Wang, Taihong

2012-11-01

Electrochemical supercapacitors have drawn much attention because of their high power and reasonably high energy densities. However, their performances still do not reach the demand of energy storage. In this paper β-cobalt sulfide nanoparticles were homogeneously distributed on a highly conductive graphene (CS-G) nanocomposite, which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy analysis, and exhibit excellent electrochemical performances including extremely high values of specific capacitance (~1535 F g-1) at a current density of 2 A g-1, high-power density (11.98 kW kg-1) at a discharge current density of 40 A g-1 and excellent cyclic stability. The excellent electrochemical performances could be attributed to the graphene nanosheets (GNSs) which could maintain the mechanical integrity. Also the CS-G nanocomposite electrodes have high electrical conductivity. These results indicate that high electronic conductivity of graphene nanocomposite materials is crucial to achieving high power and energy density for supercapacitors.

β-Cobalt sulfide nanoparticles decorated graphene composite electrodes for high capacity and power supercapacitors.

PubMed

Qu, Baihua; Chen, Yuejiao; Zhang, Ming; Hu, Lingling; Lei, Danni; Lu, Bingan; Li, Qiuhong; Wang, Yanguo; Chen, Libao; Wang, Taihong

2012-12-21

Electrochemical supercapacitors have drawn much attention because of their high power and reasonably high energy densities. However, their performances still do not reach the demand of energy storage. In this paper β-cobalt sulfide nanoparticles were homogeneously distributed on a highly conductive graphene (CS-G) nanocomposite, which was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy analysis, and exhibit excellent electrochemical performances including extremely high values of specific capacitance (~1535 F g(-1)) at a current density of 2 A g(-1), high-power density (11.98 kW kg(-1)) at a discharge current density of 40 A g(-1) and excellent cyclic stability. The excellent electrochemical performances could be attributed to the graphene nanosheets (GNSs) which could maintain the mechanical integrity. Also the CS-G nanocomposite electrodes have high electrical conductivity. These results indicate that high electronic conductivity of graphene nanocomposite materials is crucial to achieving high power and energy density for supercapacitors.

Electronic structure calculations of PbS quantum rods and tubes

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

Pimachev, Artem; Dahnovsky, Yuri, E-mail: yurid@uwyo.edu

2014-01-28

We study absorption spectra, optical and HOMO-LUMO gaps, and the density of states for PbS quantum rods (QRs) and tubes (QTs). We find some similarities and also differences in QR and QT properties. For both QRs and QTs, the optical and HOMO-LUMO gaps reach the plateaus for small lengths. We find that tubes are as stable as rods. The optical spectra exhibit a peak that can be due to the electron-hole interaction or be a prototype of an S{sub e}–S{sub h} transition in the effective mass approximation. We also calculate the density of states by the density functional theory (DFT)more » and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) methods. The TDDFT density of states function is shifted towards the red side by 0.5 eV indicating the strong e-h interaction.« less

Post-midnight enhancements in low latitude F layer electron density: observations and simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Libo; Le, Huijun; Chen, Yiding; Zhang, Yanyan; Wan, Weixing; Ning, Baiqi

2014-05-01

Observations from a Lowell DPS-4D ionosonde operated at Sanya (18.3º N, 109.6º E), a low latitude station in China, have been analysed to study the nighttime behavior of ionospheric F layer. Post-midnight enhancement events are frequently occurred in the year of 2012. Common features in these cases illustrate that, accompanying nighttime rises in peak electron density of F2-layer (NmF2), the height of F2-layer goes downward significantly and the ionogram-derived electron density height profiles become sharpener. Enhancement in electron density develops earlier and reaches peaks earlier at higher altitudes than at lower altitudes. Downward plasma drift detected under such events reveals the essential role of the westward electric field in forming the post-midnight enhancements in electron density of ionospheric F-layer at such low latitudes. The important role of westward electric field in formation of nighttime enhancement is supported by the simulated results from a model. Work has been published in Liu et al., A case study of post-midnight enhancement in F-layer electron density over Sanya of China, J. Geophys. Res. Space Physics, 2013, 118, 4640-4648, DOI:10.1002/jgra.50422. Acknowledgements: Ionosonde data are provided from BNOSE of IGGCAS. This research was supported by the projects of Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZZD-EW-01-3), National Key Basic Research Program of China (2012CB825604), and National Natural Science Foundation of China (41231065).

Evolution from Rydberg gas to ultracold plasma in a supersonic atomic beam of Xe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hung, J.; Sadeghi, H.; Schulz-Weiling, M.; Grant, E. R.

2014-08-01

A Rydberg gas of xenon, entrained in a supersonic atomic beam, evolves slowly to form an ultracold plasma. In the early stages of this evolution, when the free-electron density is low, Rydberg atoms undergo long-range \\ell -mixing collisions, yielding states of high orbital angular momentum. The development of high-\\ell states promotes dipole-dipole interactions that help to drive Penning ionization. The electron density increases until it reaches the threshold for avalanche. Ninety μs after the production of a Rydberg gas with the initial state, {{n}_{0}}{{\\ell }_{0}}=42d, a 432 V cm-1 electrostatic pulse fails to separate charge in the excited volume, an effect which is ascribed to screening by free electrons. Photoexcitation cross sections, observed rates of \\ell -mixing, and a coupled-rate-equation model simulating the onset of the electron-impact avalanche point consistently to an initial Rydberg gas density of 5\\times {{10}^{8}}\\;c{{m}^{-3}}.

Mechanisms of Pulsed Laser Induced Damage to Optical Coatings

DTIC Science & Technology

1986-07-01

photoionization of absorption centers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 82 5 Electron densities achieved at 12.xiO" cm from color center initiation due...lends validity to this =~ del . It also provides an order of magnitide estimate of thýe range of the otherwise unknor optical absorption coefficient and...very high temperaturas can be reacheS in the center of the film while the boundaries remain nearly at their initial temperataure. In this case a

Photoemission study of the electronic structure and charge density waves of Na₂Ti₂Sb₂O

DOE PAGES

Tan, S. Y.; Jiang, J.; Ye, Z. R.; ...

2015-04-30

The electronic structure of Na₂Ti₂Sb₂O single crystal is studied by photon energy and polarization dependent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). The obtained band structure and Fermi surface agree well with the band structure calculation of Na₂Ti₂Sb₂O in the non-magnetic state, which indicates that there is no magnetic order in Na₂Ti₂Sb₂O and the electronic correlation is weak. Polarization dependent ARPES results suggest the multi-band and multi-orbital nature of Na₂Ti₂Sb₂O. Photon energy dependent ARPES results suggest that the electronic structure of Na₂Ti₂Sb₂O is rather two-dimensional. Moreover, we find a density wave energy gap forms below the transition temperature and reaches 65 meV atmore » 7 K, indicating that Na₂Ti₂Sb₂O is likely a weakly correlated CDW material in the strong electron-phonon interaction regime. (author)« less

Synthesis of Mesoporous Carbons from Rice Husk for Supercapacitors with High Energy Density in Ionic Liquid Electrolytes.

PubMed

He, Xiaojun; Zhang, Hebao; Xie, Kang; Xia, Youyi; Zhao, Zhigang; Wang, Xiaoting

2016-03-01

High-performance mesoporous carbons (MCs) for supercapacitors were made from rice husk by one-step microwave-assisted ZnCl2 activation. The microstructures of MCs as-made were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The pore structure parameters of MCs were obtained by N2 adsorption technique. The electrochemical properties of MC electrodes were studied by constant current charge-discharge, cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy in different electrolytes. The results showed that the specific surface area of MC4 made at the ZnCl2/rice husk mass of 4:1 reached 1737 m2 g(-1). The specific capacitance and energy density of the electrodes fabricated from the mixture of MC4 and microporous carbon increased with the mass percentage of MC4, reaching 157 F g(-1) and 84 Wh kg(-1) at 0.05 A g(-1), and showed good cycle stability in 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate electrolyte. Compared to the often-used aqueous and organic electrolytes, MC4 capacitor exhibited extremely high energy density in ionic liquid electrolyte, remaining at 28 Wh kg(-1) at 1684 W kg(-1). This work paves a new way to produce cost-effective MCs from biomass for supercapacitors with extremely high energy density in ionic liquid electrolytes.

Non-equilibrium calculations of atmospheric processes initiated by electron impact.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, L.; Brunger, M. J.

2007-05-01

Electron impact in the atmosphere produces ionisation, dissociation, electronic excitation and vibrational excitation of atoms and molecules. The products can then take part in chemical reactions, recombination with electrons, or radiative or collisional deactivation. While most such processes are fast, some longer--lived species do not reach equilibrium. The electron source (photoelectrons or auroral electrons) also varies over time and longer-lived species can move substantially in altitude by molecular, ambipolar or eddy diffusion. Hence non-equilibrium calculations are required in some circumstances. Such time-step calculations need to have sufficiently short steps so that the fastest processes are still calculated correctly, but this can lead to computation times that are too large. Hence techniques to allow for longer time steps by incorporating equilibrium calculations are described. Examples are given for results of atmospheric non-equilibrium calculations, including the populations of the vibrational levels of ground state N2, the electron density and its dependence on vibrationally excited N2, predictions of nitric oxide density, and detailed processes during short duration auroral events.

Observations of the electron density perturbation in the cusp irregularities during the ICI-2 campaign

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abe, Takumi; Moen, J. I.

The ICI-2 (Investigation of Cusp Irregularities-2) sounding rocket campaign was conducted in Svalbard, Norway on December 2008. The scientific objective of ICI-2 is to investigate genera-tion mechanism(s) of coherent HF radar backscatter targets. Strong coherent HF backscatter echoes are well-known phenomena in the polar ionospheric cusp, and are thought to result from field-aligned plasma irregularities with decameter scale length. However, the generation mech-anism of backscatter targets has not yet been understood, and even the altitude profile of HF cusp backscatter is unknown. The ICI-2 rocket was launched at 10:35:10 UT at Ny-˚lesund, A and reached an apogee of 330 km at about 5 minutes after the launch. All onboard systems functioned flawlessly. A comprehensive measurement of the electron density, low energy elec-tron flux, medium energy particle flux, AC and DC electric fields was conducted to exploit the potential role of the gradient drift instability versus the other suggested mechanisms. We present a result obtained from a Fixed-Biased Probe (FBP) which was aimed at measuring fine-scale (< 1 m) electron density perturbation. Our analysis of the FBP data during the rocket's flight indicates that the rocket traversed HF backscatter regions where the electron density perturbation is relatively large. The power spectrum analysis of the electron density shows that the amplitude increases not only in the decameter wavelength but also in the broad range of frequency. Characteristic features of the electron density perturbation are summarized as follows: 1) A strong perturbation of the electron density was observed by the FBP when the ICI-2 rocket passed through a front side of the poleward moving 630 nm emission region which was identified by the all-sky imager. This means that the electron density perturbation and the 630 nm emission are observed to coexist in the same region. 2) The absolute value of the electron density becomes larger in the disturbed region than in the surrounding region. The electron density gradient in the boundary with the outer region is larger in the equatorward side than in the poleward side. 3) The amplitude of the electron density perturbation is remarkably large in the equatorward edge rather than the poleward boundaries. 4) The FBP identified the electron density perturbation at three different altitudes during the rocket flight. This indicates that the perturbation likely exists not only within the narrow limits but in a larger extent in the vertical direction.

A high-current electron gun for the electron beam ion trap at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory.

PubMed

Schwarz, S; Baumann, T M; Kittimanapun, K; Lapierre, A; Snyder, A

2014-02-01

The Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT) in NSCL's reaccelerator ReA uses continuous ion injection and accumulation. In order to maximize capture efficiency and minimize breeding time into high charge states, the EBIT requires a high-current/high current-density electron beam. A new electron gun insert based on a concave Ba-dispenser cathode has been designed and built to increase the current transmitted through the EBIT's superconducting magnet. With the new insert, stable EBIT operating conditions with 0.8 A of electron beam have been established. The design of the electron gun is presented together with calculated and measured perveance data. In order to assess the experimental compression of the electron beam, a pinhole CCD camera has been set up to measure the electron beam radius. The camera observes X-rays emitted from highly charged ions, excited by the electron beam. Initial tests with this camera setup will be presented. They indicate that a current density of 640 A/cm(2) has been reached when the EBIT magnet was operated at 4 T.

A high-current electron gun for the electron beam ion trap at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory

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

Schwarz, S., E-mail: schwarz@nscl.msu.edu; Baumann, T. M.; Kittimanapun, K.

The Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT) in NSCL’s reaccelerator ReA uses continuous ion injection and accumulation. In order to maximize capture efficiency and minimize breeding time into high charge states, the EBIT requires a high-current/high current-density electron beam. A new electron gun insert based on a concave Ba-dispenser cathode has been designed and built to increase the current transmitted through the EBIT’s superconducting magnet. With the new insert, stable EBIT operating conditions with 0.8 A of electron beam have been established. The design of the electron gun is presented together with calculated and measured perveance data. In order to assessmore » the experimental compression of the electron beam, a pinhole CCD camera has been set up to measure the electron beam radius. The camera observes X-rays emitted from highly charged ions, excited by the electron beam. Initial tests with this camera setup will be presented. They indicate that a current density of 640 A/cm{sup 2} has been reached when the EBIT magnet was operated at 4 T.« less

Sub-Poissonian light and photocurrent shot-noise suppression in closed opto-electronic loop

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Masalov, A. V.; Putilin, A. A.; Vasilyev, Michael V.

1994-01-01

We examine experimentally photocurrent noise reduction in the opto-electronic closed loop. Photocurrent noise density 12.5 dB below the shot-noise was observed. So large suppression was not reached in previous experiments and cannot be explained in terms of an ordinary sub-Poissonian light in the loop. We propose the concept of anticorrelation state for the description of light in the loop.

Glow plasma trigger for electron cyclotron resonance ion sources.

PubMed

Vodopianov, A V; Golubev, S V; Izotov, I V; Nikolaev, A G; Oks, E M; Savkin, K P; Yushkov, G Yu

2010-02-01

Electron cyclotron resonance ion sources (ECRISs) are particularly useful for nuclear, atomic, and high energy physics, as unique high current generators of multicharged ion beams. Plasmas of gas discharges in an open magnetic trap heated by pulsed (100 micros and longer) high power (100 kW and higher) high-frequency (greater than 37.5 GHz) microwaves of gyrotrons is promising in the field of research in the development of electron cyclotron resonance sources for high charge state ion beams. Reaching high ion charge states requires a decrease in gas pressure in the magnetic trap, but this method leads to increases in time, in which the microwave discharge develops. The gas breakdown and microwave discharge duration becomes greater than or equal to the microwave pulse duration when the pressure is decreased. This makes reaching the critical plasma density initiate an electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) discharge during pulse of microwave gyrotron radiation with gas pressure lower than a certain threshold. In order to reduce losses of microwave power, it is necessary to shorten the time of development of the ECR discharge. For fast triggering of ECR discharge under low pressure in an ECRIS, we initially propose to fill the magnetic trap with the plasmas of auxiliary pulsed discharges in crossed ExB fields. The glow plasma trigger of ECR based on a Penning or magnetron discharge has made it possible not only to fill the trap with plasma with density of 10(12) cm(-3), required for a rapid increase in plasma density and finally for ECR discharge ignition, but also to initially heat the plasma electrons to T(e) approximately = 20 eV.

Space-dependent characterization of laser-induced plasma plume during fiber laser welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, Xianfeng; Song, Lijun; Xiao, Wenjia; Liu, Xingbo

2016-12-01

The role of a plasma plume in high power fiber laser welding is of considerable interest due to its influence on the energy transfer mechanism. In this study, the space-dependent plasma characteristics including spectrum intensity, plasma temperature and electron density were investigated using optical emission spectroscopy technique. The plasma temperature was calculated using the Boltzmann plot of atomic iron lines, whereas the electron density was determined from the Stark broadening of the Fe I line at 381.584 nm. Quantitative analysis of plasma characteristics with respect to the laser radiation was performed. The results show that the plasma radiation increases as the laser power increases during the partial penetration mode, and then decreases sharply after the initiation of full penetration. Both the plasma temperature and electron density increase with the increase of laser power until they reach steady state values after full penetration. Moreover, the hottest core of the plasma shifts toward the surface of the workpiece as the penetration depth increases, whereas the electron density is more evenly distributed above the surface of the workpiece. The results also indicate that the absorption and scattering of nanoparticles in the plasma plume is the main mechanism for laser power attenuation.

Phase Diagram and Electronic Structure of Praseodymium and Plutonium

DOE PAGES

Lanatà, Nicola; Yao, Yongxin; Wang, Cai-Zhuang; ...

2015-01-29

We develop a new implementation of the Gutzwiller approximation in combination with the local density approximation, which enables us to study complex 4f and 5f systems beyond the reach of previous approaches. We calculate from first principles the zero-temperature phase diagram and electronic structure of Pr and Pu, finding good agreement with the experiments. Our study of Pr indicates that its pressure-induced volume-collapse transition would not occur without change of lattice structure—contrarily to Ce. Our study of Pu shows that the most important effect originating the differentiation between the equilibrium densities of its allotropes is the competition between the Peierlsmore » effect and the Madelung interaction and not the dependence of the electron correlations on the lattice structure.« less

Observation of an abrupt electron heating mode transition in capacitive single radio frequency discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilczek, Sebastian; Trieschmann, Jan; Schulze, Julian; Brinkmann, Ralf Peter; Mussenbrock, Thomas; Derzsi, Aranka; Korolov, Ihor; Donkó, Zoltan

2013-09-01

The electron heating in capacitive discharges at very low pressures (~1 Pa) is dominated by stochastic heating. In this regime electrons are accelerated by the oscillating sheaths, traverse through the plasma bulk and interact with the opposite sheath. By varying the driving frequency or the gap size of the discharge, energetic electrons reach the sheath edge at different temporal phases, i.e., the collapsing or expanding phase, or the moment of minimum sheath width. This work reports numerical experiments based on Particle-In-Cell simulations which show that at certain frequencies the discharge switches abruptly from a low density mode in a high density mode. The inverse transition is also abrupt, but shows a significant hysteresis. This behavior is explained by the complex interaction of the bulk and the sheath. This work is supported by the German Research Foundation in the frame of TRR 87.

Cassini measurements of cold plasma in the ionosphere of Titan.

PubMed

Wahlund, J E; Boström, R; Gustafsson, G; Gurnett, D A; Kurth, W S; Pedersen, A; Averkamp, T F; Hospodarsky, G B; Persoon, A M; Canu, P; Neubauer, F M; Dougherty, M K; Eriksson, A I; Morooka, M W; Gill, R; André, M; Eliasson, L; Müller-Wodarg, I

2005-05-13

The Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) Langmuir probe (LP) sensor observed the cold plasma environment around Titan during the first two flybys. The data show that conditions in Saturn's magnetosphere affect the structure and dynamics deep in the ionosphere of Titan. The maximum measured ionospheric electron number density reached 3800 per cubic centimeter near closest approach, and a complex chemistry was indicated. The electron temperature profiles are consistent with electron heat conduction from the hotter Titan wake. The ionospheric escape flux was estimated to be 10(25) ions per second.

Ionosphere variability during the 2009 SSW: Influence of the lunar semidiurnal tide and mechanisms producing electron density variability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pedatella, N. M.; Liu, H.-L.; Sassi, F.; Lei, J.; Chau, J. L.; Zhang, X.

2014-05-01

To investigate ionosphere variability during the 2009 sudden stratosphere warming (SSW), we present simulation results that combine the Whole Atmosphere Community Climate Model Extended version and the thermosphere-ionosphere-mesosphere electrodynamics general circulation model (TIME-GCM). The simulations reveal notable enhancements in both the migrating semidiurnal solar (SW2) and lunar (M2) tides during the SSW. The SW2 and M2 amplitudes reach ˜50 m s-1 and ˜40 m s-1, respectively, in zonal wind at E region altitudes. The dramatic increase in the M2 at these altitudes influences the dynamo generation of electric fields, and the importance of the M2 on the ionosphere variability during the 2009 SSW is demonstrated by comparing simulations with and without the M2. TIME-GCM simulations that incorporate the M2 are found to be in good agreement with Jicamarca Incoherent Scatter Radar vertical plasma drifts and Constellation Observing System for Meteorology, Ionosphere, and Climate (COSMIC) observations of the maximum F region electron density. The agreement with observations is worse if the M2 is not included in the simulation, demonstrating that the lunar tide is an important contributor to the ionosphere variability during the 2009 SSW. We additionally investigate sources of the F region electron density variability during the SSW. The primary driver of the electron density variability is changes in electric fields. Changes in meridional neutral winds and thermosphere composition are found to also contribute to the electron density variability during the 2009 SSW. The electron density variability for the 2009 SSW is therefore not solely due to variability in electric fields as previously thought.

Guiding of relativistic electron beams in dense matter by laser-driven magnetostatic fields.

PubMed

Bailly-Grandvaux, M; Santos, J J; Bellei, C; Forestier-Colleoni, P; Fujioka, S; Giuffrida, L; Honrubia, J J; Batani, D; Bouillaud, R; Chevrot, M; Cross, J E; Crowston, R; Dorard, S; Dubois, J-L; Ehret, M; Gregori, G; Hulin, S; Kojima, S; Loyez, E; Marquès, J-R; Morace, A; Nicolaï, Ph; Roth, M; Sakata, S; Schaumann, G; Serres, F; Servel, J; Tikhonchuk, V T; Woolsey, N; Zhang, Z

2018-01-09

Intense lasers interacting with dense targets accelerate relativistic electron beams, which transport part of the laser energy into the target depth. However, the overall laser-to-target energy coupling efficiency is impaired by the large divergence of the electron beam, intrinsic to the laser-plasma interaction. Here we demonstrate that an efficient guiding of MeV electrons with about 30 MA current in solid matter is obtained by imposing a laser-driven longitudinal magnetostatic field of 600 T. In the magnetized conditions the transported energy density and the peak background electron temperature at the 60-μm-thick target's rear surface rise by about a factor of five, as unfolded from benchmarked simulations. Such an improvement of energy-density flux through dense matter paves the ground for advances in laser-driven intense sources of energetic particles and radiation, driving matter to extreme temperatures, reaching states relevant for planetary or stellar science as yet inaccessible at the laboratory scale and achieving high-gain laser-driven thermonuclear fusion.

Photoemission study of the electronic structure and charge density waves of Na2Ti2Sb2O.

PubMed

Tan, S Y; Jiang, J; Ye, Z R; Niu, X H; Song, Y; Zhang, C L; Dai, P C; Xie, B P; Lai, X C; Feng, D L

2015-04-30

The electronic structure of Na2Ti2Sb2O single crystal is studied by photon energy and polarization dependent angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES). The obtained band structure and Fermi surface agree well with the band structure calculation of Na2Ti2Sb2O in the non-magnetic state, which indicates that there is no magnetic order in Na2Ti2Sb2O and the electronic correlation is weak. Polarization dependent ARPES results suggest the multi-band and multi-orbital nature of Na2Ti2Sb2O. Photon energy dependent ARPES results suggest that the electronic structure of Na2Ti2Sb2O is rather two-dimensional. Moreover, we find a density wave energy gap forms below the transition temperature and reaches 65 meV at 7 K, indicating that Na2Ti2Sb2O is likely a weakly correlated CDW material in the strong electron-phonon interaction regime.

First-principles studies of electronic, transport and bulk properties of pyrite FeS2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Banjara, Dipendra; Mbolle, Augustine; Malozovsky, Yuriy; Franklin, Lashounda; Bagayoko, Diola

We present results of ab-initio, self-consistent density functional theory (DFT) calculations of electronic, transport, and bulk properties of pyrite FeS2. We employed a local density approximation (LDA) potential and the linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) formalism, following the Bagayoko, Zhao and Williams (BZW) method, as enhanced by Ekuma and Franklin (BZW-EF). The BZW-EF method requires successive, self consistent calculations with increasing basis sets to reach the ground state of the system under study. We report the band structure, the band gap, total and partial densities of states, effective masses, and the bulk modulus. Work funded in part by the US Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) (Award No.DE-NA0002630), the National Science Foundation (NSF) (Award No, 1503226), LaSPACE, and LONI-SUBR.

Column-like EED extending from equatorial topside ionosphere toward plasmasphere retrieved from IGS and LEO/GPS observations with 3-D CT inversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, R.; Ma, S. Y.; Xu, J. S.; Xiong, C.; Luehr, H.; Jakowski, N.

2010-05-01

The electron density distributions in the equatorial ionosphere are retrieved from GPS observations of joint ground-based IGS and onboard CHAMP/GRACE satellites during November 2004 super-storm by 3-D tomography technique. For LEO satellite-based GPS receiving, both the occultation TEC data and that along the radio propagation paths above the LEO are used and assimilated into the huge IGS TEC dataset. The electron density images are reconstructed for different sectors of America, Asia and Europe and produced for every hour. The retrieved electron densities are validated by satellite in situ measurements of CHAMP Langmuir probe and GRACE Ka-band SST (low-low satellite-to-satellite tracking) derived electron density averaged between the two satellites, as well as by numerical simulations. It reveals some very interesting storm-time structures of Ne distributions, such as top-hat-like F2-3 double layer and column-like enhanced electron densities (CEED). The CEED are found during the main phase of the storm near the minimum of Dst and in the longitudinal sector centered at 157E. They extend from the topside ionosphere toward to plasmasphere, reaching at least about 2000 km as high. The footprints of the CEED stand on the two peaks of the EIA. The forming mechanism of CEED and its relationship with SED and plasmaspheric plumes are worthy of further study. This work is supported by NSFC (No.40674078).

Diverse carrier mobility of monolayer BNC_x: A combined density functional theory and Boltzmann transport theory study.

PubMed

Wu, Tao; Deng, Kaiming; Deng, Wei-Qiao; Lu, Ruifeng

2017-09-19

BNCX monolayer as a kind of two-dimensional material has numerous chemical atomic ratios and arrangements with different electronic structures. Via calculations on the basis of density functional theory and Boltzmann transport theory under deformation potential approximation, the band structures and carrier mobilities of BNCX (x=1,2,3,4) nanosheets are systematically investigated. The calculated results show that BNC2-1 is a material with very small band gap (0.02 eV) among all the structures while other BNCX monolayers are semiconductors with band gap ranging from 0.51 to 1.32 eV. The carrier mobility of BNCX varies considerably from tens to millions of cm2 V-1 s-1. For BNC2-1, the hole mobility and electron mobility along both x and y directions can reach 105 orders of magnitude, which is similar to the carrier mobility of graphene. Besides, all studied BNCX monolayers obviously have anisotropic hole mobility and electron mobility. In particular, for semiconductor BNC4, its hole mobility along y direction and electron mobility along x direction unexpectedly reach 106 orders of magnitude, even higher than that of graphene. Our findings suggest that BNCX layered materials with proper ratio and arrangement of carbon atoms will possess desirable charge transport properties, exhibiting potential applications in nanoelectronic devices. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Resistivity of a simple metal from room temperature to 10 to the 6th K

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Milchberg, H. M.; Freeman, R. R.; Davey, S. C.; More, R. M.

1988-11-01

The resistivity of nearly solid-density Al was measured as a function of temperature over 4 orders of magnitude above ambient by observing the self-reflection of an intense, less than 0.5 psec, 308-nm light pulse incident on a planar Al target. As an increasing function of electron temperature, the resistivity is observed initially to increase, reach a maximum which is relatively constant over an extended temperature range, and then decrease at the highest temperatures. The broad maximum is interpreted as resistivity saturation, a condition in which the mean free path of the conduction electrons reaches a minimum value as a function of temperature, regardless of the extent of any further disorder in the material.

Influence of the inter-ion interaction on the phase diagrams of the 1D Falicov-Kimball system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gajek, Z.; Lemański, R.

2004-05-01

A model of itinerant, spinless electrons interacting with ions via the on-site Coulomb potential U, modified by the inter-ionic nearest-neighbour interaction V, is studied on the one-dimensional infinite lattice. Only periodical configurations of the ions with a limited number of lattice sites in a unit cell and their mixtures are taken into account. Phases whose energies reach minimum values for given electron and ion chemical potentials are selected and depicted for a set of model parameters. Then the results are translated into the ion density-electron density canonical phase diagrams and summarized in the electrondensity-U plane. The diagrams clearly show how various kinds of charge ordering evolve with V, starting from V=0 case, that represents the standard Falicov-Kimball model discussed previously.

When Anatase Nanoparticles Become Bulklike: Properties of Realistic TiO2 Nanoparticles in the 1-6 nm Size Range from All Electron Relativistic Density Functional Theory Based Calculations.

PubMed

Lamiel-Garcia, Oriol; Ko, Kyoung Chul; Lee, Jin Yong; Bromley, Stefan T; Illas, Francesc

2017-04-11

All electron relativistic density functional theory (DFT) based calculations using numerical atom-centered orbitals have been carried out to explore the relative stability, atomic, and electronic structure of a series of stoichiometric TiO 2 anatase nanoparticles explicitly containing up to 1365 atoms as a function of size and morphology. The nanoparticles under scrutiny exhibit octahedral or truncated octahedral structures and span the 1-6 nm diameter size range. Initial structures were obtained using the Wulff construction, thus exhibiting the most stable (101) and (001) anatase surfaces. Final structures were obtained from geometry optimization with full relaxation of all structural parameters using both generalized gradient approximation (GGA) and hybrid density functionals. Results show that, for nanoparticles of a similar size, octahedral and truncated octahedral morphologies have comparable energetic stabilities. The electronic structure properties exhibit a clear trend converging to the bulk values as the size of the nanoparticles increases but with a marked influence of the density functional employed. Our results suggest that electronic structure properties, and hence reactivity, for the largest anatase nanoparticles considered in this study will be similar to those exhibited by even larger mesoscale particles or by bulk systems. Finally, we present compelling evidence that anatase nanoparticles become effectively bulklike when reaching a size of ∼20 nm diameter.

Neutrino Oscillations within the Induced Gravitational Collapse Paradigm of Long Gamma-Ray Bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Becerra, L.; Guzzo, M. M.; Rossi-Torres, F.; Rueda, J. A.; Ruffini, R.; Uribe, J. D.

2018-01-01

The induced gravitational collapse paradigm of long gamma-ray bursts associated with supernovae (SNe) predicts a copious neutrino–antineutrino (ν \\bar{ν }) emission owing to the hypercritical accretion process of SN ejecta onto a neutron star (NS) binary companion. The neutrino emission can reach luminosities of up to 1057 MeV s‑1, mean neutrino energies of 20 MeV, and neutrino densities of 1031 cm‑3. Along their path from the vicinity of the NS surface outward, such neutrinos experience flavor transformations dictated by the neutrino-to-electron-density ratio. We determine the neutrino and electron on the accretion zone and use them to compute the neutrino flavor evolution. For normal and inverted neutrino mass hierarchies and within the two-flavor formalism ({ν }e{ν }x), we estimate the final electronic and nonelectronic neutrino content after two oscillation processes: (1) neutrino collective effects due to neutrino self-interactions where the neutrino density dominates, and (2) the Mikheyev–Smirnov–Wolfenstein effect, where the electron density dominates. We find that the final neutrino content is composed by ∼55% (∼62%) of electronic neutrinos, i.e., {ν }e+{\\bar{ν }}e, for the normal (inverted) neutrino mass hierarchy. The results of this work are the first step toward the characterization of a novel source of astrophysical MeV neutrinos in addition to core-collapse SNe and, as such, deserve further attention.

Time Dependent Predictive Modeling of DIII-D ITER Baseline Scenario using Predictive TRANSP

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grierson, B. A.; Andre, R. G.; Budny, R. V.; Solomon, W. M.; Yuan, X.; Candy, J.; Pinsker, R. I.; Staebler, G. M.; Holland, C.; Rafiq, T.

2015-11-01

ITER baseline scenario discharges on DIII-D are modeled with TGLF and MMM transitioning from combined ECH (3.3MW) +NBI(2.8MW) heating to NBI only (3.0 MW) heating maintaining βN = 2.0 on DIII-D predicting temperature, density and rotation for comparison to experimental measurements. These models capture the reduction of confinement associated with direct electron heating H98y2 = 0.89 vs. 1.0) consistent with stiff electron transport. Reasonable agreement between experimental and modeled temperature profiles is achieved for both heating methods, whereas density and momentum predictions differ significantly. Transport fluxes from TGLF indicate that on DIII-D the electron energy flux has reached a transition from low-k to high-k turbulence with more stiff high-k transport that inhibits an increase in core electron stored energy with additional electron heating. Projections to ITER also indicate high electron stiffness. Supported by US DOE DE-AC02-09CH11466, DE-FC02-04ER54698, DE-FG02-07ER54917, DE-FG02-92-ER54141.

Active control of bright electron beams with RF optics for femtosecond microscopy

DOE PAGES

Williams, J.; Zhou, F.; Sun, T.; ...

2017-08-01

A frontier challenge in implementing femtosecond electron microscopy is to gain precise optical control of intense beams to mitigate collective space charge effects for significantly improving the throughput. In this paper, we explore the flexible uses of an RF cavity as a longitudinal lens in a high-intensity beam column for condensing the electron beams both temporally and spectrally, relevant to the design of ultrafast electron microscopy. Through the introduction of a novel atomic grating approach for characterization of electron bunch phase space and control optics, we elucidate the principles for predicting and controlling the phase space dynamics to reach optimalmore » compressions at various electron densities and generating conditions. We provide strategies to identify high-brightness modes, achieving ~100 fs and ~1 eV resolutions with 10 6 electrons per bunch, and establish the scaling of performance for different bunch charges. These results benchmark the sensitivity and resolution from the fundamental beam brightness perspective and also validate the adaptive optics concept to enable delicate control of the density-dependent phase space structures to optimize the performance, including delivering ultrashort, monochromatic, high-dose, or coherent electron bunches.« less

Active control of bright electron beams with RF optics for femtosecond microscopy

PubMed Central

Williams, J.; Zhou, F.; Sun, T.; Tao, Z.; Chang, K.; Makino, K.; Berz, M.; Duxbury, P. M.; Ruan, C.-Y.

2017-01-01

A frontier challenge in implementing femtosecond electron microscopy is to gain precise optical control of intense beams to mitigate collective space charge effects for significantly improving the throughput. Here, we explore the flexible uses of an RF cavity as a longitudinal lens in a high-intensity beam column for condensing the electron beams both temporally and spectrally, relevant to the design of ultrafast electron microscopy. Through the introduction of a novel atomic grating approach for characterization of electron bunch phase space and control optics, we elucidate the principles for predicting and controlling the phase space dynamics to reach optimal compressions at various electron densities and generating conditions. We provide strategies to identify high-brightness modes, achieving ∼100 fs and ∼1 eV resolutions with 106 electrons per bunch, and establish the scaling of performance for different bunch charges. These results benchmark the sensitivity and resolution from the fundamental beam brightness perspective and also validate the adaptive optics concept to enable delicate control of the density-dependent phase space structures to optimize the performance, including delivering ultrashort, monochromatic, high-dose, or coherent electron bunches. PMID:28868325

Frictional Heating of Ions In The F2-region of The Ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhizhko, G. O.; Vlasov, V. G.

Auroral electron beams unstable on the Cherenkov resonance are stabilized by large- scale inhomogeneity of the plasma density during all their way from the acceleration region to the E-region of the ionosphere. The generation of plasma waves by beam is possible only in the region of small plasma density gradients, that always is the area of the F2-region maximum. Thus, collective dissipation of the electron beam energy occurs in the local region with the length about several tens of kilometers. This leads to the intensive heating of the electrons(up to temperatures about 10000 K) and will give origin to the ion upflows with velocity about 1 km/s and density about 109 cm-2 s-1. These flows can result in the ion frictional heating. At the same time ion temperatures reach the values about 5000 K. A numerical simulation of the ion frictional heating in the presence of collective elec- tron heating in the high-latitude F2-region of the ionosphere was performed. The sim- ulation has shown that the most critical parameter for the occurence of the ion fric- tional heating was the the steepness of the plasma density profile above the F2-region maximum.

Abnormal distribution of low-latitude ionospheric electron density during November 2004 superstorm as reconstructed by 3-D CT technique from IGS and LEO/GPS observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiao, R.; Ma, S.; Xu, J.; Xiong, C.; Yan, W.; Luhr, H.; Jakowski, N.

2010-12-01

Using time-dependent 3-D tomography method, the electron density distributions in the mid- and low-latitude ionosphere are reconstructed from GPS observations of joint ground-based IGS network and onboard CHAMP/GRACE satellites during November 2004 super-storm. For LEO satellite-based GPS receiving, both the occultation TEC data and that along the radio propagation paths above the LEO are used. The electron density images versus latitude/altitude/longitude are reconstructed for different sectors of America/Asia/Europe and produced every hour. The reconstructed electron densities are validated by satellite in situ measurements of CHAMP Langmuir probe and GRACE Ka-band SST (low-low satellite-to-satellite tracking) derived electron density averaged between the two satellites, as well as by CIT simulations. It reveals some very interesting storm-time structures of Ne distributions, such as top-hat-like F2-3 double layer and column-like enhanced electron densities (CEED). The double layer structure appeared over a large latitude range from about -30 degree to 20 degree along East-Asian/Australia longitudes before local noon, looking like one additional smaller EIA structure standing above the usual one of EIA. It is consistent with the F-3 layer observed by ionosonde at an Australian low-latitude station. The CEED are found just 1-2 hours before the minimum of Dst and in the longitudinal sector about 157 E. They extend from the topside ionosphere toward plasmasphere, reaching at least about 2000 km as high. Their footprints stand on the two peaks of the EIA. This CEED is also seen in the image of 30.4 nm He ++ radiation by IMAGE, showing a narrow channel of enhanced density extending from afternoon ionosphere to plasmsphere westward. The forming mechanism of CEED and its relationship with SED and plasmaspheric plumes are worthy of further study. Acknowledgement: This work is supported by NSFC (No.40674078).

The effect of UV irradiation on the refractive index modulation in photo-thermo-refractive glasses: Mechanisms and application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chernakov, Dmitry I.; Sidorov, Alexander I.; Stolyarchuk, Maxim V.; Kozlova, Darya A.; Krykova, Victoria A.; Nikonorov, Nikolay V.

2018-02-01

It is shown experimentally that in photo-thermo-refractive glasses the transformation of charged silver subnanosized molecular clusters to neutral state by UV irradiation results in the increase of glass refractive index. The increment of the refractive index reaches Δn = 0.76·10-4. Computer simulation has shown that the polarizability of neutral molecular clusters is by 20-40% larger than of charged ones. The reason of this is the increase of electron density and volume of electron density surfaces during the transformation of molecular cluster to the neutral state. The transition molecular cluster from the ground state to the excited state also results in the increase of its polarizability.

Comparison of degradation effects induced by gamma radiation and electron beam radiation in two cable jacketing materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bartoníček, B.; Plaček, V.; Hnát, V.

2007-05-01

The radiation degradation behavior of commercial low density polyethylene (LDPE) and ethylene-vinylacetate (EVA) cable materials has been investigated. The changes of mechanical properties, thermooxidative stability and density exhibit different radiation stability towards 60Co-gamma radiation and 160 keV electron beam radiation. This difference reflects much higher penetration of the gamma radiation through the polymeric material as a function of sample thickness. These results are discussed with respect to the role of beta radiation during design basis events in a nuclear power plants. In case when total accidental design basis event (DBE) dose (involving about 80% soft beta radiation) is simulated by 60Co-gamma radiation the conservatism is reached.

Plasma waves associated with the AMPTE artificial comet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gurnett, D. A.; Anderson, R. R.; Haeusler, B.; Haerendel, G.; Bauer, O. H.

1985-01-01

Numerous plasma wave effects were detected by the AMPTE/IRM spacecraft during the artificial comet experiment on December 27, 1984. As the barium ion cloud produced by the explosion expanded over the spacecraft, emissions at the electron plasma frequency and ion plasma frequency provided a determination of the local electron density. The electron density in the diamagnetic cavity produced by the ion cloud reached a peak of more than 5 x 10 to the 5th per cu cm, then decayed smoothly as the cloud expanded, varying approximately as t exp-2. As the cloud began to move due to interactions with the solar wind, a region of compressed plasma was encountered on the upstream side of the diamagnetic cavity. The peak electron density in the compression region was about 1.5 x 10 to the 4th per cu cm. Later, a very intense (140 mVolt/m) broadband burst of electrostatic noise was encountered on the sunward side of the compression region. This noise has characteristics very similar to noise observed in the earth's bow shock, and is believed to be a shocklike interaction produced by an ion beam-plasma instability between the nearly stationary barium ions and the streaming solar wind protons.

Free-bound electron exchange contribution to l-split atomic structure in dense plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bennadji, K.; Rosmej, F.; Lisitsa, V. S.

2013-11-01

An analytical expression for the exchange energy between the bound electron in hydrogen-like ions and the free electrons of plasma is proposed. Two limiting cases are identified: 1) the low temperature limit where the energy depends linearly on density and on the ion charge as 1/Z2 but does not depend on the temperature itself, 2) the high temperature limit where the energy depends on temperature as 1/T but does not depend on the ion charge. These two regimes are separated by a characteristic temperature (T∗ = 4Z2Ry) which is a universal parameter depending only on the charge Z of the ions. We presented numerical results for aluminum: the exchange energy contributes about 15% to the total plasma energy and can reach an order of 10-4 of the total transition energy. Comparison to the Local-density Approximation (Kohn-Sham) exchange energy shows a good agreement.

Observation of the inductive to helicon mode transition in a weakly magnetized solenoidal inductive discharge

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

Lee, Min-Hyong; Chung, Chin-Wook

2008-10-13

A mode transition from an inductive mode to a helicon mode is observed in a solenoidal inductive discharge immersed in a weak dc magnetic field. The measured electron temperature and the plasma density at the reactor radial boundary show a sudden increase when the magnetic field strength reaches the critical value and the electron cyclotron frequency exceeds the rf driving frequency. These increases are due to the electron heating by the helicon wave. Such increases in the temperature and the density are not observed at the plasma center because the helicon wave cannot propagate to the center of the solenoidalmore » type reactor unless the magnetic field is very high. These results show that the transition of the discharge from the inductive to the helicon mode occurs at the critical magnetic field strength.« less

High electronegativity multi-dipolar electron cyclotron resonance plasma source for etching by negative ions

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

Stamate, E.; Draghici, M.

2012-04-15

A large area plasma source based on 12 multi-dipolar ECR plasma cells arranged in a 3 x 4 matrix configuration was built and optimized for silicon etching by negative ions. The density ratio of negative ions to electrons has exceeded 300 in Ar/SF{sub 6} gas mixture when a magnetic filter was used to reduce the electron temperature to about 1.2 eV. Mass spectrometry and electrostatic probe were used for plasma diagnostics. The new source is free of density jumps and instabilities and shows a very good stability for plasma potential, and the dominant negative ion species is F{sup -}. Themore » magnetic field in plasma volume is negligible and there is no contamination by filaments. The etching rate by negative ions measured in Ar/SF{sub 6}/O{sub 2} mixtures was almost similar with that by positive ions reaching 700 nm/min.« less

Light programmable organic transistor memory device based on hybrid dielectric

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Xiaochen; Chan, Paddy K. L.

2013-09-01

We have fabricated the transistor memory devices based on SiO2 and polystyrene (PS) hybrid dielectric. The trap states densities with different semiconductors have been investigated and a maximum 160V memory window between programming and erasing is realized. For DNTT based transistor, the trapped electron density is limited by the number of mobile electrons in semiconductor. The charge transport mechanism is verified by light induced Vth shift effect. Furthermore, in order to meet the low operating power requirement of portable electronic devices, we fabricated the organic memory transistor based on AlOx/self-assembly monolayer (SAM)/PS hybrid dielectric, the effective capacitance of hybrid dielectric is 210 nF cm-2 and the transistor can reach saturation state at -3V gate bias. The memory window in transfer I-V curve is around 1V under +/-5V programming and erasing bias.

PIC simulations of post-pulse field reversal and secondary ionization in nanosecond argon discharges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, H. Y.; Gołkowski, M.; Gołkowski, C.; Stoltz, P.; Cohen, M. B.; Walker, M.

2018-05-01

Post-pulse electric field reversal and secondary ionization are investigated with a full kinetic treatment in argon discharges between planar electrodes on nanosecond time scales. The secondary ionization, which occurs at the falling edge of the voltage pulse, is induced by charge separation in the bulk plasma region. This process is driven by a reverse in the electric field from the cathode sheath to the formerly driven anode. Under the influence of the reverse electric field, electrons in the bulk plasma and sheath regions are accelerated toward the cathode. The electron movement manifests itself as a strong electron current generating high electron energies with significant electron dissipated power. Accelerated electrons collide with Ar molecules and an increased ionization rate is achieved even though the driving voltage is no longer applied. With this secondary ionization, in a single pulse (SP), the maximum electron density achieved is 1.5 times higher and takes a shorter time to reach using 1 kV 2 ns pulse as compared to a 1 kV direct current voltage at 1 Torr. A bipolar dual pulse excitation can increase maximum density another 50%–70% above a SP excitation and in half the time of RF sinusoidal excitation of the same period. The first field reversal is most prominent but subsequent field reversals also occur and correspond to electron temperature increases. Targeted pulse designs can be used to condition plasma density as required for fast discharge applications.

Effect of strain on the electronic structure and optical properties of germanium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wen, Shumin; Zhao, Chunwang; Li, Jijun; Hou, Qingyu

2018-05-01

The effects of biaxial strain parallel to the (001) plane on the electronic structures and optical properties of Ge are calculated using the first-principles plane-wave pseudopotential method based on density functional theory. The screened-exchange local-density approximation function was used to obtain more reliable band structures, while strain was changed from ‑4% to +4%. The results show that the bandgap of Ge decreases with the increase of strain. Ge becomes a direct-bandgap semiconductor when the tensile strain reaches to 2%, which is in good agreement with the experimental results. The density of electron states of strained Ge becomes more localized. The tensile strain can increase the static dielectric constant distinctly, whereas the compressive strain can decrease the static dielectric constant slightly. The strain makes the absorption band edge move toward low energy. Both the tensile strain and compressive strain can significantly increase the reflectivity in the range from 7 eV to 14 eV. The tensile strain can decrease the optical conductivity, but the compressive strain can increase the optical conductivity significantly.

Time-resolved cathodoluminescence microscopy with sub-nanosecond beam blanking for direct evaluation of the local density of states.

PubMed

Moerland, Robert J; Weppelman, I Gerward C; Garming, Mathijs W H; Kruit, Pieter; Hoogenboom, Jacob P

2016-10-17

We show cathodoluminescence-based time-resolved electron beam spectroscopy in order to directly probe the spontaneous emission decay rate that is modified by the local density of states in a nanoscale environment. In contrast to dedicated laser-triggered electron-microscopy setups, we use commercial hardware in a standard SEM, which allows us to easily switch from pulsed to continuous operation of the SEM. Electron pulses of 80-90 ps duration are generated by conjugate blanking of a high-brightness electron beam, which allows probing emitters within a large range of decay rates. Moreover, we simultaneously attain a resolution better than λ/10, which ensures details at deep-subwavelength scales can be retrieved. As a proof-of-principle, we employ the pulsed electron beam to spatially measure excited-state lifetime modifications in a phosphor material across the edge of an aluminum half-plane, coated on top of the phosphor. The measured emission dynamics can be directly related to the structure of the sample by recording photon arrival histograms together with the secondary-electron signal. Our results show that time-resolved electron cathodoluminescence spectroscopy is a powerful tool of choice for nanophotonics, within reach of a large audience.

Path Integral Monte Carlo Simulations of Warm Dense Matter and Plasmas

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

Militzer, Burkhard

2018-01-13

New path integral Monte Carlo simulation (PIMC) techniques will be developed and applied to derive the equation of state (EOS) for the regime of warm dense matter and dense plasmas where existing first-principles methods cannot be applied. While standard density functional theory has been used to accurately predict the structure of many solids and liquids up to temperatures on the order of 10,000 K, this method is not applicable at much higher temperature where electronic excitations become important because the number of partially occupied electronic orbitals reaches intractably large numbers and, more importantly, the use of zero-temperature exchange-correlation functionals introducesmore » an uncontrolled approximation. Here we focus on PIMC methods that become more and more efficient with increasing temperatures and still include all electronic correlation effects. In this approach, electronic excitations increase the efficiency rather than reduce it. While it has commonly been assumed such methods can only be applied to elements without core electrons like hydrogen and helium, we recently showed how to extend PIMC to heavier elements by performing the first PIMC simulations of carbon and water plasmas [Driver, Militzer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 108 (2012) 115502]. Here we propose to continue this important development to extend the reach of PIMC simulations to yet heavier elements and also lower temperatures. The goal is to provide a robust first-principles simulation method that can accurately and efficiently study materials with excited electrons at solid-state densities in order to access parts of the phase diagram such the regime of warm dense matter and plasmas where so far only more approximate, semi-analytical methods could be applied.« less

Behaviour of Electron Content in the Ionospheric D-Region During Solar X-Ray Flares

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Todorović Drakul, M.; Čadež, V. M.; Bajčetić, J.; Popović, L. Č.; Blagojević, D.; Nina, A.

2016-12-01

One of the most important parameters in ionospheric plasma research, also having a wide practical application in wireless satellite telecommunications, is the total electron content (TEC) representing the columnal electron number density. The F-region with high electron density provides the biggest contribution to TEC while the relatively weakly ionized plasma of the D-region (60 km - 90 km above Earth's surface) is often considered as a negligible cause of satellite signal disturbances. However, sudden intensive ionization processes, like those induced by solar X-ray flares, can cause relative increases of electron density that are significantly larger in the D-region than in regions at higher altitudes. Therefore, one cannot exclude a priori the D-region from investigations of ionospheric influences on propagation of electromagnetic signals emitted by satellites. We discuss here this problem which has not been sufficiently treated in literature so far. The obtained results are based on data collected from the D-region monitoring by very low frequency radio waves and on vertical TEC calculations from the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) signal analyses, and they show noticeable variations in the D-region's electron content (TEC_{D) during activity of a solar X-ray flare (it rises by a factor of 136 in the considered case) when TEC_{D} contribution to TEC can reach several percent and which cannot be neglected in practical applications like global positioning procedures by satellites.

Diverse carrier mobility of monolayer BNC x : a combined density functional theory and Boltzmann transport theory study.

PubMed

Wu, Tao; Deng, Kaiming; Deng, Weiqiao; Lu, Ruifeng

2017-10-19

BNC x monolayer as a kind of two-dimensional material has numerous chemical atomic ratios and arrangements with different electronic structures. Via calculations on the basis of density functional theory and Boltzmann transport theory under deformation potential approximation, the band structures and carrier mobilities of BNC x (x  =  1,2,3,4) nanosheets are systematically investigated. The calculated results show that BNC 2 -1 is a material with very small band gap (0.02 eV) among all the structures while other BNC x monolayers are semiconductors with band gap ranging from 0.51 eV to 1.32 eV. The carrier mobility of BNC x varies considerably from tens to millions of cm 2 V -1 s -1 . For BNC 2 -1, the hole mobility and electron mobility along both x and y directions can reach 10 5 orders of magnitude, which is similar to the carrier mobility of graphene. Besides, all studied BNC x monolayers obviously have anisotropic hole mobility and electron mobility. In particular, for semiconductor BNC 4 , its hole mobility along the y direction and electron mobility along the x direction unexpectedly reach 10 6 orders of magnitude, even higher than that of graphene. Our findings suggest that BNC x layered materials with the proper ratio and arrangement of carbon atoms will possess desirable charge transport properties, exhibiting potential applications in nanoelectronic devices.

Diverse carrier mobility of monolayer BNC x : a combined density functional theory and Boltzmann transport theory study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Tao; Deng, Kaiming; Deng, Weiqiao; Lu, Ruifeng

2017-11-01

BNC x monolayer as a kind of two-dimensional material has numerous chemical atomic ratios and arrangements with different electronic structures. Via calculations on the basis of density functional theory and Boltzmann transport theory under deformation potential approximation, the band structures and carrier mobilities of BNC x (x  =  1,2,3,4) nanosheets are systematically investigated. The calculated results show that BNC2-1 is a material with very small band gap (0.02 eV) among all the structures while other BNC x monolayers are semiconductors with band gap ranging from 0.51 eV to 1.32 eV. The carrier mobility of BNC x varies considerably from tens to millions of cm2 V-1 s-1. For BNC2-1, the hole mobility and electron mobility along both x and y directions can reach 105 orders of magnitude, which is similar to the carrier mobility of graphene. Besides, all studied BNC x monolayers obviously have anisotropic hole mobility and electron mobility. In particular, for semiconductor BNC4, its hole mobility along the y direction and electron mobility along the x direction unexpectedly reach 106 orders of magnitude, even higher than that of graphene. Our findings suggest that BNC x layered materials with the proper ratio and arrangement of carbon atoms will possess desirable charge transport properties, exhibiting potential applications in nanoelectronic devices.

High intensity, plasma-induced electron emission from large area carbon nanotube array cathodes

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

Liao Qingliang; Yang Ya; Qi Junjie

2010-02-15

The plasma-induced electron emission properties of large area carbon nanotube (CNT) array cathodes under different pulse electric fields were investigated. The formation and expansion of cathode plasmas were proved; in addition, the cathodes have higher emission current in the double-pulse mode than that in the single-pulse mode due to the expansion of plasma. Under the double-pulse electric field of 8.16 V/mum, the plasma's expansion velocity is about 12.33 cm/mus and the highest emission current density reached 107.72 A/cm{sup 2}. The Cerenkov radiation was used to diagnose the distribution of electron beams, and the electron beams' generating process was plasma-induced emission.

Estimation of dislocations density and distribution of dislocations during ECAP-Conform process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Derakhshan, Jaber Fakhimi; Parsa, Mohammad Habibi; Ayati, Vahid; Jafarian, Hamidreza

2018-01-01

Dislocation density of coarse grain aluminum AA1100 alloy (140 µm) that was severely deformed by Equal Channel Angular Pressing-Conform (ECAP-Conform) are studied at various stages of the process by electron backscattering diffraction (EBSD) method. The geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) density and statistically stored dislocations (SSDs) densities were estimate. Then the total dislocations densities are calculated and the dislocation distributions are presented as the contour maps. Estimated average dislocations density for annealed of about 2×1012 m-2 increases to 4×1013 m-2 at the middle of the groove (135° from the entrance), and they reach to 6.4×1013 m-2 at the end of groove just before ECAP region. Calculated average dislocations density for one pass severely deformed Al sample reached to 6.2×1014 m-2. At micrometer scale the behavior of metals especially mechanical properties largely depend on the dislocation density and dislocation distribution. So, yield stresses at different conditions were estimated based on the calculated dislocation densities. Then estimated yield stresses were compared with experimental results and good agreements were found. Although grain size of material did not clearly change, yield stress shown intensive increase due to the development of cell structure. A considerable increase in dislocations density in this process is a good justification for forming subgrains and cell structures during process which it can be reason of increasing in yield stress.

Effects of gas residence time of CH4/H2 on sp2 fraction of amorphous carbon films and dissociated methyl density during radical-injection plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugiura, Hirotsugu; Jia, Lingyun; Kondo, Hiroki; Ishikawa, Kenji; Tsutsumi, Takayoshi; Hayashi, Toshio; Takeda, Keigo; Sekine, Makoto; Hori, Masaru

2018-06-01

Quadruple mass spectrometric measurements of CH3 density during radical-injection plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition to consider the sp2 fraction of amorphous carbon (a-C) films were performed. The sp2 fraction of the a-C films reached a minimum of 46%, where the CH3 density was maximum for a residence time of 6 ms. The sp2 fraction of the a-C films was tailored with the gaseous phase CH3 density during the deposition. This knowledge is useful for understanding the formation mechanism of bonding structures in the a-C films, which enables the precise control of their electronic properties.

High-order harmonic generation in solid slabs beyond the single-active-electron approximation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hansen, Kenneth K.; Deffge, Tobias; Bauer, Dieter

2017-11-01

High-harmonic generation by a laser-driven solid slab is simulated using time-dependent density functional theory. Multiple harmonic plateaus up to very high harmonic orders are observed already at surprisingly low field strengths. The full all-electron harmonic spectra are, in general, very different from those of any individual Kohn-Sham orbital. Freezing the Kohn-Sham potential instead is found to be a good approximation for the laser intensities and harmonic orders considered. The origins of the plateau cutoffs are explained in terms of band gaps that can be reached by Kohn-Sham electrons and holes moving through the band structure.

Towards Terabit Memories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoefflinger, Bernd

Memories have been the major yardstick for the continuing validity of Moore's law. In single-transistor-per-Bit dynamic random-access memories (DRAM), the number of bits per chip pretty much gives us the number of transistors. For decades, DRAM's have offered the largest storage capacity per chip. However, DRAM does not scale any longer, both in density and voltage, severely limiting its power efficiency to 10 fJ/b. A differential DRAM would gain four-times in density and eight-times in energy. Static CMOS RAM (SRAM) with its six transistors/cell is gaining in reputation because it scales well in cell size and operating voltage so that its fundamental advantage of speed, non-destructive read-out and low-power standby could lead to just 2.5 electrons/bit in standby and to a dynamic power efficiency of 2aJ/b. With a projected 2020 density of 16 Gb/cm², the SRAM would be as dense as normal DRAM and vastly better in power efficiency, which would mean a major change in the architecture and market scenario for DRAM versus SRAM. Non-volatile Flash memory have seen two quantum jumps in density well beyond the roadmap: Multi-Bit storage per transistor and high-density TSV (through-silicon via) technology. The number of electrons required per Bit on the storage gate has been reduced since their first realization in 1996 by more than an order of magnitude to 400 electrons/Bit in 2010 for a complexity of 32Gbit per chip at the 32 nm node. Chip stacking of eight chips with TSV has produced a 32GByte solid-state drive (SSD). A stack of 32 chips with 2 b/cell at the 16 nm node will reach a density of 2.5 Terabit/cm². Non-volatile memory with a density of 10 × 10 nm²/Bit is the target for widespread development. Phase-change memory (PCM) and resistive memory (RRAM) lead in cell density, and they will reach 20 Gb/cm² in 2D and higher with 3D chip stacking. This is still almost an order-of-magnitude less than Flash. However, their read-out speed is ~10-times faster, with as yet little data on their energy/b. As a read-out memory with unparalleled retention and lifetime, the ROM with electron-beam direct-write-lithography (Chap. 8) should be considered for its projected 2D density of 250 Gb/cm², a very small read energy of 0.1 μW/Gb/s. The lithography write-speed 10 ms/Terabit makes this ROM a serious contentender for the optimum in non-volatile, tamper-proof storage.

Magnetic mirror effect in a cylindrical Hall thruster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, Yiwei; Tang, Haibin; Ren, Junxue; Li, Min; Cao, Jinbin

2018-01-01

For cylindrical Hall thrusters, the magnetic field geometry is totally different from that in conventional Hall thrusters. In this study, we investigate the magnetic mirror effect in a fully cylindrical Hall thruster by changing the number of iron rings (0-5), which surround the discharge channel wall. The plasma properties inside the discharge channel and plume area are simulated with a self-developed PIC-MCC code. The numerical results show significant influence of magnetic geometry on the electron confinement. With the number of rings increasing above three, the near-wall electron density gap is reduced, indicating the suppression of neutral gas leakage. The electron temperature inside the discharge channel reaches its peak (38.4 eV) when the magnetic mirror is strongest. It is also found that the thruster performance has strong relations with the magnetic mirror as the propellant utilisation efficiency reaches the maximum (1.18) at the biggest magnetic mirror ratio. Also, the optimal magnetic mirror improves the multi-charged ion dynamics, including the ion production and propellant utilisation efficiency.

Ion beam enhancement in magnetically insulated ion diodes for high-intensity pulsed ion beam generation in non-relativistic mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, X. P.; Zhang, Z. C.; Pushkarev, A. I.; Lei, M. K.

2016-01-01

High-intensity pulsed ion beam (HIPIB) with ion current density above Child-Langmuir limit is achieved by extracting ion beam from anode plasma of ion diodes with suppressing electron flow under magnetic field insulation. It was theoretically estimated that with increasing the magnetic field, a maximal value of ion current density may reach nearly 3 times that of Child-Langmuir limit in a non-relativistic mode and close to 6 times in a highly relativistic mode. In this study, the behavior of ion beam enhancement by magnetic insulation is systematically investigated in three types of magnetically insulated ion diodes (MIDs) with passive anode, taking into account the anode plasma generation process on the anode surface. A maximal enhancement factor higher than 6 over the Child-Langmuir limit can be obtained in the non-relativistic mode with accelerating voltage of 200-300 kV. The MIDs differ in two anode plasma formation mechanisms, i.e., surface flashover of a dielectric coating on the anode and explosive emission of electrons from the anode, as well as in two insulation modes of external-magnetic field and self-magnetic field with either non-closed or closed drift of electrons in the anode-cathode (A-K) gap, respectively. Combined with ion current density measurement, energy density characterization is employed to resolve the spatial distribution of energy density before focusing for exploring the ion beam generation process. Consistent results are obtained on three types of MIDs concerning control of neutralizing electron flows for the space charge of ions where the high ion beam enhancement is determined by effective electron neutralization in the A-K gap, while the HIPIB composition of different ion species downstream from the diode may be considerably affected by the ion beam neutralization during propagation.

Numerical optimization of the ramp-down phase with the RAPTOR code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Teplukhina, Anna; Sauter, Olivier; Felici, Federico; The Tcv Team; The ASDEX-Upgrade Team; The Eurofusion Mst1 Team

2017-10-01

The ramp-down optimization goal in this work is defined as the fastest possible decrease of a plasma current while avoiding any disruptions caused by reaching physical or technical limits. Numerical simulations and preliminary experiments on TCV and AUG have shown that a fast decrease of plasma elongation and an adequate timing of the H-L transition during current ramp-down can help to avoid reaching high values of the plasma internal inductance. The RAPTOR code (F. Felici et al., 2012 PPCF 54; F. Felici, 2011 EPFL PhD thesis), developed for real-time plasma control, has been used for an optimization problem solving. Recently the transport model has been extended to include the ion temperature and electron density transport equations in addition to the electron temperature and current density transport equations, increasing the physical applications of the code. The gradient-based models for the transport coefficients (O. Sauter et al., 2014 PPCF 21; D. Kim et al., 2016 PPCF 58) have been implemented to RAPTOR and tested during this work. Simulations of the AUG and TCV entire plasma discharges will be presented. See the author list of S. Coda et al., Nucl. Fusion 57 2017 102011.

Laser beam-plasma plume interaction during laser welding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoffman, Jacek; Moscicki, Tomasz; Szymanski, Zygmunt

2003-10-01

Laser welding process is unstable because the keyhole wall performs oscillations which results in the oscillations of plasma plume over the keyhole mouth. The characteristic frequencies are equal to 0.5-4 kHz. Since plasma plume absorbs and refracts laser radiation, plasma oscillations modulate the laser beam before it reaches the workpiece. In this work temporary electron densities and temperatures are determined in the peaks of plasma bursts during welding with a continuous wave CO2 laser. It has been found that during strong bursts the plasma plume over the keyhole consists of metal vapour only, being not diluted by the shielding gas. As expected the values of electron density are about two times higher in peaks than their time-averaged values. Since the plasma absorption coefficient scales as ~N2e/T3/2 (for CO2 laser radiation) the results show that the power of the laser beam reaching the metal surface is modulated by the plasma plume oscillations. The attenuation factor equals 4-6% of the laser power but it is expected that it is doubled by the refraction effect. The results, together with the analysis of the colour pictures from streak camera, allow also interpretation of the dynamics of the plasma plume.

High current density ion beam obtained by a transition to a highly focused state in extremely low-energy region.

PubMed

Hirano, Y; Kiyama, S; Fujiwara, Y; Koguchi, H; Sakakita, H

2015-11-01

A high current density (≈3 mA/cm(2)) hydrogen ion beam source operating in an extremely low-energy region (E(ib) ≈ 150-200 eV) has been realized by using a transition to a highly focused state, where the beam is extracted from the ion source chamber through three concave electrodes with nominal focal lengths of ≈350 mm. The transition occurs when the beam energy exceeds a threshold value between 145 and 170 eV. Low-level hysteresis is observed in the transition when E(ib) is being reduced. The radial profiles of the ion beam current density and the low temperature ion current density can be obtained separately using a Faraday cup with a grid in front. The measured profiles confirm that more than a half of the extracted beam ions reaches the target plate with a good focusing profile with a full width at half maximum of ≈3 cm. Estimation of the particle balances in beam ions, the slow ions, and the electrons indicates the possibility that the secondary electron emission from the target plate and electron impact ionization of hydrogen may play roles as particle sources in this extremely low-energy beam after the compensation of beam ion space charge.

Charge density wave behavior and order-disorder in the antiferromagnetic metallic series Eu (Ga1 -xAlx)4

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stavinoha, Macy; Cooley, Joya A.; Minasian, Stefan G.; McQueen, Tyrel M.; Kauzlarich, Susan M.; Huang, C.-L.; Morosan, E.

2018-05-01

The solid solution Eu (Ga1-xAlx) 4 was grown in single crystal form to reveal a rich variety of crystallographic, magnetic, and electronic properties that differ from the isostructural end compounds EuGa4 and EuAl4, despite the similar covalent radii and electronic configurations of Ga and Al. Here we report the onset of magnetic spin reorientation and metamagnetic transitions for x =0 -1 evidenced by magnetization and temperature-dependent specific heat measurements. TN changes nonmonotonously with x , and it reaches a maximum around 20 K for x =0.50 , where the a lattice parameter also shows an extreme (minimum) value. Anomalies in the temperature-dependent resistivity consistent with charge density wave behavior exist only for x =0.50 and 1. Density functional theory calculations show increased polarization between the Ga-Al covalent bonds in the x =0.50 structure compared to the end compounds, such that crystallographic order and chemical pressure are proposed as the causes of the charge density wave behavior.

Ultrahigh Energy Density in SrTiO3 Film Capacitors.

PubMed

Hou, Chuangming; Huang, Weichuan; Zhao, Wenbo; Zhang, Dalong; Yin, Yuewei; Li, Xiaoguang

2017-06-21

Solid-state dielectric film capacitors with high-energy-storage density will further promote advanced electronic devices and electrical power systems toward miniaturization, lightweight, and integration. In this study, the influence of interface and thickness on energy storage properties of SrTiO 3 (STO) films grown on La 0.67 Sr 0.33 MnO 3 (LSMO) electrode are systematically studied. The cross-sectional high resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals an ion interdiffusion layer and oxygen vacancies at the STO/LSMO interface. The capacitors show good frequency stability and increased dielectric constant with increasing STO thickness (410-710 nm). The breakdown strength (E b ) increases with decreasing STO thickness and reaches 6.8 MV/cm. Interestingly, the E b under positive field is enhanced significantly and an ultrahigh energy density up to 307 J/cm 3 with a high efficiency of 89% is realized. The enhanced E b may be related to the modulation of local electric field and redistribution of oxygen vacancies at the STO/LSMO interface. Our results should be helpful for potential strategies to design devices with ultrahigh energy density.

Excimer laser produced plasmas in copper wire targets and water droplets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Song, Kyo-Dong; Alexander, D. R.

1994-01-01

Elastically scattered incident radiation (ESIR) from a copper wire target illuminated by a KrF laser pulse at lambda = 248 nm shows a dinstinct two-peak structure which is dependent on the incident energy. The time required to reach the critical electron density (n(sub c) approximately = 1.8 x 10(exp 22) electrons/cu cm) is estimated at 11 ns based on experimental results. Detailed ESIR characteristics for water have been reported previously by the authors. Initiation of the broadband emission for copper plasma begins at 6.5 +/- 1.45 ns after the arrival of the laser pulse. However, the broadband emission occurs at 11 +/- 0.36 ns for water. For a diatomic substance such as water, the electron energy rapidly dissipates due to dissociation of water molecules, which is absent in a monatomic species such as copper. When the energy falls below the excitation energy of the lowest electron state for water, it becomes a subexcitation electron. Lifetimes of the subexcited electrons to the vibrational states are estimated to be of the order of 10(exp -9) s. In addition, the ionization potential of copper (440-530 nm) is approximately 6 eV, which is about two times smaller than the 13 eV ionization potential reported for water. The higher ionization potential contributes to the longer observed delay time for plasma formation in water. After initiation, a longer time is required for copper plasma to reach its peak value. This time delay in reaching the maximum intensity is attributed to the energy loss during the interband transition in copper.

Equilibrium theory of cylindrical discharges with special application to helicons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Curreli, Davide; Chen, Francis F.

2011-11-01

Radiofrequency discharges used in industry often have centrally peaked plasma density profiles n(r) although ionization is localized at the edge, even in the presence of a dc magnetic field. This can be explained with a simple cylindrical model in one dimension as long as the short-circuit effect at the endplates causes a Maxwellian electron distribution. Surprisingly, a universal profile can be obtained, which is self-similar for all discharges with uniform electron temperature Te and neutral density nn. When all collisions and ionizations are radially accounted for, the ion drift velocity toward the wall reaches the Bohm velocity at a radius which can be identified with the sheath edge, thus obviating a pre-sheath calculation. For non-uniform Te and nn, the profiles change slightly but are always peaked on axis. For helicon discharges, iteration with the HELIC code for antenna-wave coupling yields profiles consistent with both energy deposition and diffusion profiles. Calculated density is in absolute-value agreement with experiment.

The spatial distribution of two dimensional electron gas at the LaTiO3/KTaO3 interface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Qi; Peng, Rui; Xu, Haichao; Feng, Donglai

2017-08-01

We report the photoemission spectroscopy studies on the newly discovered two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) system LaTiO3/KTaO3, whose interfacial carriers show much higher mobility than that in LaAlO3/SrTiO3 at room temperature, thus raising the application prospect of transition metal oxide-based 2DEG. By measuring the density of states at the Fermi energy (EF), we directly reveal the spatial distribution of the conducting electrons at the interface. The density of states near EF of the topmost LTO reaches the highest when LTO is 2-unit-cell thick, and diminishes at the 5th unit cell of LTO. We discussed the origin of such a spacial distribution of conducting electrons and its relation with 2DEG, and proposed two possible scenarios based on electrostatic relaxations and chemical reconstructions. These results offer experimental clues in understanding the characteristics and origin of the 2DEG, and also shed light on improving the performance of 2DEG.

The spatial distribution of two dimensional electron gas at the LaTiO3/KTaO3 interface.

PubMed

Song, Qi; Peng, Rui; Xu, Haichao; Feng, Donglai

2017-08-09

We report the photoemission spectroscopy studies on the newly discovered two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) system LaTiO 3 /KTaO 3 , whose interfacial carriers show much higher mobility than that in LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 at room temperature, thus raising the application prospect of transition metal oxide-based 2DEG. By measuring the density of states at the Fermi energy (E F ), we directly reveal the spatial distribution of the conducting electrons at the interface. The density of states near E F of the topmost LTO reaches the highest when LTO is 2-unit-cell thick, and diminishes at the 5th unit cell of LTO. We discussed the origin of such a spacial distribution of conducting electrons and its relation with 2DEG, and proposed two possible scenarios based on electrostatic relaxations and chemical reconstructions. These results offer experimental clues in understanding the characteristics and origin of the 2DEG, and also shed light on improving the performance of 2DEG.

Flux-driven algebraic damping of m = 1 diocotron mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chim, Chi Yung; O'Neil, Thomas

2015-11-01

Recent experiments with pure electron plasmas in a Malmberg-Penning trap have observed the algebraic damping of m = 1 diocotron modes. Transport due to small field asymmetries produce a low density halo of electrons moving radially outward from the plasma core, and the mode damping begins when the halo reaches the resonant radius rres, where f = mfE × B (rres) . The damping rate is proportional to the flux of halo particles through the resonant layer. The damping is related to, but distinct from spatial Landau damping, in which a linear wave-particle resonance produces exponential damping. This poster explains with analytic theory and simulations the new algebraic damping due to both mobility and diffusive fluxes. As electrons are swept around the ``cat's eye'' orbits of resonant wave-particle interaction, they form a dipole (m = 1) density distribution, and the electric field from this distribution produces an E × B drift of the core back to the axis, i.e. damps the m = 1 mode. Supported by National Science Foundation Grant PHY-1414570.

Study on transport properties of silicene monolayer under external field using NEGF method

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

Syaputra, Marhamni, E-mail: marhamni@students.itb.ac.id; Wella, Sasfan Arman; Wungu, Triati Dewi Kencana

2015-09-30

We investigate the current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of a pristine monolayer silicene using non-equilibrium Green function (NEGF) method combining with density functional theory (DFT). This method succeeded in showing the relationship of I and V on silicene corresponding to the electronic characteristics such as density of states. The external field perpendicular to the silicene monolayer affects in increasing of the current. Under 0.2 eV external field, the current reaches the maximum peak at Vb = 0.3 eV with the increase is about 60% from what it is in zero external field.

Solid harmonic wavelet scattering for predictions of molecule properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eickenberg, Michael; Exarchakis, Georgios; Hirn, Matthew; Mallat, Stéphane; Thiry, Louis

2018-06-01

We present a machine learning algorithm for the prediction of molecule properties inspired by ideas from density functional theory (DFT). Using Gaussian-type orbital functions, we create surrogate electronic densities of the molecule from which we compute invariant "solid harmonic scattering coefficients" that account for different types of interactions at different scales. Multilinear regressions of various physical properties of molecules are computed from these invariant coefficients. Numerical experiments show that these regressions have near state-of-the-art performance, even with relatively few training examples. Predictions over small sets of scattering coefficients can reach a DFT precision while being interpretable.

Redox Potentials of Colloidal n-Type ZnO Nanocrystals: Effects of Confinement, Electron Density, and Fermi-Level Pinning by Aldehyde Hydrogenation.

PubMed

Carroll, Gerard M; Schimpf, Alina M; Tsui, Emily Y; Gamelin, Daniel R

2015-09-02

Electronically doped colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals offer valuable opportunities to probe the new physical and chemical properties imparted by their excess charge carriers. Photodoping is a powerful approach to introducing and controlling free carrier densities within free-standing colloidal semiconductor nanocrystals. Photoreduced (n-type) colloidal ZnO nanocrystals possessing delocalized conduction-band (CB) electrons can be formed by photochemical oxidation of EtOH. Previous studies of this chemistry have demonstrated photochemical electron accumulation, in some cases reaching as many as >100 electrons per ZnO nanocrystal, but in every case examined to date this chemistry maximizes at a well-defined average electron density of ⟨Nmax⟩ ≈ (1.4 ± 0.4) × 10(20) cm(-3). The origins of this maximum have never been identified. Here, we use a solvated redox indicator for in situ determination of reduced ZnO nanocrystal redox potentials. The Fermi levels of various photodoped ZnO nanocrystals possessing on average just one excess CB electron show quantum-confinement effects, as expected, but are >600 meV lower than those of the same ZnO nanocrystals reduced chemically using Cp*2Co, reflecting important differences between their charge-compensating cations. Upon photochemical electron accumulation, the Fermi levels become independent of nanocrystal volume at ⟨N⟩ above ∼2 × 10(19) cm(-3), and maximize at ⟨Nmax⟩ ≈ (1.6 ± 0.3) × 10(20) cm(-3). This maximum is proposed to arise from Fermi-level pinning by the two-electron/two-proton hydrogenation of acetaldehyde, which reverses the EtOH photooxidation reaction.

Martian Dust Devil Electron Avalanche Process and Associated Electrochemistry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jackson, Telana L.; Farrell, William M.; Delory, Gregory T.; Nithianandam, Jeyasingh

2010-01-01

Mars' dynamic atmosphere displays localized dust devils and larger, global dust storms. Based on terrestrial analog studies, electrostatic modeling, and laboratory work these features will contain large electrostatic fields formed via triboelectric processes. In the low-pressure Martian atmosphere, these fields may create an electron avalanche and collisional plasma due to an increase in electron density driven by the internal electrical forces. To test the hypothesis that an electron avalanche is sustained under these conditions, a self-consistent atmospheric process model is created including electron impact ionization sources and electron losses via dust absorption, electron dissociation attachment, and electron/ion recombination. This new model is called the Dust Devil Electron Avalanche Model (DDEAM). This model solves simultaneously nine continuity equations describing the evolution of the primary gaseous chemical species involved in the electrochemistry. DDEAM monitors the evolution of the electrons and primary gas constituents, including electron/water interactions. We especially focus on electron dynamics and follow the electrons as they evolve in the E field driven collisional gas. When sources and losses are self-consistently included in the electron continuity equation, the electron density grows exponentially with increasing electric field, reaching an equilibrium that forms a sustained time-stable collisional plasma. However, the character of this plasma differs depending upon the assumed growth rate saturation process (chemical saturation versus space charge). DDEAM also shows the possibility of the loss of atmospheric methane as a function of electric field due to electron dissociative attachment of the hydrocarbon. The methane destruction rates are presented and can be included in other larger atmospheric models.

Nonlocal kinetic energy functionals by functional integration.

PubMed

Mi, Wenhui; Genova, Alessandro; Pavanello, Michele

2018-05-14

Since the seminal studies of Thomas and Fermi, researchers in the Density-Functional Theory (DFT) community are searching for accurate electron density functionals. Arguably, the toughest functional to approximate is the noninteracting kinetic energy, T s [ρ], the subject of this work. The typical paradigm is to first approximate the energy functional and then take its functional derivative, δT s [ρ]δρ(r), yielding a potential that can be used in orbital-free DFT or subsystem DFT simulations. Here, this paradigm is challenged by constructing the potential from the second-functional derivative via functional integration. A new nonlocal functional for T s [ρ] is prescribed [which we dub Mi-Genova-Pavanello (MGP)] having a density independent kernel. MGP is constructed to satisfy three exact conditions: (1) a nonzero "Kinetic electron" arising from a nonzero exchange hole; (2) the second functional derivative must reduce to the inverse Lindhard function in the limit of homogenous densities; (3) the potential is derived from functional integration of the second functional derivative. Pilot calculations show that MGP is capable of reproducing accurate equilibrium volumes, bulk moduli, total energy, and electron densities for metallic (body-centered cubic, face-centered cubic) and semiconducting (crystal diamond) phases of silicon as well as of III-V semiconductors. The MGP functional is found to be numerically stable typically reaching self-consistency within 12 iterations of a truncated Newton minimization algorithm. MGP's computational cost and memory requirements are low and comparable to the Wang-Teter nonlocal functional or any generalized gradient approximation functional.

Nonlocal kinetic energy functionals by functional integration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mi, Wenhui; Genova, Alessandro; Pavanello, Michele

2018-05-01

Since the seminal studies of Thomas and Fermi, researchers in the Density-Functional Theory (DFT) community are searching for accurate electron density functionals. Arguably, the toughest functional to approximate is the noninteracting kinetic energy, Ts[ρ], the subject of this work. The typical paradigm is to first approximate the energy functional and then take its functional derivative, δ/Ts[ρ ] δ ρ (r ) , yielding a potential that can be used in orbital-free DFT or subsystem DFT simulations. Here, this paradigm is challenged by constructing the potential from the second-functional derivative via functional integration. A new nonlocal functional for Ts[ρ] is prescribed [which we dub Mi-Genova-Pavanello (MGP)] having a density independent kernel. MGP is constructed to satisfy three exact conditions: (1) a nonzero "Kinetic electron" arising from a nonzero exchange hole; (2) the second functional derivative must reduce to the inverse Lindhard function in the limit of homogenous densities; (3) the potential is derived from functional integration of the second functional derivative. Pilot calculations show that MGP is capable of reproducing accurate equilibrium volumes, bulk moduli, total energy, and electron densities for metallic (body-centered cubic, face-centered cubic) and semiconducting (crystal diamond) phases of silicon as well as of III-V semiconductors. The MGP functional is found to be numerically stable typically reaching self-consistency within 12 iterations of a truncated Newton minimization algorithm. MGP's computational cost and memory requirements are low and comparable to the Wang-Teter nonlocal functional or any generalized gradient approximation functional.

Highly Fluorescent Noble Metal Quantum Dots

PubMed Central

Zheng, Jie; Nicovich, Philip R.; Dickson, Robert M.

2009-01-01

Highly fluorescent, water-soluble, few-atom noble metal quantum dots have been created that behave as multi-electron artificial atoms with discrete, size-tunable electronic transitions throughout the visible and near IR. These “molecular metals” exhibit highly polarizable transitions and scale in size according to the simple relation, Efermi/N1/3, predicted by the free electron model of metallic behavior. This simple scaling indicates that fluorescence arises from intraband transitions of free electrons and that these conduction electron transitions are the low number limit of the plasmon – the collective dipole oscillations occurring when a continuous density of states is reached. Providing the “missing link” between atomic and nanoparticle behavior in noble metals, these emissive, water-soluble Au nanoclusters open new opportunities for biological labels, energy transfer pairs, and light emitting sources in nanoscale optoelectronics. PMID:17105412

[Performance of Electricity Generation and Feasibility of Discontinuous Power Supply of MFC by Using Pretreated Excess Sludge as Fuel].

PubMed

Zhao, Yan-hui; Zhao, Yang-guo; Guo, Liang

2016-03-15

The feasibility of treating pretreated excess sludge and capacity of supplying continuous power of microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were investigated. Two-chamber microbial fuel cells were started up and operated by using thermal pretreated excess sludge as the substrate. Potential fluctuations were achieved by changing the cathode electron acceptor. During the changes of electron acceptor, the operational stability of MFCs was assessed. The results indicated that the MFCs started successfully with oxygen as the cathode electron acceptor and reached 0.24 V after 148 hours. When the cathode electron acceptor was replaced by potassium ferricyanide, MFCs could obtain the maximum output voltage and maximum power density of 0.66 V and 4.21 W · m⁻³, respectively. When the cathode electron acceptor was changed from oxygen to potassium ferricyanide or the MFCs were closed circuit, the output power of MFCs recovered rapidly. In addition, changes of electron acceptor showed no effect on the removal of COD and ammonia nitrogen. Their removal efficiencies approached to 70% and 80%, respectively. This study concluded that MFC could treat the pretreated excess sludge and produce electricity simultaneously with a high power density. The MFC could also achieve discontinuous electricity supply during operation.

Growth of large-scale nanotwinned Cu nanowire arrays from anodic aluminum oxide membrane by electrochemical deposition process: controllable nanotwin density and growth orientation with enhanced electrical endurance performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chan, Tsung-Cheng; Lin, Yen-Miao; Tsai, Hung-Wei; Wang, Zhiming M.; Liao, Chien-Neng; Chueh, Yu-Lun

2014-06-01

Densely nanotwinned Cu nanowire (NW) arrays with an identical diameter of ~55 nm were fabricated by pulse electrochemical deposition at low temperature using anodic aluminum oxide as a template. Different growth orientations of nanotwinned Cu nanowire arrays were investigated. The endurance of the electrical current density before breakdown of the nanotwinned Cu NWs can reach up to 2.4 × 108 A cm-2. The formation of highly dense nanotwins is attributed to relaxation of coalescence induced stress and twin fault stacking when Cu NWs grow by two-dimensional kinetics. A mechanism based on the twinning structure effect on the electromigration was proposed to explain the improved electrical endurance of Cu. The result demonstrates that the formation of nanotwins into Cu NWs can effectively suppress the void growth, leading to extended life time for use in electronic devices.Densely nanotwinned Cu nanowire (NW) arrays with an identical diameter of ~55 nm were fabricated by pulse electrochemical deposition at low temperature using anodic aluminum oxide as a template. Different growth orientations of nanotwinned Cu nanowire arrays were investigated. The endurance of the electrical current density before breakdown of the nanotwinned Cu NWs can reach up to 2.4 × 108 A cm-2. The formation of highly dense nanotwins is attributed to relaxation of coalescence induced stress and twin fault stacking when Cu NWs grow by two-dimensional kinetics. A mechanism based on the twinning structure effect on the electromigration was proposed to explain the improved electrical endurance of Cu. The result demonstrates that the formation of nanotwins into Cu NWs can effectively suppress the void growth, leading to extended life time for use in electronic devices. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: X-ray diffraction spectra of Cu NWs grown by electrochemical deposition with a current density of 1.5 A cm-2 at -1 °C and room temperature; bright-field TEM images of Cu NWs deposited at -1 °C with a current density of 0.4, 0.8, 1.8, and 1.5 A cm-2, respectively; illustration of the effect of twin density on the MTTF of Cu NWs. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr06194a

A Wigner Monte Carlo approach to density functional theory

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

Sellier, J.M., E-mail: jeanmichel.sellier@gmail.com; Dimov, I.

2014-08-01

In order to simulate quantum N-body systems, stationary and time-dependent density functional theories rely on the capacity of calculating the single-electron wave-functions of a system from which one obtains the total electron density (Kohn–Sham systems). In this paper, we introduce the use of the Wigner Monte Carlo method in ab-initio calculations. This approach allows time-dependent simulations of chemical systems in the presence of reflective and absorbing boundary conditions. It also enables an intuitive comprehension of chemical systems in terms of the Wigner formalism based on the concept of phase-space. Finally, being based on a Monte Carlo method, it scales verymore » well on parallel machines paving the way towards the time-dependent simulation of very complex molecules. A validation is performed by studying the electron distribution of three different systems, a Lithium atom, a Boron atom and a hydrogenic molecule. For the sake of simplicity, we start from initial conditions not too far from equilibrium and show that the systems reach a stationary regime, as expected (despite no restriction is imposed in the choice of the initial conditions). We also show a good agreement with the standard density functional theory for the hydrogenic molecule. These results demonstrate that the combination of the Wigner Monte Carlo method and Kohn–Sham systems provides a reliable computational tool which could, eventually, be applied to more sophisticated problems.« less

Optical absorption in fused silica at elevated temperatures during 1.5-MeV electron irradiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, A. B.

1972-01-01

An experimental determination of the optical transmission of Corning 7940 UV and Suprasil 1 and 2 fused silica has been made during 1.5-MeV electron bombardment. The fused silica reached temperatures ranging from 150 to 1000 C. The Lewis Research Center dynamitron provided electron current densities which corresponded to a dose rate of 2.6 to 20 Mrad/sec. The irradiation induced absorption was measured at 215.0, 270.0, and 450.0 nm (2150, 2700, 4500 A). The length of each irradiation was sufficient so that an equilibrium between radiation induced coloration and high temperature annealing was reached. The experimental results indicate a significant optical absorption, with values of the induced absorption coefficient at 215.0 nm (2150 A) of 14.5 to 2.2/cm, at 270.0 nm (2700 A) of 9.7 to 3.0/cm and at 450.0 nm (4500 A) of 3.7 to 0.5/cm. This would make the use of fused silica as the separating wall material in the nuclear light bulb propulsion concept questionable.

The Effects of Thunderstorm Static and Quasi-Static Electric Fields on the Lower Ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salem, Mohammad Ahmad

Thunderstorms and their lightning discharges are of great interest to many areas of geophysics and atmospheric electricity. A thunderstorm is an electric generator; it can produce both electrostatic and quasi-electrostatic fields in the overhead atmospheric D region. The D region is the lower part of the ionosphere that extends from about 40-90 km altitude where the electrons and ions are sufficient enough to affect the propagation of radio waves. In contrast to the electrostatic field, the quasi-electrostatic fields can be much stronger in magnitude, but shorter in duration, and can trigger halos. A halo is one type of the transient luminous events (TLEs) and typically appears within 1-2 ms after an intense cloud to ground lightning discharge. It looks like a relatively homogeneous glow in the shape of a pancake that is centered around 75-80 km altitude with a horizontal extent of tens of kilometers and vertical thickness of several kilometers. The goals of this dissertation research are to investigate the electrical effects of thunderstorm electrostatic and quasi-electrostatic fields on the nighttime lower ionosphere, and their covert relation to the formation of atmospheric halos. This work entails numerical and theoretical modeling analyses, and comparison of current theory and simulation results with the actual observations. For the first part of this study we have demonstrated that, under steady state conditions, electrostatic fields of <0.4Ek values (not strong enough to produce TLEs) can be established in the lower ionosphere due to underlying thunderstorms. We utilized the simplified nighttime ion chemistry model described in the work of Liu [2012] to investigate how these fields affect the lower ionosphere ion density profile. The three-body electron attachment, through which electrons can be converted to negative ions, is the only process whose rate constant depends on the field values within the above-mentioned limit. As a result of the variation of the rate constant with the electric field, the nighttime steady state electron density profile can be reduced by ˜40% or enhanced by a factor of ˜6. We have improved our model in order to self-consistently calculate the steady state conductivity of the lower ionosphere above a thunderstorm. The new model takes into account the heating effects of thunderstorm electrostatic fields on the free electrons. The modeling results indicate that under steady state condition, although the electron density is generally increased, the nighttime lower ionospheric conductivity can be reduced by up to 1-2 orders of magnitude because electron mobility is significantly reduced due to the electron heating effect. Because of this reduction, it is found that for a typical ionospheric density profile, the resulting changes in the reflection heights of ELF and VLF waves are 5 and 2 km, respectively. In the second part of this dissertation, a one-dimensional plasma discharge fluid model is developed to study the response of the nighttime lower ionosphere to the quasi-electrostatic field produced by cloud-to-ground lightning flashes. When the quasi-electrostatic field reaches and exceeds about E k, a halo can be triggered in the lower ionosphere. The modeling results indicate that the ionospheric perturbation is determined by the ambient ionospheric density profile, the charge. moment change, and charge transfer time. Tenuous ambient profiles result in larger changes in the ionospheric electron density. Cloud-to-ground lightning discharges, with larger charge moment changes and shorter charge transfer times, result in a larger change in the ionospheric electron density. In particular, the enhancement in the lower ionospheric electron density due to impulsive negative cloud-to-ground lightning flashes has been investigated. It is found that the enhancement can reach up to about 3 orders of magnitude above ˜70 km altitude in a few seconds. Below ˜75 km altitude, this enhancement recovers in a few seconds due to the fast electron attachment process. The recovery time of the electron enhancement above ˜75 km altitude is controlled by a slower recombination process; it depends on the ambient density profile and can last for tens of minutes to hours. Finally, the modeling results of the lower ionosphere recovery time are analyzed to investigate the role of halos in producing early VLF events with long recovery time. It is found that these events can be explained when sufficient ionization is produced around ˜80 km altitude. Such ionization can be produced by the impact of impulsive negative cloud-to-ground lightning flashes with a relatively large charge moment change on a tenuous ionospheric density profile.

DGDFT: A massively parallel method for large scale density functional theory calculations.

PubMed

Hu, Wei; Lin, Lin; Yang, Chao

2015-09-28

We describe a massively parallel implementation of the recently developed discontinuous Galerkin density functional theory (DGDFT) method, for efficient large-scale Kohn-Sham DFT based electronic structure calculations. The DGDFT method uses adaptive local basis (ALB) functions generated on-the-fly during the self-consistent field iteration to represent the solution to the Kohn-Sham equations. The use of the ALB set provides a systematic way to improve the accuracy of the approximation. By using the pole expansion and selected inversion technique to compute electron density, energy, and atomic forces, we can make the computational complexity of DGDFT scale at most quadratically with respect to the number of electrons for both insulating and metallic systems. We show that for the two-dimensional (2D) phosphorene systems studied here, using 37 basis functions per atom allows us to reach an accuracy level of 1.3 × 10(-4) Hartree/atom in terms of the error of energy and 6.2 × 10(-4) Hartree/bohr in terms of the error of atomic force, respectively. DGDFT can achieve 80% parallel efficiency on 128,000 high performance computing cores when it is used to study the electronic structure of 2D phosphorene systems with 3500-14 000 atoms. This high parallel efficiency results from a two-level parallelization scheme that we will describe in detail.

Homogeneous/Inhomogeneous-Structured Dielectrics and their Energy-Storage Performances.

PubMed

Yao, Zhonghua; Song, Zhe; Hao, Hua; Yu, Zhiyong; Cao, Minghe; Zhang, Shujun; Lanagan, Michael T; Liu, Hanxing

2017-05-01

The demand for dielectric capacitors with higher energy-storage capability is increasing for power electronic devices due to the rapid development of electronic industry. Existing dielectrics for high-energy-storage capacitors and potential new capacitor technologies are reviewed toward realizing these goals. Various dielectric materials with desirable permittivity and dielectric breakdown strength potentially meeting the device requirements are discussed. However, some significant limitations for current dielectrics can be ascribed to their low permittivity, low breakdown strength, and high hysteresis loss, which will decrease their energy density and efficiency. Thus, the implementation of dielectric materials for high-energy-density applications requires the comprehensive understanding of both the materials design and processing. The optimization of high-energy-storage dielectrics will have far-reaching impacts on the sustainable energy and will be an important research topic in the near future. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Nonlinear waves and shocks in relativistic two-fluid hydrodynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haim, L.; Gedalin, M.; Spitkovsky, A.; Krasnoselskikh, V.; Balikhin, M.

2012-06-01

Relativistic shocks are present in a number of objects where violent processes are accompanied by relativistic outflows of plasma. The magnetization parameter σ = B2/4πnmc2 of the ambient medium varies in wide range. Shocks with low σ are expected to substantially enhance the magnetic fields in the shock front. In non-relativistic shocks the magnetic compression is limited by nonlinear effects related to the deceleration of flow. Two-fluid analysis of perpendicular relativistic shocks shows that the nonlinearities are suppressed for σ<<1 and the magnetic field reaches nearly equipartition values when the magnetic energy density is of the order of the ion energy density, Beq2 ~ 4πnmic2γ. A large cross-shock potential eφ/mic2γ0 ~ B2/Beq2 develops across the electron-ion shock front. This potential is responsible for electron energization.

Diagnosing laser-preheated magnetized plasmas relevant to magnetized liner inertial fusion

DOE PAGES

Harvey-Thompson, Adam James; Sefkow, Adam B.; Nagayama, Taisuke N.; ...

2015-12-22

In this paper, we present a platform on the OMEGA EP Laser Facility that creates and diagnoses the conditions present during the preheat stage of the MAGnetized Liner Inertial Fusion (MagLIF) concept. Experiments were conducted using 9 kJ of 3ω (355 nm) light to heat an underdense deuterium gas (electron density: 2.5 × 10 20 cm -3 = 0.025 of critical density) magnetized with a 10 T axial field. Results show that the deuterium plasma reached a peak electron temperature of 670 ± 140 eV, diagnosed using streaked spectroscopy of an argon dopant. The results demonstrate that plasmas relevant tomore » the preheat stage of MagLIF can be produced at multiple laser facilities, thereby enabling more rapid progress in understanding magnetized preheat. Results are compared with magneto-radiation-hydrodynamics simulations, and plans for future experiments are described.« less

The study of variability of TEC over mid-latitude American regions during the ascending phase of solar cycle 24 (2009-2011)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Asmare Tariku, Yekoye

2016-08-01

This paper deals with the pattern of the variability of the Global Positioning System vertical total electron content (GPS VTEC) and the modeled vertical total electron content (IRI 2012 TEC) over American mid-latitude regions during the rising phase of solar cycle 24 (2009-2011). This has been conducted employing ground-based dual frequency GPS receiver installed at Mississippi County Airport (geographic lat. 36.85°N and long. 270.64°E). In this work, the monthly and seasonal variations in the measured VTEC have been analyzed and compared with the VTEC inferred from IRI-2012 model. It has been shown that the monthly and seasonal mean VTEC values get decreased mostly between 05:00 and 10:00 UT and reach their minimal nearly at around 10:00 UT for both the experimental and the model. The VTEC values then get increased and reach the peak values at around 20:00 UT and decrease again. Moreover, it is depicted that the model better estimates both the monthly and seasonal mean hourly VTEC values mostly between 15:00 and 20:00 UT. The modeled monthly and seasonal VTEC values are smaller than the corresponding measured values as the solar activity decreases when all options for the topside electron density are used. However, as the Sun goes from a very low to a high solar activity, the overestimation performance of the VTEC values derived from the model increases. The overall results show that it is generally better to use the model with IRI-2000 option for the topside electron density in estimating the monthly and seasonal VTEC variations, especially when the activity of the Sun decreases.

Experimental characterization of a coaxial plasma accelerator for a colliding plasma experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiechula, J.; Hock, C.; Iberler, M.; Manegold, T.; Schönlein, A.; Jacoby, J.

2015-04-01

We report experimental results of a single coaxial plasma accelerator in preparation for a colliding plasma experiment. The utilized device consisted of a coaxial pair of electrodes, accelerating the plasma due to J ×B forces. A pulse forming network, composed of three capacitors connected in parallel, with a total capacitance of 27 μF was set up. A thyratron allowed to switch the maximum applied voltage of 9 kV. Under these conditions, the pulsed currents reached peak values of about 103 kA. The measurements were performed in a small vacuum chamber with a neutral-gas prefill at gas pressures between 10 Pa and 14 000 Pa. A gas mixture of ArH2 with 2.8% H2 served as the discharge medium. H2 was chosen in order to observe the broadening of the Hβ emission line and thus estimate the electron density. The electron density for a single plasma accelerator reached peak values on the order of 1016 cm-3 . Electrical parameters, inter alia inductance and resistance, were determined for the LCR circuit during the plasma acceleration as well as in a short circuit case. Depending on the applied voltage, the inductance and resistance reached values ranging from 194 nH to 216 nH and 13 mΩ to 23 mΩ, respectively. Furthermore, the plasma velocity was measured using a fast CCD camera. Plasma velocities of 2 km/s up to 17 km/s were observed, the magnitude being highly correlated with gas pressure and applied voltage.

Dynamic Characteristics of Positive Pulsed Dielectric Barrier Discharge for Ozone Generation in Air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Linsheng; Peng, Bangfa; Li, Ming; Zhang, Yafang; Hu, Zhaoji

2016-02-01

A comprehensive dynamic model consisting of 66 reactions and 24 species is developed to investigate the dynamic characteristics of ozone generation by positive pulsed dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) using parallel-plate reactor in air. The electron energy conservation equation is coupled to the electron continuity equation, the heavy species continuity equation, and Poisson's equation for a better description. The reliability of the model is experimentally confirmed. The model can be used to predict the temporal and spatial evolution of species, as well as streamer propagation. The simulation results show that electron density increases nearly exponentially in the direction to the anode at the electron avalanche. Streamer propagation velocity is about 5.26 × 104 m/s from anode to cathode in the simulated condition. The primary positive ion, negative ion, and excited species are O2+, O3- and O2(1Δg) in pulsed DBD in air, respectively. N2O has the largest density among nitrogen oxides. e and N2+ densities in the streamer head increase gradually to maximum values with the development of the streamer. Meanwhile, the O2+, O, O3, N2(A3Σ) and N2O densities reach maximum values in the vicinity of the anode. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51366012 and 11105067), Jiangxi Province Young Scientists (Jinggang Star) Cultivation Plan of China (No. 20133BCB23008), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi, China (No. 20151BAB206047) and Jiangxi Province Higher School Science and Technology Landing Plan of China (No. KJLD-14015)

A Hydrodynamic Theory for Spatially Inhomogeneous Semiconductor Lasers. 2; Numerical Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Li, Jianzhong; Ning, C. Z.; Biegel, Bryan A. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

We present numerical results of the diffusion coefficients (DCs) in the coupled diffusion model derived in the preceding paper for a semiconductor quantum well. These include self and mutual DCs in the general two-component case, as well as density- and temperature-related DCs under the single-component approximation. The results are analyzed from the viewpoint of free Fermi gas theory with many-body effects incorporated. We discuss in detail the dependence of these DCs on densities and temperatures in order to identify different roles played by the free carrier contributions including carrier statistics and carrier-LO phonon scattering, and many-body corrections including bandgap renormalization and electron-hole (e-h) scattering. In the general two-component case, it is found that the self- and mutual- diffusion coefficients are determined mainly by the free carrier contributions, but with significant many-body corrections near the critical density. Carrier-LO phonon scattering is dominant at low density, but e-h scattering becomes important in determining their density dependence above the critical electron density. In the single-component case, it is found that many-body effects suppress the density coefficients but enhance the temperature coefficients. The modification is of the order of 10% and reaches a maximum of over 20% for the density coefficients. Overall, temperature elevation enhances the diffusive capability or DCs of carriers linearly, and such an enhancement grows with density. Finally, the complete dataset of various DCs as functions of carrier densities and temperatures provides necessary ingredients for future applications of the model to various spatially inhomogeneous optoelectronic devices.

Electron Cloud Trapping in Recycler Combined Function Dipole Magnets

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

Antipov, Sergey A.; Nagaitsev, S.

2016-10-04

Electron cloud can lead to a fast instability in intense proton and positron beams in circular accelerators. In the Fermilab Recycler the electron cloud is confined within its combined function magnets. We show that the field of combined function magnets traps the electron cloud, present the results of analytical estimates of trapping, and compare them to numerical simulations of electron cloud formation. The electron cloud is located at the beam center and up to 1% of the particles can be trapped by the magnetic field. Since the process of electron cloud build-up is exponential, once trapped this amount of electronsmore » significantly increases the density of the cloud on the next revolution. In a Recycler combined function dipole this multiturn accumulation allows the electron cloud reaching final intensities orders of magnitude greater than in a pure dipole. The multi-turn build-up can be stopped by injection of a clearing bunch of 1010 p at any position in the ring.« less

High time resolution measurements of rocket potential changes induced by electron beam emission

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Raitt, W. J.; Myers, N. B.; Williamson, P. R.; Banks, P. M.; Kawashima, N.

1984-01-01

The transient charging and photon emission from the vacuum chamber testing of the Cooperative High Altitude Rocket Gun Experiment are studied. Graphs of the mother-daughter voltage versus time and high time resolution data related to the return current to the vehicle are examined. It is observed that for average sounding rocket densities of 10 to the -6th torr the slope of the voltage rise of the rocket begins to flatten 40 microsec after the onset of electron beam emission, and for higher gas pressure the rocket reaches a maximum voltage of 25 or 30 microsec after the onset of electron beam emission. The data reveal that the return current mechanism for the higher gas pressure is through the sheath.

Stability of Nonstationary Cooling of Pure Hydrogen Gas with Respect to the Number of Discrete Levels Taken into Account

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Belova, O. M.; Bychkov, K. V.

2018-03-01

The effect of the number K of atomic hydrogen levels taken into account on the cooling of the gas behind a shock front is studied. The calculations are done for the conditions in the atmospheres of long-period Mira Ceti type variables. K ranges from 2 to 25. The electron temperature Te(t; K) and ionization state x(r,K) asymptotically approach limiting functions Te(t) and x(t) that are independent of K. After the maximum electron temperature is reached, a partial equilibrium phase sets in, during which the populations of the highly excited discrete levels with principal quantum numbers ≥ 8 obey the Saha equation for the instantaneous electron temperature and density.

Ion beam enhancement in magnetically insulated ion diodes for high-intensity pulsed ion beam generation in non-relativistic mode

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

Zhu, X. P.; Surface Engineering Laboratory, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Dalian University of Technology, Dalian 116024; Zhang, Z. C.

High-intensity pulsed ion beam (HIPIB) with ion current density above Child-Langmuir limit is achieved by extracting ion beam from anode plasma of ion diodes with suppressing electron flow under magnetic field insulation. It was theoretically estimated that with increasing the magnetic field, a maximal value of ion current density may reach nearly 3 times that of Child-Langmuir limit in a non-relativistic mode and close to 6 times in a highly relativistic mode. In this study, the behavior of ion beam enhancement by magnetic insulation is systematically investigated in three types of magnetically insulated ion diodes (MIDs) with passive anode, takingmore » into account the anode plasma generation process on the anode surface. A maximal enhancement factor higher than 6 over the Child-Langmuir limit can be obtained in the non-relativistic mode with accelerating voltage of 200–300 kV. The MIDs differ in two anode plasma formation mechanisms, i.e., surface flashover of a dielectric coating on the anode and explosive emission of electrons from the anode, as well as in two insulation modes of external-magnetic field and self-magnetic field with either non-closed or closed drift of electrons in the anode-cathode (A-K) gap, respectively. Combined with ion current density measurement, energy density characterization is employed to resolve the spatial distribution of energy density before focusing for exploring the ion beam generation process. Consistent results are obtained on three types of MIDs concerning control of neutralizing electron flows for the space charge of ions where the high ion beam enhancement is determined by effective electron neutralization in the A-K gap, while the HIPIB composition of different ion species downstream from the diode may be considerably affected by the ion beam neutralization during propagation.« less

Direct detection of albedo neutron decay electrons at the inner edge of the radiation belt and experimental determination of neutron density in near-Earth space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, X.; Selesnick, R.; Schiller, Q. A.; Zhang, K.; Zhao, H.; Baker, D. N.; Temerin, M. A.

2017-12-01

The galaxy is filled with cosmic ray particles, mostly protons with kinetic energy above hundreds of mega-electron volts (MeV). Soon after the discovery of Earth's Van Allen radiation belts almost six decades ago, it was recognized that the main source of inner belt protons, with kinetic energies of tens to hundreds of MeV, is Cosmic Ray Albedo Neutron Decay (CRAND). In this process, cosmic rays reaching the upper atmosphere from throughout the galaxy interact with neutral atoms to produce albedo neutrons which, being unstable to 𝛽 decay, are a potential source of geomagnetically trapped protons and electrons. Protons retain most of the neutrons' kinetic energy while the electrons have lower energies, mostly below 1 MeV. The viability of the electron source was, however, uncertain because measurements showed that electron intensity can vary greatly while the neutron decay rate should be almost constant. Recent measurements from the Relativistic Electron and Proton Telescope integrated little experiment (REPTile) onboard the Colorado Student Space Weather Experiment (CSSWE) CubeSat now show that CRAND is the main electron source for the radiation belt near its inner edge, and also contributes to the inner belt elsewhere. Furthermore, measurement of the CRAND electron intensity provides the first experimental determination of the neutron density in near-Earth space, 2x10-9/cm3, confirming earlier theoretical estimates.

Nanoscale triboelectric-effect-enabled energy conversion for sustainably powering portable electronics.

PubMed

Wang, Sihong; Lin, Long; Wang, Zhong Lin

2012-12-12

Harvesting energy from our living environment is an effective approach for sustainable, maintenance-free, and green power source for wireless, portable, or implanted electronics. Mechanical energy scavenging based on triboelectric effect has been proven to be simple, cost-effective, and robust. However, its output is still insufficient for sustainably driving electronic devices/systems. Here, we demonstrated a rationally designed arch-shaped triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) by utilizing the contact electrification between a polymer thin film and a metal thin foil. The working mechanism of the TENG was studied by finite element simulation. The output voltage, current density, and energy volume density reached 230 V, 15.5 μA/cm(2), and 128 mW/cm(3), respectively, and an energy conversion efficiency as high as 10-39% has been demonstrated. The TENG was systematically studied and demonstrated as a sustainable power source that can not only drive instantaneous operation of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) but also charge a lithium ion battery as a regulated power module for powering a wireless sensor system and a commercial cell phone, which is the first demonstration of the nanogenerator for driving personal mobile electronics, opening the chapter of impacting general people's life by nanogenerators.

Electronic structures and enhanced optical properties of blue phosphorene/transition metal dichalcogenides van der Waals heterostructures.

PubMed

Peng, Qiong; Wang, Zhenyu; Sa, Baisheng; Wu, Bo; Sun, Zhimei

2016-08-24

As a fast emerging topic, van der Waals (vdW) heterostructures have been proposed to modify two-dimensional layered materials with desired properties, thus greatly extending the applications of these materials. In this work, the stacking characteristics, electronic structures, band edge alignments, charge density distributions and optical properties of blue phosphorene/transition metal dichalcogenides (BlueP/TMDs) vdW heterostructures were systematically studied based on vdW corrected density functional theory. Interestingly, the valence band maximum and conduction band minimum are located in different parts of BlueP/MoSe2, BlueP/WS2 and BlueP/WSe2 heterostructures. The MoSe2, WS2 or WSe2 layer can be used as the electron donor and the BlueP layer can be used as the electron acceptor. We further found that the optical properties under visible-light irradiation of BlueP/TMDs vdW heterostructures are significantly improved. In particular, the predicted upper limit energy conversion efficiencies of BlueP/MoS2 and BlueP/MoSe2 heterostructures reach as large as 1.16% and 0.98%, respectively, suggesting their potential applications in efficient thin-film solar cells and optoelectronic devices.

Probing magnetic helicity with synchrotron radiation and Faraday rotation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oppermann, N.; Junklewitz, H.; Robbers, G.; Enßlin, T. A.

2011-06-01

We present a first application of the recently proposed LITMUS test for magnetic helicity, as well as a thorough study of its applicability under different circumstances. In order to apply this test to the galactic magnetic field, the newly developed critical filter formalism is used to produce an all-sky map of the Faraday depth. The test does not detect helicity in the galactic magnetic field. To understand the significance of this finding, we made an applicability study, showing that a definite conclusion about the absence of magnetic helicity in the galactic field has not yet been reached. This study is conducted by applying the test to simulated observational data. We consider simulations in a flat sky approximation and all-sky simulations, both with assumptions of constant electron densities and realistic distributions of thermal and cosmic ray electrons. Our results suggest that the LITMUS test does indeed perform very well in cases where constant electron densities can be assumed, both in the flat-sky limit and in the galactic setting. Non-trivial distributions of thermal and cosmic ray electrons, however, may complicate the scenario to the point where helicity in the magnetic field can escape detection.

Limit of the electrostatic doping in two-dimensional electron gases of LaXO3(X = Al, Ti)/SrTiO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biscaras, J.; Hurand, S.; Feuillet-Palma, C.; Rastogi, A.; Budhani, R. C.; Reyren, N.; Lesne, E.; Lesueur, J.; Bergeal, N.

2014-10-01

In LaTiO3/SrTiO3 and LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures, the bending of the SrTiO3 conduction band at the interface forms a quantum well that contains a superconducting two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG). Its carrier density and electronic properties, such as superconductivity and Rashba spin-orbit coupling can be controlled by electrostatic gating. In this article we show that the Fermi energy lies intrinsically near the top of the quantum well. Beyond a filling threshold, electrons added by electrostatic gating escape from the well, hence limiting the possibility to reach a highly-doped regime. This leads to an irreversible doping regime where all the electronic properties of the 2-DEG, such as its resistivity and its superconducting transition temperature, saturate. The escape mechanism can be described by the simple analytical model we propose.

THz electromagnetic radiation driven by intense relativistic electron beam based on ion focus regime

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

Zhou, Qing; Xu, Jin; Zhang, Wenchao

The simulation study finds that the relativistic electron beam propagating through the plasma background can produce electromagnetic (EM) radiation. With the propagation of the electron beam, the oscillations of the beam electrons in transverse and longitudinal directions have been observed simultaneously, which provides the basis for the electromagnetic radiation. The simulation results clearly show that the electromagnetic radiation frequency can reach up to terahertz (THz) wave band which may result from the filter-like property of plasma background, and the electromagnetic radiation frequency closely depends on the plasma density. To understand the above simulation results physically, the dispersion relation of themore » beam-plasma system has been derived using the field-matching method, and the dispersion curves show that the slow wave modes can couple with the electron beam effectively in THz wave band, which is an important theoretical evidence of the EM radiation.« less

Status report on the development of a tubular electron beam ion source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Donets, E. D.; Donets, E. E.; Becker, R.; Liljeby, L.; Rensfelt, K.-G.; Beebe, E. N.; Pikin, A. I.

2004-05-01

The theoretical estimations and numerical simulations of tubular electron beams in both beam and reflex mode of source operation as well as the off-axis ion extraction from a tubular electron beam ion source (TEBIS) are presented. Numerical simulations have been done with the use of the IGUN and OPERA-3D codes. Numerical simulations with IGUN code show that the effective electron current can reach more than 100 A with a beam current density of about 300-400 A/cm2 and the electron energy in the region of several KeV with a corresponding increase of the ion output. Off-axis ion extraction from the TEBIS, being the nonaxially symmetric problem, was simulated with OPERA-3D (SCALA) code. The conceptual design and main parameters of new tubular sources which are under consideration at JINR, MSL, and BNL are based on these simulations.

Proton elastic scattering from stable and unstable nuclei - Extraction of nuclear densities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sakaguchi, H.; Zenihiro, J.

2017-11-01

Progress in proton elastic scattering at intermediate energies to determine nuclear density distributions is reviewed. After challenges of about 15 years to explain proton elastic scattering and associated polarization phenomena at intermediate energies, we have reached to some conclusions regarding proton elastic scattering as a means of obtaining nuclear densities. During this same period, physics of unstable nuclei has become of interest, and the density distributions of protons and neutrons play more important roles in unstable nuclei, since the differences in proton and neutron numbers and densities are expected to be significant. As such, proton elastic scattering experiments at intermediate energies using the inverse kinematic method have started to determine density distributions of unstable nuclei. In the region of unstable nuclei, we are confronted with a new problem when attempting to find proton and neutron densities separately from elastic proton scattering data, since electron scattering data for unstable nuclei are not presently available. We introduce a new means of determining proton and neutron densities separately by double-energy proton elastic scattering at intermediate energies.

Biological treatment of steroidal drug industrial effluent and electricity generation in the microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Liu, Ru; Gao, Chongyang; Zhao, Yang-Guo; Wang, Aijie; Lu, Shanshan; Wang, Min; Maqbool, Farhana; Huang, Qing

2012-11-01

The single chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) were used to treat steroidal drug production wastewater (SPW) and generate electricity simultaneously. The results indicated that the maximum COD removal efficiency reached 82%, total nitrogen and sulfate removal rate approached 62.47% and 26.46%, respectively. The maximum power density and the Coulombic efficiency reached to 22.3Wm(-3) and 30%, respectively. The scanning electron microscope showed that the dominant microbial populations were remarkably different in morphology on the surface of SPW and acetate-fed anodes. PCR-denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profiles revealed that the microbial community structure fed with different concentrations of SPW presented a gradual succession and unique bacterial sequences were detected on the SPW and acetate-fed anodes. This research demonstrates that MFCs fed with SPW achieved a high efficiency of power density and simultaneous nutrient removal, and the dominant microorganisms on the anode were related to the types and the concentrations of substrates. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Characterizing the plasma of the Rotating Wall Machine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hannum, David A.

The Rotating Wall Machine (RoWM) is a line-tied linear screw pinch built to study current-driven external kink modes. The plasma column is formed by an array of seven electrostatic washer guns which can also be biased to drive plasma current. The array allows independent control over the electron density ne and current density Jz profiles of the column. Internal measurements of the plasma have been made with singletip Langmuir and magnetic induction ("B-dot") probes for a range of bias currents (Ib = 0, 300, 500 A/gun). Streams from the individual guns are seen to merge at a distance of z ≈ 36 cm from the guns; the exact distance depends on the value of Ib. The density of the column is directly proportional to the Ohmic dissipation power, but the temperature stays at a low, uniform value (Te ≈ 3.5 eV) for each bias level. Electron densities are on the order of ne ˜10 20 m-3. The electron density expands radially (across the Bz guide field) as the plasma moves along the column, though the current density Jz mainly stays parallel to the field lines. The singletip Langmuir probe diagnostic is difficult to analyze for Ib = 500 A/gun plasmas and fails as Ib is raised beyond this level. Spectrographic analysis of the Halpha line indicates that the hydrogen plasmas are nearly fully ionized at each bias level. Azimuthal E x B rotation is axially and radially sheared; rotation slows as the plasma reaches the anode. Perpendicular diffusivity is consistent with the classical value, D⊥ ≈ 5 m2/sec, while parallel resistivity is seen to be twice the classical Spitzer value, 2 x 10-4 O m.

Investigation on transmission and reflection characteristics of plasma array to 6 GHz high-power microwave

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Liu; Yang, Zhongcun; Wan, Jianing; Liu, Hao

2016-10-01

For the safety of electronic equipment, a double-layer barrier of cylindrical plasma array was designed, and its protective performance to high-power microwave (HPM) were analyzed and the protective performance experiment was conducted. Combining the density distribution characteristic of the discharge plasma, the shielding effectiveness of the double-layer plasma on 6GHz HPM pulse was studied. The experiment results indicate that the protective effectiveness of two layers plasma array is better than that of one layer. Two layers plasma array can make the peak electric field of transmission waveform less than interference threshold of electronic equipment to achieve better protection effectiveness. Transmission attenuation of one layer and two layers plasma array to HPM can reach -6.6066dB and -24.9357dB. The results also show that for the existence of multiple reflection, even the plasma electron density is not high enough, it can realize a strong attenuation. The experiment results in this paper are of great significance in protecting against HPM and electromagnetic pulse.

Flux-driven algebraic damping of m=2 diocotron mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chim, C. Y.; O'Neil, T. M.

2016-10-01

Recent experiments with pure electron plasmas in a Malmberg-Penning trap have observed the algebraic damping of m = 2 diocotron modes. Due to small field asymmetries a low density halo of electrons is transported radially outward from the plasma core, and the mode damping begins when the halo reaches the resonant radius rres, where f = mfE × B (rres) . The damping rate is proportional to the flux of halo particles through the resonant layer. The damping is related to, but distinct from the exponential spatial Landau damping in a linear wave-particle resonance. This poster uses analytic theory and simulations to explain the new flux-driven algebraic damping of the mode. As electrons are swept around the nonlinear ``cat's eye'' orbits of the resonant wave-particle interaction, they form a quadrupole (m = 2) density distribution, which sets up an electric field that acts back on the plasma core. The field causes an E × B drift motion that symmetrizes the core, i.e. damps the m = 2 mode. Supported by NSF Grant PHY-1414570, and DOE Grants DE-SC0002451.

Flux-driven algebraic damping of m = 1 diocotron mode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chim, Chi Yung; O'Neil, Thomas M.

2016-07-01

Recent experiments with pure electron plasmas in a Malmberg-Penning trap have observed the algebraic damping of m = 1 diocotron modes. Transport due to small field asymmetries produces a low density halo of electrons moving radially outward from the plasma core, and the mode damping begins when the halo reaches the resonant radius r = Rw at the wall of the trap. The damping rate is proportional to the flux of halo particles through the resonant layer. The damping is related to, but distinct from, spatial Landau damping, in which a linear wave-particle resonance produces exponential damping. This paper explains with analytic theory the new algebraic damping due to particle transport by both mobility and diffusion. As electrons are swept around the "cat's eye" orbits of the resonant wave-particle interaction, they form a dipole (m = 1) density distribution. From this distribution, the electric field component perpendicular to the core displacement produces E × B-drift of the core back to the axis, that is, damps the m = 1 mode. The parallel component produces drift in the azimuthal direction, that is, causes a shift in the mode frequency.

High performance all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor based on porous carbon made from a metal-organic framework compound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Feng; Wang, Teng; Wen, Zubiao; Wang, Hongxia

2017-10-01

In this work, we demonstrate the synthesis of porous carbon material with high specific surface area by using metal-organic framework (MOF) as precursor. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have confirmed that the material was amorphous and consisted of nanoparticles (5-6 nm) and hierarchical distribution of pores. The characterization of the material by N2 adsorption/desorption isotherm measurement have shown that the material had a high specific surface area reaching to 2618.7 m2 g-1 and abundant porosity with pore size less than 10 nm. The investigation of the electrochemical properties of the material has shown the porous carbon electrode possessed excellent rate performance with high specific capacitances of 150.8 F g-1 at a current density of 5 A g-1, and 133.6 F g-1 at a current density of 50 A g-1, respectively. An all-solid-state symmetric supercapacitor assembled using the as-prepared porous carbon as electrodes and Na2SO4/PVA gel as an electrolyte delivered a high power density of 13 516.4 W kg-1 with an energy density of 8.26 Wh kg-1. A high energy density of 17.37 Wh kg-1 was obtained at discharge current density of 1 A g-1. In addition, the device exhibited superior cycling performance with 94.8% retention rate after 10 000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g-1.

Study of discharge cleaning process in JIPP T-2 Torus by residual gas analyzer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Noda, N.; Hirokura, S.; Taniguchi, Y.; Tanahashi, S.

1982-12-01

During discharge cleaning, decay time of water vapor pressure changes when the pressure reaches a certain level. A long decay time observed in the later phase can be interpreted as a result of a slow deoxidization rate of chromium oxide, which may dominate the cleaning process in this phase. Optimization of plasma density for the cleaning is discussed comparing the experimental results on density dependence of water vapor pressure with a result based on a zero dimensional calculation for particle balance. One of the essential points for effective cleaning is the raising of the electron density of the plasma high enough that the dissociation loss rate of H2O is as large as the sticking loss rate. A density as high as 10 to the 11th power/cu cm is required for a clean surface condition where sticking probability is presumed to be around 0.5.

Filamentation effect in a gas attenuator for high-repetition-rate X-ray FELs.

PubMed

Feng, Yiping; Krzywinski, Jacek; Schafer, Donald W; Ortiz, Eliazar; Rowen, Michael; Raubenheimer, Tor O

2016-01-01

A sustained filamentation or density depression phenomenon in an argon gas attenuator servicing a high-repetition femtosecond X-ray free-electron laser has been studied using a finite-difference method applied to the thermal diffusion equation for an ideal gas. A steady-state solution was obtained by assuming continuous-wave input of an equivalent time-averaged beam power and that the pressure of the entire gas volume has reached equilibrium. Both radial and axial temperature/density gradients were found and describable as filamentation or density depression previously reported for a femtosecond optical laser of similar attributes. The effect exhibits complex dependence on the input power, the desired attenuation, and the geometries of the beam and the attenuator. Time-dependent simulations were carried out to further elucidate the evolution of the temperature/density gradients in between pulses, from which the actual attenuation received by any given pulse can be properly calculated.

Electron kinetics in capacitively coupled plasmas modulated by electron injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Ya; Peng, Yanli; Innocenti, Maria Elena; Jiang, Wei; Wang, Hong-yu; Lapenta, Giovanni

2017-09-01

The controlling effect of an electron injection on the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) and on the energetic electron flux, in a capacitive radio-frequency argon plasma, is studied using a one-dimensional particle-in-cell/Monte Carlo collisions model. The input power of the electron beam is as small as several tens of Watts with laboratory achievable emission currents and energies. With the electron injection, the electron temperature decreases but with a significant high energy tail. The electron density, electron temperature in the sheath, and electron heating rate increase with the increasing emission energy. This is attributed to the extra heating of the energetic electrons in the EEDF tail. The non-equilibrium EEDF is obtained for strong non-local distributions of the electric field, electron heating rate, excitation, and ionization rate, indicating the discharge has transited from a volume heating (α-mode dominated) into a sheath heating (γ-mode dominated) type. In addition, the electron injection not only modifies the self-bias voltage, but also enhances the electron flux that can reach the electrodes. Moreover, the relative population of energetic electrons significantly increases with the electron injection compared to that without the electron injection, relevant for modifying the gas and surface chemistry reactions.

Ultrafast 25-fs relaxation in highly excited states of methyl azide mediated by strong nonadiabatic coupling.

PubMed

Peters, William K; Couch, David E; Mignolet, Benoit; Shi, Xuetao; Nguyen, Quynh L; Fortenberry, Ryan C; Schlegel, H Bernhard; Remacle, Françoise; Kapteyn, Henry C; Murnane, Margaret M; Li, Wen

2017-12-26

Highly excited electronic states are challenging to explore experimentally and theoretically-due to the large density of states and the fact that small structural changes lead to large changes in electronic character with associated strong nonadiabatic dynamics. They can play a key role in astrophysical and ionospheric chemistry, as well as the detonation chemistry of high-energy density materials. Here, we implement ultrafast vacuum-UV (VUV)-driven electron-ion coincidence imaging spectroscopy to directly probe the reaction pathways of highly excited states of energetic molecules-in this case, methyl azide. Our data, combined with advanced theoretical simulations, show that photoexcitation of methyl azide by a 10-fs UV pulse at 8 eV drives fast structural changes and strong nonadiabatic coupling that leads to relaxation to other excited states on a surprisingly fast timescale of 25 fs. This ultrafast relaxation differs from dynamics occurring on lower excited states, where the timescale required for the wavepacket to reach a region of strong nonadiabatic coupling is typically much longer. Moreover, our theoretical calculations show that ultrafast relaxation of the wavepacket to a lower excited state occurs along one of the conical intersection seams before reaching the minimum energy conical intersection. These findings are important for understanding the unique strongly coupled non-Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics of VUV-excited energetic molecules. Although such observations have been predicted for many years, this study represents one of the few where such strongly coupled non-Born-Oppenheimer molecular dynamics of VUV-excited energetic molecules have been conclusively observed directly, making it possible to identify the ultrafast reaction pathways.

Correlation of Coronal Plasma Properties and Solar Magnetic Field in a Decaying Active Region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ko, Yuan-Kuen; Young, Peter R.; Muglach, Karin; Warren, Harry P.; Ugarte-Urra, Ignacio

2016-01-01

We present the analysis of a decaying active region observed by the EUV Imaging Spectrometer on Hinode during 2009 December 7-11. We investigated the temporal evolution of its structure exhibited by plasma at temperatures from 300,000 to 2.8 million degrees, and derived the electron density, differential emission measure, effective electron temperature, and elemental abundance ratios of Si/S and Fe/S (as a measure of the First Ionization Potential (FIP) Effect). We compared these coronal properties to the temporal evolution of the photospheric magnetic field strength obtained from the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory Michelson Doppler Imager magnetograms. We find that, while these coronal properties all decreased with time during this decay phase, the largest change was at plasma above 1.5 million degrees. The photospheric magnetic field strength also decreased with time but mainly for field strengths lower than about 70 Gauss. The effective electron temperature and the FIP bias seem to reach a basal state (at 1.5 x 10(exp 6) K and 1.5, respectively) into the quiet Sun when the mean photospheric magnetic field (excluding all areas <10 G) weakened to below 35 G, while the electron density continued to decrease with the weakening field. These physical properties are all positively correlated with each other and the correlation is the strongest in the high-temperature plasma. Such correlation properties should be considered in the quest for our understanding of how the corona is heated. The variations in the elemental abundance should especially be considered together with the electron temperature and density.

Investigation of the RF efficiency of inductively coupled hydrogen plasmas at 1 MHz

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rauner, D.; Mattei, S.; Briefi, S.; Fantz, U.; Hatayama, A.; Lettry, J.; Nishida, K.; Tran, M. Q.

2017-08-01

The power requirements of RF heated sources for negative hydrogen ions in fusion are substantial, which poses strong demands on the generators and components of the RF circuit. Consequently, an increase of the RF coupling efficiency would be highly beneficial. Fundamental investigations of the RF efficiency in inductively coupled hydrogen and deuterium discharges in cylindrical symmetry are conducted at the lab experiment CHARLIE. The experiment is equipped with several diagnostics including optical emission spectroscopy and a movable floating double probe to monitor the plasma parameters. The presented investigations are performed in hydrogen at a varying pressure between 0.3 and 10 Pa, utilizing a conventional helical ICP coil driven at a frequency of 1 MHz and a fixed power of 520 W for plasma generation. The coupling efficiency is strongly affected by the variation in pressure, reaching up to 85 % between 1 and 3 Pa while dropping down to only 50 % at 0.3 Pa, which is the relevant operating pressure for negative hydrogen ion sources for fusion. Due to the lower power coupling, also the measured electron density at 0.3 Pa is only 5 . 1016 m-3, while it reaches up to 2.5 . 1017 m-3 with increasing coupling efficiency. In order to gain information on the spatially resolved aspects of RF coupling and plasma heating which are not diagnostically accessible, first simulations of the discharge by an electromagnetic Particle-In-Cell Monte Carlo collision method have been conducted and are compared to the measurement data. At 1 Pa, the simulated data corresponds well to the results of both axially resolved probe measurements and radially resolved emission profiles obtained via OES. Thereby, information regarding the radial distribution of the electron density and mean energy is provided, revealing a radial distribution of the electron density which is well described by a Bessel profile.

Nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharges in air at atmospheric pressure—the spark regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pai, David Z.; Lacoste, Deanna A.; Laux, Christophe O.

2010-12-01

Nanosecond repetitively pulsed (NRP) spark discharges have been studied in atmospheric pressure air preheated to 1000 K. Measurements of spark initiation and stability, plasma dynamics, gas temperature and current-voltage characteristics of the spark regime are presented. Using 10 ns pulses applied repetitively at 30 kHz, we find that 2-400 pulses are required to initiate the spark, depending on the applied voltage. Furthermore, about 30-50 pulses are required for the spark discharge to reach steady state, following initiation. Based on space- and time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy, the spark discharge in steady state is found to ignite homogeneously in the discharge gap, without evidence of an initial streamer. Using measured emission from the N2 (C-B) 0-0 band, it is found that the gas temperature rises by several thousand Kelvin in the span of about 30 ns following the application of the high-voltage pulse. Current-voltage measurements show that up to 20-40 A of conduction current is generated, which corresponds to an electron number density of up to 1015 cm-3 towards the end of the high-voltage pulse. The discharge dynamics, gas temperature and electron number density are consistent with a streamer-less spark that develops homogeneously through avalanche ionization in volume. This occurs because the pre-ionization electron number density of about 1011 cm-3 produced by the high frequency train of pulses is above the critical density for streamer-less discharge development, which is shown to be about 108 cm-3.

Measurement of electrons from albedo neutron decay and neutron density in near-Earth space.

PubMed

Li, Xinlin; Selesnick, Richard; Schiller, Quintin; Zhang, Kun; Zhao, Hong; Baker, Daniel N; Temerin, Michael A

2017-12-21

The Galaxy is filled with cosmic-ray particles, mostly protons with kinetic energies greater than hundreds of megaelectronvolts. Around Earth, trapped energetic protons, electrons and other particles circulate at altitudes from about 500 to 40,000 kilometres in the Van Allen radiation belts. Soon after these radiation belts were discovered six decades ago, it was recognized that the main source of inner-belt protons (with kinetic energies of tens to hundreds of megaelectronvolts) is cosmic-ray albedo neutron decay (CRAND). In this process, cosmic rays that reach the upper atmosphere interact with neutral atoms to produce albedo neutrons, which, being prone to β-decay, are a possible source of geomagnetically trapped protons and electrons. These protons would retain most of the kinetic energy of the neutrons, while the electrons would have lower energies, mostly less than one megaelectronvolt. The viability of CRAND as an electron source has, however, been uncertain, because measurements have shown that the electron intensity in the inner Van Allen belt can vary greatly, while the neutron-decay rate should be almost constant. Here we report measurements of relativistic electrons near the inner edge of the inner radiation belt. We demonstrate that the main source of these electrons is indeed CRAND, and that this process also contributes to electrons in the inner belt elsewhere. Furthermore, measurement of the intensity of electrons generated by CRAND provides an experimental determination of the neutron density in near-Earth space-2 × 10 -9 per cubic centimetre-confirming theoretical estimates.

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

C. BARNES

Electron cyclotron emission (ECE) has been employed as a standard electron temperature profile diagnostic on many tokamaks and stellarators, but most magnetically confined plasma devices cannot take advantage of standard ECE diagnostics to measure temperature. They are either overdense, operating at high density relative to the magnetic field (e.g. {omega}{sub pe} >> {Omega}{sub ce} in a spherical torus) or they have insufficient density and temperature to reach the blackbody condition ({tau} > 2). Electron Bernstein waves (EBWs) are electrostatic waves which can propagate in overdense plasmas and have a high optical thickness at the electron cyclotron resonance layers, as amore » result of their large K{sub i}. This talk reports on measurements of EBW emission on the CDX-U spherical torus, where B{sub 0} {approx} 2 kG, {approx} 10{sup 13} cm{sup -3} and T{sub e} {approx} 10 - 200 eV. Results will be presented for both direct detection of EBWs and for mode-converted EBW emission. The EBW emission was absolutely calibrated and compared to the electron temperature profile measured by a multi-point Thomson scattering diagnostic. Depending on the plasma conditions, the mode-converted EBW radiation temperature was found to be {le} T{sub e} and the emission source was determined to be radially localized at the electron cyclotron resonance layer. A Langmuir triple probe was employed to measure changes in edge density profile in the vicinity of the upper hybrid resonance where the mode conversion of the EBWs is expected to occur. Changes in the mode conversion efficiency may explain the observation of mode-converted EBW radiation temperatures below T{sub e}. Initial results suggest EBW emission and EBW heating are viable concepts for plasmas where {omega}{sub pe} >> {Omega}{sub ce}.« less

Unraveling resistive versus collisional contributions to relativistic electron beam stopping power in cold-solid and in warm-dense plasmas

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

Vauzour, B.; Laboratoire d'Optique Appliquée, ENSTA-CNRS-Ecole Polytechnique, UMR 7639, 91761 Palaiseau; Debayle, A.

2014-03-15

We present results on laser-driven relativistic electron beam propagation through aluminum samples, which are either solid and cold or compressed and heated by laser-induced shock. A full numerical description of fast electron generation and transport is found to reproduce the experimental absolute K{sub α} yield and spot size measurements for varying target thicknesses, and to sequentially quantify the collisional and resistive electron stopping powers. The results demonstrate that both stopping mechanisms are enhanced in compressed Al samples and are attributed to the increase in the medium density and resistivity, respectively. For the achieved time- and space-averaged electronic current density, 〈j{submore » h}〉∼8×10{sup 10} A/cm{sup 2} in the samples, the collisional and resistive stopping powers in warm and compressed Al are estimated to be 1.5 keV/μm and 0.8 keV/μm, respectively. By contrast, for cold and solid Al, the corresponding estimated values are 1.1 keV/μm and 0.6 keV/μm. Prospective numerical simulations involving higher j{sub h} show that the resistive stopping power can reach the same level as the collisional one. In addition to the effects of compression, the effect of the transient behavior of the resistivity of Al during relativistic electron beam transport becomes progressively more dominant, and for a significantly high current density, j{sub h}∼10{sup 12} A/cm{sup 2}, cancels the difference in the electron resistive stopping power (or the total stopping power in units of areal density) between solid and compressed samples. Analytical calculations extend the analysis up to j{sub h}=10{sup 14} A/cm{sup 2} (representative of the full-scale fast ignition scenario of inertial confinement fusion), where a very rapid transition to the Spitzer resistivity regime saturates the resistive stopping power, averaged over the electron beam duration, to values of ∼1 keV/μm.« less

An automated design process for short pulse laser driven opacity experiments

DOE PAGES

Martin, M. E.; London, R. A.; Goluoglu, S.; ...

2017-12-21

Stellar-relevant conditions can be reached by heating a buried layer target with a short pulse laser. Previous design studies of iron buried layer targets found that plasma conditions are dominantly controlled by the laser energy while the accuracy of the inferred opacity is limited by tamper emission and optical depth effects. In this paper, we developed a process to simultaneously optimize laser and target parameters to meet a variety of design goals. We explored two sets of design cases: a set focused on conditions relevant to the upper radiative zone of the sun (electron temperatures of 200 to 400 eVmore » and densities greater than 1/10 of solid density) and a set focused on reaching temperatures consistent with deep within the radiative zone of the sun (500 to 1000 eV) at a fixed density. We found optimized designs for iron targets and determined that the appropriate dopant, for inferring plasma conditions, depends on the goal temperature: magnesium for up to 300 eV, aluminum for 300 to 500 eV, and sulfur for 500 to 1000 eV. The optimal laser energy and buried layer thickness increase with goal temperature. The accuracy of the inferred opacity is limited to between 11% and 31%, depending on the design. Finally, overall, short pulse laser heated iron experiments reaching stellar-relevant conditions have been designed with consideration of minimizing tamper emission and optical depth effects while meeting plasma condition and x-ray emission goals.« less

An automated design process for short pulse laser driven opacity experiments

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

Martin, M. E.; London, R. A.; Goluoglu, S.

Stellar-relevant conditions can be reached by heating a buried layer target with a short pulse laser. Previous design studies of iron buried layer targets found that plasma conditions are dominantly controlled by the laser energy while the accuracy of the inferred opacity is limited by tamper emission and optical depth effects. In this paper, we developed a process to simultaneously optimize laser and target parameters to meet a variety of design goals. We explored two sets of design cases: a set focused on conditions relevant to the upper radiative zone of the sun (electron temperatures of 200 to 400 eVmore » and densities greater than 1/10 of solid density) and a set focused on reaching temperatures consistent with deep within the radiative zone of the sun (500 to 1000 eV) at a fixed density. We found optimized designs for iron targets and determined that the appropriate dopant, for inferring plasma conditions, depends on the goal temperature: magnesium for up to 300 eV, aluminum for 300 to 500 eV, and sulfur for 500 to 1000 eV. The optimal laser energy and buried layer thickness increase with goal temperature. The accuracy of the inferred opacity is limited to between 11% and 31%, depending on the design. Finally, overall, short pulse laser heated iron experiments reaching stellar-relevant conditions have been designed with consideration of minimizing tamper emission and optical depth effects while meeting plasma condition and x-ray emission goals.« less

Nano-Magnets and Additive Manufacturing for Electric Motors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Misra, Ajay K.

2014-01-01

High power density is required for application of electric motors in hybrid electric propulsion. Potential path to achieve high power density in electric motors include advanced materials, lightweight thermal management, lightweight structural concepts, high power density power electronics, and advanced manufacturing. This presentation will focus on two key technologies for achieving high power density, advanced magnets and additive manufacturing. The maximum energy product in current magnets is reaching their theoretical limits as a result of material and process improvements. Future improvements in the maximum energy product for magnets can be achieved through development of nanocomposite magnets combining the hard magnetic phase and soft magnetic phase at the nanoscale level. The presentation will provide an overview of the current state of development for nanocomposite magnets and the future path for doubling the maximum energy product. The other part of the presentation will focus on the role of additive manufacturing in fabrication of high power density electric motors. The presentation will highlight the potential opportunities for applying additive manufacturing to fabricate electric motors.

Langmuir Probe Diagnostics of Pulsed Plasma Doping System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lei, Yu; Overzet, Lawrence J.; Felch, Susan B.; Fang, Ziwei; Koo, Bon-Woong; Goeckner, Matthew J.

2002-10-01

Pulsed plasma doping (P2LAD) is a potential solution to implement ultra-shallow junctions. In this study, Langmuir probe diagnostics techniques were investigated thoroughly for its application to P2LAD system, and the current sensing scheme using batteries and a 'downstairs' load resistor turned out to be the most reliable. Severe limitations of current transformers were found in diagnostics of pulsed plasma. A floating probe was proven to be good at monitoring the disturbances of the Langmuir probe and the cathode voltage. With the above technique, time-resolved Langmuir probe measurements have been carried out in a P2LAD system. The Langmuir probe data in Ar plasma indicate that during a 20 microns long implant pulse the plasma density ranges from 1E9 1E10 cm-3 and the electron temperature ranges from 0.4 to 14 eV. Between the pulses, the density keeps at the high level for 30 ms and then decays exponentially until reaching the range of 3E8 1E9 cm-3, which demonstrates the presence of residual plasma between pulses. A non-zero plasma density during the afterglow is also observed for BF3 plasma. Significant amounts of primary electron and electron beams are present during the ignition and ensuing steady region in both Ar and BF3 plasmas while they are much stronger in BF3 plasma. Plasma density is observed to increase with cathode voltage and pressure while the electron temperature is mainly influenced by the pressure. An overshoot of the cathode voltage during the afterglow region was found, and it significantly influences the plasma potential during the afterglow.

Wrapping Aligned Carbon Nanotube Composite Sheets around Vanadium Nitride Nanowire Arrays for Asymmetric Coaxial Fiber-Shaped Supercapacitors with Ultrahigh Energy Density.

PubMed

Zhang, Qichong; Wang, Xiaona; Pan, Zhenghui; Sun, Juan; Zhao, Jingxin; Zhang, Jun; Zhang, Cuixia; Tang, Lei; Luo, Jie; Song, Bin; Zhang, Zengxing; Lu, Weibang; Li, Qingwen; Zhang, Yuegang; Yao, Yagang

2017-04-12

The emergence of fiber-shaped supercapacitors (FSSs) has led to a revolution in portable and wearable electronic devices. However, obtaining high energy density FSSs for practical applications is still a key challenge. This article exhibits a facile and effective approach to directly grow well-aligned three-dimensional vanadium nitride (VN) nanowire arrays (NWAs) on carbon nanotube (CNT) fiber with an ultrahigh specific capacitance of 715 mF/cm 2 in a three-electrode system. Benefiting from their intriguing structural features, we successfully fabricated a prototype asymmetric coaxial FSS (ACFSS) with a maximum operating voltage of 1.8 V. From core to shell, this ACFSS consists of a CNT fiber core coated with VN@C NWAs as the negative electrode, Na 2 SO 4 poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as the solid electrolyte, and MnO 2 /conducting polymer/CNT sheets as the positive electrode. The novel coaxial architecture not only fully enables utilization of the effective surface area and decreases the contact resistance between the two electrodes but also, more importantly, provides a short pathway for the ultrafast transport of axial electrons and ions. The electrochemical results show that the optimized ACFSS exhibits a remarkable specific capacitance of 213.5 mF/cm 2 and an exceptional energy density of 96.07 μWh/cm 2 , the highest areal capacitance and areal energy density yet reported in FSSs. Furthermore, the device possesses excellent flexibility in that its capacitance retention reaches 96.8% after bending 5000 times, which further allows it to be woven into flexible electronic clothes with conventional weaving techniques. Therefore, the asymmetric coaxial architectural design allows new opportunities to fabricate high-performance flexible FSSs for future portable and wearable electronic devices.

Characterization of high flux magnetized helium plasma in SCU-PSI linear device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xiaochun, MA; Xiaogang, CAO; Lei, HAN; Zhiyan, ZHANG; Jianjun, WEI; Fujun, GOU

2018-02-01

A high-flux linear plasma device in Sichuan University plasma-surface interaction (SCU-PSI) based on a cascaded arc source has been established to simulate the interactions between helium and hydrogen plasma with the plasma-facing components in fusion reactors. In this paper, the helium plasma has been characterized by a double-pin Langmuir probe. The results show that the stable helium plasma beam with a diameter of 26 mm was constrained very well at a magnetic field strength of 0.3 T. The core density and ion flux of helium plasma have a strong dependence on the applied current, magnetic field strength and gas flow rate. It could reach an electron density of 1.2 × 1019 m-3 and helium ion flux of 3.2 × 1022 m-2 s-1, with a gas flow rate of 4 standard liter per minute, magnetic field strength of 0.2 T and input power of 11 kW. With the addition of -80 V applied to the target to increase the helium ion energy and the exposure time of 2 h, the flat top temperature reached about 530 °C. The different sizes of nanostructured fuzz on irradiated tungsten and molybdenum samples surfaces under the bombardment of helium ions were observed by scanning electron microscopy. These results measured in the SCU-PSI linear device provide a reference for International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor related PSI research.

3D model of auroral emissions for Europa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cessateur, G.; Barthelemy, M.; Rubin, M.; Lilensten, J.; Maggiolo, R.; De Keyser, J.; Gunell, H.; Loreau, J.

2017-12-01

As archetype of icy satellites, Europa will be one of the primary targets of the ESA JUICE and NASA Europa Clipper missions. Through surface sputtering, Europa does possess a thin neutral gas atmosphere, mainly composed of O2 and H2O. Valuable information can therefore be retrieved from auroral and airglow measurements. We present here a 3D electron-excitation-transport-emission coupled model of oxygen line emissions produced through precipitating electrons. The density and temperature of the electrons are first derived from the multifluid MHD model from Rubin et al. (2015). Oxygen emission lines in the UV have first been modelled, such as those at 130.5 and 135.6 nm, and there is a nonhomogenous distribution of the emission. For 135.6 nm, the line emission can be significant and reach 700 Rayleigh close to the surface for a polar limb viewing angle. Visible emissions with the red-doublet (630-636.4 nm) and green (577.7 nm) oxygen lines are also considered with emission intensities reaching 7150 R and 200 R, respectively, for limb polar viewing. Using different cross section data, a sensitivity study has also been performed to assess the impact of the uncertainties on the auroral emissions.

On the Foundation of Equipartition in Supernova Remnants

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Urošević, Dejan; Pavlović, Marko Z.; Arbutina, Bojan

2018-03-01

A widely accepted paradigm is that equipartition (eqp) between the energy density of cosmic rays (CRs) and the energy density of the magnetic field cannot be sustained in supernova remnants (SNRs). However, our 3D hydrodynamic supercomputer simulations, coupled with a nonlinear diffusive shock acceleration model, provide evidence that eqp may be established at the end of the Sedov phase of evolution in which most SNRs spend the longest portions of their lives. We introduce the term “constant partition” for any constant ratio between the CR energy density and the energy density of the magnetic field in an SNR, while the term “equipartition” should be reserved for the case of approximately the same values of the energy density (also, it is constant partition in the order of magnitude) of ultra-relativistic electrons only (or CRs in total) and the energy density of the magnetic field. Our simulations suggest that this approximate constant partition exists in all but the youngest SNRs. We speculate that since evolved SNRs at the end of the Sedov phase of evolution can reach eqp between CRs and magnetic fields, they may be responsible for initializing this type of eqp in the interstellar medium. Additionally, we show that eqp between the electron component of CRs and the magnetic field may be used for calculating the magnetic field strength directly from observations of synchrotron emission from SNRs. The values of magnetic field strengths in SNRs given here are approximately 2.5 times lower than values calculated by Arbutina et al.

Enhanced electron yield from laser-driven wakefield acceleration in high-Z gas jets.

PubMed

Mirzaie, Mohammad; Hafz, Nasr A M; Li, Song; Liu, Feng; He, Fei; Cheng, Ya; Zhang, Jie

2015-10-01

An investigation of the electron beam yield (charge) form helium, nitrogen, and neon gas jet plasmas in a typical laser-plasma wakefield acceleration experiment is carried out. The charge measurement is made by imaging the electron beam intensity profile on a fluorescent screen into a charge coupled device which was cross-calibrated with an integrated current transformer. The dependence of electron beam charge on the laser and plasma conditions for the aforementioned gases are studied. We found that laser-driven wakefield acceleration in low Z-gas jet targets usually generates high-quality and well-collimated electron beams with modest yields at the level of 10-100 pC. On the other hand, filamentary electron beams which are observed from high-Z gases at higher densities reached much higher yields. Evidences for cluster formation were clearly observed in the nitrogen gas jet target, where we received the highest electron beam charge of ∼1.7 nC. Those intense electron beams will be beneficial for the applications on the generation of bright X-rays, gamma rays radiations, and energetic positrons via the bremsstrahlung or inverse-scattering processes.

A comparative study on the frequency effects of the electrical characteristics of the pulsed dielectric barrier discharge in He/O{sub 2} and in Ar/O{sub 2} at atmospheric pressure

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

Pan, Guangsheng; Tan, Zhenyu, E-mail: tzy@sdu.edu.cn; Pan, Jie

In this work, a comparative study on the frequency effects of the electrical characteristics of the pulsed dielectric barrier discharges in He/O{sub 2} and in Ar/O{sub 2} at atmospheric pressure has been performed by means of the numerical simulation based on a 1-D fluid model at frequencies below 100 kHz. The frequency dependences of the characteristic quantities of the discharges in the two gases have been systematically calculated and analyzed under the oxygen concentrations below 2%. The characteristic quantities include the discharge current density, the averaged electron density, the electric field, and the averaged electron temperature. Especially, the frequency effects onmore » the averaged particle densities of the reactive species have also been calculated. This work gives the following significant results. For the two gases, there are two bipolar discharges in one period of applied voltage pulse under the considered frequency range and oxygen concentrations, as occurred in the pure noble gases. The frequency affects the two discharges in He/O{sub 2}, but in Ar/O{sub 2}, it induces a strong effect only on the first discharge. For the first discharge in each gas, there is a characteristic frequency at which the characteristic quantities reach their respective minimum, and this frequency appears earlier for Ar/O{sub 2}. For the second discharge in Ar/O{sub 2}, the averaged electron density presents a slight variation with the frequency. In addition, the discharge in Ar/O{sub 2} is strong and the averaged electron temperature is low, compared to those in He/O{sub 2.} The total averaged particle density of the reactive species in Ar/O{sub 2} is larger than those in He/O{sub 2} by about one order of magnitude.« less

Study electron transport coefficients for Ar, O2 and their mixtures by using EEDF program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majeed, D. S. Abdul; Hussein, B. J.; Jassim, M. K.

2018-05-01

We calculated the electron transport coefficient in Ar, O2 and their mixtures for ratio of E/N where E denotes the electric field and N the density of gas atoms from 5 – 600 Td 1Td = 10-17 V.cm2. The result and parameters mean energy mobility drift velocity and others are calculated by solving Boltzmann equation. We study these gases because of its importance in thermal plasma such as shielding gas for arc welding of metals and alloys. These results are useful to find best gas mixtures to reach appropriate transport parameter and to derive the same relevant cross section data.

Response of the Martian ionosphere to solar activity including SEPs and ICMEs in a two-week period starting on 25 February 2015

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duru, F.; Gurnett, D. A.; Morgan, D. D.; Halekas, J.; Frahm, R. A.; Lundin, R.; Dejong, W.; Ertl, C.; Venable, A.; Wilkinson, C.; Fraenz, M.; Nemec, F.; Connerney, J. E. P.; Espley, J. R.; Larson, D.; Winningham, J. D.; Plaut, J.; Mahaffy, P. R.

2017-10-01

In a two-week period between February and March of 2015, a series of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) and solar energetic particle (SEP) events encountered Mars. The interactions were observed by several spacecraft, including Mars Express (MEX), Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution Mission (MAVEN), and Mars Odyssey (MO). The ICME disturbances were characterized by an increase in ion speed, plasma temperature, magnetic field magnitude, and energetic electron flux. Furthermore, increased solar wind density and speeds, as well as unusually high local electron densities and high flow velocities were detected on the nightside at high altitudes during the March 8 event. These effects are thought to be due to the transport of ionospheric plasma away from Mars. In the deep nightside, the peak ionospheric electron density at the periapsis of MEX shows a substantial increase, reaching number densities about 2.7 × 104 cm-3 during the second ICME in the deep nightside. This corresponds to an increase in the MO High-Energy Neutron Detector flux suggesting an increase in the ionization of the neutral atmosphere due to the high intensity of charged particles. Measurements of the SEP fluxs show a substantial enhancement before the shock of a fourth ICME causing impact ionization and absorption of the surface echo intensity which drops to the noise levels, below 10-15 V2m-2 Hz-1 from values of about 2 × 10-14 V2m-2 Hz-1. Moreover, the peak ionospheric density exhibits a discrete enhancement over a period of about 30 h around the same location, which may be due to impact ionization. Ion escape rates at this time are estimated to be in the order of 1025 to 1026 s-1.

High current density ion beam obtained by a transition to a highly focused state in extremely low-energy region

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

Hirano, Y., E-mail: y.hirano@aist.go.jp, E-mail: hirano.yoichi@phys.cst.nihon-u.ac.jp; College of Science and Technologies, Nihon University, Chiyodaku, Tokyo 101-0897; Kiyama, S.

2015-11-15

A high current density (≈3 mA/cm{sup 2}) hydrogen ion beam source operating in an extremely low-energy region (E{sub ib} ≈ 150–200 eV) has been realized by using a transition to a highly focused state, where the beam is extracted from the ion source chamber through three concave electrodes with nominal focal lengths of ≈350 mm. The transition occurs when the beam energy exceeds a threshold value between 145 and 170 eV. Low-level hysteresis is observed in the transition when E{sub ib} is being reduced. The radial profiles of the ion beam current density and the low temperature ion current densitymore » can be obtained separately using a Faraday cup with a grid in front. The measured profiles confirm that more than a half of the extracted beam ions reaches the target plate with a good focusing profile with a full width at half maximum of ≈3 cm. Estimation of the particle balances in beam ions, the slow ions, and the electrons indicates the possibility that the secondary electron emission from the target plate and electron impact ionization of hydrogen may play roles as particle sources in this extremely low-energy beam after the compensation of beam ion space charge.« less

Shock equation of state of 6LiH to 1.1 TPa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lazicki, A.; London, R. A.; Coppari, F.; Erskine, D.; Whitley, H. D.; Caspersen, K. J.; Fratanduono, D. E.; Morales, M. A.; Celliers, P. M.; Eggert, J. H.; Millot, M.; Swift, D. C.; Collins, G. W.; Kucheyev, S. O.; Castor, J. I.; Nilsen, J.

2017-10-01

Using laser-generated shock waves, we have measured pressure, density, and temperature of LiH on the principal Hugoniot between 260 and 1100 GPa (2.6-11 Mbar) and on a second-shock Hugoniot up to 1400 GPa to near fivefold compression, extending the maximum pressure reached in non-nuclear experiments by a factor of two. We observe the onset of metal-like reflectivity consistent with temperature-induced ionization of the Li 2s electron, and no sign of additional changes in ionization up to the maximum pressure. Our measurements are in good agreement with gas gun, Z-machine, and underground test data and are accurately described by quantum molecular dynamics simulations. The results confirm the validity of equation of state models built on an average-atom description of the electron-thermal contribution to the free energy and a density-dependent Grüneisen parameter to describe shock response of LiH over this pressure range.

Sense and nonsense of logic-level optical interconnect: reflections on an experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Van Campenhout, Jan M.; Brunfaut, Marnik; Meeus, Wim; Dambre, Joni; De Wilde, Michiel

2001-12-01

Centimeter-range high-density optical interconnect between chips is coming into reach with current optical interconnect technology. Many theoretical studies have identified several good reasons why to use such types of interconnect as a replacement of various layers of the traditional electronic interconnect hierarchy. However, the true feasibility and usefulness of optical interconnects can only be established by actually building and evaluating them in a real system setting. This contribution reports on our experience in using short-range high-density optical inter-chip interconnects. It is based on the design and construction of a fully functional optoelectronic demonstrator system. We discuss the rationale for building the demonstrator in the first place, the implications of using many low-level optical interconnections in electronic systems, and the degree to which our expectations have been fulfilled by the demonstrator. The detailed description of the architecture, design and implementation of the demonstrator is not presented here, but can be found elsewhere in this issue.

The influence of anode position and structure on cusped field thruster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Niu, Xiang; Liu, Hui; Yang, Chiyu; Jiang, Wenjia; Yu, Daren; Ning, Zhongxi

2018-04-01

A cusped field thruster is a kind of electric propulsion device using multi-stage cusped fields to realize plasma discharges and produce thrust. A previous study showed that plasma discharges in this thruster are non-uniform. In this work, a multi-annulus anode is used to measure the radial distribution of anode current density at different anode positions. The experimental results reveal that some electrons may reach the anode along the axis after they accelerate from the final cusp regardless of the anode positions. To further validate this idea and find out the mechanism of this central path along the axis, the central part of the anode is replaced with ceramics. This results in an increase in the total current with larger contributions at larger radii. The current oscillations also get larger. This brief letter is helpful to further understand the movement of electrons in cusped field thrusters and provide guidance on reducing the non-uniform degree of current density.

A PIC-MCC code RFdinity1d for simulation of discharge initiation by ICRF antenna

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tripský, M.; Wauters, T.; Lyssoivan, A.; Bobkov, V.; Schneider, P. A.; Stepanov, I.; Douai, D.; Van Eester, D.; Noterdaeme, J.-M.; Van Schoor, M.; ASDEX Upgrade Team; EUROfusion MST1 Team

2017-12-01

Discharges produced and sustained by ion cyclotron range of frequency (ICRF) waves in absence of plasma current will be used on ITER for (ion cyclotron-) wall conditioning (ICWC, Te = 3{-}5 eV, ne < 1018 m-3 ). In this paper, we present the 1D particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision (PIC-MCC) RFdinity1d for the study the breakdown phase of ICRF discharges, and its dependency on the RF discharge parameters (i) antenna input power P i , (ii) RF frequency f, (iii) shape of the electric field and (iv) the neutral gas pressure pH_2 . The code traces the motion of both electrons and ions in a narrow bundle of magnetic field lines close to the antenna straps. The charged particles are accelerated in the parallel direction with respect to the magnetic field B T by two electric fields: (i) the vacuum RF field of the ICRF antenna E_z^RF and (ii) the electrostatic field E_zP determined by the solution of Poisson’s equation. The electron density evolution in simulations follows exponential increase, {\\dot{n_e} ∼ ν_ion t } . The ionization rate varies with increasing electron density as different mechanisms become important. The charged particles are affected solely by the antenna RF field E_z^RF at low electron density ({ne < 1011} m-3 , {≤ft \\vert E_z^RF \\right \\vert \\gg ≤ft \\vert E_zP \\right \\vert } ). At higher densities, when the electrostatic field E_zP is comparable to the antenna RF field E_z^RF , the ionization frequency reaches the maximum. Plasma oscillations propagating toroidally away from the antenna are observed. The simulated energy distributions of ions and electrons at {ne ∼ 1015} m-3 correspond a power-law Kappa energy distribution. This energy distribution was also observed in NPA measurements at ASDEX Upgrade in ICWC experiments.

One-Dimensional Hybrid Satellite Track Model for the Dynamics Explorer 2 (DE 2) Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deng, Wei; Killeen, T. L.; Burns, A. G.; Johnson, R. M.; Emery, B. A.; Roble, R. G.; Winningham, J. D.; Gary, J. B.

1995-01-01

A one-dimensional hybrid satellite track model has been developed to calculate the high-latitude thermospheric/ionospheric structure below the satellite altitude using Dynamics Explorer 2 (DE 2) satellite measurements and theory. This model is based on Emery et al. satellite track code but also includes elements of Roble et al. global mean thermosphere/ionosphere model. A number of parameterizations and data handling techniques are used to input satellite data from several DE 2 instruments into this model. Profiles of neutral atmospheric densities are determined from the MSIS-90 model and measured neutral temperatures. Measured electron precipitation spectra are used in an auroral model to calculate particle impact ionization rates below the satellite. These rates are combined with a solar ionization rate profile and used to solve the O(+) diffusion equation, with the measured electron density as an upper boundary condition. The calculated O(+) density distribution, as well as the ionization profiles, are then used in a photochemical equilibrium model to calculate the electron and molecular ion densities. The electron temperature is also calculated by solving the electron energy equation with an upper boundary condition determined by the DE 2 measurement. The model enables calculations of altitude profiles of conductivity and Joule beating rate along and below the satellite track. In a first application of the new model, a study is made of thermospheric and ionospheric structure below the DE 2 satellite for a single orbit which occurred on October 25, 1981. The field-aligned Poynting flux, which is independently obtained for this orbit, is compared with the model predictions of the height-integrated energy conversion rate. Good quantitative agreement between these two estimates has been reached. In addition, measurements taken at the incoherent scatter radar site at Chatanika (65.1 deg N, 147.4 deg W) during a DE 2 overflight are compared with the model calculations. A good agreement was found in lower thermospheric conductivities and Joule heating rate.

Improving NIS Tunnel Junction Refrigerators: Modeling, Materials, and Traps

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

O'Neil, Galen Cascade

This thesis presents a systematic study of electron cooling with Normal-metal/insulator/superconductor (NIS) tunnel junctions. NIS refrigerators have an exciting potential to simplify 100 mK and 10 mK cryogenics. Rather than using an expensive dilution refrigerator, researchers will be able to use much simpler cryogenics to reach 300 mK and supplement them with mass fabricated thin-film NIS refrigerators to reach 100 mK and below. The mechanism enabling NIS refrigeration is energy selective tunneling. Due to the gap in the superconducting density of states, only hot electrons tunnel from the normal-metal. Power is removed from the normal-metal, that same power and the larger IV power are both deposited in the superconductor. NIS refrigerators often cool less than theory predicts because of the power deposited in the superconductor returns to the normal-metal. When the superconductor temperature is raised, or athermal phonons due to quasiparticle recombination are absorbed in the normal-metal, refrigerator performance will be reduced. I studied the quasiparticle excitations in superconductors to develop the most complete thermal model of NIS refrigerators to date. I introduced overlayer quasiparticle traps, a new method for heatsinking the superconductor. I present measurements on NIS refrigerators with and without quasiparticle traps, to determine their effectiveness. This includes an NIS refrigerator that cools from 300 mK to 115 mK or lower, a large improvement over previous designs. I also looked into reducing the power deposited in the superconductor, by choosing the transition temperature of the superconductor based upon the NIS refrigerator launch temperature. I performed a detailed study of the density of states of superconducting AlMn alloys, demonstrating that Mn impurities behave non-magnetically in Al due to resonant scattering. The density of states remains BCS-like, but my measurements show that the deviations from a BCS density of states harm cooling in NIS refrigerators.

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

Aleshin, S. S., E-mail: aless2001@mail.ru; Lobanov, A. E., E-mail: lobanov@phys.msu.ru; Kharlanov, O. G., E-mail: okharl@mail.ru

The effect of flavor day-night asymmetry is considered for solar neutrinos of energy about 1 MeV under the assumption that the electron-density distribution within the Earth is approximately piecewise continuous on the scale of the neutrino-oscillation length. In this approximation, the resulting asymmetry factor for beryllium neutrinos does not depend on the structure of the inner Earth's layers or on the properties of the detector used. Its numerical estimate is on the order of -4 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup -4}, which is far beyond the reach of present-day experiments.

A comparison of three regions of Puppis A

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fischbach, K. F.; Bateman, L. M.; Canizares, C. R.; Markert, T. H.; Saez, P. J.

1990-01-01

High resolution X-ray spectral observations of Puppis A were performed with the FPCS on the Einstein Observatory at three regions of the remnant: the shock front, the bright eastern knot, and the interior. Plasma diagnostics of lines from OVII and OVIII constrain the values of electron temperature, ionization timescale, and hydrogen column density. Results of the diagnostics for these three regions are compared. A nonequilibrium analysis of previously published fluxes of oxygen lines shows that the interior has not yet reached ionization equilibrium.

Development of high poloidal beta, steady-state scenario with ITER-like tungsten divertor on EAST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garofalo, A. M.; Gong, X. Z.; Qian, J.; Chen, J.; Li, G.; Li, K.; Li, M. H.; Zhai, X.; Bonoli, P.; Brower, D.; Cao, L.; Cui, L.; Ding, S.; Ding, W. X.; Guo, W.; Holcomb, C.; Huang, J.; Hyatt, A.; Lanctot, M.; Lao, L. L.; Liu, H.; Lyu, B.; McClenaghan, J.; Peysson, Y.; Ren, Q.; Shiraiwa, S.; Solomon, W.; Zang, Q.; Wan, B.

2017-07-01

Recent experiments on EAST have achieved the first long pulse H-mode (61 s) with zero loop voltage and an ITER-like tungsten divertor, and have demonstrated access to broad plasma current profiles by increasing the density in fully-noninductive lower hybrid current-driven discharges. These long pulse discharges reach wall thermal and particle balance, exhibit stationary good confinement (H 98y2 ~ 1.1) with low core electron transport, and are only possible with optimal active cooling of the tungsten armors. In separate experiments, the electron density was systematically varied in order to study its effect on the deposition profile of the external lower hybrid current drive (LHCD), while keeping the plasma in fully-noninductive conditions and with divertor strike points on the tungsten divertor. A broadening of the current profile is found, as indicated by lower values of the internal inductance at higher density. A broad current profile is attractive because, among other reasons, it enables internal transport barriers at large minor radius, leading to improved confinement as shown in companion DIII-D experiments. These experiments strengthen the physics basis for achieving high performance, steady state discharges in future burning plasmas.

Development of high poloidal beta, steady-state scenario with ITER-like tungsten divertor on EAST

DOE PAGES

Garofalo, Andrea M.; Gong, X. Z.; Qian, J.; ...

2017-06-07

Recent experiments on EAST have achieved the first long pulse H-mode (61 s) with zero loop voltage and an ITER-like tungsten divertor, and have demonstrated access to broad plasma current profiles by increasing the density in fully-noninductive lower hybrid current-driven discharges. These long pulse discharges reach wall thermal and particle balance, exhibit stationary good confinement (H 98y2~1.1) with low core electron transport, and are only possible with optimal active cooling of the tungsten armors. In separate experiments, the electron density was systematically varied in order to study its effect on the deposition profile of the external lower hybrid current drivemore » (LHCD), while keeping the plasma in fully-noninductive conditions and with divertor strike points on the tungsten divertor. A broadening of the current profile is found, as indicated by lower values of the internal inductance at higher density. A broad current profile is attractive because, among other reasons, it enables internal transport barriers at large minor radius, leading to improved confinement as shown in companion DIII-D experiments. These experiments strengthen the physics basis for achieving high performance, steady state discharges in future burning plasmas.« less

Limit of the electrostatic doping in two-dimensional electron gases of LaXO3(X = Al, Ti)/SrTiO3

PubMed Central

Biscaras, J.; Hurand, S.; Feuillet-Palma, C.; Rastogi, A.; Budhani, R. C.; Reyren, N.; Lesne, E.; Lesueur, J.; Bergeal, N.

2014-01-01

In LaTiO3/SrTiO3 and LaAlO3/SrTiO3 heterostructures, the bending of the SrTiO3 conduction band at the interface forms a quantum well that contains a superconducting two-dimensional electron gas (2-DEG). Its carrier density and electronic properties, such as superconductivity and Rashba spin-orbit coupling can be controlled by electrostatic gating. In this article we show that the Fermi energy lies intrinsically near the top of the quantum well. Beyond a filling threshold, electrons added by electrostatic gating escape from the well, hence limiting the possibility to reach a highly-doped regime. This leads to an irreversible doping regime where all the electronic properties of the 2-DEG, such as its resistivity and its superconducting transition temperature, saturate. The escape mechanism can be described by the simple analytical model we propose. PMID:25346028

Electron-phonon interaction in efficient perovskite blue emitters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gong, Xiwen; Voznyy, Oleksandr; Jain, Ankit; Liu, Wenjia; Sabatini, Randy; Piontkowski, Zachary; Walters, Grant; Bappi, Golam; Nokhrin, Sergiy; Bushuyev, Oleksandr; Yuan, Mingjian; Comin, Riccardo; McCamant, David; Kelley, Shana O.; Sargent, Edward H.

2018-06-01

Low-dimensional perovskites have—in view of their high radiative recombination rates—shown great promise in achieving high luminescence brightness and colour saturation. Here we investigate the effect of electron-phonon interactions on the luminescence of single crystals of two-dimensional perovskites, showing that reducing these interactions can lead to bright blue emission in two-dimensional perovskites. Resonance Raman spectra and deformation potential analysis show that strong electron-phonon interactions result in fast non-radiative decay, and that this lowers the photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY). Neutron scattering, solid-state NMR measurements of spin-lattice relaxation, density functional theory simulations and experimental atomic displacement measurements reveal that molecular motion is slowest, and rigidity greatest, in the brightest emitter. By varying the molecular configuration of the ligands, we show that a PLQY up to 79% and linewidth of 20 nm can be reached by controlling crystal rigidity and electron-phonon interactions. Designing crystal structures with electron-phonon interactions in mind offers a previously underexplored avenue to improve optoelectronic materials' performance.

Kinetic features and non-stationary electron trapping in paraxial magnetic nozzles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sánchez-Arriaga, G.; Zhou, J.; Ahedo, E.; Martínez-Sánchez, M.; Ramos, J. J.

2018-03-01

The paraxial expansion of a collisionless plasma jet into vacuum, guided by a magnetic nozzle, is studied with an Eulerian and non-stationary Vlasov-Poisson solver. Parametric analyzes varying the magnetic field expansion rate, the size of the simulation box, and the electrostatic potential fall are presented. After choosing the potential fall leading to a zero net current beam, the steady states of the simulations exhibit a quasi-neutral region followed by a downstream sheath. The latter, an unavoidable consequence of the finite size of the computational domain, does not affect the quasi-neutral region if the box size is chosen appropriately. The steady state presents a strong decay of the perpendicular temperature of the electrons, whose profile versus the inverse of the magnetic field does not depend on the expansion rate within the quasi-neutral region. As a consequence, the electron distribution function is highly anisotropic downstream. The simulations revealed that the ions reach a higher velocity during the transient than in the steady state and their distribution functions are not far from mono-energetic. The density percentage of the population of electrons trapped during the transient, which is computed self-consistently by the code, is up to 25% of the total electron density in the quasi-neutral region. It is demonstrated that the exact amount depends on the history of the system and the steady state is not unique. Nevertheless, the amount of trapped electrons is smaller than the one assumed heuristically by kinetic stationary theories.

Temperature and Electron Density Diagnostics of a Candle-Flame Shaped Flare. Asymmetric Reconnection Evidence

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guidoni, Silvina E.; McKenzie, David E.; Longcope, Dana W.; Plowman, Joseph E.; Yoshimura, Keiji

2013-03-01

Candle-flame shaped flares are archetypical structures that represent indirect evidence of magnetic reconnection. For long-lived events, most of their observed features can be explained with the classic magnetic reconnection model of solar flares, the CSHKP model. A flare resembling 1992 Tsuneta's famous candle-flame flare occurred on January 28 2011; we present its temperature and electron density diagnostics. This flare was observed with Hinode/XRT, SDO/AIA, and STEREO (A)/EUVI, resulting in high resolution, broad temperature coverage, and stereoscopic views of this iconic structure. Our XRT filter-ratio temperature and density maps corroborate the general reconnection scenario. The high temperature images reveal a brightening that grows in size to form a tower-like structure at the top of the post-flare arcade, a feature that has been observed in other long duration events. This tower is a localized density increase, as shown by our XRT electron density maps. Despite the extensive work on the standard reconnection scenario, there is no complete agreement among models regarding the nature of this tower-like structure. The XRT maps also reveal that reconnected loops that are successively connected at their tops to this tower develop a density increase in one of their legs that can reach over 2 times the density value of the other leg, giving the appearance of ``half-loops''. Their density is nevertheless still lower than at the tower. These jumps in density last longer than several acoustic transit times along the loops. We use STEREO images to show that the half-loop brightening is not a line-of- sight projection effect of the type suggested by Forbes and Acton (1996). This would indicate that asymmetric reconnection took place between loops originally belonging to systems with different magnetic field strengths, densities, and temperatures. We hypothesize that the heat generated by reconnection's slow shocks is then transferred to each leg of the loop at different rates. Therefore, the increase in electron density due to chromospheric evaporation is different in each leg. Thermal pressure balance between the legs is prevented by shocked plasma at the top of the loops. We also present preliminary results comparing a new fast DEM method that uses SDO/AIA data with the XRT filter ratio method. Both methods complement each other, they agree at the overlap between their instruments' temperature response functions (3-12 MK) while the SDO/AIA method works well at lower temperatures and the XRT one at higher temperatures.

Cross-field electron transport inside an insulating cylinder of a baffled probe

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raitses, Yevgeny; Alt, Andrew

2017-10-01

Plasma-immersed wall experiments have been performed in a magnetized xenon plasma in a cross-field Penning configuration with density around 1012 cm-3 and an electron temperature around a few eV. A cylinder with an open end and diameter of 1.4 mm was placed across field lines so that electrons were blocked from reaching a wire recessed behind the shield while ions were unimpeded. The reduction of electron current to the wire causes it to float closer to the plasma potential, possibly making a device that can passively measure plasma potential. However, the measured electron current was much higher than expected even when the wire was recessed several electron gyroradii behind the baffle. Possible mechanisms for this electron conduction causing the short circuiting to the bulk plasma have been studied with numerical approaches and with a dedicated experiment designed to isolate this short circuit effect. The obtained results may be important for cross-field transport in a variety of other configurations in magnetized, low-temperature plasmas. This work was supported by DOE contract DE-AC02-09CH11466.

Superior material qualities and transport properties of InGaN channel heterostructure grown by pulsed metal organic chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ya-Chao, Zhang; Xiao-Wei, Zhou; Sheng-Rui, Xu; Da-Zheng, Chen; Zhi-Zhe, Wang; Xing, Wang; Jin-Feng, Zhang; Jin-Cheng, Zhang; Yue, Hao

2016-01-01

Pulsed metal organic chemical vapor deposition is introduced into the growth of InGaN channel heterostructure for improving material qualities and transport properties. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy imaging shows the phase separation free InGaN channel with smooth and abrupt interface. A very high two-dimensional electron gas density of approximately 1.85 × 1013 cm-2 is obtained due to the superior carrier confinement. In addition, the Hall mobility reaches 967 cm2/V·s, owing to the suppression of interface roughness scattering. Furthermore, temperature-dependent Hall measurement results show that InGaN channel heterostructure possesses a steady two-dimensional electron gas density over the tested temperature range, and has superior transport properties at elevated temperatures compared with the traditional GaN channel heterostructure. The gratifying results imply that InGaN channel heterostructure grown by pulsed metal organic chemical vapor deposition is a promising candidate for microwave power devices. Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 61306017, 61334002, 61474086, and 11435010) and the Young Scientists Fund of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 61306017).

Laser production and heating of plasma for MHD application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jalufka, N. W.

1988-01-01

Experiments have been made on the production and heating of plasmas by the absorption of laser radiation. These experiments were performed to ascertain the feasibility of using laser-produced or laser-heated plasmas as the input for a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) generator. Such a system would have a broad application as a laser-to-electricity energy converter for space power transmission. Experiments with a 100-J-pulsed CO2 laser were conducted to investigate the breakdown of argon gas by a high-intensity laser beam, the parameters (electron density and temperature) of the plasma produced, and the formation and propagation of laser-supported detonation (LSD) waves. Experiments were also carried out using a 1-J-pulsed CO2 laser to heat the plasma produced in a shock tube. The shock-tube hydrogen plasma reached electron densities of approximately 10 to the 17th/cu cm and electron temperatures of approximately 1 eV. Absorption of the CO2 laser beam by the plasma was measured, and up to approximately 100 percent absorption was observed. Measurements with a small MHD generator showed that the energy extraction efficiency could be very large with values up to 56 percent being measured.

TEM and STEM Studies on the Cross-sectional Morphologies of Dual-/Tri-layer Broadband SiO2 Antireflective Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Shuangyue; Yan, Hongwei; Li, Dengji; Qiao, Liang; Han, Shaobo; Yuan, Xiaodong; Liu, Wei; Xiang, Xia; Zu, Xiaotao

2018-02-01

Dual-layer and tri-layer broadband antireflective (AR) films with excellent transmittance were successfully fabricated using base-/acid-catalyzed mixed sols and propylene oxide (PO) modified silica sols. The sols and films were characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and scanning transmission electron microscope (STEM). FTIR and TEM results suggest that the PO molecules were covalently bonded to the silica particles and the bridge structure existing in PO modified silica sol is responsible for the low density of the top layer. The density ratio between different layers was measured by cross-sectional STEM, and the results are 1.69:1 and 2.1:1.7:1 from bottom-layer to top-layer for dual-layer and tri-layer films, respectively. The dual-layer film demonstrates good stability with 99.8% at the central wavelength of 351 nm and nearly 99.5% at the central wavelength of 1053 nm in laser system, and for the tri-layer AR film, the maximum transmittance reached nearly 100% at both the central wavelengths of 527 and 1053 nm.

A Novel Damping Mechanism for Diocotron Modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chim, Chi Yung; O'Neil, Thomas M.

2014-10-01

Recent experiments with pure electron plasmas in a Malmberg-Penning trap have observed the algebraic damping of m = 1 and m = 2 diocotron modes. Transport due to small field asymmetries produces a low density halo of electrons moving radially outward from the plasma core, and the mode damping begins when the halo reaches the resonant radius, where f = mfE × B (r) . The damping rate is proportional to the flux of halo particles through the resonant layer. The damping is related to, but distinct from spatial Landau damping, in which a linear wave-particle resonance produces exponential damping. This poster explains with analytic theory and simulations the new algebraic damping due to both mobility and diffusive fluxes. The damping is due to transfer of canonical angular momentum from the mode to halo particles, as they are swept around the ``cat's eye'' orbits of resonant wave-particle interaction. Another picture is that the electrons in the resonant layer form a dipole (m = 1) or quadrupole (m = 2) density distribution, and the electric field for this distribution produces E × B drifts that symmetrizes the core and damps the mode. Supported by NSF/DOE Partnership Grants PHY-0903877 and DE-SC0002451.

From Lawson to Burning Plasmas: a Multi-Fluid Approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guazzotto, Luca; Betti, Riccardo

2017-10-01

The Lawson criterion, easily compared to experimental parameters, gives the value for the triple product of plasma density, temperature and energy confinement time needed for the plasma to ignite. Lawson's inaccurate assumptions of 0D geometry and single-fluid plasma model were improved in recent work, where 1D geometry and multi-fluid (ions, electrons and alphas) physics were included in the model, accounting for physical equilibration times and different energy confinement times between species. A much more meaningful analysis than Lawson's for current and future experiment would be expressed in terms of burning plasma state (Q=5, where Q is the ratio between fusion power and heating power). Minimum parameters for reaching Q=5 are calculated based on experimental profiles for density and temperatures and can immediately be compared with experimental performance by defining a no-alpha pressure. This is done in terms of the pressure that the plasma needs to reach for breakeven once the alpha heating has been subtracted from the energy balance. These calculations can be applied to current experiments and future burning-plasma devices. DE-FG02-93ER54215.

Huge photoresistance in transparent and conductive indium titanium oxide films prepared by electron beam-physical vapor deposition.

PubMed

Martínez-Morillas, Rocío; Ramírez, Rafael; Sánchez-Marcos, Jorge; Fonda, Emiliano; de Andrés, Alicia; Prieto, Carlos

2014-02-12

Transparent and conductive indium titanium oxide (ITiO) films have been obtained by electron beam physical vapour deposition with Ti content from 5 at % up to 28 at %. X-ray absorption spectroscopy techniques have been used to identify the local environment of Ti ions. Even at the lowest concentrations Ti is not incorporated into the In2O3 structure but forms clusters of a Ti-In mixed oxide that present a distorted rutile TiO2 short-range order. The optical transmittance of the annealed samples reaches 95 % and no significant variation of the gap energy (around 3.7 eV) is observed with Ti content. The electronic conductivity under light irradiation is studied evidencing a huge photo-resistance in the samples with Ti content above 22 at % reaching more than two orders of magnitude for the 26 at % Ti under illumination with few μW/cm(2) at 365 nm. Hall and conductivity results are analyzed using a model that takes into account both electron and hole carriers as well as the conductivity enhancement by carrier photogeneration. The electron carrier density decreases with Ti content while its mobility increases up to values of 1000 cm(2)/(V s). Oxygen annealed ITiO films obtained by this technique with Ti content below 10 at % have properties adequate as transparent semiconductors and those with Ti content higher than 22 at % have exceptional photoresistive properties relevant for numerous applications.

MAVEN Observations of Solar Wind-Driven Magnetosonic Waves Heating the Martian Dayside Ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fowler, C. M.; Andersson, L.; Ergun, R. E.; Harada, Y.; Hara, T.; Collinson, G.; Peterson, W. K.; Espley, J.; Halekas, J.; Mcfadden, J.; Mitchell, D. L.; Mazelle, C.; Benna, M.; Jakosky, B. M.

2018-05-01

We present Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN observations of large-amplitude magnetosonic waves propagating through the magnetosheath into the Martian ionosphere near the subsolar point on the dayside of the planet. The observed waves grow in amplitude as predicted for a wave propagating into a denser, charged medium, with wave amplitudes reaching 25 nT, equivalent to ˜40% of the background field strength. These waves drive significant density and temperature variations (˜20% to 100% in amplitude) in the suprathermal electrons and light ion species (H+) that correlate with compressional fronts of the magnetosonic waves. Density and temperature variations are also observed for the ionospheric electrons, and heavy ion species (O+ and O2+); however, these variations are not in phase with the magnetic field variations. Whistler waves are observed at compressional wave fronts and are thought to be produced by unstable, anistropic suprathermal electrons. The magnetosonic waves drive significant ion and electron heating down to just above the exobase region. Ion heating rates are estimated to be between 0.03 and 0.2 eVs-1 per ion, and heavier ions could thus gain escape energy if located in this heating region for ˜10-70 s. The measured ionospheric density profile indicates severe ionospheric erosion above the exobase region, and this is likely caused by substantial ion outflow that is driven by the observed heating. The effectiveness of these magnetosonic waves to energize the plasma close to the exobase could have important implications for the long-term climate evolution for unmagnetized bodies that are exposed to the solar wind.

Electronic and optical properties of pure and modified diamondoids studied by many-body perturbation theory and time-dependent density functional theory

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

Demján, Tamás; Institute for Solid State Physics and Optics, Wigner Research Center for Physics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 49, H-1525 Budapest; Vörös, Márton

2014-08-14

Diamondoids are small diamond nanoparticles (NPs) that are built up from diamond cages. Unlike usual semiconductor NPs, their atomic structure is exactly known, thus they are ideal test-beds for benchmarking quantum chemical calculations. Their usage in spintronics and bioimaging applications requires a detailed knowledge of their electronic structure and optical properties. In this paper, we apply density functional theory (DFT) based methods to understand the electronic and optical properties of a few selected pure and modified diamondoids for which accurate experimental data exist. In particular, we use many-body perturbation theory methods, in the G{sub 0}W{sub 0} and G{sub 0}W{sub 0}+BSEmore » approximations, and time-dependent DFT in the adiabatic local density approximation. We find large quasiparticle gap corrections that can exceed thrice the DFT gap. The electron-hole binding energy can be as large as 4 eV but it is considerably smaller than the GW corrections and thus G{sub 0}W{sub 0}+BSE optical gaps are about 50% larger than the Kohn-Sham (KS) DFT gaps. We find significant differences between KS time-dependent DFT and GW+BSE optical spectra on the selected diamondoids. The calculated G{sub 0}W{sub 0} quasiparticle levels agree well with the corresponding experimental vertical ionization energies. We show that nuclei dynamics in the ionization process can be significant and its contribution may reach about 0.5 eV in the adiabatic ionization energies.« less

Statistical density modification using local pattern matching

DOEpatents

Terwilliger, Thomas C.

2007-01-23

A computer implemented method modifies an experimental electron density map. A set of selected known experimental and model electron density maps is provided and standard templates of electron density are created from the selected experimental and model electron density maps by clustering and averaging values of electron density in a spherical region about each point in a grid that defines each selected known experimental and model electron density maps. Histograms are also created from the selected experimental and model electron density maps that relate the value of electron density at the center of each of the spherical regions to a correlation coefficient of a density surrounding each corresponding grid point in each one of the standard templates. The standard templates and the histograms are applied to grid points on the experimental electron density map to form new estimates of electron density at each grid point in the experimental electron density map.

Combined effects of hydrologic alteration and cyprinid fish in mediating biogeochemical processes in a Mediterranean stream.

PubMed

Rubio-Gracia, Francesc; Almeida, David; Bonet, Berta; Casals, Frederic; Espinosa, Carmen; Flecker, Alexander S; García-Berthou, Emili; Martí, Eugènia; Tuulaikhuu, Baigal-Amar; Vila-Gispert, Anna; Zamora, Lluis; Guasch, Helena

2017-12-01

Flow regimes are important drivers of both stream community and biogeochemical processes. However, the interplay between community and biogeochemical responses under different flow regimes in streams is less understood. In this study, we investigated the structural and functional responses of periphyton and macroinvertebrates to different densities of the Mediterranean barbel (Barbus meridionalis, Cyprinidae) in two stream reaches differing in flow regime. The study was conducted in Llémena Stream, a small calcareous Mediterranean stream with high nutrient levels. We selected a reach with permanent flow (permanent reach) and another subjected to flow regulation (regulated reach) with periods of flow intermittency. At each reach, we used in situ cages to generate 3 levels of fish density. Cages with 10 barbels were used to simulate high fish density (>7indm -2 ); cages with open sides were used as controls (i.e. exposed to actual fish densities of each stream reach) thus having low fish density; and those with no fish were used to simulate the disappearance of fish that occurs with stream drying. Differences in fish density did not cause significant changes in periphyton biomass and macroinvertebrate density. However, phosphate uptake by periphyton was enhanced in treatments lacking fish in the regulated reach with intermittent flow but not in the permanent reach, suggesting that hydrologic alteration hampers the ability of biotic communities to compensate for the absence of fish. This study indicates that fish density can mediate the effects of anthropogenic alterations such as flow intermittence derived from hydrologic regulation on stream benthic communities and associated biogeochemical processes, at least in eutrophic streams. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Enhancing electronic and optoelectronic performances of tungsten diselenide by plasma treatment.

PubMed

Xie, Yuan; Wu, Enxiu; Hu, Ruixue; Qian, Shuangbei; Feng, Zhihong; Chen, Xuejiao; Zhang, Hao; Xu, Linyan; Hu, Xiaodong; Liu, Jing; Zhang, Daihua

2018-06-21

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have recently become spotlighted as nanomaterials for future electronic and optoelectronic devices. In this work, we develop an effective approach to enhance the electronic and optoelectronic performances of WSe2-based devices by N2O plasma treatment. The hole mobility and sheet density increase by 2 and 5 orders of magnitude, reaching 110 cm2 V-1 s-1 and 2.2 × 1012 cm-2, respectively, after the treatment. At the same time, the contact resistance (Rc) between WSe2 and its metal electrode drop by 5 orders of magnitude from 1.0 GΩ μm to 28.4 kΩ μm. The WSe2 photoconductor exhibits superior performance with high responsivity (1.5 × 105 A W-1), short response time (<2 ms), high detectivity (3.6 × 1013 Jones) and very large photoconductive gain (>106). We have also built a lateral p-n junction on a single piece of WSe2 flake by selective plasma exposure. The junction reaches an exceedingly high rectifying ratio of 106, an excellent photoresponsivity of 2.49 A W-1 and a fast response of 8 ms. The enhanced optoelectronic performance is attributed to band-engineering through the N2O plasma treatment, which can potentially serve as an effective and versatile approach for device engineering and optimization in a wide range of electronic and optoelectronic devices based on 2D materials.

Nuclear parton density functions from dijet photoproduction at the EIC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Klasen, M.; Kovařík, K.

2018-06-01

We study the potential of dijet photoproduction measurements at a future electron-ion collider (EIC) to better constrain our present knowledge of the nuclear parton distribution functions. Based on theoretical calculations at next-to-leading order and approximate next-to-next-to-leading order of perturbative QCD, we establish the kinematic reaches for three different EIC designs, the size of the parton density function modifications for four different light and heavy nuclei from He-4 over C-12 and Fe-56 to Pb-208 with respect to the free proton, and the improvement of EIC measurements with respect to current determinations from deep-inelastic scattering and Drell-Yan data alone as well as when also considering data from existing hadron colliders.

Local thermodynamic equilibrium in rapidly heated high energy density plasmas

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

Aslanyan, V.; Tallents, G. J.

Emission spectra and the dynamics of high energy density plasmas created by optical and Free Electron Lasers (FELs) depend on the populations of atomic levels. Calculations of plasma emission and ionization may be simplified by assuming Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE), where populations are given by the Saha-Boltzmann equation. LTE can be achieved at high densities when collisional processes are much more significant than radiative processes, but may not be valid if plasma conditions change rapidly. A collisional-radiative model has been used to calculate the times taken by carbon and iron plasmas to reach LTE at varying densities and heating rates.more » The effect of different energy deposition methods, as well as Ionization Potential Depression are explored. This work shows regimes in rapidly changing plasmas, such as those created by optical lasers and FELs, where the use of LTE is justified, because timescales for plasma changes are significantly longer than the times needed to achieve an LTE ionization balance.« less

Filamentation effect in a gas attenuator for high-repetition-rate X-ray FELs

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

Feng, Yiping; Krzywinski, Jacek; Schafer, Donald W.

A sustained filamentation or density depression phenomenon in an argon gas attenuator servicing a high-repetition femtosecond X-ray free-electron laser has been studied using a finite-difference method applied to the thermal diffusion equation for an ideal gas. A steady-state solution was obtained by assuming continuous-wave input of an equivalent time-averaged beam power and that the pressure of the entire gas volume has reached equilibrium. Both radial and axial temperature/density gradients were found and describable as filamentation or density depression previously reported for a femtosecond optical laser of similar attributes. The effect exhibits complex dependence on the input power, the desired attenuation,more » and the geometries of the beam and the attenuator. Time-dependent simulations were carried out to further elucidate the evolution of the temperature/density gradients in between pulses, from which the actual attenuation received by any given pulse can be properly calculated.« less

Overdense microwave plasma heating in the CNT stellarator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hammond, K. C.; Diaz-Pacheco, R. R.; Köhn, A.; Volpe, F. A.; Wei, Y.

2018-02-01

Overdense plasmas have been attained with 2.45 GHz microwave heating in the low-field, low-aspect-ratio CNT stellarator. Densities higher than four times the ordinary (O) mode cutoff density were measured with 8 kW of power injected in the O-mode and, alternatively, with 6.5 kW in the extraordinary (X) mode. The temperature profiles peak at the plasma edge. This was ascribed to collisional damping of the X-mode at the upper hybrid resonant layer. The X-mode reaches that location by tunneling, mode-conversions or after polarization-scrambling reflections off the wall and in-vessel coils, regardless of the initial launch being in O- or X-mode. This interpretation was confirmed by full-wave numerical simulations. Also, as the CNT plasma is not completely ionized at these low microwave power levels, electron density was shown to increase with power. A dependence on magnetic field strength was also observed, for O-mode launch.

Spinstand demonstration of areal density enhancement using two-dimensional magnetic recording (invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lippman, Thomas; Brockie, Richard; Coker, Jon; Contreras, John; Galbraith, Rick; Garzon, Samir; Hanson, Weldon; Leong, Tom; Marley, Arley; Wood, Roger; Zakai, Rehan; Zolla, Howard; Duquette, Paul; Petrizzi, Joe

2015-05-01

Exponential growth of the areal density has driven the magnetic recording industry for almost sixty years. But now areal density growth is slowing down, suggesting that current technologies are reaching their fundamental limit. The next generation of recording technologies, namely, energy-assisted writing and bit-patterned media, remains just over the horizon. Two-Dimensional Magnetic Recording (TDMR) is a promising new approach, enabling continued areal density growth with only modest changes to the heads and recording electronics. We demonstrate a first generation implementation of TDMR by using a dual-element read sensor to improve the recovery of data encoded by a conventional low-density parity-check (LDPC) channel. The signals are combined with a 2D equalizer into a single modified waveform that is decoded by a standard LDPC channel. Our detection hardware can perform simultaneous measurement of the pre- and post-combined error rate information, allowing one set of measurements to assess the absolute areal density capability of the TDMR system as well as the gain over a conventional shingled magnetic recording system with identical components. We discuss areal density measurements using this hardware and demonstrate gains exceeding five percent based on experimental dual reader components.

Hybrid density functional study on the mechanism for the enhanced photocatalytic properties of the ultrathin hybrid layered nanocomposite g-C3N4/BiOCl

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yao, Wenzhi; Zhang, Jihua; Wang, Yuanxu; Ren, Fengzhu

2018-03-01

To investigate the origin of the high photocatalytic performance of experimentally synthesized g-C3N4/ BiOCl, we studied its geometry structure, electronic structure, and photocatalytic properties by means of hybrid density-functional theory (DFT). The calculated band alignment of g-C3N4 and few-layer BiOCl sheets clearly shows that g-C3N4/ BiOCl is a standard type-II nanocomposite. The density of states, Bader charge, partial charge density, charge density difference, and the effective masses show that electron-hole pair can be effectively separated in the g-C3N4/BiOCl interface. The calculated absorption coefficients indicate an obvious redshift of the absorption edge. The band gap of g-C3N4/BiOCl can be modulated by external electric field, and a semiconductor-semimetal transition is observed. The type-II vdW heterostructure is still maintained during the changes of external electric field. Especially, when the electric field reaches to +0.7 V/Å, the impurity states have been eliminated with the band gap of 2.3 eV. An analysis of optical properties shows that the absorption coefficient in the visible-light region is enhanced considerably as the electric-field strength increases. Our calculation results suggest that the ultrathin hybrid layered g-C3N4/BiOCl nanocomposite may have significant advantages for visible-light photocatalysis.

Modeling of breakdown during the post-arc phase of a vacuum circuit breaker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarrailh, P.; Garrigues, L.; Boeuf, J. P.; Hagelaar, G. J. M.

2010-12-01

After a high-current interruption in a vacuum circuit breaker (VCB), the electrode gap is filled with a high density copper vapor plasma in a large copper vapor density (~1022 m-3). The copper vapor density is sustained by electrode evaporation. During the post-arc phase, a rapidly increasing voltage is applied to the gap, and a sheath forms and expands, expelling the plasma from the gap when circuit breaking is successful. There is, however, a risk of breakdown during that phase, leading to the failure of the VCB. Preventing breakdown during the post-arc phase is an important issue for the improvement of VCB reliability. In this paper, we analyze the risk of Townsend breakdown in the high copper vapor density during the post-arc phase using a numerical model that takes into account secondary electron emission, volume ionization, and plasma and neutral transport, for given electrode temperatures. The simulations show that fast neutrals created in the cathode sheath by charge exchange collisions with ions generate a very large secondary electron emission current that can lead to Townsend breakdown. The results also show that the risk of failure of the VCB due to Townsend breakdown strongly depends on the electrode temperatures (which govern the copper vapor density) and becomes important for temperatures greater than 2100 K, which can be reached in vacuum arcs. The simulations also predict that a hotter anode tends to increase the risk of Townsend breakdown.

One-step solvothermal synthesis of carnation flower-like SnS2 as superior electrodes for supercapacitor applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mishra, Rajneesh Kumar; Baek, Geun Woo; Kim, Kyuwon; Kwon, Hyuck-In; Jin, Sung Hun

2017-12-01

We report the synthesis of carnation flower-like SnS2 (CF-SnS2) via a one-step solvothermal method for potential application as supercapacitor electrodes in energy storage devices. The structural and morphological properties of CF-SnS2 were characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman analysis, and field-emission scanning and transmission electron microscopies. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning tunneling electron microscopy with color mapping verified the distribution of Sn and S, and depicted the successful formation of SnS2. Electrochemical studies were performed to explore the supercapacitive nature of CF-SnS2. Supercapacitors with CF-SnS2 electrodes delivered excellent cyclic voltammetry performances, superior gravimetric specific capacitances, and high power densities. The evaluated specific capacitance and power density reached ∼524.5 F/g and 12.3 W/kg, respectively, at a current density of 0.08 A/g, and ∼215.9 F/g and 61.4 W/kg, respectively, at a current density of 0.38 A/g. These values are at least two times higher than those previously reported. The long-term cyclic stability was also tested to demonstrate the endurance of the CF-SnS2-based supercapacitor, with a 66% rate retention and galvanostatic charge/discharge reversibility. These electrochemical findings indicate that CF-SnS2 is a promising candidate for electrode materials in supercapacitor applications.

Femtosecond-laser induced dynamics of CO on Ru(0001): Deep insights from a hot-electron friction model including surface motion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholz, Robert; Floß, Gereon; Saalfrank, Peter; Füchsel, Gernot; Lončarić, Ivor; Juaristi, J. I.

2016-10-01

A Langevin model accounting for all six molecular degrees of freedom is applied to femtosecond-laser induced, hot-electron driven dynamics of Ru(0001)(2 ×2 ):CO. In our molecular dynamics with electronic friction approach, a recently developed potential energy surface based on gradient-corrected density functional theory accounting for van der Waals interactions is adopted. Electronic friction due to the coupling of molecular degrees of freedom to electron-hole pairs in the metal are included via a local density friction approximation, and surface phonons by a generalized Langevin oscillator model. The action of ultrashort laser pulses enters through a substrate-mediated, hot-electron mechanism via a time-dependent electronic temperature (derived from a two-temperature model), causing random forces acting on the molecule. The model is applied to laser induced lateral diffusion of CO on the surface, "hot adsorbate" formation, and laser induced desorption. Reaction probabilities are strongly enhanced compared to purely thermal processes, both for diffusion and desorption. Reaction yields depend in a characteristic (nonlinear) fashion on the applied laser fluence, as well as branching ratios for various reaction channels. Computed two-pulse correlation traces for desorption and other indicators suggest that aside from electron-hole pairs, phonons play a non-negligible role for laser induced dynamics in this system, acting on a surprisingly short time scale. Our simulations on precomputed potentials allow for good statistics and the treatment of long-time dynamics (300 ps), giving insight into this system which hitherto has not been reached. We find generally good agreement with experimental data where available and make predictions in addition. A recently proposed laser induced population of physisorbed precursor states could not be observed with the present low-coverage model.

Metabolic active-high density VERO cell cultures on microcarriers following apoptosis prevention by galactose/glutamine feeding.

PubMed

Mendonça, Ronaldo Z; Arrózio, Sara J; Antoniazzi, Marta M; Ferreira, Jorge M C; Pereira, Carlos A

2002-07-17

The control of cell death occurring in high density cultures performed in bioreactors is an important factor in production processes. In this work, medium nutrient removal or feeding was used to determine at which extension apoptosis could be, respectively, involved or prevented in VERO cell cultures on microcarriers. Glutamine and galactose present in the VERO cell culture medium was consumed after, respectively, 6 and 12 days of culture. Kinetics studies showed that fresh medium replacement and, to some extent, galactose or glutamine depleted-fresh medium replacement provided a nutritional environment, allowing the VERO cell cultures to attain high densities. Galactose was shown to be a more critical nutrient when cultures reached a high density. In agreement with that, VERO cell cultures supplemented with galactose and/or glutamine were shown to confirm previous findings and, again at high densities, galactose was shown to be a critical nutrient for VERO cell growth. These observations also indicated that in VERO cell cultures, for feeding purposes, the glutamine could be replaced by galactose. The inverse was not true and led, at high densities, to a decrease of cell viability. In the absence of glutamine and galactose, apoptosis was observed in VERO cell cultures by cytofluorometry, Acridine orange staining or light and electron microscopy, reaching high levels when compared to cultures performed with complete medium. VERO cells apoptosis process could be prevented by the galactose and/or glutamine feeding and, at high densities, galactose was more efficient in protecting the cultures. These cultures, prevented from apoptosis, were shown to synthesize high levels of measles virus following infection. Our data show that apoptosis prevention by glutamine/galactose feeding, led to high productive and metabolic active VERO cell cultures, as indicated by the high cell density obtained and the virus multiplication leading to higher virus titers.

Lower-hybrid (LH) oscillitons evolved from ion-acoustic (IA)/ion-cyclotron (IC) solitary waves: effect of electron inertia

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, J. Z. G.; Hirose, A.

2010-05-01

Lower-hybrid (LH) oscillitons reveal one aspect of geocomplexities. They have been observed by rockets and satellites in various regions in geospace. They are extraordinary solitary waves the envelop of which has a relatively longer period, while the amplitude is modulated violently by embedded oscillations of much shorter periods. We employ a two-fluid (electron-ion) slab model in a Cartesian geometry to expose the excitation of LH oscillitons. Relying on a set of self-similar equations, we first produce, as a reference, the well-known three shapes (sinusoidal, sawtooth, and spiky or bipolar) of parallel-propagating ion-acoustic (IA) solitary structures in the absence of electron inertia, along with their Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) power spectra. The study is then expanded to illustrate distorted structures of the IA modes by taking into account all the three components of variables. In this case, the ion-cyclotron (IC) mode comes into play. Furthermore, the electron inertia is incorporated in the equations. It is found that the inertia modulates the coupled IA/IC envelops to produce LH oscillitons. The newly excited structures are characterized by a normal low-frequency IC solitary envelop embedded by high-frequency, small-amplitude LH oscillations which are superimposed upon by higher-frequency but smaller-amplitude IA ingredients. The oscillitons are shown to be sensitive to several input parameters (e.g., the Mach number, the electron-ion mass/temperature ratios, and the electron thermal speed). Interestingly, whenever a LH oscilliton is triggered, there occurs a density cavity the depth of which can reach up to 20% of the background density, along with density humps on both sides of the cavity. Unexpectedly, a mode at much lower frequencies is also found beyond the IC band. Future studies are finally highlighted. The appendices give a general dispersion relation and specific ones of linear modes relevant to all the nonlinear modes encountered in the text.

Ultrafast X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy of Isochorically Heated Warm Dense Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Engelhorn, Kyle Craig

This dissertation will present a series of new tools, together with new techniques, focused on the understanding of warm and dense matter. We report on the development of a high time resolution and high detection efficiency x-ray camera. The camera is integrated with a short pulse laser and an x-ray beamline at the Advanced Light Source synchrotron. This provides an instrument for single shot, broadband x-ray absorption spectroscopy of warm and dense matter with 2 picosecond time resolution. Warm and dense matter is created by isochorically heating samples of known density with an ultrafast optical laser pulse, and X-ray absorption spectroscopy probes the unoccupied electronic density of states before the onset of hydrodynamic expansion and electron-ion equilibrium is reached. Measured spectra from a variety of materials are compared with first principle molecular dynamics and density functional theory calculations. In heated silicon dioxide spectra, two novel pre-edge features are observed, a peak below the band gap and absorption within the band gap, while a reduction was observed in the features above the edge. From consideration of the calculated spectra, the peak below the gap is attributed to valence electrons that have been promoted to the conduction band, the absorption within the gap is attributed to broken Si-O bonds, and the reduction above the edge is attributed to an elevated ionic temperature. In heated copper spectra, a time-dependent shift and broadening of the absorption edge are observed, consistent with and elevated electron temperature. The temporal evolution of the electronic temperature is accurately determined by fitting the measured spectra with calculated spectra. The electron-ion equilibration is studied with a two-temperature model. In heated nickel spectra, a shift of the absorption edge is observed. This shift is found to be inconsistent with calculated spectra and independent of incident laser fluence. A shift of the chemical potential is applied to the calculated spectra to obtain satisfactory agreement with measured spectra.

Spectral Characteristics of Laser-Induced Graphite Plasma in Ambient Air

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Jinmei; Zheng, Peichao; Liu, Hongdi; Fang, Liang

2016-11-01

An experimental setup of laser-induced graphite plasma was built and the spectral characteristics and properties of graphite plasma were studied. From the temporal behavior of graphite plasma, the duration of CN partials (B2 Σ+ → X2 Σ+) emission was two times longer than that of atomic carbon, and all intensities reached the maximum during the early stage from 0.2 μs to 0.8 μs. The electron temperature decreased from 11807 K to 8755 K, the vibration temperature decreased from 8973 K to 6472 K, and the rotational temperature decreased from 7288 K to 4491 K with the delay time, respectively. The effect of the laser energy was also studied, and it was found that the thresholds and spectral characteristics of CN molecular and C atomic spectroscopy presented great differences. At lower laser energies, the electron excited temperature, the electron density, the vibrational temperature and rotational temperature of CN partials increased rapidly. At higher laser energies, the increasing of electron excited temperature and electron density slow down, and the vibrational temperature and rotational temperature even trend to saturation due to plasma shielding and dissociation of CN molecules. The relationship among the three kinds of temperatures was Telec>Tvib>Trot at the same time. The electron density of the graphite plasma was in the order of 1017 cm-3 and 1018 cm-3. supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 61205149), Scientific Research Foundation for the Returned Overseas Chinese Scholars of State Education Ministry, Science Research Funds of Chongqing Municipal Education Commission (KJ1500436), Scientific and Technological Talents Training Project of Chongqing (CSTC2013kjrc-qnrc40002), Key Project of Foundation and Advanced Technology Research Project of Chongqing (CSTC2015jcyjB0358), Visiting Scholarship of State Key Laboratory of Power Transmission Equipment & System Security and New Technology (2007DA10512714409)

Inelastic X-ray Scattering Measurements of Ionization in Warm, Dense Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Davis, Paul F.

In this work we demonstrate spectrally resolved x-ray scattering from electron-plasma waves in shock-compressed deuterium and proton-heated matter. Because the spectral signature of inelastic x-ray scattering is strongly dependent on the free electron density of the system, it is used to infer ionization in dynamically heated samples. Using 2-6 ns, 500 J laser pulses from LLNL's Janus laser, we shocked liquid deuterium to pressures approaching 50 GPa, reaching compressions of 4 times liquid density. A second laser produced intense 2 keV x-rays. By collecting and spectrally dispersing forward scattered photons at 45°, the onset of ionization was detected at compressions of about 3 times in the form of plasmon oscillations. Backscattered x-rays bolstered this observation by measuring the free electron distribution through Compton scattering. Comparison with simulations shows very close agreement between the pressure dependence of ionization and molecular dissociation in dynamically compressed deuterium. In a second set of experiments, a 10 ps, 200 J Titan laser pulse was split into two beams. One created a stream of MeV protons to heat samples of boron and boron-nitride and the other pumped 4.5 keV K-alpha radiation in a titanium foil to probe the hot target. We observed scattered x-rays 300 ps after heating, noting a strong difference in average ionization between the two target materials at temperatures of 16 eV and very similar mass densities. Comparison with electron structure calculations suggests that this difference is due to a persistence of long-range ion structure in BN resulting in high-temperature band structure. These results underscore the importance of understanding the complex electron structure of materials even at electron-volt temperatures and gigapascal pressures. Our results provide new data to guide the theoretical modeling of warm, dense matter important to understanding giant planets and inertial fusion targets.

Electron acceleration by turbulent plasmoid reconnection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, X.; Büchner, J.; Widmer, F.; Muñoz, P. A.

2018-04-01

In space and astrophysical plasmas, like in planetary magnetospheres, as that of Mercury, energetic electrons are often found near current sheets, which hint at electron acceleration by magnetic reconnection. Unfortunately, electron acceleration by reconnection is not well understood yet, in particular, acceleration by turbulent plasmoid reconnection. We have investigated electron acceleration by turbulent plasmoid reconnection, described by MHD simulations, via test particle calculations. In order to avoid resolving all relevant turbulence scales down to the dissipation scales, a mean-field turbulence model is used to describe the turbulence of sub-grid scales and their effects via a turbulent electromotive force (EMF). The mean-field model describes the turbulent EMF as a function of the mean values of current density, vorticity, magnetic field as well as of the energy, cross-helicity, and residual helicity of the turbulence. We found that, mainly around X-points of turbulent reconnection, strongly enhanced localized EMFs most efficiently accelerated electrons and caused the formation of power-law spectra. Magnetic-field-aligned EMFs, caused by the turbulence, dominate the electron acceleration process. Scaling the acceleration processes to parameters of the Hermean magnetotail, electron energies up to 60 keV can be reached by turbulent plasmoid reconnection through the thermal plasma.

Low energy electron beam processing of YBCO thin films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chromik, Š.; Camerlingo, C.; Sojková, M.; Štrbík, V.; Talacko, M.; Malka, I.; Bar, I.; Bareli, G.; Jung, G.

2017-02-01

Effects of low energy 30 keV electron irradiation of superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-δ thin films have been investigated by means of transport and micro-Raman spectroscopy measurements. The critical temperature and the critical current of 200 nm thick films initially increase with increasing fluency of the electron irradiation, reach the maximum at fluency 3 - 4 × 1020 electrons/cm2, and then decrease with further fluency increase. In much thinner films (75 nm), the critical temperature increases while the critical current decreases after low energy electron irradiation with fluencies below 1020 electrons/cm2. The Raman investigations suggest that critical temperature increase in irradiated films is due to healing of broken Cusbnd O chains that results in increased carrier's concentration in superconducting CuO2 planes. Changes in the critical current are controlled by changes in the density of oxygen vacancies acting as effective pinning centers for flux vortices. The effects of low energy electron irradiation of YBCO turned out to result from a subtle balance of many processes involving oxygen removal, both by thermal activation and kick-off processes, and ordering of chains environment by incident electrons.

Remote sensing of the Io torus plasma ribbon using natural radio occultation of the Jovian radio emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boudjada, M. Y.; Galopeau, P. H. M.; Sawas, S.; Lammer, H.

2014-09-01

We study the Jovian hectometric (HOM) emissions recorded by the RPWS (Radio and Plasma Wave Science) experiment onboard the Cassini spacecraft during its Jupiter flyby. We analyze the attenuation band associated with the intensity extinction of HOM radiation. This phenomenon is interpreted as a refraction effect of the Jovian hectometric emission inside the Io plasma torus. This attenuation band was regularly observed during periods of more than 5 months, from the beginning of October 2000 to the end of March 2001. We estimate for this period the variation of the electron density versus the central meridian longitude (CML). We find a clear local time dependence. Hence the electron density was not higher than 5.0 × 104 cm-3 during 2 months, when the spacecraft approached the planet on the dayside. In the late afternoon and evening sectors, the electron density increases to 1.5 × 105 cm-3 and reach a higher value at some specific occasions. Additionally, we show that ultraviolet and hectometric wavelength observations have common features related to the morphology of the Io plasma torus. The maxima of enhancements/attenuations of UV/HOM observations occur close to the longitudes of the tip of the magnetic dipole in the southern hemisphere (20° CML) and in the northern hemisphere (200° CML), respectively. This is a significant indication about the importance of the Jovian magnetic field as a physical parameter in the coupling process between Jupiter and the Io satellite.

Matched dipole probe for precise electron density measurements in magnetized and non-magnetized plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rafalskyi, Dmytro; Aanesland, Ane

2015-09-01

We present a plasma diagnostics method based on impedance measurements of a short matched dipole placed in the plasma. This allows measuring the local electron density in the range from 1012-1015 m-3 with a magnetic field of at least 0-50 mT. The magnetic field strength is not directly influencing the data analysis and requires only that the dipole probe is oriented perpendicularly to the magnetic field. As a result, the magnetic field can be non-homogeneous or even non-defined within the probe length without any effect on the final tolerance of the measurements. The method can be applied to plasmas of relatively small dimensions (< 10 cm) and doesn't require any special boundary conditions. The high sensitivity of the impedance measurements is achieved by using a miniature matching system installed close to the probe tip, which also allows to suppress sheath resonance effects. We experimentally show here that the tolerance of the electron density measurements reaches values lower than 1%, both with and without the magnetic field. The method is successfully validated by both analytical modeling and experimental comparison with Langmuir probes. The validation experiments are conducted in a low pressure (1 mTorr) Ar discharge sustained in a 10 cm size plasma chamber with and without a transversal magnetic field of about 20 mT. This work was supported by a Marie Curie International Incoming Fellowships within FP7 (NEPTUNE PIIF-GA-2012-326054).

Ion sheath dynamics in a plasma for plasma-based ion implantation

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

Yatsuzuka, M.; Miki, S.; Azuma, K.

1999-07-01

Spatial and temporal growth and collapse of ion sheath around an electrode of a negative high-voltage pulse (voltage: {minus}10 kV, pulse duration: 10 {micro}s) have been studied in a plasma for plasma-based ion implantation. A spherical electrode of 1.9 cm in a diameter is immersed in a nitrogen plasma with the plasma density range of 10{sup 9} to 10{sup 10} cm{sup {minus}3}, the electron temperature of 1.4 eV and the gas pressure of 8x10{sup {minus}4} Torr. The transient sheath dynamics was observed by the measurement of electron saturation current to a Langmuir probe, where a depletion of electron saturation currentmore » indicates the arrival time of sheath edge at the probe position. The expanding speed of sheath edge is higher than the ion acoustic speed until the sheath length reaches the steady-state extent determined by Child-Langmuir law. In the region beyond the steady-state extent, the rarefying disturbance produced by sheath expansion continues to propagate into the plasma at the ion acoustic peed. After the pulse voltage is returned to zero (more exactly, the floating potential), the electron current begins to recover. When the pulse fall time is shorter than the plasma transit time, the electron saturation current overshoots the steady-state saturation current at once, resulting in an excess of plasma density which propagates like a tidal wave into the plasma at the ion acoustic speed.« less

Low intensity, continuous wave photodoping of ZnO quantum dots - photon energy and particle size effects.

PubMed

Aguirre, Matías E; Municoy, S; Grela, M A; Colussi, A J

2017-02-08

The unique properties of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have found application in the conversion of solar to chemical energy. How the relative rates of the redox processes that control QD photon efficiencies depend on the particle radius (r) and photon energy (E λ ), however, is not fully understood. Here, we address these issues and report the quantum yields (Φs) of interfacial charge transfer and electron doping in ZnO QDs capped with ethylene glycol (EG) as a function of r and E λ in the presence and absence of methyl viologen (MV 2+ ) as an electron acceptor, respectively. We found that Φs for the oxidation of EG are independent of E λ and photon fluence (φ λ ), but markedly increase with r. The independence of Φs on φ λ ensures that QDs are never populated by more than one electron-hole pair, thereby excluding Auger-type terminations. We show that these findings are consistent with the operation of an interfacial redox process that involves thermalized carriers in the Marcus inverted region. In the absence of MV 2+ , QDs accumulate electrons up to limiting volumetric densities ρ e,∞ that depend sigmoidally on excess photon energy E* = E λ - E BG (r), where E BG (r) is the r-dependent bandgap energy. The maximum electron densities: ρ ev,∞ ∼ 4 × 10 20 cm -3 , are reached at E* > 0.5 eV, independent of the particle radius.

Amorphous oxides as electron transport layers in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 superstrate devices: Amorphous oxides in Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 superstrate devices

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

Heinemann, M. D.; van Hest, M. F. A. M.; Contreras, M.

Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar cells in superstrate configuration promise improved light management and higher stability compared to substrate devices, but they have yet to deliver comparable power conversion efficiencies (PCEs). Chemical reactions between the CIGS layer and the front contact were shown in the past to deteriorate the p-n junction in superstrate devices, which led to lower efficiencies compared to the substrate-type devices. This work aims to solve this problem by identifying a buffer layer between the CIGS layer and the front contact, acting as the electron transport layer, with an optimized electron affinity, doping density and chemical stability. Using combinatorialmore » material exploration we identified amorphous gallium oxide (a-GaOx) as a potentially suitable buffer layer material. The best results were obtained for a-GaOx with an electron affinity that was found to be comparable to that of CIGS. Based on the results of device simulations, it is assumed that detrimental interfacial acceptor states are present at the interface between CIGS and a-GaOx. However, these initial experiments indicate the potential of a-GaOx in this application, and how to reach performance parity with substrate devices, by further increase of its n-type doping density.« less

Deactivation via ring opening: A quantum chemical study of the excited states of furan and comparison to thiophene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gavrilov, Nemanja; Salzmann, Susanne; Marian, Christel M.

2008-06-01

Minimum nuclear arrangements of the ground and low-lying excited electronic states of furan were obtained by means of (time dependent) Kohn-Sham density functional theory. A combined density functional/multi-reference configuration interaction method (DFT/MRCI) was employed to compute the spectral properties at these points. Multiple minima were found on the first excited singlet (S 1) potential energy hypersurface with electronic structures S1, S2, S3 corresponding to the 1 1A 2 (π → 3s-Ryd), 1 1B 2 (π → π ∗), and 2 1A 1 (π → π ∗) states in the vertical absorption spectrum, respectively. In analogy to recently published studies in thiophene [S. Salzmann, M. Kleinschmidt, J. Tatchen, R. Weinkauf, C.M. Marian, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 10 (2008) 380] a deactivation mechanism for electronically excited furan was detected that involves the opening of the pentacyclic ring. We found a nearly barrierless relaxation pathway from the Franck-Condon region along a C-O bond-breaking coordinate. Hereby the initially excited 1B 2 (π → π ∗) state undergoes a conical intersection with a 1B 1 (π → σ ∗) state. The system can return to the electronic ground state through a second conical intersection of the 1(π → σ ∗) state before the minimum of that B 1 state is reached.

Measurement of Preheat Due to Nonlocal Electron Transport in Warm Dense Matter

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

Falk, K.; Holec, M.; Fontes, C. J.

This work presents a novel approach to study electron transport in warm dense matter. It also includes the first x-ray Thomson scattering (XRTS) measurement from low-density CH foams compressed by a strong laser-driven shock at the OMEGA laser facility. The XRTS measurement is combined with velocity interferometry (VISAR) and optical pyrometry (SOP) providing a robust measurement of thermodynamic conditions in the shock. Evidence of significant preheat contributing to elevated temperatures reaching 17.5–35 eV in shocked CH foam is measured by XRTS. These measurements are complemented by abnormally high shock velocities observed by VISAR and early emission seen by SOP. Thesemore » results are compared to radiation hydrodynamics simulations that include first-principles treatment of nonlocal electron transport in warm dense matter with excellent agreement. Additional simulations confirm that the x-ray contribution to this preheat is negligible.« less

Measurement of Preheat Due to Nonlocal Electron Transport in Warm Dense Matter

DOE PAGES

Falk, K.; Holec, M.; Fontes, C. J.; ...

2018-01-10

This work presents a novel approach to study electron transport in warm dense matter. It also includes the first x-ray Thomson scattering (XRTS) measurement from low-density CH foams compressed by a strong laser-driven shock at the OMEGA laser facility. The XRTS measurement is combined with velocity interferometry (VISAR) and optical pyrometry (SOP) providing a robust measurement of thermodynamic conditions in the shock. Evidence of significant preheat contributing to elevated temperatures reaching 17.5–35 eV in shocked CH foam is measured by XRTS. These measurements are complemented by abnormally high shock velocities observed by VISAR and early emission seen by SOP. Thesemore » results are compared to radiation hydrodynamics simulations that include first-principles treatment of nonlocal electron transport in warm dense matter with excellent agreement. Additional simulations confirm that the x-ray contribution to this preheat is negligible.« less

Novel Solid Electrolytes for Li-Ion Batteries: A Perspective from Electron Microscopy Studies

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

Ma, Cheng; Chi, Miaofang

2016-06-08

Solid electrolytes can simultaneously overcome two of the most formidable challenges of Li-ion batteries: the severe safety issues and insufficient energy densities. However, before they can be implemented in actual batteries, the ionic conductivity needs to be improved and the interface with electrodes must be optimized. The prerequisite for addressing these issues is a thorough understanding of the material’s behavior at the microscopic and/or the atomic level. (Scanning) transmission electron microscopy is a powerful tool for this purpose, as it can reach an ultrahigh spatial resolution. Here, we review recent electron microscopy investigations on the ion transport behavior in solidmore » electrolytes and their interfaces. Specifically, three aspects will be highlighted: the influence of grain interior atomic configuration on ionic conductivity, the contribution of grain boundaries, and the behavior of solid electrolyte/electrode interfaces. In conclusion, based on this, the perspectives for future research will be discussed.« less

Measurement of Preheat Due to Nonlocal Electron Transport in Warm Dense Matter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Falk, K.; Holec, M.; Fontes, C. J.; Fryer, C. L.; Greeff, C. W.; Johns, H. M.; Montgomery, D. S.; Schmidt, D. W.; Šmíd, M.

2018-01-01

This Letter presents a novel approach to study electron transport in warm dense matter. It also includes the first x-ray Thomson scattering (XRTS) measurement from low-density CH foams compressed by a strong laser-driven shock at the OMEGA laser facility. The XRTS measurement is combined with velocity interferometry (VISAR) and optical pyrometry (SOP) providing a robust measurement of thermodynamic conditions in the shock. Evidence of significant preheat contributing to elevated temperatures reaching 17.5-35 eV in shocked CH foam is measured by XRTS. These measurements are complemented by abnormally high shock velocities observed by VISAR and early emission seen by SOP. These results are compared to radiation hydrodynamics simulations that include first-principles treatment of nonlocal electron transport in warm dense matter with excellent agreement. Additional simulations confirm that the x-ray contribution to this preheat is negligible.

Epitaxial nickel disilicide with low resistivity and excellent reliability.

PubMed

Hsin, Cheng-Lun; Deng, Shiu-Sheng

2016-02-12

Ultra-thin epitaxial NiSi2 was formed, and its structure was examined by electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Compared with previous reports, the measured resistivity of the epitaxial NiSi2 was unprecedentedly low, reaching 7 μΩ cm in the experimental results and up to 14.93 μΩ cm after modification. The reliability, which was investigated under different temperatures and current densities to understand its electronic characteristics, was 1.5 times better than that of the conventional polycrystalline counterpart. Black's equation and the measured mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) were used to obtain the reliability characteristics of epitaxial and poly-NiSi2. Confidence intervals at 95% for each MTTF confirmed the single failure mode. The electromigration phenomenon was observed to be the failure mechanism. Our results provide evidence that epitaxial NiSi2 is a promising contact material for future electronics.

Epitaxial nickel disilicide with low resistivity and excellent reliability

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsin, Cheng-Lun; Deng, Shiu-Sheng

2016-02-01

Ultra-thin epitaxial NiSi2 was formed, and its structure was examined by electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction. Compared with previous reports, the measured resistivity of the epitaxial NiSi2 was unprecedentedly low, reaching 7 μΩ cm in the experimental results and up to 14.93 μΩ cm after modification. The reliability, which was investigated under different temperatures and current densities to understand its electronic characteristics, was 1.5 times better than that of the conventional polycrystalline counterpart. Black’s equation and the measured mean-time-to-failure (MTTF) were used to obtain the reliability characteristics of epitaxial and poly-NiSi2. Confidence intervals at 95% for each MTTF confirmed the single failure mode. The electromigration phenomenon was observed to be the failure mechanism. Our results provide evidence that epitaxial NiSi2 is a promising contact material for future electronics.

Splitting of Van Hove singularities in slightly twisted bilayer graphene

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Si-Yu; Liu, Ke-Qin; Yin, Long-Jing; Wang, Wen-Xiao; Yan, Wei; Yang, Xu-Qin; Yang, Jun-Kai; Liu, Haiwen; Jiang, Hua; He, Lin

2017-10-01

A variety of new and interesting electronic properties have been predicted in graphene monolayer doped to Van Hove singularities (VHSs) of its density of state. However, tuning the Fermi energy to reach a VHS of graphene by either gating or chemical doping is prohibitively difficult, owing to their large energy distance (˜3 eV). This difficulty can be easily overcome in twisted bilayer graphene (TBG). By introducing a small twist angle between two adjacent graphene sheets, we are able to generate two low-energy VHSs arbitrarily approaching the Fermi energy. Here, we report experimental studies of electronic properties around the VHSs of a slightly TBG through scanning tunneling microscopy measurements. The split of the VHSs is observed and the spatial symmetry breaking of electronic states around the VHSs is directly visualized. These exotic results provide motivation for further theoretical and experimental studies of graphene systems around the VHSs.

The effects of electron and hole transport layer with the electrode work function on perovskite solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deng, Quanrong; Li, Yiqi; Chen, Lian; Wang, Shenggao; Wang, Geming; Sheng, Yonglong; Shao, Guosheng

2016-09-01

The effects of electron and hole transport layer with the electrode work function on perovskite solar cells with the interface defects were simulated by using analysis of microelectronic and photonic structures-one-dimensional (AMPS-1D) software. The simulation results suggest that TiO2 electron transport layer provides best device performance with conversion efficiency of 25.9% compared with ZnO and CdS. The threshold value of back electrode work function for Spiro-OMeTAD, NiO, CuI and Cu2O hole transport layer are calculated to be 4.9, 4.8, 4.7 and 4.9 eV, respectively, to reach the highest conversion efficiency. The mechanisms of device physics with various electron and hole transport materials are discussed in details. The device performance deteriorates gradually as the increased density of interface defects located at ETM/absorber or absorber/HTM. This research results can provide helpful guidance for materials and metal electrode choice for perovskite solar cells.

Molecular beam epitaxy growth of high electron mobility InAs/AlSb deep quantum well structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Juan; Wang, Guo-Wei; Xu, Ying-Qiang; Xing, Jun-Liang; Xiang, Wei; Tang, Bao; Zhu, Yan; Ren, Zheng-Wei; He, Zhen-Hong; Niu, Zhi-Chuan

2013-07-01

InAs/AlSb deep quantum well (QW) structures with high electron mobility were grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) on semi-insulating GaAs substrates. AlSb and Al0.75Ga0.25Sb buffer layers were grown to accommodate the lattice mismatch (7%) between the InAs/AlSb QW active region and GaAs substrate. Transmission electron microscopy shows abrupt interface and atomic force microscopy measurements display smooth surface morphology. Growth conditions of AlSb and Al0.75Ga0.25Sb buffer were optimized. Al0.75Ga0.25Sb is better than AlSb as a buffer layer as indicated. The sample with optimal Al0.75Ga0.25Sb buffer layer shows a smooth surface morphology with root-mean-square roughness of 6.67 Å. The electron mobility has reached as high as 27 000 cm2/Vs with a sheet density of 4.54 × 1011/cm2 at room temperature.

Nonlocal heat transport and improved target design for x-ray heating studies at x-ray free electron lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoidn, Oliver; Seidler, Gerald T.

2018-01-01

The extremely high-power densities and short durations of single pulses of x-ray free electron lasers (XFELs) have opened new opportunities in atomic physics, where complex excitation-relaxation chains allow for high ionization states in atomic and molecular systems, and in dense plasma physics, where XFEL heating of solid-density targets can create unique dense states of matter having temperatures on the order of the Fermi energy. We focus here on the latter phenomena, with special emphasis on the problem of optimum target design to achieve high x-ray heating into the warm dense matter (WDM) state. We report fully three-dimensional simulations of the incident x-ray pulse and the resulting multielectron relaxation cascade to model the spatial energy density deposition in multicomponent targets, with particular focus on the effects of nonlocal heat transport due to the motion of high energy photoelectrons and Auger electrons. We find that nanoscale high-Z /low-Z multicomponent targets can give much improved energy density deposition in lower-Z materials, with enhancements reaching a factor of 100. This has three important benefits. First, it greatly enlarges the thermodynamic parameter space in XFEL x-ray heating studies of lower-Z materials. Second, it allows the use of higher probe photon energies, enabling higher-information content x-ray diffraction (XRD) measurements such as in two-color XFEL operations. Third, while this is merely one step toward optimization of x-ray heating target design, the demonstration of the importance of nonlocal heat transport establishes important common ground between XFEL-based x-ray heating studies and more traditional laser plasma methods.

Tunable electrical conductivity of individual graphene oxide sheets reduced at "low" temperatures.

PubMed

Jung, Inhwa; Dikin, Dmitriy A; Piner, Richard D; Ruoff, Rodney S

2008-12-01

Step-by-step controllable thermal reduction of individual graphene oxide sheets, incorporated into multiterminal field effect devices, was carried out at low temperatures (125-240 degrees C) with simultaneous electrical measurements. Symmetric hysteresis-free ambipolar (electron- and hole-type) gate dependences were observed as soon as the first measurable resistance was reached. The conductivity of each of the fabricated devices depended on the level of reduction (was increased more than 10(6) times as reduction progressed), strength of the external electrical field, density of the transport current, and temperature.

Ignition threshold for non-Maxwellian plasmas

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

Hay, Michael J., E-mail: hay@princeton.edu; Fisch, Nathaniel J.; Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, Princeton, New Jersey 08543

2015-11-15

An optically thin p-{sup 11}B plasma loses more energy to bremsstrahlung than it gains from fusion reactions, unless the ion temperature can be elevated above the electron temperature. In thermal plasmas, the temperature differences required are possible in small Coulomb logarithm regimes, characterized by high density and low temperature. Ignition could be reached more easily if the fusion reactivity can be improved with nonthermal ion distributions. To establish an upper bound for the potential utility of a nonthermal distribution, we consider a monoenergetic beam with particle energy selected to maximize the beam-thermal reactivity. Comparing deuterium-tritium (DT) and p-{sup 11}B, themore » minimum Lawson criteria and minimum ρR required for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) volume ignition are calculated with and without the nonthermal feature. It turns out that channeling fusion alpha energy to maintain such a beam facilitates ignition at lower densities and ρR, improves reactivity at constant pressure, and could be used to remove helium ash. On the other hand, the reactivity gains that could be realized in DT plasmas are significant, the excess electron density in p-{sup 11}B plasmas increases the recirculated power cost to maintain a nonthermal feature and thereby constrains its utility to ash removal.« less

Nonlinear effects during interaction of femtosecond doughnut-shaped laser pulses with glasses: overcoming intensity clamping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bulgakova, Nadezhda M.; Zhukov, Vladimir P.; Fedoruk, Mikhail P.; Rubenchik, Alexander M.

2017-05-01

Interaction of femtosecond laser pulses with a bulk glass (fused silica as an example) has been studied numerically based on non-linear Maxwell's equations supplemented by the hydrodynamics-type equations for free electron plasma for the cases of Gaussian linearly-polarized and doughnut-shaped radially-polarized laser beams. For Gaussian pulses focused inside glass (800 nm wavelength, 45 fs duration, numerical aperture of 0.25), the free electron density in the laser-excited region remains subcritical while the locally absorbed energy density does not exceed 2000 J/cm3 in the range of pulse energies of 200 nJ - 2 μJ. For doughnut-shaped pulses, the initial high-intensity ring of light is shrinking upon focusing. Upon reaching a certain ionization level on its way, the light ring splits into two branches, one of which shrinks swiftly toward the beam axis well before the geometrical focus, leading to generation of supercritical free electron density. The second branch represents the laser light scattered by the electron plasma away from the beam axis. The final laserexcited volume represents a tube of 0.5-1 μm in radius and 10-15 μm long. The local maximum of absorbed energy can be more than 10 times higher compared to the case of Gaussian beams of the same energy. The corresponding pressure levels have been evaluated. It is anticipated that, in the case of doughnut-shaped pulses, the tube-like shape of the deposited energy should lead to implosion of material that can be used for improving the direct writing of high-refractive index optical structures inside glass or for achieving extreme thermodynamic states of matter.

Development and application of a ray-tracing code integrating with 3D equilibrium mapping in LHD ECH experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsujimura, T., Ii; Kubo, S.; Takahashi, H.; Makino, R.; Seki, R.; Yoshimura, Y.; Igami, H.; Shimozuma, T.; Ida, K.; Suzuki, C.; Emoto, M.; Yokoyama, M.; Kobayashi, T.; Moon, C.; Nagaoka, K.; Osakabe, M.; Kobayashi, S.; Ito, S.; Mizuno, Y.; Okada, K.; Ejiri, A.; Mutoh, T.

2015-11-01

The central electron temperature has successfully reached up to 7.5 keV in large helical device (LHD) plasmas with a central high-ion temperature of 5 keV and a central electron density of 1.3× {{10}19} m-3. This result was obtained by heating with a newly-installed 154 GHz gyrotron and also the optimisation of injection geometry in electron cyclotron heating (ECH). The optimisation was carried out by using the ray-tracing code ‘LHDGauss’, which was upgraded to include the rapid post-processing three-dimensional (3D) equilibrium mapping obtained from experiments. For ray-tracing calculations, LHDGauss can automatically read the relevant data registered in the LHD database after a discharge, such as ECH injection settings (e.g. Gaussian beam parameters, target positions, polarisation and ECH power) and Thomson scattering diagnostic data along with the 3D equilibrium mapping data. The equilibrium map of the electron density and temperature profiles are then extrapolated into the region outside the last closed flux surface. Mode purity, or the ratio between the ordinary mode and the extraordinary mode, is obtained by calculating the 1D full-wave equation along the direction of the rays from the antenna to the absorption target point. Using the virtual magnetic flux surfaces, the effects of the modelled density profiles and the magnetic shear at the peripheral region with a given polarisation are taken into account. Power deposition profiles calculated for each Thomson scattering measurement timing are registered in the LHD database. The adjustment of the injection settings for the desired deposition profile from the feedback provided on a shot-by-shot basis resulted in an effective experimental procedure.

Electric discharge during electrosurgery

PubMed Central

Shashurin, Alexey; Scott, David; Zhuang, Taisen; Canady, Jerome; Beilis, Isak I.; Keidar, Michael

2015-01-01

Electric discharge utilized for electrosurgery is studied by means of a recently developed method for the diagnostics of small-size atmospheric plasma objects based on Rayleigh scattering of microwaves on the plasma volume. Evolution of the plasma parameters in the near-electrode sheaths and in the positive column is measured and analyzed. It is found that the electrosurgical system produces a glow discharge of alternating current with strongly contracted positive column with current densities reaching 103 A/cm2. The plasma electron density and electrical conductivities in the channel were found be 1016 cm−3 and (1-2) Ohm−1cm−1, respectively. The discharge interrupts every instance when the discharge-driving AC voltage crosses zero and re-ignites again every next half-wave at the moment when the instant voltage exceeds the breakdown threshold. PMID:25880721

In situ measurements of Saturn’s ionosphere show that it is dynamic and interacts with the rings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahlund, J.-E.; Morooka, M. W.; Hadid, L. Z.; Persoon, A. M.; Farrell, W. M.; Gurnett, D. A.; Hospodarsky, G.; Kurth, W. S.; Ye, S.-Y.; Andrews, D. J.; Edberg, N. J. T.; Eriksson, A. I.; Vigren, E.

2018-01-01

The ionized upper layer of Saturn’s atmosphere, its ionosphere, provides a closure of currents mediated by the magnetic field to other electrically charged regions (for example, rings) and hosts ion-molecule chemistry. In 2017, the Cassini spacecraft passed inside the planet’s rings, allowing in situ measurements of the ionosphere. The Radio and Plasma Wave Science instrument detected a cold, dense, and dynamic ionosphere at Saturn that interacts with the rings. Plasma densities reached up to 1000 cubic centimeters, and electron temperatures were below 1160 kelvin near closest approach. The density varied between orbits by up to two orders of magnitude. Saturn’s A- and B-rings cast a shadow on the planet that reduced ionization in the upper atmosphere, causing a north-south asymmetry.

Theoretical investigation of calcium-decorated β12 boron sheet for hydrogen storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Xiao; Gu, Yuantong; Kou, Liangzhi

2018-03-01

From first-principles calculations based on density functional theory, we find that the recently synthesized β12 boron sheet is a perfect candidate for calcium-decoration and hydrogen storage application. In contrast to graphene where defects are required to capture Ca, the naturally formed hexagonal hollow ring in β12 boron sheet provides the ideal site for Ca adsorption, and up to 6H2 molecules for each Ca atom can be captured with a desirable binding energy of ∼0.2 eV/H2. The gravimetric hydrogen density for Ca decorated boron sheet can reach up to 8.92 wt%. From the electronic analysis, it is found that both the orbital hybridizations and polarization mechanism play significant roles in H2 adsorption and storage.

Electric discharge during electrosurgery.

PubMed

Shashurin, Alexey; Scott, David; Zhuang, Taisen; Canady, Jerome; Beilis, Isak I; Keidar, Michael

2015-04-16

Electric discharge utilized for electrosurgery is studied by means of a recently developed method for the diagnostics of small-size atmospheric plasma objects based on Rayleigh scattering of microwaves on the plasma volume. Evolution of the plasma parameters in the near-electrode sheaths and in the positive column is measured and analyzed. It is found that the electrosurgical system produces a glow discharge of alternating current with strongly contracted positive column with current densities reaching 10(3) A/cm(2). The plasma electron density and electrical conductivities in the channel were found be 10(16) cm(-3) and (1-2) Ohm(-1) cm(-1), respectively. The discharge interrupts every instance when the discharge-driving AC voltage crosses zero and re-ignites again every next half-wave at the moment when the instant voltage exceeds the breakdown threshold.

Reach-scale effects of riparian forest cover on urban stream ecosystems

USGS Publications Warehouse

Roy, A.H.; Faust, C.L.; Freeman, Mary C.; Meyer, J.L.

2005-01-01

We compared habitat and biota between paired open and forested reaches within five small streams (basin area 10?20 km2) in suburban catchments (9%?49% urban land cover) in the Piedmont of Georgia, USA. Stream reaches with open canopies were narrower than forested reaches (4.1 versus 5.0 m, respectively). There were no differences in habitat diversity (variation in velocity, depth, or bed particle size) between open and forested reaches. However, absence of local forest cover corresponded to decreased large wood and increased algal chlorophyll a standing crop biomass. These differences in basal food resources translated into higher densities of fishes in open (9.0 individuals?m?2) versus forested (4.9 individuals?m?2) reaches, primarily attributed to higher densities of the herbivore Campostoma oligolepis. Densities of terrestrial invertebrate inputs were higher in open reaches; however, trends suggested higher biomass of terrestrial inputs in forested reaches and a corresponding higher density of terrestrial prey consumed by water column feeding fishes. Reach-scale biotic integrity (macroinvertebrates, salamanders, and fishes) was largely unaffected by differences in canopy cover. In urbanizing areas where catchment land cover drives habitat and biotic quality, management practices that rely exclusively on forested riparian areas for stream protection are unlikely to be effective at maintaining ecosystem integrity.

Analysis of strong ionospheric scintillation events measured by means of GPS signals at low latitudes during disturbed conditions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forte, B.

2012-08-01

Drifting structures characterized by inhomogeneities in the spatial electron density distribution at ionospheric heights cause the scintillation of radio waves propagating through. The fractional electron density fluctuations and the corresponding scintillation levels may reach extreme values at low latitudes during high solar activity. Different levels of scintillation were observed on experimental data collected in the Asian sector at low latitudes by means of a GPS dual frequency receiver under moderate solar activity (2005). The GPS receiver used in these campaigns was particularly modified in firmware in order to record power estimates on the C/A code as well as on the carriers L1 and L2. Strong scintillation activity was recorded in the post-sunset period (saturatingS4 and SI as high as 20 dB). Spectral modifications and broadening was observed during high levels of scintillation possibly indicating refractive scattering taking place instead of diffractive scattering. A possible interpretation of those events was attempted on the basis of the refractive scattering theory developed by Uscinski (1968) and Booker and MajidiAhi (1981).

Uniaxial pressure effect on the magnetic ordered moment and transition temperatures in BaFe2 -xTxAs2 (T =Co,Ni )

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tam, David W.; Song, Yu; Man, Haoran; Cheung, Sky C.; Yin, Zhiping; Lu, Xingye; Wang, Weiyi; Frandsen, Benjamin A.; Liu, Lian; Gong, Zizhou; Ito, Takashi U.; Cai, Yipeng; Wilson, Murray N.; Guo, Shengli; Koshiishi, Keisuke; Tian, Wei; Hitti, Bassam; Ivanov, Alexandre; Zhao, Yang; Lynn, Jeffrey W.; Luke, Graeme M.; Berlijn, Tom; Maier, Thomas A.; Uemura, Yasutomo J.; Dai, Pengcheng

2017-02-01

We use neutron diffraction and muon spin relaxation to study the effect of in-plane uniaxial pressure on the antiferromagnetic (AF) orthorhombic phase in BaFe2As2 and its Co- and Ni-substituted members near optimal superconductivity. In the low-temperature AF ordered state, uniaxial pressure necessary to detwin the orthorhombic crystals also increases the magnetic ordered moment, reaching an 11% increase under 40 MPa for BaFe1.9Co0.1As2 , and a 15% increase for BaFe1.915Ni0.085As2 . We also observe an increase of the AF ordering temperature (TN) of about 0.25 K/MPa in all compounds, consistent with density functional theory calculations that reveal better Fermi surface nesting for itinerant electrons under uniaxial pressure. The doping dependence of the magnetic ordered moment is captured by combining dynamical mean field theory with density functional theory, suggesting that the pressure-induced moment increase near optimal superconductivity is closely related to quantum fluctuations and the nearby electronic nematic phase.

Ab-Initio Calculation of Electronic Structure of Lead Halide Perovskites with Formamidinium Cation as an Active Material for Perovskite Solar Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Indari, E. D.; Wungu, T. D. K.; Hidayat, R.

2017-07-01

Organic lead halide perovskite material based solar cells show impressive power conversion efficiencies, which can reach above 19 percent for perovskite solar cell with methyl-ammonium cations. These efficiencies are originated from efficient photoexcitation and charge carrier transport and not observed in conventional perovskite crystals. In this preliminary research work, we therefore performed Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculation of formamidinium lead iodide (FAPI), an alternative to methyl-ammonium lead iodide (MAPI), to predict their electronic structure and density of state (DOS). The calculation result at the most stable lattice parameters show a good agreement with the experiment results. The obtained band gap energy is 1.307 eV. The valence band is dominantly formed by the 5p orbitals of I- anions, while the conduction band is dominantly formed by the 6p orbitals of Pb2+ cations. The DOS of valence band of this perovskite seems smaller compared to the case of methyl-ammonium lead iodide perovskite, which then may explain the observation of smaller power conversion efficiencies in perovskite solar cells with this formamidinium cations.

Influence of ion transport on discharge propagation of nanosecond dielectric barrier discharge plasma actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, Weizhuo; Koji, Fukagata

2017-11-01

A numerical study has been conducted to understand the streamer formation and propagation of nanosecond pulsed surface dielectric barrier discharge of positive polarity. First we compared the result of different grid configuration to investigate the influence of x and y direction grid spacing on the streamer propagation. The streamer propagation is sensitive to y grid spacing especially at the dielectric surface. The streamer propagation velocity can reach 0.2 cm/ns when the voltage magnitude is 12 kV. A narrow gap was found between the streamer and dielectric barrier, where the plasma density is several orders of magnitude smaller than the streamer region. Analyses on the ion transport in the gap and streamer regions show the different ion transport mechanisms in the two different region. In the gap region, the diffusion of electron toward the dielectric layer decreases the seed electron in the beginning of voltage pulse, resulting that ionization avalanche does not occur. The streamer region is not significantly affected by the diffusion flux toward the dielectric layer, so that ionization avalanche takes place and leads to dramatic increase of plasma density.

Understanding the Impact of Return-Current Losses on the X-Ray Emission from Solar Flares

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holman, Gordon D.

2012-01-01

I obtain and examine the implications of one-dimensional analytic solutions for return-current losses on an initially power-law distribution of energetic electrons with a sharp low-energy cutoff in flare plasma with classical (collisional) resistivity. These solutions show, for example, that return-current losses are not sensitive to plasma density, but are sensitive to plasma temperature and the low energy cutoff of the injected nonthermal electron distribution. A characteristic distance from the electron injection site, x(sub rc), is derived. At distances less than x(sub rc) the electron flux density is not reduced by return-current losses, but plasma heating can be substantial in this region, in the upper, coronal part of the flare loop. Before the electrons reach the collisional thick-target region of the flare loop, an injected power-law electron distribution with a low-energy cutoff maintains that structure, but with a flat energy distribution below the cutoff energy, which is now determined by the total potential drop experienced by the electrons. Modifications due to the presence of collisional losses are discussed. I compare these results with earlier analytical results and with more recent numerical simulations. Emslie's 1980 conjecture that there is a maximum integrated X-ray source brightness on the order of 10(exp -15) photons per square centimeter per second per square centimeter is examined. I find that this is not actually a maximum brightness and its value is parameter dependent, but it is nevertheless a valuable benchmark for identifying return-current losses in hard X-ray spectra. I discuss an observational approach to identifying return-current losses in flare data, including identification of a return-current "bump" in X-ray light curves at low photon energies.

Wafer-scale, massively parallel carbon nanotube arrays for realizing field effect transistors with current density exceeding silicon and gallium arsenide

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arnold, Michael

Calculations have indicated that aligned arrays of semiconducting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) promise to outperform conventional semiconducting materials in short-channel, aggressively scaled field effect transistors (FETs) like those used in semiconductor logic and high frequency amplifier technologies. These calculations have been based on extrapolation of measurements of FETs based on one CNT, in which ballistic transport approaching the quantum conductance limit of 2Go = 4e2/h has been achieved. However, constraints in CNT sorting, processing, alignment, and contacts give rise to non-idealities when CNTs are implemented in densely-packed parallel arrays, which has resulted in a conductance per CNT far from 2Go. The consequence has been that it has been very difficult to create high performance CNT array FETs, and CNT array FETs have not outperformed but rather underperformed channel materials such as Si by 6 x or more. Here, we report nearly ballistic CNT array FETs at a density of 50 CNTs um-1, created via CNT sorting, wafer-scale alignment and assembly, and treatment. The on-state conductance in the arrays is as high as 0.46 Go per CNT, and the conductance of the arrays reaches 1.7 mS um-1, which is 7 x higher than previous state-of-the-art CNT array FETs made by other methods. The saturated on-state current density reaches 900 uA um-1 and is similar to or exceeds that of Si FETs when compared at equivalent gate oxide thickness, off-state current density, and channel length. The on-state current density exceeds that of GaAs FETs, as well. This leap in CNT FET array performance is a significant advance towards the exploitation of CNTs in high-performance semiconductor electronics technologies.

Characterization of a novel strain phylogenetically related to Kocuria rhizophila and its chemical modification to improve performance of microbial fuel cells.

PubMed

Luo, Jianmei; Li, Ming; Zhou, Minghua; Hu, Youshuang

2015-07-15

It is certainly an important research area to discovery new exoelectrogens for microbial fuel cells (MFCs), and how to effectively manipulate its cell property to improve power performance is still a great challenge. In this study, a new electrochemically active bacterium phylogenetically related to Kocuria rhizophila was first isolated and found electrogenic in MFCs, which was identified through the combination methods of molecular biology, physiological, biochemical and morphological characteristics. The MFCs inoculated with this strain generated power from a wide variety of substrates, reached a maximum power density of 75mW/m(2) in the substrate of 1g/L glucose. And the electron transfer mechanism was confirmed to be dominantly direct biofilm mechanism. Chemical treatment with five reagents was verified to be a feasible strategy to improve the power density of MFCs, increasing approximately 1.75 fold at most after treated with lysozyme. This enhancement was contributed to the significant enhancement on cell permeability, cell membrane fluidity and Coenzyme Q10 (the electron carrier). Thus this work offered a novel Gram-positive electrogenic bacterium and proved chemical treatment was a feasible strategy to improve electron transfer for application in MFCs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Energetic particle signatures of satellites and rings in Neptune's magnetosphere

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Selesnick, R. S.; Stone, E. C.

1992-01-01

The cosmic ray system on Voyager 2 found a trapped radiation environment in Neptune's inner magnetosphere which is controlled primarily by absorption at the rings and satellite surfaces. The intensity of electrons with kinetic energies approximately greater than 1 MeV shows particularly strong and narrow signatures associated with absorption by the satellite 1989N1 at an orbital radius of 4.75 Neptune radii. Closer to the planet are several signatures of the inner satellites and rings. Absorption limits the intensity of the inner radiation belt sufficiently for the maximum intensity to occur outside the orbit of 1989N1 at a magnetic L shell of about 7. Radial profiles of the electron phase space density show that electrons diffuse inward from a source in the outer magnetosphere. Many of the inward-diffusing electrons are absorbed upon reaching a satellite orbital radius, but the finite absorption efficiency allows some of the electrons to pass by unaffected. The locations of the satellite and ring signatures also provide constraints on the nondipolar components of the planetary magnetic field.

Simulation on the dynamic charge behavior of vacuum flashover developing across insulator involving outgassing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Guang-Yu; Guo, Bao-Hong; Song, Bai-Peng; Su, Guo-Qiang; Mu, Hai-Bao; Zhang, Guan-Jun

2018-06-01

A 2D simulation based on particle-in-cell and Monte Carlo collision algorithm is implemented to investigate the accumulation and dissipation of surface charges on an insulator during flashover with outgassing in vacuum. A layer of positive charges is formed on the insulator after the secondary electrons emission (SEE) reaches saturation. With the build-up of local pressure resulting from gas desorption, the incident energy of electrons is affected by electron-neutral collisions and field distortion, remarkably decreasing the charge density on the insulator. Gas desorption ionization initiates near the anode, culminating, and then abates, followed by a steady and gradual augmentation as the negatively charged surface spreads towards the cathode and halts the SEE nearby. The initiation of flashover development is discussed in detail, and a subdivision of flashover development is proposed, including an anode-initiated desorption ionization avalanche, establishment of a plasma sheath, and plasma expansion. The transform from saturation to explosion of space charges and dissipation of the surface charge are revealed, which can be explained by the competition between multipactor electrons and ionized electrons.

Improving high-altitude emp modeling capabilities by using a non-equilibrium electron swarm model to monitor conduction electron evolution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pusateri, Elise Noel

An Electromagnetic Pulse (EMP) can severely disrupt the use of electronic devices in its path causing a significant amount of infrastructural damage. EMP can also cause breakdown of the surrounding atmosphere during lightning discharges. This makes modeling EMP phenomenon an important research effort in many military and atmospheric physics applications. EMP events include high-energy Compton electrons or photoelectrons that ionize air and produce low energy conduction electrons. A sufficient number of conduction electrons will damp or alter the EMP through conduction current. Therefore, it is important to understand how conduction electrons interact with air in order to accurately predict the EMP evolution and propagation in the air. It is common for EMP simulation codes to use an equilibrium ohmic model for computing the conduction current. Equilibrium ohmic models assume the conduction electrons are always in equilibrium with the local instantaneous electric field, i.e. for a specific EMP electric field, the conduction electrons instantaneously reach steady state without a transient process. An equilibrium model will work well if the electrons have time to reach their equilibrium distribution with respect to the rise time or duration of the EMP. If the time to reach equilibrium is comparable or longer than the rise time or duration of the EMP then the equilibrium model would not accurately predict the conduction current necessary for the EMP simulation. This is because transport coefficients used in the conduction current calculation will be found based on equilibrium reactions rates which may differ significantly from their non-equilibrium values. We see this deficiency in Los Alamos National Laboratory's EMP code, CHAP-LA (Compton High Altitude Pulse-Los Alamos), when modeling certain EMP scenarios at high altitudes, such as upward EMP, where the ionization rate by secondary electrons is over predicted by the equilibrium model, causing the EMP to short abruptly. The objective of the PhD research is to mitigate this effect by integrating a conduction electron model into CHAP-LA which can calculate the conduction current based on a non-equilibrium electron distribution. We propose to use an electron swarm model to monitor the time evolution of conduction electrons in the EMP environment which is characterized by electric field and pressure. Swarm theory uses various collision frequencies and reaction rates to study how the electron distribution and the resultant transport coefficients change with time, ultimately reaching an equilibrium distribution. Validation of the swarm model we develop is a necessary step for completion of the thesis work. After validation, the swarm model is integrated in the air chemistry model CHAP-LA employs for conduction electron simulations. We test high altitude EMP simulations with the swarm model option in the air chemistry model to show improvements in the computational capability of CHAP-LA. A swarm model has been developed that is based on a previous swarm model developed by Higgins, Longmire and O'Dell 1973, hereinafter HLO. The code used for the swarm model calculation solves a system of coupled differential equations for electric field, electron temperature, electron number density, and drift velocity. Important swarm parameters, including the momentum transfer collision frequency, energy transfer collision frequency, and ionization rate, are recalculated and compared to the previously reported empirical results given by HLO. These swarm parameters are found using BOLSIG+, a two term Boltzmann solver developed by Hagelaar and Pitchford 2005. BOLSIG+ utilizes updated electron scattering cross sections that are defined over an expanded energy range found in the atomic and molecular cross section database published by Phelps in the Phelps Database 2014 on the LXcat website created by Pancheshnyi et al. 2012. The swarm model is also updated from the original HLO model by including additional physical parameters such as the O2 electron attachment rate, recombination rate, and mutual neutralization rate. This necessitates tracking the positive and negative ion densities in the swarm model. Adding these parameters, especially electron attachment, is important at lower EMP altitudes where atmospheric density is high. We compare swarm model equilibrium temperatures and times using the HLO and BOLSIG+ coefficients for a uniform electric field of 1 StatV/cm for a range of atmospheric heights. This is done in order to test sensitivity to the swarm parameters used in the swarm model. It is shown that the equilibrium temperature and time are sensitive to the modifications in the collision frequency and ionization rate based on the updated electron interaction cross sections. We validate the swarm model by comparing ionization coefficients and equilibrium drift velocities to experimental results over a wide range of reduced electric field values. The final part of the PhD thesis work includes integrating the swarm model into CHAP-LA. We discuss the physics included in the CHAP-LA EMP model and demonstrate EMP damping behavior caused by the ohmic model at high altitudes. We report on numerical techniques for incorporation of the swarm model into CHAP-LA's Maxwell solver. This includes a discussion of integration techniques for Maxwell's equations in CHAP-LA using the swarm model calculated conduction current. We show improvements on EMP parameter calculations when modeling a high altitude, upward EMP scenario. This provides a novel computational capability that will have an important impact on the atmospheric and EMP research community.

Charge Separation and Recombination at Polymer-Fullerene Heterojunctions: Delocalization and Hybridization Effects.

PubMed

D'Avino, Gabriele; Muccioli, Luca; Olivier, Yoann; Beljonne, David

2016-02-04

We address charge separation and recombination in polymer/fullerene solar cells with a multiscale modeling built from accurate atomistic inputs and accounting for disorder, interface electrostatics and genuine quantum effects on equal footings. Our results show that bound localized charge transfer states at the interface coexist with a large majority of thermally accessible delocalized space-separated states that can be also reached by direct photoexcitation, thanks to their strong hybridization with singlet polymer excitons. These findings reconcile the recent experimental reports of ultrafast exciton separation ("hot" process) with the evidence that high quantum yields do not require excess electronic or vibrational energy ("cold" process), and show that delocalization, by shifting the density of charge transfer states toward larger effective electron-hole radii, may reduce energy losses through charge recombination.

Impurity doping effects on the orbital thermodynamic properties of hydrogenated graphene, graphane, in Harrison model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yarmohammadi, Mohsen

2016-12-01

Using the Harrison model and Green's function technique, impurity doping effects on the orbital density of states (DOS), electronic heat capacity (EHC) and magnetic susceptibility (MS) of a monolayer hydrogenated graphene, chair-like graphane, are investigated. The effect of scattering between electrons and dilute charged impurities is discussed in terms of the self-consistent Born approximation. Our results show that the graphane is a semiconductor and its band gap decreases with impurity. As a remarkable point, comparatively EHC reaches almost linearly to Schottky anomaly and does not change at low temperatures in the presence of impurity. Generally, EHC and MS increases with impurity doping. Surprisingly, impurity doping only affects the salient behavior of py orbital contribution of carbon atoms due to the symmetry breaking.

Electron mobility limited by optical phonons in wurtzite InGaN/GaN core-shell nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, W. H.; Qu, Y.; Ban, S. L.

2017-09-01

Based on the force-balance and energy-balance equations, the optical phonon-limited electron mobility in InxGa1-xN/GaN core-shell nanowires (CSNWs) is discussed. It is found that the electrons tend to distribute in the core of the CSNWs due to the strong quantum confinement. Thus, the scattering from first kind of the quasi-confined optical (CO) phonons is more important than that from the interface (IF) and propagating (PR) optical phonons. Ternary mixed crystal and size effects on the electron mobility are also investigated. The results show that the PR phonons exist while the IF phonons disappear when the indium composition x < 0.047, and vice versa. Accordingly, the total electron mobility μ first increases and then decreases with indium composition x, and reaches a peak value of approximately 3700 cm2/(V.s) when x = 0.047. The results also show that the mobility μ increases as increasing the core radius of CSNWs due to the weakened interaction between the electrons and CO phonons. The total electron mobility limited by the optical phonons exhibits an obvious enhancement as decreasing temperature or increasing line electron density. Our theoretical results are expected to be helpful to develop electronic devices based on CSNWs.

Imaging electronic motions by ultrafast electron diffraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shao, Hua-Chieh; Starace, Anthony F.

2017-08-01

Recently ultrafast electron diffraction and microscopy have reached unprecedented temporal resolution, and transient structures with atomic precision have been observed in various reactions. It is anticipated that these extraordinary advances will soon allow direct observation of electronic motions during chemical reactions. We therefore performed a series of theoretical investigations and simulations to investigate the imaging of electronic motions in atoms and molecules by ultrafast electron diffraction. Three prototypical electronic motions were considered for hydrogen atoms. For the case of a breathing mode, the electron density expands and contracts periodically, and we show that the time-resolved scattering intensities reflect such changes of the charge radius. For the case of a wiggling mode, the electron oscillates from one side of the nucleus to the other, and we show that the diffraction images exhibit asymmetric angular distributions. The last case is a hybrid mode that involves both breathing and wiggling motions. Owing to the demonstrated ability of ultrafast electrons to image these motions, we have proposed to image a coherent population transfer in lithium atoms using currently available femtosecond electron pulses. A frequency-swept laser pulse adiabatically drives the valence electron of a lithium atom from the 2s to 2p orbitals, and a time-delayed electron pulse maps such motion. Our simulations show that the diffraction images reflect this motion both in the scattering intensities and the angular distributions.

Multicomponent density functional theory embedding formulation.

PubMed

Culpitt, Tanner; Brorsen, Kurt R; Pak, Michael V; Hammes-Schiffer, Sharon

2016-07-28

Multicomponent density functional theory (DFT) methods have been developed to treat two types of particles, such as electrons and nuclei, quantum mechanically at the same level. In the nuclear-electronic orbital (NEO) approach, all electrons and select nuclei, typically key protons, are treated quantum mechanically. For multicomponent DFT methods developed within the NEO framework, electron-proton correlation functionals based on explicitly correlated wavefunctions have been designed and used in conjunction with well-established electronic exchange-correlation functionals. Herein a general theory for multicomponent embedded DFT is developed to enable the accurate treatment of larger systems. In the general theory, the total electronic density is separated into two subsystem densities, denoted as regular and special, and different electron-proton correlation functionals are used for these two electronic densities. In the specific implementation, the special electron density is defined in terms of spatially localized Kohn-Sham electronic orbitals, and electron-proton correlation is included only for the special electron density. The electron-proton correlation functional depends on only the special electron density and the proton density, whereas the electronic exchange-correlation functional depends on the total electronic density. This scheme includes the essential electron-proton correlation, which is a relatively local effect, as well as the electronic exchange-correlation for the entire system. This multicomponent DFT-in-DFT embedding theory is applied to the HCN and FHF(-) molecules in conjunction with two different electron-proton correlation functionals and three different electronic exchange-correlation functionals. The results illustrate that this approach provides qualitatively accurate nuclear densities in a computationally tractable manner. The general theory is also easily extended to other types of partitioning schemes for multicomponent systems.

Multicomponent density functional theory embedding formulation

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

Culpitt, Tanner; Brorsen, Kurt R.; Pak, Michael V.

Multicomponent density functional theory (DFT) methods have been developed to treat two types of particles, such as electrons and nuclei, quantum mechanically at the same level. In the nuclear-electronic orbital (NEO) approach, all electrons and select nuclei, typically key protons, are treated quantum mechanically. For multicomponent DFT methods developed within the NEO framework, electron-proton correlation functionals based on explicitly correlated wavefunctions have been designed and used in conjunction with well-established electronic exchange-correlation functionals. Herein a general theory for multicomponent embedded DFT is developed to enable the accurate treatment of larger systems. In the general theory, the total electronic density ismore » separated into two subsystem densities, denoted as regular and special, and different electron-proton correlation functionals are used for these two electronic densities. In the specific implementation, the special electron density is defined in terms of spatially localized Kohn-Sham electronic orbitals, and electron-proton correlation is included only for the special electron density. The electron-proton correlation functional depends on only the special electron density and the proton density, whereas the electronic exchange-correlation functional depends on the total electronic density. This scheme includes the essential electron-proton correlation, which is a relatively local effect, as well as the electronic exchange-correlation for the entire system. This multicomponent DFT-in-DFT embedding theory is applied to the HCN and FHF{sup −} molecules in conjunction with two different electron-proton correlation functionals and three different electronic exchange-correlation functionals. The results illustrate that this approach provides qualitatively accurate nuclear densities in a computationally tractable manner. The general theory is also easily extended to other types of partitioning schemes for multicomponent systems.« less

Nanocrystalline-grained tungsten prepared by surface mechanical attrition treatment: Microstructure and mechanical properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, Hong-Yan; Xia, Min; Wu, Zheng-Tao; Chan, Lap-Chung; Dai, Yong; Wang, Kun; Yan, Qing-Zhi; He, Man-Chao; Ge, Chang-Chun; Lu, Jian

2016-11-01

A nanostructured surface layer was fabricated on commercial pure tungsten using the method of surface mechanical attrition treatment (SMAT). The microstructure evolution of the surface layer was characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and its formation mechanism was discussed as well. Both refinement and elongation of the brittle W grains were confirmed. The elongated SMATed W was heavily strained, the maximum value of the strain at the grain boundaries reaches as high as 3-5%. Dislocation density in the SMATed W nanograins was found to be 5 × 1012 cm-2. The formation of the nanograins in the top surface layer of the W was ascribed to the extremely high strain and strain rate, as well as the multidirectional repetitive loading. Bending strength of commercial W could be improved from 825 MPa to 1850 MPa by SMAT process. Microhardness results indicated the strain range in SMATed W can reach up to 220 μm beneath the top surface. The notched Charpy testing results demonstrated that SMATed W possess higher ductility than that of commercial W. The top surface of the W plates with and without SMATe processing possesses residual compressive stress of about -881 MPa and -234 MPa in y direction, and -872 MPa and -879 MPa in x direction respectively. The improvement of toughness (DBTT shift) of SMATed W may be the synergistic effect of residual compressive stress, dislocation density improvement and microstructure refinement induced by SMAT processing. SMAT processing could be a complementary method to further decrease the DBTT value of tungsten based materials.

Normal and abnormal evolution of argon metastable density in high-density plasmas

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

Seo, B. H.; Kim, J. H., E-mail: jhkim86@kriss.re.kr; You, S. J., E-mail: sjyou@cnu.ac.kr

2015-05-15

A controversial problem on the evolution of Ar metastable density as a function of electron density (increasing trend versus decreasing trend) was resolved by discovering the anomalous evolution of the argon metastable density with increasing electron density (discharge power), including both trends of the metastable density [Daltrini et al., Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 061504 (2008)]. Later, by virtue of an adequate physical explanation based on a simple global model, both evolutions of the metastable density were comprehensively understood as part of the abnormal evolution occurring at low- and high-density regimes, respectively, and thus the physics behind the metastable evolution hasmore » seemed to be clearly disclosed. In this study, however, a remarkable result for the metastable density behavior with increasing electron density was observed: even in the same electron density regime, there are both normal and abnormal evolutions of metastable-state density with electron density depending on the measurement position: The metastable density increases with increasing electron density at a position far from the inductively coupled plasma antenna but decreases at a position close to the antenna. The effect of electron temperature, which is spatially nonuniform in the plasma, on the electron population and depopulation processes of Argon metastable atoms with increasing electron density is a clue to understanding the results. The calculated results of the global model, including multistep ionization for the argon metastable state and measured electron temperature, are in a good agreement with the experimental results.« less

[Evaluation of alumina effects on the mechanical property and translucency of nano-zirconia all-ceramics].

PubMed

Jiang, Li; Zhao, Yong-qi; Zhang, Jing-chao; Liao, Yun-mao; Li, Wei

2010-06-01

To study the effects of alumina content on sintered density, mechanical property and translucency of zirconia nanocomposite all-ceramics. Specimens of zirconia nanocomposite all-ceramics were divided into five groups based on their alumina content which are 0% (control group), 2.5%, 5.0%, 7.5% and 10.0% respectively. The sintered densities were measured using Archimedes' method. Specimens' bending strengths were measured with three-point bending test (ISO 6872). The visible light transmittances were measured with spectrophotometric arrangements and the fractured surfaces were observed using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The control group of pure zirconia could be sintered to the theoretical density under pressure-less sintering condition. The bending strength was (1100.27 ± 54.82) MPa, the fracture toughness was (4.96 ± 0.35) MPa×m(1/2) and the transmittance could reach 17.03%. The sintered density and transmittance decreased as alumina content increased from 2.5% to 10%. However, the fracture toughness only increased slightly. In all four alumina groups, the additions of alumina had no significant effect on samples' bending strengths (P > 0.05). When the content of alumina was 10%, fracture toughness of specimens reached (6.13 ± 0.44) MPa×m(1/2) while samples' transmittance declined to 6.21%. SEM results showed that alumina particles had no significant effect on the grain size and distribution of tetragonal zirconia polycrystals. Additions of alumina to yttria-tetragonal zirconia polycrystals could influence its mechanical property and translucency. Additions of the other phase to zirconia ceramics should meet the clinical demands of strength and esthetics.

High density operation with Lower Hybrid waves in FTU tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pericoli Ridolfini, V.; Mirizzi, F.; Panaccione, L.; Podda, S.

2001-10-01

Since April 2001 the lower hybrid (LH) radiofrequency system in FTU (6 gyrotrons @ f=8 GHz) can deliver to the plasma about 2 MW through two equal launchers with a reflection coefficient = 10%. This value is close to the target value of 2.2 MW (net power density of 6.2 kW/cm2 on the waveguides mouth) which could be reached after further conditioning of the grill and of the transmission lines. In high density plasmas (line density *1*1020 m-3), high magnetic field (BT=7.2 T), with PLH=2 MW we drive about 75% of the total current (Ip=500 kA) and stabilise fully the sawteeth activity. The central electron temperature Te0 increases from 1.6 to 3.3 keV (steady), and the neutron rate by about 10 times. Analysis of these pulses with effective electronic heating will be presented. In post-pellet plasmas ( *6*1020 m-3), good coupling of the LH is achieved with the launcher almost flush to the walls, due to the very dense scrape off-layer. The perturbation here induced by the pellet imposes a delay to the LH of only 20 ms. The exact location of the launcher is critical in these regimes, because the high N|| (parallel index of refraction) requested (N||>2.3) for a good penetration of the waves makes more problematic a good coupling all along the poloidal extension of the grill.

Coaxial fiber supercapacitor using all-carbon material electrodes.

PubMed

Le, Viet Thong; Kim, Heetae; Ghosh, Arunabha; Kim, Jaesu; Chang, Jian; Vu, Quoc An; Pham, Duy Tho; Lee, Ju-Hyuck; Kim, Sang-Woo; Lee, Young Hee

2013-07-23

We report a coaxial fiber supercapacitor, which consists of carbon microfiber bundles coated with multiwalled carbon nanotubes as a core electrode and carbon nanofiber paper as an outer electrode. The ratio of electrode volumes was determined by a half-cell test of each electrode. The capacitance reached 6.3 mF cm(-1) (86.8 mF cm(-2)) at a core electrode diameter of 230 μm and the measured energy density was 0.7 μWh cm(-1) (9.8 μWh cm(-2)) at a power density of 13.7 μW cm(-1) (189.4 μW cm(-2)), which were much higher than the previous reports. The change in the cyclic voltammetry characteristics was negligible at 180° bending, with excellent cycling performance. The high capacitance, high energy density, and power density of the coaxial fiber supercapacitor are attributed to not only high effective surface area due to its coaxial structure and bundle of the core electrode, but also all-carbon materials electrodes which have high conductivity. Our coaxial fiber supercapacitor can promote the development of textile electronics in near future.

Laser-induced electron source in a vacuum diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghera, U.; Boxman, R. L.; Kleinman, H.; Ruschin, S.

1989-11-01

Experiments were conducted in which a high-power CO2 TEA laser interacted with metallic cathode in a high-vacuum (10 to the -8th Torr) diode. For power densities lower than 5 x 10 to the 7th W/sq cm, no current was detected. For power densities in the range of 5 x 10 to the 7th to 5 x 10 to the 8th W/sq cm, the Cu cathode emitted a maximum current of 40 mA. At a higher power density level, a circuit-limited current of 8 A was detected. The jump of a few orders of magnitude in the current is attributed to breakdown of the diode gap. The experimental results are similar to those of a triggered vacuum gap, and a thorough comparison is presented in this paper. The influence of the pressure in the vacuum chamber on the current magnitude shows the active role that adsorbed gas molecules have in the initial breakdown. When the cathode material was changed from metal to metal oxide, much lower laser power densities were required to reach the breakdown current region.

Water equivalence of NIPAM based polymer gel dosimeters with enhanced sensitivity for x-ray CT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorjiara, Tina; Hill, Robin; Bosi, Stephen; Kuncic, Zdenka; Baldock, Clive

2013-10-01

Two new formulations of N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM) based three dimensional (3D) gel dosimeters have recently been developed with improved sensitivity to x-ray CT readout, one without any co-solvent and the other one with isopropanol co-solvent. The water equivalence of the NIPAM gel dosimeters was investigated using different methods to calculate their radiological properties including: density, electron density, number of electrons per grams, effective atomic number, photon interaction probabilities, mass attenuation and energy absorption coefficients, electron collisional, radiative and total mass stopping powers and electron mass scattering power. Monte Carlo modelling was also used to compare the dose response of these gel dosimeters with water for kilovoltage and megavoltage x-ray beams and for megavoltage electron beams. We found that the density and electron density of the co-solvent free gel dosimeter are more water equivalent with less than a 2.6% difference compared to a 5.7% difference for the isopropanol gel dosimeter. Both the co-solvent free and isopropanol solvent gel dosimeters have lower effective atomic numbers than water, differing by 2.2% and 6.5%, respectively. As a result, their photoelectric absorption interaction probabilities are up to 6% and 19% different from water, respectively. Compton scattering and pair production interaction probabilities of NIPAM gel with isopropanol differ by up to 10% from water while for the co-solvent free gel, the differences are 3%. Mass attenuation and energy absorption coefficients of the co-solvent free gel dosimeter and the isopropanol gel dosimeter are up to 7% and 19% lower than water, respectively. Collisional and total mass stopping powers of both gel dosimeters differ by less than 2% from those of water. The dose response of the co-solvent free gel dosimeter is water equivalent (with <1% discrepancy) for dosimetry of x-rays with energies <100 keV while the discrepancy increases (up to 5%) for the isopropanol gel dosimeter over the same energy range. For x-ray beams over the energy range 180 keV-18 MV, both gel dosimeters have less than 2% discrepancy with water. For megavoltage electron beams, the dose differences with water reach 7% and 14% for the co-solvent free gel dosimeter and the isopropanol gel dosimeter, respectively. Our results demonstrate that for x-ray beam dosimetry with photon energies higher than 100 keV and megavoltage electron beams, correction factors are needed for both NIPAM gels to be used as water equivalent dosimeters.

The electron-cyclotron maser instability as a source of plasma radiation. [Solar radio bursts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Winglee, R. M.; Dulk, G. A.

1986-01-01

The generation of continuum bursts from the sun at dm and m wavelengths (in particular, type IV bursts) via the electron-cyclotron-maser instability is examined. The maser instability can be driven by an electron distribution with either a loss-cone anisotropy or a peak at large pitch angles. For omega(p)/Omega(e) much greater than 1, the maser emission is produced by electrons interacting through a harmonic (cyclotron) resonance and is electrostatic, being in the upper hybrid mode at frequencies approximately equal to omega(p). Coalescence processes are required to convert the electrostatic waves into transverse radiation which can escape from the source region. Whether the resultant spectrum is nearly a smooth continuum or has a zebra-stripe pattern (both of which occur in type IV bursts) depends on the form of the electron distribution, inhomogeneities in the density and magnetic field, and whether the maser reaches saturation. For at least the case of some type IV dm bursts with fine structure, comparison with observations seems to indicate that the electrons producing the emission are more likely to have a loss-cone distribution, and that the maser instability is not at saturation.

One-step electroplating porous graphene oxide electrodes of supercapacitors for ultrahigh capacitance and energy density.

PubMed

Wang, Yongjie; Zhu, Jiaqi

2015-02-06

An electroplating method was used for the first time to synthesize 3D porous graphene oxide (PGO) architectures, exhibiting ultrahigh capacitance and energy density as electrodes of supercapacitors. Scanning electron microscopy illustrated the porous structures which promoted the stability and alleviated the stacking of the graphene oxide layers. As investigated in a three-electrode supercapacitor cell, PGO electrodes exhibited the maximum capacitance and energy of 973 F · g(-1) and 98.4 Wh · Kg(-1), which are better than current reports and comparable to batteries. At 4 A · g(-1) for high-power applications, PGO electrodes reached a capacitance, energy, and power density of 493 F · g(-1), 49.9 Wh · Kg(-1), and 1700 W · Kg(-1), and they retained ∼97.83% of capacitance after 10 000 charge/discharge processes. Furthermore, when the PGO was bent exaggeratedly, it still displayed identical properties, which is of important significance for supporting wearable devices.

Phase transformations of 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic acid on Cu(001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schwarz, Daniel; van Gastel, Raoul; Zandvliet, Harold J. W.; Poelsema, Bene

2012-06-01

The growth and structure of 4,4'-biphenyldicarboxylic-acid (BDA) on Cu(001) at temperatures between 300 and 400 K was studied by low energy electron microscopy and μ-LEED. First, the adsorbed BDA molecules form a disordered dilute phase. Once this phase reaches a sufficiently high density, a crystalline phase nucleates, in which the molecules form a hydrogen-bonded two-dimensional (2D) supramolecular c(8×8) network. By a careful analysis of the bright-field image intensity, we can measure the density in the dilute phase, which is up to 30% of that in the crystalline phase. From the respective equilibrium densities at different temperatures, we determine the 2D phase diagram and extract a cohesive energy of 0.35 eV. We also analyze the island decay behavior and estimate the BDA molecule diffusion constants. Steps are found to be highly transparent for diffusing BDA molecules. In the temperature range of 362-400 K, we find chemical diffusion constants between 850-1700nm2s-1.

Electron energy distribution function in a low-power Hall thruster discharge and near-field plume

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tichý, M.; Pétin, A.; Kudrna, P.; Horký, M.; Mazouffre, S.

2018-06-01

Electron temperature and plasma density, as well as the electron energy distribution function (EEDF), have been obtained inside and outside the dielectric channel of a 200 W permanent magnet Hall thruster. Measurements were carried out by means of a cylindrical Langmuir probe mounted onto a compact fast moving translation stage. The 3D particle-in cell numerical simulations complement experiments. The model accounts for the crossed electric and magnetic field configuration in a weakly collisional regime where only electrons are magnetized. Since only the electron dynamics is of interest in this study, an artificial mass of ions corresponding to mi = 30 000me was used to ensure ions could be assumed at rest. The simulation domain is located at the thruster exit plane and does not include the cathode. The measured EEDF evidences a high-energy electron population that is superimposed onto the low energy bulk population outside the channel. Inside the channel, the EEDF is close to Maxwellian. Both the experimental and numerical EEDF depart from an equilibrium distribution at the channel exit plane, a region of high magnetic field. We therefore conclude that the fast electron group found in the experiment corresponds to the electrons emitted by the external cathode that reach the thruster discharge without experiencing collision events.

An electron beam ion trap and source for re-acceleration of rare-isotope ion beams at TRIUMF

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Blessenohl, M. A.; Dobrodey, S.; Warnecke, C.; Rosner, M. K.; Graham, L.; Paul, S.; Baumann, T. M.; Hockenbery, Z.; Hubele, R.; Pfeifer, T.; Ames, F.; Dilling, J.; Crespo López-Urrutia, J. R.

2018-05-01

Electron beam driven ionization can produce highly charged ions (HCIs) in a few well-defined charge states. Ideal conditions for this are maximally focused electron beams and an extremely clean vacuum environment. A cryogenic electron beam ion trap fulfills these prerequisites and delivers very pure HCI beams. The Canadian rare isotope facility with electron beam ion source-electron beam ion sources developed at the Max-Planck-Institut für Kernphysik (MPIK) reaches already for a 5 keV electron beam and a current of 1 A with a density in excess of 5000 A/cm2 by means of a 6 T axial magnetic field. Within the trap, the beam quickly generates a dense HCI population, tightly confined by a space-charge potential of the order of 1 keV times the ionic charge state. Emitting HCI bunches of ≈107 ions at up to 100 Hz repetition rate, the device will charge-breed rare-isotope beams with the mass-over-charge ratio required for re-acceleration at the Advanced Rare IsotopE Laboratory (ARIEL) facility at TRIUMF. We present here its design and results from commissioning runs at MPIK, including X-ray diagnostics of the electron beam and charge-breeding process, as well as ion injection and HCI-extraction measurements.

Energetic electron precipitation and auroral morphology at the substorm recovery phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oyama, S. I.; Kero, A.; Rodger, C. J.; Clilverd, M. A.; Yoshizumi, M.; Partamies, N.; Turunen, E. S.; Tero, R.; Verronen, P. T.; Saito, S.

2017-12-01

It is well known that auroral patterns at the substorm recovery phase are characterized by diffuse or patch structures with intensity pulsation. According to satellite measurements and simulation studies, the precipitating electrons associated with these aurorae can reach or exceed energies of a few hundred keV through resonant wave-particle interactions in the magnetosphere. However, because of difficulty of simultaneous measurements, the dependency of energetic electron precipitation (EEP) on auroral morphological changes in the mesoscale has not been investigated to date. In order to study this dependency, we have analyzed data from the European Incoherent Scatter (EISCAT) radar, the Kilpisjärvi Atmospheric Imaging Receiver Array (KAIRA) riometer, collocated cameras, ground-based magnetometers, the Van Allen Probe satellites, Polar Operational Environmental Satellites (POES), and the Antarctic-Arctic Radiation-belt (Dynamic) Deposition-VLF Atmospheric Research Konsortium (AARDDVARK). Here we undertake a detailed examination of two case studies. The selected two events suggest that the highest energy of EEP on those days occurred with auroral patch formation from post-midnight to dawn, coinciding with the substorm onset at local midnight. Measurements of the EISCAT radar showed ionization as low as 65 km altitude, corresponding to EEP with energies of about 500 keV. Enhancements of the deep ionospheric ionization induced by the EEP modify the chemical-reaction balance involving atmospheric minor species such as NOx and HOx. These species may cause reduction in the ozone density at the ionization altitude or the lower region where these species are transported by the vertical convection in the dynamics. Since the EEP is a typical phenomenon at the substorm recovery phase, the ozone density depletion may be a frequent signature although our understanding has not yet reached the maturity of the mechanism behind these evidences. This presentation will discuss the processes related to the EEP and its effects on the atmosphere through changes in the minor components.

In situ measurements of Saturn's ionosphere show that it is dynamic and interacts with the rings.

PubMed

Wahlund, J-E; Morooka, M W; Hadid, L Z; Persoon, A M; Farrell, W M; Gurnett, D A; Hospodarsky, G; Kurth, W S; Ye, S-Y; Andrews, D J; Edberg, N J T; Eriksson, A I; Vigren, E

2018-01-05

The ionized upper layer of Saturn's atmosphere, its ionosphere, provides a closure of currents mediated by the magnetic field to other electrically charged regions (for example, rings) and hosts ion-molecule chemistry. In 2017, the Cassini spacecraft passed inside the planet's rings, allowing in situ measurements of the ionosphere. The Radio and Plasma Wave Science instrument detected a cold, dense, and dynamic ionosphere at Saturn that interacts with the rings. Plasma densities reached up to 1000 cubic centimeters, and electron temperatures were below 1160 kelvin near closest approach. The density varied between orbits by up to two orders of magnitude. Saturn's A- and B-rings cast a shadow on the planet that reduced ionization in the upper atmosphere, causing a north-south asymmetry. Copyright © 2018, American Association for the Advancement of Science.

1 μs broadband frequency sweeping reflectometry for plasma density and fluctuation profile measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clairet, F.; Bottereau, C.; Medvedeva, A.; Molina, D.; Conway, G. D.; Silva, A.; Stroth, U.; ASDEX Upgrade Team; Tore Supra Team; Eurofusion Mst1 Team

2017-11-01

Frequency swept reflectometry has reached the symbolic value of 1 μs sweeping time; this performance has been made possible, thanks to an improved control of the ramp voltage driving the frequency source. In parallel, the memory depth of the acquisition system has been upgraded and can provide up to 200 000 signals during a plasma discharge. Additional improvements regarding the trigger delay determination of the acquisition and the voltage ramp linearity required by this ultra-fast technique have been set. While this diagnostic is traditionally dedicated to the plasma electron density profile measurement, such a fast sweeping rate can provide the study of fast plasma events and turbulence with unprecedented time and radial resolution from the edge to the core. Experimental results obtained on ASDEX Upgrade plasmas are presented to demonstrate the performances of the diagnostic.

How Well Can We Predict Salmonid Spawning Habitat with LiDAR?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pfeiffer, A.; Finnegan, N. J.; Hayes, S.

2013-12-01

Suitable salmonid spawning habitat is, to a great extent, determined by physical, landscape driven characteristics such as channel morphology and grain size. Identifying reaches with high-quality spawning habitat is essential to restoration efforts in areas where salmonid species are endangered or threatened. While both predictions of suitable habitat and observations of utilized habitat are common in the literature, they are rarely combined. Here we exploit a unique combination of high-resolution LiDAR data and seven years of 387 individually surveyed Coho and Steelhead redds in Scott Creek, a 77 km2 un-glaciated coastal California drainage in the Santa Cruz Mountains, to both make and test predictions of spawning habitat. Using a threshold channel assumption, we predict grain size throughout Scott Creek via a shear stress model that incorporates channel width, instead of height, using Manning's equation (Snyder et al., 2013). Slope and drainage area are computed from a LiDAR-derived DEM, and channel width is calculated via hydraulic modeling. Our results for median grain size predictions closely match median grain sizes (D50) measured in the field, with the majority of sites having predicted D50's within a factor of two of the observed values, especially for reaches with D50 > 0.02m. This success suggests that the threshold model used to predict grain size is appropriate for un-glaciated alluvial channel systems. However, it appears that grain size alone is not a strong predictor of salmon spawning. Reaches with a high (>0.1m) average predicted D50 do have lower redd densities, as expected based on spawning gravel sizes in the literature. However, reaches with lower (<0.1m) predicted D50 have a wide range of redd densities, suggesting that reach-average grain size alone cannot explain spawning site selection in the finer-grained reaches of Scott Creek. We turn to analysis of bedform morphology in order to explain the variation in redd density in the low-slope, finer-grained reaches of Lower Scott Creek. Because spawning is strongly correlated with riffle locations, we use a LiDAR-derived longitudinal profile to predict where riffle habitat is located within the watershed. To accomplish this, we use previous studies that constrain pool-riffle habitat to slopes <1.5%, then use wavelet analysis of the longitudinal profile within these pool-riffle reaches to investigate the spacing of drops in water surface slope, with the goal of identifying reaches with high riffle density. Our slope-based predictions of pool-riffle morphology closely match the extent of pool-riffle reaches observed in the field. Average redd density in pool-riffle reaches is more than double the average redd density in reaches of other channel morphologies. Initial wavelet analysis suggests that riffle spacing may be longer in the lower reaches of Scott Creek and shorter in the high-redd density upper reaches, a finding that agrees with the hypothesis that spawning habitat is limited by riffle density. Our results suggest that high resolution topographic data can be successfully used to identify reaches of utilized spawning habitat based on grain size predictions and wavelet analysis of bedform spacing.

Electron temperatures within magnetic clouds between 2 and 4 AU: Voyager 2 observations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sittler, E. C.; Burlaga, L. F.

1998-08-01

We have performed an analysis of Voyager 2 plasma electron observations within magnetic clouds between 2 and 4 AU identified by Burlaga and Behannon [1982]. The analysis has been confined to three of the magnetic clouds identified by Burlaga and Behannon that had high-quality data. The general properties of the plasma electrons within a magnetic cloud are that (1) the moment electron temperature anticorrelates with the electron density within the cloud, (2) the ratio Te/Tp tends to be >1, and (3) on average, Te/Tp~7.0. All three results are consistent with previous electron observations within magnetic clouds. Detailed analyses of the core and halo populations within the magnetic clouds show no evidence of either an anticorrelation between the core temperature TC and the electron density Ne or an anticorrelation between the halo temperature TH and the electron density. Within the magnetic clouds the halo component can contribute more than 50% of the electron pressure. The anticorrelation of Te relative to Ne can be traced to the density of the halo component relative to the density of the core component. The core electrons dominate the electron density. When the density goes up, the halo electrons contribute less to the electron pressure, so we get a lower Te. When the electron density goes down, the halo electrons contribute more to the electron pressure, and Te goes up. We find a relation between the electron pressure and density of the form Pe=αNeγ with γ~0.5.

Solid state RF power: The route to 1W per euro cent

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

Heid, Oliver

2013-04-19

In most particle accelerators RF power is a decisive design constraint due to high costs and relative inflexibility of current electron beam based RF sources, i.e. Klystrons, Magnetrons, Tetrodes etc. At VHF/UHF frequencies the transition to solid state devices promises to fundamentally change the situation. Recent progress brings 1 Watt per Euro cent installed cost within reach. We present a Silicon Carbide semiconductor solution utilising the Solid State Direct Drive technology at unprecedented efficiency, power levels and power densities. The proposed solution allows retrofitting of existing RF accelerators and opens the route to novel particle accelerator concepts.

Insulator-to-conducting transition in dense fluid helium.

PubMed

Celliers, P M; Loubeyre, P; Eggert, J H; Brygoo, S; McWilliams, R S; Hicks, D G; Boehly, T R; Jeanloz, R; Collins, G W

2010-05-07

By combining diamond-anvil-cell and laser-driven shock wave techniques, we produced dense He samples up to 1.5 g/cm(3) at temperatures reaching 60 kK. Optical measurements of reflectivity and temperature show that electronic conduction in He at these conditions is temperature-activated (semiconducting). A fit to the data suggests that the mobility gap closes with increasing density, and that hot dense He becomes metallic above approximately 1.9 g/cm(3). These data provide a benchmark to test models that describe He ionization at conditions found in astrophysical objects, such as cold white dwarf atmospheres.

Direct detection of sub-GeV dark matter with semiconductor targets

DOE PAGES

Essig, Rouven; Fernández-Serra, Marivi; Mardon, Jeremy; ...

2016-05-09

Dark matter in the sub-GeV mass range is a theoretically motivated but largely unexplored paradigm. Such light masses are out of reach for conventional nuclear recoil direct detection experiments, but may be detected through the small ionization signals caused by dark matter-electron scattering. Semiconductors are well-studied and are particularly promising target materials because their O(1 eV) band gaps allow for ionization signals from dark matter particles as light as a few hundred keV. Current direct detection technologies are being adapted for dark matter-electron scattering. In this paper, we provide the theoretical calculations for dark matter-electron scattering rate in semiconductors, overcomingmore » several complications that stem from the many-body nature of the problem. We use density functional theory to numerically calculate the rates for dark matter-electron scattering in silicon and germanium, and estimate the sensitivity for upcoming experiments such as DAMIC and SuperCDMS. We find that the reach for these upcoming experiments has the potential to be orders of magnitude beyond current direct detection constraints and that sub-GeV dark matter has a sizable modulation signal. We also give the first direct detection limits on sub-GeV dark matter from its scattering off electrons in a semiconductor target (silicon) based on published results from DAMIC. We make available publicly our code, QEdark, with which we calculate our results. Our results can be used by experimental collaborations to calculate their own sensitivities based on their specific setup. In conclusion, the searches we propose will probe vast new regions of unexplored dark matter model and parameter space.« less

Widely tunable opto-electronic oscillator based on a dual frequency laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maxin, J.; Saleh, K.; Pillet, G.; Morvan, L.; Llopis, O.; Dolfi, D.

2013-03-01

We present the stabilization of the beatnote of an Er,Yb:glass Dual Frequency Laser at 1.53 μm with optical fiber delay lines. Instead of standard optoelectronics oscillators, this architecture does not need RF filter and offers a wide tunability from 2.5 to 5.5 GHz. Thank to a fine analysis of the laser RIN to phase noise conversion in the photodiodes, the expected RF-amplifiers noise limit is reached with a phase noise power spectral density of -25 dBc/Hz at 10 Hz (respectively -110 dBc/Hz at 10 kHz) from the carrier over the whole tuning range. Implementation of a double fiber coil architecture improves the oscillator spectral purity: the phase noise reaches a level of -35 dBc/Hz at 10 Hz (respectively -112 dBc/Hz respectively 10 kHz) from the carrier.

Fingerprint-Based Structure Retrieval Using Electron Density

PubMed Central

Yin, Shuangye; Dokholyan, Nikolay V.

2010-01-01

We present a computational approach that can quickly search a large protein structural database to identify structures that fit a given electron density, such as determined by cryo-electron microscopy. We use geometric invariants (fingerprints) constructed using 3D Zernike moments to describe the electron density, and reduce the problem of fitting of the structure to the electron density to simple fingerprint comparison. Using this approach, we are able to screen the entire Protein Data Bank and identify structures that fit two experimental electron densities determined by cryo-electron microscopy. PMID:21287628

Fingerprint-based structure retrieval using electron density.

PubMed

Yin, Shuangye; Dokholyan, Nikolay V

2011-03-01

We present a computational approach that can quickly search a large protein structural database to identify structures that fit a given electron density, such as determined by cryo-electron microscopy. We use geometric invariants (fingerprints) constructed using 3D Zernike moments to describe the electron density, and reduce the problem of fitting of the structure to the electron density to simple fingerprint comparison. Using this approach, we are able to screen the entire Protein Data Bank and identify structures that fit two experimental electron densities determined by cryo-electron microscopy. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Stabilization of electron-scale turbulence by electron density gradient in national spherical torus experiment

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

Ruiz Ruiz, J.; White, A. E.; Ren, Y.

2015-12-15

Theory and experiments have shown that electron temperature gradient (ETG) turbulence on the electron gyro-scale, k{sub ⊥}ρ{sub e} ≲ 1, can be responsible for anomalous electron thermal transport in NSTX. Electron scale (high-k) turbulence is diagnosed in NSTX with a high-k microwave scattering system [D. R. Smith et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 79, 123501 (2008)]. Here we report on stabilization effects of the electron density gradient on electron-scale density fluctuations in a set of neutral beam injection heated H-mode plasmas. We found that the absence of high-k density fluctuations from measurements is correlated with large equilibrium density gradient, which ismore » shown to be consistent with linear stabilization of ETG modes due to the density gradient using the analytical ETG linear threshold in F. Jenko et al. [Phys. Plasmas 8, 4096 (2001)] and linear gyrokinetic simulations with GS2 [M. Kotschenreuther et al., Comput. Phys. Commun. 88, 128 (1995)]. We also found that the observed power of electron-scale turbulence (when it exists) is anti-correlated with the equilibrium density gradient, suggesting density gradient as a nonlinear stabilizing mechanism. Higher density gradients give rise to lower values of the plasma frame frequency, calculated based on the Doppler shift of the measured density fluctuations. Linear gyrokinetic simulations show that higher values of the electron density gradient reduce the value of the real frequency, in agreement with experimental observation. Nonlinear electron-scale gyrokinetic simulations show that high electron density gradient reduces electron heat flux and stiffness, and increases the ETG nonlinear threshold, consistent with experimental observations.« less

Asymmetric carbon nanotube-MnO2 two-ply yarn supercapacitors for wearable electronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Su, Fenghua; Miao, Menghe

2014-04-01

Strong and flexible two-ply carbon nanotube yarn supercapacitors are electrical double layer capacitors that possess relatively low energy storage capacity. Pseudocapacitance metal oxides such as MnO2 are well known for their high electrochemical performance and can be coated on carbon nanotube yarns to significantly improve the performance of two-ply carbon nanotube yarn supercapacitors. We produced a high performance asymmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitor from as-spun CNT yarn and CNT@MnO2 composite yarn in aqueous electrolyte. The as-spun CNT yarn serves as negative electrode and the CNT@MnO2 composite yarn as positive electrode. This asymmetric architecture allows the operating potential window to be extended from 1.0 to 2.0 V and results in much higher energy and power densities than the reference symmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitors, reaching 42.0 Wh kg-1 at a lower power density of 483.7 W kg-1, and 28.02 Wh kg-1 at a higher power density of 19 250 W kg-1. The asymmetric supercapacitor can sustain cyclic charge-discharge and repeated folding/unfolding actions without suffering significant deterioration of specific capacitance. The combination of high strength, flexibility and electrochemical performance makes the asymmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitor a suitable power source for flexible electronic devices for applications that require high durability and wearer comfort.

Asymmetric carbon nanotube-MnO₂ two-ply yarn supercapacitors for wearable electronics.

PubMed

Su, Fenghua; Miao, Menghe

2014-04-04

Strong and flexible two-ply carbon nanotube yarn supercapacitors are electrical double layer capacitors that possess relatively low energy storage capacity. Pseudocapacitance metal oxides such as MnO₂ are well known for their high electrochemical performance and can be coated on carbon nanotube yarns to significantly improve the performance of two-ply carbon nanotube yarn supercapacitors. We produced a high performance asymmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitor from as-spun CNT yarn and CNT@Mn₂2 composite yarn in aqueous electrolyte. The as-spun CNT yarn serves as negative electrode and the CNT@MnO₂ composite yarn as positive electrode. This asymmetric architecture allows the operating potential window to be extended from 1.0 to 2.0 V and results in much higher energy and power densities than the reference symmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitors, reaching 42.0 Wh kg(-1) at a lower power density of 483.7 W kg(-1), and 28.02 Wh kg(-1) at a higher power density of 19,250 W kg(-1). The asymmetric supercapacitor can sustain cyclic charge-discharge and repeated folding/unfolding actions without suffering significant deterioration of specific capacitance. The combination of high strength, flexibility and electrochemical performance makes the asymmetric two-ply yarn supercapacitor a suitable power source for flexible electronic devices for applications that require high durability and wearer comfort.

Prompt enhancement of the Earth's outer radiation belt due to substorm electron injections

DOE PAGES

Tang, C. L.; Zhang, J. -C.; Reeves, G. D.; ...

2016-12-17

Here, we present multipoint simultaneous observations of the near-Earth magnetotail and outer radiation belt during the substorm electron injection event on 16 August 2013. Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms A in the near-Earth magnetotail observed flux-enhanced electrons of 300 keV during the magnetic field dipolarization. Geosynchronous orbit satellites also observed the intensive electron injections. Located in the outer radiation belt, RBSP-A observed enhancements of MeV electrons accompanied by substorm dipolarization. The phase space density (PSD) of MeV electrons at L* ~5.4 increased by 1 order of magnitude in 1 h, resulting in a local PSD peakmore » of MeV electrons, which was caused by the direct effect of substorm injections. We also detected an enhanced MeV electrons in the heart of the outer radiation belt within 2 h, which may be associated with intensive substorm electron injections and subsequent local acceleration by chorus waves. Multipoint observations have shown that substorm electron injections not only can be the external source of MeV electrons at the outer edge of the outer radiation belt (L* ~5.4) but also can provide the intensive seed populations in the outer radiation belt. These initial higher-energy electrons from injection can reach relativistic energy much faster. Furthermore, these observations also provide evidence that enhanced substorm electron injections can explain rapid enhancements of MeV electrons in the outer radiation belt.« less

Prompt enhancement of the Earth's outer radiation belt due to substorm electron injections

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

Tang, C. L.; Zhang, J. -C.; Reeves, G. D.

Here, we present multipoint simultaneous observations of the near-Earth magnetotail and outer radiation belt during the substorm electron injection event on 16 August 2013. Time History of Events and Macroscale Interactions during Substorms A in the near-Earth magnetotail observed flux-enhanced electrons of 300 keV during the magnetic field dipolarization. Geosynchronous orbit satellites also observed the intensive electron injections. Located in the outer radiation belt, RBSP-A observed enhancements of MeV electrons accompanied by substorm dipolarization. The phase space density (PSD) of MeV electrons at L* ~5.4 increased by 1 order of magnitude in 1 h, resulting in a local PSD peakmore » of MeV electrons, which was caused by the direct effect of substorm injections. We also detected an enhanced MeV electrons in the heart of the outer radiation belt within 2 h, which may be associated with intensive substorm electron injections and subsequent local acceleration by chorus waves. Multipoint observations have shown that substorm electron injections not only can be the external source of MeV electrons at the outer edge of the outer radiation belt (L* ~5.4) but also can provide the intensive seed populations in the outer radiation belt. These initial higher-energy electrons from injection can reach relativistic energy much faster. Furthermore, these observations also provide evidence that enhanced substorm electron injections can explain rapid enhancements of MeV electrons in the outer radiation belt.« less

THz radiation from two electron-beams interaction within a bi-grating and a sub-wavelength holes array composite sandwich structure.

PubMed

Zhang, Yaxin; Zhou, Y; Dong, L

2013-09-23

Two electron-beams' interaction in a sandwich structure composed of a bi-grating and a sub-wavelength holes array is suggested to generate THz radiation in this paper. It shows that this system takes advantage of both bi-grating and sub-wavelength holes array structures. The results demonstrate that surface waves on a bi-grating can couple with mimicking surface plasmons of a sub-wavelength holes array so that the wave-coupling is strong and the field intensity is high in this structure. Moreover, compared with the interaction in the bi-grating structure and sub-wavelength holes array structure, respectively, it shows that in this composite system the two electron-beams' interaction is more efficient and the modulation depth and radiation intensity have been enhanced significantly. The modulation depth and efficiency can reach 22% and 4%, respectively, and the starting current density is only 12 A/cm². This radiation system may provide good opportunities for development of multi-electron beam-driven THz radiation sources.

A comparative study of the time-dependent standard 8-, 13- and 16-moment transport formulations of the polar wind

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blelly, P. L.; Schunk, . W.

1993-01-01

The ionosphere, composed of O(+), H(+), and electrons is modeled with four different transport formulations. The equations corresponding to the standard set, the 8-, 13-, and 16-moment approximations are presented, and the collision terms are expressed. Using a time-dependent technique, the ionosphere is studied between altitudes of 200 and 8600 km. The production of electrons and O(+) ions is described by a neutral atmosphere simplified photoionization scheme, while the energy deposition is supported by a downward electron heat flow of -0.005 erg/sq cm per s imposed at the topside boundary. When the models reach a steady state equilibrium, the electron solutions show differences due to the introduction of temperature anisotropies and heat flows between the components parallel and perpendicular to the magnetic field. As a corollary, the ions show structures depending on the level of approximation. A depletion of a factor of 10 is then applied to the ion densities above a certain altitude, and the development of the perturbation is followed for 1000 s for all the models.

Comparison of ONIX simulation results with experimental data from the BATMAN testbed for the study of negative ion extraction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mochalskyy, Serhiy; Fantz, Ursel; Wünderlich, Dirk; Minea, Tiberiu

2016-10-01

The development of negative ion (NI) sources for the ITER neutral beam injector is strongly accompanied by modelling activities. The ONIX (Orsay Negative Ion eXtraction) code simulates the formation and extraction of negative hydrogen ions and co-extracted electrons produced in caesiated sources. In this paper the 3D geometry of the BATMAN extraction system, and the source characteristics such as the extraction and bias potential, and the 3D magnetic field were integrated in the model. Calculations were performed using plasma parameters experimentally obtained on BATMAN. The comparison of the ONIX calculated extracted NI density with the experimental results suggests that predictive calculations of the extraction of NIs are possible. The results show that for an ideal status of the Cs conditioning the extracted hydrogen NI current density could reach ~30 mA cm-2 at 10 kV and ~20 mA cm-2 at 5 kV extraction potential, with an electron/NI current density ratio of about 1, as measured in the experiments under the same plasma and source conditions. The dependency of the extracted NI current on the NI density in the bulk plasma region from both the modeling and the experiment was investigated. The separate distributions composing the NI beam originating from the plasma bulk region and the PG surface are presented for different NI plasma volume densities and NI emission rates from the plasma grid (PG) wall, respectively. The extracted current from the NIs produced at the Cs covered PG surface, initially moving towards the bulk plasma and then being bent towards the extraction surfaces, is lower compared to the extracted NI current from directly extracted surface produced ions.

Simulation of the Plasma Density Evolution during Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating at the T-10 Tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dnestrovskij, Yu. N.; Vershkov, V. A.; Danilov, A. V.; Dnestrovskij, A. Yu.; Zenin, V. N.; Lysenko, S. E.; Melnikov, A. V.; Shelukhin, D. A.; Subbotin, G. F.; Cherkasov, S. V.

2018-01-01

In ohmically heated (OH) plasma with low recycling, an improved particle confinement (IPC) mode is established during gas puffing. However, after gas puffing is switched off, this mode is retained only for about 100 ms, after which an abrupt phase transition into the low particle confinement (LPC) mode occurs in the entire plasma cross section. During such a transition, energy transport due to heat conduction does not change. The phase transition in OH plasma is similar to the effect of density pump-out from the plasma core, which occurs after electron cyclotron heating (ECH) is switched on. Analysis of the measured plasma pressure profiles in the T-10 tokamak shows that, after gas puffing in the OH mode is switched off, the plasma pressure profile in the IPC stage becomes more peaked and, after the peakedness exceeds a certain critical value, the IPC-LPC transition occurs. Similar processes are also observed during ECH. If the pressure profile is insufficiently peaked during ECH, then the density pump-out effect comes into play only after the critical peakedness of the pressure profile is reached. In the plasma core, the density and pressure profiles are close to the corresponding canonical profiles. This allows one to derive an expression for the particle flux within the canonical profile model and formulate a criterion for the IPC-LPC transition. The time evolution of the plasma density profile during phase transitions was simulated for a number of T-10 shots with ECH and high recycling. The particle transport coefficients in the IPC and LPC phases, as well as the dependences of these coefficients on the ECH power, are determined.

Quasi-ballistic carbon nanotube array transistors with current density exceeding Si and GaAs

PubMed Central

Brady, Gerald J.; Way, Austin J.; Safron, Nathaniel S.; Evensen, Harold T.; Gopalan, Padma; Arnold, Michael S.

2016-01-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are tantalizing candidates for semiconductor electronics because of their exceptional charge transport properties and one-dimensional electrostatics. Ballistic transport approaching the quantum conductance limit of 2G0 = 4e2/h has been achieved in field-effect transistors (FETs) containing one CNT. However, constraints in CNT sorting, processing, alignment, and contacts give rise to nonidealities when CNTs are implemented in densely packed parallel arrays such as those needed for technology, resulting in a conductance per CNT far from 2G0. The consequence has been that, whereas CNTs are ultimately expected to yield FETs that are more conductive than conventional semiconductors, CNTs, instead, have underperformed channel materials, such as Si, by sixfold or more. We report quasi-ballistic CNT array FETs at a density of 47 CNTs μm−1, fabricated through a combination of CNT purification, solution-based assembly, and CNT treatment. The conductance is as high as 0.46 G0 per CNT. In parallel, the conductance of the arrays reaches 1.7 mS μm−1, which is seven times higher than the previous state-of-the-art CNT array FETs made by other methods. The saturated on-state current density is as high as 900 μA μm−1 and is similar to or exceeds that of Si FETs when compared at and equivalent gate oxide thickness and at the same off-state current density. The on-state current density exceeds that of GaAs FETs as well. This breakthrough in CNT array performance is a critical advance toward the exploitation of CNTs in logic, high-speed communications, and other semiconductor electronics technologies. PMID:27617293

Quasi-ballistic carbon nanotube array transistors with current density exceeding Si and GaAs.

PubMed

Brady, Gerald J; Way, Austin J; Safron, Nathaniel S; Evensen, Harold T; Gopalan, Padma; Arnold, Michael S

2016-09-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are tantalizing candidates for semiconductor electronics because of their exceptional charge transport properties and one-dimensional electrostatics. Ballistic transport approaching the quantum conductance limit of 2G 0 = 4e (2)/h has been achieved in field-effect transistors (FETs) containing one CNT. However, constraints in CNT sorting, processing, alignment, and contacts give rise to nonidealities when CNTs are implemented in densely packed parallel arrays such as those needed for technology, resulting in a conductance per CNT far from 2G 0. The consequence has been that, whereas CNTs are ultimately expected to yield FETs that are more conductive than conventional semiconductors, CNTs, instead, have underperformed channel materials, such as Si, by sixfold or more. We report quasi-ballistic CNT array FETs at a density of 47 CNTs μm(-1), fabricated through a combination of CNT purification, solution-based assembly, and CNT treatment. The conductance is as high as 0.46 G 0 per CNT. In parallel, the conductance of the arrays reaches 1.7 mS μm(-1), which is seven times higher than the previous state-of-the-art CNT array FETs made by other methods. The saturated on-state current density is as high as 900 μA μm(-1) and is similar to or exceeds that of Si FETs when compared at and equivalent gate oxide thickness and at the same off-state current density. The on-state current density exceeds that of GaAs FETs as well. This breakthrough in CNT array performance is a critical advance toward the exploitation of CNTs in logic, high-speed communications, and other semiconductor electronics technologies.

Plasmon enhanced heterogeneous electron transfer with continuous band energy model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Dandan; Niu, Lu; Wang, Luxia

2017-08-01

Photoinduced charge injection from a perylene dye molecule into the conduction band of a TiO2 system decorated by a metal nanoparticles (MNP) is studied theoretically. Utilizing the density matrix theory the charge transfer dynamics is analyzed. The continuous behavior of the TiO2 conduction band is accounted for by a Legendre polynomials expansion. The simulations consider optical excitation of the dye molecule coupled to the MNP and the subsequent electron injection into the TiO2 semiconductor. Due to the energy transfer coupling between the molecule and the MNP optical excitation and subsequent charge injection into semiconductor is strongly enhanced. The respective enhancement factor can reach values larger than 103. Effects of pulse duration, coupling strength and energetic resonances are also analyzed. The whole approach offers an efficient way to increase charge injection in dye-sensitized solar cells.

Particle model of full-size ITER-relevant negative ion source.

PubMed

Taccogna, F; Minelli, P; Ippolito, N

2016-02-01

This work represents the first attempt to model the full-size ITER-relevant negative ion source including the expansion, extraction, and part of the acceleration regions keeping the mesh size fine enough to resolve every single aperture. The model consists of a 2.5D particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision representation of the plane perpendicular to the filter field lines. Magnetic filter and electron deflection field have been included and a negative ion current density of j(H(-)) = 660 A/m(2) from the plasma grid (PG) is used as parameter for the neutral conversion. The driver is not yet included and a fixed ambipolar flux is emitted from the driver exit plane. Results show the strong asymmetry along the PG driven by the electron Hall (E × B and diamagnetic) drift perpendicular to the filter field. Such asymmetry creates an important dis-homogeneity in the electron current extracted from the different apertures. A steady state is not yet reached after 15 μs.

Big Data Meets Quantum Chemistry Approximations: The Δ-Machine Learning Approach.

PubMed

Ramakrishnan, Raghunathan; Dral, Pavlo O; Rupp, Matthias; von Lilienfeld, O Anatole

2015-05-12

Chemically accurate and comprehensive studies of the virtual space of all possible molecules are severely limited by the computational cost of quantum chemistry. We introduce a composite strategy that adds machine learning corrections to computationally inexpensive approximate legacy quantum methods. After training, highly accurate predictions of enthalpies, free energies, entropies, and electron correlation energies are possible, for significantly larger molecular sets than used for training. For thermochemical properties of up to 16k isomers of C7H10O2 we present numerical evidence that chemical accuracy can be reached. We also predict electron correlation energy in post Hartree-Fock methods, at the computational cost of Hartree-Fock, and we establish a qualitative relationship between molecular entropy and electron correlation. The transferability of our approach is demonstrated, using semiempirical quantum chemistry and machine learning models trained on 1 and 10% of 134k organic molecules, to reproduce enthalpies of all remaining molecules at density functional theory level of accuracy.

Electron-irradiated n+-Si as hole injection tunable anode of organic light-emitting diode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Y. Z.; Wang, Z. L.; Wang, Y. Z.; Luo, H.; Xu, W. J.; Ran, G. Z.; Qin, G. G.

2013-01-01

Traditionally, n-type silicon is not regarded as a good anode of organic light emitting diode (OLED) due to the extremely low hole concentration in it; however, when doped with Au element which acts as carrier generation centers, it can be, as shown in our previous work. In this study, we demonstrate a new kind of carrier generation centers in n+-type silicon, which are the defects produced by 5 MeV electron irradiation. The density of carrier generation centers in the irradiated n+-Si anode can be controlled by tuning the electron irradiation time, and thus hole injection current in the OLEDs with the irradiated n+-Si anode can be optimized, leading to their much higher maximum efficiencies than those of the OLEDs with non-irradiated n+-Si anode. For a green phosphorescent OLED with the irradiated n+-Si anode, the current efficiency and power efficiency reach up to 12.1 cd/A and 4.2 lm/W, respectively.

Electronic energy density in chemical reaction systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tachibana, Akitomo

2001-08-01

The energy of chemical reaction is visualized in real space using the electronic energy density nE(r⃗) associated with the electron density n(r⃗). The electronic energy density nE(r⃗) is decomposed into the kinetic energy density nT(r⃗), the external potential energy density nV(r⃗), and the interelectron potential energy density nW(r⃗). Using the electronic energy density nE(r⃗) we can pick up any point in a chemical reaction system and find how the electronic energy E is assigned to the selected point. We can then integrate the electronic energy density nE(r⃗) in any region R surrounding the point and find out the regional electronic energy ER to the global E. The kinetic energy density nT(r⃗) is used to identify the intrinsic shape of the reactants, the electronic transition state, and the reaction products along the course of the chemical reaction coordinate. The intrinsic shape is identified with the electronic interface S that discriminates the region RD of the electronic drop from the region RA of the electronic atmosphere in the density distribution of the electron gas. If the R spans the whole space, then the integral gives the total E. The regional electronic energy ER in thermodynamic ensemble is realized in electrochemistry as the intrinsic Volta electric potential φR and the intrinsic Herring-Nichols work function ΦR. We have picked up first a hydrogen-like atom for which we have analytical exact expressions of the relativistic kinetic energy density nTM(r⃗) and its nonrelativistic version nT(r⃗). These expressions are valid for any excited bound states as well as the ground state. Second, we have selected the following five reaction systems and show the figures of the nT(r⃗) as well as the other energy densities along the intrinsic reaction coordinates: a protonation reaction to He, addition reactions of HF to C2H4 and C2H2, hydrogen abstraction reactions of NH3+ from HF and NH3. Valence electrons possess their unique delocalized drop region remote from those heavily localized drop regions adhered to core electrons. The kinetic energy density nT(r⃗) and the tension density τ⃗S(r⃗) can vividly demonstrate the formation of the chemical bond. Various basic chemical concepts in these chemical reaction systems have been clearly visualized in real three-dimensional space.

Numerical Model of the Plasma Sheath Generated by the Plasma Source Instrument Aboard the Polar Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, N.; Leung, W. C.; Moore, T. E.; Craven, P. D.

2001-01-01

The plasma sheath generated by the operation of the Plasma Source Instrument (PSI) aboard the Polar satellite is studied by using a three-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) code. When the satellite passes through the region of low-density plasma, the satellite charges to positive potentials as high as 40-50 V, owing to the photoelectron emission. In such a case, ambient core ions cannot accurately be measured or detected. The goal of the onboard PSI is to reduce the floating potential of the satellite to a sufficiently low value so that the ions in the polar wind become detectable. When the PSI is operated, ion-rich xenon plasma is ejected from the satellite, such that the floating potential of the satellite is reduced and is maintained at approximately 2 V. Accordingly, in our three-dimensional PIC simulation we considered that the potential of the satellite is 2 V as a fixed bias. Considering the relatively high density of the xenon plasma in the sheath (10-10(exp 3)/cc), the ambient plasma of low density (<1/cc) is neglected. In the simulations the electric fields and plasma dynamics are calculated self-consistently. We found that an 'apple'-shape positive potential sheath forms surrounding the satellite. In the region near the PSI emission a high positive potential hill develops. Near the Thermal Ion Dynamics Experiment detector away from the PSI, the potentials are sufficiently low for the ambient polar wind ions to reach it. In the simulations it takes only about a couple of tens of electron gyroperiods for the sheath to reach a quasi steady state. This time is approximately the time taken by the heavy Xe(+) ions to expand up to about one average Larmor radius of electrons from the satellite surface. After this time the expansion of the sheath in directions transverse to the ambient magnetic field slows down because the electrons are magnetized. Using the quasi steady sheath, we performed trajectory calculations to characterize the detector response to a highly supersonic polar wind flow. The detected ions' velocity distribution shows significant deviations from a shifted Maxwellian in the ambient polar wind population. The deviations are caused by the effects of electric fields on the ions' motion as they traverse the sheath.

First principles study on structural, electronic and optical properties of Ga1-xBxP ternary alloys (x = 0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 and 1)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hoat, D. M.; Rivas Silva, J. F.; Méndez Blas, A.

2018-07-01

The structural, electronic and optical properties of GaP, BP binary compounds and their ternary alloys Ga1-xBxP (x = 0.25, 0.5 and 0.75) have been studied by full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method within the framework of density functional theory (DFT) as implemented in WIEN2k package. Local density approximation (LDA) and generalized gradient approximation (GGA) as proposed by Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE), Wu-Cohen (WC) and PBE for solid (PBESol) were used for treatment of exchange-correlation effect in calculations. Additionally, the Tran-Blaha modified Becke-Johnson (mBJ) potential was also employed for electronic and optical calculations due to that it gives very accurate band gap of solids. As B concentration increases, the lattice constant reduces and the energy band gap firstly decreases for small composition x and then it shows increasing trend until pure BP. Our results show that the indirect-direct band gap transition can be reached from x = 0.33. The linear optical properties, such as reflectivity, absorption coefficient, refractive index and optical conductivity of binary compounds and ternary alloys were derived from their calculated complex dielectric function in wide energy range up to 30 eV, and the alloying effect on these properties was also analyzed in detail.

In-situ synthetize multi-walled carbon nanotubes@MnO2 nanoflake core-shell structured materials for supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Huajun; Wang, Jiaoxia; Jia, Yi; Ma, Chun'an

2012-10-01

A new type of core-shell structured material consisting of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and manganese dioxide (MnO2) nanoflake is synthesized using an in-situ co-precipitation method. By scanning electron microscopy and transition electron microscope, it is confirmed that the core-shell nanostructure is formed by the uniform incorporation of birnessite-type MnO2 nanoflake growth round the surface of the activated-MWCNTs. That core-shell structured material electrode presents excellent electrochemical capacitance properties with the specific capacitance reaching 380 F g-1 at the current density of 5 A g-1 in 0.5 M Na2SO4 electrolyte. In addition, the electrode also exhibits good performance (the power density: 11.28 kW kg-1 at 5 A g-1) and long-term cycling stability (retaining 82.7% of its initial capacitance after 3500 cycles at 5 A g-1). It mainly attributes to MWCNTs not only providing considerable specific surface area for high mass loading of MnO2 nanoflakes to ensure effective utilization of MnO2 nanoflake, but also offering an electron pathway to improve electrical conductivity of the electrode materials. It is clearly indicated that such core-shell structured materials including MWCNTs and MnO2 nanoflake may find important applications for supercapacitors.

Gold biorecovery from e-waste: An improved strategy through spent medium leaching with pH modification.

PubMed

Natarajan, Gayathri; Ting, Yen-Peng

2015-10-01

Rapid technological advancement and relatively short life time of electronic goods have resulted in an alarming growth rate of electronic waste which often contains significant quantities of toxic and precious metals. Compared to conventional recovery methods, bioleaching is an environmentally friendly process for metal extraction. Gold was bioleached from electronic scrap materials (ESM) via gold-cyanide complexation using cyanide produced from pure and mixed cultures of cyanogenic bacteria Chromobacterium violaceum, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Pseudomonas fluorescens. As ESM was toxic to the bacteria, a two-step bioleaching approach was adopted where the solid waste was added to the bacterial culture after it has reached maximum growth and cyanide production during early stationary phase. Pure culture of C. violaceum showed the highest cyanide production, yielding maximum gold recovery of 11.3% at 0.5% w/v pulp density of ESM in two-step bioleaching. At the same pulp density of ESM, spent medium bioleaching using bacterial cell-free metabolites achieved gold recovery of 18%. Recovery increased to 30% when the pH of the spent medium was increased to shift the equilibrium in favor of cyanide ions production. It is demonstrated for the first time that pH modification of spent medium further improved metal solubilization and yielded higher metal recovery (compared to two-step bioleaching). Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Dual gas-diffusion membrane- and mediatorless dihydrogen/air-breathing biofuel cell operating at room temperature

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xia, Hong-qi; So, Keisei; Kitazumi, Yuki; Shirai, Osamu; Nishikawa, Koji; Higuchi, Yoshiki; Kano, Kenji

2016-12-01

A membraneless direct electron transfer (DET)-type dihydrogen (H2)/air-breathing biofuel cell without any mediator was constructed wherein bilirubin oxidase from Myrothecium verrucaria (BOD) and membrane-bound [NiFe] hydrogenase from Desulfovibrio vulgaris Miyazaki F (MBH) were used as biocatalysts for the cathode and the anode, respectively, and Ketjen black-modified water proof carbon paper (KB/WPCC) was used as an electrode material. The KB/WPCC surface was modified with 2-aminobenzoic acid and p-phenylenediamine, respectively, to face the positively charged electron-accepting site of BOD and the negatively charged electron-donating site of MBH to the electrode surface. A gas-diffusion system was employed for the electrodes to realize high-speed substrate supply. As result, great improvement in the current density of O2 reduction with BOD and H2 reduction with MBH were realized at negatively and postively charged surfaces, respectively. Gas diffusion system also suppressed the oxidative inactivation of MBH at high electrode potentials. Finally, based on the improved bioanode and biocathode, a dual gas-diffusion membrane- and mediatorless H2/air-breathing biofuel cell was constructed. The maximum power density reached 6.1 mW cm-2 (at 0.72 V), and the open circuit voltage was 1.12 V using 1 atm of H2 gas as a fuel at room temperature and under passive and quiescent conditions.

AlN/GaN heterostructures grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy with in situ Si 3N 4 passivation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Kai; Degroote, S.; Leys, M.; Medjdoub, F.; Derluyn, J.; Sijmus, B.; Germain, M.; Borghs, G.

2011-01-01

AlN/GaN heterostructures are very attractive because their theoretical two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) density may exceed 5×10 13/cm 2[1]. However, there are very few reports on AlN/GaN heterostructures grown by MOVPE. In this work, we show that good quality AlN layers can be grown on GaN at a relatively low growth temperature when TMIn is added to the carrier gas flow as a surfactant. Analysis by RBS revealed that at a growth temperature of 900 °C or higher no Indium is actually incorporated. Various thicknesses of AlN are grown, from 2 to 8 nm. Finally, 2-3 nm in situ Si 3N 4 is deposited in order to protect the AlN surface and thus prevent stress relaxation. AFM revealed that the root-mean-square (RMS) roughness in a 1×1 μm 2 area is 0.25 nm. When the AlN thickness reaches 8 nm, the sheet resistance can be as low as 186±3 Ω/□. Van der Pauw-Hall measurements show that the electron density is about 2.5×10 13/cm 2 with electron mobility exceeding 1140 cm 2/V s when extra 50 nm PECVD SiN is deposited.

High power density from a miniature microbial fuel cell using Shewanella oneidensis DSP10.

PubMed

Ringeisen, Bradley R; Henderson, Emily; Wu, Peter K; Pietron, Jeremy; Ray, Ricky; Little, Brenda; Biffinger, Justin C; Jones-Meehan, Joanne M

2006-04-15

A miniature microbial fuel cell (mini-MFC) is described that demonstrates high output power per device cross-section (2.0 cm2) and volume (1.2 cm3). Shewanella oneidensis DSP10 in growth medium with lactate and buffered ferricyanide solutions were used as the anolyte and catholyte, respectively. Maximum power densities of 24 and 10 mW/m2 were measured using the true surface areas of reticulated vitreous carbon (RVC) and graphite felt (GF) electrodes without the addition of exogenous mediators in the anolyte. Current densities at maximum power were measured as 44 and 20 mA/m2 for RVC and GF, while short circuit current densities reached 32 mA/m2 for GF anodes and 100 mA/m2 for RVC. When the power density for GF was calculated using the cross sectional area of the device or the volume of the anode chamber, we found values (3 W/m2, 500 W/m3) similar to the maxima reported in the literature. The addition of electron mediators resulted in current and power increases of 30-100%. These power densities were surprisingly high considering a pure S. oneidensis culture was used. We found that the short diffusion lengths and high surface-area-to-chamber volume ratio utilized in the mini-MFC enhanced power density when compared to output from similar macroscopic MFCs.

Energy challenges in optical access and aggregation networks.

PubMed

Kilper, Daniel C; Rastegarfar, Houman

2016-03-06

Scalability is a critical issue for access and aggregation networks as they must support the growth in both the size of data capacity demands and the multiplicity of access points. The number of connected devices, the Internet of Things, is growing to the tens of billions. Prevailing communication paradigms are reaching physical limitations that make continued growth problematic. Challenges are emerging in electronic and optical systems and energy increasingly plays a central role. With the spectral efficiency of optical systems approaching the Shannon limit, increasing parallelism is required to support higher capacities. For electronic systems, as the density and speed increases, the total system energy, thermal density and energy per bit are moving into regimes that become impractical to support-for example requiring single-chip processor powers above the 100 W limit common today. We examine communication network scaling and energy use from the Internet core down to the computer processor core and consider implications for optical networks. Optical switching in data centres is identified as a potential model from which scalable access and aggregation networks for the future Internet, with the application of integrated photonic devices and intelligent hybrid networking, will emerge. © 2016 The Author(s).

Calculated effects of backscattering on skin dosimetry for nuclear fuel fragments.

PubMed

Aydarous, A Sh

2008-01-01

The size of hot particles contained in nuclear fallout ranges from 10 nm to 20 microm for the worldwide weapons fallout. Hot particles from nuclear power reactors can be significantly bigger (100 microm to several millimetres). Electron backscattering from such particles is a prominent secondary effect in beta dosimetry for radiological protection purposes, such as skin dosimetry. In this study, the effect of electron backscattering due to hot particles contamination on skin dose is investigated. These include parameters such as detector area, source radius, source energy, scattering material and source density. The Monte-Carlo Neutron Particle code (MCNP4C) was used to calculate the depth dose distribution for 10 different beta sources and various materials. The backscattering dose factors (BSDF) were then calculated. A significant dependence is shown for the BSDF magnitude upon detector area, source radius and scatterers. It is clearly shown that the BSDF increases with increasing detector area. For high Z scatterers, the BSDF can reach as high as 40 and 100% for sources with radii 0.1 and 0.0001 cm, respectively. The variation of BSDF with source radius, source energy and source density is discussed.

Deuterium results at the negative ion source test facility ELISE

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kraus, W.; Wünderlich, D.; Fantz, U.; Heinemann, B.; Bonomo, F.; Riedl, R.

2018-05-01

The ITER neutral beam system will be equipped with large radio frequency (RF) driven negative ion sources, with a cross section of 0.9 m × 1.9 m, which have to deliver extracted D- ion beams of 57 A at 1 MeV for 1 h. On the extraction from a large ion source experiment test facility, a source of half of this size is being operational since 2013. The goal of this experiment is to demonstrate a high operational reliability and to achieve the extracted current densities and beam properties required for ITER. Technical improvements of the source design and the RF system were necessary to provide reliable operation in steady state with an RF power of up to 300 kW. While in short pulses the required D- current density has almost been reached, the performance in long pulses is determined in particular in Deuterium by inhomogeneous and unstable currents of co-extracted electrons. By application of refined caesium evaporation and distribution procedures, and reduction and symmetrization of the electron currents, considerable progress has been made and up to 190 A/m2 D-, corresponding to 66% of the value required for ITER, have been extracted for 45 min.

Efficient Conversion of Lignin to Electricity Using a Novel Direct Biomass Fuel Cell Mediated by Polyoxometalates at Low Temperatures.

PubMed

Zhao, Xuebing; Zhu, J Y

2016-01-01

A novel polyoxometalates (POMs) mediated direct biomass fuel cell (DBFC) was used in this study to directly convert lignin to electricity at low temperatures with high power output and Faradaic efficiency. When phosphomolybdic acid H3 PMo12 O40 (PMo12) was used as the electron and proton carrier in the anode solution with a carbon electrode, and O2 was directly used as the final electron acceptor under the catalysis of Pt, the peak power density reached 0.96 mW cm(-2), 560 times higher than that of phenol-fueled microbial fuel cells (MFCs). When the cathode reaction was catalyzed by PMo12, the power density could be greatly enhanced to 5 mW cm(-2). Continuous operation demonstrated that this novel fuel cell was promising as a stable electrochemical power source. Structure analysis of the lignin indicated that the hydroxyl group content was reduced whereas the carbonyl group content increased. Both condensation and depolymerization takes place during the PMo12 oxidation of lignin. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Shape-controlled synthesis of NiCo2S4 and their charge storage characteristics in supercapacitors.

PubMed

Zhang, Yufei; Ma, Mingze; Yang, Jun; Sun, Chencheng; Su, Haiquan; Huang, Wei; Dong, Xiaochen

2014-08-21

In this work, a facile hydrothermal approach for the shape-controlled synthesis of NiCo2S4 architectures is reported. Four different morphologies, urchin-, tube-, flower-, and cubic-like NiCo2S4 microstructures, have been successfully synthesized by employing various solvents. The obtained precursors and products have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It is revealed that the supersaturation of nucleation and crystal growth is determined by the solvent polarity and solubility, which can precisely control the morphology of NiCo2S4 microstructures. The detailed electrochemical performances of the various NiCo2S4 microstructures are investigated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements. The results indicate that the tube-like NiCo2S4 exhibits promising capacitive properties with high capacitance and excellent retention. Its specific capacitance can reach 1048 F g(-1) at the current density of 3.0 A g(-1) and 75.9% of its initial capacitance is maintained at the current density of 10.0 A g(-1) after 5000 charge-discharge cycles.

Shape-controlled synthesis of NiCo2S4 and their charge storage characteristics in supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yufei; Ma, Mingze; Yang, Jun; Sun, Chencheng; Su, Haiquan; Huang, Wei; Dong, Xiaochen

2014-07-01

In this work, a facile hydrothermal approach for the shape-controlled synthesis of NiCo2S4 architectures is reported. Four different morphologies, urchin-, tube-, flower-, and cubic-like NiCo2S4 microstructures, have been successfully synthesized by employing various solvents. The obtained precursors and products have been characterized by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. It is revealed that the supersaturation of nucleation and crystal growth is determined by the solvent polarity and solubility, which can precisely control the morphology of NiCo2S4 microstructures. The detailed electrochemical performances of the various NiCo2S4 microstructures are investigated by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements. The results indicate that the tube-like NiCo2S4 exhibits promising capacitive properties with high capacitance and excellent retention. Its specific capacitance can reach 1048 F g-1 at the current density of 3.0 A g-1 and 75.9% of its initial capacitance is maintained at the current density of 10.0 A g-1 after 5000 charge-discharge cycles.

Electricity generation and wastewater treatment of oil refinery in microbial fuel cells using Pseudomonas putida.

PubMed

Majumder, Dip; Maity, Jyoti Prakash; Tseng, Min-Jen; Nimje, Vanita Roshan; Chen, Hau-Ren; Chen, Chien-Cheng; Chang, Young-Fo; Yang, Tsui-Chu; Chen, Chen-Yen

2014-09-22

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a novel platform for treating wastewater and at the same time generating electricity. Using Pseudomonas putida (BCRC 1059), a wild-type bacterium, we demonstrated that the refinery wastewater could be treated and also generate electric current in an air-cathode chamber over four-batch cycles for 63 cumulative days. Our study indicated that the oil refinery wastewater containing 2213 mg/L (ppm) chemical oxygen demand (COD) could be used as a substrate for electricity generation in the reactor of the MFC. A maximum voltage of 355 mV was obtained with the highest power density of 0.005 mW/cm² in the third cycle with a maximum current density of 0.015 mA/cm² in regard to the external resistor of 1000 Ω. A maximum coulombic efficiency of 6 × 10⁻²% was obtained in the fourth cycle. The removal efficiency of the COD reached 30% as a function of time. Electron transfer mechanism was studied using cyclic voltammetry, which indicated the presence of a soluble electron shuttle in the reactor. Our study demonstrated that oil refinery wastewater could be used as a substrate for electricity generation.

Spatial and temporal dynamics of a pulsed spark microplasma used for aerosol analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Lina; Kulkarni, Pramod; Diwakar, Prasoon

2018-06-01

The spatial and temporal dynamics of a pulsed, electrical spark microplasma used for spectrochemical analysis of aerosols was investigated. The spark discharge was generated by applying a high voltage pulse between a coaxial anode and cathode. Aerosol particles of black carbon were collected on the cathode for 2 min, following which the pulsed microplasma was introduced, leading to ablation and atomization of the collected particles. The space- and time-resolved emission spectra showed that the atomic emission signal from the carbon species originated from the region close to the cathode surface during the early evolution of the microplasma. The C I and C II atomic emission reached peak intensities at 11 and 6 μs delay time, respectively. Peak emission intensities occurred between 0.5-1.3 mm above the cathode surface. The average excitation temperature and the electron number density of the spark microplasma were estimated to be 23,000 K, and 1.6 × 1017 cm-3, respectively. The effects of pulse energy on the excitation temperature and electron density were also investigated. The results provide insights into the dynamics of the pulsed spark microplasma and are helpful in optimizing elemental analysis of aerosols using this technique.

Disruption mitigation and avoidance at ASDEX Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Maraschek, M.; Pautasso, G.; Esposito, B.; Granucci, G.; Stober, J.; Treutterer, W.

2009-11-01

Disruptions are a major concern for tokamaks and in particular for ITER. They cause high heat loads during the thermal quench and high mechanical forces during the subsequent current quench. The generation and loss of runaway electrons (highly accelerated electrons carrying large fractions of the plasma current) can produce damage to the vessel structures. Therefore, schemes are implemented in present tokamaks to mitigate or to even avoid them. Mitigation has been proven to be effective through the injection of noble gases causing a reduction of the thermal heat load by radiation and a reduction of the mechanical forces. In addition 25% of the required density for the collisional suppression of runaways in ITER has been reached. For the trigger of the noble gas injection a locked mode detector is routinely used at ASDEX Upgrade. An extension to more complex precursors is planed. A different approach has been used for disruption avoidance by injecting ECRH triggered by the loop voltage increase before the disruption. The avoidance of an ongoing density limit disruption has been achieved when the ECRH is deposited at resonant surfaces where MHD modes, such as the m=2/n=1, occur. Present schemes for the mitigation and eventually avoidance of disruptions will be discussed.

Combining density functional theory calculations, supercomputing, and data-driven methods to design new materials (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Anubhav

2017-04-01

Density functional theory (DFT) simulations solve for the electronic structure of materials starting from the Schrödinger equation. Many case studies have now demonstrated that researchers can often use DFT to design new compounds in the computer (e.g., for batteries, catalysts, and hydrogen storage) before synthesis and characterization in the lab. In this talk, I will focus on how DFT calculations can be executed on large supercomputing resources in order to generate very large data sets on new materials for functional applications. First, I will briefly describe the Materials Project, an effort at LBNL that has virtually characterized over 60,000 materials using DFT and has shared the results with over 17,000 registered users. Next, I will talk about how such data can help discover new materials, describing how preliminary computational screening led to the identification and confirmation of a new family of bulk AMX2 thermoelectric compounds with measured zT reaching 0.8. I will outline future plans for how such data-driven methods can be used to better understand the factors that control thermoelectric behavior, e.g., for the rational design of electronic band structures, in ways that are different from conventional approaches.

How large B-factors can be in protein crystal structures.

PubMed

Carugo, Oliviero

2018-02-23

Protein crystal structures are potentially over-interpreted since they are routinely refined without any restraint on the upper limit of atomic B-factors. Consequently, some of their atoms, undetected in the electron density maps, are allowed to reach extremely large B-factors, even above 100 square Angstroms, and their final positions are purely speculative and not based on any experimental evidence. A strategy to define B-factors upper limits is described here, based on the analysis of protein crystal structures deposited in the Protein Data Bank prior 2008, when the tendency to allow B-factor to arbitrary inflate was limited. This B-factor upper limit (B_max) is determined by extrapolating the relationship between crystal structure average B-factor and percentage of crystal volume occupied by solvent (pcVol) to pcVol =100%, when, ab absurdo, the crystal contains only liquid solvent, the structure of which is, by definition, undetectable in electron density maps. It is thus possible to highlight structures with average B-factors larger than B_max, which should be considered with caution by the users of the information deposited in the Protein Data Bank, in order to avoid scientifically deleterious over-interpretations.

Uniaxial pressure effect on the magnetic ordered moment and transition temperatures in BaFe 2 - x T x As 2 ( T = Co , Ni )

DOE PAGES

Tam, David W.; Song, Yu; Man, Haoran; ...

2017-02-17

In this paper, we use neutron diffraction and muon spin relaxation to study the effect of in-plane uniaxial pressure on the antiferromagnetic (AF) orthorhombic phase in BaFe 2As 2 and its Co- and Ni-substituted members near optimal superconductivity. In the low-temperature AF ordered state, uniaxial pressure necessary to detwin the orthorhombic crystals also increases the magnetic ordered moment, reaching an 11% increase under 40 MPa for BaFe 1.9Co 0.1As 2, and a 15% increase for BaFe 1.915Ni 0.085As 2. We also observe an increase of the AF ordering temperature (T N) of about 0.25 K/MPa in all compounds, consistent withmore » density functional theory calculations that reveal better Fermi surface nesting for itinerant electrons under uniaxial pressure. Finally, the doping dependence of the magnetic ordered moment is captured by combining dynamical mean field theory with density functional theory, suggesting that the pressure-induced moment increase near optimal superconductivity is closely related to quantum fluctuations and the nearby electronic nematic phase.« less

Substrate-biasing during plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition to tailor metal-oxide thin film growth

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

Profijt, H. B.; Sanden, M. C. M. van de; Kessels, W. M. M.

2013-01-15

Two substrate-biasing techniques, i.e., substrate-tuned biasing and RF biasing, have been implemented in a remote plasma configuration, enabling control of the ion energy during plasma-assisted atomic layer deposition (ALD). With both techniques, substrate bias voltages up to -200 V have been reached, which allowed for ion energies up to 272 eV. Besides the bias voltage, the ion energy and the ion flux, also the electron temperature, the electron density, and the optical emission of the plasma have been measured. The effects of substrate biasing during plasma-assisted ALD have been investigated for Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Co{sub 3}O{sub 4}, and TiO{sub 2}more » thin films. The growth per cycle, the mass density, and the crystallinity have been investigated, and it was found that these process and material properties can be tailored using substrate biasing. Additionally, the residual stress in substrates coated with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films varied with the substrate bias voltage. The results reported in this article demonstrate that substrate biasing is a promising technique to tailor the material properties of thin films synthesized by plasma-assisted ALD.« less

Electricity Generation and Wastewater Treatment of Oil Refinery in Microbial Fuel Cells Using Pseudomonas putida

PubMed Central

Majumder, Dip; Maity, Jyoti Prakash; Tseng, Min-Jen; Nimje, Vanita Roshan; Chen, Hau-Ren; Chen, Chien-Cheng; Chang, Young-Fo; Yang, Tsui-Chu; Chen, Chen-Yen

2014-01-01

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) represent a novel platform for treating wastewater and at the same time generating electricity. Using Pseudomonas putida (BCRC 1059), a wild-type bacterium, we demonstrated that the refinery wastewater could be treated and also generate electric current in an air-cathode chamber over four-batch cycles for 63 cumulative days. Our study indicated that the oil refinery wastewater containing 2213 mg/L (ppm) chemical oxygen demand (COD) could be used as a substrate for electricity generation in the reactor of the MFC. A maximum voltage of 355 mV was obtained with the highest power density of 0.005 mW/cm2 in the third cycle with a maximum current density of 0.015 mA/cm2 in regard to the external resistor of 1000 Ω. A maximum coulombic efficiency of 6 × 10−2% was obtained in the fourth cycle. The removal efficiency of the COD reached 30% as a function of time. Electron transfer mechanism was studied using cyclic voltammetry, which indicated the presence of a soluble electron shuttle in the reactor. Our study demonstrated that oil refinery wastewater could be used as a substrate for electricity generation. PMID:25247576

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

Xue, Haizhou; Zhang, Yanwen; Zhu, Zihua

Single crystalline 6H-SiC samples were irradiated at 150 K using 2MeV Pt ions. Local volume swelling is determined by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), a nearly sigmoidal dependence with irradiation dose is observed. The disorder profiles and ion distribution are determined by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), transmission electron microscopy and secondary ion mass spectrum. Since the volume swelling reaches 12% over the damage region under high ion fluence, lattice expansion is considered and corrected during the data analysis of RBS spectra to obtain depth profiles. Projectile and damage profiles are estimated by SRIM (Stopping and Range of Ions in Matter).more » Comparing with the measured profiles, SRIM code significantly overestimates the electronic stopping power for the slow heavy Pt ions, and large derivations are observed in the predicted ion distribution and the damage profiles. Utilizing the reciprocity method that is based on the invariance of the inelastic excitation in ion atom collisions against interchange of projectile and target, much lower electronic stopping is deduced. A simple approach based on reducing the density of SiC target in SRIM simulation is proposed to compensate the overestimated SRIM electronic stopping power values. Better damage profile and ion range are predicted.« less

Surface sensitization mechanism on negative electron affinity p-GaN nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Diao, Yu; Liu, Lei; Xia, Sihao; Feng, Shu; Lu, Feifei

2018-03-01

The surface sensitization is the key to prepare negative electron affinity photocathode. The thesis emphasizes on the study of surface sensitization mechanism of p-type doping GaN nanowires utilizing first principles based on density function theory. The adsorption energy, work function, dipole moment, geometry structure, electronic structure and optical properties of Mg-doped GaN nanowires surfaces with various coverages of Cs atoms are investigated. The GaN nanowire with Mg doped in core position is taken as the sensitization base. At the initial stage of sensitization, the best adsorption site for Cs atom on GaN nanowire surface is BN, the bridge site of two adjacent N atoms. Surface sensitization generates a p-type internal surface with an n-type surface state, introducing a band bending region which can help reduce surface barrier and work function. With increasing Cs coverage, work functions decrease monotonously and the "Cs-kill" phenomenon disappears. For Cs coverage of 0.75 ML and 1 ML, the corresponding sensitization systems reach negative electron affinity state. Through surface sensitization, the absorption curves are red shifted and the absorption coefficient is cut down. All theoretical calculations can guide the design of negative electron affinity Mg doped GaN nanowires photocathode.

Enhanced electron mobility at the two-dimensional metallic surface of BaSnO3 electric-double-layer transistor at low temperatures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fujiwara, Kohei; Nishihara, Kazuki; Shiogai, Junichi; Tsukazaki, Atsushi

2017-05-01

Wide-bandgap oxides exhibiting high electron mobility hold promise for the development of useful electronic and optoelectronic devices as well as for basic research on two-dimensional electron transport phenomena. A perovskite-type tin oxide, BaSnO3, is currently one of such targets owing to distinctly high mobility at room temperature. The challenge to overcome towards the use of BaSnO3 thin films in applications is suppression of dislocation scattering, which is one of the dominant scattering origins for electron transport. Here, we show that the mobility of the BaSnO3 electric-double-layer transistor reaches 300 cm2 V-1 s-1 at 50 K. The improved mobility indicates that charged dislocation scattering is effectively screened by electrostatically doped high-density charge carriers. We also observed metallic conduction persisting down to 2 K, which is attributed to the transition to the degenerate semiconductor. The experimental verification of bulk-level mobility at the densely accumulated surface sheds more light on the importance of suppression of dislocation scattering by interface engineering in doped BaSnO3 thin films for transparent electrode applications.

Nonlinear Right-Hand Polarized Wave in Plasma in the Electron Cyclotron Resonance Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Krasovitskiy, V. B.; Turikov, V. A.

2018-05-01

The propagation of a nonlinear right-hand polarized wave along an external magnetic field in subcritical plasma in the electron cyclotron resonance region is studied using numerical simulations. It is shown that a small-amplitude plasma wave excited in low-density plasma is unstable against modulation instability with a modulation period equal to the wavelength of the excited wave. The modulation amplitude in this case increases with decreasing detuning from the resonance frequency. The simulations have shown that, for large-amplitude waves of the laser frequency range propagating in plasma in a superstrong magnetic field, the maximum amplitude of the excited longitudinal electric field increases with the increasing external magnetic field and can reach 30% of the initial amplitude of the electric field in the laser wave. In this case, the energy of plasma electrons begins to substantially increase already at magnetic fields significantly lower than the resonance value. The laser energy transferred to plasma electrons in a strong external magnetic field is found to increase severalfold compared to that in isotropic plasma. It is shown that this mechanism of laser radiation absorption depends only slightly on the electron temperature.

Impurity sputtering from the guard limiter of the lower hybrid wave antenna in a tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ou, Jing; Xiang, Nong; Men, Zongzheng

2018-01-01

The hot spots on the guard limiter of the lower hybrid wave (LHW) antenna in a tokamak were believed to be associated with the energetic electrons produced by the wave-plasma interaction, leading to a sudden increase of impurity influx and even ending with disruption. To investigate the carbon sputtering from the guard limiter of the LHW antenna, the impurity sputtering yield is calculated by coupling the module of Plasma Surface Interaction [Warrier et al., Comput. Phys. Commun. 46, 160 (2004)] with the models for the sheath of plasma containing energetic electron and for the material heat transport. It is found that the presence of a small population of energetic electrons can change significantly the impurity sputtering yield, as a result of the sheath potential modification. For the typical plasma parameters in the current tokamak, with an increase in the energetic electron component, the physical sputtering yield reaches its maximum and then decreases slowly, while the chemical sputtering yield demonstrates a very sharp increase and then decreases rapidly. In addition, effects of the ion temperature and background electron density on the impurity sputtering are also discussed.

Shack-Hartmann Electron Densitometer (SHED): An Optical System for Diagnosing Free Electron Density in Laser-Produced Plasmas

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-11-01

a few nanoseconds. The challenge remains to diagnose plasmas via the free electron density in this short window of time and often in a small volume ...Free Electron Density in Laser-Produced Plasmas by Anthony R Valenzuela Approved for public release; distribution is...US Army Research Laboratory Shack-Hartmann Electron Densitometer (SHED): An Optical System for Diagnosing Free Electron Density in Laser

Electron dynamics in high energy density plasma bunch generation driven by intense picosecond laser pulse

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, M.; Yuan, T.; Xu, Y. X.; Luo, S. N.

2018-05-01

When an intense picosecond laser pulse is loaded upon a dense plasma, a high energy density plasma bunch, including electron bunch and ion bunch, can be generated in the target. We simulate this process through one-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation and find that the electron bunch generation is mainly due to a local high energy density electron sphere originated in the plasma skin layer. Once generated the sphere rapidly expands to compress the surrounding electrons and induce high density electron layer, coupled with that, hot electrons are efficiently triggered in the local sphere and traveling in the whole target. Under the compressions of light pressure, forward-running and backward-running hot electrons, a high energy density electron bunch generates. The bunch energy density is as high as TJ/m3 order of magnitude in our conditions, which is significant in laser driven dynamic high pressure generation and may find applications in high energy density physics.

Saving a Unique Data Set for Space Weather Research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilitza, D.; Benson, R. F.; Reinisch, B. W.; Huang, X. A.

2017-12-01

The Canadian/US International Satellites for Ionospheric Studies (ISIS) program included the four satellites Alouette 1 and 2, ISIS 1 and 2 launched in 1962, 1965, 1969, and 1971, respectively and in operation for 10, 10, 21, and 19 years, respectively. The core experiment on these satellites was a topside sounder that could determine the ionospheric electron density from the orbit altitude down to about 250-500 km near where the ionosphere reaches its point of highest density, the F-peak. The mission was long lasting and highly successful, producing a wealth of information about the topside ionosphere in the form of analog ionosphere soundings on 7-track tapes. The analysis process required a tedious manual scaling of ionogram traces that could then, with appropriate software, be converted into electron density profiles. Even with the combined effort involving ionospheric groups from many countries only a relatively small percentage of the huge volume of recorded ionograms could be converted to electron density profiles. Even with this limited number significant new insights were achieved documented by the many Alouette/ISIS-related papers published in the 1960s and 1970s. Recognizing the importance of this unique data set for space weather research a new effort was undertaken in the late Nineties to analyze more of the Alouette/ISIS ionograms. The immediate cause for action was the threat to the more than 100,000 analog telemetry tapes in storage in Canada because of space limitations and storage costs. We were able to have nearly 20,000 tapes shipped to the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center for analog-to-digital conversion and succeeded in developing software that automatically scales and converts the ionograms to electron density profiles. This rescue effort is still ongoing and has already produced a significant increase in the information available for the topside ionosphere and has resulted in numerous publications. The data have led to improvements of the representation of the topside ionosphere in the International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) the international standard for the ionosphere. The data are of particular interest for studying the effects of ionospheric storms on topside profiles and, together with newer data, for studying the solar cycle and long-term variations of the ionospheric topside.

A divide-conquer-recombine algorithmic paradigm for large spatiotemporal quantum molecular dynamics simulations

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

Shimojo, Fuyuki; Hattori, Shinnosuke; Department of Physics, Kumamoto University, Kumamoto 860-8555

We introduce an extension of the divide-and-conquer (DC) algorithmic paradigm called divide-conquer-recombine (DCR) to perform large quantum molecular dynamics (QMD) simulations on massively parallel supercomputers, in which interatomic forces are computed quantum mechanically in the framework of density functional theory (DFT). In DCR, the DC phase constructs globally informed, overlapping local-domain solutions, which in the recombine phase are synthesized into a global solution encompassing large spatiotemporal scales. For the DC phase, we design a lean divide-and-conquer (LDC) DFT algorithm, which significantly reduces the prefactor of the O(N) computational cost for N electrons by applying a density-adaptive boundary condition at themore » peripheries of the DC domains. Our globally scalable and locally efficient solver is based on a hybrid real-reciprocal space approach that combines: (1) a highly scalable real-space multigrid to represent the global charge density; and (2) a numerically efficient plane-wave basis for local electronic wave functions and charge density within each domain. Hybrid space-band decomposition is used to implement the LDC-DFT algorithm on parallel computers. A benchmark test on an IBM Blue Gene/Q computer exhibits an isogranular parallel efficiency of 0.984 on 786 432 cores for a 50.3 × 10{sup 6}-atom SiC system. As a test of production runs, LDC-DFT-based QMD simulation involving 16 661 atoms is performed on the Blue Gene/Q to study on-demand production of hydrogen gas from water using LiAl alloy particles. As an example of the recombine phase, LDC-DFT electronic structures are used as a basis set to describe global photoexcitation dynamics with nonadiabatic QMD (NAQMD) and kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) methods. The NAQMD simulations are based on the linear response time-dependent density functional theory to describe electronic excited states and a surface-hopping approach to describe transitions between the excited states. A series of techniques are employed for efficiently calculating the long-range exact exchange correction and excited-state forces. The NAQMD trajectories are analyzed to extract the rates of various excitonic processes, which are then used in KMC simulation to study the dynamics of the global exciton flow network. This has allowed the study of large-scale photoexcitation dynamics in 6400-atom amorphous molecular solid, reaching the experimental time scales.« less

Representing the thermal state in time-dependent density functional theory

DOE PAGES

Modine, N. A.; Hatcher, R. M.

2015-05-28

Classical molecular dynamics (MD) provides a powerful and widely used approach to determining thermodynamic properties by integrating the classical equations of motion of a system of atoms. Time-Dependent Density Functional Theory (TDDFT) provides a powerful and increasingly useful approach to integrating the quantum equations of motion for a system of electrons. TDDFT efficiently captures the unitary evolution of a many-electron state by mapping the system into a fictitious non-interacting system. In analogy to MD, one could imagine obtaining the thermodynamic properties of an electronic system from a TDDFT simulation in which the electrons are excited from their ground state bymore » a time-dependent potential and then allowed to evolve freely in time while statistical data are captured from periodic snapshots of the system. For a variety of systems (e.g., many metals), the electrons reach an effective state of internal equilibrium due to electron-electron interactions on a time scale that is short compared to electron-phonon equilibration. During the initial time-evolution of such systems following electronic excitation, electron-phonon interactions should be negligible, and therefore, TDDFT should successfully capture the internal thermalization of the electrons. However, it is unclear how TDDFT represents the resulting thermal state. In particular, the thermal state is usually represented in quantum statistical mechanics as a mixed state, while the occupations of the TDDFT wave functions are fixed by the initial state in TDDFT. Two key questions involve (1) reformulating quantum statistical mechanics so that thermodynamic expectations can be obtained as an unweighted average over a set of many-body pure states and (2) constructing a family of non-interacting (single determinant) TDDFT states that approximate the required many-body states for the canonical ensemble. In Section II, we will address these questions by first demonstrating that thermodynamic expectations can be evaluated by averaging over certain many-body pure states, which we will call thermal states, and then constructing TDDFT states that approximate these thermal states. In Section III, we will present some numerical tests of the resulting theory, and in Section IV, we will summarize our main results and discuss some possible future directions for this work.« less

Development of a high current 60 keV neutral lithium beam injector for beam emission spectroscopy measurements on fusion experiments.

PubMed

Anda, G; Dunai, D; Lampert, M; Krizsanóczi, T; Németh, J; Bató, S; Nam, Y U; Hu, G H; Zoletnik, S

2018-01-01

A 60 keV neutral lithium beam system was designed and built up for beam emission spectroscopy measurement of edge plasma on the KSTAR and EAST tokamaks. The electron density profile and its fluctuation can be measured using the accelerated lithium beam-based emission spectroscopy system. A thermionic ion source was developed with a SiC heater to emit around 4-5 mA ion current from a 14 mm diameter surface. The ion optic is following the 2 step design used on other devices with small modifications to reach about 2-3 cm beam diameter in the plasma at about 4 m from the ion source. A newly developed recirculating sodium vapour neutralizer neutralizes the accelerated ion beam at around 260-280 °C even during long (<20 s) discharges. A set of new beam diagnostic and manipulation techniques are applied to allow optimization, aiming, cleaning, and beam modulation. The maximum 60 keV beam energy with 4 mA ion current was successfully reached at KSTAR and at EAST. Combined with an efficient observation system, the Li-beam diagnostic enables the measurement of the density profile and fluctuations on the plasma turbulence time scale.

Physics of grain boundaries in polycrystalline photovoltaic semiconductors

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

Yan, Yanfa, E-mail: yanfa.yan@utoledo.edu; Yin, Wan-Jian; Wu, Yelong

2015-03-21

Thin-film solar cells based on polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} (CIGS) and CdTe photovoltaic semiconductors have reached remarkable laboratory efficiencies. It is surprising that these thin-film polycrystalline solar cells can reach such high efficiencies despite containing a high density of grain boundaries (GBs), which would seem likely to be nonradiative recombination centers for photo-generated carriers. In this paper, we review our atomistic theoretical understanding of the physics of grain boundaries in CIGS and CdTe absorbers. We show that intrinsic GBs with dislocation cores exhibit deep gap states in both CIGS and CdTe. However, in each solar cell device, the GBs can bemore » chemically modified to improve their photovoltaic properties. In CIGS cells, GBs are found to be Cu-rich and contain O impurities. Density-functional theory calculations reveal that such chemical changes within GBs can remove most of the unwanted gap states. In CdTe cells, GBs are found to contain a high concentration of Cl atoms. Cl atoms donate electrons, creating n-type GBs between p-type CdTe grains, forming local p-n-p junctions along GBs. This leads to enhanced current collections. Therefore, chemical modification of GBs allows for high efficiency polycrystalline CIGS and CdTe thin-film solar cells.« less

Development of a high current 60 keV neutral lithium beam injector for beam emission spectroscopy measurements on fusion experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anda, G.; Dunai, D.; Lampert, M.; Krizsanóczi, T.; Németh, J.; Bató, S.; Nam, Y. U.; Hu, G. H.; Zoletnik, S.

2018-01-01

A 60 keV neutral lithium beam system was designed and built up for beam emission spectroscopy measurement of edge plasma on the KSTAR and EAST tokamaks. The electron density profile and its fluctuation can be measured using the accelerated lithium beam-based emission spectroscopy system. A thermionic ion source was developed with a SiC heater to emit around 4-5 mA ion current from a 14 mm diameter surface. The ion optic is following the 2 step design used on other devices with small modifications to reach about 2-3 cm beam diameter in the plasma at about 4 m from the ion source. A newly developed recirculating sodium vapour neutralizer neutralizes the accelerated ion beam at around 260-280 °C even during long (<20 s) discharges. A set of new beam diagnostic and manipulation techniques are applied to allow optimization, aiming, cleaning, and beam modulation. The maximum 60 keV beam energy with 4 mA ion current was successfully reached at KSTAR and at EAST. Combined with an efficient observation system, the Li-beam diagnostic enables the measurement of the density profile and fluctuations on the plasma turbulence time scale.

Physics of grain boundaries in polycrystalline photovoltaic semiconductors

DOE PAGES

Yan, Yanfa; Yin, Wan-Jian; Wu, Yelong; ...

2015-03-16

Thin-film solar cells based on polycrystalline Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) and CdTe photovoltaic semiconductors have reached remarkable laboratory efficiencies. It is surprising that these thin-film polycrystalline solar cells can reach such high efficiencies despite containing a high density of grain boundaries (GBs), which would seem likely to be nonradiative recombination centers for photo-generated carriers. In this study, we review our atomistic theoretical understanding of the physics of grain boundaries in CIGS and CdTe absorbers. We show that intrinsic GBs with dislocation cores exhibit deep gap states in both CIGS and CdTe. Although, in each solar cell device, the GBs can bemore » chemically modified to improve their photovoltaic properties. In CIGS cells, GBs are found to be Cu-rich and contain O impurities. Density-functional theory calculations reveal that such chemical changes within GBs can remove most of the unwanted gap states. In CdTe cells, GBs are found to contain a high concentration of Cl atoms. Cl atoms donate electrons, creating n-type GBs between p-type CdTe grains, forming local p-n-p junctions along GBs. This leads to enhanced current collections. In conclusion, chemical modification of GBs allows for high efficiency polycrystalline CIGS and CdTe thin-film solar cells.« less

Spin-Valve and Spin-Tunneling Devices: Read Heads, MRAMs, Field Sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Freitas, P. P.

Hard disk magnetic data storage is increasing at a steady state in terms of units sold, with 144 million drives sold in 1998 (107 million for desktops, 18 million for portables, and 19 million for enterprise drives), corresponding to a total business of 34 billion US [1]. The growing need for storage coming from new PC operating systems, INTERNET applications, and a foreseen explosion of applications connected to consumer electronics (digital TV, video, digital cameras, GPS systems, etc.), keep the magnetics community actively looking for new solutions, concerning media, heads, tribology, and system electronics. Current state of the art disk drives (January 2000), using dual inductive-write, magnetoresistive-read (MR) integrated heads reach areal densities of 15 to 23 bit/μm2, capable of putting a full 20 GB in one platter (a 2 hour film occupies 10 GB). Densities beyond 80 bit/μm2 have already been demonstrated in the laboratory (Fujitsu 87 bit/μm2-Intermag 2000, Hitachi 81 bit/μm2, Read-Rite 78 bit/μ m2, Seagate 70 bit/μ m2 - all the last three demos done in the first 6 months of 2000, with IBM having demonstrated 56 bit/μ m2 already at the end of 1999). At densities near 60 bit/μm2, the linear bit size is sim 43 nm, and the width of the written tracks is sim 0.23 μm. Areal density in commercial drives is increasing steadily at a rate of nearly 100% per year [1], and consumer products above 60 bit/μm2 are expected by 2002. These remarkable achievements are only possible by a stream of technological innovations, in media [2], write heads [3], read heads [4], and system electronics [5]. In this chapter, recent advances on spin valve materials and spin valve sensor architectures, low resistance tunnel junctions and tunnel junction head architectures will be addressed.

Experimental investigation on the effect of plasma jet in the triggered discharge process of a gas switch

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

Tie, W., E-mail: twh.110.666@163.com, E-mail: 84470220@qq.com; Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710049; Liu, S.

The temporal and spatial evolution of a plasma jet generated by a spark discharge was observed. The electron temperature and density were obtained under different time and gas pressures by optical emission spectroscopy. Moreover, the discharge process of the plasma-jet triggered gas switch was recorded and analyzed at the lowest working coefficient. The results showed that the plasma jet moved forward in a bullet mode, and the advancing velocity increased with the decrease of pressure, and decreased with time growing. At initial time, the maximum velocity of a plasma jet could reach 3.68 × 10{sup 6 }cm/s. The electron temperature decreased from 2.0 eVmore » to 1.3 eV, and the electron density increased from 3.1 × 10{sup 15}/cm{sup 3} to 6.3 × 10{sup 15}/cm{sup 3} at the initial moment as the gas pressure increases from 0.1 MPa to 0.32 MPa. For a two-gap gas switch, the discharge performances were more depended on the second discharge spark gap (gap 2). Because plasma jet promoted the discharge in Gap 2, the gas switch operating in mode II had better triggered discharge characteristics. In the discharge process, the plasma-jet triggering had the effect of non-penetrating inducing, which not only provided initial electrons for reducing statistical lag but also enhanced the local electric field. The discharge was initiated and accelerated from electron avalanche to streamer. Therefore, a fast discharge was occurred in the gas switch.« less

Direct Heating of a Laser-Imploded Core by Ultraintense Laser-Driven Ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kitagawa, Y.; Mori, Y.; Komeda, O.; Ishii, K.; Hanayama, R.; Fujita, K.; Okihara, S.; Sekine, T.; Satoh, N.; Kurita, T.; Takagi, M.; Watari, T.; Kawashima, T.; Kan, H.; Nishimura, Y.; Sunahara, A.; Sentoku, Y.; Nakamura, N.; Kondo, T.; Fujine, M.; Azuma, H.; Motohiro, T.; Hioki, T.; Kakeno, M.; Miura, E.; Arikawa, Y.; Nagai, T.; Abe, Y.; Ozaki, S.; Noda, A.

2015-05-01

A novel direct core heating fusion process is introduced, in which a preimploded core is predominantly heated by energetic ions driven by LFEX, an extremely energetic ultrashort pulse laser. Consequently, we have observed the D (d ,n )He 3 -reacted neutrons (DD beam-fusion neutrons) with the yield of 5 ×108 n /4 π sr . Examination of the beam-fusion neutrons verified that the ions directly collide with the core plasma. While the hot electrons heat the whole core volume, the energetic ions deposit their energies locally in the core, forming hot spots for fuel ignition. As evidenced in the spectrum, the process simultaneously excited thermal neutrons with the yield of 6 ×107 n /4 π sr , raising the local core temperature from 0.8 to 1.8 keV. A one-dimensional hydrocode STAR 1D explains the shell implosion dynamics including the beam fusion and thermal fusion initiated by fast deuterons and carbon ions. A two-dimensional collisional particle-in-cell code predicts the core heating due to resistive processes driven by hot electrons, and also the generation of fast ions, which could be an additional heating source when they reach the core. Since the core density is limited to 2 g /cm3 in the current experiment, neither hot electrons nor fast ions can efficiently deposit their energy and the neutron yield remains low. In future work, we will achieve the higher core density (>10 g /cm3 ); then hot electrons could contribute more to the core heating via drag heating. Together with hot electrons, the ion contribution to fast ignition is indispensable for realizing high-gain fusion. By virtue of its core heating and ignition, the proposed scheme can potentially achieve high gain fusion.

Direct heating of a laser-imploded core by ultraintense laser-driven ions.

PubMed

Kitagawa, Y; Mori, Y; Komeda, O; Ishii, K; Hanayama, R; Fujita, K; Okihara, S; Sekine, T; Satoh, N; Kurita, T; Takagi, M; Watari, T; Kawashima, T; Kan, H; Nishimura, Y; Sunahara, A; Sentoku, Y; Nakamura, N; Kondo, T; Fujine, M; Azuma, H; Motohiro, T; Hioki, T; Kakeno, M; Miura, E; Arikawa, Y; Nagai, T; Abe, Y; Ozaki, S; Noda, A

2015-05-15

A novel direct core heating fusion process is introduced, in which a preimploded core is predominantly heated by energetic ions driven by LFEX, an extremely energetic ultrashort pulse laser. Consequently, we have observed the D(d,n)^{3}He-reacted neutrons (DD beam-fusion neutrons) with the yield of 5×10^{8} n/4π sr. Examination of the beam-fusion neutrons verified that the ions directly collide with the core plasma. While the hot electrons heat the whole core volume, the energetic ions deposit their energies locally in the core, forming hot spots for fuel ignition. As evidenced in the spectrum, the process simultaneously excited thermal neutrons with the yield of 6×10^{7} n/4π sr, raising the local core temperature from 0.8 to 1.8 keV. A one-dimensional hydrocode STAR 1D explains the shell implosion dynamics including the beam fusion and thermal fusion initiated by fast deuterons and carbon ions. A two-dimensional collisional particle-in-cell code predicts the core heating due to resistive processes driven by hot electrons, and also the generation of fast ions, which could be an additional heating source when they reach the core. Since the core density is limited to 2 g/cm^{3} in the current experiment, neither hot electrons nor fast ions can efficiently deposit their energy and the neutron yield remains low. In future work, we will achieve the higher core density (>10 g/cm^{3}); then hot electrons could contribute more to the core heating via drag heating. Together with hot electrons, the ion contribution to fast ignition is indispensable for realizing high-gain fusion. By virtue of its core heating and ignition, the proposed scheme can potentially achieve high gain fusion.

Multiple exciton generation in chiral carbon nanotubes: Density functional theory based computation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kryjevski, Andrei; Mihaylov, Deyan; Kilina, Svetlana; Kilin, Dmitri

2017-10-01

We use a Boltzmann transport equation (BE) to study time evolution of a photo-excited state in a nanoparticle including phonon-mediated exciton relaxation and the multiple exciton generation (MEG) processes, such as exciton-to-biexciton multiplication and biexciton-to-exciton recombination. BE collision integrals are computed using Kadanoff-Baym-Keldysh many-body perturbation theory based on density functional theory simulations, including exciton effects. We compute internal quantum efficiency (QE), which is the number of excitons generated from an absorbed photon in the course of the relaxation. We apply this approach to chiral single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), such as (6,2) and (6,5). We predict efficient MEG in the (6,2) and (6,5) SWCNTs within the solar spectrum range starting at the 2Eg energy threshold and with QE reaching ˜1.6 at about 3Eg, where Eg is the electronic gap.

Preparation of Shape-Controlled Graphene/Co3O4 Composites for Supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Jun; Chen, Ningna; Feng, Xiaomiao; Hou, Wenhua

2016-09-01

Graphene/Co3O4 nanocomposites with different morphologies were fabricated by hydrothermal method. The morphology of nanocomposites was characterized by scanning electron microscopy. These composites could be used as the electrode materials for supercapacitors. The eletrochemical behavior of the composite was tested by cyclic voltammetry and galvanostatic charge-discharge measurements in 1.0 mol/L KOH solution. The results showed that the graphene/Co3O4 nanopetal composite exhibited excellent electrochemical performance. The specific capacitance value could reach up to 714 F/g at a scan rate of 2 mV/s. Besides, the capacitance of the graphene/Co3O4 nanopetal composite was 841 F/g at a current density of 0.1 A/g. After galvanostatic charge-discharge 1000 laps at the current density of 0.4 A/g, the specific capacitance could keep 96.7% of original capacitive value, demonstrating its good cycling stability.

Observation of Van Hove Singularities and Temperature Dependence of Electrical Characteristics in Suspended Carbon Nanotube Schottky Barrier Transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jian; Liu, Siyu; Nshimiyimana, Jean Pierre; Deng, Ya; Hu, Xiao; Chi, Xiannian; Wu, Pei; Liu, Jia; Chu, Weiguo; Sun, Lianfeng

2018-06-01

A Van Hove singularity (VHS) is a singularity in the phonon or electronic density of states of a crystalline solid. When the Fermi energy is close to the VHS, instabilities will occur, which can give rise to new phases of matter with desirable properties. However, the position of the VHS in the band structure cannot be changed in most materials. In this work, we demonstrate that the carrier densities required to approach the VHS are reached by gating in a suspended carbon nanotube Schottky barrier transistor. Critical saddle points were observed in regions of both positive and negative gate voltage, and the conductance flattened out when the gate voltage exceeded the critical value. These novel physical phenomena were evident when the temperature is below 100 K. Further, the temperature dependence of the electrical characteristics was also investigated in this type of Schottky barrier transistor.

Electrospray-deposition of graphene electrodes: a simple technique to build high-performance supercapacitors.

PubMed

Tang, Huaichao; Yang, Cheng; Lin, Ziyin; Yang, Quanhong; Kang, Feiyu; Wong, Ching Ping

2015-05-28

Here we report an electrostatic spray deposition method to prepare three-dimensional porous graphene electrodes for supercapacitor applications. The symmetric supercapacitor exhibits excellent specific capacitance (366 F g(-1) at 1 A g(-1) in 6 M KOH) and long cycle life (108% capacitance retention up to 40 000 cycles). Moreover, the energy densities of the organic and aqueous electrolyte based supercapacitors reach 22.9 and 8.1 Wh kg(-1) when the power densities are 119.2 and 15.4 kW kg(-1), respectively. Compared with the previously reported graphene based supercapacitors, the improved properties could be attributed to the excellent three-dimensional open porous electrode structure, which is favorable for the ion diffusion and electron transport. In addition, this method provides a simple electrode-fabrication route without the involvement of conducting additives and binders. It may find vast applications in thin and miniaturized energy storage scenarios.

Multiple exciton generation in chiral carbon nanotubes: Density functional theory based computation.

PubMed

Kryjevski, Andrei; Mihaylov, Deyan; Kilina, Svetlana; Kilin, Dmitri

2017-10-21

We use a Boltzmann transport equation (BE) to study time evolution of a photo-excited state in a nanoparticle including phonon-mediated exciton relaxation and the multiple exciton generation (MEG) processes, such as exciton-to-biexciton multiplication and biexciton-to-exciton recombination. BE collision integrals are computed using Kadanoff-Baym-Keldysh many-body perturbation theory based on density functional theory simulations, including exciton effects. We compute internal quantum efficiency (QE), which is the number of excitons generated from an absorbed photon in the course of the relaxation. We apply this approach to chiral single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs), such as (6,2) and (6,5). We predict efficient MEG in the (6,2) and (6,5) SWCNTs within the solar spectrum range starting at the 2E g energy threshold and with QE reaching ∼1.6 at about 3E g , where E g is the electronic gap.

The topology of the Coulomb potential density. A comparison with the electron density, the virial energy density, and the Ehrenfest force density.

PubMed

Ferreira, Lizé-Mari; Eaby, Alan; Dillen, Jan

2017-12-15

The topology of the Coulomb potential density has been studied within the context of the theory of Atoms in Molecules and has been compared with the topologies of the electron density, the virial energy density and the Ehrenfest force density. The Coulomb potential density is found to be mainly structurally homeomorphic with the electron density. The Coulomb potential density reproduces the non-nuclear attractor which is observed experimentally in the molecular graph of the electron density of a Mg dimer, thus, for the first time ever providing an alternative and energetic foundation for the existence of this critical point. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Enhancing dielectric permittivity for energy-storage devices through tricritical phenomenon

PubMed Central

Gao, Jinghui; Wang, Yan; Liu, Yongbin; Hu, Xinghao; Ke, Xiaoqin; Zhong, Lisheng; He, Yuting; Ren, Xiaobing

2017-01-01

Although dielectric energy-storing devices are frequently used in high voltage level, the fast growing on the portable and wearable electronics have been increasing the demand on the energy-storing devices at finite electric field strength. This paper proposes an approach on enhancing energy density under low electric field through compositionally inducing tricriticality in Ba(Ti,Sn)O3 ferroelectric material system with enlarged dielectric response. The optimal dielectric permittivity at tricritical point can reach to εr = 5.4 × 104, and the associated energy density goes to around 30 mJ/cm3 at the electric field of 10 kV/cm, which exceeds most of the selected ferroelectric materials at the same field strength. The microstructure nature for such a tricritical behavior shows polarization inhomogeneity in nanometeric scale, which indicates a large polarizability under external electric field. Further phenomenological Landau modeling suggests that large dielectric permittivity and energy density can be ascribed to the vanishing of energy barrier for polarization altering caused by tricriticality. Our results may shed light on developing energy-storing dielectrics with large permittivity and energy density at low electric field. PMID:28098249

A reduced graphene oxide/Co 3O 4 composite for supercapacitor electrode

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

Xiang, Chengcheng; Li, Ming; Zhi, Mingjia

2013-03-01

20 nm sized Co 3O 4 nanoparticles are in-situ grown on the chemically reduced graphene oxide (rGO) sheets to form a rGO-Co 3O 4 composite during hydrothermal processing. The rGO-Co 3O 4 composite is employed as the pseudocapacitor electrode in the 2 M KOH aqueous electrolyte solution. The rGOCo 3O 4 composite electrode exhibits a specific capacitance of 472 F/g at a scan rate of 2 mV/s in a two-electrode cell. 82.6% of capacitance is retained when the scan rate increases to 100 mV/s. The rGOCo 3O 4 composite electrode shows high rate capability and excellent long-term stability. It alsomore » exhibits high energy density at relatively high power density. The energy density reaches 39.0 Wh/kg at a power density of 8.3 kW/kg. The super performance of the composite electrode is attributed to the synergistic effects of small size and good redox activity of the Co 3O 4 particles combined with high electronic conductivity of the rGO sheets.« less

Enhancement in current density and energy conversion efficiency of 3-dimensional MFC anodes using pre-enriched consortium and continuous supply of electron donors

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

Borole, Abhijeet P; Hamilton, Choo Yieng; Vishnivetskaya, Tatiana A

2011-01-01

Using a pre-enriched microbial consortium as the inoculum and continuous supply of carbon source, improvement in performance of a three-dimensional, flow-through MFC anode utilizing ferricyanide cathode was investigated. The power density increased from 170 W/m3 (1800 mW/m2) to 580 W/m3 (6130 mW/m2), when the carbon loading increased from 2.5 g/l-day to 50 g/l-day. The coulombic efficiency (CE) decreased from 90% to 23% with increasing carbon loading. The CEs are among the highest reported for glucose and lactate as the substrate with the maximum current density reaching 15.1 A/m2. This suggests establishment of a very high performance exoelectrogenic microbial consortium atmore » the anode. A maximum energy conversion efficiency of 54% was observed at a loading of 2.5 g/l-day. Biological characterization of the consortium showed presence of Burkholderiales and Rhodocyclales as the dominant members. Imaging of the biofilms revealed thinner biofilms compared to the inoculum MFC, but a 1.9-fold higher power density.« less

Method for removing atomic-model bias in macromolecular crystallography

DOEpatents

Terwilliger, Thomas C [Santa Fe, NM

2006-08-01

Structure factor bias in an electron density map for an unknown crystallographic structure is minimized by using information in a first electron density map to elicit expected structure factor information. Observed structure factor amplitudes are combined with a starting set of crystallographic phases to form a first set of structure factors. A first electron density map is then derived and features of the first electron density map are identified to obtain expected distributions of electron density. Crystallographic phase probability distributions are established for possible crystallographic phases of reflection k, and the process is repeated as k is indexed through all of the plurality of reflections. An updated electron density map is derived from the crystallographic phase probability distributions for each one of the reflections. The entire process is then iterated to obtain a final set of crystallographic phases with minimum bias from known electron density maps.

Device and method for electron beam heating of a high density plasma

DOEpatents

Thode, Lester E.

1981-01-01

A device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high density plasma in a small localized region. A relativistic electron beam generator produces a high voltage electron beam which propagates along a vacuum drift tube and is modulated to initiate electron bunching within the beam. The beam is then directed through a low density gas chamber which provides isolation between the vacuum modulator and the relativistic electron beam target. The relativistic beam is then applied to a high density target plasma which typically comprises DT, DD, hydrogen boron or similar thermonuclear gas at a density of 10.sup.17 to 10.sup.20 electrons per cubic centimeter. The target plasma is ionized prior to application of the electron beam by means of a laser or other preionization source. Utilizing a relativistic electron beam with an individual particle energy exceeding 3 MeV, classical scattering by relativistic electrons passing through isolation foils is negligible. As a result, relativistic streaming instabilities are initiated within the high density target plasma causing the relativistic electron beam to efficiently deposit its energy into a small localized region within the high density plasma target.

Rapid mortality of pest arthropods by direct exposure to a dielectric barrier discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bures, Brian Lee

The spread of arthropods due to trade of agricultural commodities and travel of humans is a significant problem in many countries. Limiting the movement of pest species is commonly achieved by the use of chemical pesticides at quarantine facilities. One potential alternative to chemical pesticides is direct exposure of contaminated commodities to ambient pressure electrical discharges. The arthropods are directly exposed to a 5.0 cm helium discharge with power densities on the order of 60 mW/cm3. Direct measurement of chemical species and ambient gas temperature shows the DBD treatment remains effective when the chemically reactive species are suppressed by helium, and when the ambient gas temperature of the discharge is below 40°C. In addition to gas temperature measurements and chemical species identification, the electron temperature and electron density were measured using the neutral bremsstrahlung continuum technique. This study is the first successful implementation of the neutral bremsstrahlung continuum emission diagnostic to a barrier discharge. The primary advantages of the diagnostic for barrier discharges are the measurement is passive and the spatial resolution is only limited by the collimation of the light and the sensitivity of the detector. Although the electron temperature (1.0--1.5 eV) and electron density (˜108 cm-3) are modest, non-chemical dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) treatment of arthropods has proven effective in significantly reducing the population of some arthropods including human body lice, green peach aphids, and western flower thrips. However, the treatment was not universally effective on all arthropod species. German cockroaches and citrus mealy bugs showed substantial resistance to the treatment. The study has shown the treatment does not always induce instant mortality: however, the mortality increases over a 24 hr-period after treatment. Based upon visual observation and the time after treatment to reach maximum mortality, the mode of action is either direct damage to the nervous system or changes to the hydrocarbon layer that protects the arthropods from dehydration.

Effect of the diffusion parameters on the observed γ-ray spectrum of sources and their contribution to the local all-electron spectrum: The EDGE code

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

López-Coto, R.; Hahn, J.; BenZvi, S.; Dingus, B.; Hinton, J.; Nisa, M. U.; Parsons, R. D.; Greus, F. Salesa; Zhang, H.; Zhou, H.

2018-11-01

The positron excess measured by PAMELA and AMS can only be explained if there is one or several sources injecting them. Moreover, at the highest energies, it requires the presence of nearby ( ∼ hundreds of parsecs) and middle age (maximum of ∼ hundreds of kyr) sources. Pulsars, as factories of electrons and positrons, are one of the proposed candidates to explain the origin of this excess. To calculate the contribution of these sources to the electron and positron flux at the Earth, we developed EDGE (Electron Diffusion and Gamma rays to the Earth), a code to treat the propagation of electrons and compute their diffusion from a central source with a flexible injection spectrum. Using this code, we can derive the source's gamma-ray spectrum, spatial extension, the all-electron density in space, the electron and positron flux reaching the Earth and the positron fraction measured at the Earth. We present in this paper the foundations of the code and study how different parameters affect the gamma-ray spectrum of a source and the electron flux measured at the Earth. We also studied the effect of several approximations usually performed in these studies. This code has been used to derive the results of the positron flux measured at the Earth in [1].

Spatiotemporal dynamics of charged species in the afterglow of plasmas containing negative ions.

PubMed

Kaganovich, I D; Ramamurthi, B N; Economou, D J

2001-09-01

The spatiotemporal evolution of charged species densities and wall fluxes during the afterglow of an electronegative discharge has been investigated. The decay of a plasma with negative ions consists of two stages. During the first stage of the afterglow, electrons dominate plasma diffusion and negative ions are trapped inside the vessel by the static electric field; the flux of negative ions to the walls is nearly zero. During this stage, the electron escape frequency increases considerably in the presence of negative ions, and can eventually approach free electron diffusion. During the second stage of the afterglow, electrons have disappeared, and positive and negative ions diffuse to the walls with the ion-ion ambipolar diffusion coefficient. Theories for plasma decay have been developed for equal and strongly different ion (T(i)) and electron (T(e)) temperatures. In the case T(i)=T(e), the species spatial profiles are similar and an analytic solution exists. When detachment is important in the afterglow (weakly electronegative gases, e.g., oxygen) the plasma decay crucially depends on the product of negative ion detachment frequency (gamma(d)) and diffusion time (tau(d)). If gamma(d)tau(d)>2, negative ions convert to electrons during their diffusion towards the walls. The presence of detached electrons results in "self-trapping" of the negative ions, due to emerging electric fields, and the negative ion flux to the walls is extremely small. In the case T(i)

Handling Density Conversion in TPS.

PubMed

Isobe, Tomonori; Mori, Yutaro; Takei, Hideyuki; Sato, Eisuke; Tadano, Kiichi; Kobayashi, Daisuke; Tomita, Tetsuya; Sakae, Takeji

2016-01-01

Conversion from CT value to density is essential to a radiation treatment planning system. Generally CT value is converted to the electron density in photon therapy. In the energy range of therapeutic photon, interactions between photons and materials are dominated with Compton scattering which the cross-section depends on the electron density. The dose distribution is obtained by calculating TERMA and kernel using electron density where TERMA is the energy transferred from primary photons and kernel is a volume considering spread electrons. Recently, a new method was introduced which uses the physical density. This method is expected to be faster and more accurate than that using the electron density. As for particle therapy, dose can be calculated with CT-to-stopping power conversion since the stopping power depends on the electron density. CT-to-stopping power conversion table is also called as CT-to-water-equivalent range and is an essential concept for the particle therapy.

Application of Koopmans' theorem for density functional theory to full valence-band photoemission spectroscopy modeling.

PubMed

Li, Tsung-Lung; Lu, Wen-Cai

2015-10-05

In this work, Koopmans' theorem for Kohn-Sham density functional theory (KS-DFT) is applied to the photoemission spectra (PES) modeling over the entire valence-band. To examine the validity of this application, a PES modeling scheme is developed to facilitate a full valence-band comparison of theoretical PES spectra with experiments. The PES model incorporates the variations of electron ionization cross-sections over atomic orbitals and a linear dispersion of spectral broadening widths. KS-DFT simulations of pristine rubrene (5,6,11,12-tetraphenyltetracene) and potassium-rubrene complex are performed, and the simulation results are used as the input to the PES models. Two conclusions are reached. First, decompositions of the theoretical total spectra show that the dissociated electron of the potassium mainly remains on the backbone and has little effect on the electronic structures of phenyl side groups. This and other electronic-structure results deduced from the spectral decompositions have been qualitatively obtained with the anionic approximation to potassium-rubrene complexes. The qualitative validity of the anionic approximation is thus verified. Second, comparison of the theoretical PES with the experiments shows that the full-scale simulations combined with the PES modeling methods greatly enhance the agreement on spectral shapes over the anionic approximation. This agreement of the theoretical PES spectra with the experiments over the full valence-band can be regarded, to some extent, as a collective validation of the application of Koopmans' theorem for KS-DFT to valence-band PES, at least, for this hydrocarbon and its alkali-adsorbed complex. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Relativistic Thomas-Fermi treatment of compressed atoms and compressed nuclear matter cores of stellar dimensions

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

Rotondo, M.; Rueda, Jorge A.; Xue, S.-S.

The Feynman-Metropolis-Teller treatment of compressed atoms is extended to the relativistic regimes. Each atomic configuration is confined by a Wigner-Seitz cell and is characterized by a positive electron Fermi energy. The nonrelativistic treatment assumes a pointlike nucleus and infinite values of the electron Fermi energy can be attained. In the relativistic treatment there exists a limiting configuration, reached when the Wigner-Seitz cell radius equals the radius of the nucleus, with a maximum value of the electron Fermi energy (E{sub e}{sup F}){sub max}, here expressed analytically in the ultrarelativistic approximation. The corrections given by the relativistic Thomas-Fermi-Dirac exchange term are alsomore » evaluated and shown to be generally small and negligible in the relativistic high-density regime. The dependence of the relativistic electron Fermi energies by compression for selected nuclei are compared and contrasted to the nonrelativistic ones and to the ones obtained in the uniform approximation. The relativistic Feynman-Metropolis-Teller approach here presented overcomes some difficulties in the Salpeter approximation generally adopted for compressed matter in physics and astrophysics. The treatment is then extrapolated to compressed nuclear matter cores of stellar dimensions with A{approx_equal}(m{sub Planck}/m{sub n}){sup 3}{approx}10{sup 57} or M{sub core}{approx}M{sub {circle_dot}}. A new family of equilibrium configurations exists for selected values of the electron Fermi energy varying in the range 0

Long pulse high performance plasma scenario development for the National Spherical Torus Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kessel, C. E.; Bell, R. E.; Bell, M. G.; Gates, D. A.; Kaye, S. M.; LeBlanc, B. P.; Menard, J. E.; Phillips, C. K.; Synakowski, E. J.; Taylor, G.; Wilson, R.; Harvey, R. W.; Mau, T. K.; Ryan, P. M.; Sabbagh, S. A.

2006-05-01

The National Spherical Torus Experiment [Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion, 44, 452 (2004)] is targeting long pulse high performance, noninductive sustained operations at low aspect ratio, and the demonstration of nonsolenoidal startup and current rampup. The modeling of these plasmas provides a framework for experimental planning and identifies the tools to access these regimes. Simulations based on neutral beam injection (NBI)-heated plasmas are made to understand the impact of various modifications and identify the requirements for (1) high elongation and triangularity, (2) density control to optimize the current drive, (3) plasma rotation and/or feedback stabilization to operate above the no-wall β limit, and (4) electron Bernstein waves (EBW) for off-axis heating/current drive (H/CD). Integrated scenarios are constructed to provide the transport evolution and H/CD source modeling, supported by rf and stability analyses. Important factors include the energy confinement, Zeff, early heating/H mode, broadening of the NBI-driven current profile, and maintaining q(0) and qmin>1.0. Simulations show that noninductive sustained plasmas can be reached at IP=800 kA, BT=0.5 T, κ≈2.5, βN⩽5, β⩽15%, fNI=92%, and q(0)>1.0 with NBI H/CD, density control, and similar global energy confinement to experiments. The noninductive sustained high β plasmas can be reached at IP=1.0 MA, BT=0.35 T, κ≈2.5, βN⩽9, β⩽43%, fNI=100%, and q(0)>1.5 with NBI H/CD and 3.0 MW of EBW H/CD, density control, and 25% higher global energy confinement than experiments. A scenario for nonsolenoidal plasma current rampup is developed using high harmonic fast wave H/CD in the early low IP and low Te phase, followed by NBI H/CD to continue the current ramp, reaching a maximum of 480 kA after 3.4 s.

X-Ray Sum Frequency Diffraction for Direct Imaging of Ultrafast Electron Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouxel, Jérémy R.; Kowalewski, Markus; Bennett, Kochise; Mukamel, Shaul

2018-06-01

X-ray diffraction from molecules in the ground state produces an image of their charge density, and time-resolved x-ray diffraction can thus monitor the motion of the nuclei. However, the density change of excited valence electrons upon optical excitation can barely be monitored with regular diffraction techniques due to the overwhelming background contribution of the core electrons. We present a nonlinear x-ray technique made possible by novel free electron laser sources, which provides a spatial electron density image of valence electron excitations. The technique, sum frequency generation carried out with a visible pump and a broadband x-ray diffraction pulse, yields snapshots of the transition charge densities, which represent the electron density variations upon optical excitation. The technique is illustrated by ab initio simulations of transition charge density imaging for the optically induced electronic dynamics in a donor or acceptor substituted stilbene.

Anomalous evolution of Ar metastable density with electron density in high density Ar discharge

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

Park, Min; Chang, Hong-Young; You, Shin-Jae

2011-10-15

Recently, an anomalous evolution of argon metastable density with plasma discharge power (electron density) was reported [A. M. Daltrini, S. A. Moshkalev, T. J. Morgan, R. B. Piejak, and W. G. Graham, Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 061504 (2008)]. Although the importance of the metastable atom and its density has been reported in a lot of literature, however, a basic physics behind the anomalous evolution of metastable density has not been clearly understood yet. In this study, we investigated a simple global model to elucidate the underlying physics of the anomalous evolution of argon metastable density with the electron density. Onmore » the basis of the proposed simple model, we reproduced the anomalous evolution of the metastable density and disclosed the detailed physics for the anomalous result. Drastic changes of dominant mechanisms for the population and depopulation processes of Ar metastable atoms with electron density, which take place even in relatively low electron density regime, is the clue to understand the result.« less

MAVEN observations of dayside peak electron densities in the ionosphere of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, Marissa F.; Withers, Paul; Fallows, Kathryn; Andersson, Laila; Girazian, Zachary; Mahaffy, Paul R.; Benna, Mehdi; Elrod, Meredith K.; Connerney, John E. P.; Espley, Jared R.; Eparvier, Frank G.; Jakosky, Bruce M.

2017-01-01

The peak electron density in the dayside Martian ionosphere is a valuable diagnostic of the state of the ionosphere. Its dependence on factors like the solar zenith angle, ionizing solar irradiance, neutral scale height, and electron temperature has been well studied. The Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN spacecraft's September 2015 "deep dip" orbits, in which the orbital periapsis was lowered to 125 km, provided the first opportunity since Viking to sample in situ a complete dayside electron density profile including the main peak. Here we present peak electron density measurements from 37 deep dip orbits and describe conditions at the altitude of the main peak, including the electron temperature and composition of the ionosphere and neutral atmosphere. We find that the dependence of the peak electron density and the altitude of the main peak on solar zenith angle are well described by analytical photochemical theory. Additionally, we find that the electron temperatures at the main peak display a dependence on solar zenith angle that is consistent with the observed variability in the peak electron density. Several peak density measurements were made in regions of large crustal magnetic field, but there is no clear evidence that the crustal magnetic field strength influences the peak electron density, peak altitude, or electron temperature. Finally, we find that the fractional abundance of O2+ and CO2+ at the peak altitude is variable but that the two species together consistently represent 95% of the total ion density.

On the time needed to reach an equilibrium structure of the radiation belts

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

Ripoll, J. -F.; Loran, V.; Cunningham, Gregory Scott

In this paper, we complement the notion of equilibrium states of the radiation belts with a discussion on the dynamics and time needed to reach equilibrium. We solve for the equilibrium states obtained using 1D radial diffusion with recently developed hiss and chorus lifetimes at constant values of Kp = 1, 3 and 6. We find that the equilibrium states at moderately low Kp, when plotted vs L-shell (L) and energy (E), display the same interesting S-shape for the inner edge of the outer belt as recently observed by the Van Allen Probes. The S-shape is also produced as themore » radiation belts dynamically evolve toward the equilibrium state when initialized to simulate the buildup after a massive dropout or to simulate loss due to outward diffusion from a saturated state. Physically, this shape, intimately linked with the slot structure, is due to the dependence of electron loss rate (originating from wave-particle interactions) on both energy and L-shell. Equilibrium electron flux profiles are governed by the Biot number (τ Diffusion/τ loss), with large Biot number corresponding to low fluxes and low Biot number to large fluxes. The time it takes for the flux at a specific (L, E) to reach the value associated with the equilibrium state, starting from these different initial states, is governed by the initial state of the belts, the property of the dynamics (diffusion coefficients), and the size of the domain of computation. Its structure shows a rather complex scissor form in the (L, E) plane. The equilibrium value (phase space density or flux) is practically reachable only for selected regions in (L, E) and geomagnetic activity. Convergence to equilibrium requires hundreds of days in the inner belt for E > 300 keV and moderate Kp (≤3). It takes less time to reach equilibrium during disturbed geomagnetic conditions (Kp ≥ 3), when the system evolves faster. Restricting our interest to the slot region, below L = 4, we find that only small regions in (L, E) space can reach the equilibrium value: E ~ [200, 300] keV for L = [3.7, 4] at Kp = 1, E ~ [0.6, 1] MeV for L = [3, 4] at Kp = 3, and E ~ 300 keV for L = [3.5, 4] at Kp = 6 assuming no new incoming electrons.« less

On the time needed to reach an equilibrium structure of the radiation belts

DOE PAGES

Ripoll, J. -F.; Loran, V.; Cunningham, Gregory Scott; ...

2016-08-01

In this paper, we complement the notion of equilibrium states of the radiation belts with a discussion on the dynamics and time needed to reach equilibrium. We solve for the equilibrium states obtained using 1D radial diffusion with recently developed hiss and chorus lifetimes at constant values of Kp = 1, 3 and 6. We find that the equilibrium states at moderately low Kp, when plotted vs L-shell (L) and energy (E), display the same interesting S-shape for the inner edge of the outer belt as recently observed by the Van Allen Probes. The S-shape is also produced as themore » radiation belts dynamically evolve toward the equilibrium state when initialized to simulate the buildup after a massive dropout or to simulate loss due to outward diffusion from a saturated state. Physically, this shape, intimately linked with the slot structure, is due to the dependence of electron loss rate (originating from wave-particle interactions) on both energy and L-shell. Equilibrium electron flux profiles are governed by the Biot number (τ Diffusion/τ loss), with large Biot number corresponding to low fluxes and low Biot number to large fluxes. The time it takes for the flux at a specific (L, E) to reach the value associated with the equilibrium state, starting from these different initial states, is governed by the initial state of the belts, the property of the dynamics (diffusion coefficients), and the size of the domain of computation. Its structure shows a rather complex scissor form in the (L, E) plane. The equilibrium value (phase space density or flux) is practically reachable only for selected regions in (L, E) and geomagnetic activity. Convergence to equilibrium requires hundreds of days in the inner belt for E > 300 keV and moderate Kp (≤3). It takes less time to reach equilibrium during disturbed geomagnetic conditions (Kp ≥ 3), when the system evolves faster. Restricting our interest to the slot region, below L = 4, we find that only small regions in (L, E) space can reach the equilibrium value: E ~ [200, 300] keV for L = [3.7, 4] at Kp = 1, E ~ [0.6, 1] MeV for L = [3, 4] at Kp = 3, and E ~ 300 keV for L = [3.5, 4] at Kp = 6 assuming no new incoming electrons.« less

Rate constants for chemical reactions in high-temperature nonequilibrium air

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaffe, R. L.

1986-01-01

In the nonequilibrium atmospheric chemistry regime that will be encountered by the proposed Aeroassisted Orbital Transfer Vehicle in the upper atmosphere, where air density is too low for thermal and chemical equilibrium to be maintained, the detailed high temperature air chemistry plays a critical role in defining radiative and convective heating loads. Although vibrational and electronic temperatures remain low (less than 15,000 K), rotational and translational temperatures may reach 50,000 K. Attention is presently given to the effects of multiple temperatures on the magnitudes of various chemical reaction rate constants, for the cases of both bimolecular exchange reactions and collisional excitation and dissociation reactions.

Correlation between Na/K ratio and electron densities in blood samples of breast cancer patients.

PubMed

Topdağı, Ömer; Toker, Ozan; Bakırdere, Sezgin; Bursalıoğlu, Ertuğrul Osman; Öz, Ersoy; Eyecioğlu, Önder; Demir, Mustafa; İçelli, Orhan

2018-05-31

The main purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the electron densities and Na/K ratio which has important role in breast cancer disease. Determinations of sodium and potassium concentrations in blood samples performed with inductive coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry. Electron density values of blood samples were determined via ZXCOM. Statistical analyses were performed for electron densities and Na/K ratio including Kolmogorov-Smirnov normality tests, Spearman's rank correlation test and Mann-Whitney U test. It was found that the electron densities significantly differ between control and breast cancer groups. In addition, statistically significant positive correlation was found between the electron density and Na/K ratios in breast cancer group.

Towards large size substrates for III-V co-integration made by direct wafer bonding on Si

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Daix, N.; Uccelli, E.; Czornomaz, L.; Caimi, D.; Rossel, C.; Sousa, M.; Siegwart, H.; Marchiori, C.; Hartmann, J. M.; Shiu, K.-T.; Cheng, C.-W.; Krishnan, M.; Lofaro, M.; Kobayashi, M.; Sadana, D.; Fompeyrine, J.

2014-08-01

We report the first demonstration of 200 mm InGaAs-on-insulator (InGaAs-o-I) fabricated by the direct wafer bonding technique with a donor wafer made of III-V heteroepitaxial structure grown on 200 mm silicon wafer. The measured threading dislocation density of the In0.53Ga0.47As (InGaAs) active layer is equal to 3.5 × 109 cm-2, and it does not degrade after the bonding and the layer transfer steps. The surface roughness of the InGaAs layer can be improved by chemical-mechanical-polishing step, reaching values as low as 0.4 nm root-mean-square. The electron Hall mobility in 450 nm thick InGaAs-o-I layer reaches values of up to 6000 cm2/Vs, and working pseudo-MOS transistors are demonstrated with an extracted electron mobility in the range of 2000-3000 cm2/Vs. Finally, the fabrication of an InGaAs-o-I substrate with the active layer as thin as 90 nm is achieved with a Buried Oxide of 50 nm. These results open the way to very large scale production of III-V-o-I advanced substrates for future CMOS technology nodes.

Search for stellar collapse with the MACRO detector at Gran Sasso

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Steinberg, R.

1985-01-01

It is viewed that in stellar evolution stars in the range of 8 to 12 solar masses evolve gradually as increasingly heavier nuclei are produced and then consumed in a series of exothermic thermonuclear processes ultimately leading to the formation of a core composed almost entirely of nickel and iron. When the mass of this hot iron-nickel core reaches the critical value of approximately 1.4 solar masses, electron degeneracy pressure is no longer able to support the outer layers of the star and a collapse process begins. Since the core has exhausted its thermonuclear fuel, further stages of thermonuclear burning cannot prevent a runaway collapse. As the density reaches 10 to the 10th power gm sub/cm at a temperature near 10 to the 10th power k, most of the heavy nuclei are dissociated into free nucleons and electron capture on free protons leads to a decrease in the degeneracy pressure and further acceleration of the collapse process. Although this general picture has received substantial confirmation over the past two decades with the discovery of radio pulsars (neutron stars), X-ray pulsars (accreting binary neutron stars) and Cyg X-1 (probably an accreting black hole), an actual neutrino burst is not yet convincingly detected.

Emission spectra of a pulse needle-to-plane corona-like discharge in conductive aqueous solutions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Šimek, Milan; Člupek, Martin; Babický, Václav; Lukeš, Petr; Šunka, Pavel

2012-10-01

We explored basic optical and electrical characteristics of a positive corona-like discharge produced in conductive aqueous solutions by periodic high-voltage pulses. Emission spectra of the discharge were acquired in a needle-to-plate electrode geometry and analysed in the UV-vis-NIR spectral range with nanosecond time resolution for the solution conductivity of 100 and 500 µS cm-1. The most important emission features are due to electronic excitation of HI, OI, OII and OH species. We found evidence of significant time-dependent line-shape broadening of selected HI and OI transitions. The observed broadening is attributed to the dynamic Stark and pressure broadening mechanisms and significantly increases with the aqueous solution conductivity. Electron densities were estimated by fitting a single Voigt peak function to the observed Hα profiles, and can reach as much as ne ≅ 4 × 1018 cm-3 (tD = 300 ns at 100 µS cm-1 solution conductivity) and ne ≅ 5 × 1018 cm-3 (tD = 1 µs at 500 µS cm-1). Temporal evolution of the partially resolved rotational structure of the OH emission reaches a maximum during the discharge decay, with the onset significantly delayed with respect to the streamer ignition.

Comparison between off-resonance and electron Bernstein waves heating regime in a microwave discharge ion source

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

Castro, G.; Di Giugno, R.; Miracoli, R.

2012-02-15

A microwave discharge ion source (MDIS) operating at the Laboratori Nazionali del Sud of INFN, Catania has been used to compare the traditional electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) heating with an innovative mechanisms of plasma ignition based on the electrostatic Bernstein waves (EBW). EBW are obtained via the inner plasma electromagnetic-to-electrostatic wave conversion and they are absorbed by the plasma at cyclotron resonance harmonics. The heating of plasma by means of EBW at particular frequencies enabled us to reach densities much larger than the cutoff ones. Evidences of EBW generation and absorption together with X-ray emissions due to high energy electronsmore » will be shown. A characterization of the discharge heating process in MDISs as a generalization of the ECR heating mechanism by means of ray tracing will be shown in order to highlight the fundamental physical differences between ECR and EBW heating.« less

Ti Impurity Effect on the Optical Coefficients in 2D Cu2Si: A DFT Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nourozi, Bromand; Boochani, Arash; Abdolmaleki, Ahmad; Sartpi, Elmira; Darabi, Pezhman; Naderi, Sirvan

2018-01-01

The electronic and optical properties of 2D Cu2Si and Cu2Si:Ti are investigated based on the density functional theory (DFT) using the FP-LAPW method and GGA approximation. The 2D Cu2Si has metallic and non magnetic properties, whereas adding Ti impurity to its structure changes the electronic behavior to the half-metallic with 3.256μB magnetic moment. The optical transition is not occurred in the infrared and visible area for the 2D Cu2Si in x-direction and by adding Ti atom, the real part of dielectric function in the x-direction, Re (ε(ω))x is reached to a Dirac peak at this energy range. Moreover, the absorption gap tends to zero in x-direction of the 2D Cu2Si:Ti. Supported by Islamic Azad University, Kermanshah branch, Kermanshah, Iran

Gradient microstructure and microhardness in a nitrided 18CrNiMo7-6 gear steel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, R.; Wu, G. L.; Zhang, X.; Fu, W. T.; Huang, X.

2017-07-01

A commercial gear steel (18CrNiMo7-6) containing a tempered martensite structure was nitrided using a pressurized gas nitriding process under a pressure of 5 atm at 530 °C for 5 hours. The mechanical properties and microstructure of the nitrided sample were characterized by Vickers hardness measurements, X-ray diffraction, and backscatter electron imaging in a scanning electron microscope. A micro-hardness gradient was identified over a distance of 500 μm with hardness values of 900 HV at the top surface and 300 HV in the core. This micro-hardness gradient corresponds to a gradient in the microstructure that changes from a nitride compound layer at the top surface (∼ 20 μm thick) to a diffusion zone with a decreasing nitrogen concentration and precipitate density with distance from the surface, finally reaching the core matrix layer with a recovered martensite structure.

A new method to derive electronegativity from resonant inelastic x-ray scattering.

PubMed

Carniato, S; Journel, L; Guillemin, R; Piancastelli, M N; Stolte, W C; Lindle, D W; Simon, M

2012-10-14

Electronegativity is a well-known property of atoms and substituent groups. Because there is no direct way to measure it, establishing a useful scale for electronegativity often entails correlating it to another chemical parameter; a wide variety of methods have been proposed over the past 80 years to do just that. This work reports a new approach that connects electronegativity to a spectroscopic parameter derived from resonant inelastic x-ray scattering. The new method is demonstrated using a series of chlorine-containing compounds, focusing on the Cl 2p(-1)LUMO(1) electronic states reached after Cl 1s → LUMO core excitation and subsequent KL radiative decay. Based on an electron-density analysis of the LUMOs, the relative weights of the Cl 2p(z) atomic orbital contributing to the Cl 2p(3/2) molecular spin-orbit components are shown to yield a linear electronegativity scale consistent with previous approaches.

Levers for Thermoelectric Properties in Titania-Based Ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Backhaus-Ricoult, Monika; Rustad, James R.; Vargheese, Deenamma; Dutta, Indrajit; Work, Kim

2012-06-01

While the beneficial impact of nanostructural engineering on thermoelectric performance has been demonstrated for many semiconducting materials (SiGe, skutterudites, PbTe2, etc.), no significant advantages have been reported for oxide nanomaterials. In this study, titania is used as a model material to compare the impact of grain size, doping and substitution, second-phase nanodispersion, and crystallographic defects on the electronic and thermal properties. It is shown that the lattice thermal conductivity can be most efficiently reduced by high densities of crystallographic planar defects in the Magnéli phases, while modification of grain size or introduction of second phases on length scales of 20 nm to 100 nm introduces only minor improvement. For the electronic properties, donor dopants such as niobium provide improvement of the power factor, but are not able to compete with the enhanced carrier concentration that is reached through oxygen vacancy introduction.

Evaluation of the Faraday angle by numerical methods and comparison with the Tore Supra and JET polarimeter electronics.

PubMed

Brault, C; Gil, C; Boboc, A; Spuig, P

2011-04-01

On the Tore Supra tokamak, a far infrared polarimeter diagnostic has been routinely used for diagnosing the current density by measuring the Faraday rotation angle. A high precision of measurement is needed to correctly reconstruct the current profile. To reach this precision, electronics used to compute the phase and the amplitude of the detected signals must have a good resilience to the noise in the measurement. In this article, the analogue card's response to the noise coming from the detectors and their impact on the Faraday angle measurements are analyzed, and we present numerical methods to calculate the phase and the amplitude. These validations have been done using real signals acquired by Tore Supra and JET experiments. These methods have been developed to be used in real-time in the future numerical cards that will replace the Tore Supra present analogue ones. © 2011 American Institute of Physics

Polarity control in WSe2 double-gate transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Resta, Giovanni V.; Sutar, Surajit; Balaji, Yashwanth; Lin, Dennis; Raghavan, Praveen; Radu, Iuliana; Catthoor, Francky; Thean, Aaron; Gaillardon, Pierre-Emmanuel; de Micheli, Giovanni

2016-07-01

As scaling of conventional silicon-based electronics is reaching its ultimate limit, considerable effort has been devoted to find new materials and new device concepts that could ultimately outperform standard silicon transistors. In this perspective two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides, such as MoS2 and WSe2, have recently attracted considerable interest thanks to their electrical properties. Here, we report the first experimental demonstration of a doping-free, polarity-controllable device fabricated on few-layer WSe2. We show how modulation of the Schottky barriers at drain and source by a separate gate, named program gate, can enable the selection of the carriers injected in the channel, and achieved controllable polarity behaviour with ON/OFF current ratios >106 for both electrons and holes conduction. Polarity-controlled WSe2 transistors enable the design of compact logic gates, leading to higher computational densities in 2D-flatronics.

Fast instability caused by electron cloud in combined function magnets

DOE PAGES

Antipov, S. A.; Adamson, P.; Burov, A.; ...

2017-04-10

One of the factors which may limit the intensity in the Fermilab Recycler is a fast transverse instability. It develops within a hundred turns and, in certain conditions, may lead to a beam loss. The high rate of the instability suggest that its cause is electron cloud. Here, we studied the phenomena by observing the dynamics of stable and unstable beam, simulating numerically the build-up of the electron cloud, and developed an analytical model of an electron cloud driven instability with the electrons trapped in combined function di-poles. We also found that beam motion can be stabilized by a clearingmore » bunch, which confirms the electron cloud nature of the instability. The clearing suggest electron cloud trapping in Recycler combined function mag-nets. Numerical simulations show that up to 1% of the particles can be trapped by the magnetic field. Since the process of electron cloud build-up is exponential, once trapped this amount of electrons significantly increases the density of the cloud on the next revolution. Furthermore, in a Recycler combined function dipole this multi-turn accumulation allows the electron cloud reaching final intensities orders of magnitude greater than in a pure dipole. The estimated resulting instability growth rate of about 30 revolutions and the mode fre-quency of 0.4 MHz are consistent with experimental observations and agree with the simulation in the PEI code. The created instability model allows investigating the beam stability for the future intensity upgrades.« less

Fast instability caused by electron cloud in combined function magnets

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

Antipov, S. A.; Adamson, P.; Burov, A.

One of the factors which may limit the intensity in the Fermilab Recycler is a fast transverse instability. It develops within a hundred turns and, in certain conditions, may lead to a beam loss. The high rate of the instability suggest that its cause is electron cloud. Here, we studied the phenomena by observing the dynamics of stable and unstable beam, simulating numerically the build-up of the electron cloud, and developed an analytical model of an electron cloud driven instability with the electrons trapped in combined function di-poles. We also found that beam motion can be stabilized by a clearingmore » bunch, which confirms the electron cloud nature of the instability. The clearing suggest electron cloud trapping in Recycler combined function mag-nets. Numerical simulations show that up to 1% of the particles can be trapped by the magnetic field. Since the process of electron cloud build-up is exponential, once trapped this amount of electrons significantly increases the density of the cloud on the next revolution. Furthermore, in a Recycler combined function dipole this multi-turn accumulation allows the electron cloud reaching final intensities orders of magnitude greater than in a pure dipole. The estimated resulting instability growth rate of about 30 revolutions and the mode fre-quency of 0.4 MHz are consistent with experimental observations and agree with the simulation in the PEI code. The created instability model allows investigating the beam stability for the future intensity upgrades.« less

Device and method for electron beam heating of a high density plasma

DOEpatents

Thode, L.E.

A device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high density plasma in a small localized region are described. A relativistic electron beam generator produces a high voltage electron beam which propagates along a vacuum drift tube and is modulated to initiate electron bunching within the beam. The beam is then directed through a low density gas chamber which provides isolation between the vacuum modulator and the relativistic electron beam target. The relativistic beam is then applied to a high density target plasma which typically comprises DT, DD, hydrogen boron or similar thermonuclear gas at a density of 10/sup 17/ to 10/sup 20/.

Measurements of beam halo diffusion and population density in the Tevatron and in the Large Hadron Collider

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

Stancari, Giulio

2015-03-01

Halo dynamics influences global accelerator performance: beam lifetimes, emittance growth, dynamic aperture, and collimation efficiency. Halo monitoring and control are also critical for the operation of high-power machines. For instance, in the high-luminosity upgrade of the LHC, the energy stored in the beam tails may reach several megajoules. Fast losses can result in superconducting magnet quenches, magnet damage, or even collimator deformation. The need arises to measure the beam halo and to remove it at controllable rates. In the Tevatron and in the LHC, halo population densities and diffusivities were measured with collimator scans by observing the time evolution ofmore » losses following small inward or outward collimator steps, under different experimental conditions: with single beams and in collision, and, in the case of the Tevatron, with a hollow electron lens acting on a subset of bunches. After the LHC resumes operations, it is planned to compare measured diffusivities with the known strength of transverse damper excitations. New proposals for nondestructive halo population density measurements are also briefly discussed.« less

Simultaneous recovery of Ni and Cu from computer-printed circuit boards using bioleaching: statistical evaluation and optimization.

PubMed

Arshadi, M; Mousavi, S M

2014-12-01

Computer printed circuit boards (CPCBs) have a rich metal content and are produced in high volume, making them an important component of electronic waste. The present study used a pure culture of Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans to leach Cu and Ni from CPCBs waste. The adaptation phase began at 1g/l CPCBs powder with 10% inoculation and final pulp density was reached at 20g/l after about 80d. Four effective factors including initial pH, particle size, pulp density, and initial Fe(3+) concentration were optimized to achieve maximum simultaneous recovery of Cu and Ni. Their interactions were also identified using central composite design in response surface methodology. The suggested optimal conditions were initial pH 3, initial Fe(3+) 8.4g/l, pulp density 20g/l and particle size 95μm. Nearly 100% of Cu and Ni were simultaneously recovered under optimum conditions. Finally, bacterial growth characteristics versus time at optimum conditions were plotted. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Growth of low disorder GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures by molecular beam epitaxy for the study of correlated electron phases in two dimensions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, John D.

The unparalleled quality of GaAs/AlGaAs heterostructures grown by molecular beam epitaxy has enabled a wide range of experiments probing interaction effects in two-dimensional electron and hole gases. This dissertation presents work aimed at further understanding the key material-related issues currently limiting the quality of these 2D systems, particularly in relation to the fractional quantum Hall effect in the 2nd Landau level and spin-based implementations of quantum computation. The manuscript begins with a theoretical introduction to the quantum Hall effect which outlines the experimental conditions necessary to study the physics of interest and motivates the use of the semiconductor growth and cryogenic measurement techniques outlined in chapters 2 and 3, respectively. In addition to a generic introduction to the molecular beam epitaxy growth technique, chapter 2 summarizes some of what was learned about the material purity issues currently limiting the low temperature electron mobility. Finally, a series of appendices are included which detail the experimental methods used over the course of the research. Chapter 4 presents an experiment examining transport in a low density two-dimensional hole system in which the hole density could be varied by means of an evaporated back gate. At low temperature, the mobility reached a maximum of 2.6 x 106 cm2/Vs at a density of 6.2 x 1010 cm-2 which is the highest reported mobility in a two-dimensional hole system to date. In addition, it was found that the mobility as a function of density did not follow a power law with a single exponent. Instead, it was found that the power law varied with density, indicating a cross-over between dominant scattering mechanisms at low density and high density. At low density the mobility was found to be limited by remote ionized impurity scattering, while at high density the dominant scattering mechanism was found to be background impurity scattering. Chapter 5 details an experiment examining transport in a series of two-dimensional hole gases in which the dopant setback distance and the Al mole fraction in the barriers of the quantum well were varied. The hole density was tuned in this way from 0.18 -- 1.9 x 1011 cm-2. Surprisingly, the mobility at T = 0.3 K was found to peak at 2.3 x 10 6 cm-2 at an intermediate density of 6.5 x 10 10 cm-2. Self-consistent Schrodinger/Poisson calculations were performed for each wafer to examine the scattering rates due to a variety of potentials at low temperature. The drop in mobility at high density could be accounted for with the inclusion of interface roughness scattering, but using the same interface roughness scattering parameters for similar two-dimensional electron gases produced inconsistent results. This leaves open the possibility of contributions from other scattering mechanisms in the hole samples at high density. Chapter 6 presents an in-depth study of in-situ backgated two-dimensional gases used for studying the fragile fractional quantum Hall states in the 2nd Landau level. It was found that leakage currents as small as 4 pA could cause noticeable heating of the electron gas if the lattice was not properly thermally anchored to the cryostat. However, it was also found that when the heterostructure design and device fabrication recipe were properly optimized, gate voltages as large as 4 V could be applied before the leakage turned on, allowing the density to be tuned from full depletion to over 4 x 1011 cm-2. As a result, heating effects at dilution refrigerator temperatures were negligible and the gap at nu = 5/2 could be tuned continuously with density to a maximum value of 625 mK, the largest reported to date. An unusual evolution of the reentrant integer quantum Hall states as a function of density is also reported. Such devices should prove useful for the study of electron correlations in nanostructures in the 2nd Landau level.

Distribution of E/N and N/e/ in a cross-flow electric discharge laser. [electric field to neutral gas density and electron number density

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dunning, J. W., Jr.; Lancashire, R. B.; Manista, E. J.

1976-01-01

Measurements have been conducted of the effect of the convection of ions and electrons on the discharge characteristics in a large scale laser. The results are presented for one particular distribution of ballast resistance. Values of electric field, current density, input power density, ratio of electric field to neutral gas density (E/N), and electron number density were calculated on the basis of measurements of the discharge properties. In a number of graphs, the E/N ratio, current density, power density, and electron density are plotted as a function of row number (downstream position) with total discharge current and gas velocity as parameters. From the dependence of the current distribution on the total current, it appears that the electron production in the first two rows significantly affects the current flowing in the succeeding rows.

Multi-instrumental Study of Storm-induced Ionospheric Irregularities at Midlatitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cherniak, I.; Zakharenkova, I.; Sokolovskiy, S. V.

2017-12-01

We present multi-instrumental analysis of the unusually intense plasma density irregularities occurred over European midlatitudes during geomagnetic storm of 22-23 June 2015. We combine GPS/GLONASS observations derived from the dense ground-based networks ( 1500 stations) with in situ plasma density onboard Swarm and DMSP satellites and COSMIC Radio Occultation (RO) ionospheric electron density profiles. During this geomagnetic storm, the strong ionospheric irregularities of auroral origin were registered over the Northern Europe sub-auroral and midlatitudes. Meanwhile, another kind of ionospheric irregularities of equatorial origin reached European midlatitudes from the south. The prompt penetration electric fields caused the occurrence of plasma bite-outs in the post-sunset sector over the Western Africa low latitudes and extension of the large-scale plasma bubbles toward Europe. Using GPS/GLONASS observations, the plasma bubble signatures were mapped in Europe. They were observed for more than 8 h (20-04 UT) and covered a broad area within 30o-40o N and 20o W-10o E. In this region, the steep plasma gradients, as large as 5-10 TECU/degree, and numerous embedded deep plasma depletions were developed on the background of high plasma density. For low latitude region, the bite-out signature was recognized in the form of the significantly modified shape of the COSMIC-derived ionospheric electron density profiles. These unique results were confirmed by the in situ density and upward-looking GPS data onboard the Swarm satellites at 500 km altitude, in situ density measured by DMSP and ground-based absolute TEC observations. It was found that close similarity between in situ Ne and Swarm-derived topside vertical TEC suggests that plasma density enhancements and depletions are developed in the topside ionosphere (>500 km). The intensity of plasma gradients at different altitudes was also estimated by COSMIC-based measurements of GPS signal intensity and phase fluctuations as well as by rate of TEC changes on COSMIC-GPS links. Occurrence of the plasma bubbles in Europe affected GNSS measurements over number of reference stations and led to performance degradation of SBAS EGNOS.

Radiation source

DOEpatents

Thode, Lester E.

1981-01-01

A device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high-density plasma in a small localized region. A relativistic electron beam generator or accelerator produces a high-voltage electron beam which propagates along a vacuum drift tube and is modulated to initiate electron bunching within the beam. The beam is then directed through a low-density gas chamber which provides isolation between the vacuum modulator and the relativistic electron beam target. The relativistic beam is then applied to a high-density target plasma which typically comprises DT, DD, or similar thermonuclear gas at a density of 10.sup.17 to 10.sup.20 electrons per cubic centimeter. The target gas is ionized prior to application of the relativistic electron beam by means of a laser or other preionization source to form a plasma. Utilizing a relativistic electron beam with an individual particle energy exceeding 3 MeV, classical scattering by relativistic electrons passing through isolation foils is negligible. As a result, relativistic streaming instabilities are initiated within the high-density target plasma causing the relativistic electron beam to efficiently deposit its energy into a small localized region of the high-density plasma target.

Direct comparison of Viking 2.3-GHz signal phase fluctuation and columnar electron density between 2 and 160 solar radii

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berman, A. L.; Wackley, J. A.; Hietzke, W. H.

1982-01-01

The relationship between solar wind induced signal phase fluctuation and solar wind columnar electron density has been the subject of intensive analysis during the last two decades. In this article, a sizeable volume of 2.3-GHz signal phase fluctuation and columnar electron density measurements separately and concurrently inferred from Viking spacecraft signals are compared as a function of solar geometry. These data demonstrate that signal phase fluctuation and columnar electron density are proportional over a very wide span of solar elongation angle. A radially dependent electron density model which provides a good fit to the columnar electron density measurements and, when appropriately scaled, to the signal phase fluctuation measurements, is given. This model is also in good agreement with K-coronameter observations at 2 solar radii (2r0), with pulsar time delay measurements at 10r0, and with spacecraft in situ electron density measurements at 1 AU.

Double quantum dots decorated 3D graphene flowers for highly efficient photoelectrocatalytic hydrogen production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Qifa; Xu, Jing; Wang, Tao; Fan, Ling; Ma, Ruifang; Yu, Xinzhi; Zhu, Jian; Xu, Zhi; Lu, Bingan

2017-11-01

Photoelectrocatalysis (PEC) has been demonstrated as a promising technique for hydrogen production. However, the high over-potential and high recombination rate of photo-induced electron-hole pairs lead to poor hydrogen production efficiency. In order to overcome these problems, TiO2 and Au dual quantum dots (QDs) on three-dimensional graphene flowers (Au@TiO2@3DGFs) was synthesized by an electro-deposition strategy. The combination of Au and TiO2 modulates the band gap of TiO2, shifts the absorption to visible lights and improves the utilization efficiency of solar light. Simultaneously, the size-quantization TiO2 on 3DGFs not only achieves a larger specific surface area over conventional nanomaterials, but also promotes the separation of the photo-induced electron-hole pairs. Besides, the 3DGFs as a scaffold for QDs can provide more active sites and stable structure. Thus, the newly-developed Au@TiO2@3DGFs composite exhibited an impressive PEC activity and excellent durability. Under -240 mV potential (vs. RHE), the photoelectric current density involved visible light illumination (100 mW cm-2) reached 90 mA cm-2, which was about 3.6 times of the natural current density (without light, only 25 mA cm-2). It worth noting that the photoelectric current density did not degrade and even increased to 95 mA cm-2 over 90 h irradiation, indicating an amazing chemical stability.

Energy Estimates of Lightning-Generated Whistler-Mode Waves in the Venus Ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, Richard; Russell, Christopher T.; Zhang, Tielong

2016-10-01

The dual fluxgate magnetometer on the Venus Express Mission sampled at 128 Hz allowing for signals up to 64 Hz to be detected. These signals are found at all local times and at altitudes up to 600 km while near periapsis. The spacecraft had a periapsis within 15 degrees of the north pole for nearly the entire mission, concentrating observations at high latitudes. At solar minimum, when the ionosphere can become strongly magnetized, the waves were more readily guided along the field up to the spacecraft. During this time, whistlers were observed 3% of the time while VEX was at 250 km altitude. Detection rates reached 5% at this altitude while near the dawn terminator due to a low altitude magnetic belt that provides a radial component enabling better access of the signals to the spacecraft.Since the majority of these observations were made at relatively low altitudes, reasonable assumptions can be made about the ionospheric conditions along the wave's path from the base of the ionosphere to the spacecraft. The electron density can be inferred by utilizing the VERA model and scaling it to match the solar cycle conditions during the Venus Express campaign. With the electron density and the three components of the magnetic field measurement, we then calculate the Poynting flux to determine the energy density of the wave. This enables us to determine the strength of the source lightning and compares this strength to that on Earth.

Energy Estimates of Lightning-Generated Whistler-Mode Waves in the Ionosphere of Venus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hart, R. A.; Russell, C. T.; Zhang, T.

2016-12-01

The dual fluxgate magnetometer on the Venus Express Mission sampled at 128 Hz allowing for signals up to 64 Hz to be detected. These signals are found at all local times and at altitudes up to 600 km while near periapsis. The spacecraft had a periapsis within 15º of the north pole for nearly the entire mission, concentrating observations at high latitudes. At solar minimum, when the ionosphere can become strongly magnetized, the waves were more readily guided along the field up to the spacecraft. During this time, whistlers were observed 3% of the time while VEX was at 250 km altitude. Detection rates reached 5% at this altitude while near the dawn terminator due to a low altitude magnetic belt that provides a radial component enabling better access of the signals to the spacecraft. Since the majority of these observations were made at relatively low altitudes, reasonable assumptions can be made about the ionospheric conditions along the wave's path from the base of the ionosphere to the spacecraft. The electron density can be inferred by utilizing the VERA model and scaling it to match the solar cycle conditions during the Venus Express campaign. With the electron density and the three components of the magnetic field measurement, we then calculate the Poynting flux to determine the energy density of the wave. This enables us to determine the strength of the source lightning and compare it to that on Earth.

New progress of high current gasdynamic ion source (invited).

PubMed

Skalyga, V; Izotov, I; Golubev, S; Sidorov, A; Razin, S; Vodopyanov, A; Tarvainen, O; Koivisto, H; Kalvas, T

2016-02-01

The experimental and theoretical research carried out at the Institute of Applied Physics resulted in development of a new type of electron cyclotron resonance ion sources (ECRISs)-the gasdynamic ECRIS. The gasdynamic ECRIS features a confinement mechanism in a magnetic trap that is different from Geller's ECRIS confinement, i.e., the quasi-gasdynamic one similar to that in fusion mirror traps. Experimental studies of gasdynamic ECRIS were performed at Simple Mirror Ion Source (SMIS) 37 facility. The plasma was created by 37.5 and 75 GHz gyrotron radiation with power up to 100 kW. High frequency microwaves allowed to create and sustain plasma with significant density (up to 8 × 10(13) cm(-3)) and to maintain the main advantages of conventional ECRIS such as high ionization degree and low ion energy. Reaching such high plasma density relies on the fact that the critical density grows with the microwave frequency squared. High microwave power provided the average electron energy on a level of 50-300 eV enough for efficient ionization even at neutral gas pressure range of 10(-4)-10(-3) mbar. Gasdynamic ECRIS has demonstrated a good performance producing high current (100-300 mA) multi-charged ion beams with moderate average charge (Z = 4-5 for argon). Gasdynamic ECRIS has appeared to be especially effective in low emittance hydrogen and deuterium beams formation. Proton beams with current up to 500 emA and RMS emittance below 0.07 π ⋅ mm ⋅ mrad have been demonstrated in recent experiments.

Study of electronic characteristics of heterojunction with intrinsic thin-layer devices and defect density profile of nanocrystalline silicon germanium devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulder, Watson

Heterojunction with Intrinsic Thin-layer (HIT) solar cells are an important photovoltaic technology, recently reaching record power conversion efficiencies. HIT cells hold advantages over the conventional crystalline Si solar cells, such as their fabrication at lower temperatures and their shorter fabrication time. It is important to understand the electronic characteristics and transport properties of HIT cells to continue to improve their efficiencies. The fundamental measurements of a HIT solar cell with an innovative n+/p/p+ structure are presented. We also report on a series of these HIT cells fabricated on wafers with different doping concentrations, observing the relationship between doping concentration and characteristics such as open-circuit voltage and diffusion length. Nanocrystalline Silicon-Germanium (nc-SiGe) is a useful material for photovoltaic devices and photodetectors. The material features good absorption extending to the infrared region even in thin layers. Its bandgap can be adjusted between that of Si (˜1.1 eV) and Ge (˜0.7 eV) by varying the alloy composition ratio during deposition. However, there has been very little previous work to measure and understand the defect density spectrum of nc-SiGe. Defects are responsible for controlling the recombination and thus the performance of solar cell devices. Capacitance-Frequency measurements at various temperatures are used in order to estimate the trap density profile within the bandgap of nc-SiGe.

The Bar Mode Instability in Deleptonizing Fizzlers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Imamura, James N.; Durisen, R. H.

2009-01-01

Core collapse in massive rotating nonmagnetic stars may hangup before neutron star densities are reached when rotationally supported or partially rotation supported, hot, lepton-rich objects known as fizzlers form. For typical massive core masses, fizzlers may form if the core has angular momentum J > 1049 g cm2 s-1. Newly formed fizzlers are stable to secular and dynamic nonaxisymmetric instabilities because of the high electron fraction per baryon, Ye > 0.3, and high entropy per baryon, Sn = 1-2 k of fizzler material, and the long-term evolution of a fizzler to neutron star density is driven by deleptonization and cooling of the lepton-rich fizzler material. Both processes lead to pressure loss which causes the fizzler to contract and spin-up. All deleptonizing fizzlers eventually become subject to gravito-rotation-driven nonaxisymmetric instabilities before they reach neutron star density. We study the development of barlike instabilities in deleptonizing fizzlers. We find that vigorous growth in barlike modes occurs only after the bar mode dynamic instability threshold is passed. Because barlike modes break axial symmetry, a burst of gravitational wave (GW) radiation is produced as barlike modes develop. For typical fizzler properties, the GW radiation will have frequency 300-600 Hz with strains of 10-23-10-23, for fizzlers at distances of 15 Mpc ( Virgo cluster of galaxies). Fizzlers in the Virgo cluster would be easily detectable by the gravitational wave obervatory LIGO if the barlike mode persisted for several hundred cycles. We find that barlike modes in fizzlers persist for at least 15-30 cycles in our simulations, depending on the deleptonization rate.

Electron (charge) density studies of cellulose models

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Introductory material first describes electron density approaches and demonstrates visualization of electron lone pairs and bonding as concentrations of electron density. Then it focuses on the application of Bader’s Quantum Theory of Atoms-in-Molecules (AIM) to cellulose models. The purpose of the ...

Electron densities in the ionosphere of Mars: A comparison of MARSIS and radio occultation measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, Marissa F.; Withers, Paul; Fallows, Kathryn; Flynn, Casey L.; Andrews, David J.; Duru, Firdevs; Morgan, David D.

2016-10-01

Radio occultation electron densities measurements from the Mariner 9 and Viking spacecraft, which orbited Mars in the 1970s, have recently become available in a digital format. These data are highly complementary to the radio occultation electron density profiles from Mars Global Surveyor, which were restricted in solar zenith angle and altitude. We have compiled data from the Mariner 9, Viking, and Mars Global Surveyor radio occultation experiments for comparison to electron density measurements made by Mars Advanced Radar for Subsurface and Ionosphere Sounding (MARSIS), the topside radar sounder on Mars Express, and MARSIS-based empirical density models. We find that the electron densities measured by radio occultation are in generally good agreement with the MARSIS data and model, especially near the altitude of the peak electron density but that the MARSIS data and model display a larger plasma scale height than the radio occultation profiles at altitudes between the peak density and 200 km. Consequently, the MARSIS-measured and model electron densities are consistently larger than radio occultation densities at altitudes 200-300 km. Finally, we have analyzed transitions in the topside ionosphere, at the boundary between the photochemically controlled and transport-controlled regions, and identified the average transition altitude, or altitude at which a change in scale height occurs. The average transition altitude is 200 km in the Mariner 9 and Viking radio occultation profiles and in profiles of the median MARSIS radar sounding electron densities.

Suppressing Electron Turbulence and Triggering Internal Transport Barriers with Reversed Magnetic Shear in the National Spherical Torus Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, Jayson Luc

2011-10-01

Observations in the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX) have found electron temperature gradients that greatly exceed the linear threshold for the onset for electron temperature gradient-driven (ETG) turbulence. These discharges, deemed electron internal transport barriers (e-ITBs), coincide with a reversal in the shear of the magnetic field and with a reduction in electron-scale density fluctuations, qualitatively consistent with earlier gyrokinetic predictions. To investigate this phenomenon further, we numerically model electron turbulence in NSTX reversed-shear plasmas using the gyrokinetic turbulence code GYRO. These first-of-a-kind nonlinear gyrokinetic simulations of NSTX e-ITBs confirm that reversing the magnetic shear can allow the plasma to reach electron temperature gradients well beyond the critical gradient for the linear onset of instability. This effect is very strong, with the nonlinear threshold for significant transport approaching three times the linear critical gradient in some cases, in contrast with moderate shear cases, which can drive significant ETG turbulence at much lower gradients. In addition to the experimental implications of this upshifted nonlinear critical gradient, we explore the behavior of ETG turbulence during reversed shear discharges. This work is supported by the SciDAC Center for the Study of Plasma Microturbulence, DOE Contract DE-AC02-09CH11466, and used the resources of NCCS at ORNL and NERSC at LBNL. M. Ono et al., Nucl. Fusion 40, 557 (2000).

Influence of the first wall material on the particle fuelling in ASDEX Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lunt, T.; Reimold, F.; Wolfrum, E.; Carralero, D.; Feng, Y.; Schmid, K.; the ASDEX Upgrade Team

2017-05-01

In the period from 2002 to 2007 the material of the plasma facing components (PFCs) of ASDEX Upgrade (AUG) was changed from carbon (C) to tungsten (W). Comparing the measured density profiles of low-density L-mode discharges with little or no gas puff before and after this modification, a significantly higher pedestal-top density was found for W PFCs together with a steeper gradient and a lower pedestal temperature. This change can be explained by larger particle- and energy reflection coefficients for D on W compared to D on C, as shown by EMC3-EIRENE simulations of AUG discharges in similar conditions on a computational grid extending to the main chamber first wall. In the simulations, a change of the wall material at fixed separatrix density indeed shows that for W PFCs more neutrals cross the separatrix, resulting in a steeper density gradient. Analysis of the source resolved and poloidally resolved neutral flux densities across the separatrix show a dominant contribution of the divertor targets to the fuelling profile in the simulation of the low density case. Increasing the density decreases the electron temperature at the target and therefore the potential drop in the electrostatic sheath as well as the energy of the ions impinging on the surface. Neutrals with ∼eV energies, able to reach the separatrix, are then only produced via molecular dissociation processes in the plasma volume independently of the PFC material. Also the contribution of the main chamber PFCs to the fuelling is observed to increase at higher densities.

The electrons and ion characteristics of Saturn's plasma disk inside the Enceladus orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morooka, Michiko; Wahlund, Jan-Erik; Ye, Sheng-Yi; Kurth, William; Persoon, Ann; Holmberg, Mika

2017-04-01

Cassini observations revealed that Saturn's icy moon Enceladus and surrounding E ring are the significant plasma source of the magnetosphere. However, the observations sometimes show the electron density enhancement even inside the Enceladus orbiting distance, 4RS. Further plasma contribution from the inner rings, the G and the F rings and main A ring are the natural candidate as an additional plasma source. The Cassini/RPWS Langmuir Probe (LP) measurement provides the characteristics of the electrons and ions independently in a cold dense plasma. The observations near the center of the E ring showed that the ion density being larger than the electron density, indicating that there is additional particle as a negative charge carrier. Those are the small nm and μm sized dust grains that are negatively charged by the electron attachments. The faint F and G rings, located at R=2RS and 3RS, consist of small grains and similar electron/ion density discrepancies can be expected. We will show different types of the LP observations when Cassini traveled the equator region of the plasma disk down to 3RS. One with the electron density increasing inside 4RS, and another with the electron density decreasing inside 4RS. During the orbit 016 (2005 doy-284/285), the electron density continued to increase toward the planet. On the other hand, the ion currents, the LP measured currents from the negative bias voltage, turn to decreasing inside 4RS, implying the density decrease of the ions. By comparing the observed LP ion current characteristics and the modeled values using the obtained electron density, we found that the characteristic ion mass can be several times larger than the water ions (AMU=18) that we expected in this region. During the orbit 015 (2005 doy-266/267), on the other hand, the LP observed sharp electron density drop near 3RS. The dust signals from the RPWS antenna showed the density enhancement of the μm sized grains coincide the electron density drop and we have estimated that the characteristic ion mass can exceed AMU=100. Throughout the whole Cassini observation near the equator inside 4RS, we didn't find the case with the ion densities larger than the electron densities as were found near the E ring and the Enceladus plume. We suggest that Saturn's plasmadisk inside the Enceladus orbit is dynamic in ion characteristics where the water molecules coagulate and grow into a small icy dust grains. In the presentation we discuss the relationship between the electron/ion density and the density of the nm and μm sized grains.

Numerical Model of the Plasma Sheath Generated by the Plasma Source Instrument Aboard the Polar Satellite

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Leung, Wing C.; Singh, Nagendra; Moore, Thomas E.; Craven, Paul D.

2000-01-01

The plasma sheath generated by the operation of the Plasma Source Instrument (PSI) aboard the POLAR satellite is studied by using a 3-dimensional Particle-In-Cell (PIC) code. When the satellite passes through the region of low density plasma, the satellite charges to positive potentials as high as 4050Volts due to the photoelectrons emission. In such a case, ambient core ions cannot accurately be measured or detected. The goal of the onboard PSI is to reduce the floating potential of the satellite to a sufficiently low value so that the ions in the polar wind become detectable. When the PSI is operated, an ion-rich Xenon plasma is ejected from the satellite, such that the floating potential of the satellite is reduced and is maintained at about 2Volts. Accordingly, in our 3-dimensional PIC simulation, we considered that the potential of the satellite is 2Volts as a fixed bias. Considering the relatively high density of the Xenon plasma in the sheath (approx. 10 - 10(exp 3)/cc), the ambient plasma of low density (less than 1/cc) is neglected. In the simulations, the electric fields and plasma dynamics are calculated self-consistently. We found that an "Apple" shape positive potential sheath forms surrounding the satellite. In the region near the PSI emission, a high positive potential hill develops. Near the Thermal Ion Detection Experiment (TIDE) detector away from the PSI, the potentials are sufficiently low for the ambient polar wind ions to reach it. In the simulations, it takes about a hundred electron gyroperiods for the sheath to reach a quasi-steady state. This time is approximately the time taken by the heavy Xe(+) ions to expand up to about one average Larmor radius of electrons from the satellite surface. Using the steady state sheath, we performed trajectory calculations to characterize the detector response to a highly supersonic polar wind flow. The detected ions' velocity distribution shows significant deviations from a shifted Maxwellian in the ambient polar wind population. The deviations are caused by the effects of electric fields on the ions' motion as they traverse the sheath.

From laser particle acceleration to the synthesis of extremely neutron rich isotopes via the novel fission-fusion mechanism

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

Thirolf, P. G., E-mail: Peter.Thirolf@lmu.de

2015-02-24

High-power, short pulse lasers have emerged in the last decade as attractive tools for accelerating charged particles (electrons, ions) to high energies over mm-scale acceleration lengths, thus promising to rival conventional acceleration techniques in the years ahead. In the first part of the article, the principles of laser-plasma interaction as well as the techniques and the current status of the acceleration of electron and ion beams will be briefly introduced. In particular with the upcoming next generation of multi-PW class laser systems, such as the one under construction for the ELI-Nuclear Physics project in Bucharest (ELI-NP), very efficient acceleration mechanismsmore » for brilliant ion beams like radiation pressure acceleration (RPA) come into reach. Here, ultra-dense ion beams reaching solid-state density can be accelerated from thin target foils, exceeding the density of conventionally accelerated ion beams by about 14 orders of magnitude. This unique property of laser-accelerated ion beams can be exploited to explore the scenario of a new reaction mechanism called ‘fission-fusion’, which will be introduced in the second part of the article. Accelerating fissile species (e.g. {sup 232}Th) towards a second layer of the same material will lead to fission both of the beam-like and target-like particles. Due to the close to solid-state density of the accelerated ion bunches, fusion may occur between neutron-rich (light) fission products. This may open an access path towards extremely neutron-rich nuclides in the vicinity of the N=126 waiting point of the astrophysical r process. ‘Waiting points’ at closed nucleon shells play a crucial role in controlling the reaction rates. However, since most of the pathway of heavy-element formation via the rapid-neutron capture process (r-process) runs in ‘terra incognita’ of the nuclear landscape, in particular the waiting point at N=126 is yet unexplored and will remain largely inaccessible to conventional nuclear reaction schemes even at next-generation radioactive beam facilities, underlining the attractive perspectives offered, e.g., by ELI-NP.« less

Five- and six-electron harmonium atoms: Highly accurate electronic properties and their application to benchmarking of approximate 1-matrix functionals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cioslowski, Jerzy; Strasburger, Krzysztof

2018-04-01

Electronic properties of several states of the five- and six-electron harmonium atoms are obtained from large-scale calculations employing explicitly correlated basis functions. The high accuracy of the computed energies (including their components), natural spinorbitals, and their occupation numbers makes them suitable for testing, calibration, and benchmarking of approximate formalisms of quantum chemistry and solid state physics. In the case of the five-electron species, the availability of the new data for a wide range of the confinement strengths ω allows for confirmation and generalization of the previously reached conclusions concerning the performance of the presently known approximations for the electron-electron repulsion energy in terms of the 1-matrix that are at heart of the density matrix functional theory (DMFT). On the other hand, the properties of the three low-lying states of the six-electron harmonium atom, computed at ω = 500 and ω = 1000, uncover deficiencies of the 1-matrix functionals not revealed by previous studies. In general, the previously published assessment of the present implementations of DMFT being of poor accuracy is found to hold. Extending the present work to harmonically confined systems with even more electrons is most likely counterproductive as the steep increase in computational cost required to maintain sufficient accuracy of the calculated properties is not expected to be matched by the benefits of additional information gathered from the resulting benchmarks.

Electron density profile measurements at a self-focusing ion beam with high current density and low energy extracted through concave electrodes.

PubMed

Fujiwara, Y; Hirano, Y; Kiyama, S; Nakamiya, A; Koguchi, H; Sakakita, H

2014-02-01

The self-focusing phenomenon has been observed in a high current density and low energy ion beam. In order to study the mechanism of this phenomenon, a special designed double probe to measure the electron density and temperature is installed into the chamber where the high current density ion beam is injected. Electron density profile is successfully measured without the influence of the ion beam components. Estimated electron temperature and density are ∼0.9 eV and ∼8 × 10(8) cm(-3) at the center of ion beam cross section, respectively. It was found that a large amount of electrons are spontaneously accumulated in the ion beam line in the case of self-forcing state.

Optical characteristics and parameters of gas-discharge plasma in a mixture of mercury dibromide vapor with argon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malinina, A. A.; Malinin, A. N.

2015-03-01

Results are presented from studies of the optical characteristics and parameters of the plasma of a dielectric barrier discharge in a mixture of mercury dibromide vapor with argon—the working medium of an exciplex gas-discharge emitter. It is established that the partial pressures of mercury dibromide vapor and argon at which the average and pulsed emission intensities in the blue—green spectral region (λmax = 502 nm) reach their maximum values are 0.6 and 114.4 kPa, respectively. The electron energy distribution function, the transport characteristics, the specific power spent on the processes involving electrons, the electron density and temperature, and the rate constants for the processes of elastic and inelastic electron scattering from the molecules and atoms of the working mixture are determined by numerical simulation, and their dependences on the reduced electric field strength are analyzed. The rate constant of the process leading to the formation of exciplex mercury monobromide molecules for a reduced electric field of E/ N = 20 Td, at which the maximum emission intensity in the blue—green spectral region was observed in this experiment, is found to be 8.1 × 10-15 m3/s.

[Test of thermal deformation for electronic devices of high thermal reliability].

PubMed

Li, Hai-yuan; Li, Bao-ming

2002-06-01

Thermal deformation can be caused by high partial heat flux and greatly reduce thermal reliability of electronic devices. In this paper, an attempt is made to measure the thermal deformation of high power electronic devices under working condition using laser holographic interferometry with double exposure. Laser holographic interferometry is an untouched measurement with measurement precision up to micron dimension. The electronic device chosen for measurement is a type of solid state relay which is used for ignition of rockets. The output circuit of the solid state relay is made up of a MOSFET chip and the power density of the chip can reach high value. In particular situations thermal deformation and stress may significantly influence working performance of the solid state relay. The bulk deformation of the chip and its mount is estimated by number of interferential stripes on chip surface. While thermal stress and deformation can be estimated by curvature of interferential stripes on chip surface. Experimental results indicate that there are more interferential stripes on chip surface and greater flexural degree of stripes under high power. Therefore, these results reflect large out-of-plain displacement and deformed size of the chip with the increase of load current.

Device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high-density plasma to drive fast liners

DOEpatents

Thode, Lester E.

1981-01-01

A device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high-density plasma in a small localized region. A relativistic electron beam generator or accelerator produces a high-voltage electron beam which propagates along a vacuum drift tube and is modulated to initiate electron bunching within the beam. The beam is then directed through a low-density gas chamber which provides isolation between the vacuum modulator and the relativistic electron beam target. The relativistic beam is then applied to a high-density target plasma which typically comprises DT, DD, hydrogen boron or similar thermonuclear gas at a density of 10.sup.17 to 10.sup.20 electrons per cubic centimeter. The target gas is ionized prior to application of the electron beam by means of a laser or other preionization source to form a plasma. Utilizing a relativistic electron beam with an individual particle energy exceeding 3 MeV, classical scattering by relativistic electrons passing through isolation foils is negligible. As a result, relativistic streaming instabilities are initiated within the high-density target plasma causing the relativistic electron beam to efficiently deposit its energy and momentum into a small localized region of the high-density plasma target. Fast liners disposed in the high-density target plasma are explosively or ablatively driven to implosion by a heated annular plasma surrounding the fast liner which is generated by an annular relativistic electron beam. An azimuthal magnetic field produced by axial current flow in the annular plasma, causes the energy in the heated annular plasma to converge on the fast liner.

Noise-assisted energy transfer from the dilation of the set of one-electron reduced density matrices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chakraborty, Romit; Mazziotti, David A.

2017-05-01

Noise-assisted energy transfer can be explained geometrically in terms of the set of one-electron reduced density matrices (1-RDMs) [R. Chakraborty and D. A. Mazziotti, Phys. Rev. A 91, 010101(R) (2015)]. In this paper, we examine the geometric picture of quantum noise for the seven-chromophore Fenna-Matthews-Olson (FMO) complex. Noise expands the feasible set of orbital occupation trajectories to the target state through the violation of the pure-state N-representability conditions on the 1-RDM, known as the generalized Pauli constraints. While the generalized Pauli constraints are not explicitly known for seven-electron systems, we are able to treat a seven-exciton model of the FMO complex through the use of generalized Pauli constraints for p qubits which are known for arbitrary p. In the model, we find that while dephasing noise alone produces a trajectory of ensemble states that neither expands the set of 1-RDMs nor reaches the reaction center, the inclusion of both dephasing and dissipation expands the set of 1-RDMs and exhibits an efficient energy transfer to the reaction center. The degree to which the noise expands the set of 1-RDMs, violating the generalized Pauli constraints, is quantified by the distance of the 1-RDM outside its pure set to the distance of the 1-RDM inside its ensemble set. The geometric picture of energy transfer has applications to general quantum systems in chemistry and physics.

Single-crystal study of the charge density wave metal LuNiC2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steiner, S.; Michor, H.; Sologub, O.; Hinterleitner, B.; Höfenstock, F.; Waas, M.; Bauer, E.; Stöger, B.; Babizhetskyy, V.; Levytskyy, V.; Kotur, B.

2018-05-01

We report on single-crystal growth, single-crystal x-ray diffraction, physical properties, and density functional theory (DFT) electronic structure as well as Fermi surface calculations for two ternary carbides, LuCoC2 and LuNiC2. Electrical resistivity measurements reveal for LuNiC2 a charge density wave (CDW) transition at TCDW≃450 K and, for T >TCDW , a significant anisotropy of the electrical resistivity, which is lowest along the orthorhombic a axis. The analysis of x-ray superstructure reflections suggest a commensurate CDW state with a Peierls-type distortion of the Ni atom periodicity along the orthorhombic a axis. DFT calculations based on the CDW modulated monoclinic structure model of LuNiC2 as compared to results of the orthorhombic parent type reveal the formation of a partial CDW gap at the Fermi level which reduces the electronic density of states from N (EF)=1.03 states/eV f.u. without CDW to N (EF)=0.46 states/eV f.u. in the CDW state. The corresponding bare DFT Sommerfeld value of the latter, γDFTCDW=0.90 mJ/mol K2, reaches reasonable agreement with the experimental value γ =0.83 (5 ) mJ/mol K2 of LuNiC2. LuCoC2 displays a simple metallic behavior with neither CDW ordering nor superconductivity above 0.4 K. Its experimental Sommerfeld coefficient, γ =5.9 (1) mJ/mol K2, is in realistic correspondence with the calculated, bare Sommerfeld coefficient, γDFT=3.82 mJ/mol K2, of orthorhombic LuCoC2.

Microstructural investigation of plastically deformed Ti{sub 20}Zr{sub 20}Hf{sub 20}Nb{sub 20}Ta{sub 20} high entropy alloy by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy

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

Dirras, G., E-mail: dirras@univ-paris13.fr; Gubicza, J.; Heczel, A.

2015-10-15

The microstructure evolution in body-centered cubic (bcc) Ti{sub 20}Zr{sub 20}Hf{sub 20}Nb{sub 20}Ta{sub 20} high entropy alloy during quasi-static compression test was studied by X-ray line profile analysis (XLPA) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The average lattice constant and other important parameters of the microstructure such as the mean crystallite size, the dislocation density and the edge/screw character of dislocations were determined by XLPA. The elastic anisotropy factor required for XLPA procedure was determined by nanoindentation. XLPA shows that the crystallite size decreased while the dislocation density increased with strain during compression, and their values reached about 39 nm and 15more » × 10{sup 14} m{sup −2}, respectively, at a plastic strain of ~ 20%. It was revealed that with increasing strain the dislocation character became more screw. This can be explained by the reduced mobility of screw dislocations compared to edge dislocations in bcc structures. These observations are in line with TEM investigations. The development of dislocation density during compression was related to the yield strength evolution. - Highlights: • Ti{sub 20}Zr{sub 20}Hf{sub 20}Nb{sub 20}Ta{sub 20} high entropy alloy was processed by arc-melting. • The mechanical was evaluated by RT compression test. • The microstructure evolution was studied by XLPA and TEM. • With increasing strain the dislocation character became more screw. • The yield strength was related to the development of the dislocation density.« less

Vertical and Lateral Electron Content in the Martian Ionosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paetzold, M. P.; Peter, K.; Bird, M. K.; Häusler, B.; Tellmann, S.

2016-12-01

The radio-science experiment MaRS (Mars Express Radio Science) on the Mars Express spacecraft sounds the neutral atmosphere and ionosphere of Mars since 2004. Approximately 800 vertical profiles of the ionospheric electron density have been acquired until today. The vertical electron content (TEC) is easily computed from the vertical electron density profile by integrating along the altitude. The TEC is typically a fraction of a TEC unit (1E16 m^-2) and depends on the solar zenith angle. The magnitude of the TEC is however fully dominated by the electron density contained in the main layer M2. The contributions by the M1 layer below M2 or the topside is marginal. MaRS is using two radio frequencies for the sounding of the ionosphere. The directly observed differential Doppler from the two received frequencies is a measure of the lateral electron content that means along the ray path and perpendicular to the vertical electron density profile. Combining both the vertical electron density profile, the vertical TEC and the directly observed lateral TEC describes the lateral electron density distribution in the ionosphere.

Investigation of mid-latitude electron density enhancement using total electron content measurements and FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC electron density profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rajesh, P. K.; Nanan, Balan; Liu, Jann-Yenq; Lin, Charles C. H.; Chang, S. Y.; Chen, Chia-Hung

This study investigates the mid-latitude electron density enhancement (MEDE) using global ionospheric map (GIM) total electron content (TEC) measurements and FORMOSAT-3/COSMIC (F3/C) electron density profiles. Diurnal, seasonal, latitudinal, and solar activity variations in the occurrence and strength of MEDE are examined using global GIM TEC data in the years 2002 and 2009. The results show that MEDE occurrence is pronounced during 2200-0400 LT, the feature also appears during day. The strength of MEDE maximizes around 0400 LT, and is very weak during daytime. The occurrence and strength show significant longitude dependence, and vary with season and solar activity. Concurrent F3/C electron density profiles also reveal enhancement of the peak electron density and total electron content. Further studies are carried out by examining the role of neutral wind in re-organizing the plasma using SAMI2 and HWM93 models. The results indicate that meridional neutral wind could cause the plasma to converge over mid-latitudes, and thus support in maintaining the enhancement.

Multistage coupling of independent laser-plasma accelerators

DOE PAGES

Steinke, S.; van Tilborg, J.; Benedetti, C.; ...

2016-02-01

Laser-plasma accelerators (LPAs) are capable of accelerating charged particles to very high energies in very compact structures. In theory, therefore, they offer advantages over conventional, large-scale particle accelerators. However, the energy gain in a single-stage LPA can be limited by laser diffraction, dephasing, electron-beam loading and laser-energy depletion. The problem of laser diffraction can be addressed by using laser-pulse guiding and preformed plasma waveguides to maintain the required laser intensity over distances of many Rayleigh lengths; dephasing can be mitigated by longitudinal tailoring of the plasma density; and beam loading can be controlled by proper shaping of the electron beam.more » To increase the beam energy further, it is necessary to tackle the problem of the depletion of laser energy, by sequencing the accelerator into stages, each powered by a separate laser pulse. In this work, we present results from an experiment that demonstrates such staging. Two LPA stages were coupled over a short distance (as is needed to preserve the average acceleration gradient) by a plasma mirror. Stable electron beams from a first LPA were focused to a twenty-micrometre radius-by a discharge capillary-based active plasma lens-into a second LPA, such that the beams interacted with the wakefield excited by a separate laser. Staged acceleration by the wakefield of the second stage is detected via an energy gain of 100 megaelectronvolts for a subset of the electron beam. Changing the arrival time of the electron beam with respect to the second-stage laser pulse allowed us to reconstruct the temporal wakefield structure and to determine the plasma density. Our results indicate that the fundamental limitation to energy gain presented by laser depletion can be overcome by using staged acceleration, suggesting a way of reaching the electron energies required for collider applications.« less

Temperature peaking at beginning of breakdown in 2.45 GHz pulsed off-resonance electron cyclotron resonance ion source hydrogen plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cortázar, O. D.; Megía-Macías, A.; Vizcaíno-de-Julián, A.

2012-10-01

An experimental study of temperature and density evolution during breakdown in off-resonance ECR hydrogen plasma is presented. Under square 2.45 GHz microwave excitation pulses with a frequency of 50 Hz and relative high microwave power, unexpected transient temperature peaks that reach 18 eV during 20 μs are reported at very beginning of plasma breakdown. Decays of such peaks reach final stable temperatures of 5 eV at flat top microwave excitation pulse. Evidence of interplay between incoming power and duty cycle giving different kind of plasma parameters evolutions engaged to microwave coupling times is observed. Under relative high power conditions where short microwave coupling times are recorded, high temperature peaks are measured. However, for lower incoming powers and longer coupling times, temperature evolves gradually to a higher final temperature without peaking. On the other hand, the early instant where temperature peaks are observed also suggest a possible connection with preglow processes during breakdown in ECRIS plasmas.

High e+/e– ratio dense pair creation with 10 21W.cm –2 laser irradiating solid targets

DOE PAGES

Liang, E.; Clarke, T.; Henderson, A.; ...

2015-09-14

In this study, we report results of new pair creation experiments using ~100 Joule pulses of the Texas Petawatt Laser to irradiate solid gold and platinum targets, with intensities up to ~1.9 × 10 21 W.cm –2 and pulse durations as short as ~130 fs. Positron to electron (e+/e–) ratios >15% were observed for many thick disk and rod targets, with the highest e+/e– ratio reaching ~50% for a Pt rod. The inferred pair yield was ~ few ×10 10 with emerging pair density reaching ~10 15/cm 3 so that the pair skin depth becomes < pair jet transverse size.more » These results represent major milestones towards the goal of creating a significant quantity of dense pair-dominated plasmas with e+/e– approaching 100% and pair skin depth << pair plasma size, which will have wide-ranging applications to astrophysics and fundamental physics.« less

Analysis of Total Electron Content and Electron Density Profile during Different Geomagnetic Storms

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapagain, N. P.; Rana, B.; Adhikari, B.

2017-12-01

Total Electron content (TEC) and electron density are the key parameters in the mitigation of ionospheric effects on radio communication system. Detail study of the TEC and electron density variations has been carried out during geomagnetic storms, with longitude and latitude, for four different locations: (13˚N -17˚N, 88˚E -98˚E), (30˚N-50˚N, 120˚W -95˚W), (29˚S-26˚S, 167˚W-163˚W,) and (60˚S-45˚S, 120˚W-105˚W) using the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite observations. In order to find the geomagnetic activity, the solar wind parameters such as north-south component of inter planetary magnetic field (Bz), plasma drift velocity (Vsw), flow pressure (nPa), AE, Dst and Kp indices were obtained from Operating Mission as Nodes on the Internet (OMNI) web system. The data for geomagnetic indices have been correlated with the TEC and electron density for four different events of geomagnetic storms on 6 April 2008, 27 March 2008, 4 September 2008, and 11 October 2008. The result illustrates that the observed TEC and electron density profile significantly vary with longitudes and latitudes. This study illustrates that the values of TEC and the vertical electron density profile are influenced by the solar wind parameters associated with solar activities. The peak values of electron density and TEC increase as the geomagnetic storms become stronger. Similarly, the electron density profile varies with altitudes, which peaks around the altitude range of about 250- 350 km, depending on the strength of geomagnetic storms. The results clearly show that the peak electron density shifted to higher altitude (from about 250 km to 350 km) as the geomagnetic disturbances becomes stronger.

Profiles of Ionospheric Storm-enhanced Density during the 17 March 2015 Great Storm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, J.; Wang, W.; Burns, A. G.; Yue, X.; Zhang, S.; Zhang, Y.

2015-12-01

Ionospheric F2 region peak densities (NmF2) are expected to show a positive phase correlation with total electron content (TEC), and electron density is expected to have an anti-correlation with electron temperature near the ionospheric F2 peak. However, we show that, during the 17 March 2015 great storm, TEC and F2 region electron density peak height (hmF2) over Millstone Hill increased, but the F2 region electron density peak (NmF2) decreased significantly during the storm-enhanced density (SED) phase of the storm compared with the quiet-time ionosphere. This SED occurred where there was a negative ionospheric storm near the F2 peak and below it. The weak ionosphere below the F2 peak resulted in much reduced downward heat conduction for the electrons, trapping the heat in the topside. This, in turn, increased the topside scale height, so that, even though electron densities at the F2 peak were depleted, TEC increased in the SED. The depletion in NmF2 was probably caused by an increase in the density of the molecular neutrals, resulting in enhanced recombination. In addition, the storm-time topside ionospheric electron density profile was much closer to diffusive equilibrium than non-storm time profile because of less daytime plasma flow from the ionosphere to the plasmasphere.

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

Xue, Haizhou; Zhang, Yanwen; Zhu, Zihua

Single crystalline 6H-SiC samples were irradiated at 150 K with 2 MeV Pt ions. The local volume swelling was determined by electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and a nearly sigmoidal dependence on irradiation dose is observed. The disorder profiles and ion distribution were determined by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS), transmission electron microscopy, and secondary ion mass spectrometry. Since the volume swelling reaches 12% over the damage region at high ion fluence, the effect of lattice expansion is considered and corrected for in the analysis of RBS spectra to obtain depth profiles. Projectile and damage profiles are estimated by SRIM (Stoppingmore » and Range of Ions in Matter).When compared with the measured profiles, the SRIM code predictions of ion distribution and the damage profiles are underestimated due to significant overestimation of the electronic stopping power for the slow heavy Pt ions. By utilizing the reciprocity method, which is based on the invariance of the inelastic energy loss in ion-solid collisions against interchange of projectile and target atom, a much lower electronic stopping power is deduced. A simple approach, based on reducing the density of SiC target in SRIM simulation, is proposed to compensate the overestimated SRIM electronic stopping power values, which results in improved agreement between predicted and measured damage profiles and ion ranges.« less

Electron transport properties of bis[2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-pyridine]beryllium investigated by impedance spectroscopy

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

Wang, Yanping; Chen, Jiangshan; Huang, Jinying

2014-06-14

The electron transport properties of bis[2-(2-hydroxyphenyl)-pyridine] beryllium (Bepp{sub 2}) are investigated by impedance spectroscopy over a frequency range of 10 Hz to 13 MHz. The Cole-Cole plots demonstrate that the Bepp{sub 2}-based device can be represented by a single parallel resistance R{sub p} and capacitance C{sub p} network with a series resistance R{sub s}. The current-voltage characteristics and the variation of R{sub p} with applied bias voltage indicate the electron conduction of space-charge-limited current with exponential trap distributions in Bepp{sub 2}. It can be seen that the electron mobility exhibits strong field-dependence in low electric field region and almost saturate in highmore » electric field region. It is experimentally found that Bepp{sub 2} shows dispersion transport and becomes weak as the electric field increases. The activation energy is determined to be 0.043 eV by temperature-dependent conductivity, which is consistent with the result obtained from the temperature-dependent current density characteristics. The electron mobility reaches the orders of 10{sup −6}–10{sup −5} cm{sup 2} V{sup −1} s{sup −1}, depending on the electric field.« less

Charge deposition dependence of electron transmission through PET nanocapillaries and a tapered glass microcapillary

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tanis, J. A.; Keerthisinghe, D.; Wickramarachchi, S. J.; Ikeda, T.; Stolterfoht, N.

2018-05-01

Charge deposition dependences of electron transmission through insulating PET nanocapillaries and a tapered glass microcapillary are reported and differences with HCI transmission are noted. Investigations were conducted for electrons with incident energies 500-1000 eV, corresponding to energies per charge similar to those used for HCI studies, incident on (1) an array of PET nanocapillaries (density ∼5 × 108/cm2) with diameters 100 nm in a foil of thickness 12 μm, and (2) on a tapered glass microcapillary with inlet/outlet diameters of 800/100 μm and a length of ∼35 mm. The transmission was measured for incident electrons at small sample tilt angles ranging from 0° to 5° with respect to the beam direction. For most angles, including those near zero degrees, there was an initial quiet period during which essentially no transmission was observed, followed by large rises in the transmission during relatively short periods of charge deposition before equilibrium of the transmission was reached. The resulting equilibrium was stable, blocked or had frequent oscillations depending on the incident energy and the capillary used. Observations for both capillaries show that a negative charge patch is needed to guide incident electrons through the capillaries similar to the manner in which HCIs are guided through capillaries.

SU-G-JeP2-02: A Unifying Multi-Atlas Approach to Electron Density Mapping Using Multi-Parametric MRI for Radiation Treatment Planning

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

Ren, S; Tianjin University, Tianjin; Hara, W

Purpose: MRI has a number of advantages over CT as a primary modality for radiation treatment planning (RTP). However, one key bottleneck problem still remains, which is the lack of electron density information in MRI. In the work, a reliable method to map electron density is developed by leveraging the differential contrast of multi-parametric MRI. Methods: We propose a probabilistic Bayesian approach for electron density mapping based on T1 and T2-weighted MRI, using multiple patients as atlases. For each voxel, we compute two conditional probabilities: (1) electron density given its image intensity on T1 and T2-weighted MR images, and (2)more » electron density given its geometric location in a reference anatomy. The two sources of information (image intensity and spatial location) are combined into a unifying posterior probability density function using the Bayesian formalism. The mean value of the posterior probability density function provides the estimated electron density. Results: We evaluated the method on 10 head and neck patients and performed leave-one-out cross validation (9 patients as atlases and remaining 1 as test). The proposed method significantly reduced the errors in electron density estimation, with a mean absolute HU error of 138, compared with 193 for the T1-weighted intensity approach and 261 without density correction. For bone detection (HU>200), the proposed method had an accuracy of 84% and a sensitivity of 73% at specificity of 90% (AUC = 87%). In comparison, the AUC for bone detection is 73% and 50% using the intensity approach and without density correction, respectively. Conclusion: The proposed unifying method provides accurate electron density estimation and bone detection based on multi-parametric MRI of the head with highly heterogeneous anatomy. This could allow for accurate dose calculation and reference image generation for patient setup in MRI-based radiation treatment planning.« less

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

Finzel, Kati, E-mail: kati.finzel@liu.se

The local conditions for the Pauli potential that are necessary in order to yield self-consistent electron densities from orbital-free calculations are investigated for approximations that are expressed with the help of a local position variable. It is shown that those local conditions also apply when the Pauli potential is given in terms of the electron density. An explicit formula for the Ne atom is given, preserving the local conditions during the iterative procedure. The resulting orbital-free electron density exhibits proper shell structure behavior and is in close agreement with the Kohn-Sham electron density. This study demonstrates that it is possiblemore » to obtain self-consistent orbital-free electron densities with proper atomic shell structure from simple one-point approximations for the Pauli potential at local density level.« less

Relationship between the Geotail spacecraft potential and the magnetospheric electron number density including the distant tail regions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishisaka, K.; Okada, T.; Tsuruda, K.; Hayakawa, H.; Mukai, T.; Matsumoto, H.

2001-04-01

The spacecraft potential has been used to derive the electron number density surrounding the spacecraft in the magnetosphere and solar wind. We have investigated the correlation between the spacecraft potential of the Geotail spacecraft and the electron number density derived from the plasma waves in the solar wind and almost all the regions of the magnetosphere, except for the high-density plasmasphere, and obtained an empirical formula to show their relation. The new formula is effective in the range of spacecraft potential from a few volts up to 90 V, corresponding to the electron number density from 0.001 to 50 cm-3. We compared the electron number density obtained by the empirical formula with the density obtained by the plasma wave and plasma particle measurements. On occasions the density determined by plasma wave measurements in the lobe region is different from that calculated by the empirical formula. Using the difference in the densities measured by two methods, we discuss whether or not the lower cutoff frequency of the plasma waves, such as continuum radiation, indicates the local electron density near the spacecraft. Then we applied the new relation to the spacecraft potential measured by the Geotail spacecraft during the period from October 1993 to December 1995, and obtained the electron spatial distribution in the solar wind and magnetosphere, including the distant tail region. Higher electron number density is clearly observed on the dawnside than on the duskside of the magnetosphere in the distant tail beyond 100RE.

[Study on the distribution of plasma parameters in electrodeless lamp using emission spectrometry].

PubMed

Wang, Chang-Quan; Zhang, Gui-Xin; Wang, Xin-Xin; Shao, Ming-Song; Dong, Jin-Yang; Wang, Zan-Ji

2011-09-01

Electrodeless lamp in pear shape was ignited using inductively coupled discharge setup and Ar-Hg mixtures as working gas. The changes in electronic temperature and density with axial and radial positions at 5 s of igniting were studied by means of emission spectrometry. The changes in electronic temperature were obtained according to the Ar line intensity ratio of 425.9 nm/ 750.4 nm. And the variations in electronic density were analyzed using 750.4 nm line intensity. It was found that plasma electronic temperature and density is various at different axial or radial positions. The electronic temperatures first increase, then decrease, and then increase quickly, and finally decline. While the electronic density firstly increase quickly, the decrease, and then rise slowly and finally decline again with axial distance increasing. With radial distance increasing, electronic temperature increases to a stable area, then continues to rise, while electronic density decreases.

Optical Response of Warm Dense Matter Using Real-Time Electron Dynamics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baczewski, Andrew; Shulenburger, Luke; Desjarlais, Michael; Magyar, Rudolph

2014-03-01

The extreme temperatures and solid-like densities in warm dense matter present a unique challenge for theory, wherein neither conventional models from condensed matter nor plasma physics capture all of the relevant phenomenology. While Kubo-Greenwood DFT calculations have proven capable of reproducing optical properties of WDM, they require a significant number of virtual orbitals to reach convergence due to their perturbative nature. Real-time TDDFT presents a complementary framework with a number of computationally favorable properties, including reduced cost complexity and better scalability, and has been used to reproduce the optical response of finite and ordered extended systems. We will describe the use of Ehrenfest-TDDFT to evolve coupled electron-nuclear dynamics in WDM systems, and the subsequent evaluation of optical response functions from the real-time electron dynamics. The advantages and disadvantages of this approach will be discussed relative to the current state-of-the-art. Sandia National Laboratories is a multi-program laboratory managed and operated by Sandia Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation, for the U.S. Department of Energy's National Security Administration under contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

X-ray phase-contrast imaging: the quantum perspective

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Slowik, J. M.; Santra, R.

2013-08-01

Time-resolved phase-contrast imaging using ultrafast x-ray sources is an emerging method to investigate ultrafast dynamical processes in matter. Schemes to generate attosecond x-ray pulses have been proposed, bringing electronic timescales into reach and emphasizing the demand for a quantum description. In this paper, we present a method to describe propagation-based x-ray phase-contrast imaging in nonrelativistic quantum electrodynamics. We explain why the standard scattering treatment via Fermi’s golden rule cannot be applied. Instead, the quantum electrodynamical treatment of phase-contrast imaging must be based on a different approach. It turns out that it is essential to select a suitable observable. Here, we choose the quantum-mechanical Poynting operator. We determine the expectation value of our observable and demonstrate that the leading order term describes phase-contrast imaging. It recovers the classical expression of phase-contrast imaging. Thus, it makes the instantaneous electron density of non-stationary electronic states accessible to time-resolved imaging. Interestingly, inelastic (Compton) scattering does automatically not contribute in leading order, explaining the success of the semiclassical description.

Efficient Biomass Fuel Cell Powered by Sugar with Photo- and Thermal-Catalysis by Solar Irradiation.

PubMed

Liu, Wei; Gong, Yutao; Wu, Weibing; Yang, Weisheng; Liu, Congmin; Deng, Yulin; Chao, Zi-Sheng

2018-06-19

The utilization of biomass sugars has received great interesting recently. Herein, we present a highly efficient hybrid solar biomass fuel cell that utilizes thermal- and photocatalysis of solar irradiation and converts biomass sugars into electricity with high power output. The fuel cell uses polyoxometalates (POMs) as photocatalyst to decompose sugars and capture their electrons. The reduced POMs have strong visible and near-infrared light adsorption, which can significantly increase the temperature of the reaction system and largely promotes the thermal oxidation of sugars by the POM. In addition, the reduced POM functions as charge carrier that can release electrons at the anode in the fuel cell to generate electricity. The electron-transfer rates from glucose to POM under thermal and light-irradiation conditions were investigated in detail. The power outputs of this solar biomass fuel cell are investigated by using different types of sugars as fuels, with the highest power density reaching 45 mW cm -2 . © 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Absorption of gamma-ray photons in a vacuum neutron star magnetosphere: II. The formation of "lightnings"

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Istomin, Ya. N.; Sob'yanin, D. N.

2011-10-01

The absorption of a high-energy photon from the external cosmic gamma-ray background in the inner neutron star magnetosphere triggers the generation of a secondary electron-positron plasma and gives rise to a lightning—a lengthening and simultaneously expanding plasma tube. It propagates along magnetic fields lines with a velocity close to the speed of light. The high electron-positron plasma generation rate leads to dynamical screening of the longitudinal electric field that is provided not by charge separation but by electric current growth in the lightning. The lightning radius is comparable to the polar cap radius of a radio pulsar. The number of electron-positron pairs produced in the lightning in its lifetime reaches 1028. The density of the forming plasma is comparable to or even higher than that in the polar cap regions of ordinary pulsars. This suggests that the radio emission from individual lightnings can be observed. Since the formation time of the radio emission is limited by the lightning lifetime, the possible single short radio bursts may be associated with rotating radio transients (RRATs).

The Holographic Electron Density Theorem, de-quantization, re-quantization, and nuclear charge space extrapolations of the Universal Molecule Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mezey, Paul G.

2017-11-01

Two strongly related theorems on non-degenerate ground state electron densities serve as the basis of "Molecular Informatics". The Hohenberg-Kohn theorem is a statement on global molecular information, ensuring that the complete electron density contains the complete molecular information. However, the Holographic Electron Density Theorem states more: the local information present in each and every positive volume density fragment is already complete: the information in the fragment is equivalent to the complete molecular information. In other words, the complete molecular information provided by the Hohenberg-Kohn Theorem is already provided, in full, by any positive volume, otherwise arbitrarily small electron density fragment. In this contribution some of the consequences of the Holographic Electron Density Theorem are discussed within the framework of the "Nuclear Charge Space" and the Universal Molecule Model. In the Nuclear Charge Space" the nuclear charges are regarded as continuous variables, and in the more general Universal Molecule Model some other quantized parameteres are also allowed to become "de-quantized and then re-quantized, leading to interrelations among real molecules through abstract molecules. Here the specific role of the Holographic Electron Density Theorem is discussed within the above context.

Analysis of rapid increase in the plasma density during the ramp-up phase in a radio frequency negative ion source by large-scale particle simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yasumoto, M.; Ohta, M.; Kawamura, Y.; Hatayama, A.

2014-02-01

Numerical simulations become useful for the developing RF-ICP (Radio Frequency Inductively Coupled Plasma) negative ion sources. We are developing and parallelizing a two-dimensional three velocity electromagnetic Particle-In-Cell code. The result shows rapid increase in the electron density during the density ramp-up phase. A radial electric field due to the space charge is produced with increase in the electron density and the electron transport in the radial direction is suppressed. As a result, electrons stay for a long period in the region where the inductive electric field is strong, and this leads efficient electron acceleration and a rapid increasing of the electron density.

Analysis of strong scintillation events by using GPS data at low latitudes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Forte, Biagio; Jakowski, Norbert; Wilken, Volker

2010-05-01

Drifting structures charaterised by inhomogeneities in the spatial electron density distribution at ionospheric heights originate scintillation of radio waves propagating through. The fractional electron density fluctuations and the corresponding scintillation levels may reach extreme values at low latitudes during high solar activity. Strong scintillation events have disruptive effects on a number of technological applications. In particular, operations and services based on GPS signals and receivers may experience severe disruption due to a significant degradation of the signal-to-noise ratio, eventually leading to signal loss of lock. Experimental scintillation data collected in the Asian sector at low latitudes by means of a GPS dual frequency receiver under moderate solar activity (2006) have been analysed. The GPS receiver is particularly modified in firmware in order to record power estimates on the C/A code as well as on the carriers L1 and L2. Strong scintillation activity is recorded in the post-sunset period (saturating S4 and SI as high as 20 dB). An overview of these events is presented, by taking into account scintillation impact on the signal intensity, phase, and dynamics. In particular, the interpretation of these events based on a refined scattering theory is provided with possible consequences for standard scintillation models.

Imaging the He2 quantum halo state using a free electron laser

PubMed Central

Zeller, Stefan; Kunitski, Maksim; Voigtsberger, Jörg; Kalinin, Anton; Schottelius, Alexander; Schober, Carl; Waitz, Markus; Sann, Hendrik; Hartung, Alexander; Bauer, Tobias; Pitzer, Martin; Trinter, Florian; Goihl, Christoph; Janke, Christian; Richter, Martin; Kastirke, Gregor; Weller, Miriam; Czasch, Achim; Kitzler, Markus; Braune, Markus; Grisenti, Robert E.; Schmidt, Lothar Ph. H.; Schöffler, Markus S.; Williams, Joshua B.; Jahnke, Till; Dörner, Reinhard

2016-01-01

Quantum tunneling is a ubiquitous phenomenon in nature and crucial for many technological applications. It allows quantum particles to reach regions in space which are energetically not accessible according to classical mechanics. In this “tunneling region,” the particle density is known to decay exponentially. This behavior is universal across all energy scales from nuclear physics to chemistry and solid state systems. Although typically only a small fraction of a particle wavefunction extends into the tunneling region, we present here an extreme quantum system: a gigantic molecule consisting of two helium atoms, with an 80% probability that its two nuclei will be found in this classical forbidden region. This circumstance allows us to directly image the exponentially decaying density of a tunneling particle, which we achieved for over two orders of magnitude. Imaging a tunneling particle shows one of the few features of our world that is truly universal: the probability to find one of the constituents of bound matter far away is never zero but decreases exponentially. The results were obtained by Coulomb explosion imaging using a free electron laser and furthermore yielded He2’s binding energy of 151.9±13.3 neV, which is in agreement with most recent calculations. PMID:27930299

A grafting from approach to graft polystyrene chains at the surface of graphene nanolayers by RAFT polymerization: Various graft densities from hydroxyl groups

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roghani-Mamaqani, Hossein; Khezri, Khezrollah

2016-01-01

(3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane was grafted at the surface of GO in low and high different graft densities to yield GOHAL and GOHAH, respectively. Subsequently, 2-(dodecylthiocarbonothioylthio)-2-methylpropionic acid (RA) was attached at the surface of GOHAL and GOHAH by an amidation reaction to yield GOHRL and GOHRH, respectively. Then, GOHRL and GOHRH were used in grafting from RAFT polymerization of styrene. Grafting of APTES and RA was approved by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photo electron spectroscopy, and Raman spectroscopy. Expansion of graphene interlayer by oxidation and functionalization processes was evaluated by X-ray diffraction. Conversion values of styrene were calculated using gas chromatography. Molecular weight and PDI values of attached polystyrene (PS) chains were studied by size exclusion chromatography. Thermogravimetric analysis was also used to investigate the degradation temperatures, char contents, and graft contents of modifiers and PS chains. GOHRH and GOHRL reach to char content of 55.3 and 45.2% at 600 °C, which shows that weight ratio of modifier (APTES and RA moieties) is 15.3 and 5.2%, respectively. Scanning and transmission electron microscopies show that graphite layers with flat and smooth surface wrinkled after oxidation and turned to opaque layers by grafting PS.

Interlayer interaction and mechanical properties in multi-layer graphene, Boron-Nitride, Aluminum-Nitride and Gallium-Nitride graphene-like structure: A quantum-mechanical DFT study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghorbanzadeh Ahangari, Morteza; Fereidoon, A.; Hamed Mashhadzadeh, Amin

2017-12-01

In present study, we investigated mechanical, electronic and interlayer properties of mono, bi and 3layer of Boron-Nitride (B-N), Aluminum-Nitride (Al-N) and Gallium-Nitride (Ga-N) graphene sheets and compared these results with results obtained from carbonic graphenes (C-graphenes). For reaching this purpose, first we optimized the geometrical parameters of these graphenes by using density functional theory (DFT) method. Then we calculated Young's modulus of graphene sheet by compressing and then elongating these sheets in small increment. Our results indicates that Young's modulus of graphenes didn't changed obviously by increasing the number of layer sheet. We also found that carbonic graphene has greatest Young's modulus among another mentioned sheets because of smallest equilibrium distance between its elements. Next we modeled the van der Waals interfacial interaction exist between two sheets with classical spring model by using general form of Lennard-Jones (L-J) potential for all of mentioned graphenes. For calculating L-J parameters (ε and σ), the potential energy between layers of mentioned graphene as a function of the separation distance was plotted. Moreover, the density of states (DOS) are calculated to understand the electronic properties of these systems better.

High yield neutron generator based on a high-current gasdynamic electron cyclotron resonance ion source

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

Skalyga, V.; Sidorov, A.; Lobachevsky State University of Nizhny Novgorod

2015-09-07

In present paper, an approach for high yield compact D-D neutron generator based on a high current gasdynamic electron cyclotron resonance ion source is suggested. Results on dense pulsed deuteron beam production with current up to 500 mA and current density up to 750 mA/cm{sup 2} are demonstrated. Neutron yield from D{sub 2}O and TiD{sub 2} targets was measured in case of its bombardment by pulsed 300 mA D{sup +} beam with 45 keV energy. Neutron yield density at target surface of 10{sup 9} s{sup −1} cm{sup −2} was detected with a system of two {sup 3}He proportional counters. Estimations based on obtained experimental resultsmore » show that neutron yield from a high quality TiD{sub 2} target bombarded by D{sup +} beam demonstrated in present work accelerated to 100 keV could reach 6 × 10{sup 10} s{sup −1} cm{sup −2}. It is discussed that compact neutron generator with such characteristics could be perspective for a number of applications like boron neutron capture therapy, security systems based on neutron scanning, and neutronography.« less

GaAs on Si epitaxy by aspect ratio trapping: Analysis and reduction of defects propagating along the trench direction

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

Orzali, Tommaso, E-mail: tommaso.orzali@sematech.org; Vert, Alexey; O'Brien, Brendan

2015-09-14

The Aspect Ratio Trapping technique has been extensively evaluated for improving the quality of III-V heteroepitaxial films grown on Si, due to the potential for terminating defects at the sidewalls of SiO{sub 2} patterned trenches that enclose the growth region. However, defects propagating along the trench direction cannot be effectively confined with this technique. We studied the effect of the trench bottom geometry on the density of defects of GaAs fins, grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition on 300 mm Si (001) wafers inside narrow (<90 nm wide) trenches. Plan view and cross sectional Scanning Electron Microscopy and Transmission Electron Microscopy, togethermore » with High Resolution X-Ray Diffraction, were used to evaluate the crystal quality of GaAs. The prevalent defects that reach the top surface of GaAs fins are (111) twin planes propagating along the trench direction. The lowest density of twin planes, ∼8 × 10{sup 8 }cm{sup −2}, was achieved on “V” shaped bottom trenches, where GaAs nucleation occurs only on (111) Si planes, minimizing the interfacial energy and preventing the formation of antiphase boundaries.« less

Pedestal and edge electrostatic turbulence characteristics from an XGC1 gyrokinetic simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Churchill, R. M.; Chang, C. S.; Ku, S.; Dominski, J.

2017-10-01

Understanding the multi-scale neoclassical and turbulence physics in the edge region (pedestal + scrape-off layer (SOL)) is required in order to reliably predict performance in future fusion devices. We explore turbulent characteristics in the edge region from a multi-scale neoclassical and turbulent XGC1 gyrokinetic simulation in a DIII-D like tokamak geometry, here excluding neutrals and collisions. For an H-mode type plasma with steep pedestal, it is found that the electron density fluctuations increase towards the separatrix, and stay high well into the SOL, reaching a maximum value of δ {n}e/{\\bar{n}}e˜ 0.18. Blobs are observed, born around the magnetic separatrix surface and propagate radially outward with velocities generally less than 1 km s-1. Strong poloidal motion of the blobs is also present, near 20 km s-1, consistent with E × B rotation. The electron density fluctuations show a negative skewness in the closed field-line pedestal region, consistent with the presence of ‘holes’, followed by a transition to strong positive skewness across the separatrix and into the SOL. These simulations indicate that not only neoclassical phenomena, but also turbulence, including the blob-generation mechanism, can remain important in the steep H-mode pedestal and SOL. Qualitative comparisons will be made to experimental observations.

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

Churchill, R. M.; Chang, C. S.; Ku, S.

Understanding the multi-scale neoclassical and turbulence physics in the edge region (pedestal + scrape-off layer (SOL)) is required in order to reliably predict performance in future fusion devices. We explore turbulent characteristics in the edge region from a multi-scale neoclassical and turbulent XGC1 gyrokinetic simulation in a DIII-D like tokamak geometry, here excluding neutrals and collisions. For an H-mode type plasma with steep pedestal, it is found that the electron density fluctuations increase towards the separatrix, and stay high well into the SOL, reaching a maximum value ofmore » $$\\delta {n}_{e}/{\\bar{n}}_{e}\\sim 0.18$$. Blobs are observed, born around the magnetic separatrix surface and propagate radially outward with velocities generally less than 1 km s –1. Strong poloidal motion of the blobs is also present, near 20 km s –1, consistent with E × B rotation. The electron density fluctuations show a negative skewness in the closed field-line pedestal region, consistent with the presence of 'holes', followed by a transition to strong positive skewness across the separatrix and into the SOL. These simulations indicate that not only neoclassical phenomena, but also turbulence, including the blob-generation mechanism, can remain important in the steep H-mode pedestal and SOL. Lastly, qualitative comparisons will be made to experimental observations.« less

Gedanken densities and exact constraints in density functional theory.

PubMed

Perdew, John P; Ruzsinszky, Adrienn; Sun, Jianwei; Burke, Kieron

2014-05-14

Approximations to the exact density functional for the exchange-correlation energy of a many-electron ground state can be constructed by satisfying constraints that are universal, i.e., valid for all electron densities. Gedanken densities are designed for the purpose of this construction, but need not be realistic. The uniform electron gas is an old gedanken density. Here, we propose a spherical two-electron gedanken density in which the dimensionless density gradient can be an arbitrary positive constant wherever the density is non-zero. The Lieb-Oxford lower bound on the exchange energy can be satisfied within a generalized gradient approximation (GGA) by bounding its enhancement factor or simplest GGA exchange-energy density. This enhancement-factor bound is well known to be sufficient, but our gedanken density shows that it is also necessary. The conventional exact exchange-energy density satisfies no such local bound, but energy densities are not unique, and the simplest GGA exchange-energy density is not an approximation to it. We further derive a strongly and optimally tightened bound on the exchange enhancement factor of a two-electron density, which is satisfied by the local density approximation but is violated by all published GGA's or meta-GGA's. Finally, some consequences of the non-uniform density-scaling behavior for the asymptotics of the exchange enhancement factor of a GGA or meta-GGA are given.

Quantitative electron density characterization of soft tissue substitute plastic materials using grating-based x-ray phase-contrast imaging

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

Sarapata, A.; Chabior, M.; Zanette, I.

2014-10-15

Many scientific research areas rely on accurate electron density characterization of various materials. For instance in X-ray optics and radiation therapy, there is a need for a fast and reliable technique to quantitatively characterize samples for electron density. We present how a precise measurement of electron density can be performed using an X-ray phase-contrast grating interferometer in a radiographic mode of a homogenous sample in a controlled geometry. A batch of various plastic materials was characterized quantitatively and compared with calculated results. We found that the measured electron densities closely match theoretical values. The technique yields comparable results between amore » monochromatic and a polychromatic X-ray source. Measured electron densities can be further used to design dedicated X-ray phase contrast phantoms and the additional information on small angle scattering should be taken into account in order to exclude unsuitable materials.« less

Ion Densities in the Nightside Ionosphere of Mars: Effects of Electron Impact Ionization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Girazian, Z.; Mahaffy, P.; Lillis, R. J.; Benna, M.; Elrod, M.; Fowler, C. M.; Mitchell, D. L.

2017-11-01

We use observations from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN (MAVEN) mission to show how superthermal electron fluxes and crustal magnetic fields affect ion densities in the nightside ionosphere of Mars. We find that due to electron impact ionization, high electron fluxes significantly increase the CO2+, O+, and O2+ densities below 200 km but only modestly increase the NO+ density. High electron fluxes also produce distinct peaks in the CO2+, O+, and O2+ altitude profiles. We also find that superthermal electron fluxes are smaller near strong crustal magnetic fields. Consequently, nightside ion densities are also smaller near strong crustal fields because they decay without being replenished by electron impact ionization. Furthermore, the NO+/O2+ ratio is enhanced near strong crustal fields because, in the absence of electron impact ionization, O2+ is converted into NO+ and not replenished. Our results show that electron impact ionization is a significant source of CO2+, O+, and O2+ in the nightside ionosphere of Mars.

Temporal-spatial measurement of electron relaxation time in femtosecond laser induced plasma using two-color pump-probe imaging technique

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pan, Changji; Jiang, Lan; Wang, Qingsong; Sun, Jingya; Wang, Guoyan; Lu, Yongfeng

2018-05-01

The femtosecond (fs) laser is a powerful tool to study ultrafast plasma dynamics, especially electron relaxation in strong ionization of dielectrics. Herein, temporal-spatial evolution of femtosecond laser induced plasma in fused silica was investigated using a two-color pump-probe technique (i.e., 400 nm and 800 nm, respectively). We demonstrated that when ionized electron density is lower than the critical density, free electron relaxation time is inversely proportional to electron density, which can be explained by the electron-ion scattering regime. In addition, electron density evolution within plasma was analyzed in an early stage (first 800 fs) of the laser-material interaction.

Ionospheric E-region electron density and neutral atmosphere variations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stick, T. L.

1976-01-01

Electron density deviations from a basic variation with the solar zenith angle were investigated. A model study was conducted in which the effects of changes in neutral and relative densities of atomic and molecular oxygen on calculated electron densities were compared with incoherent scatter measurements in the height range 100-117 km at Arecibo, Puerto Rico. The feasibility of determining tides in the neutral atmosphere from electron density profiles was studied. It was determined that variations in phase between the density and temperature variation and the comparable magnitudes of their components make it appear improbable that the useful information on tidal modes can be obtained in this way.

Improved understanding of the hot cathode current modes and mode transitions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campanell, M. D.; Umansky, M. V.

2017-12-01

Hot cathodes are crucial components in a variety of plasma sources and applications, but they induce mode transitions and oscillations that are not fully understood. It is often assumed that negatively biased hot cathodes have a space-charge limited (SCL) sheath whenever the current is limited. Here, we show on theoretical grounds that a SCL sheath cannot persist. First, charge-exchange ions born within the virtual cathode (VC) region get trapped and build up. After the ion density reaches the electron density at a point in the VC, a new neutral region is formed and begins growing in space. In planar geometry, this ‘new plasma’ containing cold trapped ions and cold thermoelectrons grows towards the anode and fills the gap, leaving behind an inverse cathode sheath. This explains how transitions from temperature-limited mode to anode glow mode occur in thermionic discharge experiments with magnetic fields. If the hot cathode is a small filament in an unmagnetized plasma, the trapped ion region is predicted to grow radially in both directions, get expelled if it reaches the cathode, and reform periodically. Filament-induced current oscillations consistent with this prediction have been reported in experiments. Here, we set up planar geometry simulations of thermionic discharges and demonstrate several mode transition phenomena for the first time. Our continuum kinetic code lacks the noise of particle simulations, enabling a closer study of the temporal dynamics.

Electron transfer by excited benzoquinone anions: slow rates for two-electron transitions.

PubMed

Zamadar, Matibur; Cook, Andrew R; Lewandowska-Andralojc, Anna; Holroyd, Richard; Jiang, Yan; Bikalis, Jin; Miller, John R

2013-09-05

Electron transfer (ET) rate constants from the lowest excited state of the radical anion of benzoquinone, BQ(-•)*, were measured in THF solution. Rate constants for bimolecular electron transfer reactions typically reach the diffusion-controlled limit when the free-energy change, ΔG°, reaches -0.3 eV. The rate constants for ET from BQ(-•)* are one-to-two decades smaller at this energy and do not reach the diffusion-controlled limit until -ΔG° is 1.5-2.0 eV. The rates are so slow probably because a second electron must also undergo a transition to make use of the energy of the excited state. Similarly, ET, from solvated electrons to neutral BQ to form the lowest excited state, is slow, while fast ET is observed at a higher excited state, which can be populated in a transition involving only one electron. A simple picture based on perturbation theory can roughly account for the control of electron transfer by the need for transition of a second electron. The picture also explains how extra driving force (-ΔG°) can restore fast rates of electron transfer.

Molecular Electron Density Theory: A Modern View of Reactivity in Organic Chemistry.

PubMed

Domingo, Luis R

2016-09-30

A new theory for the study of the reactivity in Organic Chemistry, named Molecular Electron Density Theory (MEDT), is proposed herein. MEDT is based on the idea that while the electron density distribution at the ground state is responsible for physical and chemical molecular properties, as proposed by the Density Functional Theory (DFT), the capability for changes in electron density is responsible for molecular reactivity. Within MEDT, the reactivity in Organic Chemistry is studied through a rigorous quantum chemical analysis of the changes of the electron density as well as the energies associated with these changes along the reaction path in order to understand experimental outcomes. Studies performed using MEDT allow establishing a modern rationalisation and to gain insight into molecular mechanisms and reactivity in Organic Chemistry.

Improving crystallization and electron mobility of indium tin oxide by carbon dioxide and hydrogen dual-step plasma treatment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Fengyou; Du, Rongchi; Ren, Qianshang; Wei, Changchun; Zhao, Ying; Zhang, Xiaodan

2017-12-01

Obtaining high conductivity indium tin oxide (ITO) films simultaneously with a "soft-deposited" (low temperature, low ions bombardment) and cost-efficient deposition process are critical aspect for versatile photo-electronic devices application. Usually, the low-cost "soft-deposited" process could be achieved via evaporation technique, but with scarifying the conductivity of the films. Here, we show a CO2 and H2 two-step plasma (TSP) post-treatment applied to ITO films prepared by reactive thermal evaporation (RTE), allows to meet the special trade-off between the deposition techniques and the electrical properties. Upon treatment, an increase in electron concentration and electron mobility is observed, which subsequently resulting a low sheet resistivity. The mobility reaches high values of 80.9 cm2/Vs for the TSP treated ∼100 nm thickness samples. From a combination of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and opto-electronic measurements, it demonstrated that: during the TSP process, the first-step CO2 plasma treatment could promote the crystallinity of the RTE ITO films. While the electron traps density at grain boundaries of polycrystalline RTE ITO films could be passivated by hydrogen atom during the second-step H2 plasma treatment. These results inspired that the TSP treatment process has significant application prospects owing to the outstanding electrical properties enhancement for "soft-deposited" RTE ITO films.

Communication: Near-locality of exchange and correlation density functionals for 1- and 2-electron systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sun, Jianwei; Perdew, John P.; Yang, Zenghui; Peng, Haowei

2016-05-01

The uniform electron gas and the hydrogen atom play fundamental roles in condensed matter physics and quantum chemistry. The former has an infinite number of electrons uniformly distributed over the neutralizing positively charged background, and the latter only one electron bound to the proton. The uniform electron gas was used to derive the local spin density approximation to the exchange-correlation functional that undergirds the development of the Kohn-Sham density functional theory. We show here that the ground-state exchange-correlation energies of the hydrogen atom and many other 1- and 2-electron systems are modeled surprisingly well by a different local spin density approximation (LSDA0). LSDA0 is constructed to satisfy exact constraints but agrees surprisingly well with the exact results for a uniform two-electron density in a finite, curved three-dimensional space. We also apply LSDA0 to excited or noded 1-electron densities, where it works less well. Furthermore, we show that the localization of the exact exchange hole for a 1- or 2-electron ground state can be measured by the ratio of the exact exchange energy to its optimal lower bound.

The relationship between gas fill density and hohlraum drive performance at the National Ignition Facility

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hall, G. N.; Jones, O. S.; Strozzi, D. J.; Moody, J. D.; Turnbull, D.; Ralph, J.; Michel, P. A.; Hohenberger, M.; Moore, A. S.; Landen, O. L.; Divol, L.; Bradley, D. K.; Hinkel, D. E.; Mackinnon, A. J.; Town, R. P. J.; Meezan, N. B.; Berzak Hopkins, L.; Izumi, N.

2017-05-01

Indirect drive inertial confinement fusion experiments were conducted at the National Ignition Facility to investigate the performance of the hohlraum drive as a function of hohlraum gas fill density by imploding high-density-carbon capsules using a 2-shock laser pulse. Measurements characterized the backscatter behavior, the production of hot electrons, the motion and brightness of the laser spots on the hohlraum wall, and the efficiency of the hohlraum x-ray drive as a function of gas fill density ρgf between 0.03 mg/cc ("near vacuum") and 1.6 mg/cc. For hohlraums with ρgf up to 0.85 mg/cc, very little stimulated Raman backscatter (SRS) was observed. For higher ρgf, significant SRS was produced and was observed to occur during the rise to peak laser power and throughout the main pulse. The efficiency with which laser energy absorbed by the hohlraum is converted into drive energy was measured to be the same for ρgf ≥ 0.6 mg/cc once the laser reached peak power. However, for the near vacuum case, the absorbed energy was converted to drive energy more efficiently throughout the pulse and maintained an efficiency ˜10% higher than the gas filled hohlraums throughout the main pulse.

Emission current from a single micropoint of explosive emission cathode

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

Wu, Ping; Science and Technology on High Power Microwave Laboratory, Northwest Institute of Nuclear Technology, Xi'an 710024; Sun, Jun

Explosive emission cathodes (EECs) are widely used due to their large current. There has been much research on the explosive electron emission mechanism demonstrating that a current density of 10{sup 8}–10{sup 9 }A/cm{sup 2} is necessary for a micropoint to explode in several nanoseconds and the micropoint size is in micron-scale according to the observation of the cathode surface. This paper, however, makes an effort to research the current density and the micropoint size in another way which considers the space charge screening effect. Our model demonstrates that the relativistic effect is insignificant for the micropoint emission due to the smallmore » size of the micropoint and uncovers that the micron-scale size is an intrinsic demand for the micropoint to reach a space charge limited current density of 10{sup 8}–10{sup 9 }A/cm{sup 2}. Meanwhile, our analysis shows that as the voltage increases, the micropoint emission will turn from a field limited state to a space charge limited state, which makes the steady-state micropoint current density independent of the cathode work function and much less dependent on the electric field and the field enhancement factor than that predicted by the Fowler-Nordheim formula.« less

The relationship between gas fill density and hohlraum drive performance at the National Ignition Facility

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

Hall, G. N.; Jones, O. S.; Strozzi, D. J.

Indirect drive inertial confinement fusion experiments were conducted at the National Ignition Facility to investigate the performance of the hohlraum drive as a function of hohlraum gas fill density by imploding high-density-carbon capsules using a 2-shock laser pulse. Our ,easurements characterize the backscatter behavior, the production of hot electrons, the motion and brightness of the laser spots on the hohlraum wall, and the efficiency of the hohlraum x-ray drive as a function of gas fill density ρ gf between 0.03 mg/cc (“near vacuum”) and 1.6 mg/cc. For hohlraums with ρ gf up to 0.85 mg/cc, very little stimulated Raman backscattermore » (SRS) was observed. Furthermore, for higher ρ gf, significant SRS was produced and was observed to occur during the rise to peak laser power and throughout the main pulse. The efficiency with which laser energy absorbed by the hohlraum is converted into drive energy was measured to be the same for ρ gf ≥ 0.6 mg/cc once the laser reached peak power. But, for the near vacuum case, the absorbed energy was converted to drive energy more efficiently throughout the pulse and maintained an efficiency ~10% higher than the gas filled hohlraums throughout the main pulse.« less

Production and Characterization of WC-Reinforced Co-Based Superalloy Matrix Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özgün, Özgür; Dinler, İlyas

2018-05-01

Cobalt-based superalloy matrix composite materials were produced through the powder metallurgy technique using element powders at high purity and nano-sized wolfram carbide (WC) reinforcement in this study. An alloy that had the same chemical composition as the Stellite 6 alloy but not containing carbon was selected as the matrix alloy. The powder mixtures obtained as a result of mixing WC reinforcing member and element powders at the determined ratio were shaped by applying 300 MPa of pressure. The green components were sintered under argon atmosphere at 1240 °C for 120 minutes. The densities of the sintered components were determined by the Archimedes' principle. Microstructural characterization was performed via X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscope examinations, and energy-dispersive spectrometry. Hardness measurements and tensile tests were performed for determining mechanical characteristics. The relative density values of the sintered components increased by increasing the WC reinforcement ratio and they could almost reach the theoretical density. It was determined from the microstructural examinations that the composite materials consisted of fine and equiaxed grains and coarse carbides demonstrating a homogeneous dispersion along the microstructure at the grain boundaries. As it was the case in the density values, the hardness and strength values of the composites increased by increasing the WC ratio.

Production and Characterization of WC-Reinforced Co-Based Superalloy Matrix Composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Özgün, Özgür; Dinler, İlyas

2018-07-01

Cobalt-based superalloy matrix composite materials were produced through the powder metallurgy technique using element powders at high purity and nano-sized wolfram carbide (WC) reinforcement in this study. An alloy that had the same chemical composition as the Stellite 6 alloy but not containing carbon was selected as the matrix alloy. The powder mixtures obtained as a result of mixing WC reinforcing member and element powders at the determined ratio were shaped by applying 300 MPa of pressure. The green components were sintered under argon atmosphere at 1240 °C for 120 minutes. The densities of the sintered components were determined by the Archimedes' principle. Microstructural characterization was performed via X-ray diffraction analysis, scanning electron microscope examinations, and energy-dispersive spectrometry. Hardness measurements and tensile tests were performed for determining mechanical characteristics. The relative density values of the sintered components increased by increasing the WC reinforcement ratio and they could almost reach the theoretical density. It was determined from the microstructural examinations that the composite materials consisted of fine and equiaxed grains and coarse carbides demonstrating a homogeneous dispersion along the microstructure at the grain boundaries. As it was the case in the density values, the hardness and strength values of the composites increased by increasing the WC ratio.

The relationship between gas fill density and hohlraum drive performance at the National Ignition Facility

DOE PAGES

Hall, G. N.; Jones, O. S.; Strozzi, D. J.; ...

2017-05-11

Indirect drive inertial confinement fusion experiments were conducted at the National Ignition Facility to investigate the performance of the hohlraum drive as a function of hohlraum gas fill density by imploding high-density-carbon capsules using a 2-shock laser pulse. Our ,easurements characterize the backscatter behavior, the production of hot electrons, the motion and brightness of the laser spots on the hohlraum wall, and the efficiency of the hohlraum x-ray drive as a function of gas fill density ρ gf between 0.03 mg/cc (“near vacuum”) and 1.6 mg/cc. For hohlraums with ρ gf up to 0.85 mg/cc, very little stimulated Raman backscattermore » (SRS) was observed. Furthermore, for higher ρ gf, significant SRS was produced and was observed to occur during the rise to peak laser power and throughout the main pulse. The efficiency with which laser energy absorbed by the hohlraum is converted into drive energy was measured to be the same for ρ gf ≥ 0.6 mg/cc once the laser reached peak power. But, for the near vacuum case, the absorbed energy was converted to drive energy more efficiently throughout the pulse and maintained an efficiency ~10% higher than the gas filled hohlraums throughout the main pulse.« less

Two-dimensional electron density characterisation of arc interruption phenomenon in current-zero phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inada, Yuki; Kamiya, Tomoki; Matsuoka, Shigeyasu; Kumada, Akiko; Ikeda, Hisatoshi; Hidaka, Kunihiko

2018-01-01

Two-dimensional electron density imaging over free burning SF6 arcs and SF6 gas-blast arcs was conducted at current zero using highly sensitive Shack-Hartmann type laser wavefront sensors in order to experimentally characterise electron density distributions for the success and failure of arc interruption in the thermal reignition phase. The experimental results under an interruption probability of 50% showed that free burning SF6 arcs with axially asymmetric electron density profiles were interrupted with a success rate of 88%. On the other hand, the current interruption of SF6 gas-blast arcs was reproducibly achieved under locally reduced electron densities and the interruption success rate was 100%.

Intermittent electron density and temperature fluctuations and associated fluxes in the Alcator C-Mod scrape-off layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kube, R.; Garcia, O. E.; Theodorsen, A.; Brunner, D.; Kuang, A. Q.; LaBombard, B.; Terry, J. L.

2018-06-01

The Alcator C-Mod mirror Langmuir probe system has been used to sample data time series of fluctuating plasma parameters in the outboard mid-plane far scrape-off layer. We present a statistical analysis of one second long time series of electron density, temperature, radial electric drift velocity and the corresponding particle and electron heat fluxes. These are sampled during stationary plasma conditions in an ohmically heated, lower single null diverted discharge. The electron density and temperature are strongly correlated and feature fluctuation statistics similar to the ion saturation current. Both electron density and temperature time series are dominated by intermittent, large-amplitude burst with an exponential distribution of both burst amplitudes and waiting times between them. The characteristic time scale of the large-amplitude bursts is approximately 15 μ {{s}}. Large-amplitude velocity fluctuations feature a slightly faster characteristic time scale and appear at a faster rate than electron density and temperature fluctuations. Describing these time series as a superposition of uncorrelated exponential pulses, we find that probability distribution functions, power spectral densities as well as auto-correlation functions of the data time series agree well with predictions from the stochastic model. The electron particle and heat fluxes present large-amplitude fluctuations. For this low-density plasma, the radial electron heat flux is dominated by convection, that is, correlations of fluctuations in the electron density and radial velocity. Hot and dense blobs contribute only a minute fraction of the total fluctuation driven heat flux.

A titanium hydride gun for plasma injection into the T2-reversed field pinch device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Voronin, A. V.; Hellblom, K. G.

1999-02-01

A study of a plasma gun (modified Bostic type) with titanium hydride electrodes has been carried out. The total number of released hydrogen atoms was in the range 1016-1018 and the maximum plasma flow velocity was 2.5×105 m s-1. The ion density near the gun edge reached 1.8×1020 m-3 and the electron temperature was around 40 eV as estimated from probe measurements. No species other than hydrogen or titanium were seen in the plasma line radiation. The plasma injector was successfully used for gas pre-ionization in the Extrap T2 reversed-field pinch device (ohmic heating toroidal experiment (OHTE)).

MAVEN Observations of Dayside Peak Electron Densities in the Ionosphere of Mars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vogt, M. F.; Withers, P.; Andersson, L.; Mahaffy, P. R.; Benna, M.; Elrod, M. K.; Connerney, J. E. P.; Espley, J. R.; Eparvier, F. G.; Jakosky, B. M.

2016-12-01

The peak electron density in the dayside Martian ionosphere is a valuable diagnostic of the state of the ionosphere. Its dependence on factors like the solar zenith angle, ionizing solar irradiance, neutral scale height, and electron temperature has been well studied. The MAVEN spacecraft's September 2015 "deep dip" orbits, in which the orbital periapsis is lowered to 120 km, provided our first opportunity since Viking to sample in situ a complete dayside electron density profiles including the main peak, and the first observations with contemporaneous comprehensive measurements of the local plasma and magnetic field properties. We have analyzed the peak electron density measurements from the MAVEN deep dip orbits and will discuss their variability with various ionospheric properties, including the proximity to regions of large crustal magnetic fields, and external drivers. We will also present observations of the electron temperature and atmospheric neutral and ion composition at the altitude of the peak electron density.

Use of Total Electron Content data to analyze ionosphere electron density gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nava, B.; Radicella, S. M.; Leitinger, R.; Coisson, P.

In presence of electron density gradients the thin shell approximation for the ionosphere used together with a simple mapping function to convert slant Total Electron Content TEC to vertical TEC could lead to TEC conversion errors Therefore these mapping function errors can be used to identify the effects of the electron density gradients in the ionosphere In the present work high precision GPS derived slant TEC data have been used to investigate the effects of the electron density gradients in the middle and low latitude ionosphere under geomagnetic quiet and disturbed conditions In particular the data corresponding to the geographic area of the American sector for the days 5-7 April 2000 have been used to perform a complete analysis of mapping function errors based on the coinciding pierce point technique The results clearly illustrate the electron density gradient effects according to the locations considered and to the actual levels of disturbance of the ionosphere

[Study of the effect of heat source separation distance on plasma physical properties in laser-pulsed GMAW hybrid welding based on spectral diagnosis technique].

PubMed

Liao, Wei; Hua, Xue-Ming; Zhang, Wang; Li, Fang

2014-05-01

In the present paper, the authors calculated the plasma's peak electron temperatures under different heat source separation distance in laser- pulse GMAW hybrid welding based on Boltzmann spectrometry. Plasma's peak electron densities under the corresponding conditions were also calculated by using the Stark width of the plasma spectrum. Combined with high-speed photography, the effect of heat source separation distance on electron temperature and electron density was studied. The results show that with the increase in heat source separation distance, the electron temperatures and electron densities of laser plasma did not changed significantly. However, the electron temperatures of are plasma decreased, and the electron densities of are plasma first increased and then decreased.

Influence of Atmospheric Pressure and Composition on LIBS

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

Hatch, Jeremy J.; Scott, Jill R.; Effenberger, A. J. Jr.

2014-03-01

Most LIBS experiments are conducted at standard atmospheric pressure in air. However, there are LIBS studies that vary the pressure and composition of the gas. These studies have provided insights into fundamentals of the mechanisms that lead to the emission and methods for improving the quality of LIBS spectra. These atmospheric studies are difficult because the effects of pressure and gas composition and interconnected, making interpretation of the results difficult. The influence of pressures below and above 760 Torr have been explored. Performing LIBS on a surface at reduced pressures (<760 Torr) can result in enhanced spectra due to highermore » resolution, increased intensity, improved signal-to-noise (S/N), and increased ablation. Lower pressures produce increased resolution because the line width in LIBS spectra is predominantly due to Stark and Doppler broadening. Stark broadening is primarily caused from collisions between electrons and atoms, while Doppler broadening is proportional to the plasma temperature. Close examination using a high resolution spectrometer reveals that spectra show significant peak broadening and self-absorption as pressures increase, especially for pressures >760 Torr. During LIBS plasma expansion, energy is lost to the surrounding atmosphere, which reduces the lifetime of the laser plasma. Therefore, reducing the pressure increases the lifetime of the plasma, allowing more light from the laser plasma to be collected; thus, increasing the observed signal intensity. However, if pressures are too low (<10 Torr), then there is a steep drop in LIBS spectral intensity. This loss in intensity is mostly due to a disordered plasma that results from the lack of sufficient atmosphere to provide adequate confinement. At reduced pressures, the plasma expands into a less dense atmosphere, which results in a less dense shock wave. The reduced density in the shock wave results in reduced plasma shielding, allowing more photons to reach the sample. Increasing the number of photons interacting with the sample surface results in increased ablation, which can lead to increased intensity. The composition of the background gas has been shown to greatly influence the observed LIBS spectra by altering the plasma temperature, electron density, mass removal, and plasma shielding that impact the emission intensity and peak resolution. It has been reported that atmospheric Ar results in the highest plasma temperature and electron density, while a He atmosphere results in the lowest plasma temperatures and electron density. Studying temporal data, it was also found that Ar had the slowest decay of both electron density and plasma temperature, while He had the fastest decay in both parameters. The higher plasma temperature and electron density results in an increase in line broadenin, or poor resolution, for Ar compared to He. A rapidly developing LIBS plasma with a sufficient amount of electrons can absorb a significant portion of the laser pulse through inverse Bremsstahlung. Ar (15.8 eV ) is more easily ionized than He (24.4 eV). The breakdown threshold for He at 760 Torr is approximately 3 times greater than Ar and approximately 5 times greater at 100 Torr. The lower breakdown threshold in Ar, compared to He, creates an environment favorable for plasma shielding, which reduces sample vaporization and leads to a weaker LIBS signal.« less

Exchange-correlation energies of atoms from efficient density functionals: influence of the electron density

DOE PAGES

Tao, Jianmin; Ye, Lin -Hui; Duan, Yuhua

2017-11-20

The primary goal of Kohn–Sham density functional theory is to evaluate the exchange-correlation contribution to electronic properties. However, the accuracy of a density functional can be affected by the electron density. Here we apply the nonempirical Tao–Mo (TM) semilocal functional to study the influence of the electron density on the exchange and correlation energies of atoms and ions, and compare the results with the commonly used nonempirical semilocal functionals local spin-density approximation (LSDA), Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE), Tao–Perdew–Staroverov–Scuseria (TPSS), and hybrid functional PBE0. We find that the spin-restricted Hartree–Fock density yields the exchange and correlation energies in good agreement with the Optimizedmore » Effective Potential method, particularly for spherical atoms and ions. However, the errors of these semilocal and hybrid functionals become larger for self-consistent densities. We further find that the quality of the electron density have greater effect on the exchange-correlation energies of kinetic energy density-dependent meta-GGA functionals TPSS and TM than on those of the LSDA and GGA, and therefore, should have greater influence on the performance of meta-GGA functionals. Lastly, we show that the influence of the density quality on PBE0 is slightly reduced, compared to that of PBE, due to the exact mixing.« less

Exchange-correlation energies of atoms from efficient density functionals: influence of the electron density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tao, Jianmin; Ye, Lin-Hui; Duan, Yuhua

2017-12-01

The primary goal of Kohn-Sham density functional theory is to evaluate the exchange-correlation contribution to electronic properties. However, the accuracy of a density functional can be affected by the electron density. Here we apply the nonempirical Tao-Mo (TM) semilocal functional to study the influence of the electron density on the exchange and correlation energies of atoms and ions, and compare the results with the commonly used nonempirical semilocal functionals local spin-density approximation (LSDA), Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE), Tao-Perdew-Staroverov-Scuseria (TPSS), and hybrid functional PBE0. We find that the spin-restricted Hartree-Fock density yields the exchange and correlation energies in good agreement with the Optimized Effective Potential method, particularly for spherical atoms and ions. However, the errors of these semilocal and hybrid functionals become larger for self-consistent densities. We further find that the quality of the electron density have greater effect on the exchange-correlation energies of kinetic energy density-dependent meta-GGA functionals TPSS and TM than on those of the LSDA and GGA, and therefore, should have greater influence on the performance of meta-GGA functionals. Finally, we show that the influence of the density quality on PBE0 is slightly reduced, compared to that of PBE, due to the exact mixing.

Exchange-correlation energies of atoms from efficient density functionals: influence of the electron density

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

Tao, Jianmin; Ye, Lin -Hui; Duan, Yuhua

The primary goal of Kohn–Sham density functional theory is to evaluate the exchange-correlation contribution to electronic properties. However, the accuracy of a density functional can be affected by the electron density. Here we apply the nonempirical Tao–Mo (TM) semilocal functional to study the influence of the electron density on the exchange and correlation energies of atoms and ions, and compare the results with the commonly used nonempirical semilocal functionals local spin-density approximation (LSDA), Perdew–Burke–Ernzerhof (PBE), Tao–Perdew–Staroverov–Scuseria (TPSS), and hybrid functional PBE0. We find that the spin-restricted Hartree–Fock density yields the exchange and correlation energies in good agreement with the Optimizedmore » Effective Potential method, particularly for spherical atoms and ions. However, the errors of these semilocal and hybrid functionals become larger for self-consistent densities. We further find that the quality of the electron density have greater effect on the exchange-correlation energies of kinetic energy density-dependent meta-GGA functionals TPSS and TM than on those of the LSDA and GGA, and therefore, should have greater influence on the performance of meta-GGA functionals. Lastly, we show that the influence of the density quality on PBE0 is slightly reduced, compared to that of PBE, due to the exact mixing.« less

Recent Progress Towards Space Applications Of Thin Film Solar Cells- The German Joint Project 'Flexible CIGSE Thin Film Solar Cells For Space Flight' And OOV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brunner, Sebastian; Zajac, Kai; Nadler, Michael; Seifart, Klaus; Kaufmann, Christian A.; Caballero, Raquel; Schock, Hans-Werner; Hartmann, Lars; Otte, Karten; Rahm, Andreas; Scheit, Christian; Zachmann, Hendrick; Kessler, Friedrich; Wurz, Roland; Schulke, Peter

2011-10-01

A group of partners from an academic and industrial background are developing a flexible Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGSe) thin film solar cell technology on a polyimide substrate that aims to be a future alternative to current rigid solar cell technologies for space applications. In particular on missions with high radiation volumes, the superior tolerance of chalcopyrite based thin film solar cell (TFSC) technologies with respect to electron and proton radiation, when compared to the established Si- or III-V based technologies, can be advantageous. Of all thin film technologies, those based on CIGSe have the highest potential to reach attractive photovoltaic conversion efficiencies and combine these with low weight in order to realize high power densities on solar cell and generator level. The use of a flexible substrate ensures a high packing density. A working demonstrator is scheduled for flight this year.

Study on the Ingredient Proportions and After-Treatment of Laser Sintering Walnut Shell Composites

PubMed Central

Guo, Yanling; Jiang, Ting; Li, Jian; Jiang, Kaiyi; Zhang, Hui

2017-01-01

To alleviate resource shortage, reduce the cost of materials consumption and the pollution of agricultural and forestry waste, walnut shell composites (WSPC) consisting of walnut shell as additive and copolyester hot melt adhesive (Co-PES) as binder was developed as the feedstock of selective laser sintering (SLS). WSPC parts with different ingredient proportions were fabricated by SLS and processed through after-treatment technology. The density, mechanical properties and surface quality of WSPC parts before and after post processing were analyzed via formula method, mechanical test and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Results show that, when the volume fraction of the walnut shell powder in the WSPC reaches the maximum (40%), sintered WSPC parts have the smallest warping deformation and the highest dimension precision, although the surface quality, density, and mechanical properties are low. However, performing permeating resin as the after-treatment technology could considerably increase the tensile, bending and impact strength by 496%, 464%, and 516%, respectively. PMID:29207485

Leveling coatings for reducing the atomic oxygen defect density in protected graphite fiber epoxy composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jaworske, D. A.; Degroh, Kim K.; Podojil, G.; McCollum, T.; Anzic, J.

1992-11-01

Pinholes or other defect sites in a protective oxide coating provide pathways for atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit to reach underlying material. One concept of enhancing the lifetime of materials in low Earth orbit is to apply a leveling coating to the material prior to applying any reflective and protective coatings. Using a surface tension leveling coating concept, a low viscosity epoxy was applied to the surface of several composite coupons. A protective layer of 1000 A of SiO2 was deposited on top of the leveling coating, and the coupons were exposed to an atomic oxygen environment in a plasma asher. Pinhole populations per unit area were estimated by counting the number of undercut sites observed by scanning electron microscopy. Defect density values of 180,000 defects/sq cm were reduced to about 1000 defects/sq cm as a result of the applied leveling coating. These improvements occur at a mass penalty of about 2.5 mg/sq cm.

Leveling coatings for reducing the atomic oxygen defect density in protected graphite fiber epoxy composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaworske, D. A.; Degroh, K. K.; Podojil, G.; Mccollum, T.; Anzic, J.

1992-01-01

Pinholes or other defect sites in a protective oxide coating provide pathways for atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit to reach underlying material. One concept for enhancing the lifetime of materials in low Earth orbits is to apply a leveling coating to the material prior to applying any reflective and protective coatings. Using a surface tension leveling coating concept, a low viscosity epoxy was applied to the surface of several composite coupons. A protective layer of 1000 A of SiO2 was deposited on top of the leveling coating, and the coupons were exposed to an atomic oxygen environment in a plasma asher. Pinhole populations per unit area were estimated by counting the number of undercut sites observed by scanning electron microscopy. Defect density values of 180,000 defects/sq cm were reduced to about 1000 defects/sq cm as a result of the applied leveling coating. These improvements occur at a mass penalty of about 2.5 mg/sq cm.

Leveling coatings for reducing the atomic oxygen defect density in protected graphite fiber epoxy composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jaworske, D. A.; Degroh, Kim K.; Podojil, G.; Mccollum, T.; Anzic, J.

1992-01-01

Pinholes or other defect sites in a protective oxide coating provide pathways for atomic oxygen in low Earth orbit to reach underlying material. One concept of enhancing the lifetime of materials in low Earth orbit is to apply a leveling coating to the material prior to applying any reflective and protective coatings. Using a surface tension leveling coating concept, a low viscosity epoxy was applied to the surface of several composite coupons. A protective layer of 1000 A of SiO2 was deposited on top of the leveling coating, and the coupons were exposed to an atomic oxygen environment in a plasma asher. Pinhole populations per unit area were estimated by counting the number of undercut sites observed by scanning electron microscopy. Defect density values of 180,000 defects/sq cm were reduced to about 1000 defects/sq cm as a result of the applied leveling coating. These improvements occur at a mass penalty of about 2.5 mg/sq cm.

Non-equilibrium reactive flux: A unified framework for slow and fast reaction kinetics.

PubMed

Bose, Amartya; Makri, Nancy

2017-10-21

The flux formulation of reaction rate theory is recast in terms of the expectation value of the reactive flux with an initial condition that corresponds to a non-equilibrium, factorized reactant density. In the common case of slow reactive processes, the non-equilibrium expression reaches the plateau regime only slightly slower than the equilibrium flux form. When the reactants are described by a single quantum state, as in the case of electron transfer reactions, the factorized reactant density describes the true initial condition of the reactive process. In such cases, the time integral of the non-equilibrium flux expression yields the reactant population as a function of time, allowing characterization of the dynamics in cases where there is no clear separation of time scales and thus a plateau regime cannot be identified. The non-equilibrium flux offers a unified approach to the kinetics of slow and fast chemical reactions and is ideally suited to mixed quantum-classical methods.

Half-metallicity at the (110) interface between a full Heusler alloy and GaAs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nagao, Kazutaka; Miura, Yoshio; Shirai, Masafumi

2006-03-01

The electronic properties of Co2CrAl/GaAs interfaces are investigated by using first-principles calculations with density functional theory. It is found that spin polarization tends to remain relatively high at the (110) interface and reaches almost unity for a specific (110) interfacial structure. Furthermore, the nearly-half-metallic interface turns out to be the most stable of the (110) interfacial structures studied here. Spin polarization calculated only from the sp -projected density of states is also examined in order to eliminate the effects stemming from the localized d components. The analysis shows that the high spin polarization at the (110) interface owes little to the localized d component and, therefore, is expected to be fairly relevant to transport properties. Co2CrSi/GaAs , Co2MnSi/GaAs , and Co2MnGe/GaAs heterostructures are also investigated, and similar half-metal-like behavior at (110) interface is observed for all of them.

Promising critical current density characteristics of Ag-sheathed (Sr,Na)Fe2As2 tape

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suwa, Takahiro; Pyon, Sunseng; Tamegai, Tsuyoshi; Awaji, Satoshi

2018-06-01

We report the fabrication of (Sr,Na)Fe2As2 superconducting tapes by the powder-in-tube technique and their characteristics, including the transport critical current density J c at 4.2 K up to 140 kOe, the magnetic J c estimated from magnetic hysteresis curves, magneto-optical (MO) images, and scanning electron microscopy images. In a tape sintered at 875 °C for 1 h, the transport J c reaches 26 kA/cm2 at 4.2 K and 100 kOe for a field perpendicular to the tape surface. When the field is parallel to the tape surface, the magnetic J c exceeds the practical level of 100 kA/cm2 at 4.2 K below 25 kOe. Analysis of the MO images reveals clear current discontinuity lines in the core, indicating that the current flows homogeneously and the connections between grains are strong in the core.

Electron energy distribution function in the divertor region of the COMPASS tokamak during neutral beam injection heating

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hasan, E.; Dimitrova, M.; Havlicek, J.; Mitošinková, K.; Stöckel, J.; Varju, J.; Popov, Tsv K.; Komm, M.; Dejarnac, R.; Hacek, P.; Panek, R.; the COMPASS Team

2018-02-01

This paper presents the results from swept probe measurements in the divertor region of the COMPASS tokamak in D-shaped, L-mode discharges, with toroidal magnetic field BT = 1.15 T, plasma current Ip = 180 kA and line-average electron densities varying from 2 to 8×1019 m-3. Using neutral beam injection heating, the electron energy distribution function is studied before and during the application of the beam. The current-voltage characteristics data are processed using the first-derivative probe technique. This technique allows one to evaluate the plasma potential and the real electron energy distribution function (respectively, the electron temperatures and densities). At the low average electron density of 2×1019 m-3, the electron energy distribution function is bi-Maxwellian with a low-energy electron population with temperatures 4-6 eV and a high-energy electron group 12-25 eV. As the line-average electron density is increased, the electron temperatures decrease. At line-average electron densities above 7×1019 m-3, the electron energy distribution function is found to be Maxwellian with a temperature of 6-8.5 eV. The effect of the neutral beam injection heating power in the divertor region is also studied.

Device and method for imploding a microsphere with a fast liner

DOEpatents

Thode, Lester E.

1981-01-01

A device and method for relativistic electron beam heating of a high-density plasma in a small localized region. A relativistic electron beam generator or accelerator produces a high-voltage electron beam which propagates along a vacuum drift tube and is modulated to initiate electron bunching within the beam. The beam is then directed through a low-density gas chamber which provides isolation between the vacuum modulator and the relativistic electron beam target. The relativistic beam is then applied to a high-density target plasma which typically comprises DT, DD, hydrogen boron or similar thermonuclear gas at a density of 10.sup.17 to 10.sup.20 electrons per cubic centimeter. The target gas is ionized prior to application of the electron beam by means of a laser or other preionization source to form a plasma. Utilizing a relativistic electron beam with an individual particle energy exceeding 3 MeV, classical scattering by relativistic electrons passing through isolation foils is negligible. As a result, relativistic streaming instabilities are initiated within the high-density target plasma causing the relativistic electron beam to efficiently deposit its energy and momentum into a small localized region of the high-density plasma target. Fast liners disposed in the high-density target plasma are explosively or ablatively driven to implosion by a heated annular plasma surrounding the fast liner generated by an annular relativistic electron beam. An azimuthal magnetic field produced by axial current flow in the annular plasma, causes the energy in the heated annular plasma to converge on the fast liner to drive the fast liner to implode a microsphere.

Quantitative contribution of molecular orbitals to hydrogen bonding in a water dimer: Electron density projected integral (EDPI) analysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Zhiyuan; Jiang, Wanrun; Wang, Bo; Wang, Zhigang

2017-06-01

We introduce the orbital-resolved electron density projected integral (EDPI) along the H-bond in the real space to quantitatively investigate the specific contribution from the molecular orbitals (MOs) aspect in (H2O)2. Calculation results show that, the electronic occupied orbital (HOMO-4) of (H2O)2 accounts for about surprisingly 40% of the electron density at the bond critical point. Moreover, the electronic density difference analysis visualizes the electron accumulating effect of the orbital interaction within the H-bond between water molecules, supporting its covalent-like character. Our work expands the understanding of H-bond with specific contributions from certain MOs.

2D microwave imaging reflectometer electronics.

PubMed

Spear, A G; Domier, C W; Hu, X; Muscatello, C M; Ren, X; Tobias, B J; Luhmann, N C

2014-11-01

A 2D microwave imaging reflectometer system has been developed to visualize electron density fluctuations on the DIII-D tokamak. Simultaneously illuminated at four probe frequencies, large aperture optics image reflections from four density-dependent cutoff surfaces in the plasma over an extended region of the DIII-D plasma. Localized density fluctuations in the vicinity of the plasma cutoff surfaces modulate the plasma reflections, yielding a 2D image of electron density fluctuations. Details are presented of the receiver down conversion electronics that generate the in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) reflectometer signals from which 2D density fluctuation data are obtained. Also presented are details on the control system and backplane used to manage the electronics as well as an introduction to the computer based control program.

A tunable electron beam source using trapping of electrons in a density down-ramp in laser wakefield acceleration.

PubMed

Ekerfelt, Henrik; Hansson, Martin; Gallardo González, Isabel; Davoine, Xavier; Lundh, Olle

2017-09-25

One challenge in the development of laser wakefield accelerators is to demonstrate sufficient control and reproducibility of the parameters of the generated bunches of accelerated electrons. Here we report on a numerical study, where we demonstrate that trapping using density down-ramps allows for tuning of several electron bunch parameters by varying the properties of the density down-ramp. We show that the electron bunch length is determined by the difference in density before and after the ramp. Furthermore, the transverse emittance of the bunch is controlled by the steepness of the ramp. Finally, the amount of trapped charge depends both on the density difference and on the steepness of the ramp. We emphasize that both parameters of the density ramp are feasible to vary experimentally. We therefore conclude that this tunable electron accelerator makes it suitable for a wide range of applications, from those requiring short pulse length and low emittance, such as the free-electron lasers, to those requiring high-charge, large-emittance bunches to maximize betatron X-ray generation.

Electron density studies of methyl cellobioside

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Experimental X-ray diffraction crystallography determines the variations in electron density that result from the periodic array of atoms in a crystal. Normally, the positions and type of atom are determined from the electron density based on an approximation that the atoms are spherical. However, t...

Density functional analysis of fluorite-structured (Ce, Zr)O 2/CeO 2 interfaces [Density functional analysis of fluorite-structured (Ce, Zr)O 2/CeO 2 interfaces: Implications for catalysis and energy applications

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

Weck, Philippe F.; Juan, Pierre -Alexandre; Dingreville, Remi

The structures and properties of Ce 1–xZr xO 2 (x = 0–1) solid solutions, selected Ce 1–xZr xO 2 surfaces, and Ce 1–xZr xO 2/CeO 2 interfaces were computed within the framework of density functional theory corrected for strong electron correlation (DFT+ U). The calculated Debye temperature increases steadily with Zr content in (Ce, Zr)O 2 phases, indicating a significant rise in microhardness from CeO 2 to ZrO 2, without appreciable loss in ductility as the interfacial stoichiometry changes. Surface energy calculations for the low-index CeO 2(111) and (110) surfaces show limited sensitivity to strong 4f-electron correlation. The fracture energymore » of Ce 1–xZr xO 2(111)/CeO 2(111) increases markedly with Zr content, with a significant decrease in energy for thicker Ce 1–xZr xO 2 films. These findings suggest the crucial role of Zr acting as a binder at the Ce 1–xZr xO 2/CeO 2 interfaces, due to the more covalent character of Zr–O bonds compared to Ce–O. Finally, the impact of surface relaxation upon interface cracking was assessed and found to reach a maximum for Ce 0.25Zr 0.75O 2/CeO 2 interfaces.« less

New progress of high current gasdynamic ion source (invited)

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

Skalyga, V., E-mail: skalyga@ipfran.ru; Sidorov, A.; Vodopyanov, A.

2016-02-15

The experimental and theoretical research carried out at the Institute of Applied Physics resulted in development of a new type of electron cyclotron resonance ion sources (ECRISs)—the gasdynamic ECRIS. The gasdynamic ECRIS features a confinement mechanism in a magnetic trap that is different from Geller’s ECRIS confinement, i.e., the quasi-gasdynamic one similar to that in fusion mirror traps. Experimental studies of gasdynamic ECRIS were performed at Simple Mirror Ion Source (SMIS) 37 facility. The plasma was created by 37.5 and 75 GHz gyrotron radiation with power up to 100 kW. High frequency microwaves allowed to create and sustain plasma withmore » significant density (up to 8 × 10{sup 13} cm{sup −3}) and to maintain the main advantages of conventional ECRIS such as high ionization degree and low ion energy. Reaching such high plasma density relies on the fact that the critical density grows with the microwave frequency squared. High microwave power provided the average electron energy on a level of 50-300 eV enough for efficient ionization even at neutral gas pressure range of 10{sup −4}–10{sup −3} mbar. Gasdynamic ECRIS has demonstrated a good performance producing high current (100-300 mA) multi-charged ion beams with moderate average charge (Z = 4-5 for argon). Gasdynamic ECRIS has appeared to be especially effective in low emittance hydrogen and deuterium beams formation. Proton beams with current up to 500 emA and RMS emittance below 0.07 π ⋅ mm ⋅ mrad have been demonstrated in recent experiments.« less

Influence of Electrical and Ionic Conductivities of Organic Electronic Ion Pump on Acetylcholine Exchange Performance

PubMed Central

Abdullayeva, Nazrin; Sankir, Mehmet

2017-01-01

By using an easy and effective method of depositing conjugated polymers (PEDOT:PSS) on flexible substrates, a new design for organic bioelectronic devices has been developed. The purpose was to build up a system that mimics the motion of neurotransmitters in the synaptic cleft by obtaining an electrical to chemical signal transport. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and Raman measurements have demonstrated that electrochemical overoxidation region which separates the pristine PEDOT:PSS electrodes and allows ionic conduction has been achieved successfully. The influence of both electrical and ionic conductivities on organic electronic ion pump (OEIP) performances has been studied. The ultimate goal was to achieve the highest equilibrium current density at the lowest applied voltage via enhancing the electrical conductivity of PEDOT:PSS and ionic conductivity of electrochemically overoxidized region. The highest equilibrium current density, which corresponds to 4.81 × 1017 number of ions of acetylcholine was about 41 μA cm−2 observed for the OEIP with the electrical conductivities of 54 S cm−1. This was a threshold electrical conductivity beyond which the OEIP performances were not changed much. Once Nafion™ has been applied for enhancing the ionic conductivity, the equilibrium current density increased about ten times and reached up to 408 μA cm−2. Therefore, it has been demonstrated that the OEIP performance mainly scales with the ionic conductivity. A straightforward method of producing organic bioelectronics is proposed here may provide a clue for their effortless mass production in the near future. PMID:28772946

Density functional analysis of fluorite-structured (Ce, Zr)O 2/CeO 2 interfaces [Density functional analysis of fluorite-structured (Ce, Zr)O 2/CeO 2 interfaces: Implications for catalysis and energy applications

DOE PAGES

Weck, Philippe F.; Juan, Pierre -Alexandre; Dingreville, Remi; ...

2017-06-21

The structures and properties of Ce 1–xZr xO 2 (x = 0–1) solid solutions, selected Ce 1–xZr xO 2 surfaces, and Ce 1–xZr xO 2/CeO 2 interfaces were computed within the framework of density functional theory corrected for strong electron correlation (DFT+ U). The calculated Debye temperature increases steadily with Zr content in (Ce, Zr)O 2 phases, indicating a significant rise in microhardness from CeO 2 to ZrO 2, without appreciable loss in ductility as the interfacial stoichiometry changes. Surface energy calculations for the low-index CeO 2(111) and (110) surfaces show limited sensitivity to strong 4f-electron correlation. The fracture energymore » of Ce 1–xZr xO 2(111)/CeO 2(111) increases markedly with Zr content, with a significant decrease in energy for thicker Ce 1–xZr xO 2 films. These findings suggest the crucial role of Zr acting as a binder at the Ce 1–xZr xO 2/CeO 2 interfaces, due to the more covalent character of Zr–O bonds compared to Ce–O. Finally, the impact of surface relaxation upon interface cracking was assessed and found to reach a maximum for Ce 0.25Zr 0.75O 2/CeO 2 interfaces.« less

Step buffer layer of Al0.25Ga0.75N/Al0.08Ga0.92N on P-InAlN gate normally-off high electron mobility transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrestha, Niraj M.; Li, Yiming; Chang, E. Y.

2016-07-01

Normally-off AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) are indispensable devices for power electronics as they can greatly simplify circuit designs in a cost-effective way. In this work, the electrical characteristics of p-type InAlN gate normally-off AlGaN/GaN HEMTs with a step buffer layer of Al0.25Ga0.75N/Al0.1Ga0.9N is studied numerically. Our device simulation shows that a p-InAlN gate with a step buffer layer allows the transistor to possess normally-off behavior with high drain current and high breakdown voltage simultaneously. The gate modulation by the p-InAlN gate and the induced holes appearing beneath the gate at the GaN/Al0.25Ga0.75N interface is because a hole appearing in the p-InAlN layer can effectively vary the threshold voltage positively. The estimated threshold voltage of the normally-off HEMTs explored is 2.5 V at a drain bias of 25 V, which is 220% higher than the conventional p-AlGaN normally-off AlGaN/GaN gate injection transistor (GIT). Concurrently, the maximum current density of the explored HEMT at a drain bias of 10 V slightly decreases by about 7% (from 240 to 223 mA mm-1). At a drain bias of 15 V, the current density reached 263 mA mm-1. The explored structure is promising owing to tunable positive threshold voltage and the maintenance of similar current density; notably, its breakdown voltage significantly increases by 36% (from 800 V, GIT, to 1086 V). The engineering findings of this study indicate that novel p-InAlN for both the gate and the step buffer layer can feature a high threshold voltage, large current density and high operating voltage for advanced AlGaN/GaN HEMT devices.

Thermal imaging diagnostics of high-current electron beams.

PubMed

Pushkarev, A; Kholodnaya, G; Sazonov, R; Ponomarev, D

2012-10-01

The thermal imaging diagnostics of measuring pulsed electron beam energy density is presented. It provides control of the electron energy spectrum and a measure of the density distribution of the electron beam cross section, the spatial distribution of electrons with energies in the selected range, and the total energy of the electron beam. The diagnostics is based on the thermal imager registration of the imaging electron beam thermal print in a material with low bulk density and low thermal conductivity. Testing of the thermal imaging diagnostics has been conducted on a pulsed electron accelerator TEU-500. The energy of the electrons was 300-500 keV, the density of the electron current was 0.1-0.4 kA/cm(2), the duration of the pulse (at half-height) was 60 ns, and the energy in the pulse was up to 100 J. To register the thermal print, a thermal imager Fluke-Ti10 was used. Testing showed that the sensitivity of a typical thermal imager provides the registration of a pulsed electron beam heat pattern within one pulse with energy density over 0.1 J/cm(2) (or with current density over 10 A/cm(2), pulse duration of 60 ns and electron energy of 400 keV) with the spatial resolution of 0.9-1 mm. In contrast to the method of using radiosensitive (dosimetric) materials, thermal imaging diagnostics does not require either expensive consumables, or plenty of processing time.

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

Raymund, T.D.

Recently, several tomographic techniques for ionospheric electron density imaging have been proposed. These techniques reconstruct a vertical slice image of electron density using total electron content data. The data are measured between a low orbit beacon satellite and fixed receivers located along the projected orbital path of the satellite. By using such tomographic techniques, it may be possible to inexpensively (relative to incoherent scatter techniques) image the ionospheric electron density in a vertical plane several times per day. The satellite and receiver geometry used to measure the total electron content data causes the data to be incomplete; that is, themore » measured data do not contain enough information to completely specify the ionospheric electron density distribution in the region between the satellite and the receivers. A new algorithm is proposed which allows the incorporation of other complementary measurements, such as those from ionosondes, and also includes ways to include a priori information about the unknown electron density distribution in the reconstruction process. The algorithm makes use of two-dimensional basis functions. Illustrative application of this algorithm is made to simulated cases with good results. The technique is also applied to real total electron content (TEC) records collected in Scandinavia in conjunction with the EISCAT incoherent scatter radar. The tomographic reconstructions are compared with the incoherent scatter electron density images of the same region of the ionosphere.« less

Progress Towards a Microtrap Array for Positron Storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Narimannezhad, Alireza; Weber, Marc H.; Jennings, Joshah; Minnal, Chandrasekar; Lynn, Kelvin G.

2014-10-01

The storage of positrons has been a key for antimatter research and applications. One important goal is the attempt to reach higher densities of confined antimatter particles. Progress in this area is explored through a novel microtrap array with large length to radius aspect ratios and radii of the order of tens of microns. The proposed design consists of microtraps with substantially lower barrier potentials than conventional Penning-Malmberg traps arranged in parallel within a single magnet. Simulations showed positron plasma with 1E10 cm-3 density evolves toward a rigid-rotation phase in each microtrap while 10 V barriers confined the plasma axially. A trap of 4 cm length including more than 20,000 microtubes with 50 micron radii was fabricated and tested. Experiments conducted with electrons in a test structure addressing each microtube with a narrow beam will be described. This will explore the basic physics of the microtraps. Observed results were promising and they open a new avenue for manipulating high-density non-neutral plasmas. This work was supported by the Army Research Laboratory under Contract W9113M-09-C-0075, and the Office of Naval Research under Award #N00014-10-1-0543.

Auroral kilometric radiation: Wave modes, harmonic and source region electron density structures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Benson, R. F.

1984-01-01

A change from extraordinary (X) mode to ordinary (0) mode dominance is observed in the auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) detected on ISIS 1 topside sounder ionograms as the source region plasma to gyrofrequency ratio fN/fH varies from 0.1 to 1.3. The X and 0 mode AKR, Z (the slow branch of the X mode) and whistler (W) mode are also observed. The Z mode is typically slightly less intense than the 0-mode. Thw W-mode is confined to frequencies less than fH/2, suggesting that it is the result of field aligned ducted signals reaching the satellite from a source at lower altitudes. Harmonic AKR bands are commonly observed and the 2nd harmonic appears to be due to propagating signals. The deduced (fN/fH) at the bottom of the AKR source region is always less than 0.4 and is typically less than 0.2 during the generation of X-mode AKR, but approaches 0.9 for 0-mode AKR. No large density enhancements were observed within AKR source region density cavities. It is suggested that the observed INTENSE AKR IS cyclotron X-mode radiation rather than plasma frequency 0-mode radiation.

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

Verheest, Frank, E-mail: frank.verheest@ugent.be; School of Chemistry and Physics, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 4000; Hellberg, Manfred A., E-mail: hellberg@ukzn.ac.za

The propagation of arbitrary amplitude electron-acoustic solitons and double layers is investigated in a plasma containing cold positive ions, cool adiabatic and hot isothermal electrons, with the retention of full inertial effects for all species. For analytical tractability, the resulting Sagdeev pseudopotential is expressed in terms of the hot electron density, rather than the electrostatic potential. The existence domains for Mach numbers and hot electron densities clearly show that both rarefactive and compressive solitons can exist. Soliton limitations come from the cool electron sonic point, followed by the hot electron sonic point, until a range of rarefactive double layers occurs.more » Increasing the relative cool electron density further yields a switch to compressive double layers, which ends when the model assumptions break down. These qualitative results are but little influenced by variations in compositional parameters. A comparison with a Boltzmann distribution for the hot electrons shows that only the cool electron sonic point limit remains, giving higher maximum Mach numbers but similar densities, and a restricted range in relative hot electron density before the model assumptions are exceeded. The Boltzmann distribution can reproduce neither the double layer solutions nor the switch in rarefactive/compressive character or negative/positive polarity.« less

Talbot-Lau x-ray deflectometer electron density diagnostic for laser and pulsed power high energy density plasma experiments (invited).

PubMed

Valdivia, M P; Stutman, D; Stoeckl, C; Mileham, C; Begishev, I A; Theobald, W; Bromage, J; Regan, S P; Klein, S R; Muñoz-Cordovez, G; Vescovi, M; Valenzuela-Villaseca, V; Veloso, F

2016-11-01

Talbot-Lau X-ray deflectometry (TXD) has been developed as an electron density diagnostic for High Energy Density (HED) plasmas. The technique can deliver x-ray refraction, attenuation, elemental composition, and scatter information from a single Moiré image. An 8 keV Talbot-Lau interferometer was deployed using laser and x-pinch backlighters. Grating survival and electron density mapping were demonstrated for 25-29 J, 8-30 ps laser pulses using copper foil targets. Moiré pattern formation and grating survival were also observed using a copper x-pinch driven at 400 kA, ∼1 kA/ns. These results demonstrate the potential of TXD as an electron density diagnostic for HED plasmas.

Talbot-Lau X-ray Deflectometer electron density diagnostic for laser and pulsed power high energy density plasma experiments

DOE PAGES

Valdivia, M. P.; Stutman, D.; Stoeckl, C.; ...

2016-04-21

Talbot-Lau X-ray Deflectometry has been developed as an electron density diagnostic for High Energy Density plasmas. The technique can deliver x-ray refraction, attenuation, elemental composition, and scatter information from a single Moiré image. An 8 keV Talbot-Lau interferometer was deployed using laser and x-pinch backlighters. Grating survival and electron density mapping was demonstrated for 25-29 J, 8-30 ps laser pulses using copper foil targets. Moire pattern formation and grating survival was also observed using a copper x-pinch driven at 400 kA, ~1 kA/ns. Lastly, these results demonstrate the potential of TXD as an electron density diagnostic for HED plasmas.

Acceleration of electron bunches by intense laser pulse in vacuum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hua, J. F.; Ho, Y. K.; Lin, Y. Z.; Cao, N.

2003-08-01

This paper addresses the output characteristics of real electron bunches accelerated with ultra-intense laser pulse in vacuum by the capture & acceleration scenario (CAS) scheme (see, e.g., Phys. Rev. E66 (2002) 066501). Normally, the size of an electron bunch is much larger than that of a tightly focused and compressed laser pulse. We examine in detail the features of the intersection region, the distribution of electrons which can experience an intense laser field and be accelerated to high energy. Furthermore, the output properties of the accelerated CAS electrons, such as the energy spectra, the angular distributions, the energy-angle correlations, the acceleration gradient, the energy which can be reached with this scheme, the emittances of the outgoing electron bunches, and the dependence of the output properties on the incident electron beam qualities such as the emittance, focusing status, etc. were studied and explained. We found that with intense laser systems and electron beam technology currently available nowadays, the number of CAS electrons can reach 10 4-10 5, when the total number of incident electrons in the practical bunch reaches ˜10 8. These results demonstrate that CAS is promising to become a novel mechanism of vacuum laser accelerators.

Non-equilibrium ionization by a periodic electron beam. II. Synthetic Si IV and O IV transition region spectra

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dzifčáková, Elena; Dudík, Jaroslav

2018-03-01

Context. Transition region (TR) spectra typically show the Si IV 1402.8 Å line to be enhanced by a factor of 5 or more compared to the neighboring O IV 1401.2 Å, contrary to predictions of ionization equilibrium models and the Maxwellian distribution of particle energies. Non-equilibrium effects in TR spectra are therefore expected. Aims: To investigate the combination of non-equilibrium ionization and high-energy particles, we apply the model of the periodic electron beam, represented by a κ-distribution that recurs at periods of several seconds, to plasma at chromospheric temperatures of 104 K. This simple model can approximate a burst of energy release involving accelerated particles. Methods: Instantaneous time-dependent charge states of silicon and oxygen were calculated and used to synthesize the instantaneous and period-averaged spectra of Si IV and O IV. Results: The electron beam drives the plasma out of equilibrium. At electron densities of Ne = 1010 cm-3, the plasma is out of ionization equilibrium at all times in all cases we considered, while for a higher density of Ne = 1011 cm-3, ionization equilibrium can be reached toward the end of each period, depending on the conditions. In turn, the character of the period-averaged synthetic spectra also depends on the properties of the beam. While the case of κ = 2 results in spectra with strong or even dominant O IV, higher values of κ can approximate a range of observed TR spectra. Spectra similar to typically observed spectra, with the Si IV 1402.8 Å line about a factor 5 higher than O IV 1401.2 Å, are obtained for κ = 3. An even higher value of κ = 5 results in spectra that are exclusively dominated by Si IV, with negligible O IV emission. This is a possible interpretation of the TR spectra of UV (Ellerman) bursts, although an interpretation that requires a density that is 1-3 orders of magnitude lower than for equilibrium estimates. Movies associated to Fig. A.1 are available at http://https://www.aanda.org

X-Ray Scattering Studies of the Liquid-Vapor Interface of Gallium.

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kawamoto, Eric Hitoshi

A UHV system was developed for performing X-ray scattering studies and in situ analyses of liquid metal surfaces. A nearly ideal choice for this study, gallium has a melting point just above room temperature; is amenable to handling in both air and vacuum; its surface oxides can be removed while its cleanliness is maintained and monitored. Using argon glow-discharge sputtering techniques to remove intervening surface oxides, thin wetting layers of gallium were prepared atop nonreactive substrates, to be used as samples suited for liquid surface scattering experiments. Preliminary measurements of X-ray reflectivity from the liquid-vapor interface of gallium were performed with the X-ray UHV chamber configured for use in conjunction with liquid surface spectrometers at two synchrotron beamlines. A novel technique for carrying out and interpreting scattering measurements from curved liquid surfaces was demonstrated. The energy tunability and intense focused white beam flux from a wiggler source was shown to place within reach the large values of wavevector transfer at which specular reflectivity data yield small length scale information about surface structure. Various theoretical treatments and simulations predict quasi-lamellar ordering of atoms near the free surface of metallic liquids due to energetics particular to metals (electron delocalization, the dependence of system energy on ion and electron densities, surface tension and electrostatic energy). However, the experimental data reported to date is insufficient to distinguish between a monotonic, sigmoidal electron density profile found at the free surfaces of dielectric liquids, and the damped oscillatory layer-like profiles anticipated for metallic liquids. Out to a wavevector transfer of Q = 0.55 A ^{-1}, the reflectivity data measured from a curved Ga surface is not inconsistent with what is expected for a liquid-vapor electron density profile of Gaussian width sigma = 1.3 +/- 0.2 A. Subsequent measurements roughly tripled the range of Q, but an oxidized surface led to poor data and hindered interpretation. The analysis presented is speculative at best, but within the context of the thermally excited capillary wave model of simple liquid surfaces, there seems to be no serious deviation from the simple Gaussian interfacial profile with the aforementioned roughness.

Power Transmission From The ITER Model Negative Ion Source

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

Boilson, D.; Esch, H. P. L. de; Grand, C.

2007-08-10

In Cadarache development on negative ion sources is being carried out on the KAMABOKO III ion source on the MANTIS test bed. This is a model of the ion source designed for the neutral beam injectors of ITER. This ion source has been developed in collaboration with JAERI, Japan, who also designed and supplied the ion source. Its target performance is to accelerate a D- beam, with a current density of 200 A/m2 and <1 electron extracted per accelerated D- ion, at a source filling pressure of 0.3 Pa. For ITER a continuous ion beam must be assured for pulsemore » lengths of 1000 s, but beams of up to 3,600 s are also envisaged. The ion source is attached to a 3 grid 30 keV accelerator (also supplied by JAERI) and the accelerated negative ion current is determined from the energy deposited on a calorimeter. During long pulse operation ({<=}1000 s) it was found that the current density of both D- and H- beams, measured at the calorimeter was lower than expected and that a large discrepancy existed between the accelerated currents measured electrically and those transmitted to the calorimeter. The possibility that this discrepancy arose because the accelerated current included electrons (which would not be able to reach the calorimeter) was investigated and subsequently eliminated. Further studies have shown that the fraction of the electrical current reaching the calorimeter varies with the pulse length, which led to the suggestion that one or more of the accelerator grids were distorting due to the incident power during operation, leading to a progressive deterioration in the beam quality.. New extraction and acceleration grids have been designed and installed, which should have a better tolerance to thermal loads than those previously used. This paper describes the measurements of the power transmission and distribution using these grids.« less

Tracing the Fingerprint of Chemical Bonds within the Electron Densities of Hydrocarbons: A Comparative Analysis of the Optimized and the Promolecule Densities.

PubMed

Keyvani, Zahra Alimohammadi; Shahbazian, Shant; Zahedi, Mansour

2016-10-18

The equivalence of the molecular graphs emerging from the comparative analysis of the optimized and the promolecule electron densities in two hundred and twenty five unsubstituted hydrocarbons was recently demonstrated [Keyvani et al. Chem. Eur. J. 2016, 22, 5003]. Thus, the molecular graph of an optimized molecular electron density is not shaped by the formation of the C-H and C-C bonds. In the present study, to trace the fingerprint of the C-H and C-C bonds in the electron densities of the same set of hydrocarbons, the amount of electron density and its Laplacian at the (3, -1) critical points associated with these bonds are derived from both optimized and promolecule densities, and compared in a newly proposed comparative analysis. The analysis not only conforms to the qualitative picture of the electron density build up between two atoms upon formation of a bond in between, but also quantifies the resulting accumulation of the electron density at the (3, -1) critical points. The comparative analysis also reveals a unified mode of density accumulation in the case of 2318 studied C-H bonds, but various modes of density accumulation are observed in the case of 1509 studied C-C bonds and they are classified into four groups. The four emerging groups do not always conform to the traditional classification based on the bond orders. Furthermore, four C-C bonds described as exotic bonds in previous studies, for example the inverted C-C bond in 1,1,1-propellane, are naturally distinguished from the analysis. © 2016 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Modern Possibilities for Calculating Some Properties of Molecules and Crystals from the Experimental Electron Density

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

Stash, A.I.; Tsirelson, V.G.

2005-03-01

Methods for calculating some properties of molecules and crystals from the electron density reconstructed from a precise X-ray diffraction experiment using the multipole model are considered. These properties include, on the one hand, the characteristics of the electron density and the inner-crystal electrostatic field and, on the other hand, the local electronic energies (kinetic, potential, total), the exchange energy density, the electron-pair localization function, the localized-orbital locator, the effective crystal potential, and others. It is shown that the integration of these characteristics over pseudoatomic volumes bounded by the surfaces of the zero flux of the electron density gradient makes itmore » possible to characterize directly from an experiment the properties of molecules and crystals in terms of the atomic contributions. The computer program WinXPRO2004, realizing these possibilities, is briefly described.« less

Topology of the electron density of d0 transition metal compounds at subatomic resolution.

PubMed

Batke, Kilian; Eickerling, Georg

2013-11-14

Accurate X-ray diffraction experiments allow for a reconstruction of the electron density distribution of solids and molecules in a crystal. The basis for the reconstruction of the electron density is in many cases a multipolar expansion of the X-ray scattering factors in terms of spherical harmonics, a so-called multipolar model. This commonly used ansatz splits the total electron density of each pseudoatom in the crystal into (i) a spherical core, (ii) a spherical valence, and (iii) a nonspherical valence contribution. Previous studies, for example, on diamond and α-silicon have already shown that this approximation is no longer valid when ultrahigh-resolution diffraction data is taken into account. We report here the results of an analysis of the calculated electron density distribution in the d(0) transition metal compounds [TMCH3](2+) (TM = Sc, Y, and La) at subatomic resolution. By a detailed molecular orbital analysis, it is demonstrated that due to the radial nodal structure of the 3d, 4d, and 5d orbitals involved in the TM-C bond formation a significant polarization of the electron density in the inner electronic shells of the TM atoms is observed. We further show that these polarizations have to be taken into account by an extended multipolar model in order to recover accurate electron density distributions from high-resolution structure factors calculated for the title compounds.

Numerical simulation of the hydrodynamical combustion to strange quark matter in the trapped neutrino regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ouyed, Amir; Ouyed, Rachid; Jaikumar, Prashanth

2018-02-01

We simulate and study the microphysics of combustion (flame burning) of two flavored quark matter (u,d) to three flavored quark matter (u,d,s) in a trapped neutrino regime applicable to conditions prevailing in a hot proto-neutron star. The reaction-diffusion-advection equations for (u,d) to (u,d,s) combustion are coupled with neutrino transport, which is modeled through a flux-limited diffusion scheme. The flame speed is proportional to initial lepton fraction because of the release of electron chemical potential as heat, and reaches a steady-state burning speed of (0.001-0.008)c. We find that the burning speed is ultimately driven by the neutrino pressure gradient, given that the pressure gradient induced by quarks is opposed by the pressure gradients induced by electrons. This suggests, somewhat counter-intuitively, that the pressure gradients that drive the interface are controlled primarily by leptonic weak decays rather than by the quark Equation of State (EOS). In other words, the effects of the leptonic weak interaction, including the corresponding weak decay rates and the EOS of electrons and neutrinos, are at least as important as the uncertainties related to the EOS of high density matter. We find that for baryon number densities nB ≤ 0.35 fm-3, strong pressure gradients induced by leptonic weak decays drastically slow down the burning speed, which is thereafter controlled by the much slower burning process driven by backflowing downstream matter. We discuss the implications of our findings to proto-neutron stars.

Use of total electron content data to analyze ionosphere electron density gradients

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nava, B.; Radicella, S. M.; Leitinger, R.; Coïsson, P.

In the presence of electron density gradients the thin shell approximation for the ionosphere, used together with a simple mapping function to convert slant total electron content (TEC) to vertical TEC, could lead to TEC conversion errors. These "mapping function errors" can therefore be used to detect the electron density gradients in the ionosphere. In the present work GPS derived slant TEC data have been used to investigate the effects of the electron density gradients in the middle and low latitude ionosphere under geomagnetic quiet and disturbed conditions. In particular the data corresponding to the geographic area of the American Sector for the days 5-7 April 2000 have been used to perform a complete analysis of mapping function errors based on the "coinciding pierce point technique". The results clearly illustrate the electron density gradient effects according to the locations considered and to the actual levels of disturbance of the ionosphere. In addition, the possibility to assess an ionospheric shell height able to minimize the mapping function errors has been verified.

Experimental investigation of mode transitions in asymmetric capacitively coupled radio-frequency Ne and CF4 plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Gang-Hu; Liu, Yong-Xin; Bai, Li-Shui; Zhao, Kai; Wang, You-Nian

2018-02-01

The dependence of the electron density and the emission intensity on external parameters during the transitions of the electron power absorption mode is experimentally studied in asymmetric electropositive (neon) and electronegative (CF4) capacitively coupled radio-frequency plasmas. The spatio-temporal distribution of the emission intensity is measured with phase resolved optical emission spectroscopy and the electron density at the discharge center is measured by utilizing a floating hairpin probe. In neon discharge, the emission intensity increases almost linearly with the rf voltage at all driving frequencies covered here, while the variation of the electron density with the rf voltage behaves differently at different driving frequencies. In particular, the electron density increases linearly with the rf voltage at high driving frequencies, while at low driving frequencies the electron density increases slowly at the low-voltage side and, however, grows rapidly, when the rf voltage is higher than a certain value, indicating a transition from α to γ mode. The rf voltage, at which the mode transition occurs, increases with the decrease of the driving frequency/the working pressure. By contrast, in CF4 discharge, three different electron power absorption modes can be observed and the electron density and emission intensity do not exhibit a simple dependence on the rf voltage. In particular, the electron density exhibits a minimum at a certain rf voltage when the electron power absorption mode is switching from drift-ambipolar to the α/γ mode. A minimum can also be found in the emission intensity at a higher rf voltage when a discharge is switching into the γ mode.

Marshall N. Rosenbluth Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award Talk: Simultaneous Measurement of Electron Temperature and Density Fluctuations in the Core of DIII-D Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

White, A. E.

2009-11-01

Multi-field fluctuation measurements provide opportunities for rigorous comparison between experiment and nonlinear gyrokinetic turbulence simulations. A unique set of diagnostics on DIII-D allows for simultaneous study of local, long-wavelength (0 < kθρs< 0.5) electron temperature and density fluctuations in the core plasma (0.4 < ρ< 0.8). Previous experiments in L-mode indicate that normalized electron temperature fluctuation levels (40 < f < 400,kHz) increase with radius from ˜0.4% at ρ= 0.5 to ˜2% at ρ=0.8, similar to simultaneously measured density fluctuations. Electron cyclotron heating (ECH) is used to increase Te, which increases electron temperature fluctuation levels and electron heat transport in the experiments. In contrast, long wavelength density fluctuation levels change very little. The different responses are consistent with increased TEM drive relative to ITG-mode drive. A new capability at DIII-D is the measurement of phase angle between electron temperature and density fluctuations using coupled correlation electron cyclotron emission radiometer and reflectometer diagnostics. Linear and nonlinear GYRO runs have been used to design validation experiments that focus on measurements of the phase angle. GYRO shows that if Te and ∇Te increase 50% in a beam-heated L-mode plasma (ρ=0.5), then the phase angle between electron temperature and density fluctuations decreases 30%-50% and electron temperature fluctuation levels increase a factor of two more than density fluctuations. Comparisons between these predictions and experimental results will be presented.

Phosphorus and carrier density of heavily n-type doped germanium

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

Takinai, K.; Wada, K.

2016-05-14

The threshold current density of n-type, tensile-strained Ge lasers strongly depends on the electron density. Although optical net gain analyses indicate that the optimum electron density should be on the order of 1 × 10{sup 20} cm{sup −3} to get the lowest threshold, it is not a simple task to increase the electron density beyond the mid range of 10{sup 19} cm{sup −3}. The present paper analyzes the phenomenon where electron density is not proportional to phosphorus donor density, i.e., “saturation” phenomenon, by applying the so-called amphoteric defect model. The analyses indicate that the saturation phenomenon can be well explained by the charge compensationmore » between the phosphorus donors (P{sup +}) and doubly negative charged Ge vacancies (V{sup 2−}).« less

Viking Doppler noise used to determine the radial dependence of electron density in the extended corona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Berman, A. L.; Wackley, J. A.; Rockwell, S. T.; Kwan, M.

1977-01-01

The common form for radial dependence of electron density in the extended corona is given. By assuming proportionality between Doppler noise and integrated signal path electron density, Viking Doppler noise can be used to solve for a numerical value of X.

Density matrix renormalization group with efficient dynamical electron correlation through range separation

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

Hedegård, Erik Donovan, E-mail: erik.hedegard@phys.chem.ethz.ch; Knecht, Stefan; Reiher, Markus, E-mail: markus.reiher@phys.chem.ethz.ch

2015-06-14

We present a new hybrid multiconfigurational method based on the concept of range-separation that combines the density matrix renormalization group approach with density functional theory. This new method is designed for the simultaneous description of dynamical and static electron-correlation effects in multiconfigurational electronic structure problems.

Brain Tissue Compartment Density Estimated Using Diffusion-Weighted MRI Yields Tissue Parameters Consistent With Histology

PubMed Central

Sepehrband, Farshid; Clark, Kristi A.; Ullmann, Jeremy F.P.; Kurniawan, Nyoman D.; Leanage, Gayeshika; Reutens, David C.; Yang, Zhengyi

2015-01-01

We examined whether quantitative density measures of cerebral tissue consistent with histology can be obtained from diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). By incorporating prior knowledge of myelin and cell membrane densities, absolute tissue density values were estimated from relative intra-cellular and intra-neurite density values obtained from diffusion MRI. The NODDI (neurite orientation distribution and density imaging) technique, which can be applied clinically, was used. Myelin density estimates were compared with the results of electron and light microscopy in ex vivo mouse brain and with published density estimates in a healthy human brain. In ex vivo mouse brain, estimated myelin densities in different sub-regions of the mouse corpus callosum were almost identical to values obtained from electron microscopy (Diffusion MRI: 42±6%, 36±4% and 43±5%; electron microscopy: 41±10%, 36±8% and 44±12% in genu, body and splenium, respectively). In the human brain, good agreement was observed between estimated fiber density measurements and previously reported values based on electron microscopy. Estimated density values were unaffected by crossing fibers. PMID:26096639

Self-injection of electrons in a laser-wakefield accelerator by using longitudinal density ripple

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

Dahiya, Deepak; Sharma, A. K.; Sajal, Vivek

By introducing a longitudinal density ripple (periodic modulation in background plasma density), we demonstrate self-injection of electrons in a laser-wakefield accelerator. The wakefield driven plasma wave, in presence of density ripple excites two side band waves of same frequency but different wave numbers. One of these side bands, having smaller phase velocity compared to wakefield driven plasma wave, preaccelerates the background plasma electrons. Significant number of these preaccelerated electrons get trapped in the laser-wakefield and further accelerated to higher energies.

Density functional theory and an experimentally-designed energy functional of electron density.

PubMed

Miranda, David A; Bueno, Paulo R

2016-09-21

We herein demonstrate that capacitance spectroscopy (CS) experimentally allows access to the energy associated with the quantum mechanical ground state of many-electron systems. Priorly, electrochemical capacitance, C [small mu, Greek, macron] [ρ], was previously understood from conceptual and computational density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Thus, we herein propose a quantum mechanical experiment-based variational method for electron charging processes based on an experimentally-designed functional of the ground state electron density. In this methodology, the electron state density, ρ, and an energy functional of the electron density, E [small mu, Greek, macron] [ρ], can be obtained from CS data. CS allows the derivative of the electrochemical potential with respect to the electron density, (δ[small mu, Greek, macron][ρ]/δρ), to be obtained as a unique functional of the energetically minimised system, i.e., β/C [small mu, Greek, macron] [ρ], where β is a constant (associated with the size of the system) and C [small mu, Greek, macron] [ρ] is an experimentally observable quantity. Thus the ground state energy (at a given fixed external potential) can be obtained simply as E [small mu, Greek, macron] [ρ], from the experimental measurement of C [small mu, Greek, macron] [ρ]. An experimental data-set was interpreted to demonstrate the potential of this quantum mechanical experiment-based variational principle.

Smart optical writing head design for laser-based manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amin, M. Junaid; Riza, Nabeel A.

2014-03-01

Proposed is a smart optical writing head design suitable for high precision industrial laser based machining and manufacturing applications. The design uses an Electronically Controlled Variable Focus Lens (ECVFL) which enables the highest achievable spatial resolution of writing head spot sizes for axial target distances reaching 8 meters. A proof-of-concept experiment is conducted using a visible wavelength laser with a collimated beam that is coupled to beam conditioning optics which includes an electromagnetically actuated deformable membrane liquid ECVFL cascaded with a bias convex lens of fixed focal length. Electronic tuning and control of the ECVFL keeps the laser writing head far-field spot beam radii under 1 mm that is demonstrated over a target range of 20 cm to 800 cm. Applications for the proposed writing head design, which can accommodate both continuous wave and pulsed wave sources, include laser machining, high precision industrial molding of components, as well as materials processing requiring material sensitive optical power density control.

Microstructure and Texture Evolutions of Biomedical Ti-13Nb-13Zr Alloy Processed by Hydrostatic Extrusion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ozaltin, K.; Panigrahi, A.; Chrominski, W.; Bulutsuz, A. G.; Kulczyk, M.; Zehetbauer, M. J.; Lewandowska, M.

2017-11-01

A biomedical β-type Ti-13Nb-13Zr (TNZ) (wt pct) ternary alloy was subjected to severe plastic deformation by means of hydrostatic extrusion (HE) at room temperature without intermediate annealing. Its effect on microstructure, mechanical properties, phase transformations, and texture was investigated by light and electron microscopy, mechanical tests (Vickers microhardness and tensile tests), and XRD analysis. Microstructural investigations by light microscope and transmission electron microscope showed that, after HE, significant grain refinement took place, also reaching high dislocation densities. Increases in strength up to 50 pct occurred, although the elongation to fracture left after HE was almost 9 pct. Furthermore, Young's modulus of HE-processed samples showed slightly lower values than the initial state due to texture. Such mechanical properties combined with lower Young's modulus are favorable for medical applications. Phase transformation analyses demonstrated that both initial and extruded samples consist of α' and β phases but that the phase fraction of α' was slightly higher after two stages of HE.

Chemical Vapor Deposition Growth of Degenerate p-Type Mo-Doped ReS2 Films and Their Homojunction.

PubMed

Qin, Jing-Kai; Shao, Wen-Zhu; Xu, Cheng-Yan; Li, Yang; Ren, Dan-Dan; Song, Xiao-Guo; Zhen, Liang

2017-05-10

Substitutional doping of transition metal dichalcogenide two-dimensional materials has proven to be effective in tuning their intrinsic properties, such as band gap, transport characteristics, and magnetism. In this study, we realized substitutional doping of monolayer rhenium disulfide (ReS 2 ) with Mo via chemical vapor deposition. Scanning transmission electron microscopy demonstrated that Mo atoms are successfully doped into ReS 2 by substitutionally replacing Re atoms in the lattice. Electrical measurements revealed the degenerate p-type semiconductor behavior of Mo-doped ReS 2 field effect transistors, in agreement with density functional theory calculations. The p-n diode device based on a doped ReS 2 and ReS 2 homojunction exhibited gate-tunable current rectification behaviors, and the maximum rectification ratio could reach up to 150 at V d = -2/+2 V. The successful synthesis of p-type ReS 2 in this study could largely promote its application in novel electronic and optoelectronic devices.

A 17 GHz molecular rectifier

PubMed Central

Trasobares, J.; Vuillaume, D.; Théron, D.; Clément, N.

2016-01-01

Molecular electronics originally proposed that small molecules sandwiched between electrodes would accomplish electronic functions and enable ultimate scaling to be reached. However, so far, functional molecular devices have only been demonstrated at low frequency. Here, we demonstrate molecular diodes operating up to 17.8 GHz. Direct current and radio frequency (RF) properties were simultaneously measured on a large array of molecular junctions composed of gold nanocrystal electrodes, ferrocenyl undecanethiol molecules and the tip of an interferometric scanning microwave microscope. The present nanometre-scale molecular diodes offer a current density increase by several orders of magnitude compared with that of micrometre-scale molecular diodes, allowing RF operation. The measured S11 parameters show a diode rectification ratio of 12 dB which is linked to the rectification behaviour of the direct current conductance. From the RF measurements, we extrapolate a cut-off frequency of 520 GHz. A comparison with the silicon RF-Schottky diodes, architecture suggests that the RF-molecular diodes are extremely attractive for scaling and high-frequency operation. PMID:27694833

Enhanced photoelectrochemical performance of Ti-doped hematite thin films prepared by the sol-gel method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lian, Xiaojuan; Yang, Xin; Liu, Shangjun; Xu, Ying; Jiang, Chunping; Chen, Jinwei; Wang, Ruilin

2012-01-01

Ti-doped α-Fe2O3 thin films were successfully prepared on FTO substrates by the sol-gel route. Hematite film was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). The XRD data showed α-Fe2O3 had a preferred (1 1 0) orientation which belonged to the rhombohedral system. Interestingly, the grains turned into worm-like shape after annealed at high temperature. The IPCE could reach 32.6% at 400 nm without any additional potential vs. SCE. Titanium in the lattice can affect the photo electro chemical performance positively by increasing the conductivity of the thin film. So the excited electrons and holes could live longer, rather than recombining with each other rapidly as undoped hematite. And the efficient carrier density on the Ti-doped anode surface was higher than the undoped anode, which contribute to the well PEC performance.

Enhanced performance of perovskite solar cells by ultraviolet-ozone treatment of mesoporous TiO2

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zengze; Fang, Jin; Mi, Yang; Zhu, Xiaoyang; Ren, He; Liu, Xinfeng; Yan, Yong

2018-04-01

The performance of a semiconductor electronic or photonic device depends greatly on the properties of the interface. In a typical perovskite solar cell (PSC), the interface between electron transport layer (ETL) and perovskites is found to significantly influence the power conversion efficiency (PCE). Herein, Ultraviolet-ozone (UVO) treatment, a technique commonly used to clean a device substrate, is applied on ETL, specially, mesoporous/compact TiO2 layer. This treatment increases the conductivity of ETL and removes the residual organics at the surface. Consequently, an improved interface between mesoporous TiO2 and perovskite is achieved to enhance the performance of PSC. For example, the fill factor (FF) increases by ∼13%, the short-circuit current density (Jsc) and open-circuit voltage (Voc) increase by ∼2%, and the PCE finally enhances by ∼20% with 15 min of UVO treatment. With this method, the PCE of the best cell reaches to 20.43% under the illumination of AM 1.5 (100 mW cm-2) simulated sunlight.

A new method to derive electronegativity from resonant inelastic x-ray scattering

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

Carniato, S.; Journel, L.; Guillemin, R.

2012-10-14

Electronegativity is a well-known property of atoms and substituent groups. Because there is no direct way to measure it, establishing a useful scale for electronegativity often entails correlating it to another chemical parameter; a wide variety of methods have been proposed over the past 80 years to do just that. This work reports a new approach that connects electronegativity to a spectroscopic parameter derived from resonant inelastic x-ray scattering. The new method is demonstrated using a series of chlorine-containing compounds, focusing on the Cl 2p{sup -1}LUMO{sup 1} electronic states reached after Cl 1s{yields} LUMO core excitation and subsequent KL radiativemore » decay. Based on an electron-density analysis of the LUMOs, the relative weights of the Cl 2p{sub z} atomic orbital contributing to the Cl 2p{sub 3/2} molecular spin-orbit components are shown to yield a linear electronegativity scale consistent with previous approaches.« less

Pressure-enhanced superconductivity in Eu 3 Bi 2 S 4 F 4

DOE PAGES

Luo, Yongkang; Zhai, Hui -Fei; Zhang, Pan; ...

2014-12-17

The pressure effect on the newly discovered charge-transferred BiS 2-based superconductor, Eu 3Bi 2S 4F 4, with a T c of 1.5 K at ambient pressure, is investigated by transport and magnetic measurements. Accompanied with the enhancement of metallicity under pressures, the onset superconducting transition temperature increases abruptly around 1.0 GPa, reaching ~10.0 K at 2.26 GPa. Alternating current magnetic susceptibility measurements indicate that a new superconducting phase with a higher T c emerges and dominates at high pressures. In the broad pressure window of 0.68GPa≤p≤2.00 GPa, the high-T c phase coexists with the low-T c phase. Hall effect measurementsmore » reveal a significant difference in electronic structures between the two superconducting phases. As a result, our work devotes the effort to establish the commonality of pressure effect on the BiS 2-based superconductors, and also uncovers the importance of electron carrier density in the high-T c phase.« less

Flux-driven algebraic damping of diocotron modes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chim, Chi Yung; O'Neil, Thomas M.

2015-06-01

Recent experiments with pure electron plasmas in a Malmberg-Penning trap have observed the algebraic damping of m = 1 and m = 2 diocotron modes. Transport due to small field asymmetries produces a low density halo of electrons moving radially outward from the plasma core, and the mode damping begins when the halo reaches the resonant radius Rm, where there is a matching of ωm = mωE (Rm) for the mode frequency ωm and E × B-drift rotation frequency ωE. The damping rate is proportional to the flux of halo particles through the resonant layer. The damping is related to, but distinct from, spatial Landau damping, in which a linear wave-particle resonance produces exponential damping. This new mechanism of damping is due to transfer of canonical angular momentum from the mode to halo particles, as they are swept around the "cat's eye" orbits of the resonant wave-particle interaction. This paper provides a simple derivation of the time dependence of the mode amplitudes.

Evolution of Field-Aligned Electron and Ion Densities From Whistler Mode Radio Soundings During Quiet to Moderately Active Period and Comparisons With SAMI2 Simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reddy, A.; Sonwalkar, V. S.; Huba, J. D.

2018-02-01

Knowledge of field-aligned electron and ion distributions is necessary for understanding the physical processes causing variations in field-aligned electron and ion densities. Using whistler mode sounding by Radio Plasma Imager/Imager for Magnetopause-to-Aurora Global Exploration (RPI/IMAGE), we determined the evolution of dayside electron and ion densities along L ˜ 2 and L ˜ 3 (90-4,000 km) during a 7 day (21-27 November 2005) geomagnetically quiet to moderately active period. Over this period the O+/H+ transition height was ˜880 ± 60 km and ˜1000 ± 100 km, respectively, at L ˜ 2 and L ˜ 3. The electron density varied in a complex manner; it was different at L ˜ 2 and L ˜ 3 and below and above the O+/H+ transition height. The measured electron and ion densities are consistent with those from Challenging Minisatellite Payload (CHAMP) and Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) and other past measurements, but they deviated from bottomside sounding and International Reference Ionosphere (IRI) 2012 empirical model results. Using SAMI2 (Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) ionosphere model) with reasonably adjusted values of inputs (neutral densities, winds, electric fields, and photoelectron heating), we simulated the evolution of O+/H+ transition height and field-aligned electron and ion densities so that a fair agreement was obtained between the simulation results and observations. Simulation studies indicated that reduced neutral densities (H and/or O) with time limited O+-H charge exchange process. This reduction in neutral densities combined with changes in neutral winds and plasma temperature led to the observed variations in the electron and ion densities. The observation/simulation method presented here can be extended to investigate the role of neutral densities and composition, disturbed winds, and prompt penetration electric fields in the storm time ionosphere/plasmasphere dynamics.

Characterization of an F-center in an alkali halide cluster

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bader, R. F. W.; Platts, J. A.

1997-11-01

The removal of a fluorine atom from its central position in a cubiclike Li14F13+ cluster creates an F-center vacancy that may or may not be occupied by the remaining odd electron. The topology exhibited by the electron density in Li14F12+, the F-center cluster, enables one to make a clear distinction between the two possible forms that the odd electron can assume. If it possesses a separate identity, then a local maximum in the electron density will be found within the vacancy and the F-center will behave quantum mechanically as an open system, bounded by a surface of local zero flux in the gradient vector field of the electron density. If, however, the density of the odd electron is primarily delocalized onto the neighboring ions, then a cage critical point, a local minimum in the density, will be found at the center of the vacancy. Without an associated local maximum, the vacancy has no boundary and is undefined. Self-consistent field (SCF) calculations with geometry optimization of the Li14F13+ cluster and of the doublet state of Li14F12+ show that the creation of the central vacancy has only a minor effect upon the geometry of the cluster, the result of a local maximum in the electron density being formed within the vacancy. Thus the F-center is the physical manifestation of a non-nuclear attractor in the electron density. It is consequently a proper open system with a definable set of properties, the most characteristic being its low kinetic energy per electron. In addition to determining the properties of the F-center, the effect of its formation on the energies, volumes, populations, both electron and spin, and electron localizations of the ions in the cluster are determined.

Interface microstructure engineering by high power impulse magnetron sputtering for the enhancement of adhesion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ehiasarian, A. P.; Wen, J. G.; Petrov, I.

2007-03-01

An excellent adhesion of hard coatings to steel substrates is paramount in practically all application areas. Conventional methods utilize Ar glow etching or cathodic arc discharge pretreatments that have the disadvantage of producing weak interfaces or adding droplets, respectively. One tool for interface engineering is high power impulse magnetron sputtering (HIPIMS). HIPIMS is based on conventional sputtering with extremely high peak power densities reaching 3kWcm-2 at current densities of >2Acm-2. HIPIMS of Cr and Nb was used to prepare interfaces on 304 stainless steel and M2 high speed steel (HSS). During the pretreatment, the substrates were biased to Ubias=-600V and Ubias=-1000V in the environment of a HIPIMS of Cr and Nb plasma. The bombarding flux density reached peak values of 300mAcm-2 and consisted of highly ionized metal plasma containing a high proportion of Cr1+ and Nb1+. Pretreatments were also carried out with Ar glow discharge and filtered cathodic arc as comparison. The adhesion was evaluated for coatings consisting of a 0.3μm thick CrN base layer and a 4μm thick nanolayer stack of CrN /NbN with a period of 3.4nm, hardness of HK0.025=3100, and residual stress of -1.8GPa. For HIPIMS of Cr pretreatment, the adhesion values on M2 HSS reached scratch test critical load values of LC=70N, thus comparing well to LC=51N for interfaces pretreated by arc discharge plasmas and to LC=25N for Ar etching. Cross sectional transmission electron microscopy studies revealed a clean interface and large areas of epitaxial growth in the case of HIPIMS pretreatment. The HIPIMS pretreatment promoted strong registry between the orientation of the coating and polycrystalline substrate grains due to the incorporation of metal ions and the preservation of crystallinity of the substrate. Evidence and conditions for the formation of cube-on-cube epitaxy and axiotaxy on steel and γ-TiAl substrates are presented.

Cyclic evolution of the electron temperature and density in dusty low-pressure radio frequency plasmas with pulsed injection of hexamethyldisiloxane

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

Garofano, V.; Stafford, L., E-mail: luc.stafford@umontreal.ca, E-mail: kremena.makasheva@laplace.univ-tlse.fr; Despax, B.

2015-11-02

Optical emission spectroscopy was used to analyze the very-low-frequency cyclic evolution of the electron energy and density caused by repetitive formation and loss of dust nanoparticles in argon plasmas with pulsed injection of hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO, [CH{sub 3}]{sub 6}Si{sub 2}O). After elaborating a Boltzmann diagram for Ar high-lying levels and a collisional-radiative model for Ar 2p (Paschen notation) states, temperatures characterizing the low- and high-energy parts of the electron population were calculated. Relative electron densities were also estimated from relative line emission intensities. Both temperatures increase when the dust occupation increases, and then decrease when dust is lost. The opposite trendmore » was observed for the electron density. Such cyclic behaviors of the electron energy and electron density in the HMDSO-containing plasmas are in good agreement with the evolution processes in dusty plasmas, in which the formation of negative ions followed by an electron attachment on the surfaces of the nanoparticles is a critical phenomenon driving dust growth.« less

High urban population density of birds reflects their timing of urbanization.

PubMed

Møller, Anders Pape; Diaz, Mario; Flensted-Jensen, Einar; Grim, Tomas; Ibáñez-Álamo, Juan Diego; Jokimäki, Jukka; Mänd, Raivo; Markó, Gábor; Tryjanowski, Piotr

2012-11-01

Living organisms generally occur at the highest population density in the most suitable habitat. Therefore, invasion of and adaptation to novel habitats imply a gradual increase in population density, from that at or below what was found in the ancestral habitat to a density that may reach higher levels in the novel habitat following adaptation to that habitat. We tested this prediction of invasion biology by analyzing data on population density of breeding birds in their ancestral rural habitats and in matched nearby urban habitats that have been colonized recently across a continental latitudinal gradient. We estimated population density in the two types of habitats using extensive point census bird counts, and we obtained information on the year of urbanization when population density in urban habitats reached levels higher than that of the ancestral rural habitat from published records and estimates by experienced ornithologists. Both the difference in population density between urban and rural habitats and the year of urbanization were significantly repeatable when analyzing multiple populations of the same species across Europe. Population density was on average 30 % higher in urban than in rural habitats, although density reached as much as 100-fold higher in urban habitats in some species. Invasive urban bird species that colonized urban environments over a long period achieved the largest increases in population density compared to their ancestral rural habitats. This was independent of whether species were anciently or recently urbanized, providing a unique cross-validation of timing of urban invasions. These results suggest that successful invasion of urban habitats was associated with gradual adaptation to these habitats as shown by a significant increase in population density in urban habitats over time.

Generalization of the Kohn-Sham system that can represent arbitrary one-electron density matrices

DOE PAGES

Hubertus J. J. van Dam

2016-04-27

Density functional theory is currently the most widely applied method in electronic structure theory. The Kohn-Sham method, based on a fictitious system of noninteracting particles, is the workhorse of the theory. The particular form of the Kohn-Sham wave function admits only idempotent one-electron density matrices whereas wave functions of correlated electrons in post-Hartree-Fock methods invariably have fractional occupation numbers. Here we show that by generalizing the orbital concept and introducing a suitable dot product as well as a probability density, a noninteracting system can be chosen that can represent the one-electron density matrix of any system, even one with fractionalmore » occupation numbers. This fictitious system ensures that the exact electron density is accessible within density functional theory. It can also serve as the basis for reduced density matrix functional theory. Moreover, to aid the analysis of the results the orbitals may be assigned energies from a mean-field Hamiltonian. This produces energy levels that are akin to Hartree-Fock orbital energies such that conventional analyses based on Koopmans' theorem are available. Lastly, this system is convenient in formalisms that depend on creation and annihilation operators as they are trivially applied to single-determinant wave functions.« less

Readout electronics for CBM-TOF super module quality evaluation based on 10 Gbps ethernet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiang, D.; Cao, P.; Huang, X.; Zheng, J.; Wang, Q.; Li, B.; Li, J.; Liu, S.; An, Q.

2017-07-01

The Compressed Baryonic Matter-Time of Flight (CBM-TOF) wall uses high performance of Multi-gap Resistive Plate Chambers (MRPC) assembled in super modules to identify charged particles with high channel density and high measurement precision at high event rate. Electronics meet the challenge for reading data out from a super module at high speed of about 6 Gbps in real time. In this paper, the readout electronics for CBM-TOF super module quality evaluation is proposed based on 10 Gigabit Ethernet. The digitized TOF data from one super module will be concentrated at the front-end electronics residing on the side of the super module and transmitted to an extreme speed readout module (XSRM) housed in the backend crate through the PCI Express (PCIe) protocol via optic channels. Eventually, the XSRM transmits data to the data acquisition (DAQ) system through four 10 Gbps Ethernet ports in real time. This readout structure has advantages of high performance and expansibility. Furthermore, it is easy to operate. Test results on the prototype show that the overall data readout performance for each XSRM can reach up to 28.8 Gbps, which means XSRM can meet the requirement of reading data out from 4 super modules with 1280 channels in real time.

Enhanced superconductivity at the interface of W/Sr2RuO4 point contact

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wei, Jian; Wang, He; Lou, Weijian; Luo, Jiawei; Liu, Ying; Ortmann, J. E.; Mao, Z. Q.

Differential resistance measurements are conducted for point contacts (PCs) between the Sr2RuO4 (SRO) single crystal and the tungsten tip. Since the tungsten tip is hard enough to penetrate through the surface layer, consistent superconducting features are observed. Firstly, with the tip pushed towards the crystal, the zero bias conductance peak (ZBCP) due to Andreev reflection at the normal-superconducting interface increases from 3% to more than 20%, much larger than previously reported, and extends to temperature higher than the bulk transition temperature. Reproducible ZBCP within 0.2 mV may also help determine the gap value of SRO, on which no consensus has been reached. Secondly, the logarithmic background can be fitted with the Altshuler-Aronov theory of electron-electron interaction for tunneling into quasi two dimensional electron system. Feasibility of such fitting confirms that spectroscopic information like density of states is probed, and electronic temperature retrieved from such fitting can be important to analyse the PC spectra. Third, at bias much higher than 0.2 mV there are conductance dips due to the critical current effect and these dips persist up to 6.2 K. For more details see. National Basic Research Program of China (973 Program) through Grant No. 2011CBA00106 and No. 2012CB927400.

Robust Estimation of Electron Density From Anatomic Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain Using a Unifying Multi-Atlas Approach

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

Ren, Shangjie; Department of Radiation Oncology, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California; Hara, Wendy

Purpose: To develop a reliable method to estimate electron density based on anatomic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain. Methods and Materials: We proposed a unifying multi-atlas approach for electron density estimation based on standard T1- and T2-weighted MRI. First, a composite atlas was constructed through a voxelwise matching process using multiple atlases, with the goal of mitigating effects of inherent anatomic variations between patients. Next we computed for each voxel 2 kinds of conditional probabilities: (1) electron density given its image intensity on T1- and T2-weighted MR images; and (2) electron density given its spatial location in a referencemore » anatomy, obtained by deformable image registration. These were combined into a unifying posterior probability density function using the Bayesian formalism, which provided the optimal estimates for electron density. We evaluated the method on 10 patients using leave-one-patient-out cross-validation. Receiver operating characteristic analyses for detecting different tissue types were performed. Results: The proposed method significantly reduced the errors in electron density estimation, with a mean absolute Hounsfield unit error of 119, compared with 140 and 144 (P<.0001) using conventional T1-weighted intensity and geometry-based approaches, respectively. For detection of bony anatomy, the proposed method achieved an 89% area under the curve, 86% sensitivity, 88% specificity, and 90% accuracy, which improved upon intensity and geometry-based approaches (area under the curve: 79% and 80%, respectively). Conclusion: The proposed multi-atlas approach provides robust electron density estimation and bone detection based on anatomic MRI. If validated on a larger population, our work could enable the use of MRI as a primary modality for radiation treatment planning.« less