Probing Buffer-Gas Cooled Molecules with Direct Frequency Comb Spectroscopy in the Mid-Infrrared

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Spaun, Ben; Changala, Bryan; Bjork, Bryce J.; Heckl, Oliver H.; Patterson, David; Doyle, John M.; Ye, Jun

2015-06-01

We present the first demonstration of cavity-enhanced direct frequency comb spectroscopy on buffer-gas cooled molecules.By coupling a mid-infrared frequency comb to a high-finesse cavity surrounding a helium buffer-gas chamber, we can gather rotationally resolved absorption spectra with high sensitivity over a broad wavelength region. The measured ˜10 K rotational and translational temperatures of buffer-gas cooled molecules drastically simplify the observed spectra, compared to those of room temperature molecules, and allow for high spectral resolution limited only by Doppler broadening (10-100 MHz). Our system allows for the extension of high-resolution spectroscopy to larger molecules, enabling detailed analysis of molecular structure and dynamics, while taking full advantage of the powerful optical properties of frequency combs. A. Foltynowicz et al. Cavity-enhanced optical frequency comb spectroscopy in the mid-infrared application to trace detection of hydrogen peroxide. Applied Physics B, vol. 110, pp. 163-175, 2013. {D. Patterson and J. M. Doyle. Cooling molecules in a cell for FTMW spectroscopy. Molecular Physics 110, 1757-1766, 2012

Carbon doped GaN buffer layer using propane for high electron mobility transistor applications: Growth and device results

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

Li, X.; Nilsson, D.; Danielsson, Ö.

2015-12-28

The creation of a semi insulating (SI) buffer layer in AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) devices is crucial for preventing a current path beneath the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG). In this investigation, we evaluate the use of a gaseous carbon gas precursor, propane, for creating a SI GaN buffer layer in a HEMT structure. The carbon doped profile, using propane gas, is a two stepped profile with a high carbon doping (1.5 × 10{sup 18 }cm{sup −3}) epitaxial layer closest to the substrate and a lower doped layer (3 × 10{sup 16 }cm{sup −3}) closest to the 2DEG channel. Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry measurement showsmore » a uniform incorporation versus depth, and no memory effect from carbon doping can be seen. The high carbon doping (1.5 × 10{sup 18 }cm{sup −3}) does not influence the surface morphology, and a roughness root-mean-square value of 0.43 nm is obtained from Atomic Force Microscopy. High resolution X-ray diffraction measurements show very sharp peaks and no structural degradation can be seen related to the heavy carbon doped layer. HEMTs are fabricated and show an extremely low drain induced barrier lowering value of 0.1 mV/V, demonstrating an excellent buffer isolation. The carbon doped GaN buffer layer using propane gas is compared to samples using carbon from the trimethylgallium molecule, showing equally low leakage currents, demonstrating the capability of growing highly resistive buffer layers using a gaseous carbon source.« less

Ultralow threading dislocation density in GaN epilayer on near-strain-free GaN compliant buffer layer and its applications in hetero-epitaxial LEDs.

PubMed

Shih, Huan-Yu; Shiojiri, Makoto; Chen, Ching-Hsiang; Yu, Sheng-Fu; Ko, Chung-Ting; Yang, Jer-Ren; Lin, Ray-Ming; Chen, Miin-Jang

2015-09-02

High threading dislocation (TD) density in GaN-based devices is a long unresolved problem because of the large lattice mismatch between GaN and the substrate, which causes a major obstacle for the further improvement of next-generation high-efficiency solid-state lighting and high-power electronics. Here, we report InGaN/GaN LEDs with ultralow TD density and improved efficiency on a sapphire substrate, on which a near strain-free GaN compliant buffer layer was grown by remote plasma atomic layer deposition. This "compliant" buffer layer is capable of relaxing strain due to the absorption of misfit dislocations in a region within ~10 nm from the interface, leading to a high-quality overlying GaN epilayer with an unusual TD density as low as 2.2 × 10(5) cm(-2). In addition, this GaN compliant buffer layer exhibits excellent uniformity up to a 6" wafer, revealing a promising means to realize large-area GaN hetero-epitaxy for efficient LEDs and high-power transistors.

Ionization Injection of Electrons into a Plasma Wakefield Accelerator at FACET

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Clayton, Chris; E-200 At Facet Collaboration

2013-10-01

In the PWFA experiments at FACET, a low ionization-potential (IP) metal vapor gas (Li) is confined within a heat-pipe oven by a higher IP buffer gas (typically He). The Li is easily field-ionized by the FACET beam. A non-linear wake is formed in the blowout regime when the 20.3 GeV bunch containing 2e10 electrons in a σz ~ 30 μm is focused to a (vacuum) σr < 25 near the ~ 10cm-long boundary region. There the Li density rises from zero up to the oven's 30cm-long flat-topped density of 2.5e17 cm-3. To obtain a mono-energetic beam from accelerated ionization-injected electrons at the far end of the oven--the goal of this experiment--it is necessary for the FACET beam to have a betatron pinch just where the flat-topped region begins; i.e., where the wake wavelength is no longer changing. If the buffer gas contains a mixture of He and a moderate IP gas, the ``impurity'' gases will also be field ionized and potentially contribute more charge to the injected bunch than with He alone. Moderate IP gases were added to the He buffer gas: 10%, 20%, and 50% Ar (balance He) and 30% Ne (balance He) have been used. Evidence for ionization injection and acceleration appears through the observation of distinct features, characterized by their very narrow size and thus angular spread, at the image plane of a magnetic imaging spectrometer. Analysis aimed at characterizing these features with respect to energy, charge, and angular spread is underway and will be presented. This work was supported by the DOE and the NSF.

Enhanced Control of Transient Raman Scattering Using Buffered Hydrogen in Hollow-Core Photonic Crystal Fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hosseini, P.; Novoa, D.; Abdolvand, A.; Russell, P. St. J.

2017-12-01

Many reports on stimulated Raman scattering in mixtures of Raman-active and noble gases indicate that the addition of a dispersive buffer gas increases the phase mismatch to higher-order Stokes and anti-Stokes sidebands, resulting in a preferential conversion to the first few Stokes lines, accompanied by a significant reduction in the Raman gain due to collisions with gas molecules. Here we report that, provided the dispersion can be precisely controlled, the effective Raman gain in a gas-filled hollow-core photonic crystal fiber can actually be significantly enhanced when a buffer gas is added. This counterintuitive behavior occurs when the nonlinear coupling between the interacting fields is strong and can result in a performance similar to that of a pure Raman-active gas, but at a much lower total gas pressure, allowing competing effects such as Raman backscattering to be suppressed. We report high modal purity in all the emitted sidebands, along with anti-Stokes conversion efficiencies as high as 5% in the visible and 2% in the ultraviolet. This new class of gas-based waveguide device, which allows the nonlinear optical response to be beneficially pressure-tuned by the addition of buffer gases, may find important applications in laser science and spectroscopy.

Electromagnetically-induced-transparency intensity-correlation power broadening in a buffer gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Aojie; Green, Alaina; Crescimanno, Michael; O'Leary, Shannon

2016-04-01

Electromagnetically-induced-transparency (EIT) noise correlation spectroscopy holds promise as a simple, robust method for performing high-resolution spectroscopy used in optical magnetometry and clocks. Of relevance to these applications, we report on the role of buffer gas pressure and magnetic field gradients on power broadening of Zeeman-EIT noise correlation resonances.

Threading Dislocations in InGaAs/GaAs (001) Buffer Layers for Metamorphic High Electron Mobility Transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yifei; Kujofsa, Tedi; Ayers, John E.

2018-07-01

In order to evaluate various buffer layers for metamorphic devices, threading dislocation densities have been calculated for uniform composition In x Ga1- x As device layers deposited on GaAs (001) substrates with an intermediate graded buffer layer using the L MD model, where L MD is the average length of misfit dislocations. On this basis, we compare the relative effectiveness of buffer layers with linear, exponential, and S-graded compositional profiles. In the case of a 2 μm thick buffer layer linear grading results in higher threading dislocation densities in the device layer compared to either exponential or S-grading. When exponential grading is used, lower threading dislocation densities are obtained with a smaller length constant. In the S-graded case, lower threading dislocation densities result when a smaller standard deviation parameter is used. As the buffer layer thickness is decreased from 2 μm to 0.1 μm all of the above effects are diminished, and the absolute threading dislocation densities increase.

Ultralow threading dislocation density in GaN epilayer on near-strain-free GaN compliant buffer layer and its applications in hetero-epitaxial LEDs

PubMed Central

Shih, Huan-Yu; Shiojiri, Makoto; Chen, Ching-Hsiang; Yu, Sheng-Fu; Ko, Chung-Ting; Yang, Jer-Ren; Lin, Ray-Ming; Chen, Miin-Jang

2015-01-01

High threading dislocation (TD) density in GaN-based devices is a long unresolved problem because of the large lattice mismatch between GaN and the substrate, which causes a major obstacle for the further improvement of next-generation high-efficiency solid-state lighting and high-power electronics. Here, we report InGaN/GaN LEDs with ultralow TD density and improved efficiency on a sapphire substrate, on which a near strain-free GaN compliant buffer layer was grown by remote plasma atomic layer deposition. This “compliant” buffer layer is capable of relaxing strain due to the absorption of misfit dislocations in a region within ~10 nm from the interface, leading to a high-quality overlying GaN epilayer with an unusual TD density as low as 2.2 × 105 cm−2. In addition, this GaN compliant buffer layer exhibits excellent uniformity up to a 6” wafer, revealing a promising means to realize large-area GaN hetero-epitaxy for efficient LEDs and high-power transistors. PMID:26329829

Pulse Propagation Effects in Optical 2D Fourier-Transform Spectroscopy: Theory.

PubMed

Spencer, Austin P; Li, Hebin; Cundiff, Steven T; Jonas, David M

2015-04-30

A solution to Maxwell's equations in the three-dimensional frequency domain is used to calculate rephasing two-dimensional Fourier transform (2DFT) spectra of the D2 line of atomic rubidium vapor in argon buffer gas. Experimental distortions from the spatial propagation of pulses through the sample are simulated in 2DFT spectra calculated for the homogeneous Bloch line shape model. Spectral features that appear at optical densities of up to 3 are investigated. As optical density increases, absorptive and dispersive distortions start with peak shape broadening, progress to peak splitting, and ultimately result in a previously unexplored coherent transient twisting of the split peaks. In contrast to the low optical density limit, where the 2D peak shape for the Bloch model depends only on the total dephasing time, these distortions of the 2D peak shape at finite optical density vary with the waiting time and the excited state lifetime through coherent transient effects. Experiment-specific conditions are explored, demonstrating the effects of varying beam overlap within the sample and of pseudo-time domain filtering. For beam overlap starting at the sample entrance, decreasing the length of beam overlap reduces the line width along the ωτ axis but also reduces signal intensity. A pseudo-time domain filter, where signal prior to the center of the last excitation pulse is excluded from the FID-referenced 2D signal, reduces propagation distortions along the ωt axis. It is demonstrated that 2DFT rephasing spectra cannot take advantage of an excitation-detection transformation that can eliminate propagation distortions in 2DFT relaxation spectra. Finally, the high optical density experimental 2DFT spectrum of rubidium vapor in argon buffer gas [J. Phys. Chem. A 2013, 117, 6279-6287] is quantitatively compared, in line width, in depth of peak splitting, and in coherent transient peak twisting, to a simulation with optical density higher than that reported.

High dielectric constant and energy density induced by the tunable TiO2 interfacial buffer layer in PVDF nanocomposite contained with core-shell structured TiO2@BaTiO3 nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Penghao; Jia, Zhuye; Shen, Zhonghui; Wang, Peng; Liu, Xiaoru

2018-05-01

To realize application in high-capacity capacitors and portable electric devices, large energy density is eagerly desired for polymer-based nanocomposite. The core-shell structured nanofillers with inorganic buffer layer are recently supposed to be promising in improving the dielectric property of polymer nanocomposite. In this work, core-shell structured TO@BT nanoparticles with crystalline TiO2 buffer layer coated on BaTiO3 nanoparticle were fabricated via solution method and heat treatment. The thickness of the TO buffer layer can be tailored by modulating the additive amount of the titanate coupling agent in preparation process, and the apparent dielectric properties of nanocomposite are much related to the thickness of the TO layer. The relatively thin TO layer prefer to generate high polarization to increase dielectric constant while the relatively thick TO layer would rather to homogenize field to maintain breakdown strength. Simulation of electric field distribution in the interfacial region reveals the improving effect of the TO buffer layer on the dielectric properties of nanocomposite which accords with the experimental results well. The optimized nanoparticle TO@BT-2 with a mean thickness of 3-5 nm buffer layer of TO is effective in increasing both the ε and Eb in the PVDF composite film. The maximal discharged energy density of 8.78 J/cm3 with high energy efficiency above 0.6 is obtained in TO@BT-2/PVDF nanocomposite with 2.5 vol% loading close to the breakdown strength of 380 kV/mm. The present study demonstrates the approach to optimize the structure of core-shell nanoparticles by modulating buffer layer and provides a new way to further enlarge energy density in polymer nanocomposite.

Feedback controlled, reactor relevant, high-density, high-confinement scenarios at ASDEX Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lang, P. T.; Blanken, T. C.; Dunne, M.; McDermott, R. M.; Wolfrum, E.; Bobkov, V.; Felici, F.; Fischer, R.; Janky, F.; Kallenbach, A.; Kardaun, O.; Kudlacek, O.; Mertens, V.; Mlynek, A.; Ploeckl, B.; Stober, J. K.; Treutterer, W.; Zohm, H.; ASDEX Upgrade Team

2018-03-01

One main programme topic at the ASDEX Upgrade all-metal-wall tokamak is development of a high-density regime with central densities at reactor grade level while retaining high-confinement properties. This required development of appropriate control techniques capable of coping with the pellet tool, a powerful means of fuelling but one which presented challenges to the control system for handling of related perturbations. Real-time density profile control was demonstrated, raising the core density well above the Greenwald density while retaining the edge density in order to avoid confinement losses. Recently, a new model-based approach was implemented that allows direct control of the central density. Investigations focussed first on the N-seeding scenario owing to its proven potential to yield confinement enhancements. Combining pellets and N seeding was found to improve the divertor buffering further and enhance the operational range accessible. For core densities up to about the Greenwald density, a clear improvement with respect to the non-seeding reference was achieved; however, at higher densities this benefit is reduced. This behaviour is attributed to recurrence of an outward shift of the edge density profile, resulting in a reduced peeling-ballooning stability. This is similar to the shift seen during strong gas puffing, which is required to prevent impurity influx in ASDEX Upgrade. First tests indicate that highly-shaped plasma configurations like the ITER base-line scenario, respond very well to pellet injection, showing efficient fuelling with no measurable impact on the edge density profile.

Optically pumped alkali laser and amplifier using helium-3 buffer gas

DOEpatents

Beach, Raymond J.; Page, Ralph; Soules, Thomas; Stappaerts, Eddy; Wu, Sheldon Shao Quan

2010-09-28

In one embodiment, a laser oscillator is provided comprising an optical cavity, the optical cavity including a gain medium including an alkali vapor and a buffer gas, the buffer gas including .sup.3He gas, wherein if .sup.4He gas is also present in the buffer gas, the ratio of the concentration of the .sup.3He gas to the .sup.4He gas is greater than 1.37.times.10.sup.-6. Additionally, an optical excitation source is provided. Furthermore, the laser oscillator is capable of outputting radiation at a first frequency. In another embodiment, an apparatus is provided comprising a gain medium including an alkali vapor and a buffer gas including .sup.3He gas, wherein if .sup.4He gas is also present in the buffer gas, the ratio of the concentration of the .sup.3He gas to the .sup.4He gas is greater than 1.37.times.10.sup.-6. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Eco-buffers: A high density agroforestry design using native species

Treesearch

William Schroeder

2012-01-01

This study showed that Eco-Buffers are characterized by rapid establishment and superior survival when compared to single species buffers. Height of green ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh. var. subintegerrima (Vahl.) Fern.) after eight growing seasons averaged 415 cm when growing in an Eco-Buffer compared to 333cm in the single species buffer. Site capture in the Eco-...

Modeling of flowing gas diode pumped alkali lasers: dependence of the operation on the gas velocity and on the nature of the buffer gas.

PubMed

Barmashenko, B D; Rosenwaks, S

2012-09-01

A simple, semi-analytical model of flowing gas diode pumped alkali lasers (DPALs) is presented. The model takes into account the rise of temperature in the lasing medium with increasing pump power, resulting in decreasing pump absorption and slope efficiency. The model predicts the dependence of power on the flow velocity in flowing gas DPALs and checks the effect of using a buffer gas with high molar heat capacity and large relaxation rate constant between the 2P3/2 and 2P1/2 fine-structure levels of the alkali atom. It is found that the power strongly increases with flow velocity and that by replacing, e.g., ethane by propane as a buffer gas the power may be further increased by up to 30%. Eight kilowatt is achievable for 20 kW pump at flow velocity of 20  m/s.

High Pressure Microwave Powered UV Light Sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cekic, M.; Frank, J. D.; Popovic, S.; Wood, C. H.

1997-10-01

Industrial microwave powered (*electrodeless*) light sources have been limited to quiescent pressures of 300 Torr of buffer gas and metal- halide fills. Recently developed multi-atmospheric electronegative bu lb fills (noble gas-halide excimers, metal halide) require electric field s for ionization that are often large multiples of the breakdown voltage for air. For these fills an auxiliary ignition system is necessary. The most successful scheme utilizes a high voltage pulse power supply and a novel field emission source. Acting together they create localized condition of pressure reduction and high free electron density. This allows the normal microwave fields to drive this small region into avalanche, ignite the bulb, and heat the plasma to it's operating poin t Standard diagnostic techniques of high density discharges are inapplicable to the excimer bulbs, because of the ionic molecular exci ted state structure and absence of self-absorption. The method for temperature determination is based on the equilibrium population of certain vibrational levels of excimer ionic excited states. Electron d ensity was determined from the measurements of Stark profiles of H_β radiation from a small amount of hydrogen mixed with noble gas and halogens. At the present time, high pressure (Te 0.5eV, ne 3 x 10^17 cm-3) production bulbs produce over 900W of radiation in a 30nm band, centered at 30nm. Similarly, these prototypes when loaded with metal-halide bulb fills produce 1 kW of radiation in 30nm wide bands, centered about the wavelength of interest.

High-resolution mid-infrared spectroscopy of buffer-gas-cooled methyltrioxorhenium molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tokunaga, S. K.; Hendricks, R. J.; Tarbutt, M. R.; Darquié, B.

2017-05-01

We demonstrate cryogenic buffer-gas cooling of gas-phase methyltrioxorhenium (MTO). This molecule is closely related to chiral organometallic molecules where the parity-violating energy differences between enantiomers is measurable. The molecules are produced with a rotational temperature of approximately 6 K by laser ablation of an MTO pellet inside a cryogenic helium buffer gas cell. Facilitated by the low temperature, we demonstrate absorption spectroscopy of the 10.2 μm antisymmetric Re=O stretching mode of MTO with a resolution of 8 MHz and a frequency accuracy of 30 MHz. We partially resolve the hyperfine structure and measure the nuclear quadrupole coupling of the excited vibrational state. Our ability to produce dense samples of complex molecules of this type at low temperatures represents a key step towards a precision measurement of parity violation in a chiral species.

Sensitivity and resolution in frequency comb spectroscopy of buffer gas cooled polyatomic molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Changala, P. Bryan; Spaun, Ben; Patterson, David; Doyle, John M.; Ye, Jun

2016-12-01

We discuss the use of cavity-enhanced direct frequency comb spectroscopy in the mid-infrared region with buffer gas cooling of polyatomic molecules for high-precision rovibrational absorption spectroscopy. A frequency comb coupled to an optical enhancement cavity allows us to collect high-resolution, broad-bandwidth infrared spectra of translationally and rotationally cold (10-20 K) gas-phase molecules with high absorption sensitivity and fast acquisition times. The design and performance of the combined apparatus are discussed in detail. Recorded rovibrational spectra in the CH stretching region of several organic molecules, including vinyl bromide (CH_2CHBr), adamantane (C_{10}H_{16}), and diamantane (C_{14}H_{20}) demonstrate the resolution and sensitivity of this technique, as well as the intrinsic challenges faced in extending the frontier of high-resolution spectroscopy to large complex molecules.

Fundamental properties of monolithic bentonite buffer material formed by cold isostatic pressing for high-level radioactive waste repository

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

Kawakami, S.; Yamanaka, Y.; Kato, K.

1999-07-01

The methods of fabrication, handling, and emplacement of engineered barriers used in a deep geological repository for high level radioactive waste should be planned as simply as possible from the engineering and economic viewpoints. Therefore, a new concept of a monolithic buffer material around a waste package have been proposed instead of the conventional concept with the use of small blocks, which would decrease the cost for buffer material. The monolithic buffer material is composed of two parts of highly compacted bentonite, a cup type body and a cover. As the forming method of the monolithic buffer material, compaction bymore » the cold isostatic pressing process (CIP) has been employed. In this study, monolithic bentonite bodies with the diameter of about 333 mm and the height of about 455 mm (corresponding to the approx. 1/5 scale for the Japanese reference concept) were made by the CIP of bentonite powder. The dry densities: {rho}d of the bodies as a whole were measured and the small samples were cut from several locations to investigate the density distribution. The swelling pressure and hydraulic conductivity as function of the monolithic body density for CIP-formed specimens were also measured. High density ({rho}d: 1.4--2.0 Mg/m{sup 3}) and homogeneous monolithic bodies were formed by the CIP. The measured results of the swelling pressure (3--15 MPa) and hydraulic conductivity (0.5--1.4 x 10{sup {minus}13} m/s) of the specimens were almost the same as those for the uniaxial compacted bentonite in the literature. It is shown that the vacuum hoist system is an applicable handling method for emplacement of the monolithic bentonite.« less

Note: Buffer gas temperature inhomogeneities and design of drift-tube ion mobility spectrometers: Warnings for real-world applications by non-specialists

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez-Maestre, R.

2017-09-01

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) separates gas phase ions moving under an electric field according to their size-to-charge ratio. IMS is the method of choice to detect illegal drugs and explosives in customs and airports making accurate determination of reduced ion mobilities (K0) important for national security. An ion mobility spectrometer with electrospray ionization coupled to a quadrupole mass spectrometer was used to study uncertainties in buffer gas temperatures during mobility experiments. Differences up to 16°C were found in the buffer gas temperatures in different regions of the drift tube and up to 42°C between the buffer gas and the drift tube temperatures. The drift tube temperature is used as an approximation to the buffer gas temperature for the calculation of K0 because the buffer gas temperature is hard to measure. This is leading to uncertainties in the determination of K0 values. Inaccurate determination of K0 values yields false positives that delay the cargo and passengers in customs and airports. Therefore, recommendations are issued for building mobility tubes to assure a homogeneous temperature of the buffer gas. Because the temperature and other instrumental parameters are difficult to measure in IMS, chemical standards should always be used when calculating K0. The difference of 42°C between the drift tube and buffer gas temperatures found in these experiments produces a 10.5% error in the calculation of K0. This large inaccuracy in K0 shows the importance of a correct temperature measurement in IMS.

Methods for improved growth of group III nitride buffer layers

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

Melnik, Yurity; Chen, Lu; Kojiri, Hidehiro

Methods are disclosed for growing high crystal quality group III-nitride epitaxial layers with advanced multiple buffer layer techniques. In an embodiment, a method includes forming group III-nitride buffer layers that contain aluminum on suitable substrate in a processing chamber of a hydride vapor phase epitaxy processing system. A hydrogen halide or halogen gas is flowing into the growth zone during deposition of buffer layers to suppress homogeneous particle formation. Some combinations of low temperature buffers that contain aluminum (e.g., AlN, AlGaN) and high temperature buffers that contain aluminum (e.g., AlN, AlGaN) may be used to improve crystal quality and morphologymore » of subsequently grown group III-nitride epitaxial layers. The buffer may be deposited on the substrate, or on the surface of another buffer. The additional buffer layers may be added as interlayers in group III-nitride layers (e.g., GaN, AlGaN, AlN).« less

BLM Density Management and Riparian Buffer Study: Establishment Report and Study Plan

USGS Publications Warehouse

Cissel, John H.; Anderson, P.D.; Olson, Deanna H.; Puettmann, Klaus; Berryman, Shanti; Chan, Samuel; Thompson, Charley

2006-01-01

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Pacific Northwest Research Station (PNW), U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and Oregon State University (OSU) established the BLM Density Management and Riparian Buffer Study (DMS) in 1994 to demonstrate and test options for young stand management to meet Northwest Forest Plan objectives in western Oregon. The primary objectives of the DMS are to evaluate the effects of alternative forest density management treatments in young stands on the development of important late-successional forest habitat attributes and to assess the combined effects of density management and alternative riparian buffer widths on aquatic and riparian ecosystems. The DMS consists of three integrated studies: initial thinning, rethinning, and riparian buffer widths. The initial thinning study was installed in 50- to 80-year-old stands that had never been commercially thinned. Four stand treatments of 30-60 acres each were established at each of seven study sites: (1) unthinned control, (2) high density retention [120 trees per acre (TPA)], (3) moderate density retention (80 TPA), and (4) variable density retention (40-120 TPA). Small (1/4 to 1 acre in size) leave islands were included in all treatments except the control, and small patch cuts (1/4 to 1 acre in size) were included in the moderate and variable density treatments. An eighth site, Callahan Creek, contains a partial implementation of the study design. The rethinning study was installed in four 70- to 90-year-old stands that previously had been commercially thinned. Each study stand was split into two parts: one part as an untreated control and the other part as a rethinning (30-60 TPA). The riparian buffer study was nested within the moderate density retention treatment at each of the eight initial thinning study sites and two rethinning sites. Alternative riparian buffer widths included: (1) streamside retention (one tree canopy width, or 20-25 feet), (2) variable width (follows topographic and vegetative breaks, 50 feet slope distance minimum), (3) one full site-potential tree height (approximately 220 feet), and (4) two full tree heights (approximately 440 feet). A second round of density management manipulations are now being planned for implementation beginning in 2009. Stem density will be reduced in the high, moderate, and variable density treatments and most existing riparian buffers, leave islands, and patch cuts will remain in place. Remeasurement, data management, and analysis are ongoing for three long-term, core components of the DMS: vegetation, microclimate, and aquatic vertebrates. In addition, several short-term collaborative studies have been completed on these sites, including leave island effectiveness as refugia, treatment response of terrestrial and aquatic arthropods, and smaller-scale studies of fungal, lichen, and bryophyte community response. Additional collaborative studies are encouraged on DMS sites.

High power density solid oxide fuel cells

DOEpatents

Pham, Ai Quoc; Glass, Robert S.

2004-10-12

A method for producing ultra-high power density solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The method involves the formation of a multilayer structure cells wherein a buffer layer of doped-ceria is deposited intermediate a zirconia electrolyte and a cobalt iron based electrode using a colloidal spray deposition (CSD) technique. For example, a cobalt iron based cathode composed of (La,Sr)(Co,Fe)O (LSCF) may be deposited on a zirconia electrolyte via a buffer layer of doped-ceria deposited by the CSD technique. The thus formed SOFC have a power density of 1400 mW/cm.sup.2 at 600.degree. C. and 900 mW/cm.sup.2 at 700.degree. C. which constitutes a 2-3 times increased in power density over conventionally produced SOFCs.

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

Razhev, A M; Kargapol'tsev, E S; Churkin, D S

Results of an experimental study of the influence of a gas mixture (laser active medium) composition on an output energy and total efficiency of gas-discharge excimer lasers on ArF* (193 nm), KrCl* (222 nm), KrF* (248 nm) and XeCl* (308 nm) molecules operating without a buffer gas are presented. The optimal ratios of gas components (from the viewpoint of a maximum output energy) of an active medium are found, which provide an efficient operation of laser sources. It is experimentally confirmed that for gas-discharge excimer lasers on halogenides of inert gases the presence of a buffer gas in an activemore » medium is not a necessary condition for efficient operation. For the first time, in two-component gas mixtures of repetitively pulsed gas-discharge excimer lasers on electron transitions of excimer molecules ArF*, KrCl*, KrF* and XeCl*, the pulsed energy of laser radiation obtained under pumping by a transverse volume electric discharge in a low-pressure gas mixture without a buffer gas reached up to 170 mJ and a high pulsed output power (of up to 24 MW) was obtained at a FWHM duration of the KrF-laser pulse of 7 ns. The maximal total efficiency obtained in the experiment with two-component gas mixtures of KrF and XeCl lasers was 0.8%. (lasers)« less

Effect of bicarbonate on iron-mediated oxidation of low-density lipoprotein

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arai, Hirofumi; Berlett, Barbara S.; Chock, P. Boon; Stadtman, Earl R.

2005-07-01

Oxidation of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) may play an important role in atherosclerosis. We studied the effects of bicarbonate/CO2 and phosphate buffer systems on metal ion-catalyzed oxidation of LDL to malondialdehyde (MDA) and to protein carbonyl and MetO derivatives. Our results revealed that LDL oxidation in mixtures containing free iron or heme derivatives was much greater in bicarbonate/CO2 compared with phosphate buffer. However, when copper was substituted for iron in these mixtures, the rate of LDL oxidation in both buffers was similar. Iron-catalyzed oxidation of LDL was highly sensitive to inhibition by phosphate. Presence of 0.3-0.5 mM phosphate, characteristic of human serum, led to 30-40% inhibition of LDL oxidation in bicarbonate/CO2 buffer. Iron-catalyzed oxidation of LDL to MDA in phosphate buffer was inhibited by increasing concentrations of albumin (10-200 μM), whereas MDA formation in bicarbonate/CO2 buffer was stimulated by 10-50 μM albumin but inhibited by higher concentrations. However, albumin stimulated the oxidation of LDL proteins to carbonyl derivatives at all concentrations examined in both buffers. Conversion of LDL to MDA in bicarbonate/CO2 buffer was greatly stimulated by ADP, ATP, and EDTA but only when EDTA was added at a concentration equal to that of iron. At higher than stoichiometric concentrations, EDTA prevented oxidation of LDL. Results of these studies suggest that interactions between bicarbonate and iron or heme derivatives leads to complexes with redox potentials that favor the generation of reactive oxygen species and/or to the generation of highly reactive CO2 anion or bicarbonate radical that facilitates LDL oxidation. Freely available online through the PNAS open access option.Abbreviations: LDL, low-density lipoprotein; MDA, malondialdehyde; MetO, methionine sulfoxide.

Production of Ar and Xe metastables in rare gas mixtures in a dielectric barrier discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mikheyev, Pavel A.; Han, Jiande; Clark, Amanda; Sanderson, Carl; Heaven, Michael C.

2017-12-01

Optically pumped all-rare-gas lasers (OPRGL) utilize metastable atoms of the heavier rare gases as lasing species. The required number density of metastables for efficient laser operation is 1012-1013 cm-3 in He buffer gas at pressures in the 400-1000 Torr range. Such metastable densities are easily produced in a nanosecond pulsed discharge, even at pressures larger than atmospheric, but problems appear when one is trying to achieve continuous production. The reason for low production efficiency in many types of continuous discharge at atmospheric pressure is the low value of the E/N parameter (<5-6 Td). In the present work, we have examined the possibility of using a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) to provide near continuous, high densities of Ar and Xe metastables. Experiments were performed using a 20 kHz DBD in binary Ar and Xe mixtures with He, and in ternary Ar:Xe:He mixtures at pressures up to 1 atmosphere. Concentrations were measured by means of tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy. Time-averaged [Ar(1s5)] and [Xe(1s5)] number densities on the order of 1012 cm-3 were readily achieved. The temporal behavior of [Xe(1s5)] throughout the DBD cycle was observed. The results demonstrate the feasibility of using DBDs for OPRGL development. Spectral scans over the absorption lines were also used to examine the pressure broadening coefficients for the 912.3 nm Ar line in He and the Xe 904.5 nm line in Ne and He.

The polarization and the fundamental sensitivity of 39K (133Cs)-85Rb-4He hybrid optical pumping spin exchange relaxation free atomic magnetometers.

PubMed

Liu, Jian-Hua; Jing, Dong-Yang; Wang, Liang-Liang; Li, Yang; Quan, Wei; Fang, Jian-Cheng; Liu, Wu-Ming

2017-07-28

The hybrid optical pumping spin exchange relaxation free (SERF) atomic magnetometers can realize ultrahigh sensitivity measurement of magnetic field and inertia. We have studied the 85 Rb polarization of two types of hybrid optical pumping SERF magnetometers based on 39 K- 85 Rb- 4 He and 133 Cs- 85 Rb- 4 He respectively. Then we found that 85 Rb polarization varies with the number density of buffer gas 4 He and quench gas N 2 , pumping rate of pump beam and cell temperature respectively, which will provide an experimental guide for the design of the magnetometer. We obtain a general formula on the fundamental sensitivity of the hybrid optical pumping SERF magnetometer due to shot-noise. The formula describes that the fundamental sensitivity of the magnetometer varies with the number density of buffer gas and quench gas, the pumping rate of pump beam, external magnetic field, cell effective radius, measurement volume, cell temperature and measurement time. We obtain a highest fundamental sensitivity of 1.5073 aT/Hz 1/2 (1 aT = 10 -18 T) with 39 K- 85 Rb- 4 He magnetometer between above two types of magnetometers when 85 Rb polarization is 0.1116. We estimate the fundamental sensitivity limit of the hybrid optical pumping SERF magnetometer to be superior to 1.8359 × 10 -2 aT/Hz 1/2 , which is higher than the shot-noise-limited sensitivity of 1 aT/Hz 1/2 of K SERF atomic magnetometer.

High-Brightness Blue Light-Emitting Diodes Enabled by a Directly Grown Graphene Buffer Layer.

PubMed

Chen, Zhaolong; Zhang, Xiang; Dou, Zhipeng; Wei, Tongbo; Liu, Zhiqiang; Qi, Yue; Ci, Haina; Wang, Yunyu; Li, Yang; Chang, Hongliang; Yan, Jianchang; Yang, Shenyuan; Zhang, Yanfeng; Wang, Junxi; Gao, Peng; Li, Jinmin; Liu, Zhongfan

2018-06-08

Single-crystalline GaN-based light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with high efficiency and long lifetime are the most promising solid-state lighting source compared with conventional incandescent and fluorescent lamps. However, the lattice and thermal mismatch between GaN and sapphire substrate always induces high stress and high density of dislocations and thus degrades the performance of LEDs. Here, the growth of high-quality GaN with low stress and a low density of dislocations on graphene (Gr) buffered sapphire substrate is reported for high-brightness blue LEDs. Gr films are directly grown on sapphire substrate to avoid the tedious transfer process and GaN is grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD). The introduced Gr buffer layer greatly releases biaxial stress and reduces the density of dislocations in GaN film and In x Ga 1- x N/GaN multiple quantum well structures. The as-fabricated LED devices therefore deliver much higher light output power compared to that on a bare sapphire substrate, which even outperforms the mature process derived counterpart. The GaN growth on Gr buffered sapphire only requires one-step growth, which largely shortens the MOCVD growth time. This facile strategy may pave a new way for applications of Gr films and bring several disruptive technologies for epitaxial growth of GaN film and its applications in high-brightness LEDs. © 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Buffer Gas Experiments in Mercury (Hg+) Ion Clock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chung, Sang K.; Prestage, John D.; Tjoelker, Robert L.; Maleki, Lute

2004-01-01

We describe the results of the frequency shifts measured from various buffer gases that might be used as a buffer gas to increase the loading efficiency and cooling of ions trapped in a small mercury ion clock. The small mass, volume and power requirement of space clock precludes the use of turbo pumps. Hence, a hermetically sealed vacuum system, incorporating a suitable getter material with a fixed amount of inert buffer gas may be a practical alternative to the groundbased system. The collision shifts of 40,507,347.996xx Hz clock transition for helium, neon and argon buffer gases were measured in the ambient earth magnetic field. In addition to the above non-getterable inert gases we also measured the frequency shifts due to getterable, molecular hydrogen and nitrogen gases which may be used as buffer gases when incorporated with a miniature ion pump. We also examined the frequency shift due to the low methane gas partial pressure in a fixed higher pressure neon buffer gas environment. Methane gas interacted with mercury ions in a peculiar way as to preserve the ion number but to relax the population difference in the two hyperfine clock states and thereby reducing the clock resonance signal. The same population relaxation was also observed for other molecular buffer gases (N H,) but at much reduced rate.

Laser imprint reduction for the critical-density foam buffered target driven by a relatively strong foot pulse at early stage of laser implosions

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

Li, J. W., E-mail: li-jiwei@iapcm.ac.cn; He, X. T.; Institute of Applied Physics and Computational Mathematics, P. O. Box 8009, Beijing 100094

In order to reduce the effect of laser imprint in direct-drive ignition scheme a low-density foam buffered target has been proposed. This target is driven by a laser pulse with a low-intensity foot at the early stage of implosion, which heats the foam and elongates the thermal conduction zone between the laser absorption region and ablation front, increasing the thermal smoothing effect. In this paper, a relatively strong foot pulse is adopted to irradiate the critical-density foam buffered target. The stronger foot, near 1 × 10{sup 14 }W/cm{sup 2}, is able to drive a radiative shock in the low-density foam, which helps smoothmore » the shock and further reduce the effect of laser imprint. The radiative shock also forms a double ablation front structure between the two ablation fronts to further stabilize the hydrodynamics, achieving the similar results to a target with a high-Z dopant in the ablator. 2D analysis shows that for the critical-density foam buffered target irradiated by the strong foot pulse, the laser imprint can be reduced due to the radiative shock in the foam and an increased thermal smoothing effect. It seems viable for the critical-density foam buffered target to be driven by a relatively strong foot pulse with the goal of reducing the laser imprint and achieving better implosion symmetry in the direct-drive laser fusion.« less

Buffer for a gamma-insensitive optical sensor with gas and a buffer assembly

DOEpatents

Kruger, Hans W.

1994-01-01

A buffer assembly for a gamma-insensitive gas avalanche focal plane array operating in the ultra-violet/visible/infrared energy wavelengths and using a photocathode and an avalanche gas located in a gap between an anode and the photocathode. The buffer assembly functions to eliminate chemical compatibility between the gas composition and the materials of the photocathode. The buffer assembly in the described embodiment is composed of two sections, a first section constructed of glass honeycomb under vacuum and a second section defining a thin barrier film or membrane constructed, for example, of Al and Be, which is attached to and supported by the honeycomb. The honeycomb section, in turn, is supported by and adjacent to the photocathode.

Buffer for a gamma-insensitive optical sensor with gas and a buffer assembly

DOEpatents

Kruger, H.W.

1994-05-10

A buffer assembly is disclosed for a gamma-insensitive gas avalanche focal plane array operating in the ultra-violet/visible/infrared energy wavelengths and using a photocathode and an avalanche gas located in a gap between an anode and the photocathode. The buffer assembly functions to eliminate chemical compatibility between the gas composition and the materials of the photocathode. The buffer assembly in the described embodiment is composed of two sections, a first section constructed of glass honeycomb under vacuum and a second section defining a thin barrier film or membrane constructed, for example, of Al and Be, which is attached to and supported by the honeycomb. The honeycomb section, in turn, is supported by and adjacent to the photocathode. 7 figures.

Buffer gas cooling and mixture analysis

DOEpatents

Patterson, David S.; Doyle, John M.

2018-03-06

An apparatus for spectroscopy of a gas mixture is described. Such an apparatus includes a gas mixing system configured to mix a hot analyte gas that includes at least one analyte species in a gas phase into a cold buffer gas, thereby forming a supersaturated mixture to be provided for spectroscopic analysis.

Growth and micro structural studies on Yittria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) and Strontium Titanate (STO) buffer layers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Srinivas, S.; Pinto, R.; Pai, S. P.; Dsousa, D. P.; Apte, P. R.; Kumar, D.; Purandare, S. C.; Bhatnagar, A. K.

1995-01-01

Microstructure of Yittria Stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) and Strontium Titanate (STO) of radio frequency magnetron sputtered buffer layers was studied at various sputtering conditions on Si (100), Sapphire and LaAlO3 (100) substrates. The effect of substrate temperatures up to 800 C and sputtering gas pressures in the range of 50 mTorr. of growth conditions was studied. The buffer layers of YSZ and STO showed a strong tendency for columnar growth was observed above 15 mTorr sputtering gas pressure and at high substrate temperatures. Post annealing of these films in oxygen atmosphere reduced the oxygen deficiency and strain generated during growth of the films. Strong c-axis oriented superconducting YBa2Cu3O7-x (YBCO) thin films were obtained on these buffer layers using pulsed laser ablation technique. YBCO films deposited on multilayers of YSZ and STO were shown to have better superconducting properties.

Buffer Gas Modifiers Effect Resolution in Ion Mobility Spectrometry through Selective Ion-Molecule Clustering Reactions

PubMed Central

Fernández-Maestre, Roberto; Wu, Ching; Hill, Herbert H.

2013-01-01

RATIONALE When polar molecules (modifiers) are introduced into the buffer gas of an ion mobility spectrometer, most ion mobilities decrease due to the formation of ion-modifier clusters. METHODS We used ethyl lactate, nitrobenzene, 2-butanol, and tetrahydrofuran-2-carbonitrile as buffer gas modifiers and electrospray ionization ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) coupled to quadrupole mass spectrometry. Ethyl lactate, nitrobenzene, and tetrahydrofuran-2-carbonitrile had not been tested as buffer gas modifiers and 2-butanol had not been used with basic amino acids. RESULTS The ion mobilities of several diamines (arginine, histidine, lysine, and atenolol) were not affected or only slightly reduced when these modifiers were introduced into the buffer gas (3.4% average reduction in an analyte's mobility for the three modifiers). Intramolecular bridges caused limited change in the ion mobilities of diamines when modifiers were added to the buffer gas; these bridges hindered the attachment of modifier molecules to the positive charge of ions and delocalized the charge, which deterred clustering. There was also a tendency towards large changes in ion mobility when the mass of the analyte decreased; ethanolamine, the smallest compound tested, had the largest reduction in ion mobility with the introduction of modifiers into the buffer gas (61%). These differences in mobilities, together with the lack of shift in bridge-forming ions, were used to separate ions that overlapped in IMS, such as isoleucine and lysine, and arginine and phenylalanine, and made possible the prediction of separation or not of overlapping ions. CONCLUSIONS The introduction of modifiers into the buffer gas in IMS can selectively alter the mobilities of analytes to aid in compound identification and/or enable the separation of overlapping analyte peaks. PMID:22956312

Method of Fabrication of High Power Density Solid Oxide Fuel Cells

DOEpatents

Pham, Ai Quoc; Glass, Robert S.

2008-09-09

A method for producing ultra-high power density solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs). The method involves the formation of a multilayer structure cells wherein a buffer layer of doped-ceria is deposited intermediate a zirconia electrolyte and a cobalt iron based electrode using a colloidal spray deposition (CSD) technique. For example, a cobalt iron based cathode composed of (La,Sr)(Co,Fe)O(LSCF) may be deposited on a zirconia electrolyte via a buffer layer of doped-ceria deposited by the CSD technique. The thus formed SOFC have a power density of 1400 mW/cm.sup.2 at 600.degree. C. and 900 mW/cm.sup.2 at 700.degree. C. which constitutes a 2-3 times increased in power density over conventionally produced SOFCs.

In-situ resource utilization technologies for Mars life support systems.

PubMed

Sridhar, K R; Finn, J E; Kliss, M H

2000-01-01

The atmosphere of Mars has many of the ingredients that can be used to support human exploration missions. It can be "mined" and processed to produce oxygen, buffer gas, and water, resulting in significant savings on mission costs. The use of local materials, called ISRU (for in-situ resource utilization), is clearly an essential strategy for a long-term human presence on Mars from the standpoints of self-sufficiency, safety, and cost. Currently a substantial effort is underway by NASA to develop technologies and designs of chemical plants to make propellants from the Martian atmosphere. Consumables for life support, such as oxygen and water, will probably benefit greatly from this ISRU technology development for propellant production. However, the buffer gas needed to dilute oxygen for breathing is not a product of a propellant production plant. The buffer gas needs on each human Mars mission will probably be in the order of metric tons, primarily due to losses during airlock activity. Buffer gas can be separated, compressed, and purified from the Mars atmosphere. This paper discusses the buffer gas needs for a human mission to Mars and consider architectures for the generation of buffer gas including an option that integrates it to the propellant production plant.

A novel graded density impactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, R. E.; Cotton, M.; Harris, E. J.; Chapman, D. J.; Eakins, D.

2014-05-01

Ramp loading using graded-density-impactors as flyers in gas-gun-driven plate impact experiments can yield new and useful information about the equation of state and the strength properties of the loaded material. Selective Laser Melting, an additive manufacture technique, was used to manufacture a graded density flyer, termed the "bed of nails" (BON). A 2 mm thick × 100 mm diameter solid disc of stainless steel formed a base for an array of tapered spikes of length 6 mm and spaced 1 mm apart. The two experiments to test the concept were performed at impact velocities of 900 m/s and 1100 m/s using the 100 mm gas gun at the Institute of Shock Physics at Imperial College, London. In each experiment a BON flyer was impacted onto a copper buffer plate which helped to smooth out perturbations in the wave profile. The ramp delivered to the copper buffer was in turn transmitted to three tantalum targets of thicknesses 3, 5 and 7 mm, which were mounted in contact with the back face of the copper. Heterodyne velocimetry was used to measure the velocity-time history, at the back faces of the tantalum discs. The wave profiles display a smooth increase in velocity over a period of ~2.5 us, with no indication of a shock jump. The measured profiles have been analysed to generate a stress strain curve for tantalum. The results have been compared with the predictions of the Sandia National Laboratories hydrocode, CTH.

Ultra-high current density thin-film Si diode

DOEpatents

Wang; Qi

2008-04-22

A combination of a thin-film .mu.c-Si and a-Si:H containing diode structure characterized by an ultra-high current density that exceeds 1000 A/cm.sup.2, comprising: a substrate; a bottom metal layer disposed on the substrate; an n-layer of .mu.c-Si deposited the bottom metal layer; an i-layer of .mu.c-Si deposited on the n-layer; a buffer layer of a-Si:H deposited on the i-layer, a p-layer of .mu.c-Si deposited on the buffer layer; and a top metal layer deposited on the p-layer.

Efficient rotational cooling of Coulomb-crystallized molecular ions by a helium buffer gas.

PubMed

Hansen, A K; Versolato, O O; Kłosowski, L; Kristensen, S B; Gingell, A; Schwarz, M; Windberger, A; Ullrich, J; López-Urrutia, J R Crespo; Drewsen, M

2014-04-03

The preparation of cold molecules is of great importance in many contexts, such as fundamental physics investigations, high-resolution spectroscopy of complex molecules, cold chemistry and astrochemistry. One versatile and widely applied method to cool molecules is helium buffer-gas cooling in either a supersonic beam expansion or a cryogenic trap environment. Another more recent method applicable to trapped molecular ions relies on sympathetic translational cooling, through collisional interactions with co-trapped, laser-cooled atomic ions, into spatially ordered structures called Coulomb crystals, combined with laser-controlled internal-state preparation. Here we present experimental results on helium buffer-gas cooling of the rotational degrees of freedom of MgH(+) molecular ions, which have been trapped and sympathetically cooled in a cryogenic linear radio-frequency quadrupole trap. With helium collision rates of only about ten per second--that is, four to five orders of magnitude lower than in typical buffer-gas cooling settings--we have cooled a single molecular ion to a rotational temperature of 7.5(+0.9)(-0.7) kelvin, the lowest such temperature so far measured. In addition, by varying the shape of, or the number of atomic and molecular ions in, larger Coulomb crystals, or both, we have tuned the effective rotational temperature from about 7 kelvin to about 60 kelvin by changing the translational micromotion energy of the ions. The extremely low helium collision rate may allow for sympathetic sideband cooling of single molecular ions, and eventually make quantum-logic spectroscopy of buffer-gas-cooled molecular ions feasible. Furthermore, application of the present cooling scheme to complex molecular ions should enable single- or few-state manipulations of individual molecules of biological interest.

Catalyst functionalized buffer sorbent pebbles for rapid separation of carbon dioxide from gas mixtures

DOEpatents

Aines, Roger D

2015-03-31

A method for separating CO.sub.2 from gas mixtures uses a slurried media impregnated with buffer compounds and coating the solid media with a catalyst or enzyme that promotes the transformation of CO.sub.2 to carbonic acid. Buffer sorbent pebbles with a catalyst or enzyme coating are provided for rapid separation of CO.sub.2 from gas mixtures.

Catalyst functionalized buffer sorbent pebbles for rapid separation of carbon dioxide from gas mixtures

DOEpatents

Aines, Roger D.

2013-03-12

A method for separating CO.sub.2 from gas mixtures uses a slurried media impregnated with buffer compounds and coating the solid media with a catalyst or enzyme that promotes the transformation of CO.sub.2 to carbonic acid. Buffer sorbent pebbles with a catalyst or enzyme coating are provided for rapid separation of CO.sub.2 from gas mixtures.

Gas mixtures for spark gap closing switches

DOEpatents

Christophorou, L.G.; McCorkle, D.L.; Hunter, S.R.

1987-02-20

Gas mixtures for use in spark gap closing switches comprised of fluorocarbons and low molecular weight, inert buffer gases. To this can be added a third gas having a low ionization potential relative to the buffer gas. The gas mixtures presented possess properties that optimized the efficiency spark gap closing switches. 6 figs.

Laser induced fluorescence in nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharges for CO2 conversion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martini, L. M.; Gatti, N.; Dilecce, G.; Scotoni, M.; Tosi, P.

2018-01-01

A CO2 nanosecond repetitively pulsed discharge (NRP) is a harsh environment for laser induced fluorescence (LIF) diagnostics. The difficulties arise from it being a strongly collisional system in which the gas composition, pressure and temperature, have quick and strong variations. The relevant diagnostic problems are described and illustrated through the application of LIF to the measurement of the OH radical in three different discharge configurations, with gas mixtures containing CO2 + H2O. These range from a dielectric barrier NRP with He buffer gas, a less hostile case in which absolute OH density measurement is possible, to an NRP in CO2+H2O, where the full set of drawbacks is at work. In the last case, the OH density measurement is not possible with laser pulses and detector time resolution in the ns time scale. Nevertheless, it is shown that with a proper knowledge of the collisional rate constants involved in the LIF process, a collisional energy transfer-LIF methodology is still applicable to deduce the gas composition from the analysis of LIF spectra.

Design of experiments and principal component analysis as approaches for enhancing performance of gas-diffusional air-breathing bilirubin oxidase cathode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Babanova, Sofia; Artyushkova, Kateryna; Ulyanova, Yevgenia; Singhal, Sameer; Atanassov, Plamen

2014-01-01

Two statistical methods, design of experiments (DOE) and principal component analysis (PCA) are employed to investigate and improve performance of air-breathing gas-diffusional enzymatic electrodes. DOE is utilized as a tool for systematic organization and evaluation of various factors affecting the performance of the composite system. Based on the results from the DOE, an improved cathode is constructed. The current density generated utilizing the improved cathode (755 ± 39 μA cm-2 at 0.3 V vs. Ag/AgCl) is 2-5 times higher than the highest current density previously achieved. Three major factors contributing to the cathode performance are identified: the amount of enzyme, the volume of phosphate buffer used to immobilize the enzyme, and the thickness of the gas-diffusion layer (GDL). PCA is applied as an independent confirmation tool to support conclusions made by DOE and to visualize the contribution of factors in individual cathode configurations.

Superstatistical Energy Distributions of an Ion in an Ultracold Buffer Gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouse, I.; Willitsch, S.

2017-04-01

An ion in a radio frequency ion trap interacting with a buffer gas of ultracold neutral atoms is a driven dynamical system which has been found to develop a nonthermal energy distribution with a power law tail. The exact analytical form of this distribution is unknown, but has often been represented empirically by q -exponential (Tsallis) functions. Based on the concepts of superstatistics, we introduce a framework for the statistical mechanics of an ion trapped in an rf field subject to collisions with a buffer gas. We derive analytic ion secular energy distributions from first principles both neglecting and including the effects of the thermal energy of the buffer gas. For a buffer gas with a finite temperature, we prove that Tsallis statistics emerges from the combination of a constant heating term and multiplicative energy fluctuations. We show that the resulting distributions essentially depend on experimentally controllable parameters paving the way for an accurate control of the statistical properties of ion-atom hybrid systems.

Length scales involved in decoherence of trapped bosons by buffer-gas scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gilz, Lukas; Rico-Pérez, Luis; Anglin, James R.

2014-05-01

We ask and answer a basic question about the length scales involved in quantum decoherence: how far apart in space do two parts of a quantum system have to be before a common quantum environment decoheres them as if they were entirely separate? We frame this question specifically in a cold atom context. How far apart do two populations of bosons have to be before an environment of thermal atoms of a different species ("buffer gas") responds to their two particle numbers separately? An initial guess for this length scale is the thermal coherence length of the buffer gas; we show that a standard Born-Markov treatment partially supports this guess, but predicts only inverse-square saturation of decoherence rates with distance, and not the much more abrupt Gaussian behavior of the buffer gas's first-order coherence. We confirm this Born-Markov result with a more rigorous theory, based on an exact solution of a two-scatterer scattering problem, which also extends the result beyond weak scattering. Finally, however, we show that when interactions within the buffer-gas reservoir are taken into account, an abrupt saturation of the decoherence rate does occur, exponentially on the length scale of the buffer gas's mean free path.

Self-organization of dislocation-free, high-density, vertically aligned GaN nanocolumns involving InGaN quantum wells on graphene/SiO2 covered with a thin AlN buffer layer.

PubMed

Hayashi, Hiroaki; Konno, Yuta; Kishino, Katsumi

2016-02-05

We demonstrated the self-organization of high-density GaN nanocolumns on multilayer graphene (MLG)/SiO2 covered with a thin AlN buffer layer by RF-plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. MLG/SiO2 substrates were prepared by the transfer of CVD graphene onto thermally oxidized SiO2/Si [100] substrates. Employing the MLG with an AlN buffer layer enabled the self-organization of high-density and vertically aligned nanocolumns. Transmission electron microscopy observation revealed that no threading dislocations, stacking faults, or twinning defects were included in the self-organized nanocolumns. The photoluminescence (PL) peak intensities of the self-organized GaN nanocolumns were 2.0-2.6 times higher than those of a GaN substrate grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy. Moreover, no yellow luminescence or ZB-phase GaN emission was observed from the nanocolumns. An InGaN/GaN MQW and p-type GaN were integrated into GaN nanocolumns grown on MLG, displaying a single-peak PL emission at a wavelength of 533 nm. Thus, high-density nitride p-i-n nanocolumns were fabricated on SiO2/Si using the transferred MLG interlayer, indicating the possibility of developing visible nanocolumn LEDs on graphene/SiO2.

Laser for high frequency modulated interferometry

DOEpatents

Mansfield, D.K.; Vocaturo, M.; Guttadora, L.J.

1991-07-23

A Stark-tuned laser operating in the 119 micron line of CH[sub 3]OH has an output power of several tens of milliwatts at 30 Watts of pump power while exhibiting a doublet splitting of about ten MHz with the application of a Stark field on the order of 500 volts/cm. This output power allows for use of the laser in a multi-channel interferometer, while its high operating frequency permits the interferometer to measure rapid electron density changes in a pellet injected or otherwise fueled plasma such as encountered in magnetic fusion devices. The laser includes a long far-infrared (FIR) pyrex resonator tube disposed within a cylindrical water jacket and incorporating charged electrodes for applying the Stark field to a gas confined therein. With the electrodes located within the resonator tube, the resonator tube walls are cooled by a flowing coolant without electrical breakdown in the coolant liquid during application of the Stark field. Wall cooling allows for substantially increased FIR output powers. Provision is made for introducing a buffer gas into the resonator tube for increasing laser output power and its operating bandwidth. 10 figures.

Laser for high frequency modulated interferometry

DOEpatents

Mansfield, Dennis K.; Vocaturo, Michael; Guttadora, Lawrence J.

1991-01-01

A Stark-tuned laser operating in the 119 micron line of CH.sub.3 OH has an output power of several tens of milliwatts at 30 Watts of pump power while exhibiting a doublet splitting of about ten MHz with the application of a Stark field on the order of 500 volts/cm. This output power allows for use of the laser in a multi-channel interferometer, while its high operating frequency permits the interferometer to measure rapid electron density changes in a pellet injected or otherwise fueled plasma such as encountered in magnetic fusion devices. The laser includes a long far-infrared (FIR) pyrex resonator tube disposed within a cylindrical water jacket and incorporating charged electrodes for applying the Stark field to a gas confined therein. With the electrodes located within the resonator tube, the resonator tube walls are cooled by a flowing coolant without electrical breakdown in the coolant liquid during application of the Stark field. Wall cooling allows for substantially increased FIR output powers. Provision is made for introducing a buffer gas into the resonator tube for increasing laser output power and its operating bandwidth.

GaAs buffer layer technique for vertical nanowire growth on Si substrate

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

Xu, Xiaoqing, E-mail: steelxu@stanford.edu; Parizi, Kokab B.; Huo, Yijie

2014-02-24

Gold catalyzed vapor-liquid-solid method is widely applied to III–V nanowire (NW) growth on Si substrate. However, the easy oxidation of Si, possible Si contamination in the NWs, high defect density in the NWs, and high sensitivity of the NW morphology to growth conditions largely limit its controllability. In this work, we developed a buffer layer technique by introducing a GaAs thin film with predefined polarity as a template. It is found that samples grown on these buffer layers all have high vertical NW yields in general, due to the single-orientation of the buffer layers. Low temperature buffer with smoother surfacemore » leads to highest yield of vertical NWs, while high temperature (HT) buffer with better crystallinity results in perfect NW quality. The defect-free property we observed here is very promising for optoelectronic device applications based on GaAs NW. Moreover, the buffer layers can eliminate Si contamination by preventing Si-Au alloy formation and by increasing the thickness of the Si diffusion barrier, thus providing more flexibility to vertical NW growth. The buffer layer technique we demonstrated here could be easily extended to other III-V on Si system for electronic and photonic applications.« less

Generation of ramp waves using variable areal density flyers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, R. E.; Cotton, M.; Harris, E. J.; Chapman, D. J.; Eakins, D.

2016-07-01

Ramp loading using graded density impactors as flyers in gas-gun-driven plate impact experiments can yield new and useful information about the equation of state and the strength properties of the loaded material. Selective Laser Melting, an additive manufacturing technique, was used to manufacture a graded density flyer, termed the "bed-of-nails" (BON). A 2.5-mm-thick × 99.4-mm-diameter solid disc of stainless steel formed a base for an array of tapered spikes of length 5.5 mm and spaced 1 mm apart. The two experiments to test the concept were performed at impact velocities of 900 and 1100 m/s using the 100-mm gas gun at the Institute of Shock Physics at Imperial College London. In each experiment, a BON flyer was impacted onto a copper buffer plate which helped to smooth out perturbations in the wave profile. The ramp delivered to the copper buffer was in turn transmitted to three tantalum targets of thicknesses 3, 5 and 7 mm, which were mounted in contact with the back face of the copper. Heterodyne velocimetry (Het-V) was used to measure the velocity-time history, at the back faces of the tantalum discs. The wave profiles display a smooth increase in velocity over a period of ˜ 2.5 μs, with no indication of a shock jump. The measured profiles have been analysed to generate a stress vs. volume curve for tantalum. The results have been compared with the predictions of the Sandia National Laboratories hydrocode, CTH.

Optimized cell geometry for buffer-gas-cooled molecular-beam sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Singh, Vijay; Samanta, Amit K.; Roth, Nils; Gusa, Daniel; Ossenbrüggen, Tim; Rubinsky, Igor; Horke, Daniel A.; Küpper, Jochen

2018-03-01

We have designed, constructed, and commissioned a cryogenic helium buffer-gas source for producing a cryogenically cooled molecular beam and evaluated the effect of different cell geometries on the intensity of the produced molecular beam, using ammonia as a test molecule. Planar and conical entrance and exit geometries are tested. We observe a threefold enhancement in the NH3 signal for a cell with planar entrance and conical-exit geometry, compared to that for a typically used "boxlike" geometry with planar entrance and exit. These observations are rationalized by flow field simulations for the different buffer-gas cell geometries. The full thermalization of molecules with the helium buffer gas is confirmed through rotationally resolved resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionization spectra yielding a rotational temperature of 5 K.

Reduction of Crosshatch Roughness and Threading Dislocation Density in Metamorphic GaInP Buffers and GaInAs Solar Cells

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

France, R. M.; Geisz, J. F.; Steiner, M. A.

Surface crosshatch roughness typically develops during the growth of lattice-mismatched compositionally graded buffers and can limit misfit dislocation glide. In this study, the crosshatch roughness during growth of a compressive GaInP/GaAs graded buffer is reduced by increasing the phosphine partial pressure throughout the metamorphic growth. Changes in the average misfit dislocation length are qualitatively determined by characterizing the threading defect density and residual strain. The decrease of crosshatch roughness leads to an increase in the average misfit dislocation glide length, indicating that the surface roughness is limiting dislocation glide. Growth rate is also analyzed as a method to reduce surfacemore » crosshatch roughness and increase glide length, but has a more complicated relationship with glide kinetics. Using knowledge gained from these experiments, high quality inverted GaInAs 1 eV solar cells are grown on a GaInP compositionally graded buffer with reduced roughness and threading dislocation density. The open circuit voltage is only 0.38 V lower than the bandgap potential at a short circuit current density of 15 mA/cm{sup 2}, suggesting that there is very little loss due to the lattice mismatch.« less

Critical CuI buffer layer surface density for organic molecular crystal orientation change

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

Ahn, Kwangseok; Kim, Jong Beom; Lee, Dong Ryeol, E-mail: drlee@ssu.ac.kr

We have determined the critical surface density of the CuI buffer layer inserted to change the preferred orientation of copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) crystals grown on the buffer layer. X-ray reflectivity measurements were performed to obtain the density profiles of the buffer layers and out-of-plane and 2D grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction measurements were performed to determine the preferred orientations of the molecular crystals. Remarkably, it was found that the preferred orientation of the CuPc film is completely changed from edge-on (1 0 0) to face-on (1 1 −2) by a CuI buffer layer with a very low surface density, so low thatmore » a large proportion of the substrate surface is bare.« less

A highly sensitive hydrogen sensor with gas selectivity using a PMMA membrane-coated Pd nanoparticle/single-layer graphene hybrid.

PubMed

Hong, Juree; Lee, Sanggeun; Seo, Jungmok; Pyo, Soonjae; Kim, Jongbaeg; Lee, Taeyoon

2015-02-18

A polymer membrane-coated palladium (Pd) nanoparticle (NP)/single-layer graphene (SLG) hybrid sensor was fabricated for highly sensitive hydrogen gas (H2) sensing with gas selectivity. Pd NPs were deposited on SLG via the galvanic displacement reaction between graphene-buffered copper (Cu) and Pd ion. During the galvanic displacement reaction, graphene was used as a buffer layer, which transports electrons from Cu for Pd to nucleate on the SLG surface. The deposited Pd NPs on the SLG surface were well-distributed with high uniformity and low defects. The Pd NP/SLG hybrid was then coated with polymer membrane layer for the selective filtration of H2. Because of the selective H2 filtration effect of the polymer membrane layer, the sensor had no responses to methane, carbon monoxide, or nitrogen dioxide gas. On the contrary, the PMMA/Pd NP/SLG hybrid sensor exhibited a good response to exposure to 2% H2: on average, 66.37% response within 1.81 min and recovery within 5.52 min. In addition, reliable and repeatable sensing behaviors were obtained when the sensor was exposed to different H2 concentrations ranging from 0.025 to 2%.

Plasma discharge elemental detector for a mass spectrometer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heppner, R. A.

1983-06-01

A material to be analyzed is injected into a mirowave-induced plasma discharge unit, in which the material is carried with a flow of buffer gas through an intense microwave energy field which produces a plasma discharge in the buffer gas. As the material exits from the plasma discharge, the material is sampled and conveyed along a capillary transfer tube to a mass spectrometer where it is analyzed. The plasma discharge causes dissociation of complex organic molecules into simpler molecules which return to the neutral ground state before they are analyzed in the mass spectrometer. The buffer gas is supplied to one end portion of the discharge tube and is withdrawn from the other end portion by a vacuum pump which maintains a subatmospheric pressure in the discharge tube. The sample material is injected by a capillary injection tube into the buffer gas flow as it enters the plasma discharge zone. The dissociated materials are sampled by an axial sampling tube having an entrance where the buffer gas exits from the plasma discharge zone. The sample material may be supplied by a gas chromatography having a capillary effluent line connected to the capillary injection tube, so that the effluent material is injected into the microwave induced plasma discharge. The microwave field is produced by a cavity resonator through which the discharge tube passes.

Effect of pH buffering capacity and sources of dietary sulfur on rumen fermentation, sulfide production, methane production, sulfate reducing bacteria, and total Archaea in in vitro rumen cultures.

PubMed

Wu, Hao; Meng, Qingxiang; Yu, Zhongtang

2015-06-01

The effects of three types of dietary sulfur on in vitro fermentation characteristics, sulfide production, methane production, and microbial populations at two different buffer capacities were examined using in vitro rumen cultures. Addition of dry distilled grain with soluble (DDGS) generally decreased total gas production, degradation of dry matter and neutral detergent fiber, and concentration of total volatile fatty acids, while increasing ammonia concentration. High buffering capacity alleviated these adverse effects on fermentation. Increased sulfur content resulted in decreased methane emission, but total Archaea population was not changed significantly. The population of sulfate reducing bacteria was increased in a sulfur type-dependent manner. These results suggest that types of dietary sulfur and buffering capacity can affect rumen fermentation and sulfide production. Diet buffering capacity, and probably alkalinity, may be increased to alleviate some of the adverse effects associated with feeding DDGS at high levels. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Buffer Gas Acquisition and Storage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Parrish, Clyde F.; Lueck, Dale E.; Jennings, Paul A.; Callahan, Richard A.; Delgado, H. (Technical Monitor)

2001-01-01

The acquisition and storage of buffer gases (primarily argon and nitrogen) from the Mars atmosphere provides a valuable resource for blanketing and pressurizing fuel tanks and as a buffer gas for breathing air for manned missions. During the acquisition of carbon dioxide (CO2), whether by sorption bed or cryo-freezer, the accompanying buffer gases build up in the carbon dioxide acquisition system, reduce the flow of CO2 to the bed, and lower system efficiency. It is this build up of buffer gases that provide a convenient source, which must be removed, for efficient capture Of CO2 Removal of this buffer gas barrier greatly improves the charging rate of the CO2 acquisition bed and, thereby, maintains the fuel production rates required for a successful mission. Consequently, the acquisition, purification, and storage of these buffer gases are important goals of ISRU plans. Purity of the buffer gases is a concern e.g., if the CO, freezer operates at 140 K, the composition of the inert gas would be approximately 21 percent CO2, 50 percent nitrogen, and 29 percent argon. Although there are several approaches that could be used, this effort focused on a hollow-fiber membrane (HFM) separation method. This study measured the permeation rates of CO2, nitrogen (ND, and argon (Ar) through a multiple-membrane system and the individual membranes from room temperature to 193K and 10 kpa to 300 kPa. Concentrations were measured with a gas chromatograph that used a thermoconductivity (TCD) detector with helium (He) as the carrier gas. The general trend as the temperature was lowered was for the membranes to become more selective, In addition, the relative permeation rates between the three gases changed with temperature. The end result was to provide design parameters that could be used to separate CO2 from N2 and Ar.

Mantle to surface degassing of alkalic magmas at Erebus volcano, Antarctica

USGS Publications Warehouse

Oppenheimer, C.; Moretti, R.; Kyle, P.R.; Eschenbacher, A.; Lowenstern, J. B.; Hervig, R.L.; Dunbar, N.W.

2011-01-01

Continental intraplate volcanoes, such as Erebus volcano, Antarctica, are associated with extensional tectonics, mantle upwelling and high heat flow. Typically, erupted magmas are alkaline and rich in volatiles (especially CO2), inherited from low degrees of partial melting of mantle sources. We examine the degassing of the magmatic system at Erebus volcano using melt inclusion data and high temporal resolution open-path Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic measurements of gas emissions from the active lava lake. Remarkably different gas signatures are associated with passive and explosive gas emissions, representative of volatile contents and redox conditions that reveal contrasting shallow and deep degassing sources. We show that this unexpected degassing signature provides a unique probe for magma differentiation and transfer of CO2-rich oxidised fluids from the mantle to the surface, and evaluate how these processes operate in time and space. Extensive crystallisation driven by CO2 fluxing is responsible for isobaric fractionation of parental basanite magmas close to their source depth. Magma deeper than 4kbar equilibrates under vapour-buffered conditions. At shallower depths, CO2-rich fluids accumulate and are then released either via convection-driven, open-system gas loss or as closed-system slugs that ascend and result in Strombolian eruptions in the lava lake. The open-system gases have a reduced state (below the QFM buffer) whereas the closed-system gases preserve their deep oxidised signatures (close to the NNO buffer). ?? 2011 Elsevier B.V.

Study of the effects of GaN buffer layer quality on the dc characteristics of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

DOE PAGES

Ahn, Shihyun; Zhu, Weidi; Dong, Chen; ...

2015-04-21

Here we studied the effect of buffer layer quality on dc characteristics of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility (HEMTs). AlGaN/GaN HEMT structures with 2 and 5 μm GaN buffer layers on sapphire substrates from two different vendors with the same Al concentration of AlGaN were used. The defect densities of HEMT structures with 2 and 5 μm GaN buffer layer were 7 × 10 9 and 5 × 10 8 cm ₋2, respectively, as measured by transmission electron microscopy. There was little difference in drain saturation current or in transfer characteristics in HEMTs on these two types of buffer. However, theremore » was no dispersion observed on the nonpassivated HEMTs with 5 μm GaN buffer layer for gate-lag pulsed measurement at 100 kHz, which was in sharp contrast to the 71% drain current reduction for the HEMT with 2 μm GaN buffer layer.« less

Epitaxial thin films

DOEpatents

Hunt, Andrew Tye; Deshpande, Girish; Lin, Wen-Yi; Jan, Tzyy-Jiuan

2006-04-25

Epitatial thin films for use as buffer layers for high temperature superconductors, electrolytes in solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC), gas separation membranes or dielectric material in electronic devices, are disclosed. By using CCVD, CACVD or any other suitable deposition process, epitaxial films having pore-free, ideal grain boundaries, and dense structure can be formed. Several different types of materials are disclosed for use as buffer layers in high temperature superconductors. In addition, the use of epitaxial thin films for electrolytes and electrode formation in SOFCs results in densification for pore-free and ideal gain boundary/interface microstructure. Gas separation membranes for the production of oxygen and hydrogen are also disclosed. These semipermeable membranes are formed by high-quality, dense, gas-tight, pinhole free sub-micro scale layers of mixed-conducting oxides on porous ceramic substrates. Epitaxial thin films as dielectric material in capacitors are also taught herein. Capacitors are utilized according to their capacitance values which are dependent on their physical structure and dielectric permittivity. The epitaxial thin films of the current invention form low-loss dielectric layers with extremely high permittivity. This high permittivity allows for the formation of capacitors that can have their capacitance adjusted by applying a DC bias between their electrodes.

Implementing an Inexpensive and Accurate Introductory Gas Density Activity with High School Students

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Cunningham, W. Patrick; Joseph, Christopher; Morey, Samantha; Santos Romo, Ana; Shope, Cullen; Strang, Jonathan; Yang, Kevin

2015-01-01

A simplified activity examined gas density while employing cost-efficient syringes in place of traditional glass bulbs. The exercise measured the density of methane, with very good accuracy and precision, in both first-year high school and AP chemistry settings. The participating students were tasked with finding the density of a gas. The…

Model for threading dislocations in metamorphic tandem solar cells on GaAs (001) substrates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Song, Yifei; Kujofsa, Tedi; Ayers, John E.

2018-02-01

We present an approximate model for the threading dislocations in III-V heterostructures and have applied this model to study the defect behavior in metamorphic triple-junction solar cells. This model represents a new approach in which the coefficient for second-order threading dislocation annihilation and coalescence reactions is considered to be determined by the length of misfit dislocations, LMD, in the structure, and we therefore refer to it as the LMD model. On the basis of this model we have compared the average threading dislocation densities in the active layers of triple junction solar cells using linearly-graded buffers of varying thicknesses as well as S-graded (complementary error function) buffers with varying thicknesses and standard deviation parameters. We have shown that the threading dislocation densities in the active regions of metamorphic tandem solar cells depend not only on the thicknesses of the buffer layers but on their compositional grading profiles. The use of S-graded buffer layers instead of linear buffers resulted in lower threading dislocation densities. Moreover, the threading dislocation densities depended strongly on the standard deviation parameters used in the S-graded buffers, with smaller values providing lower threading dislocation densities.

Evaluation of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors grown on ZrTi buffer layers with sapphire substrates

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

Ren, Fan; Pearton, Stephen J.; Ahn, Shihyun

Here, AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have been grown on sapphire substrates, using ZrTi buffer layers to provide in-plane lattice-matching to hexagonal GaN. X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as cross-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to assess the quality of the HEMT structure. The XRD 2θ scans showed full-width-at-half-maximum values of 0.16°, 0.07°, and 0.08° for ZrTi alloy, GaN buffer layer, and the entire HEMT structure, respectively. TEM studies of the GaN buffer layer and the AlN/ZrTi/AlN stack showed the importance of growing thin AlN buffer layers on the ZrTi layer prior to growth of the GaN buffermore » layer. The density of threading dislocations in the GaN channel layer of the HEMT structure was estimated to be in the 10 8 cm –2 range. The HEMT device exhibited a saturation drain current density of 820 mA/mm, and the channel of the fabricated HEMTs could be well modulated. A cutoff frequency (f T) of 8.9 GHz and a maximum frequency of oscillation (f max) of 17.3 GHz were achieved for HEMTs with gate dimensions of 1 × 200 μm.« less

Evaluation of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors grown on ZrTi buffer layers with sapphire substrates

DOE PAGES

Ren, Fan; Pearton, Stephen J.; Ahn, Shihyun; ...

2016-09-21

Here, AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have been grown on sapphire substrates, using ZrTi buffer layers to provide in-plane lattice-matching to hexagonal GaN. X-ray diffraction (XRD) as well as cross-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to assess the quality of the HEMT structure. The XRD 2θ scans showed full-width-at-half-maximum values of 0.16°, 0.07°, and 0.08° for ZrTi alloy, GaN buffer layer, and the entire HEMT structure, respectively. TEM studies of the GaN buffer layer and the AlN/ZrTi/AlN stack showed the importance of growing thin AlN buffer layers on the ZrTi layer prior to growth of the GaN buffermore » layer. The density of threading dislocations in the GaN channel layer of the HEMT structure was estimated to be in the 10 8 cm –2 range. The HEMT device exhibited a saturation drain current density of 820 mA/mm, and the channel of the fabricated HEMTs could be well modulated. A cutoff frequency (f T) of 8.9 GHz and a maximum frequency of oscillation (f max) of 17.3 GHz were achieved for HEMTs with gate dimensions of 1 × 200 μm.« less

Formulation and stability of an extemporaneous 0.02% chlorhexidine digluconate ophthalmic solution.

PubMed

Lin, Shu-Chiao; Huang, Chih-Fen; Shen, Li-Jiuan; Wang, Hsueh-Ju; Lin, Chia-Yu; Wu, Fe-Lin Lin

2015-12-01

Acanthamoeba keratitis is difficult to treat because Acanthamoeba cysts are resistant to the majority of antimicrobial agents. Despite the efficacy of 0.02% chlorhexidine in treating Acanthamoeba keratitis, a lack of data in the literature regarding the formulation's stability limits its clinical use. The objective of this study was to develop an optimal extemporaneous 0.02% chlorhexidine digluconate ophthalmic formulation for patients in need. With available active pharmaceutical ingredients, 0.02% chlorhexidine digluconate sample solutions were prepared by diluting with BSS Plus Solution or acetate buffer. Influences of the buffer, type of container, and temperature under daily-open condition were assessed based on the changes of pH values and chlorhexidine concentrations of the test samples weekly. To determine the beyond-use date, the optimal samples were stored at 2-8°C or room temperature, and analyzed at time 0 and at Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 8, Week 12, and Week 24. Despite chlorhexidine exhibiting better stability in acetate buffer than in BSS solution, its shelf-life was < 14 days when stored in a light-resistant low-density polyethylene container. The acetate-buffered 0.02% chlorhexidine digluconate solution stored in light-resistant high-density polyethylene eyedroppers did not exhibit significant changes in pH or strength at any time interval. The acetate-buffered 0.02% chlorhexidine digluconate ophthalmic solution stored in light-resistant high-density polyethylene eyedroppers demonstrated excellent stability at 2-25°C for 6 months after being sealed and for 1 month after opening. This finding will enable us to prepare 0.02% chlorhexidine digluconate ophthalmic solutions based on a doctor's prescription. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Quantitative control of poly(ethylene oxide) surface antifouling and biodetection through azimuthally enhanced grating coupled-surface plasmon resonance sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonato, Agnese; Silvestri, Davide; Ruffato, Gianluca; Zacco, Gabriele; Romanato, Filippo; Morpurgo, Margherita

2013-12-01

Grating Coupled-Surface Plasmon reflectivity measurements carried out under azimuth and polarization control (GC-SPR φ ≠ 0°) were used to optimize the process of gold surface dressing with poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) derivatives of different molecular weight, with the final goal to maximize the discrimination between specific and non-specific binding events occurring at the surface. The kinetics of surface deposition of thiol-ending PEOs (0.3, 2 and 5 kDa), introduced as antifouling layers, was monitored. Non-specific binding events upon immersion of the surfaces into buffers containing either 0.1% bovine serum albumin or 1% Goat Serum, were evaluated as a function of polymer size and density. A biorecognition event between avidin and biotin was then monitored in both buffers at selected low and high polymer surface densities and the contribution of analyte and fouling elements to the signal was precisely quantified. The 0.3 kDa PEO film was unable to protect the surface from non-specific interactions at any tested density. On the other hand, the 2 and 5 kDa polymers at their highest surface densities guaranteed full protection from non-specific interactions from both buffers. These densities were reached upon a long deposition time (24-30 h). The results pave the way toward the application of this platform for the detection of low concentration and small dimension analytes, for which both non-fouling and high instrumental sensitivity are fundamental requirements.

Effect of various commercial buffers on sperm viability and capacitation.

PubMed

Andrisani, Alessandra; Donà, Gabriella; Ambrosini, Guido; Bonanni, Guglielmo; Bragadin, Marcantonio; Cosmi, Erich; Clari, Giulio; Armanini, Decio; Bordin, Luciana

2014-08-01

A wide variety of sperm preparation protocols are currently available for assisted conception. They include density gradient separation and washing methods. Both aim at isolating and capacitating as much motile sperm as possible for subsequent oocyte fertilization. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of four commercial sperm washing buffers on sperm viability and capacitation. Semen samples from 48 healthy donors (normal values of sperm count, motility, morphology, and volume) were analyzed. After separation (density gradient 40/80%), sperm were incubated in various buffers then analysed for reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, viability, tyrosine phosphorylation (Tyr-P), cholera toxin B subunit (CTB) labeling, and the acrosome reaction (AR). The buffers affected ROS generation in various ways resulting either in rapid cell degeneration (when the amount of ROS was too high for cell survival) or the inability of the cells to maintain correct functioning (when ROS were too few). Only when the correct ROS generation curve was maintained, suitable membrane reorganization, evidenced by CTB labeling was achieved, leading to the highest percentages of both Tyr-P- and acrosome-reacted-cells. Distinguishing each particular pathological state of the sperm sample would be helpful to select the preferred buffer treatment since both ROS production and membrane reorganization can be significantly altered by commercial buffers.

A novel graded density impactor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Winter, Ron; Cotton, Matthew; Harris, Ernest; Eakins, Daniel; Chapman, David

2013-06-01

Ramp loading using graded-density-impactors as flyers in plate impact experiments can yield useful information about the dynamic properties of the loaded material. Selective Laser Melting, an additive manufacture technique, was used to fabricate a graded-density flyer, termed the ``bed of nails'' (BON). A 2 mm thick x 100 mm diameter solid disc of stainless steel formed a base for an array of tapered spikes of length 6 mm and spaced 1 mm apart. Two experiments to test the concept were performed at impact velocities of 900 m/s and 1100 m/s using the 100 mm gas gun at The Institute of Shock Physics, Imperial College, London. In each experiment a BON flyer was impacted onto a copper buffer plate which helped to smooth out perturbations in the wave profile. The ramp delivered to the copper buffer was in turn transmitted to three tantalum targets of thicknesses 3, 5 and 7 mm, mounted in contact with the back face of the copper. Heterodyne velocimetry was used to measure the velocity-time history, at the back faces of the tantalum discs. The wave profiles display a smooth increase in free surface velocity over a period of about 2.5 microseconds. The measured profiles have been analysed to generate a stress vs. volume curve for tantalum.

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.

Effects of solutions treated with oxygen radicals in neutral pH region on inactivation of microorganism

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kobayashi, Tsuyoshi; Hashizume, Hiroshi; Ohta, Takayuki; Ishikawa, Kenji; Hori, Masaru; Ito, Masafumi

2015-09-01

The inactivation of microorganisms using nonequilbrium atmospheric pressure plasmas has been attracted much attention due to the low temperature processing and high speed treatment. In this study, we have inactivated E. coli suspended in solutions with neutral pH using an atmospheric-pressure oxygen radical source which can selectively supply electrically neutral oxygen radicals. E. coli cells were suspended with deionized distilled water (DDW) (pH = 6.8) or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) (pH = 7.4) or Citrate-Na buffer (pH = 6.5). The treated samples were diluted and spread on nutrient agar (Nutrient Broth). They were cultured at 37° C. The inactivation effects of oxygen radicals on those cells in solutions were evaluated by colony-counting method. O2 diluted by Ar gas were employed as a working gas for the radical source. The total gas flow rate and the gas mixture ratio of O2/(Ar + O2) were set at 5 slm and 0.6%, respectively. The distance between the radical exit and the suspension surface were set at 10 mm. As a result, the D values for DDW(pH = 6.8), PBS(pH = 7.4) and Citrate-Na buffer(pH = 6.5) were estimated to be 1.4 min, 0.9 min and 16.8 min respectively. The inactivation rates in DDW, PBS were significantly different from that in Citrate-Na buffer. This work was partly supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Number 26286072 and project for promoting Research Center in Meijo University.

Effects of temperature and gas-liquid mass transfer on the operation of small electrochemical cells for the quantitative evaluation of CO2 reduction electrocatalysts.

PubMed

Lobaccaro, Peter; Singh, Meenesh R; Clark, Ezra Lee; Kwon, Youngkook; Bell, Alexis T; Ager, Joel W

2016-09-29

In the last few years, there has been increased interest in electrochemical CO 2 reduction (CO2R). Many experimental studies employ a membrane separated, electrochemical cell with a mini H-cell geometry to characterize CO2R catalysts in aqueous solution. This type of electrochemical cell is a mini-chemical reactor and it is important to monitor the reaction conditions within the reactor to ensure that they are constant throughout the study. We show that operating cells with high catalyst surface area to electrolyte volume ratios (S/V) at high current densities can have subtle consequences due to the complexity of the physical phenomena taking place on electrode surfaces during CO2R, particularly as they relate to the cell temperature and bulk electrolyte CO 2 concentration. Both effects were evaluated quantitatively in high S/V cells using Cu electrodes and a bicarbonate buffer electrolyte. Electrolyte temperature is a function of the current/total voltage passed through the cell and the cell geometry. Even at a very high current density, 20 mA cm -2 , the temperature increase was less than 4 °C and a decrease of <10% in the dissolved CO 2 concentration is predicted. In contrast, limits on the CO 2 gas-liquid mass transfer into the cells produce much larger effects. By using the pH in the cell to measure the CO 2 concentration, significant undersaturation of CO 2 is observed in the bulk electrolyte, even at more modest current densities of 10 mA cm -2 . Undersaturation of CO 2 produces large changes in the faradaic efficiency observed on Cu electrodes, with H 2 production becoming increasingly favored. We show that the size of the CO 2 bubbles being introduced into the cell is critical for maintaining the equilibrium CO 2 concentration in the electrolyte, and we have designed a high S/V cell that is able to maintain the near-equilibrium CO 2 concentration at current densities up to 15 mA cm -2 .

2.8 {mu}m emission from type-I quantum wells grown on InAs{sub x}P{sub 1-x}/InP metamorphic graded buffers

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

Jung, Daehwan; Song, Yuncheng; Larry Lee, Minjoo

We report 2.8 {mu}m emission from compressively strained type-I quantum wells (QWs) grown on InP-based metamorphic InAs{sub x}P{sub 1-x} step-graded buffers. High quality metamorphic graded buffers showed smooth surface morphology and low threading dislocation densities of approximately 2.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 6} cm{sup -2}. High-resolution x-ray diffraction scans showed strong satellites from multiple quantum wells grown on metamorphic buffers, and cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy revealed smooth and coherent quantum well interfaces. Room-temperature photoluminescence emission at 2.8 {mu}m with a narrow linewidth ({approx}50 meV) shows the promise of metamorphic growth for mid-infrared laser diodes on InP.

Growth and characterization of AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN double-heterojunction high-electron-mobility transistors on 100-mm Si(111) using ammonia-molecular beam epitaxy

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

Ravikiran, L.; Radhakrishnan, K., E-mail: ERADHA@ntu.edu.sg; Yiding, Lin

2015-01-14

To improve the confinement of two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) in AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) heterostructures, AlGaN/GaN/AlGaN double heterojunction HEMT (DH-HEMT) heterostructures were grown using ammonia-MBE on 100-mm Si substrate. Prior to the growth, single heterojunction HEMT (SH-HEMT) and DH-HEMT heterostructures were simulated using Poisson-Schrödinger equations. From simulations, an AlGaN buffer with “Al” mole fraction of 10% in the DH-HEMT was identified to result in both higher 2DEG concentration (∼10{sup 13 }cm{sup −2}) and improved 2DEG confinement in the channel. Hence, this composition was considered for the growth of the buffer in the DH-HEMT heterostructure. Hall measurements showed a roommore » temperature 2DEG mobility of 1510 cm{sup 2}/V.s and a sheet carrier concentration (n{sub s}) of 0.97 × 10{sup 13 }cm{sup −2} for the DH-HEMT structure, while they are 1310 cm{sup 2}/V.s and 1.09 × 10{sup 13 }cm{sup −2}, respectively, for the SH-HEMT. Capacitance-voltage measurements confirmed the improvement in the confinement of 2DEG in the DH-HEMT heterostructure, which helped in the enhancement of its room temperature mobility. DH-HEMT showed 3 times higher buffer break-down voltage compared to SH-HEMT, while both devices showed almost similar drain current density. Small signal RF measurements on the DH-HEMT showed a unity current-gain cut-off frequency (f{sub T}) and maximum oscillation frequency (f{sub max}) of 22 and 25 GHz, respectively. Thus, overall, DH-HEMT heterostructure was found to be advantageous due to its higher buffer break-down voltages compared to SH-HEMT heterostructure.« less

Energy distributions of an ion in a radio-frequency trap immersed in a buffer gas under the influence of additional external forces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rouse, I.; Willitsch, S.

2018-04-01

An ion held in a radio-frequency trap interacting with a uniform buffer gas of neutral atoms develops a steady-state energy distribution characterized by a power-law tail at high energies instead of the exponential decay characteristic of thermal equilibrium. We have previously shown that the Tsallis statistics frequently used as an empirical model for this distribution is a good approximation when the ion is heated due to a combination of micromotion interruption and exchange of kinetic energy with the buffer gas [Rouse and Willitsch, Phys. Rev. Lett. 118, 143401 (2017), 10.1103/PhysRevLett.118.143401]. Here, we extend our treatment to include the heating due to additional motion of the ion caused by external forces, including the "excess micromotion" induced by uniform electric fields and rf phase offsets. We show that this also leads to a Tsallis distribution with a potentially different power-law exponent from that observed in the absence of this additional forced motion, with the difference increasing as the ratio of the mass of the neutral atoms to that of the ion decreases. Our results indicate that unless the excess micromotion is minimized to a very high degree, then even a system with very light neutrals and a heavy ion does not exhibit a thermal distribution.

Extracting biomolecule collision cross sections from the high-resolution FT-ICR mass spectral linewidths.

PubMed

Jiang, Ting; Chen, Yu; Mao, Lu; Marshall, Alan G; Xu, Wei

2016-01-14

It is known that the ion collision cross section (CCS) may be calculated from the linewidth of a Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectral peak at elevated pressure (e.g., ∼10(-6) Torr). However, the high mass resolution of FT-ICR is sacrificed in those experiments due to high buffer gas pressure. In this study, we describe a linewidth correction method to eliminate the windowing-induced peak broadening effect. Together with the energetic ion-neutral collision model previously developed by our group, this method enables the extraction of CCSs of biomolecules from high-resolution FT-ICR mass spectral linewidths, obtained at a typical operating buffer gas pressure of modern FT-ICR instruments (∼10(-10) Torr). CCS values of peptides including MRFA, angiotensin I, and bradykinin measured by the proposed method agree well with ion mobility measurements, and the unfolding of protein ions (ubiquitin) at higher charge states is also observed.

Nonthermal inactivation of Escherichia coli K12 in buffered peptone water using a pilot-plant scale supercritical carbon dioxide system with gas-liquid porous metal contractor

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO2) system, with a gas-liquid CO2 contactor, for reducing Escherichia coli K12 in diluted buffered peptone water. 0.1% (w/v) buffered peptone water inoculated with E. coli K12 was processed using the SCCO2 system at CO2 con...

Reducing interface recombination for Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} by atomic layer deposited buffer layers

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

Hultqvist, Adam; Bent, Stacey F.; Li, Jian V.

2015-07-20

Partial CuInGaSe{sub 2} (CIGS) solar cell stacks with different atomic layer deposited buffer layers and pretreatments were analyzed by photoluminescence (PL) and capacitance voltage (CV) measurements to investigate the buffer layer/CIGS interface. Atomic layer deposited ZnS, ZnO, and SnO{sub x} buffer layers were compared with chemical bath deposited CdS buffer layers. Band bending, charge density, and interface state density were extracted from the CV measurement using an analysis technique new to CIGS. The surface recombination velocity calculated from the density of interface traps for a ZnS/CIGS stack shows a remarkably low value of 810 cm/s, approaching the range of single crystallinemore » II–VI systems. Both the PL spectra and its lifetime depend on the buffer layer; thus, these measurements are not only sensitive to the absorber but also to the absorber/buffer layer system. Pretreatment of the CIGS prior to the buffer layer deposition plays a significant role on the electrical properties for the same buffer layer/CIGS stack, further illuminating the importance of good interface formation. Finally, ZnS is found to be the best performing buffer layer in this study, especially if the CIGS surface is pretreated with potassium cyanide.« less

Reducing interface recombination for Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 by atomic layer deposited buffer layers

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

Hultqvist, Adam; Li, Jian V.; Kuciauskas, Darius

2015-07-20

Partial CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) solar cell stacks with different atomic layer deposited buffer layers and pretreatments were analyzed by photoluminescence (PL) and capacitance voltage (CV) measurements to investigate the buffer layer/CIGS interface. Atomic layer deposited ZnS, ZnO, and SnOx buffer layers were compared with chemical bath deposited CdS buffer layers. Band bending, charge density, and interface state density were extracted from the CV measurement using an analysis technique new to CIGS. The surface recombination velocity calculated from the density of interface traps for a ZnS/CIGS stack shows a remarkably low value of 810 cm/s, approaching the range of single crystalline II-VImore » systems. Both the PL spectra and its lifetime depend on the buffer layer; thus, these measurements are not only sensitive to the absorber but also to the absorber/buffer layer system. Pretreatment of the CIGS prior to the buffer layer deposition plays a significant role on the electrical properties for the same buffer layer/CIGS stack, further illuminating the importance of good interface formation. Finally, ZnS is found to be the best performing buffer layer in this study, especially if the CIGS surface is pretreated with potassium cyanide.« less

Reducing interface recombination for Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 by atomic layer deposited buffer layers

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

Hultqvist, Adam; Li, Jian V.; Kuciauskas, Darius

2015-07-20

Partial CuInGaSe2 (CIGS) solar cell stacks with different atomic layer deposited buffer layers and pretreatments were analyzed by photoluminescence (PL) and capacitance voltage (CV) measurements to investigate the buffer layer/CIGS interface. Atomic layer deposited ZnS, ZnO, and SnOx buffer layers were compared with chemical bath deposited CdS buffer layers. Band bending, charge density, and interface state density were extracted from the CV measurement using an analysis technique new to CIGS. The surface recombination velocity calculated from the density of interface traps for a ZnS/CIGS stack shows a remarkably low value of 810 cm/s, approaching the range of single crystalline II–VImore » systems. Both the PL spectra and its lifetime depend on the buffer layer; thus, these measurements are not only sensitive to the absorber but also to the absorber/buffer layer system. Pretreatment of the CIGS prior to the buffer layer deposition plays a significant role on the electrical properties for the same buffer layer/CIGS stack, further illuminating the importance of good interface formation. Finally, ZnS is found to be the best performing buffer layer in this study, especially if the CIGS surface is pretreated with potassium cyanide.« less

Carbonic anhydrase immobilized on hollow fiber membranes using glutaraldehyde activated chitosan for artificial lung applications

PubMed Central

Kimmel, J. D.; Arazawa, D. T.; Ye, S.-H.; Shankarraman, V.; Wagner, W. R.

2013-01-01

Extracorporeal CO2 removal from circulating blood is a promising therapeutic modality for the treatment of acute respiratory failure. The enzyme carbonic anhydrase accelerates CO2 removal within gas exchange devices by locally catalyzing HCO3− into gaseous CO2 within the blood. In this work, we covalently immobilized carbonic anhydrase on the surface of polypropylene hollow fiber membranes using glutaraldehyde activated chitosan tethering to amplify the density of reactive amine functional groups for enzyme immobilization. XPS and a colorimetric amine assay confirmed higher amine densities on the chitosan coated fiber compared to control fiber. Chitosan/CA coated fibers exhibited accelerated CO2 removal in scaled-down gas exchange devices in buffer and blood (115 % enhancement vs. control, 37 % enhancement vs. control, respectively). Carbonic anhydrase immobilized directly on hollow fiber membranes without chitosan tethering resulted in no enhancement in CO2 removal. Additionally, fibers coated with chitosan/carbonic anhydrase demonstrated reduced platelet adhesion when exposed to blood compared to control and heparin coated fibers. PMID:23888352

Characterization of atomic spin polarization lifetime of cesium vapor cells with neon buffer gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lou, Janet W.; Cranch, Geoffrey A.

2018-02-01

The dephasing time of spin-polarized atoms in an atomic vapor cell plays an important role in determining the stability of vapor-cell clocks as well as the sensitivity of optically-pumped magnetometers. The presence of a buffer gas can extend the lifetime of these atoms. Many vapor cell systems operate at a fixed (often elevated) temperature. For ambient temperature operation with no temperature control, it is necessary to characterize the temperature dependence as well. We present a spin-polarization lifetime study of Cesium vapor cells with different buffer gas pressures, and find good agreement with expectations based on the combined effects of wall collisions, spin exchange, and spin destruction. For our (7.5 mm diameter) vapor cells, the lifetime can be increased by two orders of magnitude by introducing Ne buffer gas up to 100 Torr. Additionally, the dependence of the lifetime on temperature is measured (25 - 47 oC) and simulated for the first time to our knowledge with reasonable agreement.

Temperature Dependent Rubidium Helium Line Shapes and Fine Structure Mixing Rates

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-01

that uses alkali metal vapor as a gain medium and a buffer gas to control the line shape and kinetics. While these systems were first demonstrated in...noble gas interactions with a high degree of accuracy. The physical parameters of interest here include pressure broadening (γ), pressure shift (δ...optical transitions between the two excited states. This collisional partner is a gas mixture that is pumped into the cell. The gases used range from

Temperature Dependent Rubidium-Helium Line Shapes and Fine Structure Mixing Rates

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-09-17

that uses alkali metal vapor as a gain medium and a buffer gas to control the line shape and kinetics. While these systems were first demonstrated in...noble gas interactions with a high degree of accuracy. The physical parameters of interest here include pressure broadening (γ), pressure shift (δ...optical transitions between the two excited states. This collisional partner is a gas mixture that is pumped into the cell. The gases used range from

Studies of molecular-beam epitaxy growth of GaAs on porous Si substrates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mii, Y. J.; Kao, Y. C.; Wu, B. J.; Wang, K. L.; Lin, T. L.; Liu, J. K.

1988-01-01

GaAs has been grown on porous Si directly and on Si buffer layer-porous Si substrates by molecular-beam epitaxy. In the case of GaAs growth on porous Si, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the dominant defects in GaAs layers grown on porous Si are microtwins and stacking faults, which originate from the GaAs/porous Si interface. GaAs is found to penetrate into the porous Si layers. By using a thin Si buffer layer (50 nm), GaAs penetration diminishes and the density of microtwins and stacking faults is largely reduced and localized at the GaAs/Si buffer interface. However, there is a high density of threading dislocations remaining. Both Si (100) aligned and four degree tilted substrates have been examined in this study. TEM results show no observable effect of the tilted substrates on the quality of the GaAs epitaxial layer.

Detection of individual atoms in helium buffer gas and observation of their real-time motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pan, C. L.; Prodan, J. V.; Fairbank, W. M., Jr.; She, C. Y.

1980-01-01

Single atoms are detected and their motion measured for the first time to our knowledge by the fluorescence photon-burst method in the presence of large quantities of buffer gas. A single-clipped digital correlator records the photon burst in real time and displays the atom's transit time across the laser beam. A comparison is made of the special requirements for single-atom detection in vacuum and in a buffer gas. Finally, the probability distribution of the bursts from many atoms is measured. It further proves that the bursts observed on resonance are due to single atoms and not simply to noise fluctuations.

The atmosphere of Mars - Resources for the exploration and settlement of Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, T. R.; Mckay, C. P.

1984-01-01

This paper describes methods of processing the Mars atmosphere to supply water, oxygen and buffer gas for a Mars base. Existing life support system technology is combined with innovative methods of water extraction, and buffer gas processing. The design may also be extended to incorporate an integrated greenhouse to supply food, oxygen and water recycling. It is found that the work required to supply one kilogram of an argon/nitrogen buffer gas is 9.4 kW-hr. To extract water from the dry Martian atmosphere can require up to 102.8 kW-hr per kilogram of water depending on the relative humidity of the air.

High quality Ge epilayer on Si (1 0 0) with an ultrathin Si1-x Ge x /Si buffer layer by RPCVD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Da; Guo, Qinglei; Zhang, Nan; Xu, Anli; Wang, Bei; Li, Ya; Wang, Gang

2017-07-01

The authors report a method to grow high quality strain-relaxed Ge epilayer on a combination of low temperature Ge seed layer and Si1-x Ge x /Si superlattice buffer layer by reduced pressure chemical vapor deposition system without any subsequent annealing treatment. Prior to the growth of high quality Ge epilayer, an ultrathin Si1-x Ge x /Si superlattice buffer layer with the thickness of 50 nm and a 460 nm Ge seed layer were deposited successively at low temperature. Then an 840 nm Ge epilayer was grown at high deposition rate with the surface root-mean-square roughness of 0.707 nm and threading dislocation density of 2.5  ×  106 cm-2, respectively. Detailed investigations of the influence of ultrathin low-temperature Si1-x Ge x /Si superlattice buffer layer on the quality of Ge epilayer were performed, which indicates that the crystalline quality of Ge epilayer can be significantly improved by enhancing the Ge concentration of Si1-x Ge x /Si superlattice buffer layer.

Estimation of Separation Buffers for Wind-Prediction Error in an Airborne Separation Assistance System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Consiglio, Maria C.; Hoadley, Sherwood T.; Allen, B. Danette

2009-01-01

Wind prediction errors are known to affect the performance of automated air traffic management tools that rely on aircraft trajectory predictions. In particular, automated separation assurance tools, planned as part of the NextGen concept of operations, must be designed to account and compensate for the impact of wind prediction errors and other system uncertainties. In this paper we describe a high fidelity batch simulation study designed to estimate the separation distance required to compensate for the effects of wind-prediction errors throughout increasing traffic density on an airborne separation assistance system. These experimental runs are part of the Safety Performance of Airborne Separation experiment suite that examines the safety implications of prediction errors and system uncertainties on airborne separation assurance systems. In this experiment, wind-prediction errors were varied between zero and forty knots while traffic density was increased several times current traffic levels. In order to accurately measure the full unmitigated impact of wind-prediction errors, no uncertainty buffers were added to the separation minima. The goal of the study was to measure the impact of wind-prediction errors in order to estimate the additional separation buffers necessary to preserve separation and to provide a baseline for future analyses. Buffer estimations from this study will be used and verified in upcoming safety evaluation experiments under similar simulation conditions. Results suggest that the strategic airborne separation functions exercised in this experiment can sustain wind prediction errors up to 40kts at current day air traffic density with no additional separation distance buffer and at eight times the current day with no more than a 60% increase in separation distance buffer.

Surface morphology of Al0.3Ga0.7N/Al2O3-high electron mobility transistor structure.

PubMed

Cörekçi, S; Usanmaz, D; Tekeli, Z; Cakmak, M; Ozçelik, S; Ozbay, E

2008-02-01

We present surface properties of buffer films (AIN and GaN) and Al0.3Gao.zN/Al2O3-High Electron Mobility Transistor (HEMT) structures with/without AIN interlayer grown on High Temperature (HT)-AIN buffer/Al2O3 substrate and Al2O3 substrate. We have found that the GaN surface morphology is step-flow in character and the density of dislocations was about 10(8)-10(9) cm(-2). The AFM measurements also exhibited that the presence of atomic steps with large lateral step dimension and the surface of samples was smooth. The lateral step sizes are in the range of 100-250 nm. The typical rms values of HEMT structures were found as 0.27, 0.30, and 0.70 nm. HT-AIN buffer layer can have a significant impact on the surface morphology of Al0.3Ga0.7N/Al2O3-HEMT structures.

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.

Heteroepitaxial growth of In{sub 0.30}Ga{sub 0.70}As high-electron mobility transistor on 200 mm silicon substrate using metamorphic graded buffer

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

Kohen, David, E-mail: david.kohen@asm.com; Nguyen, Xuan Sang; Made, Riko I

We report on the growth of an In{sub 0.30}Ga{sub 0.70}As channel high-electron mobility transistor (HEMT) on a 200 mm silicon wafer by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy. By using a 3 μm thick buffer comprising a Ge layer, a GaAs layer and an InAlAs compositionally graded strain relaxing buffer, we achieve threading dislocation density of (1.0 ± 0.3) × 10{sup 7} cm{sup −2} with a surface roughness of 10 nm RMS. No phase separation was observed during the InAlAs compositionally graded buffer layer growth. 1.4 μm long channel length transistors are fabricated from the wafer with I{sub DS} of 70more » μA/μm and g{sub m} of above 60 μS/μm, demonstrating the high quality of the grown materials.« less

Processes of conversion of a hot metal particle into aerogel through clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smirnov, B. M.

2015-10-01

Processes are considered for conversion into a fractal structure of a hot metal micron-size particle that is located in a buffer gas or a gas flow and is heated by an external electric or electromagnetic source or by a plasma. The parameter of this heating is the particle temperature, which is the same in the entire particle volume because of its small size and high conductivity. Three processes determine the particle heat balance: particle radiation, evaporation of metal atoms from the particle surface, and heat transport to the surrounding gas due to its thermal conductivity. The particle heat balance is analyzed based on these processes, which are analogous to those for bulk metals with the small particle size, and its high temperature taken into account. Outside the particle, where the gas temperature is lower than on its surface, the formed metal vapor in a buffer gas flow is converted into clusters. Clusters grow as a result of coagulation until they become liquid, and then clusters form fractal aggregates if they are removed form the gas flow. Subsequently, associations of fractal aggregates join into a fractal structure. The rate of this process increases in medium electric fields, and the formed fractal structure has features of aerogels and fractal fibers. As a result of a chain of the above processes, a porous metal film may be manufactured for use as a filter or catalyst for gas flows.

Introduction to Quartz Frequency Standards

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-03-01

changes is 5 X 10-"N. Gas permeation under conditions where there is an abnormally high concentration of hydrogen or helium in the atmosphere can lead...Rubidium Life Rubidium depletion Power Buffer gas depletion __________Weight Glass contaminants Cesium Life Cesium supply depletion Power Spent cesium... Tifton , R., Electronic Activity Dip Measurement, IEEE Trans. on Instrumentation and Measurement, Vol. IM-27, pp. 59-65, 1978. 23. Ballato, A., Frequency

Effect of InSb/In0.9Al0.1Sb superlattice buffer layer on the structural and electronic properties of InSb films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Xiaomeng; Zhang, Yang; Guan, Min; Cui, Lijie; Wang, Baoqiang; Zhu, Zhanping; Zeng, Yiping

2017-07-01

The effect of InSb/In0.9Al0.1Sb buffer layers on InSb thin films grown on GaAs (0 0 1) substrate by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) is investigated. The crystal quality and the surface morphology of InSb are characterized by XRD and AFM. The carrier transport property is researched through variable temperature hall test. The sharp interface between InSb/In0.9Al0.1Sb is demonstrated important for the high quality InSb thin film. We try different superlattice buffer layers by changing ratios, 2-0.5, thickness, 300-450 nm, and periods, 20-50. According to the function of the dislocation density to the absolute temperature below 150 K with different periods of SL buffers, we can find that the number of periods of superlattice is a major factor to decrease the density of threading dislocations. With the 50 periods SL buffer layer, the electron mobility of InSb at the room temperature and liquid nitrogen cooling temperature is ∼63,000 and ∼4600 cm2/V s, respectively. We deduce that the interface in the SL structure works as a filter layer to prevent the dislocation propagating to the upper InSb thin films.

Neon as a Buffer Gas for a Mercury-Ion Clock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prestage, John; Chung, Sang

2008-01-01

A developmental miniature mercury-ion clock has stability comparable to that of a hydrogen-maser clock. The ion-handling components are housed in a sealed vacuum tube, wherein a getter pump is used to maintain the partial vacuum, and the evacuated tube is backfilled with mercury vapor in a buffer gas. Neon was determined to be the best choice for the buffer gas: The pressure-induced frequency pulling by neon was found to be only about two-fifths of that of helium. Furthermore, because neon diffuses through solids much more slowly than does helium, the operational lifetime of a tube backfilled with neon could be considerably longer than that of a tube backfilled with helium.

HIGH STAR FORMATION RATES IN TURBULENT ATOMIC-DOMINATED GAS IN THE INTERACTING GALAXIES IC 2163 AND NGC 2207

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

Elmegreen, Bruce G.; Kaufman, Michele; Bournaud, Frédéric

CO observations of the interacting galaxies IC 2163 and NGC 2207 are combined with HI, H α , and 24 μ m observations to study the star formation rate (SFR) surface density as a function of the gas surface density. More than half of the high-SFR regions are HI dominated. When compared to other galaxies, these HI-dominated regions have excess SFRs relative to their molecular gas surface densities but normal SFRs relative to their total gas surface densities. The HI-dominated regions are mostly located in the outer part of NGC 2207 where the HI velocity dispersion is high, 40–50 kmmore » s{sup −1}. We suggest that the star-forming clouds in these regions have envelopes at lower densities than normal, making them predominantly atomic, and cores at higher densities than normal because of the high turbulent Mach numbers. This is consistent with theoretical predictions of a flattening in the density probability distribution function for compressive, high Mach number turbulence.« less

Production of high-density highly-ionized helicon plasmas in the ProtoMPEX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caneses, J. F.; Kafle, N.; Showers, M.; Goulding, R. H.; Biewer, T. M.; Caughman, J. B. O.; Bigelow, T.; Rapp, J.

2017-10-01

High-density (2-6e19 m-3) Deuterium helicon plasmas in the ProtoMPEX have been produced that successfully use differential pumping to produce neutral gas pressures suitable for testing the RF electron and ion heating concepts. To minimize collisional losses when heating electrons and ions, plasmas with very low neutral gas content (<< 0.1 Pa) in the heating sections are required. This requirement is typically not compatible with the neutral gas pressures (1-2 Pa) commonly used in high-density light-ion helicon sources. By using skimmers, a suitable gas injection scheme and long duration discharges (>0.3 s), high-density plasmas with very low neutral gas pressures (<< 0.1 Pa) in the RF heating sections have been produced. Measurements indicate the presence of a highly-ionized plasma column and that discharges lasting at least 0.3 s are required to significantly reduce the neutral gas pressure in the RF heating sections to levels suitable for investigating electron/ion RF heating concepts in this linear configuration. This work was supported by the US. D.O.E. contract DE-AC05-00OR22725.

Methods for improved growth of group III nitride semiconductor compounds

DOEpatents

Melnik, Yuriy; Chen, Lu; Kojiri, Hidehiro

2015-03-17

Methods are disclosed for growing group III-nitride semiconductor compounds with advanced buffer layer technique. In an embodiment, a method includes providing a suitable substrate in a processing chamber of a hydride vapor phase epitaxy processing system. The method includes forming an AlN buffer layer by flowing an ammonia gas into a growth zone of the processing chamber, flowing an aluminum halide containing precursor to the growth zone and at the same time flowing additional hydrogen halide or halogen gas into the growth zone of the processing chamber. The additional hydrogen halide or halogen gas that is flowed into the growth zone during buffer layer deposition suppresses homogeneous AlN particle formation. The hydrogen halide or halogen gas may continue flowing for a time period while the flow of the aluminum halide containing precursor is turned off.

A second-generation constrained reaction volume shock tube

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campbell, M. F.; Tulgestke, A. M.; Davidson, D. F.; Hanson, R. K.

2014-05-01

We have developed a shock tube that features a sliding gate valve in order to mechanically constrain the reactive test gas mixture to an area close to the shock tube endwall, separating it from a specially formulated non-reactive buffer gas mixture. This second-generation Constrained Reaction Volume (CRV) strategy enables near-constant-pressure shock tube test conditions for reactive experiments behind reflected shocks, thereby enabling improved modeling of the reactive flow field. Here we provide details of the design and operation of the new shock tube. In addition, we detail special buffer gas tailoring procedures, analyze the buffer/test gas interactions that occur on gate valve opening, and outline the size range of fuels that can be studied using the CRV technique in this facility. Finally, we present example low-temperature ignition delay time data to illustrate the CRV shock tube's performance.

AlGaN/GaN High Electron Mobility Transistor Grown and Fabricated on ZrTi Metallic Alloy Buffer Layers

DOE PAGES

Ren, Fan; Pearton, Stephen J.; Ahn, Shihyun; ...

2017-09-26

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) were demonstrated for structures grown on ZrTi metallic alloy buffer layers, which provided lattice matching of the in-plane lattice parameter (“a-parameter”) to hexagonal GaN. The quality of the GaN buffer layer and HEMT structure were confirmed with X-ray 2θ and rocking scans as well as cross-section transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images. The X-ray 2θ scans showed full widths at half maximum (FWHM) of 0.06°, 0.05° and 0.08° for ZrTi alloy, GaN buffer layer, and the entire HEMT structure, respectively. TEM of the lower section of the HEMT structure containing the GaN buffer layer andmore » the AlN/ZrTi/AlN stack on the Si substrate showed that it was important to grow AlN on the top of ZrTi prior to growing the GaN buffer layer. Finally, the estimated threading dislocation (TD) density in the GaN channel layer of the HEMT structure was in the 10 8 cm -2 range.« less

Optimization of metamorphic buffers for MBE growth of high quality AlInSb/InSb quantum structures: Suppression of hillock formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shi, Y.; Gosselink, D.; Gharavi, K.; Baugh, J.; Wasilewski, Z. R.

2017-11-01

The optimization of metamorphic buffers for InSb/AlInSb QWs grown on GaAs (0 0 1) substrates is presented. With increasing surface offcut angle towards [ 1 1 bar 0 ] direction, the interaction of spiral growth around threading dislocations (TDs) with the offcut-induced atomic steps leads to a gradual change in the morphology of the AlSb buffer from one dominated by hillocks to that exhibiting near-parallel steps, and finally to a surface with increasing number of localized depressions. With the growth conditions used, the smoothest AlSb surface morphology was obtained for the offcut angles range of 0.8-1.3°. On substrates with 0° offcut, subsequent 3 repeats of Al0.24In0.76 Sb/Al0.12In0.88 Sb interlayers reduces the TD density of AlSb buffer by a factor of 10, while 70 times reduction in the surface density of TD-related hillocks is observed. The remaining hillocks have rectangular footprint and small facet angles with respect to GaAs (0 0 1) surface: 0.4° towards [ 1 1 bar 0 ] direction and 0.7° towards [1 1 0] direction. Their triangular-shaped sidewalls with regularly spaced atomic steps show occasional extra step insertion sites, characteristic of TD outcrops. Many of the observed sidewalls are dislocation free and offer atomically smooth areas of up to 1 μm2, already suitable for high-quality InSb growth and subsequent top-down fabrication of InSb nanowires. It is proposed that the sidewalls of the remaining hillocks offer local vicinal surfaces with atomic step density optimal for suppression of TD-induced spiral growth, thus providing the important information on the exact substrate offcut needed to achieve large hillock-free and atomically smooth areas on AlInSb metamorphic buffers.

Hybrid ZnO/phthalocyanine photovoltaic device with highly resistive ZnO intermediate layer.

PubMed

Izaki, Masanobu; Chizaki, Ryo; Saito, Takamasa; Murata, Kazufumi; Sasano, Junji; Shinagawa, Tsutomu

2013-10-09

We report a hybrid photovoltaic device composed of a 3.3 eV bandgap zinc oxide (ZnO) semiconductor and metal-free phthalocyanine layers and the effects of the insertion of the highly resistive ZnO buffer layer on the electrical characteristics of the rectification feature and photovoltaic performance. The hybrid photovoltaic devices have been constructed by electrodeposition of the 300 nm thick ZnO layer in a simple zinc nitrate aqueous solution followed by vacuum evaporation of 50-400 nm thick-phthalocyanine layers. The ZnO layers with the resistivity of 1.8 × 10(3) and 1 × 10(8) Ω cm were prepared by adjusting the cathodic current density and were installed into the hybrid photovoltaic devices as the n-type and buffer layer, respectively. The phthalocyanine layers with the characteristic monoclinic lattice showed a characteristic optical absorption feature regardless of the thickness, but the preferred orientation changed depending on the thickness. The ZnO buffer-free hybrid 50 nm thick phthalocyanine/n-ZnO photovoltaic device showed a rectification feature but possessed a poor photovoltaic performance with a conversion efficiency of 7.5 × 10(-7) %, open circuit voltage of 0.041 V, and short circuit current density of 8.0 × 10(-5) mA cm(-2). The insertion of the ZnO buffer layer between the n-ZnO and phthalocyanine layers induced improvements in both the rectification feature and photovoltaic performance. The excellent rectification feature with a rectification ratio of 3188 and ideally factor of 1.29 was obtained for the hybrid 200 nm thick phthalocyanine/ZnO buffer/n-ZnO photovoltaic device, and the hybrid photovoltaic device possessed an improved photovoltaic performance with the conversion efficiency of 0.0016%, open circuit voltage of 0.31 V, and short circuit current density of 0.015 mA cm(-2).

Microstructural evaluation of strained multilayer InAsSb/InSb infrared detectors by transmission electron microscopy

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

Chadda, S.; Datye, A.; Dawson, L.R.

InSb/InAsSb strained layer superlattices (SLS) were grown on (001) InSb substrates by molecular beam epitaxy at 425 [degree]C. The active device consisted of an InAs[sub 0.15]Sb[sub 0.85]/InSb superlattice region embedded within a [ital p]-[ital i]-[ital n] junction. The large lattice mismatch between the active device and the substrate required the growth of a buffer. InAs[sub 0.15]Sb[sub 0.85]/InSb SLS, where the average As content was gradually increased, was used as a buffer. The buffer structure was varied to probe its microstructural effect on the capping device. Three distinct approaches (A, B, and C) were used to grow the buffer. Approach Amore » was a four-step buffer where the average content of As in the superlattice was increased in four equal composition steps. This approach led to a crystal with an extensive network of threading dislocations and microcracks. Approach B was to change the average composition in five equal composition steps, thereby decreasing the misfit at the interfaces between composition steps. This led to a decrease in the threading dislocation density but microscopic cracks were still evident. The last approach (C) was to employ migration enhanced epitaxy (MEE) for the growth of the five-step buffer. Samples grown by employing MEE revealed no microcracks but they contained a high density of unusual wiggly'' dislocations at the buffer/device interface. Detailed microstructural analysis by transmission electron microscopy is presented.« less

High-density carbon ablator ignition path with low-density gas-filled rugby hohlraum

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Amendt, Peter; Ho, Darwin D.; Jones, Ogden S.

2015-04-01

A recent low gas-fill density (0.6 mg/cc 4He) cylindrical hohlraum experiment on the National Ignition Facility has shown high laser-coupling efficiency (>96%), reduced phenomenological laser drive corrections, and improved high-density carbon capsule implosion symmetry [Jones et al., Bull. Am. Phys. Soc. 59(15), 66 (2014)]. In this Letter, an ignition design using a large rugby-shaped hohlraum [Amendt et al., Phys. Plasmas 21, 112703 (2014)] for high energetics efficiency and symmetry control with the same low gas-fill density (0.6 mg/cc 4He) is developed as a potentially robust platform for demonstrating thermonuclear burn. The companion high-density carbon capsule for this hohlraum design is driven by an adiabat-shaped [Betti et al., Phys. Plasmas 9, 2277 (2002)] 4-shock drive profile for robust high gain (>10) 1-D ignition performance and large margin to 2-D perturbation growth.

High-Efficiency Polycrystalline CdS/CdTe Solar Cells on Buffered Commercial TCO-Coated Glass

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colegrove, E.; Banai, R.; Blissett, C.; Buurma, C.; Ellsworth, J.; Morley, M.; Barnes, S.; Gilmore, C.; Bergeson, J. D.; Dhere, R.; Scott, M.; Gessert, T.; Sivananthan, Siva

2012-10-01

Multiple polycrystalline CdS/CdTe solar cells with efficiencies greater than 15% were produced on buffered, commercially available Pilkington TEC Glass at EPIR Technologies, Inc. (EPIR, Bolingbrook, IL) and verified by the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). n-CdS and p-CdTe were grown by chemical bath deposition (CBD) and close space sublimation, respectively. Samples with sputter-deposited CdS were also investigated. Initial results indicate that this is a viable dry-process alternative to CBD for production-scale processing. Published results for polycrystalline CdS/CdTe solar cells with high efficiencies are typically based on cells using research-grade transparent conducting oxides (TCOs) requiring high-temperature processing inconducive to low-cost manufacturing. EPIR's results for cells on commercial glass were obtained by implementing a high-resistivity SnO2 buffer layer and by optimizing the CdS window layer thickness. The high-resistivity buffer layer prevents the formation of CdTe-TCO junctions, thereby maintaining a high open-circuit voltage and fill factor, whereas using a thin CdS layer reduces absorption losses and improves the short-circuit current density. EPIR's best device demonstrated an NREL-verified efficiency of 15.3%. The mean efficiency of hundreds of cells produced with a buffer layer between December 2010 and June 2011 is 14.4%. Quantum efficiency results are presented to demonstrate EPIR's progress toward NREL's best-published results.

Multicolor Nanostructured High Efficiency Photovoltaic Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-30

the surface of strained buffer layer starts to form some nanoholes and nanogrooves. The depth of these nanoholes and nanogrooves is more than 3 nm...This indicates that the nanoholes and nanogrooves are formed not only just in the top GaAs (5 ML) layer, but also deep in the strained GaAsSb buffer...temperature during the InAs growth. As the InAs growth temperature decreases, the density of the nanoholes and nanogrooves is significantly reduced

Botulism challenge studies of a modified atmosphere package for fresh mussels: inoculated pack studies.

PubMed

Newell, C R; Ma, Li; Doyle, Michael

2012-06-01

A series of botulism challenge studies were performed to determine the possibility of production of botulinum toxin in mussels (Mytilus edulis) held under a commercial high-oxygen (60 to 65% O(2)), modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) condition. Spore mixtures of six strains of nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum were introduced into mussel MAP packages receiving different packaging buffers with or without the addition of lactic acid bacteria. Dye studies and package flipping trials were conducted to ensure internalization of spores by packed mussels. Inoculated mussel packages were stored at normal (4°C) and abusive (12°C) temperatures for 21 and 13 days, respectively, which were beyond the packaged mussels' intended shelf life. Microbiological and chemical analyses were conducted at predetermined intervals (a total of five sampling times at each temperature), including total aerobic plate counts, C. botulinum counts, lactic acid bacterial counts, package headspace gas composition, pH of packaging buffer and mussel meat, and botulinum toxin assays of packaging buffer and mussel meat. Results revealed that C. botulinum inoculated in fresh mussels packed under MAP packaging did not produce toxin, even at an abusive storage temperature and when held beyond their shelf life. No evidence was found that packaging buffers or gas composition influenced the lack of botulinum toxin production in packed mussels.

Efficient non-linear two-photon effects from the Cesium 6D manifold

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Haluska, Nathan D.; Perram, Glen P.; Rice, Christopher A.

2018-02-01

We report several non-linear process that occur when two-photon pumping the cesium 6D states. Cesium vapor possess some of the largest two-photon pump cross sections in nature. Pumping these cross sections leads to strong amplified spontaneous emission that we observe on over 17 lasing lines. These new fields are strong enough to couple with the pump to create additional tunable lines. We use a heat pipe with cesium densities of 1014 to 1016 cm-3 and 0 to 5 Torr of helium buffer gas. The cesium 6D States are interrogated by both high energy pulses and low power CW sources. We observe four-wave mixing, six-wave mixing, potential two-photon lasing, other unknown nonlinear processes, and the persistence of some processes at low thresholds. This system is also uniquely qualified to support two-photon lasing under the proper conditions.

Deexcitation Dynamics of Superhydrogenated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Cations after Soft-x-Ray Absorption

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reitsma, G.; Boschman, L.; Deuzeman, M. J.; González-Magaña, O.; Hoekstra, S.; Cazaux, S.; Hoekstra, R.; Schlathölter, T.

2014-08-01

We have investigated the response of superhydrogenated gas-phase coronene cations upon soft x-ray absorption. Carbon (1s)⟶π⋆ transitions were resonantly excited at hν =285 eV. The resulting core hole is then filled in an Auger decay process, with the excess energy being released in the form of an Auger electron. Predominantly highly excited dications are thus formed, which cool down by hydrogen emission. In superhydrogenated systems, the additional H atoms act as a buffer, quenching loss of native H atoms and molecular fragmentation. Dissociation and transition state energies for several H loss channels were computed by means of density functional theory. Using these energies as input into an Arrhenius-type cascade model, very good agreement with the experimental data is found. The results have important implications for the survival of polyaromatic hydrocarbons in the interstellar medium and reflect key aspects of graphene hydrogenation.

Semiphenomenological model for gas-liquid phase transitions.

PubMed

Benilov, E S; Benilov, M S

2016-03-01

We examine a rarefied gas with inter-molecular attraction. It is argued that the attraction force amplifies random density fluctuations by pulling molecules from lower-density regions into high-density regions and thus may give rise to an instability. To describe this effect, we use a kinetic equation where the attraction force is taken into account in a way similar to how electromagnetic forces in plasma are treated in the Vlasov model. It is demonstrated that the instability occurs when the temperature T is lower than a certain threshold value T(s) depending on the gas density. It is further shown that, even if T is only marginally lower than T(s), the instability generates clusters with density much higher than that of the gas. These results suggest that the instability should be interpreted as a gas-liquid phase transition, with T(s) being the temperature of saturated vapor and the high-density clusters representing liquid droplets.

Power-law distributions for a trapped ion interacting with a classical buffer gas.

PubMed

DeVoe, Ralph G

2009-02-13

Classical collisions with an ideal gas generate non-Maxwellian distribution functions for a single ion in a radio frequency ion trap. The distributions have power-law tails whose exponent depends on the ratio of buffer gas to ion mass. This provides a statistical explanation for the previously observed transition from cooling to heating. Monte Carlo results approximate a Tsallis distribution over a wide range of parameters and have ab initio agreement with experiment.

Ionization and current growth in N/sub 2/ at very high electric field to gas density ratios

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

Gylys, V.T.; Jelenkovic, B.M.; Phelps, A.V.

1989-05-01

Measurements and analyses have been made of electron impact ionization and of current growth in pulsed, low-current, prebreakdown discharges in parallel-plane geometry in N/sub 2/ at very high electric field to gas density ratios E/n and low products of the gas density n and electrode separation d. The E/n range and nd ranges were 1

Gas storage using fullerene based adsorbents

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mikhael, Michael G. (Inventor); Loutfy, Raouf O. (Inventor); Lu, Xiao-Chun (Inventor); Li, Weijiong (Inventor)

2000-01-01

This invention is directed to the synthesis of high bulk density high gas absorption capacity adsorbents for gas storage applications. Specifically, this invention is concerned with novel gas absorbents with high gravimetric and volumetric gas adsorption capacities which are made from fullerene-based materials. By pressing fullerene powder into pellet form using a conventional press, then polymerizing it by subjecting the fullerene to high temperature and high inert gas pressure, the resulting fullerene-based materials have high bulk densities and high gas adsorption capacities. By pre-chemical modification or post-polymerization activation processes, the gas adsorption capacities of the fullerene-based adsorbents can be further enhanced. These materials are suitable for low pressure gas storage applications, such as oxygen storage for home oxygen therapy uses or on-board vehicle natural gas storage. They are also suitable for storing gases and vapors such as hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and water vapor.

Design, fabrication, and optimization of photo acoustic gas sensor for the trace level detection of NO2 in the atmosphere.

PubMed

Gondal, Mohammed A; Dastageer, Mohamed A

2010-09-01

Photoacoustic (PA) gas sensor for the detection of hazardous NO(2) with detection limit as low as few part per billion by volume (ppbV) has been designed and tested with pulsed UV laser. Some design optimization factors such as the optimum cell geometry, buffer gas etc has been proposed. It was found that a cylindrical cell with many acoustic filters considerably dampens the noise level and also argon as a buffer gas improves the photoacoustic signal level and this combination substantially improved the signal to noise ratio and the limit of detection. Ambiguous decline of photo acoustic signal at higher NO(2) concentration due to the adsorption of NO(2) on the walls of the photoacoustic cells and the dependence of this effect on the buffer gases are also discussed. The PA signal dependence on incident laser energy for three cells was also investigated.

Effects of Mean Flow Profiles on Instability of a Low-Density Gas Jet Injected into a High-Density Gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vedantam, Nanda Kishore

2003-01-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of the mean flow profiles on the instability characteristics in the near-injector region of low-density gas jets injected into high-density ambient gas mediums. To achieve this, a linear temporal stability analysis and a spatio-temporal stability analysis of a low-density round gas jet injected vertically upwards into a high-density ambient gas were performed by assuming three different sets of mean velocity and density profiles. The flow was assumed to be isothermal and locally parallel. Viscous and diffusive effects were ignored. The mean flow parameters were represented as the sum of the mean value and a small normal-mode fluctuation. A second order differential equation governing the pressure disturbance amplitude was derived from the basic conservation equations. The first set of mean velocity and density profiles assumed were those used by Monkewitz and Sohn for investigating absolute instability in hot jets. The second set of velocity and density profiles assumed for this study were the ones used by Lawson. And the third set of mean profiles included a parabolic velocity profile and a hyperbolic tangent density profile. The effects of the inhomogeneous shear layer and the Froude number (signifying the effects of gravity) on the temporal and spatio-temporal results for each set of mean profiles were delineated. Additional information is included in the original extended abstract.

Collisional Dynamics, Lasing and Stimulated Raman Scattering in Optically Pumped Cesium and Potassium Vapors

DTIC Science & Technology

2012-03-22

10 4. Three level energy diagram of an OPAL . N0 is a ground S1/2 state, and N1 and N2 are the 2P1/2 and 2P3/2 states, respectively...refer to these lasers by the more general term, OPAL for Optically-Pumped Alkali Laser. An OPAL is a three level laser where the ground state , N0, is...contains the buffer gas and alkali metal vapor. The temperature of OPAL lasers is typically in the range of 90 to 130 ◦C which amounts to a density of about

Automotive assessment of carbon-silicon composite anodes and methods of fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Karulkar, Mohan; Blaser, Rachel; Kudla, Bob

2015-01-01

To assess the potential of carbon silicon composite anodes for automotive applications, C-Si anodes were fabricated and certain improvements employed. The use of a PVDF buffer layer is demonstrated for the first time with a C-Si composite material. The buffer layer increases adhesion by 89%, and increases capacity by 50-80%. Also, a limited capacity range is employed to improve cycle life by up to 200%, and enable currents as high as 2 mA cm-1. The combined use of a buffer layer and limited capacity range has not been reported before. A model is also presented for comparing C-Si performance with real-world automotive targets from USABC, including energy density, power density, specific energy, and specific power. The analysis reveals a capacity penalty that arises from pairing C-Si with a traditional cathode (NCA), and which prevents the cell from meeting all targets. Scenarios are presented in which a higher-capacity cathode (250 mAh g-1) allows all targets to be hypothetically met.

Geophysical assessments of renewable gas energy compressed in geologic pore storage reservoirs.

PubMed

Al Hagrey, Said Attia; Köhn, Daniel; Rabbel, Wolfgang

2014-01-01

Renewable energy resources can indisputably minimize the threat of global warming and climate change. However, they are intermittent and need buffer storage to bridge the time-gap between production (off peak) and demand peaks. Based on geologic and geochemical reasons, the North German Basin has a very large capacity for compressed air/gas energy storage CAES in porous saltwater aquifers and salt cavities. Replacing pore reservoir brine with CAES causes changes in physical properties (elastic moduli, density and electrical properties) and justify applications of integrative geophysical methods for monitoring this energy storage. Here we apply techniques of the elastic full waveform inversion FWI, electric resistivity tomography ERT and gravity to map and quantify a gradually saturated gas plume injected in a thin deep saline aquifer within the North German Basin. For this subsurface model scenario we generated different synthetic data sets without and with adding random noise in order to robust the applied techniques for the real field applications. Datasets are inverted by posing different constraints on the initial model. Results reveal principally the capability of the applied integrative geophysical approach to resolve the CAES targets (plume, host reservoir, and cap rock). Constrained inversion models of elastic FWI and ERT are even able to recover well the gradual gas desaturation with depth. The spatial parameters accurately recovered from each technique are applied in the adequate petrophysical equations to yield precise quantifications of gas saturations. Resulting models of gas saturations independently determined from elastic FWI and ERT techniques are in accordance with each other and with the input (true) saturation model. Moreover, the gravity technique show high sensitivity to the mass deficit resulting from the gas storage and can resolve saturations and temporal saturation changes down to ±3% after reducing any shallow fluctuation such as that of groundwater table.

Model calculations of kinetic and fluid dynamic processes in diode pumped alkali lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barmashenko, Boris D.; Rosenwaks, Salman; Waichman, Karol

2013-10-01

Kinetic and fluid dynamic processes in diode pumped alkali lasers (DPALs) are analyzed in detail using a semianalytical model, applicable to both static and flowing-gas devices. The model takes into account effects of temperature rise, excitation of neutral alkali atoms to high lying electronic states and their losses due to ionization and chemical reactions, resulting in a decrease of the pump absorption, slope efficiency and lasing power. Effects of natural convection in static DPALs are also taken into account. The model is applied to Cs DPALs and the results are in good agreement with measurements in a static [B.V. Zhdanov, J. Sell and R.J. Knize, Electron. Lett. 44, 582 (2008)] and 1-kW flowing-gas [A.V. Bogachev et al., Quantum Electron. 42, 95 (2012)] DPALs. It predicts the dependence of power on the flow velocity in flowing-gas DPALs and on the buffer gas composition. The maximum values of the laser power can be substantially increased by optimization of the flowing-gas DPAL parameters. In particular for the aforementioned 1 kW DPAL, 6 kW maximum power is achievable just by increasing the pump power and the temperature of the wall and the gas at the flow inlet (resulting in increase of the alkali saturated vapor density). Dependence of the lasing power on the pump power is non-monotonic: the power first increases, achieves its maximum and then decreases. The decrease of the lasing power with increasing pump power at large values of the latter is due to the rise of the aforementioned losses of the alkali atoms as a result of ionization. Work in progress applying two-dimensional computational fluid dynamics modeling of flowing-gas DPALs is also reported.

Neutral gas sympathetic cooling of an ion in a Paul trap.

PubMed

Chen, Kuang; Sullivan, Scott T; Hudson, Eric R

2014-04-11

A single ion immersed in a neutral buffer gas is studied. An analytical model is developed that gives a complete description of the dynamics and steady-state properties of the ions. An extension of this model, using techniques employed in the mathematics of economics and finance, is used to explain the recent observation of non-Maxwellian statistics for these systems. Taken together, these results offer an explanation of the long-standing issues associated with sympathetic cooling of an ion by a neutral buffer gas.

Neutral Gas Sympathetic Cooling of an Ion in a Paul Trap

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Kuang; Sullivan, Scott T.; Hudson, Eric R.

2014-04-01

A single ion immersed in a neutral buffer gas is studied. An analytical model is developed that gives a complete description of the dynamics and steady-state properties of the ions. An extension of this model, using techniques employed in the mathematics of economics and finance, is used to explain the recent observation of non-Maxwellian statistics for these systems. Taken together, these results offer an explanation of the long-standing issues associated with sympathetic cooling of an ion by a neutral buffer gas.

Kinetic analysis of rare gas metastable production and optically pumped Xe lasers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Demyanov, A. V.; Kochetov, I. V.; Mikheyev, P. A.; Azyazov, V. N.; Heaven, M. C.

2018-01-01

Optically pumped all-rare-gas lasers use metastable rare gas atoms as the lasing species in mixtures with He or Ar buffer gas. The metastables are generated in a glow discharge, and we report model calculations for the optimal production of Ne*, Ar*, Kr* and Xe*. Discharge efficiency was estimated by solving the Boltzmann equation. Laser efficiency, gain and output power of the CW optically pumped Xe laser were assessed as functions of heavier rare gas content, pressure, optical pump intensity and the optical path length. It was found that, for efficient operation the heavier rare gas content has to be of the order of one percent or less, and the total pressure—in the range 0.3-1.5 atm. Output power and specific discharge power increase approximately linearly with pump intensity over the output range from 300-500 W cm-2. Ternary mixtures Xe:Ar:He were found to be the most promising. Total laser efficiency was found to be nearly the same for pumping the 2p8 or 2p9 state, reaching 61%-70% for a pump intensity of ~720 W cm-2 when the Xe fraction was in the range 0.001 ÷ 0.01 and Ar fraction—0.1 ÷ 0.5. However, when the 2p8 state was pumped, the maximum total efficiency occurred at larger pressures than for pumping of the 2p9 state. The discharge power density required to sustain a sufficient Xe* number density was in the range of tens of watts per cubic centimeter for 50% Ar in the mixture.

Fish and land use influence Gammarus lacustris and Hyalella azteca (Amphipoda) densities in large wetlands across the upper Midwest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Anteau, M.J.; Afton, A.D.; Anteau, A.C.E.; Moser, E.B.

2010-01-01

Gammarus lacustris and Hyalella azteca (hereafter G. lacustris and H. azteca, respectively) are important components of secondary production in wetlands and shallow lakes of the upper Midwest, USA. Within the past 50 years, amphipod densities have decreased while occurrences of fish and intensity of agricultural land use have increased markedly across this landscape. We investigated influences of fish, sedimentation, and submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) on densities of G. lacustris and H. azteca in semipermanent and permanent wetlands and shallow lakes (n = 283) throughout seven eco-physiographic regions of Iowa, Minnesota, and North Dakota during 2004-2005. G. lacustris and H. azteca densities were positively correlated with densities of SAV (P<0.001 and P<0.001, respectively). Both species were negatively correlated with densities of large fish (non-Cyprinidae; P = 0.01 and P = 0.013, respectively) and with high densities of fathead minnows (Pimephales promelas; P<0.001 and P = 0.033, respectively). H. azteca densities also were negatively correlated with densities of small fish (e.g., other minnows [Cyprinidae] and sticklebacks [Gasterosteidae]; P = 0.048) and common carp (Cyprinus spp.; P = 0.022). G. lacustris densities were negatively correlated with high levels of suspended solids (an index for sedimentation; P<0.001). H. azteca densities were positively correlated with the width of upland-vegetation buffers (P = 0.004). Our results indicate that sedimentation and fish reduce amphipod densities and may contribute to the current low densities of amphipods in the upper Midwest. Thus, removing/excluding fish, and providing a thick buffer of upland vegetation around wetlands may help restore amphipod densities and wetland and water quality within this landscape. ?? Springer Science+Business Media B.V. (outside the USA) 2011.

Rotational relaxation of fluoromethane molecules in low-temperature collisions with buffer-gas helium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xingjia; Xu, Liang; Yin, Yanning; Xu, Supeng; Xia, Yong; Yin, Jianping

2016-06-01

We propose a method to study the rotational relaxation of polar molecules [here taking fluoromethane (CH3F ) as an example] in collisions with 3.5 K buffer-gas helium (He) atoms by using an electrostatic guiding technique. The dependence of the guiding signal of CH3F on the injected He flux and the dependence of the guiding efficiency of CH3F on its rotational temperature are investigated both theoretically and experimentally. By comparing the experimental and simulated results, we find that the translational and rotational temperatures of the buffer-gas cooled CH3F molecules can reach to about 5.48 and 0.60 K, respectively, and the ratio between the translational and average rotational collisional cross sections of CH3F -He is γ =σt/σr=36.49 ±6.15 . In addition, the slowing, cooling, and boosting effects of the molecular beam with different injected He fluxes are also observed and their forming conditions are investigated in some detail. Our study shows that our proposed method can not only be used to measure the translational and rotational temperatures of the buffer-gas cooled molecules, but also to measure the ratio of the translational collisional cross section to the average rotational collisional cross section, and even to measure the average rotational collisional cross section when the translational collisional cross section is measured by fitting the lifetime of molecule signal to get a numerical solution from the diffusion equation of buffer-gas He atoms in the cell.

Constrained Evolution of a Radially Magnetized Protoplanetary Disk: Implications for Planetary Migration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Russo, Matthew; Thompson, Christopher

2015-12-01

We consider the inner ˜1 AU of a protoplanetary disk (PPD) at a stage where angular momentum transport is driven by the mixing of a radial magnetic field into the disk from a T Tauri wind. Because the radial profile of the imposed magnetic field is well constrained, a constrained calculation of the disk mass flow becomes possible. The vertical disk profiles obtained in Paper I imply a stronger magnetization in the inner disk, faster accretion, and a secular depletion of the disk material. Inward transport of solids allows the disk to maintain a broad optical absorption layer even when the grain abundance becomes too small to suppress its ionization. Thus, a PPD may show a strong mid- to near-infrared spectral excess even while its mass profile departs radically from the minimum-mass solar nebula. The disk surface density is buffered at ˜30 g cm-2 below this, X-rays trigger magnetorotational turbulence at the midplane strong enough to loft millimeter- to centimeter-sized particles high in the disk, followed by catastrophic fragmentation. A sharp density gradient bounds the inner depleted disk and propagates outward to ˜1-2 AU over a few megayears. Earth-mass planets migrate through the inner disk over a similar timescale, whereas the migration of Jupiters is limited by the supply of gas. Gas-mediated migration must stall outside 0.04 AU, where silicates are sublimated and the disk shifts to a much lower column. A transition disk emerges when the dust/gas ratio in the MRI-active layer falls below Xd ˜ 10-6 (ad/μm), where ad is the grain size.

TiO2-Based Indium Phosphide Metal-Oxide-Semiconductor Capacitor with High Capacitance Density.

PubMed

Cheng, Chun-Hu; Hsu, Hsiao-Hsuan; Chou, Kun-i

2015-04-01

We report a low-temperature InP p-MOS with a high capacitance density of 2.7 µF/cm2, low leakage current of 0.77 A/cm2 at 1 V and tight current distribution. The high-density and low-leakage InP MOS was achieved by using high-κ TiLaO dielectric and ultra-thin SiO2 buffer layer with a thickness of less than 0.5 nm. The obtained EOT can be aggressively scaled down to < 1 nm through the use of stacked TiLaO/SiO2 dielectric, which has the potential for the future application of high mobility III-V CMOS devices.

Investigation of solid nitrogen for cryogenic thermal storage in superconducting cable terminations for enhanced resiliency

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suttell, N.; Zhang, Z.; Kweon, J.; Nes, T.; Kim, C. H.; Pamidi, S.; Ordonez, J. C.

2017-12-01

Low heat capacity of helium makes the helium gas cooled high temperature superconducting (HTS) power devices susceptible to large temperature rises during unexpected heat loads such as electrical faults or cryogenic system failures. Cryogenic thermal storage in the form of solid nitrogen designed in the terminations is explored as a means to increase the thermal stability and operational time of HTS power cables in the event of unexpected heat loads. An external tank containing activated charcoal is used as an adsorption buffer tank for nitrogen gas. The use of activated charcoal minimizes the volume of the buffer tank and prevents pressure rises during melting and boiling of the solid nitrogen. Calculations of the cryogenic thermal storage needed and a description of the experimental setup used to understand the design constraints are discussed.

AlGaN/GaN HEMTs regrown by MBE on epi-ready semi-insulating GaN-on-sapphire with inhibited interface contamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cordier, Y.; Azize, M.; Baron, N.; Chenot, S.; Tottereau, O.; Massies, J.

2007-11-01

In this work, we show that, by carefully designing the subsurface Fe doping profile in SI-GaN templates grown by MOVPE and by optimizing the MBE regrowth conditions, a highly resistive GaN buffer can be achieved on these epi-ready GaN-on-sapphire templates without any addition of acceptors during the regrowth. As a result, high-quality high electron mobility transistors can be fabricated. Furthermore, we report on the excellent properties of two-dimensional electron gas and device performances with electron mobility greater than 2000 cm 2/V s at room temperature and off-state buffer leakage currents as low as 5 μA/mm at 100 V.

Electron Density and Two-Channel Neutron Emission Measurements in Steady-State Spherical Inertial-Electrostatically Confined Plasmas, with Review of the 1-D Kinetic Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dobson, Chris C.; Hrbud, Ivana

2004-01-01

Electron density measurements have been made in steady-state plasmas in a spherical inertial electrostatic confinement (IEC) discharge using microwave interferometry. Plasma cores interior to two cathodes, having diameters of 15 and 23 cm, respectively, were probed over a transverse range of 10 cm with a spatial resolution of about 1.4 cm for buffer gas pressures from 0.2 to 6 Pa in argon and deuterium. The transverse profiles are generally flat, in some cases with eccentric symmetric minima, and give mean densities of from approx. = 0.4 to 7x 10(exp 10)/cu cm, the density generally increasing with the neutral gas pressure. Numerical solutions of the 1-D Poisson equation for EC plasmas are reviewed and energy distribution functions are identified which give flat transverse profiles. These functions are used with the plasma approximation to obtain solutions which also give densities consistent with the measurements, and a double potential well solution is obtained which has minima qualitatively similar to those observed. Explicit consideration is given to the compatibility of the solutions interior and exterior to the cathode, and to grid transparency. Deuterium fusion neutron emission rates were also measured and found to be isotropic, to within the measurement error, over two simultaneous directions. Anisotropy was observed in residual emissions during operation with non-fusing hydrogen-1. The deuterium rates are consistent with predictions from the model.

Electron density and gas density measurements in a millimeter-wave discharge

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

Schaub, S. C., E-mail: sschaub@mit.edu; Hummelt, J. S.; Guss, W. C.

2016-08-15

Electron density and neutral gas density have been measured in a non-equilibrium air breakdown plasma using optical emission spectroscopy and two-dimensional laser interferometry, respectively. A plasma was created with a focused high frequency microwave beam in air. Experiments were run with 110 GHz and 124.5 GHz microwaves at powers up to 1.2 MW. Microwave pulses were 3 μs long at 110 GHz and 2.2 μs long at 124.5 GHz. Electron density was measured over a pressure range of 25 to 700 Torr as the input microwave power was varied. Electron density was found to be close to the critical density, where the collisional plasma frequency is equal tomore » the microwave frequency, over the pressure range studied and to vary weakly with input power. Neutral gas density was measured over a pressure range from 150 to 750 Torr at power levels high above the threshold for initiating breakdown. The two-dimensional structure of the neutral gas density was resolved. Intense, localized heating was found to occur hundreds of nanoseconds after visible plasma formed. This heating led to neutral gas density reductions of greater than 80% where peak plasma densities occurred. Spatial structure and temporal dynamics of gas heating at atmospheric pressure were found to agree well with published numerical simulations.« less

Insulators obtained by electron cyclotron resonance plasmas on Si or GaAs

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

Diniz, J.A.; Doi, I.; Swart, J.W

2003-03-15

Silicon oxynitride (SiO{sub x}N{sub y}) and nitride (SiN{sub x}) insulators have been deposited or grown (with or without silane in the gas mixture, respectively) by electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) plasmas on Si and/or GaAs substrates at room temperature (20 deg. C) and low pressures (up to 10 mTorr). Chemical bonding characteristics of the SiO{sub x}N{sub y} and SiN{sub x} films were evaluated using Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR). The profile measurements determined the film thickness, the deposition (or oxidation) rate and the etch rates in buffered HF (BHF). The refractive indexes and the thicknesses were determined by ellipsometry. The effectivemore » interface charge densities were determined by capacitance-voltage (C-V) measurements. With these processes and analyses, different films were obtained and optimized. Suitable gate insulators for metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) devices with low interface charge densities were developed: (a) SiN{sub x} films deposited by ECR-chemical vapor deposition (ECR-PECVD) on GaAs substrates; (b) SiO{sub x}N{sub y} insulators obtained by low-energy molecular nitrogen ion ({sup 28}N{sub 2}{sup +}) implantation (energy of 5 keV and dose of 1x10{sup 15}/cm{sup 2}) in Si substrates prior to high-density O{sub 2} ECR plasma oxidation; and (c) SiO{sub x}N{sub y} insulators grown (without silane in the gas mixture) by O{sub 2}/N{sub 2}/Ar ECR plasma 'oxynitridation'. Furthermore, some SiN{sub x} films also present very good masking characteristics for local oxidation of silicon process.« less

The essential signature of a massive starburst in a distant quasar.

PubMed

Solomon, P; Vanden Bout, P; Carilli, C; Guelin, M

2003-12-11

Observations of carbon monoxide emission in high-redshift (zeta > 2) galaxies indicate the presence of large amounts of molecular gas. Many of these galaxies contain an active galactic nucleus powered by accretion of gas onto a supermassive black hole, and a key question is whether their extremely high infrared luminosities result from the active galactic nucleus, from bursts of massive star formation (associated with the molecular gas), or both. In the Milky Way, high-mass stars form in the dense cores of interstellar molecular clouds, where gas densities are n(H2) > 10(5) cm(-3) (refs 1, 2). Recent surveys show that virtually all galactic sites of high-mass star formation have similarly high densities. The bulk of the cloud material traced by CO observations, however, is at a much lower density. For galaxies in the local Universe, the HCN molecule is an effective tracer of high-density molecular gas. Here we report observations of HCN emission from the infrared-luminous 'Cloverleaf' quasar (at a redshift zeta = 2.5579). The HCN line luminosity indicates the presence of 10 billion solar masses of very dense gas, an essential feature of an immense starburst, which contributes, together with the active galactic nucleus it harbours, to its high infrared luminosity.

Ab Initio Computation of Dynamical Properties: Pressure Broadening

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiesenfeld, Laurent; Drouin, Brian

2014-06-01

Rotational spectroscopy of polar molecules is the main observational tool in many areas of astrophysics, for gases of low densities (n ˜ 102 - 108 cm-3). Spectral line shapes in astrophysical media are largely dominated by turbulence-induced Doppler effects and natural line broadening are negligible. However line broadening remains an important tool for denser gases, like planetary high atmospheres. Understanding the excitation schemes of polar molecules requires the knowledge of excitation transfer rate due to collisional excitation, between the polar molecule and the ambient gas, usually H2. Transport properties in ionized media also require a precise knowledge of momentum transfer rates by elastic collisions. In order to assess the theoretically computed cross section and energy/momentum transfer rates, direct absolute experiments are scarce. The best way is to measure not individual scattering events but rather the global effect of the buffer gas, thanks to the pressure broadening cross sections, whose magnitude can be measured without any scaling parameters. At low temperatures, both elastic and inelastic scattering amplitudes are tested. At higher temperature, depending on the interaction strength, only inelastic scattering cross section are shown to play a significant role 1 ,2. Thanks to the advances of computer capabilities, it has become practical to compute spectral line parameters fromab initio quantum chemistry. In particular, the theory of rotational line broadening is readily incorporated into scattering quantum dynamical theory, like close-coupling schemes. The only approximations used in the computation are the isolated collision/isolated line approximations. We compute the non-binding interaction potential with high precision quantum chemistry and fit the resulting ab initio points onto a suitable functional. We have recently computed several such systems, for molecules in H2 buffer gas: H2O,3 H2CO,4 HCO+ .5 Detailed computations taking into account the ortho or para state of H2 were performed, at temperatures ranging from 10 K to 100K, typically. Reliable results are found, that compare favorably to experiments. In particular, the water-molecular hydrogen system has been thoroughly computed and successfully experimentally tested 6. New projects consider other simple molecules as well as heavier systems, relevant for cometary comae and planetary high atmospheres. as part of the GNU EPrints system , and is freely redistributable under the GPL .

Method for eliminating gas blocking in electrokinetic pumping systems

DOEpatents

Arnold, Don W.; Paul, Phillip H.; Schoeniger, Joseph S.

2001-09-11

A method for eliminating gas bubble blockage of current flow during operation of an electrokinetic pump. By making use of the ability to modify the surface charge on the porous dielectric medium used in electrokinetic pumps, it becomes possible to place electrodes away from the pressurized region of the electrokinetic pump. While gas is still generated at the electrodes they are situated such that the generated gas can escape into a larger buffer reservoir and not into the high pressure region of the pump where the gas bubbles can interrupt current flow. Various combinations of porous dielectric materials and ionic conductors can be used to create pumps that have desirable electrical, material handling, and flow attributes.

Observations of density fluctuations in an elongated Bose gas: ideal gas and quasicondensate regimes.

PubMed

Esteve, J; Trebbia, J-B; Schumm, T; Aspect, A; Westbrook, C I; Bouchoule, I

2006-04-07

We report in situ measurements of density fluctuations in a quasi-one-dimensional 87Rb Bose gas at thermal equilibrium in an elongated harmonic trap. We observe an excess of fluctuations compared to the shot-noise level expected for uncorrelated atoms. At low atomic density, the measured excess is in good agreement with the expected "bunching" for an ideal Bose gas. At high density, the measured fluctuations are strongly reduced compared to the ideal gas case. We attribute this reduction to repulsive interatomic interactions. The data are compared with a calculation for an interacting Bose gas in the quasicondensate regime.

Linear Stability Analysis of Gravitational Effects on a Low-Density Gas Jet Injected into a High-Density Medium

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, Anthony L.; Parthasarathy, Ramkumar N.

2005-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of buoyancy on the absolute instability of low-density gas jets injected into high-density gas mediums. Most of the existing analyses of low-density gas jets injected into a high-density ambient have been carried out neglecting effects of gravity. In order to investigate the influence of gravity on the near-injector development of the flow, a spatio-temporal stability analysis of a low-density round jet injected into a high-density ambient gas was performed. The flow was assumed to be isothermal and locally parallel; viscous and diffusive effects were ignored. The variables were represented as the sum of the mean value and a normal-mode small disturbance. An ordinary differential equation governing the amplitude of the pressure disturbance was derived. The velocity and density profiles in the shear layer, and the Froude number (signifying the effects of gravity) were the three important parameters in this equation. Together with the boundary conditions, an eigenvalue problem was formulated. Assuming that the velocity and density profiles in the shear layer to be represented by hyperbolic tangent functions, the eigenvalue problem was solved for various values of Froude number. The Briggs-Bers criterion was combined with the spatio-temporal stability analysis to determine the nature of the absolute instability of the jet whether absolutely or convectively unstable. The roles of the density ratio, Froude number, Schmidt number, and the lateral shift between the density and velocity profiles on the absolute instability of the jet were determined. Comparisons of the results with previous experimental studies show good agreement when the effects of these variables are combined together. Thus, the combination of these variables determines how absolutely unstable the jet will be.

Impact of varying buffer thickness generated strain and threading dislocations on the formation of plasma assisted MBE grown ultra-thin AlGaN/GaN heterostructure on silicon

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

Chowdhury, Subhra, E-mail: subhra1109@gmail.com; Biswas, Dhrubes; Department of E and E C E, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302

2015-05-15

Plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) growth of ultra-thin Al{sub 0.2}Ga{sub 0.8}N/GaN heterostructures on Si(111) substrate with three buffer thickness (600 nm/400 nm/200 nm) have been reported. An unique growth process has been developed that supports lower temperature epitaxy of GaN buffer which minimizes thermally generated tensile strain through appropriate nitridation and AlN initiated epitaxy for achieving high quality GaN buffer which supports such ultra-thin heterostructures in the range of 10-15Å. It is followed by investigations of role of buffer thickness on formation of ultra-thin Al{sub 0.2}Ga{sub 0.8}N/GaN heterostructure, in terms of stress-strain and threading dislocation (TD). Structural characterization were performedmore » by High-Resolution X-Ray Diffraction (HRXRD), room-temperature Photoluminescence (RT-PL), High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy (HRTEM) and Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). Analysis revealed increasing biaxial tensile stress of 0.6918 ± 0.04, 1.1084, 1.1814 GPa in heterostructures with decreasing buffer thickness of 600, 400, 200 nm respectively which are summed up with residual tensile strain causing red-shift in RT-PL peak. Also, increasing buffer thickness drastically reduced TD density from the order 10{sup 10} cm{sup −2} to 10{sup 8} cm{sup −2}. Surface morphology through AFM leads to decrease of pits and root mean square value with increasing buffer thickness which are resulted due to reduction of combined effect of strain and TDs.« less

Validation of paper-based assay for rapid blood typing.

PubMed

Al-Tamimi, Mohammad; Shen, Wei; Zeineddine, Rania; Tran, Huy; Garnier, Gil

2012-02-07

We developed and validated a new paper-based assay for the detection of human blood type. Our method involves spotting a 3 μL blood sample on a paper surface where grouping antibodies have already been introduced. A thin film chromatograph tank was used to chromatographically elute the blood spot with 0.9% NaCl buffer for 10 min by capillary absorption. Agglutinated red blood cells (RBCs) were fixed on the paper substrate, resulting in a high optical density of the spot, with no visual trace in the buffer wicking path. Conversely, nonagglutinated RBCs could easily be eluted by the buffer and had low optical density of the spot and clearly visible trace of RBCs in the buffer wicking path. Different paper substrates had comparable ability to fix agglutinated blood, while a more porous substrate like Kleenex paper had enhanced ability to elute nonagglutinated blood. Using optimized conditions, a rapid assay for detection of blood groups was developed by spotting blood to antibodies absorbed to paper and eluted with 200 μL of 0.9% NaCl buffer directly by pipetting. RBCs fixation on paper accurately detected blood groups (ABO and RhD) using ascending buffer for 10 min or using a rapid elution step in 100/100 blood samples including 4 weak AB and 4 weak RhD samples. The assay has excellent reproducibility where the same blood group was obtained in 26 samples assessed in 2 different days. Agglutinated blood fixation on porous paper substrate provides a new, simple, and sensitive assay for rapid detection of blood group for point-of-care applications. © 2011 American Chemical Society

DARPA/ISTO Rapid VLSI Implementation

DTIC Science & Technology

1991-12-01

temperature tigation. Motorola MCI00E111, very fast 1:9 clock buffers. were procured to drive high - speed waveforrms onto the substrate clock distribution...The hot image is normalized to a rootn- temperature image, which removes all optical anomalies and leaves a high -resolution thermal image. 69 j APT...9 High -density DRAM ..................... 9 Aquarius MI Packaging Study ........................ ....... 10 NUT Alewife

Comparison of Gas Displacement based on Thermometry in the Pulse Tube with Rayleigh Scattering

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hagiwara, Yasumasa; Nara, Kenichi; Ito, Seitoku; Saito, Takamoto

A pulse tube refrigerator has high reliability because of its simple structure. Recently the level of development activity of the pulse tube refrigerator has increased, but the quantitative understanding of the refrigeration mechanism has not fully been obtained. Therefore various explanations were proposed. The concept of virtual gas piston in particular helps us to understand the function of a phase shifter such as a buffer tank and an orifice because the virtual gas piston corresponds to a piston of a Stirling refrigerator. However it is difficult to directly measure the averaged gas displacement which corresponds to the virtual gas piston because uniform gas flow such as a gas piston does not always exist. For example, there are a jet flow from orifice and circulated flows in a pulse tube, which are predicted theoretically. In spite of these phenomena, the averaged gas displacement is very important in practical use because it can simply predict the performance from the displacement. In this report, we calculate the averaged gas displacement and mass flow through an orifice. The mass flow is calculated from the pressure change in a buffer tank. The averaged gas displacement is calculated from temperature profiles in the pulse tube and the mass flow. It is necessary to measure temperature in the pulse tube as widely as possible in order to calculate the averaged gas displacement. We apply a method using the Rayleigh Scattering the thermometry in the pulse tube. With this method, it is possible to perform 2-dimensional measurement without disturbing the gas flow. By this method, the averaged gas displacements and the temperature profiles of basic and orifice types of refrigeration were compared.

The effect of pH and buffer concentration on anode biofilms of Thermincola ferriacetica.

PubMed

Lusk, Bradley G; Parameswaran, Prathap; Popat, Sudeep C; Rittmann, Bruce E; Torres, Cesar I

2016-12-01

We assessed the effects of pH and buffer concentration on current production and growth of biofilms of Thermincola ferriacetica - a thermophilic, Gram-positive, anode-respiring bacterium (ARB) - grown on anodes poised at a potential of -0.06V vs. SHE in microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) at 60°C. T. ferriacetica generated current in the pH range of 5.2 to 8.3 with acetate as the electron donor and 50mM bicarbonate buffer. Maximum current density was reduced by ~80% at pH5.2 and ~14% at 7.0 compared to pH8.3. Increasing bicarbonate buffer concentrations from 10mM to 100mM resulted in an increase in the current density by 40±6%, from 6.8±1.1 to 11.2±2.7Am(-2), supporting that more buffer alleviated pH depression within T. ferriacetica biofilms. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) images indicated that higher bicarbonate buffer concentrations resulted in larger live biofilm thicknesses: from 68±20μm at 10mM bicarbonate to >150μm at 100mM, supporting that buffer availability was a strong influence on biofilm thickness. In comparison to mesophilic Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms, the faster transport rates at higher temperature and the ability to grow at relatively lower pH allowed T. ferriacetica to produce higher current densities with lower buffer concentrations. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Solid oxide fuel cell generator

DOEpatents

Draper, Robert; George, Raymond A.; Shockling, Larry A.

1993-01-01

A solid oxide fuel cell generator has a pair of spaced apart tubesheets in a housing. At least two intermediate barrier walls are between the tubesheets and define a generator chamber between two intermediate buffer chambers. An array of fuel cells have tubes with open ends engaging the tubesheets. Tubular, axially elongated electrochemical cells are supported on the tubes in the generator chamber. Fuel gas and oxidant gas are preheated in the intermediate chambers by the gases flowing on the other side of the tubes. Gas leakage around the tubes through the tubesheets is permitted. The buffer chambers reentrain the leaked fuel gas for reintroduction to the generator chamber.

Instability Analysis of a Low-Density Gas Jet Injected into a High-Density Gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawson, Anthony Layiwola

2001-01-01

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of buoyancy on the absolute instability of low-density gas jets injected into high-density gas mediums. Most of the existing analyses of low-density gas jets injected into a high-density ambient have been carried out neglecting effects of gravity. In order to investigate the influence of gravity on the near-injector development of the flow, a linear temporal stability analysis and a spatio-temporal stability analysis of a low-density round jet injected into a high-density ambient gas were performed. The flow was assumed to be isothermal and locally parallel; viscous and diffusive effects were ignored. The variables were represented as the sum of the mean value and a normal-mode small disturbance. An ordinary differential equation governing the amplitude of the pressure disturbance was derived. The velocity and density profiles in the shear layer, and the Froude number (signifying the effects of gravity) were the three important parameters in this equation. Together with the boundary conditions, an eigenvalue problem was formulated. Assuming that the velocity and density profiles in the shear layer to be represented by hyperbolic tangent functions, the eigenvalue problem was solved for various values of Froude number. The temporal growth rates and the phase velocity of the disturbances were obtained. It was found that the presence of variable density within the shear layer resulted in an increase in the temporal amplification rate of the disturbances and an increase in the range of unstable frequencies, accompanied by a reduction in the phase velocities of the disturbances. Also, the temporal growth rates of the disturbances were increased as the Froude number was reduced (i.e. gravitational effects increased), indicating the destabilizing role played by gravity. The spatio-temporal stability analysis was performed to determine the nature of the absolute instability of the jet. The roles of the density ratio, Froude number, Schmidt number, and the lateral shift between the density and velocity profiles on the jet s absolute instability were determined. Comparisons of the results with previous experimental studies show good agreement when the effects of these variables are combined together. Thus, the combination of these variables determines how absolutely unstable the jet will be. Experiments were carried out to observe the qualitative differences between a round low-density gas jet injected into a high-density gas (helium jet injected into air) and a round constant density jet (air jet injected into air). Flow visualizations and velocity measurements in the near-injector region of the helium jet show more mixing and spreading of the helium jet than the air jet. The vortex structures develop and contribute to the jet spreading causing the helium jet to oscillate.

Highly-ionized metals as probes of the circumburst gas in the natal regions of gamma-ray bursts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heintz, K. E.; Watson, D.; Jakobsson, P.; Fynbo, J. P. U.; Bolmer, J.; Arabsalmani, M.; Cano, Z.; Covino, S.; D'Elia, V.; Gomboc, A.; Japelj, J.; Kaper, L.; Krogager, J.-K.; Pugliese, G.; Sánchez-Ramírez, R.; Selsing, J.; Sparre, M.; Tanvir, N. R.; Thöne, C. C.; de Ugarte Postigo, A.; Vergani, S. D.

2018-06-01

We present here a survey of high-ionization absorption lines in the afterglow spectra of long-duration gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) obtained with the VLT/X-shooter spectrograph. Our main goal is to investigate the circumburst medium in the natal regions of GRBs. Our primary focus is on the N V λλ 1238,1242 line transitions, but we also discuss other high-ionization lines such as O VI, C IV and Si IV. We find no correlation between the column density of N V and the neutral gas properties such as metallicity, H I column density and dust depletion, however the relative velocity of N V, typically a blueshift with respect to the neutral gas, is found to be correlated with the column density of H I. This may be explained if the N V gas is part of an H II region hosting the GRB, where the region's expansion is confined by dense, neutral gas in the GRB's host galaxy. We find tentative evidence (at 2σ significance) that the X-ray derived column density, NH, X, may be correlated with the column density of N V, which would indicate that both measurements are sensitive to the column density of the gas located in the vicinity of the GRB. We investigate the scenario where N V (and also O VI) is produced by recombination after the corresponding atoms have been stripped entirely of their electrons by the initial prompt emission, in contrast to previous models where highly-ionized gas is produced by photoionization from the GRB afterglow.

Using Plant Source as a Buffering Agent to Manipulating Rumen Fermentation in an In vitro Gas Production System.

PubMed

Kang, S; Wanapat, M

2013-10-01

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of banana flower powder (BAFLOP) supplementation on gas production kinetics and rumen fermentation efficiency in in vitro incubation with different ratios of roughage to concentrate in swamp buffalo and cattle rumen fluid. Two male, rumen fistulated dairy steers and swamp buffaloes were used as rumen fluid donors. The treatments were arranged according to a 2×2×3 factorial arrangement in a Completely randomized design by using two ratios of roughage to concentrate (R:C; 75:25 and 25:75) and 3 levels of BAFLOP supplementation (0, 2 and 4% of dietary substrate) into two different kinds of rumen fluid (beef cattle and swamp buffalo). Under this investigation, the results revealed that the rumen ecology was affected by R:C ratio. The pH declined as a result of using high concentrate ratio; however, supplementation of BAFLOP could buffer the pH which led to an improvement of ruminal efficiency. BAFLOP supplementation affected acetic acid (C2) when the proportion of concentrate was increased. However, there were no effect on total volatile fatty acid (TVFA) and butyric acid (C4) by BAFLOP supplementation. The microbial community was affected by BAFLOP supplementation, especially the bacterial population. As revealed by real-time PCR, the populations of F. succinogenes and R. albus were reduced by the high concentrate treatments while that of R. flavafaciens were increased. The populations of three dominant cellulolytic bacteria were enhanced by BAFLOP supplementation, especially on high concentrate diet. BAFLOP supplementation did not influence the ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) concentration, while R:C did. In addition, the in vitro digestibility was improved by either R:C or BAFLOP supplementation. The BAFLOP supplementation showed an effect on gas production kinetics, except for the gas production rate constant for the insoluble fraction (c), while treatments with high concentrate ratio resulted in the highest values. In addition, BAFLOP tended to increase gas production. Based on this study, it could be concluded that R:C had an effect on rumen ecology both in buffalo and cattle rumen fluid and hence, BAFLOP could be used as a rumen buffering agent for enhancing rumen ecology fed on high concentrate diet. It is recommended that level of BAFLOP supplementation should be at 2 to 4% of total dry matter of substrate. However, in vivo trials should be subsequently conducted to investigate the effect of BAFLOP in high concentrate diets on rumen ecology as well as ruminant production.

Heed the head: buffer benefits along headwater streams

Treesearch

Rhonda Mazza; Deanna (Dede) Olson

2015-01-01

Since the Northwest Forest Plan implemented riparian buffers along non-fish bearing streams in 1994, there have been questions about how wide those buffers need to be to protect aquatic and riparian resources from upland forest management activities. The Density Management and Riparian Buffer Study of western Oregon, also initiated in 1994, examines the effects of...

Density probability distribution functions of diffuse gas in the Milky Way

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berkhuijsen, E. M.; Fletcher, A.

2008-10-01

In a search for the signature of turbulence in the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM) in gas density distributions, we determined the probability distribution functions (PDFs) of the average volume densities of the diffuse gas. The densities were derived from dispersion measures and HI column densities towards pulsars and stars at known distances. The PDFs of the average densities of the diffuse ionized gas (DIG) and the diffuse atomic gas are close to lognormal, especially when lines of sight at |b| < 5° and |b| >= 5° are considered separately. The PDF of at high |b| is twice as wide as that at low |b|. The width of the PDF of the DIG is about 30 per cent smaller than that of the warm HI at the same latitudes. The results reported here provide strong support for the existence of a lognormal density PDF in the diffuse ISM, consistent with a turbulent origin of density structure in the diffuse gas.

La0.7Sr0.3MnO3: A single, conductive-oxide buffer layer for the development of YBa2Cu3O7-δ coated conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aytug, T.; Paranthaman, M.; Kang, B. W.; Sathyamurthy, S.; Goyal, A.; Christen, D. K.

2001-10-01

Coated conductor applications in power technologies require stabilization of the high-temperature superconducting (HTS) layers against thermal runaway. Conductive La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) has been epitaxially grown on biaxially textured Ni substrates as a single buffer layer. The subsequent epitaxial growth of YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) coatings by pulsed laser deposition yielded self-field critical current densities (Jc) of 0.5×106A/cm2 at 77 K, and provided good electrical connectivity over the entire structure (HTS+conductive-buffer+metal substrate). Property characterizations of YBCO/LSMO/Ni architecture revealed excellent crystallographic and morphological properties. These results have demonstrated that LSMO, used as a single, conductive buffer layer, may offer potential for use in fully stabilized YBCO coated conductors.

Effects of drift gas on collision cross sections of a protein standard in linear drift tube and traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Jurneczko, Ewa; Kalapothakis, Jason; Campuzano, Iain D G; Morris, Michael; Barran, Perdita E

2012-10-16

There has been a significant increase in the use of ion mobility mass spectrometry (IM-MS) to investigate conformations of proteins and protein complexes following electrospray ionization. Investigations which employ traveling wave ion mobility mass spectrometry (TW IM-MS) instrumentation rely on the use of calibrants to convert the arrival times of ions to collision cross sections (CCS) providing "hard numbers" of use to structural biology. It is common to use nitrogen as the buffer gas in TW IM-MS instruments and to calibrate by extrapolating from CCS measured in helium via drift tube (DT) IM-MS. In this work, both DT and TW IM-MS instruments are used to investigate the effects of different drift gases (helium, neon, nitrogen, and argon) on the transport of multiply charged ions of the protein myoglobin, frequently used as a standard in TW IM-MS studies. Irrespective of the drift gas used, recorded mass spectra are found to be highly similar. In contrast, the recorded arrival time distributions and the derived CCS differ greatly. At low charge states (7 ≤ z ≤ 11) where the protein is compact, the CCS scale with the polarizability of the gas; this is also the case for higher charge states (12 ≤ z ≤ 22) where the protein is more unfolded for the heavy gases (neon, argon, and nitrogen) but not the case for helium. This is here interpreted as a different conformational landscape being sampled by the lighter gas and potentially attributable to increased field heating by helium. Under nanoelectrospray ionization (nESI) conditions, where myoglobin is sprayed from an aqueous solution buffered to pH 6.8 with 20 mM ammonium acetate, in the DT IM-MS instrument, each buffer gas can yield a different arrival time distribution (ATD) for any given charge state.

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/.

Development of Cell Analysis Software for Cultivated Corneal Endothelial Cells.

PubMed

Okumura, Naoki; Ishida, Naoya; Kakutani, Kazuya; Hongo, Akane; Hiwa, Satoru; Hiroyasu, Tomoyuki; Koizumi, Noriko

2017-11-01

To develop analysis software for cultured human corneal endothelial cells (HCECs). Software was designed to recognize cell borders and to provide parameters such as cell density, coefficient of variation, and polygonality of cultured HCECs based on phase contrast images. Cultured HCECs with high or low cell density were incubated with Ca-free and Mg-free phosphate-buffered saline for 10 minutes to reveal the cell borders and were then analyzed with software (n = 50). Phase contrast images showed that cell borders were not distinctly outlined, but these borders became more distinctly outlined after phosphate-buffered saline treatment and were recognized by cell analysis software. The cell density value provided by software was similar to that obtained using manual cell counting by an experienced researcher. Morphometric parameters, such as the coefficient of variation and polygonality, were also produced by software, and these values were significantly correlated with cell density (Pearson correlation coefficients -0.62 and 0.63, respectively). The software described here provides morphometric information from phase contrast images, and it enables subjective and noninvasive quality assessment for tissue engineering therapy of the corneal endothelium.

Development of a resonant laser ionization gas cell for high-energy, short-lived nuclei

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sonoda, T.; Wada, M.; Tomita, H.; Sakamoto, C.; Takatsuka, T.; Furukawa, T.; Iimura, H.; Ito, Y.; Kubo, T.; Matsuo, Y.; Mita, H.; Naimi, S.; Nakamura, S.; Noto, T.; Schury, P.; Shinozuka, T.; Wakui, T.; Miyatake, H.; Jeong, S.; Ishiyama, H.; Watanabe, Y. X.; Hirayama, Y.; Okada, K.; Takamine, A.

2013-01-01

A new laser ion source configuration based on resonant photoionization in a gas cell has been developed at RIBF RIKEN. This system is intended for the future PArasitic RI-beam production by Laser Ion-Source (PALIS) project which will be installed at RIKEN's fragment separator, BigRIPS. A novel implementation of differential pumping, in combination with a sextupole ion beam guide (SPIG), has been developed. A few small scroll pumps create a pressure difference from 1000 hPa-10-3 Pa within a geometry drastically miniaturized compared to conventional systems. This system can utilize a large exit hole for fast evacuation times, minimizing the decay loss for short-lived nuclei during extraction from a buffer gas cell, while sufficient gas cell pressure is maintained for stopping high energy RI-beams. In spite of the motion in a dense pressure gradient, the photo-ionized ions inside the gas cell are ejected with an assisting force gas jet and successfully transported to a high-vacuum region via SPIG followed by a quadrupole mass separator. Observed behaviors agree with the results of gas flow and Monte Carlo simulations.

Control of metamorphic buffer structure and device performance of In(x)Ga(1-x)As epitaxial layers fabricated by metal organic chemical vapor deposition.

PubMed

Nguyen, H Q; Yu, H W; Luc, Q H; Tang, Y Z; Phan, V T H; Hsu, C H; Chang, E Y; Tseng, Y C

2014-12-05

Using a step-graded (SG) buffer structure via metal-organic chemical vapor deposition, we demonstrate a high suitability of In0.5Ga0.5As epitaxial layers on a GaAs substrate for electronic device application. Taking advantage of the technique's precise control, we were able to increase the number of SG layers to achieve a fairly low dislocation density (∼10(6) cm(-2)), while keeping each individual SG layer slightly exceeding the critical thickness (∼80 nm) for strain relaxation. This met the demanded but contradictory requirements, and even offered excellent scalability by lowering the whole buffer structure down to 2.3 μm. This scalability overwhelmingly excels the forefront studies. The effects of the SG misfit strain on the crystal quality and surface morphology of In0.5Ga0.5As epitaxial layers were carefully investigated, and were correlated to threading dislocation (TD) blocking mechanisms. From microstructural analyses, TDs can be blocked effectively through self-annihilation reactions, or hindered randomly by misfit dislocation mechanisms. Growth conditions for avoiding phase separation were also explored and identified. The buffer-improved, high-quality In0.5Ga0.5As epitaxial layers enabled a high-performance, metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitor on a GaAs substrate. The devices displayed remarkable capacitance-voltage responses with small frequency dispersion. A promising interface trap density of 3 × 10(12) eV(-1) cm(-2) in a conductance test was also obtained. These electrical performances are competitive to those using lattice-coherent but pricey InGaAs/InP systems.

Kinetics and equilibria of redox systems at temperatures as low as 300°C

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burkhard, Dorothee J. M.; Ulmer, Gene C.

1995-05-01

ZrO 2 oxygen sensors, gas mixtures, and conventional solid buffers have been used for decades to either control or measure oxygen fugacity (ƒ O 2) at high temperatures. In dry systems below ca. 700°C these techniques were used cautiously, if at all, due to doubt that there was any equilibration at lower temperatures. We have re-investigated these three types of redox systems in a study where each system (two different Y 2O 3ZrO 2 cells, four different gas mixtures, and four different dry solid buffers) was simultaneously cross-checked with the other to temperatures below 300°C and compared to JANAF data, extrapolated down to low temperatures. Steady and reproducible readings were observed down to T ≤ 300°C, from which we infer fast kinetics for all three systems. Specifically, we find equilibration of various CO 2H 2 gas mixtures over the entire temperature range and to much lower temperature than previously predicted. We assign the reactivity (decomposition) of CO 2 at low T to the catalytic action of Pt, whereby chemisorption of H 2 on the platinum surface enhances the reactivity with CO 2. This catalytic reactivity is diminished over time due to a long-term irreversible reaction of Pt with H 2. Subsequent embrittling and aging after prolonged exposure to H 2 explains erroneously high emf readings. Oxygen sensing of ZrO 2 cells is linear in 1/ T-log ƒ O 2 space and Nernstian at high temperatures. However, for cells with a specific and complex trace element chemistry, one may observe a non-Nernstian behavior in the low T range, i.e., below 470° or lower, probably caused by partially blocked O 2- migration, dependent on the H 2 content in the gas mixture. Linearity and reproducibility of this deviation still allows, however, a useable calibration. Solid buffers of the metal-metal oxide type are known to alloy with noble metals and we therefore used AgPd electrodes, for consistency in all studies, including (IW), (IM), (FMQ), and (NNO). Whereas (IW) and (IM) can be used in the temperature range of consideration, (FMQ) and (NNO) react sluggishly. Complex defect structure of (FMQ) and age alteration of Ni surfaces by chemisorption of oxygen and/or AgNi alloying of (NNO) may be the reason. Fast kinetics and successful redox sensing of CO 2H 2 gas mixtures, of ZrO 2 cells and of at least some solid buffers are therefore promising for future research on low- T redox equilibria.

Integration of (208) oriented epitaxial Hf-doped Bi4Ti3O12 with (0002) GaN using SrTiO3/TiO2 buffer layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, W. B.; Zhu, J.; Li, Y. R.; Wang, X. P.; Zhang, Y.

2009-05-01

Hf-doped Bi4Ti3O12 (BTH) ferroelectric films with excellent electrical properties were epitaxially integrated with GaN semiconductor using (111) SrTiO3 (STO)/rutile (200) TiO2 as buffer layer. The STO/TiO2 buffer layer was deposited by laser molecular beam epitaxy. The structural characteristics of the buffer layer were in situ and ex situ characterized by reflective high energy electron diffraction, x-ray diffraction (XRD), and high resolution transmission microscopy. The overlaying SrRuO3 (SRO) and BTH films were then deposited by pulsed laser deposition. XRD spectra, including θ-2θ and Φ scans, show that the (208) BTH films were epitaxially grown on GaN, and the BTH films inherit the in-plane twin-domain of STO buffer layer. Electrical measurements demonstrate that the non-c axis BTH films possess a large remnant polarization (2Pr=45 μC/cm2), excellent fatigue endurance (10.2% degradation after 1.1×1010 switching cycles), and a low leakage current density (1.94×10-7 A/cm2 at an electric field of 200 kV/cm). These results reveal that the (208) BTH films with favorable electrical performance could be epitaxially grown on GaN template using STO/TiO2 buffer layer.

Architecture, microstructure and Jc anisotropy of highly oriented biaxially textured Co-doped BaFe2As2 on Fe/IBAD-MgO-buffered metal tapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Trommler, S.; Hänisch, J.; Matias, V.; Hühne, R.; Reich, E.; Iida, K.; Haindl, S.; Schultz, L.; Holzapfel, B.

2012-08-01

Optimized, biaxially textured BaFe1.8Co0.2As2 thin films with an in-plane alignment of 1.7° have been realized on high-quality IBAD-textured MgO-coated technical substrates utilizing additional Fe buffer layers. High critical current densities (Jc) were achieved, comparable to films on single crystalline MgO (Jc ≥ 1 MA cm-2 at 4 K, self-field). Transmission electron microscopy investigations reveal a small number of c-axis correlated defects introduced by the MgO template. The effect of these defects on the Jc anisotropy was determined in angular-dependent electronic transport measurements.

Radiation heat transfer calculations for the uranium fuel-containment region of the nuclear light bulb engine.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rodgers, R. J.; Latham, T. S.; Krascella, N. L.

1971-01-01

Calculation results are reviewed of the radiant heat transfer characteristics in the fuel and buffer gas regions of a nuclear light bulb engine based on the transfer of energy by thermal radiation from gaseous uranium fuel in a neon vortex, through an internally cooled transparent wall, to seeded hydrogen propellant. The results indicate that the fraction of UV energy incident on the transparent walls increases with increasing power level. For the reference engine power level of 4600 megw, it is necessary to employ space radiators to reject the UV radiated energy absorbed by the transparent walls. This UV energy can be blocked by employing nitric oxide and oxygen seed gases in the fuel and buffer gas regions. However, this results in increased UV absorption in the buffer gas which also requires space radiators to reject the heat load.

Modifying the morphology and properties of aligned CNT foams through secondary CNT growth.

PubMed

Faraji, Shaghayegh; Stano, Kelly; Akyildiz, Halil; Yildiz, Ozkan; Jur, Jesse S; Bradford, Philip D

2018-07-20

In this work, we report for the first time, growth of secondary carbon nanotubes (CNTs) throughout a three-dimensional assembly of CNTs. The assembly of nanotubes was in the form of aligned CNT/carbon (ACNT/C) foams. These low-density CNT foams were conformally coated with an alumina buffer layer using atomic layer deposition. Chemical vapor deposition was further used to grow new CNTs. The CNT foam's extremely high porosity allowed for growth of secondary CNTs inside the bulk of the foams. Due to the heavy growth of new nanotubes, density of the foams increased more than 2.5 times. Secondary nanotubes had the same graphitic quality as the primary CNTs. Microscopy and chemical analysis revealed that the thickness of the buffer layer affected the diameter, nucleation density as well as growth uniformity across the thickness of the foams. The effects of secondary nanotubes on the compressive mechanical properties of the foams was also investigated.

Modifying the morphology and properties of aligned CNT foams through secondary CNT growth

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faraji, Shaghayegh; Stano, Kelly; Akyildiz, Halil; Yildiz, Ozkan; Jur, Jesse S.; Bradford, Philip D.

2018-07-01

In this work, we report for the first time, growth of secondary carbon nanotubes (CNTs) throughout a three-dimensional assembly of CNTs. The assembly of nanotubes was in the form of aligned CNT/carbon (ACNT/C) foams. These low-density CNT foams were conformally coated with an alumina buffer layer using atomic layer deposition. Chemical vapor deposition was further used to grow new CNTs. The CNT foam’s extremely high porosity allowed for growth of secondary CNTs inside the bulk of the foams. Due to the heavy growth of new nanotubes, density of the foams increased more than 2.5 times. Secondary nanotubes had the same graphitic quality as the primary CNTs. Microscopy and chemical analysis revealed that the thickness of the buffer layer affected the diameter, nucleation density as well as growth uniformity across the thickness of the foams. The effects of secondary nanotubes on the compressive mechanical properties of the foams was also investigated.

Experimental study on thermal characteristics of positive leader discharges using Mach-Zehnder interferometry

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

Zhou, X., E-mail: zhouxuan12@mails.thu.edu.cn; Zeng, R.; Zhuang, C.

2015-06-15

Leader discharge is one of the main phases in long air gap breakdown, which is characterized by high temperature and high conductivity. It is of great importance to determine thermal characteristics of leader discharges. In this paper, a long-optical-path Mach-Zehnder interferometer was set up to measure the thermal parameters (thermal diameter, gas density, and gas temperature) of positive leader discharges in atmospheric air. IEC standard positive switching impulse voltages were applied to a near-one-meter point-plane air gap. Filamentary channels with high gas temperature and low density corresponding to leader discharges were observed as significant distortions in the interference fringe images.more » Typical diameters of the entire heated channel range from 1.5 mm to 3.5 mm with an average expansion velocity of 6.7 m/s. In contrast, typical diameters of the intensely heated region with a sharp gas density reduction range from 0.4 mm to 1.1 mm, about one third of the entire heated channel. The radial distribution of the gas density is calculated from the fringe displacements by performing an Abel inverse transform. The typical calculated gas density reduction in the center of a propagating leader channel is 80% to 90%, corresponding to a gas temperature of 1500 K to 3000 K based on the ideal gas law. Leaders tend to terminate if the central temperature is below 1500 K.« less

Density management and riparian buffer study in Western Oregon: Phase 1 results, launch of phase 2 [brochure

Treesearch

Rhonda Mazza

2009-01-01

Can we expedite the development of late-successional forest conditions by applying thinning treatments to young forest stands? What effect will these thinning treatments have on headwater ecosystems? These broad questions lie at the foundation of the Density Management and Riparian Buffer Study (DMS) of western Oregon.

Investigation of the on-axis atom number density in the supersonic gas jet under high gas backing pressure by simulation

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

Chen, Guanglong; Xu, Yi; Cao, Yunjiu

The supersonic gas jets from conical nozzles are simulated using 2D model. The on-axis atom number density in gas jet is investigated in detail by comparing the simulated densities with the idealized densities of straight streamline model in scaling laws. It is found that the density is generally lower than the idealized one and the deviation between them is mainly dependent on the opening angle of conical nozzle, the nozzle length and the gas backing pressure. The density deviation is then used to discuss the deviation of the equivalent diameter of a conical nozzle from the idealized d{sub eq} inmore » scaling laws. The investigation on the lateral expansion of gas jet indicates the lateral expansion could be responsible for the behavior of the density deviation. These results could be useful for the estimation of cluster size and the understanding of experimental results in laser-cluster interaction experiments.« less

Development of a radio-frequency quadrupole cooler for high beam currents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boussaid, Ramzi; Ban, G.; Quéméner, G.; Merrer, Y.; Lorry, J.

2017-12-01

The SHIRaC prototype is a recently developed radio-frequency quadrupole (RFQ) beam cooler with an improved optics design to deliver the required beam quality to a high resolution separator (HRS). For an isobaric separation of isotopes, the HRS demands beams with emittance not exceeding 3 π mm mrad and longitudinal energy spread ˜1 eV . Simulation studies showed a significant contribution of the buffer gas diffusion, space charge effect and mainly the rf fringe field to degrade the achieved beam quality at the RFQ exit. A miniature rf quadrupole (μ RFQ ) has been implemented at that exit to remove the degrading effects and provide beams with 1 eV of energy spread and around 1.75 π mm mrad of emittance for 4 Pa gas pressure. This solution enables also to transmit more than 60% of the incoming ions for currents up to 1 μ A . Detailed studies of this development are presented and discussed in this paper. Transport of beams from SHIRaC towards the HRS has been done with an electrostatic quadrupole triplet. Simulations and first experimental tests showed that more than 95% of ions can reach the HRS. Because SPIRAL-2 beams are of high current and very radioactive, the buffer gas will be highly contaminated. Safe maintenance of the SHIRaC beam line needs exceptional treatment of radioactive contaminants. For that, special vinyl sleep should be mounted on elements to be maintained. A detailed maintenance process will be presented.

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.

How Does Dense Molecular Gas Contribute to Star Formation in the Starburst Galaxy NGC 2146?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wofford, Alia

2017-01-01

The starburst galaxy NGC 2146 is believed to have been formed approximately 800 Myr ago, when two galaxies collided with each other possibly leading to a burst of star formation. NGC 2146 is known as a starburst galaxy for the high frequency of star formation going on in its molecular clouds. These clouds serve as nurseries for star formation to occur. Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN) and Carbon monoxide (CO) are molecules found in molecular gas clouds. HCN molecules are tracers for high density star forming gas. Whereas, CO molecules are tracers for low density star forming gas. In this project, we are observing these two molecules and their proximity to where the stars are forming in the galaxy to determine if the star formation is occurring in the same area as the high and low density molecular gas areas in starburst galaxy NGC 2146.

Real-time monitoring of barrel thickness and barrel/screw separation using ultrasound

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jen, Cheng-Kuei; Zun, Zhigang; Kobayashi, Makiko

2005-03-01

Ultrasonic sensors together with a fast data acquisition system have been used to monitor the barrel thickness and barrel/screw separation during low-density polyethylene as well as high-density polyethylene extrusion in 30 mm and 50 mm twin-screw extruders. The sensors include sol-gel sprayed high temperature (HT) piezoelectric thick ceramic film ultrasonic transducers (UTs), stand-alone HTUTs and air-cooled buffer rod type sensors consisting of a room temperature UT and a non-clad or clad buffer rod to which the room temperature UT is attached. The installation and use of these sensors are non-intrusive to the extruder and non-destructive to the polymers being processed. This study has demonstrated the capability of appropriately designed ultrasonic sensors in monitoring the barrel and screw integrity at the melting, mixing and pumping zones of the extruder via barrel or flange. The merits and limitations of these sensors are discussed. The measurement speed and analysis of the sensitivity for quantitative wear measurements are also presented.

Method for making high-critical-current-density YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7 superconducting layers on metallic substrates

DOEpatents

Feenstra, Roeland; Christen, David; Paranthaman, Mariappan

1999-01-01

A method is disclosed for fabricating YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7 superconductor layers with the capability of carrying large superconducting currents on a metallic tape (substrate) supplied with a biaxially textured oxide buffer layer. The method represents a simplification of previously established techniques and provides processing requirements compatible with scale-up to long wire (tape) lengths and high processing speeds. This simplification has been realized by employing the BaF.sub.2 method to grow a YBa.sub.2 Cu.sub.3 O.sub.7 film on a metallic substrate having a biaxially textured oxide buffer layer.

Very thin, high Ge content Si 0.3Ge 0.7 relaxed buffer grown by MBE on SOI(0 0 1) substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Myronov, M.; Shiraki, Y.

2007-04-01

Growth procedure and excellent properties of very thin 240 nm thick, 95% relaxed, high Ge content Si 0.3Ge 0.7 buffer grown on SOI(0 0 1) substrate are demonstrated. All epilayers of the newly developed Si 0.3Ge 0.7/SOI(0 0 1) variable-temperature virtual substrate were grown in a single process by solid-source molecular beam epitaxy. Surface analysis of grown samples revealed smooth, cross-hatch free surface with low root mean square surface roughness of 0.9 nm and low threading dislocations density of 5×10 4 cm -2.

Density-driven transport of gas phase chemicals in unsaturated soils

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fen, Chiu-Shia; Sun, Yong-tai; Cheng, Yuen; Chen, Yuanchin; Yang, Whaiwan; Pan, Changtai

2018-01-01

Variations of gas phase density are responsible for advective and diffusive transports of organic vapors in unsaturated soils. Laboratory experiments were conducted to explore dense gas transport (sulfur hexafluoride, SF6) from different source densities through a nitrogen gas-dry soil column. Gas pressures and SF6 densities at transient state were measured along the soil column for three transport configurations (horizontal, vertically upward and vertically downward transport). These measurements and others reported in the literature were compared with simulation results obtained from two models based on different diffusion approaches: the dusty gas model (DGM) equations and a Fickian-type molar fraction-based diffusion expression. The results show that the DGM and Fickian-based models predicted similar dense gas density profiles which matched the measured data well for horizontal transport of dense gas at low to high source densities, despite the pressure variations predicted in the soil column were opposite to the measurements. The pressure evolutions predicted by both models were in trend similar to the measured ones for vertical transport of dense gas. However, differences between the dense gas densities predicted by the DGM and Fickian-based models were discernible for vertically upward transport of dense gas even at low source densities, as the DGM-based predictions matched the measured data better than the Fickian results did. For vertically downward transport, the dense gas densities predicted by both models were not greatly different from our experimental measurements, but substantially greater than the observations obtained from the literature, especially at high source densities. Further research will be necessary for exploring factors affecting downward transport of dense gas in soil columns. Use of the measured data to compute flux components of SF6 showed that the magnitudes of diffusive flux component based on the Fickian-type diffusion expressions in terms of molar concentration, molar fraction and mass density fraction gradient were almost the same. However, they were greater than the result computed with the mass fraction gradient for > 24% and the DGM-based result for more than one time. As a consequence, the DGM-based total flux of SF6 was in magnitude greatly less than the Fickian result not only for horizontal transport (diffusion-dominating) but also for vertical transport (advection and diffusion) of dense gas. Particularly, the Fickian-based total flux was more than two times in magnitude as much as the DGM result for vertically upward transport of dense gas.

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

Esswein, AJ; Surendranath, Y; Reece, SY

A high surface area electrode is functionalized with cobalt-based oxygen evolving catalysts (Co-OEC = electrodeposited from pH 7 phosphate, Pi, pH 8.5 methylphosphonate, MePi, and pH 9.2 borate electrolyte, Bi). Co-OEC prepared from MePi and operated in Pi and Bi achieves a current density of 100 mA cm(-2) for water oxidation at 442 and 363 mV overpotential, respectively. The catalyst retains activity in near-neutral pH buffered electrolyte in natural waters such as those from the Charles River (Cambridge, MA) and seawater (Woods Hole, MA). The efficacy and ease of operation of anodes functionalized with Co-OEC at appreciable current density togethermore » with its ability to operate in near neutral pH buffered natural water sources bodes well for the translation of this catalyst to a viable renewable energy storage technology.« less

Modeling Separate and Combined Atmospheres in BIO-Plex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry; Finn, Cory; Kwauk, Xianmin; Blackwell, Charles; Luna, Bernadette (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

We modeled BIO-Plex designs with separate or combined atmospheres and then simulated controlling the atmosphere composition. The BIO-Plex is the Bioregenerative Planetary Life Support Systems Test Complex, a large regenerative life support test facility under development at NASA Johnson Space Center. Although plants grow better at above-normal carbon dioxide levels, humans can tolerate even higher carbon dioxide levels. Incinerator exhaust has very high levels of carbon dioxide. An elaborate BIO-Plex design would maintain different atmospheres in the crew and plant chambers and isolate the incinerator exhaust in the airlock. This design easily controls the crew and plant carbon dioxide levels but it uses many gas processors, buffers, and controllers. If all the crew's food is grown inside BIO-Plex, all the carbon dioxide required by the plants is supplied by crew respiration and the incineration of plant and food waste. Because the oxygen mass flow must balance in a closed loop, the plants supply all the oxygen required by the crew and the incinerator. Using plants for air revitalization allows using fewer gas processors, buffers, and controllers. In the simplest design, a single combined atmosphere was used for the crew, the plant chamber, and the incinerator. All gas processors, buffers, and controllers were eliminated. The carbon dioxide levels were necessarily similar for the crew and plants. If most of the food is grown, carbon dioxide can be controlled at the desired level by scheduling incineration. An intermediate design uses one atmosphere for the crew and incinerator chambers and a second for the plant chamber. This allows different carbon dioxide levels for the crew and plants. Better control of the atmosphere is obtained by varying the incineration rate. Less gas processing storage and control is needed if more food is grown.

Modeling Separate and Combined Atmospheres in BIO-Plex

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jones, Harry; Finn, Cory; Kwauk, Xian-Min; Blackwell, Charles; Luna, Bernadette (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

We modeled BIO-Plex designs with separate or combined atmospheres and then simulated controlling the atmosphere composition. The BIO-Plex is the Bioregenerative Planetary Life Support Systems Test Complex, a large regenerative life support test facility under development at NASA Johnson Space Center. Although plants grow better at above-normal carbon dioxide levels, humans can tolerate even higher carbon dioxide levels. incinerator exhaust has very high levels of carbon dioxide. An elaborate BIO-Plex design would maintain different atmospheres in the crew and plant chambers and isolate the incinerator exhaust in the airlock. This design easily controls the crew and plant carbon dioxide levels but it uses many gas processors, buffers, and controllers. If all the crew's food is grown inside BIO-Plex, all the carbon dioxide required by the plants is supplied by crew respiration and the incineration of plant and food waste. Because the oxygen mass flow must balance in a closed loop, the plants supply all the oxygen required by the crew and the incinerator. Using plants for air revitalization allows using fewer gas processors, buffers, and controllers. In the simplest design, a single combined atmosphere was used for the crew, the plant chamber, and the incinerator. All gas processors, buffers, and controllers were eliminated. The carbon dioxide levels were necessarily similar for the crew and plants. If most of the food is grown, carbon dioxide can be controlled at the desired level by scheduling incineration. An intermediate design uses one atmosphere for the crew and incinerator chambers and a second for the plant chamber. This allows different carbon dioxide levels for the crew and plants. Better control of the atmosphere is obtained by varying the incineration rate. Less gas processing, storage, and control is needed if more food is grown.

Buffer capacity of the coelomic fluid in echinoderms.

PubMed

Collard, Marie; Laitat, Kim; Moulin, Laure; Catarino, Ana I; Grosjean, Philippe; Dubois, Philippe

2013-09-01

The increase in atmospheric CO2 due to anthropogenic activity results in an acidification of the surface waters of the oceans. The impact of these chemical changes depends on the considered organisms. In particular, it depends on the ability of the organism to control the pH of its inner fluids. Among echinoderms, this ability seems to differ significantly according to species or taxa. In the present paper, we investigated the buffer capacity of the coelomic fluid in different echinoderm taxa as well as factors modifying this capacity. Euechinoidea (sea urchins except Cidaroidea) present a very high buffer capacity of the coelomic fluid (from 0.8 to 1.8mmolkg(-1) SW above that of seawater), while Cidaroidea (other sea urchins), starfish and holothurians have a significantly lower one (from -0.1 to 0.4mmolkg(-1) SW compared to seawater). We hypothesize that this is linked to the more efficient gas exchange structures present in the three last taxa, whereas Euechinoidea evolved specific buffer systems to compensate lower gas exchange abilities. The constituents of the buffer capacity and the factors influencing it were investigated in the sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus and the starfish Asterias rubens. Buffer capacity is primarily due to the bicarbonate buffer system of seawater (representing about 63% for sea urchins and 92% for starfish). It is also partly due to coelomocytes present in the coelomic fluid (around 8% for both) and, in P. lividus only, a compound of an apparent size larger than 3kDa is involved (about 15%). Feeding increased the buffer capacity in P. lividus (to a difference with seawater of about 2.3mmolkg(-1) SW compared to unfed ones who showed a difference of about 0.5mmolkg(-1) SW) but not in A. rubens (difference with seawater of about 0.2 for both conditions). In P. lividus, decreased seawater pH induced an increase of the buffer capacity of individuals maintained at pH7.7 to about twice that of the control individuals and, for those at pH7.4, about three times. This allowed a partial compensation of the coelomic fluid pH for individuals maintained at pH7.7 but not for those at pH7.4. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Effects of Mean Flow Profiles on the Instability of a Low-Density Gas Jet Injected into a High-Density Gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vedantam, NandaKishore; Parthasarathy, Ramkumar N.

2004-01-01

The effects of the mean velocity profiles on the instability characteristics in the near-injector region of axisymmetric low density gas jets injected vertically upwards into a high-density gas medium were investigated using linear inviscid stability analysis. The flow was assumed to be isothermal and locally parallel. Three velocity profiles, signifying different changes in the mean velocity in the shear layer, were used in the analysis. The effects of the inhomogeneous shear layer and the Froude number (signifying the effects of gravity) on the instability for each set of mean profiles were delineated. At a large Froude number (negligible gravity), a critical density ratio was found for the three profiles at which the jet became absolutely unstable. The critical density ratio for each velocity profile was increased as the Froude number was reduced. A critical Froude number was found for the three sets of profiles, below which the jet was absolutely unstable for all the density ratios less than unity, which demarcated the jet flow into the momentum-driven regime and the buoyancy-driven regime.

Accessing the band alignment in high efficiency Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 (CIGSSe) solar cells with an InxSy:Na buffer based on temperature dependent measurements and simulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schoneberg, Johannes; Ohland, Jörg; Eraerds, Patrick; Dalibor, Thomas; Parisi, Jürgen; Richter, Michael

2018-04-01

We present a one-dimensional simulation model for high efficiency Cu(In,Ga)(Se,S)2 solar cells with a novel band alignment at the hetero-junction. The simulation study is based on new findings about the doping concentration of the InxSy:Na buffer and i-ZnO layers as well as comprehensive solar cell characterization by means of capacitance, current voltage, and external quantum efficiency measurements. The simulation results show good agreement with the experimental data over a broad temperature range, suggesting the simulation model with an interface-near region (INR) of approximately 100 nm around the buffer/absorber interface that is of great importance for the solar cell performance. The INR exhibits an inhomogeneous doping and defect density profile as well as interface traps at the i-layer/buffer and buffer/absorber interfaces. These crucial parameters could be accessed via their opposing behavior on the simulative reconstruction of different measurement characteristics. In this work, we emphasize the necessity to reconstruct the results of a set of experimental methods by means of simulation to find the most appropriate model for the solar cell. Lowly doped buffer and intrinsic window layers in combination with a high space charge at the front of the absorber lead to a novel band alignment in the simulated band structure of the solar cell. The presented insights may guide the strategy of further solar cell optimization including (alkali-) post deposition treatments.

A miniaturized microbial fuel cell with three-dimensional graphene macroporous scaffold anode demonstrating a record power density of over 10,000 W m(-3) .

PubMed

Ren, Hao; Tian, He; Gardner, Cameron L; Ren, Tian-Ling; Chae, Junseok

2016-02-14

A microbial fuel cell (MFC) is a bio-inspired renewable energy converter which directly converts biomass into electricity. This is accomplished via the unique extracellular electron transfer (EET) of a specific species of microbe called the exoelectrogen. Many studies have attempted to improve the power density of MFCs, yet the reported power density is still nearly two orders of magnitude lower than other power sources/converters. Such a low performance can primarily be attributed to two bottlenecks: (i) ineffective electron transfer from microbes located far from the anode and (ii) an insufficient buffer supply to the biofilm. This work takes a novel approach to mitigate these two bottlenecks by integrating a three-dimensional (3D) macroporous graphene scaffold anode in a miniaturized MFC. This implementation has delivered the highest power density reported to date in all MFCs of over 10,000 W m(-3). The miniaturized configuration offers a high surface area to volume ratio and improved mass transfer of biomass and buffers. The 3D graphene macroporous scaffold warrants investigation due to its high specific surface area, high porosity, and excellent conductivity and biocompatibility which facilitates EET and alleviates acidification in the biofilm. Consequently, the 3D scaffold houses an extremely thick and dense biofilm from the Geobacter-enriched culture, delivering an areal/volumetric current density of 15.51 A m(-2)/31,040 A m(-3) and a power density of 5.61 W m(-2)/11,220 W m(-3), a 3.3 fold increase when compared to its planar two-dimensional (2D) control counterparts.

Research on and Application to BH-HTC High Density Cementing Slurry System on Tarim Region

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yuanhong, Song; Fei, Gao; Jianyong, He; Qixiang, Yang; Jiang, Yang; Xia, Liu

2017-08-01

A large section of salt bed is contented in Tarim region Piedmont which constructs complex geological conditions. For high-pressure gas well cementing difficulties from the region, high density cement slurry system has been researched through reasonable level of particle size distribution and second weighting up. The results of laboratory tests and field applications show that the high density cementing slurry system is available to Tarim region cementing because this system has a well performance in slurry stability, gas breakthrough control, fluidity, water loss, and strength.

A versatile digitally-graded buffer structure for metamorphic device applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ma, Yingjie; Zhang, Yonggang; Chen, Xingyou; Gu, Yi; Shi, Yanhui; Ji, Wanyan; Du, Ben

2018-04-01

Exploring more effective buffer schemes for mitigating dislocation deficiencies is the key technology towards higher performance metamorphic devices. Here we demonstrate a versatile metamorphic grading structure consisting of 38-period alternated multilayers of In0.52Al0.48As and In0.82Al0.18As on InP substrate, thicknesses of which in each period were gradually varied in opposite directions from 48.7 and 1.3 nm to 1.3 and 48.7 nm, respectively, akin to a digital alloy. Both preferentially dislocation nucleation and blocking of threading dislocation transmission are observed near the In0.82Al0.18As/In0.52Al0.48As interfaces, which help relax the strain and lower the residual defect density. A 2.6 μm In0.83Ga0.17As pin photodetector is fabricated on this pseudo-substrate, attaining a low dark current density of 2.9  ×  10‑6 A cm‑2 and a high detectivity of 1.8  ×  1010 cmHz1/2W‑1 at room temperature, comparable with the states of the art that on linearly-graded buffer layers. These results indicate such digitally-graded buffer structures are promising for enhancing performances of metamorphic devices, and can be easily generalized to other lattice-mismatched material systems.

Buffer transport mechanisms in intentionally carbon doped GaN heterojunction field effect transistors

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

Uren, Michael J.; Cäsar, Markus; Kuball, Martin

2014-06-30

Temperature dependent pulsed and ramped substrate bias measurements are used to develop a detailed understanding of the vertical carrier transport in the buffer layers in a carbon doped GaN power heterojunction field effect transistor. Carbon doped GaN and multiple layers of AlGaN alloy are used in these devices to deliver an insulating and strain relieved buffer with high breakdown voltage capability. However, understanding of the detailed physical mechanism for its operation is still lacking. At the lowest electric fields (<10 MV/m), charge redistribution within the C doped layer is shown to occur by hole conduction in the valence band withmore » activation energy 0.86 eV. At higher fields, leakage between the two-dimensional electron gas and the buffer dominates occurring by a Poole-Frenkel mechanism with activation energy ∼0.65 eV, presumably along threading dislocations. At higher fields still, the strain relief buffer starts to conduct by a field dependent process. Balancing the onset of these leakage mechanisms is essential to allow the build-up of positive rather than negative space charge, and thus minimize bulk-related current-collapse in these devices.« less

Operation of an experimental algal gas exchanger for use in a CELSS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smernoff, David T.; Wharton, Robert A., Jr.; Averner, Maurice M.

1987-01-01

Concepts of a Closed Ecological Life Support System (CELSS) anticipate the use of photosynthetic organisms (higher plants and algae) for air revitalization. The rates of production and uptake of carbon dioxide and oxygen between the crew and the photosynthetic organisms are mismatched. An algal system used for gas exchange only will have the difficulty of an accumulation or depletion of these gases beyond physiologically tolerable limits (in a closed system the mismatch between assimilatory quotient (AQ) and respiratory quotient (RQ) is balanced by the operation of the waste processor). The results are given of a study designed to test the feasibility of using environmental manipulations to maintain physiologically appropriate atmospheres for algae and mice in a gas closed system. Specifically, the atmosphere behavior of this system is considered with algae grown on nitrate or urea and at different light intensities and optical densities. Manipulation of both allow operation of the system in a gas stable manner. Operation of such a system in a CELSS may be useful for reduction of buffer sizes, as a backup system for higher plant air revitalization and to supply extra oxygen to the waste processor or during crew changes.

Continuous processing of recombinant proteins: Integration of inclusion body solubilization and refolding using simulated moving bed size exclusion chromatography with buffer recycling.

PubMed

Wellhoefer, Martin; Sprinzl, Wolfgang; Hahn, Rainer; Jungbauer, Alois

2013-12-06

An integrated process which combines continuous inclusion body dissolution with NaOH and continuous matrix-assisted refolding based on closed-loop simulated moving bed size exclusion chromatography was designed and experimentally evaluated at laboratory scale. Inclusion bodies from N(pro) fusion pep6His and N(pro) fusion MCP1 from high cell density fermentation were continuously dissolved with NaOH, filtered and mixed with concentrated refolding buffer prior to refolding by size exclusion chromatography (SEC). This process enabled an isocratic operation of the simulated moving bed (SMB) system with a closed-loop set-up with refolding buffer as the desorbent buffer and buffer recycling by concentrating the raffinate using tangential flow filtration. With this continuous refolding process, we increased the refolding and cleavage yield of both model proteins by 10% compared to batch dilution refolding. Furthermore, more than 99% of the refolding buffer of the raffinate could be recycled which reduced the buffer consumption significantly. Based on the actual refolding data, we compared throughput, productivity, and buffer consumption between two batch dilution refolding processes - one using urea for IB dissolution, the other one using NaOH for IB dissolution - and our continuous refolding process. The higher complexity of the continuous refolding process was rewarded with higher throughput and productivity as well as significantly lower buffer consumption compared to the batch dilution refolding processes. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Method for improving performance of high temperature superconductors within a magnetic field

DOEpatents

Wang, Haiyan; Foltyn, Stephen R.; Maiorov, Boris A.; Civale, Leonardo

2010-01-05

The present invention provides articles including a base substrate including a layer of an oriented cubic oxide material having a rock-salt-like structure layer thereon; and, a buffer layer upon the oriented cubic oxide material having a rock-salt-like structure layer, the buffer layer having an outwardly facing surface with a surface morphology including particulate outgrowths of from 10 nm to 500 run in size at the surface, such particulate outgrowths serving as flux pinning centers whereby the article maintains higher performance within magnetic fields than similar articles without the necessary density of such outgrowths.

Demonstration of landfill gas enhancement techniques in landfill simulators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Walsh, J. J.; Vogt, W. G.

1982-02-01

Various techniques to enhance gas production in sanitary landfills were applied to landfill simulators. These techniques include (1) accelerated moisture addition, (2) leachate recycling, (3) buffer addition, (4) nutrient addition, and (5) combinations of the above. Results are compiled through on-going operation and monitoring of sixteen landfill simulators. These test cells contain about 380 kg of municipal solid waste. Quantities of buffer and nutrient materials were placed in selected cells at the time of loading. Water is added to all test cells on a monthly basis; leachate is withdrawn from all cells (and recycled on selected cells) also on a monthly basis. Daily monitoring of gas volumes and refuse temperatures is performed. Gas and leachate samples are collected and analyzed on a monthly basis. Leachate and gas quality and quantity reslts are presented for the first 18 months of operation.

Power Requirements Determined for High-Power-Density Electric Motors for Electric Aircraft Propulsion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Johnson, Dexter; Brown, Gerald V.

2005-01-01

Future advanced aircraft fueled by hydrogen are being developed to use electric drive systems instead of gas turbine engines for propulsion. Current conventional electric motor power densities cannot match those of today s gas turbine aircraft engines. However, if significant technological advances could be made in high-power-density motor development, the benefits of an electric propulsion system, such as the reduction of harmful emissions, could be realized.

Effect of hydrogen on the device performance and stability characteristics of amorphous InGaZnO thin-film transistors with a SiO2/SiNx/SiO2 buffer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Ki-Lim; Ok, Kyung-Chul; Cho, Hyeon-Su; Oh, Saeroonter; Park, Jin-Seong

2017-08-01

We investigate the influence of the multi-layered buffer consisting of SiO2/SiNx/SiO2 on amorphous InGaZnO (a-IGZO) thin-film transistors (TFTs). The multi-layered buffer inhibits permeation of water from flexible plastic substrates and prevents degradation of overlying organic layers. The a-IGZO TFTs with a multi-layered buffer suffer less positive bias temperature stress instability compared to the device with a single SiO2 buffer layer after annealing at 250 °C. Hydrogen from the SiNx layer diffuses into the active layer and reduces electron trapping at loosely bound oxygen defects near the SiO2/a-IGZO interface. Quantitative analysis shows that a hydrogen density of 1.85 × 1021 cm-3 is beneficial to reliability. However, the multi-layered buffer device annealed at 350 °C resulted in conductive characteristics due to the excess carrier concentration from the higher hydrogen density of 2.12 × 1021 cm-3.

Anisotropic structural and optical properties of semi-polar (11-22) GaN grown on m-plane sapphire using double AlN buffer layers.

PubMed

Zhao, Guijuan; Wang, Lianshan; Yang, Shaoyan; Li, Huijie; Wei, Hongyuan; Han, Dongyue; Wang, Zhanguo

2016-02-10

We report the anisotropic structural and optical properties of semi-polar (11-22) GaN grown on m-plane sapphire using a three-step growth method which consisted of a low temperature AlN buffer layer, followed by a high temperature AlN buffer layer and GaN growth. By introducing double AlN buffer layers, we substantially improve the crystal and optical qualities of semi-polar (11-22) GaN, and significantly reduce the density of stacking faults and dislocations. The high resolution x-ray diffraction measurement revealed that the in-plane anisotropic structural characteristics of GaN layer are azimuthal dependent. Transmission electron microscopy analysis showed that the majority of dislocations in the GaN epitaxial layer grown on m-sapphire are the mixed-type and the orientation of GaN layer was rotated 58.4° against the substrate. The room temperature photoluminescence (PL) spectra showed the PL intensity and wavelength have polarization dependence along parallel and perpendicular to the [1-100] axis (polarization degrees ~ 0.63). The realization of a high polarization semi-polar GaN would be useful to achieve III-nitride based lighting emission device for displays and backlighting.

Hydrogen production in microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cells using a substrate without buffer solution.

PubMed

Song, Young-Hyun; Hidayat, Syarif; Kim, Han-Ki; Park, Joo-Yang

2016-06-01

The aim of this work was to use substrate without buffer solution in a microbial reverse-electrodialysis electrolysis cell (MREC) for hydrogen production under continuous flow condition (10 cell pairs of RED stacks, HRT=5, 7.5, and 15h). Decreasing in the HRT (increasing in the organic matter) made cell current stable and increased. Hydrogen gas was produced at a rate of 0.61m(3)-H2/m(3)-Van/d in H-MREC, with a COD removal efficiency of 81% (1.55g/L/d) and a Coulombic efficiency of 41%. This MREC system without buffer solution could successfully produce hydrogen gas at a consistent rate. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Ultracold Mixtures of Rubidium and Ytterbium for Open Quantum System Engineering

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-06-01

was replaced with a standard nipple since the actual thermal conduction is comparable. Second, the collimation tube (5 mm ID x 15 cm length) was...Presumably, there is some sort of thin layer coating the Yb which must first be driven off. The helium buffer gas serves to shorten the mean free...path below the line-of-sight distance to the windows, and we can leave them at room temperature without coating them with Yb. The buffer gas causes

Millimeter-wave Line Ratios and Sub-beam Volume Density Distributions

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

Leroy, Adam K.; Gallagher, Molly; Usero, Antonio

We explore the use of mm-wave emission line ratios to trace molecular gas density when observations integrate over a wide range of volume densities within a single telescope beam. For observations targeting external galaxies, this case is unavoidable. Using a framework similar to that of Krumholz and Thompson, we model emission for a set of common extragalactic lines from lognormal and power law density distributions. We consider the median density of gas that produces emission and the ability to predict density variations from observed line ratios. We emphasize line ratio variations because these do not require us to know themore » absolute abundance of our tracers. Patterns of line ratio variations have the potential to illuminate the high-end shape of the density distribution, and to capture changes in the dense gas fraction and median volume density. Our results with and without a high-density power law tail differ appreciably; we highlight better knowledge of the probability density function (PDF) shape as an important area. We also show the implications of sub-beam density distributions for isotopologue studies targeting dense gas tracers. Differential excitation often implies a significant correction to the naive case. We provide tabulated versions of many of our results, which can be used to interpret changes in mm-wave line ratios in terms of adjustments to the underlying density distributions.« less

High-Thermal- and Air-Stability Cathode Material with Concentration-Gradient Buffer for Li-Ion Batteries.

PubMed

Shi, Ji-Lei; Qi, Ran; Zhang, Xu-Dong; Wang, Peng-Fei; Fu, Wei-Gui; Yin, Ya-Xia; Xu, Jian; Wan, Li-Jun; Guo, Yu-Guo

2017-12-13

Delivery of high capacity with high thermal and air stability is a great challenge in the development of Ni-rich layered cathodes for commercialized Li-ion batteries (LIBs). Herein we present a surface concentration-gradient spherical particle with varying elemental composition from the outer end LiNi 1/3 Co 1/3 Mn 1/3 O 2 (NCM) to the inner end LiNi 0.8 Co 0.15 Al 0.05 O 2 (NCA). This cathode material with the merit of NCM concentration-gradient protective buffer and the inner NCA core shows high capacity retention of 99.8% after 200 cycles at 0.5 C. Furthermore, this cathode material exhibits much improved thermal and air stability compared with bare NCA. These results provide new insights into the structural design of high-performance cathodes with high energy density, long life span, and storage stability materials for LIBs in the future.

C+/H2 gas in star-forming clouds and galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nordon, Raanan; Sternberg, Amiel

2016-11-01

We present analytic theory for the total column density of singly ionized carbon (C+) in the optically thick photon dominated regions (PDRs) of far-UV irradiated (star-forming) molecular clouds. We derive a simple formula for the C+ column as a function of the cloud (hydrogen) density, the far-UV field intensity, and metallicity, encompassing the wide range of galaxy conditions. When assuming the typical relation between UV and density in the cold neutral medium, the C+ column becomes a function of the metallicity alone. We verify our analysis with detailed numerical PDR models. For optically thick gas, most of the C+ column is mixed with hydrogen that is primarily molecular (H2), and this `C+/H2' gas layer accounts for almost all of the `CO-dark' molecular gas in PDRs. The C+/H2 column density is limited by dust shielding and is inversely proportional to the metallicity down to ˜0.1 solar. At lower metallicities, H2 line blocking dominates and the C+/H2 column saturates. Applying our theory to CO surveys in low-redshift spirals, we estimate the fraction of C+/H2 gas out of the total molecular gas to be typically ˜0.4. At redshifts 1 < z < 3 in massive disc galaxies the C+/H2 gas represents a very small fraction of the total molecular gas (≲ 0.16). This small fraction at high redshifts is due to the high gas surface densities when compared to local galaxies.

The Three-dimensional Spatial Distribution of Interstellar Gas in the Milky Way: Implications for Cosmic Rays and High-energy Gamma-ray Emissions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jóhannesson, Guđlaugur; Porter, Troy A.; Moskalenko, Igor V.

2018-03-01

Direct measurements of cosmic ray (CR) species combined with observations of their associated γ-ray emissions can be used to constrain models of CR propagation, trace the structure of the Galaxy, and search for signatures of new physics. The spatial density distribution of interstellar gas is a vital element for all these studies. So far, models have employed the 2D cylindrically symmetric geometry, but their accuracy is well behind that of the available data. In this paper, 3D spatial density models for neutral and molecular hydrogen are constructed based on empirical model fitting to gas line-survey data. The developed density models incorporate spiral arms and account for the warping of the disk, and the increasing gas scale height with radial distance from the Galactic center. They are employed together with the GALPROP CR propagation code to investigate how the new 3D gas models affect calculations of CR propagation and high-energy γ-ray intensity maps. The calculations reveal non-trivial features that are directly related to the new gas models. The best-fit values for propagation model parameters employing 3D gas models are presented and they differ significantly from those derived with the 2D gas density models that have been widely used. The combination of 3D CR and gas density models provide a more realistic basis for the interpretation of non-thermal emissions from the Galaxy.

Injector design for liner-on-target gas-puff experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valenzuela, J. C.; Krasheninnikov, I.; Conti, F.; Wessel, F.; Fadeev, V.; Narkis, J.; Ross, M. P.; Rahman, H. U.; Ruskov, E.; Beg, F. N.

2017-11-01

We present the design of a gas-puff injector for liner-on-target experiments. The injector is composed of an annular high atomic number (e.g., Ar and Kr) gas and an on-axis plasma gun that delivers an ionized deuterium target. The annular supersonic nozzle injector has been studied using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to produce a highly collimated (M > 5), ˜1 cm radius gas profile that satisfies the theoretical requirement for best performance on ˜1-MA current generators. The CFD simulations allowed us to study output density profiles as a function of the nozzle shape, gas pressure, and gas composition. We have performed line-integrated density measurements using a continuous wave (CW) He-Ne laser to characterize the liner gas density. The measurements agree well with the CFD values. We have used a simple snowplow model to study the plasma sheath acceleration in a coaxial plasma gun to help us properly design the target injector.

Injector design for liner-on-target gas-puff experiments.

PubMed

Valenzuela, J C; Krasheninnikov, I; Conti, F; Wessel, F; Fadeev, V; Narkis, J; Ross, M P; Rahman, H U; Ruskov, E; Beg, F N

2017-11-01

We present the design of a gas-puff injector for liner-on-target experiments. The injector is composed of an annular high atomic number (e.g., Ar and Kr) gas and an on-axis plasma gun that delivers an ionized deuterium target. The annular supersonic nozzle injector has been studied using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to produce a highly collimated (M > 5), ∼1 cm radius gas profile that satisfies the theoretical requirement for best performance on ∼1-MA current generators. The CFD simulations allowed us to study output density profiles as a function of the nozzle shape, gas pressure, and gas composition. We have performed line-integrated density measurements using a continuous wave (CW) He-Ne laser to characterize the liner gas density. The measurements agree well with the CFD values. We have used a simple snowplow model to study the plasma sheath acceleration in a coaxial plasma gun to help us properly design the target injector.

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.

Excited argon 1s5 production in micro-hollow cathode discharges for use as potential rare gas laser sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peterson, Richard D.; Eshel, Ben; Rice, Christopher A.; Perram, Glen P.

2018-02-01

The diode-pumped rare gas laser (DPRGL) has been suggested as a potential high-gain, high-energy laser which requires densities on the order of 1013 cm-3 at pressures around 1 atmosphere for efficient operation. Argon 1s5 number densities have been measured in micro-hollow cathode discharges with electrode gaps of 127 and 254 μm and hole diameters from 100-400 μm. The dependency of the metastable argon (1s5) density on total gas pressure, electrode gap distance and hole diameter were explored. The measured densities were all in the range of 0.5 - 2 × 1013 cm-3 with the 400 μm hole diameters being the lowest.

Biodesulfurization of vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite concentrates and pH control of bioleaching solution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiao-rong; Jiang, Sheng-cai; Liu, Yan-jun; Li, Hui; Wang, Hua-jun

2013-10-01

Vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite concentrates were desulfurized with Acidithiobacillus ferrooxidans ( A. ferrooxidans). The sulfur content of the concentrates was reduced from 0.69wt% to 0.14wt% after bioleaching for 15 d with a 10% pulp density at 30°C. Maintaining a stable pH value during biodesulfurization was critical because of high acid consumption, resulting from a combination of nonoxidative and oxidative dissolution of pyrrhotite in acid solution. It is discovered that the citric acid-disodium hydrogen phosphate buffer of pH 2.0 can control the solution pH value smoothly in the optimal range of 2.0-3.0 for A. ferrooxidans growth. Using the buffer in the volume fraction range of 5.0%-15.0% stimulates A. ferrooxidans growth and improves the biodesulfurization efficiency. Compared with the buffer-free control case, the maximum increase of biodesulfurization rate is 29.7% using a 10.0vol% buffer. Bioleaching provides an alternative process for desulfurization of vanadium-bearing titanomagnetite ores.

Resolving the interactions between population density and air pollution emissions controls in the San Joaquin Valley, USA.

PubMed

Hixson, Mark; Mahmud, Abdullah; Hu, Jianlin; Kleeman, Michael J

2012-05-01

The effectiveness of emissions control programs designed to reduce concentrations of airborne particulate matter with an aerodynamic diameter < 2.5 microm (PM2.5) in California's San Joaquin Valley was studied in the year 2030 under three growth scenarios: low, medium, and high population density. Base-case inventories for each choice of population density were created using a coupled emissions modeling system that simultaneously considered interactions between land use and transportation, area source, and point source emissions. The ambient PM2.5 response to each combination of population density and emissions control was evaluated using a regional chemical transport model over a 3-week winter stagnation episode. Comparisons between scenarios were based on regional average and population-weighted PM2.5 concentrations. In the absence of any emissions control program, population-weighted concentrations of PM2.5 in the future San Joaquin Valley are lowest undergrowth scenarios that emphasize low population density. A complete ban on wood burning and a 90% reduction in emissions from food cooking operations and diesel engines must occur before medium- to high-density growth scenarios result in lower population-weighted concentrations of PM2.5. These trends partly reflect the fact that existing downtown urban cores that naturally act as anchor points for new high-density growth in the San Joaquin Valley are located close to major transportation corridors for goods movement. Adding growth buffers around transportation corridors had little impact in the current analysis, since the 8-km resolution of the chemical transport model already provided an artificial buffer around major emissions sources. Assuming that future emissions controls will greatly reduce or eliminate emissions from residential wood burning, food cooking, and diesel engines, the 2030 growth scenario using "as-planned" (medium) population density achieves the lowest population-weighted average PM2.5 concentration in the future San Joaquin Valley during a severe winter stagnation event. The San Joaquin Valley is one of the most heavily polluted air basins in the United States that are projected to experience strong population growth in the coming decades. The best plan to improve air quality in the region combines medium- or high-density population growth with rigorous emissions controls. In the absences of controls, high-density growth leads to increased population exposure to PM2.5 compared with low-density growth scenarios (urban sprawl).

Investigation of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor structures on 200-mm silicon (111) substrates employing different buffer layer configurations.

PubMed

Lee, H-P; Perozek, J; Rosario, L D; Bayram, C

2016-11-21

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structures are grown on 200-mm diameter Si(111) substrates by using three different buffer layer configurations: (a) Thick-GaN/3 × {Al x Ga 1-x N}/AlN, (b) Thin-GaN/3 × {Al x Ga 1-x N}/AlN, and (c) Thin-GaN/AlN, so as to have crack-free and low-bow (<50 μm) wafer. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, high resolution-cross section transmission electron microscopy, optical microscopy, atomic-force microscopy, cathodoluminescence, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (ω/2θ scan and symmetric/asymmetric ω scan (rocking curve scan), reciprocal space mapping) and Hall effect measurements are employed to study the structural, optical, and electrical properties of these AlGaN/GaN HEMT structures. The effects of buffer layer stacks (i.e. thickness and content) on defectivity, stress, and two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) mobility and 2DEG concentration are reported. It is shown that 2DEG characteristics are heavily affected by the employed buffer layers between AlGaN/GaN HEMT structures and Si(111) substrates. Particularly, we report that in-plane stress in the GaN layer affects the 2DEG mobility and 2DEG carrier concentration significantly. Buffer layer engineering is shown to be essential for achieving high 2DEG mobility (>1800 cm 2 /V∙s) and 2DEG carrier concentration (>1.0 × 10 13  cm -2 ) on Si(111) substrates.

Investigation of AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor structures on 200-mm silicon (111) substrates employing different buffer layer configurations

PubMed Central

Lee, H.-P.; Perozek, J.; Rosario, L. D.; Bayram, C.

2016-01-01

AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) structures are grown on 200-mm diameter Si(111) substrates by using three different buffer layer configurations: (a) Thick-GaN/3 × {AlxGa1−xN}/AlN, (b) Thin-GaN/3 × {AlxGa1−xN}/AlN, and (c) Thin-GaN/AlN, so as to have crack-free and low-bow (<50 μm) wafer. Scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, high resolution-cross section transmission electron microscopy, optical microscopy, atomic-force microscopy, cathodoluminescence, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (ω/2θ scan and symmetric/asymmetric ω scan (rocking curve scan), reciprocal space mapping) and Hall effect measurements are employed to study the structural, optical, and electrical properties of these AlGaN/GaN HEMT structures. The effects of buffer layer stacks (i.e. thickness and content) on defectivity, stress, and two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) mobility and 2DEG concentration are reported. It is shown that 2DEG characteristics are heavily affected by the employed buffer layers between AlGaN/GaN HEMT structures and Si(111) substrates. Particularly, we report that in-plane stress in the GaN layer affects the 2DEG mobility and 2DEG carrier concentration significantly. Buffer layer engineering is shown to be essential for achieving high 2DEG mobility (>1800 cm2/V∙s) and 2DEG carrier concentration (>1.0 × 1013 cm−2) on Si(111) substrates. PMID:27869222

Development anmd testing of electrophoresis solutions. Task I.1: Development of optimal buffer system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1985-01-01

Two buffers were explored for testing: low ionic strength electrophoresis buffer with and without density gradient material. It was found that the electrophoresis routine was better tolerated when Ficoll was present. The results of a viability study of primary human fetal kidney (HFK-1) cells at the first passage are shown. Cell strain HFK-1 was used in several experiments at the first and second passage. The HFK consisted mainly of fibroblasts, and HFK-1 has a high epithelioid cell content. The chromosomes of HFK were examined and found to be euploid. The stock medium for cell electrophoresis is described. In this solution density gradient solutes such as sucrose and Ficoll are dissolved to bring the osmolarity to 0.30. Its ionic strength is less than 0.01M, and its conductivity is usually 0.0011 mho/cm. Methods for viability determination included direct microscopic counting of the percent cells attached and spread within 24 hr of plating test cultures or electrophoretically separated fractions. The Cytograf viability assay concept was tested, and shown that blue stained cells scatter less light into the 0.8 to 3.3 deg angular interval than do unstained cells.

Nitrate-nitrogen reduction by established tree and pasture buffer strips associated with a cattle feedlot effluent disposal area near Armidale, NSW Australia.

PubMed

Wang, Liangmin; Duggin, John A; Nie, Daoping

2012-05-30

Vegetated buffer strips have been recognized as an important element in overall agro-ecosystem management to reduce the delivery of non-point source pollutants from agricultural land to inland water systems. A buffer strip experiment consisting of two tree species (Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Casuarina cunninghamiana) with two planting densities and a pasture treatment was conducted to determine the effectiveness of NO(3)-N removal from a cattle feedlot effluent disposal area at Tullimba near Armidale, NSW Australia. Different management methods were applied for the buffers where grass and weeds were mowed 2-3 times during the second and third years and were not managed during the rest experimental years for the tree buffer, while grass was harvested 1-3 times per year for the pasture buffer. The differences between tree species and planting density significantly affected tree growth, but the growth difference did not significantly affect their capacities to reduce NO(3)-N in soil surface runoff and groundwater. On average for all the tree and pasture treatments, the buffer strips reduced NO(3)-N concentration by 8.5%, 14.7% and 14.4% for the surface runoff, shallow and deep groundwater respectively. The tree and pasture buffer strips were not significantly different in NO(3)-N reduction for both shallow and deep groundwater while the pasture buffer strips reduced significantly more NO(3)-N concentration in surface runoff than the tree buffer strips. Both buffer strips reduced more than 50% of surface runoff volume indicating that both the tree and pasture buffer strips were efficient at removing water and nutrients, mostly through a significant reduction in soil surface runoff volume. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Velocity measurements by laser resonance fluorescence. [single atom diffusional motion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

She, C. Y.; Fairbank, W. M., Jr.

1980-01-01

The photonburst correlation method was used to detect single atoms in a buffer gas. Real time flow velocity measurements with laser induced resonance fluorescence from single or multiple atoms was demonstrated and this method was investigated as a tool for wind tunnel flow measurement. Investigations show that single atoms and their real time diffusional motion on a buffer gas can be measured by resonance fluorescence. By averaging over many atoms, flow velocities up to 88 m/s were measured in a time of 0.5 sec. It is expected that higher flow speeds can be measured and that the measurement time can be reduced by a factor of 10 or more by careful experimental design. The method is clearly not ready for incorporation in high speed wind tunnels because it is not yet known whether the stray light level will be higher or lower, and it is not known what detection efficiency can be obtained in a wind tunnel situation.

Spin polarization of {sup 87}Rb atoms with ultranarrow linewidth diode laser: Numerical simulation

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

Wang, Z. G.; Interdisciplinary Center of Quantum Information, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, 410073; College of Science, National University of Defense Technology, Changsha, 410073

2016-08-15

In order to polarize {sup 87}Rb vapor effectively with ultranarrow linewidth diode laser, we studied the polarization as a function of some parameters including buffer gas pressure and laser power. Moreover, we also discussed the methods which split or modulate the diode laser frequency so as to pump the two ground hyperfine levels efficiently. We obtained some useful results through numerical simulation. If the buffer gas pressure is so high that the hyperfine structure is unresolved, the polarization is insensitive to laser frequency at peak absorption point so frequency splitting and frequency modulation methods do not show improvement. At lowmore » pressure and laser power large enough, where the hyperfine structure is clearly resolved, frequency splitting and frequency modulation methods can increase polarization effectively. For laser diodes, frequency modulation is easily realized with current modulation, so this method is attractive since it does not add any other components in the pumping laser system.« less

Growth of High-Quality GaAs on Ge by Controlling the Thickness and Growth Temperature of Buffer Layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Xu-Liang; Pan, Jiao-Qing; Yu, Hong-Yan; Li, Shi-Yan; Wang, Bao-Jun; Bian, Jing; Wang, Wei

2014-12-01

High-quality GaAs thin films grown on miscut Ge substrates are crucial for GaAs-based devices on silicon. We investigate the effect of different thicknesses and temperatures of GaAs buffer layers on the crystal quality and surface morphology of GaAs on Ge by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. Through high resolution x-ray diffraction measurements, it is demonstrated that the full width at half maximum for the GaAs epilayer (Ge substrate) peak could achieve 19.3 (11.0) arcsec. The value of etch pit density could be 4×104 cm-2. At the same time, GaAs surfaces with no pyramid-shaped pits are obtained when the buffer layer growth temperature is lower than 360°C, due to effective inhibition of initial nucleation at terraces of the Ge surface. In addition, it is shown that large island formation at the initial stage of epitaxial growth is a significant factor for the final rough surface and that this initial stage should be carefully controlled when a device quality GaAs surface is desired.

Poverty and corruption compromise tropical forest reserves.

PubMed

Wright, S Joseph; Sanchez-Azofeifa, G Arturo; Portillo-Quintero, Carlos; Davies, Diane

2007-07-01

We used the global fire detection record provided by the satellite-based Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to determine the number of fires detected inside 823 tropical and subtropical moist forest reserves and for contiguous buffer areas 5, 10, and 15 km wide. The ratio of fire detection densities (detections per square kilometer) inside reserves to their contiguous buffer areas provided an index of reserve effectiveness. Fire detection density was significantly lower inside reserves than in paired, contiguous buffer areas but varied by five orders of magnitude among reserves. The buffer: reserve detection ratio varied by up to four orders of magnitude among reserves within a single country, and median values varied by three orders of magnitude among countries. Reserves tended to be least effective at reducing fire frequency in many poorer countries and in countries beset by corruption. Countries with the most successful reserves include Costa Rica, Jamaica, Malaysia, and Taiwan and the Indonesian island of Java. Countries with the most problematic reserves include Cambodia, Guatemala, Paraguay, and Sierra Leone and the Indonesian portion of Borneo. We provide fire detection density for 3964 tropical and subtropical reserves and their buffer areas in the hope that these data will expedite further analyses that might lead to improved management of tropical reserves.

Number-Density Measurements of CO2 in Real Time with an Optical Frequency Comb for High Accuracy and Precision

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Scholten, Sarah K.; Perrella, Christopher; Anstie, James D.; White, Richard T.; Al-Ashwal, Waddah; Hébert, Nicolas Bourbeau; Genest, Jérôme; Luiten, Andre N.

2018-05-01

Real-time and accurate measurements of gas properties are highly desirable for numerous real-world applications. Here, we use an optical-frequency comb to demonstrate absolute number-density and temperature measurements of a sample gas with state-of-the-art precision and accuracy. The technique is demonstrated by measuring the number density of 12C16O2 with an accuracy of better than 1% and a precision of 0.04% in a measurement and analysis cycle of less than 1 s. This technique is transferable to numerous molecular species, thus offering an avenue for near-universal gas concentration measurements.

Molecular Rayleigh Scattering Diagnostic for Measurement of High Frequency Temperature Fluctuations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mielke, Amy F.; Elam, Kristie A.

2005-01-01

A novel technique for measurement of high frequency temperature fluctuations in unseeded gas flows using molecular Rayleigh scattering is investigated. The spectrum of laser light scattered from molecules in a gas flow is resolved using a Fabry-Perot interferometer. The width of the spectral peak is broadened by thermal motion of the molecules and hence is related to gas temperature. The interference fringe pattern containing spectral information is divided into four concentric regions using a series of mirrors angled with respect to one another. Light from each of these regions is directed towards photomultiplier tubes and sampled at 10 kHz using photon counting electronics. Monitoring the relative change in intensity within each region allows measurement of gas temperature. Independently monitoring the total scattered intensity provides a measure of gas density. This technique also has the potential to simultaneously measure a single component of flow velocity by monitoring the spectral peak location. Measurements of gas temperature and density are demonstrated using a low speed heated air jet surrounded by an unheated air co-flow. Mean values of temperature and density are shown for radial scans across the jet flow at a fixed axial distance from the jet exit plane. Power spectra of temperature and density fluctuations at several locations in the jet are also shown. The instantaneous measurements have fairly high uncertainty; however, long data records provide highly accurate statistically quantities, which include power spectra. Mean temperatures are compared with thermocouple measurements as well as the temperatures derived from independent density measurements. The accuracy for mean temperature measurements was +/- 7 K.

Human respiration at rest in rapid compression and at high pressures and gas densities

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gelfand, R.; Lambertsen, C. J.; Strauss, R.; Clark, J. M.; Puglia, C. D.

1983-01-01

The ventilation (V), end-tidal PCO2 (PACO2), and CO2 elimination rate were determined in men at rest breathing CO2-free gas over the pressure range 1-50 ATA and the gas density range 0.4-25 g/l, during slow and rapid compressions, at stable elevated ambient pressures and during slow decompressions. Progressive increase in pulmonary gas flow resistance due to elevation of ambient pressure and inspired gas density to the He-O2 equivalent of 5000 feet of seawater was found to produce a complex pattern of change in PACO2. It was found that as both ambient pressure and pulmonary gas flow resistance were progressively raised, PACO2 at first increased, went through a maximum, and then declined towards values near the 1 ATA level. It is concluded that this pattern of PACO2 change results from the interaction on ventilation of the increase in pulmonary resistance due to the elevation of gas density with the increase in respiratory drive postulated as due to generalized central nervous system excitation associated with exposure to high hydrostatic pressure. It is suggested that a similar interaction exists between increased gas flow resistance and the increase in respiratory drive related to nitrogen partial pressure and the resulting narcosis.

Optimization of gas-filled quartz capillary discharge waveguide for high-energy laser wakefield acceleration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Zhiyong; Li, Wentao; Liu, Jiansheng; Liu, Jiaqi; Yu, Changhai; Wang, Wentao; Qi, Rong; Zhang, Zhijun; Fang, Ming; Feng, Ke; Wu, Ying; Ke, Lintong; Chen, Yu; Wang, Cheng; Li, Ruxin; Xu, Zhizhan

2018-04-01

A hydrogen-filled capillary discharge waveguide made of quartz is presented for high-energy laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA). The experimental parameters (discharge current and gas pressure) were optimized to mitigate ablation by a quantitative analysis of the ablation plasma density inside the hydrogen-filled quartz capillary. The ablation plasma density was obtained by combining a spectroscopic measurement method with a calibrated gas transducer. In order to obtain a controllable plasma density and mitigate the ablation as much as possible, the range of suitable parameters was investigated. The experimental results demonstrated that the ablation in the quartz capillary could be mitigated by increasing the gas pressure to ˜7.5-14.7 Torr and decreasing the discharge current to ˜70-100 A. These optimized parameters are promising for future high-energy LWFA experiments based on the quartz capillary discharge waveguide.

Oxygen buffering of Kilauea volcanic gases and the oxygen fugacity of Kilauea basalt

USGS Publications Warehouse

Gerlach, T.M.

1993-01-01

Volcanic gases collected during episode 1 of the Puu Oo eruption along the east rift zone of Kilauea Volcano, Hawaii, have uniform C-O-H-S-Cl-F compositions that are sharply depleted in CO2. The CO2-poor gases are typical of Type II volcanic gases (gerlach and Graeber, 1985) and were emitted from evolved magma stored for a prolonged period of time in the east rift zone after releasing CO2-rich gases during an earlier period of temporary residence in the summit magma chamber. The samples are remarkably free of contamination by atmospheric gases and meteoric water. Thermodynamic evaluation of the analytical data shows that the episode 1 gases have equilibrium compositions appropriate for temperatures between 935 and 1032??C. Open- and closed-system equilibrium models of species distributions for the episode 1 gases show unequivocally that coexisting lavas buffered the gas oxygen fugacities during cooling. These models indicate that the fO2 buffering process occurs by transfer of oxygen from the major species in the gas phase (H2O, CO2, SO2) to the lava during cooling and that the transfer of oxygen also controls the fugacities of several minor and trace species (H2, CO, H2S, S2, Cl2, F2), in addition to O2 during cooling. Gas/lava exchanges of other components are apparently insignificant and exert little influence, compared to oxygen exchange, during cooling. Oxygen transfer during cooling is variable, presumably reflecting short-term fluctuations in gas flow rates. Higher flow rates restrict the time available for gas/lava oxygen transfer and result in gases with higher equilibrium temperatures. Lower flow rates favor fO2-constrained equilibration by oxygen transfer down to lower temperatures. Thus, the chemical equilibrium preserved in these gases is a heterogeneous equilibrium constrained by oxygen fugacity, and the equilibrium temperatures implied by the compositions of the gases reflect the temperatures at which gas/lava oxygen exchange ceased. This conclusion challenges the common assumption that volcanic gases are released from lava in a state of chemical equilibrium and then continue equilibrating homogeneously with falling temperature until reaction rates are unable to keep pace with cooling. No evidence is found, moreover, that certain gas species are kinetically more responsive and able to equilibrate down to lower temperatures than those of the last gas/lava oxygen exchange. Homogeneous reaction rates in the gas phase are apparently slow compared to the time it took for the gases to move from the last site of gas/lava equilibration to the site of collection. An earlier set of data for higher temperature CO2-rich Type I volcanic gases, which come from sustained summit lava lake eruptions supplied by magma that experienced substantially shorter periods of crustal storage, shows fO2 buffering by oxygen transfer up to 1185??C. Oxygen fugacity measurements in drill holes into ponded lava flows suggest that buffering by oxygen transfer may control the fO2 of residual gases down to several hundred degrees below the solidus in the early stages of cooling. Although the details of the fO2 buffering mechanisms for oxygen transfer are unknown, the fact that fO2 buffering is effective from molten to subsolidus conditions suggests that the reaction mechanisms must change with cooling as the reactants change from predominantly melt, to melt plus crystals, to glass plus crystals. Mass balance calculations suggest that redox reactions between the gas and ferrous/ferric iron in the lava are plausible mechanisms for the oxygen transfer and that the fO2 of the gases is buffered by sliding ferrous/ferric equilibria in the erupting lavas. Contrary to expectations based on models predicting the oxidation of basalt by H2 and CO escape during crustal storage, CO2-rich Type I gases and CO2-poor Type II gases have identical oxygen fugacities despite greatly different crustal storage and degassing histories. Volcanic gas data give a tightly co

Physical conditions in molecular clouds

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Neal J., II

1989-01-01

Recent developments have complicated the picture of the physical conditions in molecular clouds. The discoveries of widespread emission from high-J lines of CD and 12-micron IRAS emission have revealed the presence of considerably hotter gas and dust near the surfaces of molecular clouds. These components can complicate interpretation of the bulk of the cloud gas. Commonly assumed relations between column density or mean density and cloud size are called into question by conflicting results and by consideration of selection effects. Analysis of density and density structure through molecular excitation has shown that very high densities exist in star formation regions, but unresolved structure and possible chemical effects complicate the interpretation. High resolution far-IR and submillimeter observations offer a complementary approach and are beginning to test theoretical predictions of density gradients in clouds.

Effect of template post-annealing on Y(Dy)BaCuO nucleation on CeO2 buffered metallic tapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Xuefeng; Zhong, Yun; Zhong, Huaxiao; Fan, Feng; Sang, Lina; Li, Mengyao; Fang, Qiang; Zheng, Jiahui; Song, Haoyu; Lu, Yuming; Liu, Zhiyong; Bai, Chuanyi; Guo, Yanqun; Cai, Chuanbing

2017-08-01

Substrate engineering is very significant in the synthesis of the high-temperature superconductor (HTS) coated conductor. Here we design and synthesize several distinct and stable Cerium oxide (CeO2) surface reconstructions which are used to grow epitaxial films of the HTS YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO). To identify the influence of annealing and post-annealing surroundings on the nature of nucleation centers, including Ar/5%H2, humid Ar/5%H2 and O2 in high temperature annealing process, we study the well-controlled structure, surface morphology, crystal constants and surface redox processes of the ceria buffers by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and field-emission scanning electronic microscopy (FE-SEM), respectively. The ceria film post-annealed under humid Ar/5%H2 gas shows the best buffer layer properties. Furthermore, the film absorbs more oxygen ions, which appears to contribute to oxygenation of superconductor film. The film is well-suited for ceria model studies as well as a perfect substitute for CeO2 bulk material.

Growing GaN LEDs on amorphous SiC buffer with variable C/Si compositions

PubMed Central

Cheng, Chih-Hsien; Tzou, An-Jye; Chang, Jung-Hung; Chi, Yu-Chieh; Lin, Yung-Hsiang; Shih, Min-Hsiung; Lee, Chao-Kuei; Wu, Chih-I; Kuo, Hao-Chung; Chang, Chun-Yen; Lin, Gong-Ru

2016-01-01

The epitaxy of high-power gallium nitride (GaN) light-emitting diode (LED) on amorphous silicon carbide (a-SixC1−x) buffer is demonstrated. The a-SixC1−x buffers with different nonstoichiometric C/Si composition ratios are synthesized on SiO2/Si substrate by using a low-temperature plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. The GaN LEDs on different SixC1−x buffers exhibit different EL and C-V characteristics because of the extended strain induced interfacial defects. The EL power decays when increasing the Si content of SixC1−x buffer. The C-rich SixC1−x favors the GaN epitaxy and enables the strain relaxation to suppress the probability of Auger recombination. When the SixC1−x buffer changes from Si-rich to C-rich condition, the EL peak wavelengh shifts from 446 nm to 450 nm. Moreover, the uniform distribution contour of EL intensity spreads between the anode and the cathode because the traping density of the interfacial defect gradually reduces. In comparison with the GaN LED grown on Si-rich SixC1−x buffer, the device deposited on C-rich SixC1−x buffer shows a lower turn-on voltage, a higher output power, an external quantum efficiency, and an efficiency droop of 2.48 V, 106 mW, 42.3%, and 7%, respectively. PMID:26794268

Preparation and Optoelectronic Characteristics of ZnO/CuO-Cu2O Complex Inverse Heterostructure with GaP Buffer for Solar Cell Applications

PubMed Central

Hsu, Chih-Hung; Chen, Lung-Chien; Lin, Yi-Feng

2013-01-01

This study reports the optoelectronic characteristics of ZnO/GaP buffer/CuO-Cu2O complex (COC) inverse heterostructure for solar cell applications. The GaP and COC layers were used as buffer and absorber in the cell structure, respectively. An energy gap widening effect and CuO whiskers were observed as the copper (Cu) layer was exerted under heat treatment for oxidation at 500 °C for 10 min, and arose from the center of the Cu2O rods. For preparation of the 30 nm-thick GaP buffer by sputtering from GaP target, as the nitrogen gas flow rate increased from 0 to 2 sccm, the transmittance edge of the spectra demonstrated a blueshift form 2.24 to 3.25 eV. Therefore, the layer can be either GaP, GaNP, or GaN by changing the flow rate of nitrogen gas. PMID:28788341

Investigation of the Electron Acceleration by a High-Power Laser and a Density-Tapered Mixed-Gas Cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Jinju; Phung, Vanessa L. J.; Kim, Minseok; Hur, Min-Sup; Suk, Hyyong

2017-10-01

Plasma-based accelerators can generate about 1000 times stronger acceleration field compared with RF-based conventional accelerators, which can be done by high power laser and plasma. There are many issues in this research and one of them is development of a good plasma source for higher electron beam energy. For this purpose, we are investigating a special type of plasma source, which is a density-tapered gas cell with a mixed-gas for easy injection. By this type of special gas cell, we expect higher electron beam energies with easy injection in the wakefield. In this poster, some experimental results for electron beam generation with the density-tapered mixed-gas cell are presented. In addition to the experimental results, CFD (Computational-Fluid-Dynamics) and PIC (Particle-In-Cell) simulation results are also presented for comparison studies.

Gravitational star formation thresholds and gas density in three galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Oey, M. S.; Kennicutt, R. C., Jr.

1990-01-01

It has long been held that the star formation rate (SFR) may be described as a power law of the gas density, p(exp n), as given by Schmidt (1959). However, this relation has as yet remained poorly defined and is likewise poorly understood. In particular, most studies have been investigations of global gas and star formation properties of galaxies, due to lack of adequate high-resolution data for detailed studies of individual galaxies. The three spiral galaxies in this study have published maps of both H2 (as traced by CO), and HI, thereby enabling the authors to investigate the relationship between total gas surface density and SFR. The purpose of the present investigation is the comparison of spatially-resolved total surface gas density in three galaxies (NGC 6946, M51, and M83) to sigma sub c as given by the above model. CO, HI and H alpha data for NGC 6946 were taken from Tacconi-Garman (1988), and for M51 and M83 from Lord (1987). The authors used a CO-H2 conversion of N(H2)/I sub CO(exp cos i = 2.8 x 10(exp 20) atoms cm(-2)/(K kms(-1), and summed the H2 and HI data for each galaxy to obtain the total hydrogen gas density. This total was then multiplied by a factor of 1.36 to include the contribution of helium to the total surface gas density. The authors assumed distances to NGC 6946, M51, and M83 to be 6.0, 9.6, and 8.9 Mpc respectively, with inclination angles of 30, 20, and 26 degrees. H alpha flux was used as the measure of SFR for NGC 6946, and SFR for the remaining two galaxies was taken directly from Lord as computed from H alpha measurements. The results of these full-disk studies thus show a remarkable correlation between the total gas density and the threshold densities given by the gravitational stability criterion. In particular, the threshold density appears to mark a lower boundary to the range of gas densities in these galaxies, which may have consequence in determining appropriate models for star formation and gas dynamics. More evidence is required to verify this result, and the authors are currently undertaking a high-resolution study of the nearby spiral M33 and other galaxies to further investigate this problem.

Progress Toward a Compact, Highly Stable Ion Clock

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Prestage, John; Chung, Sang

2009-01-01

There was an update on the subject of two previous NASA Tech Briefs articles: Compact, Highly Stable Ion Clock (NPO-43075), Vol. 32, No. 5 (May 2008), page 63; and Neon as a Buffer Gas for a Mercury-Ion Clock (NPO-42919), Vol. 32, No. 7 (July 2008), page 62. To recapitulate: A developmental miniature mercury-ion clock has stability comparable to that of a hydrogen-maser clock. The ion-handling components are housed in a sealed vacuum tube, wherein a getter pump maintains the partial vacuum, and the evacuated tube is backfilled with mercury vapor in a neon buffer gas. There was progress in the development of the clock, with emphasis on the design, fabrication, pump-down, and bake-out of the vacuum tube (based on established practice in the travelingwave- tube-amplifier industry) and the ability of the tube to retain a vacuum after a year of operation. Other developments include some aspects of the operation of mercury-vapor source (a small appendage oven containing HgO) so as to maintain the optimum low concentration of mercury vapor, and further efforts to miniaturize the vacuum and optical subsystems to fit within a volume of 2 L.

Propagation and Interactions of Ultrahigh Power Light: Relativistic Nonlinear Optics

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-09-30

energy electron beams [16,17]. In the simplest implementation, a 2-mm supersonic nozzle is used to produce a high density gas flow (ne=10 19 cm-3...was a high-density jet of neutral helium produced by a 3 or 4 mm-diameter supersonic Laval nozzle . The neutral density profile (characterized...250 MeV and total charge of 0.1 nC (>50 MeV) Figure 7: (a) Gas target profiles, measured using tomography, at a height of 2 mm above the nozzle

Optimizing Dense Plasma Focus Neutron Yields with Fast Gas Jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMahon, Matthew; Kueny, Christopher; Stein, Elizabeth; Link, Anthony; Schmidt, Andrea

2016-10-01

We report a study using the particle-in-cell code LSP to perform fully kinetic simulations modeling dense plasma focus (DPF) devices with high density gas jets on axis. The high density jet models fast gas puffs which allow for more mass on axis while maintaining the optimal pressure for the DPF. As the density of the jet compared to the background fill increases we find the neutron yield increases, as does the variability in the neutron yield. Introducing perturbations in the jet density allow for consistent seeding of the m =0 instability leading to more consistent ion acceleration and higher neutron yields with less variability. Jets with higher on axis density are found to have the greatest yield. The optimal jet configuration is explored. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344.

Buffer layer enhanced stability of sodium-ion storage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xusheng; Yang, Zhanhai; Wang, Chao; Chen, Dong; Li, Rui; Zhang, Xinxiang; Chen, Jitao; Xue, Mianqi

2017-11-01

Se-Se buffer layers are introduced into tin sequences as SnSe2 single crystal to enhance the cycling stability for long-term sodium-ion storage by blazing a trail of self-defence strategy to structural pulverization especially at high current density. Specifically, under half-cell test, the SnSe2 electrodes could yield a high discharge capacity of 345 mAh g-1 after 300 cycles at 1 A g-1 and a high discharge capacity of 300 mAh g-1 after 2100 cycles at 5 A g-1 with stable coulombic efficiency and no capacity fading. Even with the ultrafast sodium-ion storage at 10 A g-1, the cycling stability still makes a positive response and a high discharge capacity of 221 mAh g-1 is demonstrated after 2700 cycles without capacity fading. The full-cell test for the SnSe2 electrodes also demonstrates the superior cycling stability. The flexible and tough Se-Se buffer layers are favourable to accommodate the sodium-ion intercalation process, and the autogenous Na2Se layers could confine the structural pulverization of further sodiated tin sequences by the slip along the Na2Se-NaxSn interfaces.

Quantum memory in warm rubidium vapor with buffer gas.

PubMed

Bashkansky, Mark; Fatemi, Fredrik K; Vurgaftman, Igor

2012-01-15

The realization of quantum memory using warm atomic vapor cells is appealing because of their commercial availability and the perceived reduction in experimental complexity. In spite of the ambiguous results reported in the literature, we demonstrate that quantum memory can be implemented in a single cell with buffer gas using the geometry where the write and read beams are nearly copropagating. The emitted Stokes and anti-Stokes photons display cross-correlation values greater than 2, characteristic of quantum states, for delay times up to 4 μs.

Dense Gas, Dynamical Equilibrium Pressure, and Star Formation in Nearby Star-forming Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gallagher, Molly J.; Leroy, Adam K.; Bigiel, Frank; Cormier, Diane; Jiménez-Donaire, María J.; Ostriker, Eve; Usero, Antonio; Bolatto, Alberto D.; García-Burillo, Santiago; Hughes, Annie; Kepley, Amanda A.; Krumholz, Mark; Meidt, Sharon E.; Meier, David S.; Murphy, Eric J.; Pety, Jérôme; Rosolowsky, Erik; Schinnerer, Eva; Schruba, Andreas; Walter, Fabian

2018-05-01

We use new ALMA observations to investigate the connection between dense gas fraction, star formation rate (SFR), and local environment across the inner region of four local galaxies showing a wide range of molecular gas depletion times. We map HCN (1–0), HCO+ (1–0), CS (2–1), 13CO (1–0), and C18O (1–0) across the inner few kiloparsecs of each target. We combine these data with short-spacing information from the IRAM large program EMPIRE, archival CO maps, tracers of stellar structure and recent star formation, and recent HCN surveys by Bigiel et al. and Usero et al. We test the degree to which changes in the dense gas fraction drive changes in the SFR. {I}HCN}/{I}CO} (tracing the dense gas fraction) correlates strongly with I CO (tracing molecular gas surface density), stellar surface density, and dynamical equilibrium pressure, P DE. Therefore, {I}HCN}/{I}CO} becomes very low and HCN becomes very faint at large galactocentric radii, where ratios as low as {I}HCN}/{I}CO}∼ 0.01 become common. The apparent ability of dense gas to form stars, {{{Σ }}}SFR}/{{{Σ }}}dense} (where Σdense is traced by the HCN intensity and the star formation rate is traced by a combination of Hα and 24 μm emission), also depends on environment. {{{Σ }}}SFR}/{{{Σ }}}dense} decreases in regions of high gas surface density, high stellar surface density, and high P DE. Statistically, these correlations between environment and both {{{Σ }}}SFR}/{{{Σ }}}dense} and {I}HCN}/{I}CO} are stronger than that between apparent dense gas fraction ({I}HCN}/{I}CO}) and the apparent molecular gas star formation efficiency {{{Σ }}}SFR}/{{{Σ }}}mol}. We show that these results are not specific to HCN.

Macrophyte and pH buffering updates to the Klamath River water-quality model upstream of Keno Dam, Oregon

USGS Publications Warehouse

Sullivan, Annett B.; Rounds, Stewart A.; Asbill-Case, Jessica R.; Deas, Michael L.

2013-01-01

A hydrodynamic, water temperature, and water-quality model of the Link River to Keno Dam reach of the upper Klamath River was updated to account for macrophytes and enhanced pH buffering from dissolved organic matter, ammonia, and orthophosphorus. Macrophytes had been observed in this reach by field personnel, so macrophyte field data were collected in summer and fall (June-October) 2011 to provide a dataset to guide the inclusion of macrophytes in the model. Three types of macrophytes were most common: pondweed (Potamogeton species), coontail (Ceratophyllum demersum), and common waterweed (Elodea canadensis). Pondweed was found throughout the Link River to Keno Dam reach in early summer with densities declining by mid-summer and fall. Coontail and common waterweed were more common in the lower reach near Keno Dam and were at highest density in summer. All species were most dense in shallow water (less than 2 meters deep) near shore. The highest estimated dry weight biomass for any sample during the study was 202 grams per square meter for coontail in August. Guided by field results, three macrophyte groups were incorporated into the CE-QUAL-W2 model for calendar years 2006-09. The CE-QUAL-W2 model code was adjusted to allow the user to initialize macrophyte populations spatially across the model grid. The default CE-QUAL-W2 model includes pH buffering by carbonates, but does not include pH buffering by organic matter, ammonia, or orthophosphorus. These three constituents, especially dissolved organic matter, are present in the upper Klamath River at concentrations that provide substantial pH buffering capacity. In this study, CE-QUAL-W2 was updated to include this enhanced buffering capacity in the simulation of pH. Acid dissociation constants for ammonium and phosphoric acid were taken from the literature. For dissolved organic matter, the number of organic acid groups and each group's acid dissociation constant (Ka) and site density (moles of sites per mole of carbon) were derived by fitting a theoretical buffering response to measured upper Klamath River alkalinity titration curves. The organic matter buffering in the Klamath River was modeled with two monoprotic organic acids: carboxylic acids with a mean pKa of 5.584 and site density of 0.1925, and phenolic organic acids with a mean pKa of 9.594 and site density of 0.6466. Total inorganic carbon concentrations in the model boundary inputs were recalculated based on the new buffering equations. CE-QUAL-W2 was also adjusted to allow the simulation of nonconservative alkalinity caused by nitrification, denitrification, photosynthesis, and respiration. The Klamath River model was recalibrated after the macrophyte and pH buffering updates producing improved predictions for pH, dissolved oxygen, and particulate carbon.

Electrical and structural characteristics of metamorphic In{sub 0.38}Al{sub 0.62}As/In{sub 0.37}Ga{sub 0.63}As/In{sub 0.38}Al{sub 0.62}As HEMT nanoheterostructures

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

Galiev, G. B., E-mail: s_s_e_r_p@mail.ru; Klimov, E. A.; Klochkov, A. N.

The influence of the metamorphic buffer design and epitaxial growth conditions on the electrical and structural characteristics of metamorphic In{sub 0.38}Al{sub 0.62}As/In{sub 0.37}Ga{sub 0.63}As/In{sub 0.38}Al{sub 0.62}As high electron mobility transistor (MHEMT) nanoheterostructures has been investigated. The samples were grown on GaAs(100) substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The active regions of the nanoheterostructures are identical, while the metamorphic buffer In{sub x}Al{sub 1-x}As is formed with a linear or stepwise (by {Delta}{sub x} = 0.05) increase in the indium content over depth. It is found that MHEMT nanoheterostructures with a step metamorphic buffer have fewer defects and possess higher values of two-dimensionalmore » electron gas mobility at T = 77 K. The structures of the active region and metamorphic buffer have been thoroughly studied by transmission electron microscopy. It is shown that the relaxation of metamorphic buffer in the heterostructures under consideration is accompanied by the formation of structural defects of the following types: dislocations, microtwins, stacking faults, and wurtzite phase inclusions several nanometers in size.« less

Tandem organic light-emitting diodes with buffer-modified C60/pentacene as charge generation layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Zhen; Zheng, Xin; Liu, Fei; Wang, Pei; Gan, Lin; Wang, Jing-jing

2017-09-01

Buffer-modified C60/pentacene as charge generation layer (CGL) is investigated to achieve effective performance of charge generation. Undoped green electroluminescent tandem organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) with multiple identical emissive units and using buffer-modified C60/pentacene organic semiconductor heterojunction (OHJ) as CGL are demonstrated to exhibit better current density and brightness, compared with conventional single-unit devices. The current density and brightness both can be significantly improved with increasing the thickness of Al. However, excessive thickness of Al seriously decreases the transmittance of films and damages the interface. As a result, the maximum current efficiency of 1.43 cd·A-1 at 30 mA·cm-2 can be achieved for tandem OLEDs with optimal thickness of Al. These results clearly demonstrate that Cs2CO3/Al is an effective buffer for C60/pentacene-based tandem OLEDs.

Effects of temperature and gas–liquid mass transfer on the operation of small electrochemical cells for the quantitative evaluation of CO 2 reduction electrocatalysts

DOE PAGES

Lobaccaro, Peter; Singh, Meenesh R.; Clark, Ezra Lee; ...

2016-09-06

In the last few years, there has been increased interest in electrochemical CO 2 reduction (CO2R). Many experimental studies employ a membrane separated, electrochemical cell with a mini H-cell geometry to characterize CO2R catalysts in aqueous solution. This type of electrochemical cell is a mini-chemical reactor and it is important to monitor the reaction conditions within the reactor to ensure that they are constant throughout the study. Here we show that operating cells with high catalyst surface area to electrolyte volume ratios (S/V) at high current densities can have subtle consequences due to the complexity of the physical phenomena takingmore » place on electrode surfaces during CO2R, particularly as they relate to the cell temperature and bulk electrolyte CO 2 concentration. Both effects were evaluated quantitatively in high S/V cells using Cu electrodes and a bicarbonate buffer electrolyte. Electrolyte temperature is a function of the current/total voltage passed through the cell and the cell geometry. Even at a very high current density, 20 mA cm -2 , the temperature increase was less than 4 °C and a decrease of < 10% in the dissolved CO 2 concentration is predicted. In contrast, limits on the CO 2 gas-liquid mass transfer into the cells produce much larger effects. By using the pH in the cell to measure the CO 2 concentration, significant undersaturation of CO 2 is observed in the bulk electrolyte, even at more modest current densities of 10 mA cm -2 . Undersaturation of CO 2 produces large changes in the faradaic efficiency observed on Cu electrodes, with H 2 production becoming increasingly favored. Finally, we show that the size of the CO 2 bubbles being introduced into the cell is critical for maintaining the equilibrium CO 2 concentration in the electrolyte, and we have designed a high S/V cell that is able to maintain the near-equilibrium CO 2 concentration at current densities up to 15 mA cm -2.« less

Effects of temperature and gas–liquid mass transfer on the operation of small electrochemical cells for the quantitative evaluation of CO 2 reduction electrocatalysts

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

Lobaccaro, Peter; Singh, Meenesh R.; Clark, Ezra Lee

In the last few years, there has been increased interest in electrochemical CO 2 reduction (CO2R). Many experimental studies employ a membrane separated, electrochemical cell with a mini H-cell geometry to characterize CO2R catalysts in aqueous solution. This type of electrochemical cell is a mini-chemical reactor and it is important to monitor the reaction conditions within the reactor to ensure that they are constant throughout the study. Here we show that operating cells with high catalyst surface area to electrolyte volume ratios (S/V) at high current densities can have subtle consequences due to the complexity of the physical phenomena takingmore » place on electrode surfaces during CO2R, particularly as they relate to the cell temperature and bulk electrolyte CO 2 concentration. Both effects were evaluated quantitatively in high S/V cells using Cu electrodes and a bicarbonate buffer electrolyte. Electrolyte temperature is a function of the current/total voltage passed through the cell and the cell geometry. Even at a very high current density, 20 mA cm -2 , the temperature increase was less than 4 °C and a decrease of < 10% in the dissolved CO 2 concentration is predicted. In contrast, limits on the CO 2 gas-liquid mass transfer into the cells produce much larger effects. By using the pH in the cell to measure the CO 2 concentration, significant undersaturation of CO 2 is observed in the bulk electrolyte, even at more modest current densities of 10 mA cm -2 . Undersaturation of CO 2 produces large changes in the faradaic efficiency observed on Cu electrodes, with H 2 production becoming increasingly favored. Finally, we show that the size of the CO 2 bubbles being introduced into the cell is critical for maintaining the equilibrium CO 2 concentration in the electrolyte, and we have designed a high S/V cell that is able to maintain the near-equilibrium CO 2 concentration at current densities up to 15 mA cm -2.« less

EQUILGAS: Program to estimate temperatures and in situ two-phase conditions in geothermal reservoirs using three combined FT-HSH gas equilibria models

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barragán, Rosa María; Núñez, José; Arellano, Víctor Manuel; Nieva, David

2016-03-01

Exploration and exploitation of geothermal resources require the estimation of important physical characteristics of reservoirs including temperatures, pressures and in situ two-phase conditions, in order to evaluate possible uses and/or investigate changes due to exploitation. As at relatively high temperatures (>150 °C) reservoir fluids usually attain chemical equilibrium in contact with hot rocks, different models based on the chemistry of fluids have been developed that allow deep conditions to be estimated. Currently either in water-dominated or steam-dominated reservoirs the chemistry of steam has been useful for working out reservoir conditions. In this context, three methods based on the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) and combined H2S-H2 (HSH) mineral-gas reactions have been developed for estimating temperatures and the quality of the in situ two-phase mixture prevailing in the reservoir. For these methods the mineral buffers considered to be controlling H2S-H2 composition of fluids are as follows. The pyrite-magnetite buffer (FT-HSH1); the pyrite-hematite buffer (FT-HSH2) and the pyrite-pyrrhotite buffer (FT-HSH3). Currently from such models the estimations of both, temperature and steam fraction in the two-phase fluid are obtained graphically by using a blank diagram with a background theoretical solution as reference. Thus large errors are involved since the isotherms are highly nonlinear functions while reservoir steam fractions are taken from a logarithmic scale. In order to facilitate the use of the three FT-HSH methods and minimize visual interpolation errors, the EQUILGAS program that numerically solves the equations of the FT-HSH methods was developed. In this work the FT-HSH methods and the EQUILGAS program are described. Illustrative examples for Mexican fields are also given in order to help the users in deciding which method could be more suitable for every specific data set.

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.

Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Riparian Forest Buffers, Warm-Season and Cool-Season Grass Filters, and Crop Fields

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Increasing denitrification rates in riparian buffers may be trading the problem of nonpoint source (NPS) pollution of surface waters for atmospheric deterioration and increased global warming potential because denitrification produces nitrous oxide (N2O), a greenhouse gas also involved in stratosphe...

Magnetic two-dimensional electron gases with high Curie temperatures at LaAl O3 /SrTi O3:Fe interfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Hongrui; Yan, Xi; Zhang, Hui; Wang, Fei; Gu, Youdi; Ning, Xingkun; Khan, Tahira; Li, Rui; Chen, Yuansha; Liu, Wei; Wang, Shufang; Shen, Baogen; Sun, Jirong

2018-04-01

Spin-polarized two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the interface of two insulating perovskite oxides has been a focus of intensive studies in recent years. So far all attempts to construct magnetic 2DEG are based on the selection of an appropriate buffer layer or cap layer in SrTi O3 -based heterostructures, and the magnetic effect thus produced on 2DEG is indirect and weak. Here, we fabricated the 2DEG based on Fe-doped SrTi O3 that is superparamagnetic rather than diamagnetic like SrTi O3 . In addition to good metallicity, considerable Kondo effect, and negative magnetoresistance, the most striking observation of the present work is the occurrence of the anomalous Hall effect up to room temperature. This is transport evidence for the existence of spin-polarized 2DEG at high temperatures. As suggested by the monotonic increase of Curie temperature with carrier density, the magnetic exchange between magnetic ions could be mediated by the itinerant electrons of the 2DEG. The present work opens an avenue for the exploration of spin-polarized 2DEG.

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

An AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor with an AlN sub-buffer layer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shealy, J. R.; Kaper, V.; Tilak, V.; Prunty, T.; Smart, J. A.; Green, B.; Eastman, L. F.

2002-04-01

The AlGaN/GaN high-electron-mobility transistor requires a thermally conducting, semi-insulating substrate to achieve the best possible microwave performance. The semi-insulating SiC substrate is currently the best choice for this device technology; however, fringing fields which penetrate the GaN buffer layer at pinch-off introduce significant substrate conduction at modest drain bias if channel electrons are not well confined to the nitride structure. The addition of an insulating AlN sub-buffer on the semi-insulating SiC substrate suppresses this parasitic conduction, which results in dramatic improvements in the AlGaN/GaN transistor performance. A pronounced reduction in both the gate-lag and the gate-leakage current are observed for structures with the AlN sub-buffer layer. These structures operate up to 50 V drain bias under drive, corresponding to a peak voltage of 80 V, for a 0.30 µm gate length device. The devices have achieved high-efficiency operation at 10 GHz (>70% power-added efficiency in class AB mode at 15 V drain bias) and the highest output power density observed thus far (11.2 W mm-1). Large-periphery devices (1.5 mm gate width) deliver 10 W (continuous wave) of maximum saturated output power at 10 GHz. The growth, processing, and performance of these devices are briefly reviewed.

High Quality GaAs Growth by MBE on Si Using GeSi Buffers and Prospects for Space Photovoltaics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Carlin, J. A.; Ringel, S. A.; Fitzgerald, E. A.; Bulsara, M.

2005-01-01

III-V solar cells on Si substrates are of interest for space photovoltaics since this would combine high performance space cells with a strong, lightweight and inexpensive substrate. However, the primary obstacles blocking III-V/Si cells from achieving high performance to date have been fundamental materials incompatabilities, namely the 4% lattice mismatch between GaAs and Si, and the large mismatch in thermal expansion coefficient. In this paper, we report on the molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) growth and properties of GaAs layers and single junction GaAs cells on Si wafers which utilize compositionally graded GeSi Intermediate buffers grown by ultra-high vacuum chemical vapor deposition (UHVCVD) to mitigate the large lattice mismatch between GaAs and Si. Ga As cell structures were found to incorporate a threading dislocation density of 0.9-1.5 x 10 (exp 6) per square centimeter, identical to the underlying relaxed Ge cap of the graded buffer, via a combination of transmission electron microscopy, electron beam induced current, and etch pit density measurements. AlGaAs/GaAs double heterostructures wre grown on the GeSi/Si substrates for time-resolved photoluminescence measurements, which revealed a bulk GaAs minority carrier lifetime in excess of 10 ns, the highest lifetime ever reported for GaAs on Si. A series of growth were performed to ass3ss the impact of a GaAs buffer to a thickness of only 0.1 micrometer. Secondary ion mass spectroscopy studies revealed that there is negligible cross diffusion of Ga, As and Ge at he III-V/Ge interface, identical to our earlier findings for GaAs grown on Ge wafers using MBE. This indicates that there is no need for a buffer to "bury" regions of high autodopjing,a nd that either pn or np configuration cells are easily accomodated by these substrates. Preliminary diodes and single junction Al Ga As heteroface cells were grown and fabricated on the Ge/GeSi/Si substrates for the first time. Diodes fabricated on GaAs, Ge and Ge/GeSi/Si substrate show nearly identical I-V characteristics in both forward and reverse bias regions. External quantum efficiencies of AlGaAs/GaAs cell structures grown on Ge/GeSi/Si and Ge substrates demonstrated nearly identical photoresponse, which indicates that high lifetimes, diffusion lengths and efficient minority carrier collection is maintained after complete cell processing.

Simple O2 plasma-processed V2O5 as an anode buffer layer for high-performance polymer solar cells.

PubMed

Bao, Xichang; Zhu, Qianqian; Wang, Ting; Guo, Jing; Yang, Chunpeng; Yu, Donghong; Wang, Ning; Chen, Weichao; Yang, Renqiang

2015-04-15

A simple O2 plasma processing method for preparation of a vanadium oxide (V2O5) anode buffer layer on indium tin oxide (ITO)-coated glass for polymer solar cells (PSCs) is reported. The V2O5 layer with high transmittance and good electrical and interfacial properties was prepared by spin coating a vanadium(V) triisopropoxide oxide alcohol solution on ITO and then O2 plasma treatment for 10 min [V2O5 (O2 plasma)]. PSCs based on P3HT:PC61BM and PBDTTT-C:PC71BM using V2O5 (O2 plasma) as an anode buffer layer show high power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of 4.47 and 7.54%, respectively, under the illumination of AM 1.5G (100 mW/cm(2)). Compared to that of the control device with PBDTTT-C:PC71BM as the active layer and PSS (PCE of 6.52%) and thermally annealed V2O5 (PCE of 6.27%) as the anode buffer layer, the PCE was improved by 15.6 and 20.2%, respectively, after the introduction of a V2O5 (O2 plasma) anode buffer layer. The improved PCE is ascribed to the greatly improved fill factor and enhanced short-circuit current density of the devices, which benefited from the change in the work function of V2O5, a surface with many dangling bonds for better interfacial contact, and the excellent charge transport property of the V2O5 (O2 plasma) layer. The results indicate that an O2 plasma-processed V2O5 film is an efficient and economical anode buffer layer for high-performance PSCs. It also provides an attractive choice for low-cost fabrication of organic electronics.

High-quality III-nitride films on conductive, transparent (2̅01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 using a GaN buffer layer

PubMed Central

Muhammed, M. M.; Roldan, M. A.; Yamashita, Y.; Sahonta, S.-L.; Ajia, I. A.; Iizuka, K.; Kuramata, A.; Humphreys, C. J.; Roqan, I. S.

2016-01-01

We demonstrate the high structural and optical properties of InxGa1−xN epilayers (0 ≤ x ≤ 23) grown on conductive and transparent (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrates using a low-temperature GaN buffer layer rather than AlN buffer layer, which enhances the quality and stability of the crystals compared to those grown on (100)-oriented β-Ga2O3. Raman maps show that the 2″ wafer is relaxed and uniform. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the dislocation density reduces considerably (~4.8 × 107 cm−2) at the grain centers. High-resolution TEM analysis demonstrates that most dislocations emerge at an angle with respect to the c-axis, whereas dislocations of the opposite phase form a loop and annihilate each other. The dislocation behavior is due to irregular (01) β-Ga2O3 surface at the interface and distorted buffer layer, followed by relaxed GaN epilayer. Photoluminescence results confirm high optical quality and time-resolved spectroscopy shows that the recombination is governed by bound excitons. We find that a low root-mean-square average (≤1.5 nm) of InxGa1−xN epilayers can be achieved with high optical quality of InxGa1−xN epilayers. We reveal that (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrate has a strong potential for use in large-scale high-quality vertical light emitting device design. PMID:27412372

High-quality III-nitride films on conductive, transparent (2̅01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 using a GaN buffer layer.

PubMed

Muhammed, M M; Roldan, M A; Yamashita, Y; Sahonta, S-L; Ajia, I A; Iizuka, K; Kuramata, A; Humphreys, C J; Roqan, I S

2016-07-14

We demonstrate the high structural and optical properties of InxGa1-xN epilayers (0 ≤ x ≤ 23) grown on conductive and transparent (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrates using a low-temperature GaN buffer layer rather than AlN buffer layer, which enhances the quality and stability of the crystals compared to those grown on (100)-oriented β-Ga2O3. Raman maps show that the 2″ wafer is relaxed and uniform. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the dislocation density reduces considerably (~4.8 × 10(7) cm(-2)) at the grain centers. High-resolution TEM analysis demonstrates that most dislocations emerge at an angle with respect to the c-axis, whereas dislocations of the opposite phase form a loop and annihilate each other. The dislocation behavior is due to irregular (01) β-Ga2O3 surface at the interface and distorted buffer layer, followed by relaxed GaN epilayer. Photoluminescence results confirm high optical quality and time-resolved spectroscopy shows that the recombination is governed by bound excitons. We find that a low root-mean-square average (≤1.5 nm) of InxGa1-xN epilayers can be achieved with high optical quality of InxGa1-xN epilayers. We reveal that (01)-oriented β-Ga2O3 substrate has a strong potential for use in large-scale high-quality vertical light emitting device design.

I(CO)/N(H2) conversions and molecular gas abundances in spiral and irregular galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maloney, Philip; Black, John H.

1988-01-01

Observations of emission in the J = 1-0 rotational transition of interstellar CO are used to obtain column densities and masses of hydrogen. By taking into account the effects of variations in molecular cloud parameters on conversion factors between integrated CO intensity and molecular hydrogen column density, it is shown that conversion factors are very sensitive to the kinetic temperature of the emitting gas. Results indicate that the gas temperatures in systems with high star formation rates can be quite high, and it is suggested that use of a standard conversion factor will lead to systematic overestimation of the amount of molecular gas.

Small-Scale Production of High-Density Dry Ice: A Variant Combination of Two Classic Demonstrations

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Flowers, Paul A.

2009-01-01

Easily recoverable, thumb-sized pieces of high-density dry ice are conveniently produced by deposition of carbon dioxide within a test tube submerged in liquid nitrogen. A carbon dioxide-filled balloon sealed over the mouth of the test tube serves as a gas reservoir, and further permits a dramatic demonstration of both the gas-to-solid phase…

The changing contribution of top-down and bottom-up limitation of mesopredators during 220 years of land use and climate change.

PubMed

Pasanen-Mortensen, Marianne; Elmhagen, Bodil; Lindén, Harto; Bergström, Roger; Wallgren, Märtha; van der Velde, Ype; Cousins, Sara A O

2017-05-01

Apex predators may buffer bottom-up driven ecosystem change, as top-down suppression may dampen herbivore and mesopredator responses to increased resource availability. However, theory suggests that for this buffering capacity to be realized, the equilibrium abundance of apex predators must increase. This raises the question: will apex predators maintain herbivore/mesopredator limitation, if bottom-up change relaxes resource constraints? Here, we explore changes in mesopredator (red fox Vulpes vulpes) abundance over 220 years in response to eradication and recovery of an apex predator (Eurasian lynx Lynx lynx), and changes in land use and climate which are linked to resource availability. A three-step approach was used. First, recent data from Finland and Sweden were modelled to estimate linear effects of lynx density, land use and winter temperature on fox density. Second, lynx density, land use and winter temperature was estimated in a 22 650 km 2 focal area in boreal and boreo-nemoral Sweden in the years 1830, 1920, 2010 and 2050. Third, the models and estimates were used to project historic and future fox densities in the focal area. Projected fox density was lowest in 1830 when lynx density was high, winters cold and the proportion of cropland low. Fox density peaked in 1920 due to lynx eradication, a mesopredator release boosted by favourable bottom-up changes - milder winters and cropland expansion. By 2010, lynx recolonization had reduced fox density, but it remained higher than in 1830, partly due to the bottom-up changes. Comparing 1830 to 2010, the contribution of top-down limitation decreased, while environment enrichment relaxed bottom-up limitation. Future scenarios indicated that by 2050, lynx density would have to increase by 79% to compensate for a projected climate-driven increase in fox density. We highlight that although top-down limitation in theory can buffer bottom-up change, this requires compensatory changes in apex predator abundance. Hence apex predator recolonization/recovery to historical levels would not be sufficient to compensate for widespread changes in climate and land use, which have relaxed the resource constraints for many herbivores and mesopredators. Variation in bottom-up conditions may also contribute to context dependence in apex predator effects. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Animal Ecology © 2017 British Ecological Society.

The dense gas mass fraction in the W51 cloud and its protoclusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ginsburg, Adam; Bally, John; Battersby, Cara; Youngblood, Allison; Darling, Jeremy; Rosolowsky, Erik; Arce, Héctor; Lebrón Santos, Mayra E.

2015-01-01

Context. The density structure of molecular clouds determines how they will evolve. Aims: We map the velocity-resolved density structure of the most vigorously star-forming molecular cloud in the Galactic disk, the W51 giant molecular cloud. Methods: We present new 2 cm and 6 cm maps of H2CO, radio recombination lines, and the radio continuum in the W51 star forming complex acquired with Arecibo and the Green Bank Telescope at ~ 50″ resolution. We use H2CO absorption to determine the relative line-of-sight positions of molecular and ionized gas. We measure gas densities using the H2CO densitometer, including continuous measurements of the dense gas mass fraction (DGMF) over the range 104cm-3 104cm-3, while it is low, f< 20%, in W51 B. We did not detect any H2CO emission throughout the W51 GMC; all gas dense enough to emit under normal conditions is in front of bright continuum sources and therefore is seen in absorption instead. Conclusions: (1) The dense gas fraction in the W51 A and B clouds shows that W51 A will continue to form stars vigorously, while star formation has mostly ended in W51 B. The lack of dense, star-forming gas around W51 C indicates that collect-and-collapse is not acting or is inefficient in W51. (2) Ongoing high-mass star formation is correlated with n ≳ 1 × 105cm-3 gas. Gas with n> 104cm-3 is weakly correlated with low and moderate mass star formation, but does not strongly correlate with high-mass star formation. (3) The nondetection of H2CO emission implies that the emission detected in other galaxies, e.g. Arp 220, comes from high-density gas that is not directly affiliated with already-formed massive stars. Either the non-star-forming ISM of these galaxies is very dense, implying the star formation density threshold is higher, or H ii regions have their emission suppressed. The data set has been made public at http://dx.doi.org/10.7910/DVN/26818Appendices are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

Fast Occlusion and Shadow Detection for High Resolution Remote Sensing Image Combined with LIDAR Point Cloud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, X.; Li, X.

2012-08-01

The orthophoto is an important component of GIS database and has been applied in many fields. But occlusion and shadow causes the loss of feature information which has a great effect on the quality of images. One of the critical steps in true orthophoto generation is the detection of occlusion and shadow. Nowadays LiDAR can obtain the digital surface model (DSM) directly. Combined with this technology, image occlusion and shadow can be detected automatically. In this paper, the Z-Buffer is applied for occlusion detection. The shadow detection can be regarded as a same problem with occlusion detection considering the angle between the sun and the camera. However, the Z-Buffer algorithm is computationally expensive. And the volume of scanned data and remote sensing images is very large. Efficient algorithm is another challenge. Modern graphics processing unit (GPU) is much more powerful than central processing unit (CPU). We introduce this technology to speed up the Z-Buffer algorithm and get 7 times increase in speed compared with CPU. The results of experiments demonstrate that Z-Buffer algorithm plays well in occlusion and shadow detection combined with high density of point cloud and GPU can speed up the computation significantly.

Evolution of star formation conditions from high-redshift to low-redshift

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shirazi, Maryam

2015-08-01

There are some hints indicating extreme interstellar medium (ISM) conditions at high redshift e.g., harder ionsing radiation fields and higher electron densities. By analysing the ionisation state of galaxies using their [OIII]5007/[OII]3727 line ratios we recently showed that star-forming galaxies at z~ 1. 5 -- 3. 5 have higher ionisation parameters and higher gas densities relative to that of local galaxies with similar global properties (Shirazi et al. 2014). This means the intrinsic properties e.g., the density of star forming regions at high redshift is different from what we observe in the local Universe. Based on the distribution of galaxies in the BPT diagram, it is proposed that the transition to nearby like conditions happen at 0. 8 < z < 1. 5 (Kewley et al 2013). However, we do not know how star-forming regions of the intermediate redshift galaxies are compared to that of high redshift galaxies that have higher gas fractions and are close to the peak of star formation activity in the Universe. We use the unique capability of the MUSE to indirectly trace the ISM conditions at those redshifts. We measure the spatially-resolved ionisation parameter using [OIII ]5007/ [O II]3727 ratio and we measure the spatially resolved gas density using the [OII] 3727,3729 doublet. We probe the spatial distributions of the ionisation parameter and gas density and search for systematic differences between high, intermediate and low redshift galaxies in terms of their global galaxy properties.

Highly ionized atoms in cooling gas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edgar, R. J.; Chevalier, R. A.

1986-01-01

The ionization of low density gas cooling from a high temperature was calculated. The evolution during the cooling is assumed to be isochoric, isobaric, or a combination of these cases. The calculations are used to predict the column densities and ultraviolet line luminosities of highly ionized atoms in cooling gas. In a model for cooling of a hot galactic corona, it is shown that the observed value of N(N V) can be produced in the cooling gas, while the predicted value of N(Si IV) falls short of the observed value by a factor of about 5. The same model predicts fluxes of ultraviolet emission lines that are a factor of 10 lower than the claimed detections of Feldman, Brune, and Henry. Predictions are made for ultraviolet lines in cooling flows in early-type galaxies and clusters of galaxies. It is shown that the column densities of interest vary over a fairly narrow range, while the emission line luminosities are simply proportional to the mass inflow rate.

Highly ionized atoms in cooling gas. [in model for cooling of hot Galactic corona

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Edgar, Richard J.; Chevalier, Roger A.

1986-01-01

The ionization of low density gas cooling from a high temperature was calculated. The evolution during the cooling is assumed to be isochoric, isobaric, or a combination of these cases. The calculations are used to predict the column densities and ultraviolet line luminosities of highly ionized atoms in cooling gas. In a model for cooling of a hot galactic corona, it is shown that the observed value of N(N V) can be produced in the cooling gas, while the predicted value of N(Si IV) falls short of the observed value by a factor of about 5. The same model predicts fluxes of ultraviolet emission lines that are a factor of 10 lower than the claimed detections of Feldman, Bruna, and Henry. Predictions are made for ultraviolet lines in cooling flows in early-type galaxies and clusters of galaxies. It is shown that the column densities of interest vary over a fairly narrow range, while the emission line luminosities are simply proportional to the mass inflow rate.

High Density Methane Storage in Nanoporous Carbon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rash, Tyler; Dohnke, Elmar; Soo, Yuchoong; Maland, Brett; Doynov, Plamen; Lin, Yuyi; Pfeifer, Peter; Mriglobal Collaboration; All-Craft Team

2014-03-01

Development of low-pressure, high-capacity adsorbent based storage technology for natural gas (NG) as fuel for advanced transportation (flat-panel tank for NG vehicles) is necessary in order to address the temperature, pressure, weight, and volume constraints present in conventional storage methods (CNG & LNG.) Subcritical nitrogen adsorption experiments show that our nanoporous carbon hosts extended narrow channels which generate a high surface area and strong Van der Waals forces capable of increasing the density of NG into a high-density fluid. This improvement in storage density over compressed natural gas without an adsorbent occurs at ambient temperature and pressures ranging from 0-260 bar (3600 psi.) The temperature, pressure, and storage capacity of a 40 L flat-panel adsorbed NG tank filled with 20 kg of nanoporous carbon will be featured.

A Comparative Study of AlGaN and InGaN Back-Barriers in Ultrathin-Barrier AlN/GaN Heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

All Abbas, J. M.; Atmaca, G.; Narin, P.; Kutlu, E.; Sarikavak-Lisesivdin, B.; Lisesivdin, S. B.

2017-08-01

Investigations of the effects of back-barrier introduction on the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) of ultrathin-barrier AlN/GaN heterostructures with AlGaN and InGaN back-barriers are carried out using self-consistent solutions of 1-dimensional Schrödinger-Poisson equations. Inserted AlGaN and InGaN back-barriers are used to provide a good 2DEG confinement thanks to raising the conduction band edge of GaN buffer with respect to GaN channel layer. Therefore, in this paper the influence of these back-barrier layers on sheet carrier density, 2DEG confinement, and mobility are systematically and comparatively investigated. As a result of calculations, although sheet carrier density is found to decrease with InGaN back-barrier layer, it is not changed with AlGaN back-barrier layer for suggested optimise heterostructures. Obtained results can give some insights for further experimental studies.

High Tc YBCO superconductor deposited on biaxially textured Ni substrate

DOEpatents

Budai, John D.; Christen, David K.; Goyal, Amit; He, Qing; Kroeger, Donald M.; Lee, Dominic F.; List, III, Frederick A.; Norton, David P.; Paranthaman, Mariappan; Sales, Brian C.; Specht, Eliot D.

1999-01-01

A superconducting article includes a biaxially-textured Ni substrate, and epitaxial buffer layers of Pd (optional), CeO.sub.2 and YSZ, and a top layer of in-plane aligned, c-axis oriented YBCO having a critical current density (J.sub.c) in the range of at least 100,000 A/cm.sup.2 at 77 K.

Neighbourhood walkability, leisure-time and transport-related physical activity in a mixed urban-rural area.

PubMed

de Sa, Eric; Ardern, Chris I

2014-01-01

Objectives. To develop a walkability index specific to mixed rural/suburban areas, and to explore the relationship between walkability scores and leisure time physical activity. Methods. Respondents were geocoded with 500 m and 1,000 m buffer zones around each address. A walkability index was derived from intersections, residential density, and land-use mix according to built environment measures. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to quantify the association between the index and physical activity levels. Analyses used cross-sectional data from the 2007-2008 Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 1158; ≥18 y). Results. Respondents living in highly walkable 500 m buffer zones (upper quartiles of the walkability index) were more likely to walk or cycle for leisure than those living in low-walkable buffer zones (quartile 1). When a 1,000 m buffer zone was applied, respondents in more walkable neighbourhoods were more likely to walk or cycle for both leisure-time and transport-related purposes. Conclusion. Developing a walkability index can assist in exploring the associations between measures of the built environment and physical activity to prioritize neighborhood change.

Diagnostics of AC excited Atmospheric Pressure Plasma Jet with He for Biomedical Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hori, Masaru; Takeda, Keigo; Kumakura, Takumi; Ishikawa, Kenji; Tanaka, Hiromasa; Kondo, Hiroki; Sekine, Makoto; Nakai, Yoshihiro

2014-10-01

Atmospheric pressure plasma jets (APPJ) are frequently used for biomedical applications. Reactive species generated by the APPJ play important roles for treatments of biomedical samples. Therefore, high density APPJ sources are required to realize the high performance. Our group has developed AC excited Ar APPJ with electron density as high as 1015 cm-3, and realized the selective killing of cancer cells and the inactivate spores of Penicillium digitatum. Recently, a new spot-size AC excited APPJ with He gas have been developed. In this study, the He APPJ was characterized by using spectroscopy. The plasma was discharged at a He flow rate of 5 slm and a discharge voltage of AC 9 kV. Gas temperature and electron density of the APPJ were measured by optical emission spectroscopy. From theoretical fitting of 2nd positive system of N2 emission (380.4 nm) and Stark broadening of Balmer β line of H atom (486.1 nm), the gas temperature and the electron density was estimated to be 299 K and 3.4. × 1015 cm-3. The AC excited He APPJ has a potential to realize high density with room temperature and become a very powerful tool for biomedical applications.

High-current discharge channel contraction in high density gas

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

Rutberg, Ph. G.; Bogomaz, A. A.; Pinchuk, M. E.

Research results for discharges at current amplitudes of 0.5-1.6 MA and current rise rate of {approx}10{sup 10} A/s are presented. The discharge is performed in the hydrogen environment at the initial pressure of 5-35 MPa. Initiation is implemented by a wire explosion. The time length of the first half-period of the discharge current is 70-150 {mu}s. Under such conditions, discharge channel contraction is observed; the contraction is followed by soft x-ray radiation. The phenomena are discussed, which are determined by high density of the gas surrounding the discharge channel. These phenomena are increase of the current critical value, where themore » channel contraction begins and growth of temperature in the axis region of the channel, where the initial density of the gas increases.« less

Fundamental studies of gas phase ionic reactions by ion mobility spectrometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Giles, K.; Knighton, W. B.; Sahlstrom, K. E.; Grimsrud, E. P.

1995-01-01

Ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) provides a promising approach to the study of gas phase ionic reactions in buffer gases at unusually high pressures. This point is illustrated here by studies of the Sn2 nucleophilic displacement reaction, Cl(-) + CH3Br yields Br + CH3Br, using IMS at atmospheric pressure. The equilibrium clustering reaction, Cl(-)(CHCI3)(n - 1) + CHCI3 yields Cl(-)(CHCI3)(n), where n = 1 and 2, and the effect of clustering on the Sn2 reaction with CH3Br have also been characterized by this IMS-based kinetic method. Present problems and anticipated improvements in the application of ion mobility spectrometry to studies of other gas phase ionic processes are discussed.

Encapsulating Cytochrome c in Silica Aerogel Nanoarchitectures without Metal Nanoparticles while Retaining Gas-phase Bioactivity

PubMed Central

Harper-Leatherman, Amanda S.; Pacer, Elizabeth R.; Kosciuszek, Nina D.

2016-01-01

Applications such as sensors, batteries, and fuel cells have been improved through the use of highly porous aerogels when functional compounds are encapsulated within the aerogels. However, few reports on encapsulating proteins within sol–gels that are processed to form aerogels exist. A procedure for encapsulating cytochrome c (cyt. c) in silica (SiO2) sol-gels that are supercritically processed to form bioaerogels with gas-phase activity for nitric oxide (NO) is presented. Cyt. c is added to a mixed silica sol under controlled protein concentration and buffer strength conditions. The sol mixture is then gelled and the liquid filling the gel pores is replaced through a series of solvent exchanges with liquid carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is brought to its critical point and vented off to form dry aerogels with cyt. c encapsulated inside. These bioaerogels are characterized with UV-visible spectroscopy and circular dichroism spectroscopy and can be used to detect the presence of gas-phase nitric oxide. The success of this procedure depends on regulating the cyt. c concentration and the buffer concentration and does not require other components such as metal nanoparticles. It may be possible to encapsulate other proteins using a similar approach making this procedure important for potential future bioanalytical device development. PMID:26967257

Detachment of CVD-grown graphene from single crystalline Ni films by a pure gas phase reaction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeller, Patrick; Henß, Ann-Kathrin; Weinl, Michael; Diehl, Leo; Keefer, Daniel; Lippmann, Judith; Schulz, Anne; Kraus, Jürgen; Schreck, Matthias; Wintterlin, Joost

2016-11-01

Despite great previous efforts there is still a high need for a simple, clean, and upscalable method for detaching epitaxial graphene from the metal support on which it was grown. We present a method based on a pure gas phase reaction that is free of solvents and polymer supports and avoids mechanical transfer steps. The graphene was grown on 150 nm thick, single crystalline Ni(111) films on Si(111) wafers with YSZ buffer layers. Its quality was monitored by using low energy electron diffraction and scanning tunneling microscopy. The gas phase etching uses a chemical transport reaction, the so-called Mond process, based on the formation of gaseous nickel tetracarbonyl in 1 bar of CO at 75 °C and by adding small amounts of sulfide catalysts. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the detached graphene. It was found that the method successfully removes the nickel from underneath the graphene layer, so that the graphene lies on the insulating oxide buffer layer. Small residual particles of nickel sulfide and cracks in the obtained graphene layer were identified. The defect concentrations were comparable to graphene samples obtained by wet chemical etching and by the bubbling transfer.

Encapsulating Cytochrome c in Silica Aerogel Nanoarchitectures without Metal Nanoparticles while Retaining Gas-phase Bioactivity.

PubMed

Harper-Leatherman, Amanda S; Pacer, Elizabeth R; Kosciuszek, Nina D

2016-03-01

Applications such as sensors, batteries, and fuel cells have been improved through the use of highly porous aerogels when functional compounds are encapsulated within the aerogels. However, few reports on encapsulating proteins within sol-gels that are processed to form aerogels exist. A procedure for encapsulating cytochrome c (cyt. c) in silica (SiO2) sol-gels that are supercritically processed to form bioaerogels with gas-phase activity for nitric oxide (NO) is presented. Cyt. c is added to a mixed silica sol under controlled protein concentration and buffer strength conditions. The sol mixture is then gelled and the liquid filling the gel pores is replaced through a series of solvent exchanges with liquid carbon dioxide. The carbon dioxide is brought to its critical point and vented off to form dry aerogels with cyt. c encapsulated inside. These bioaerogels are characterized with UV-visible spectroscopy and circular dichroism spectroscopy and can be used to detect the presence of gas-phase nitric oxide. The success of this procedure depends on regulating the cyt. c concentration and the buffer concentration and does not require other components such as metal nanoparticles. It may be possible to encapsulate other proteins using a similar approach making this procedure important for potential future bioanalytical device development.

Electrocatalytic cermet sensor

DOEpatents

Shoemaker, E.L.; Vogt, M.C.

1998-06-30

A sensor is described for O{sub 2} and CO{sub 2} gases. The gas sensor includes a plurality of layers driven by a cyclic voltage to generate a unique plot characteristic of the gas in contact with the sensor. The plurality of layers includes an alumina substrate, a reference electrode source of anions, a lower electrical reference electrode of Pt coupled to the reference source of anions, a solid electrolyte containing tungsten and coupled to the lower reference electrode, a buffer layer for preventing flow of Pt ions into the solid electrolyte and an upper catalytically active Pt electrode coupled to the buffer layer. 16 figs.

Electrocatalytic cermet sensor

DOEpatents

Shoemaker, Erika L.; Vogt, Michael C.

1998-01-01

A sensor for O.sub.2 and CO.sub.2 gases. The gas sensor includes a plurality of layers driven by a cyclic voltage to generate a unique plot characteristic of the gas in contact with the sensor. The plurality of layers includes an alumina substrate, a reference electrode source of anions, a lower electrical reference electrode of Pt coupled to the reference source of anions, a solid electrolyte containing tungsten and coupled to the lower reference electrode, a buffer layer for preventing flow of Pt ions into the solid electrolyte and an upper catalytically active Pt electrode coupled to the buffer layer.

Oxynitride glass production procedure

DOEpatents

Weidner, Jerry R.; Schuetz, Stanley T.; O'Brien, Michael H.

1991-01-01

The invention is a process for the preparation of high quality oxynitride glasses without resorting to high pressures. Nitrogen-containing compounds such as Si.sub.3 N.sub.4 are first encapsulated in a low melting temperature glass. Particles of the encapsulated nitrogen-containing compound are mixed with other oxide glass-formers and melted in an atmosphere of flowing nitrogen and in the presence of buffering gas to form the oxynitride glass. Glasses containing up to 15 at % nitrogen have been prepared by this method.

Long wavelength emitting GaInN quantum wells on metamorphic GaInN buffer layers with enlarged in-plane lattice parameter

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

Däubler, J., E-mail: juergen.daeubler@iaf.fraunhofer.de; Passow, T.; Aidam, R.

Metamorphic (i.e., linear composition graded) GaInN buffer layers with an increased in-plane lattice parameter, grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy, were used as templates for metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE) grown GaInN/GaInN quantum wells (QWs), emitting in the green to red spectral region. A composition pulling effect was observed allowing considerable higher growth temperatures for the QWs for a given In composition. The internal quantum efficiency (IQE) of the QWs was determined by temperature and excitation power density dependent photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. An increase in IQE by a factor of two was found for green emitting QWs grown onmore » metamorphic GaInN buffer compared to reference samples grown on standard GaN buffer layers. The ratio of room temperature to low temperature intensity PL of the red emitting QWs were found to be comparable to the PL efficiency of green emitting QWs, both grown on metamorphic GaInN buffers. The excitation density and well width dependence of the IQE indicate a reduction of the quantum confined Stark effect upon growth on GaInN buffer layers with increased in-plane lattice parameter.« less

A high-dispersion molecular gas component in nearby galaxies

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

Caldú-Primo, Anahi; Walter, Fabian; Sandstrom, Karin

2013-12-01

We present a comprehensive study of the velocity dispersion of the atomic (H I) and molecular (H{sub 2}) gas components in the disks (R ≲ R {sub 25}) of a sample of 12 nearby spiral galaxies with moderate inclinations. Our analysis is based on sensitive high-resolution data from the THINGS (atomic gas) and HERACLES (molecular gas) surveys. To obtain reliable measurements of the velocity dispersion, we stack regions several kiloparsecs in size, after accounting for intrinsic velocity shifts due to galactic rotation and large-scale motions. We stack using various parameters: the galactocentric distance, star formation rate surface density, H Imore » surface density, H{sub 2} surface density, and total gas surface density. We fit single Gaussian components to the stacked spectra and measure median velocity dispersions for H I of 11.9 ± 3.1 km s{sup –1} and for CO of 12.0 ± 3.9 km s{sup –1}. The CO velocity dispersions are thus, surprisingly, very similar to the corresponding ones of H I, with an average ratio of σ{sub HI}/σ{sub CO}= 1.0 ± 0.2 irrespective of the stacking parameter. The measured CO velocity dispersions are significantly higher (factor of ∼2) than the traditional picture of a cold molecular gas disk associated with star formation. The high dispersion implies an additional thick molecular gas disk (possibly as thick as the H I disk). Our finding is in agreement with recent sensitive measurements in individual edge-on and face-on galaxies and points toward the general existence of a thick disk of molecular gas, in addition to the well-known thin disk in nearby spiral galaxies.« less

Physical properties of CO-dark molecular gas traced by C+

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tang, Ningyu; Li, Di; Heiles, Carl; Wang, Shen; Pan, Zhichen; Wang, Jun-Jie

2016-09-01

Context. Neither Hi nor CO emission can reveal a significant quantity of so-called dark gas in the interstellar medium (ISM). It is considered that CO-dark molecular gas (DMG), the molecular gas with no or weak CO emission, dominates dark gas. Determination of physical properties of DMG is critical for understanding ISM evolution. Previous studies of DMG in the Galactic plane are based on assumptions of excitation temperature and volume density. Independent measurements of temperature and volume density are necessary. Aims: We intend to characterize physical properties of DMG in the Galactic plane based on C+ data from the Herschel open time key program, namely Galactic Observations of Terahertz C+ (GOT C+) and Hi narrow self-absorption (HINSA) data from international Hi 21 cm Galactic plane surveys. Methods: We identified DMG clouds with HINSA features by comparing Hi, C+, and CO spectra. We derived the Hi excitation temperature and Hi column density through spectral analysis of HINSA features. The Hi volume density was determined by utilizing the on-the-sky dimension of the cold foreground Hi cloud under the assumption of axial symmetry. The column and volume density of H2 were derived through excitation analysis of C+ emission. The derived parameters were then compared with a chemical evolutionary model. Results: We identified 36 DMG clouds with HINSA features. Based on uncertainty analysis, optical depth of HiτHi of 1 is a reasonable value for most clouds. With the assumption of τHi = 1, these clouds were characterized by excitation temperatures in a range of 20 K to 92 K with a median value of 55 K and volume densities in the range of 6.2 × 101 cm-3 to 1.2 × 103 cm-3 with a median value of 2.3 × 102 cm-3. The fraction of DMG column density in the cloud (fDMG) decreases with increasing excitation temperature following an empirical relation fDMG =-2.1 × 10-3Tex,(τHi = 1) + 1.0. The relation between fDMG and total hydrogen column density NH is given by fDMG = 1.0-3.7 × 1020/NH. We divided the clouds into a high extinction group and low extinction group with the dividing threshold being total hydrogen column density NH of 5.0 × 1021 cm-2 (AV = 2.7 mag). The values of fDMG in the low extinction group (AV ≤ 2.7 mag) are consistent with the results of the time-dependent, chemical evolutionary model at the age of ~10 Myr. Our empirical relation cannot be explained by the chemical evolutionary model for clouds in the high extinction group (AV > 2.7 mag). Compared to clouds in the low extinction group (AV ≤ 2.7 mag), clouds in the high extinction group (AV > 2.7 mag) have comparable volume densities but excitation temperatures that are 1.5 times lower. Moreover, CO abundances in clouds of the high extinction group (AV > 2.7 mag) are 6.6 × 102 times smaller than the canonical value in the Milky Way. Conclusions: The molecular gas seems to be the dominate component in these clouds. The high percentage of DMG in clouds of the high extinction group (AV > 2.7 mag) may support the idea that molecular clouds are forming from pre-existing molecular gas, I.e., a cold gas with a high H2 content but that contains a little or no CO content.

High-performance FeSe0.5Te0.5 thin films fabricated on less-well-textured flexible coated conductor templates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Zhongtang; Yuan, Pusheng; Ma, Yanwei; Cai, Chuanbing

2017-03-01

We report on the transport properties of FeSe0.5Te0.5 (FST) thin films fabricated on less-well-textured flexible coated conductor templates with LaMnO3 (LMO) as buffer layers using pulsed laser deposition. The LMO buffer layers exhibit large in-plane misalignment of ˜7.72°, which is unfavorable for cuprate-coated conductors due to the high grain boundaries. The FST thin films show a superconducting transition temperature of 16.8 K, higher than that of bulk materials due to the compressive strain between LMO and FST. Atomic force microscopy observations reveal that island-like features appear at the surfaces of both LMO and FST, confirming the island growth mode. A self-field transport critical-current density of up to 0.43 MA cm-2 at 4.2 K has been observed in FST thin films, which is much higher than that in powder-in-tube processed FST tapes. The films are capable of carrying current densities of over 105 A cm-2 in the whole applied magnetic field up to 9 T, showing great potential for high-field applications. The results indicate that, for FST, highly textured metal tapes are not needed to produce coated conductors with high performance, which is of great advantage over cuprate-coated conductors.

Drought effects on evapotransiration and subsurface water storage in the southern Sierra Nevada

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bales, R. C.; Goulden, M.; Hunsaker, C. T.; Conklin, M. H.; Hartsough, P. C.; O'Geen, T. T.; Hopmans, J. W.; Safeeq, M.

2015-12-01

Multi-year measurements of evapotranspiration (ET) at three elevations in the southern Sierra Nevada show the extent to which subsurface water storage in the regolith provides a buffer against multi-year dry periods. ET in a 2000-m elevation mixed-conifer forest showed a 24% decrease in ET in water-year 2014, the third dry year, as compared to the wet year of 2011. This decrease reflected reduced transpiration for the July to September period. Over half of the annual ET in both wet and dry years came from below the 1-m depth mapped soil, and with come coming from below the 2.5 m depth of our soil-moisture measurements. The ability of trees to access water from these depths does provide a 2-3 year buffer for ET, which also depends on forest density and the balance between perennial overstory and annual understory vegetation. An equally dense lower-elevation pine-oak forest (1160 m) showed nearly a 50% decrease in ET during the third year of drought, with significant visible effects on vegetation. While this lower elevation forest may have as much or more subsurface storage as does that at 2000-m elevation, the combination of lower precipitation as one goes down in elevation and very high forest density provides only a one-year buffer for ET in dry years. Regaining resiliency in this forest will only occur with significant reductions in biomass and commensurate lowering of ET. In a 400-m elevation oak savannah ET responds to annual precipitation, with essentially no multi-year buffer provided by subsurface storage.

Convection in an ideal gas at high Rayleigh numbers.

PubMed

Tilgner, A

2011-08-01

Numerical simulations of convection in a layer filled with ideal gas are presented. The control parameters are chosen such that there is a significant variation of density of the gas in going from the bottom to the top of the layer. The relations between the Rayleigh, Peclet, and Nusselt numbers depend on the density stratification. It is proposed to use a data reduction which accounts for the variable density by introducing into the scaling laws an effective density. The relevant density is the geometric mean of the maximum and minimum densities in the layer. A good fit to the data is then obtained with power laws with the same exponent as for fluids in the Boussinesq limit. Two relations connect the top and bottom boundary layers: The kinetic energy densities computed from free fall velocities are equal at the top and bottom, and the products of free fall velocities and maximum horizontal velocities are equal for both boundaries.

Self-tuning method for monitoring the density of a gas vapor component using a tunable laser

DOEpatents

Hagans, Karla; Berzins, Leon; Galkowski, Joseph; Seng, Rita

1996-01-01

The present invention relates to a vapor density monitor and laser atomic absorption spectroscopy method for highly accurate, continuous monitoring of vapor densities, composition, flow velocity, internal and kinetic temperatures and constituent distributions. The vapor density monitor employs a diode laser, preferably of an external cavity design. By using a diode laser, the vapor density monitor is significantly less expensive and more reliable than prior art vapor density monitoring devices. In addition, the compact size of diode lasers enables the vapor density monitor to be portable. According to the method of the present invention, the density of a component of a gas vapor is calculated by tuning the diode laser to a frequency at which the amount of light absorbed by the component is at a minimum or a maximum within about 50 MHz of that frequency. Laser light from the diode laser is then transmitted at the determined frequency across a predetermined pathlength of the gas vapor. By comparing the amount of light transmitted by the diode laser to the amount of light transmitted after the laser light passes through the gas vapor, the density of the component can be determined using Beer's law.

Self-tuning method for monitoring the density of a gas vapor component using a tunable laser

DOEpatents

Hagans, K.; Berzins, L.; Galkowski, J.; Seng, R.

1996-08-27

The present invention relates to a vapor density monitor and laser atomic absorption spectroscopy method for highly accurate, continuous monitoring of vapor densities, composition, flow velocity, internal and kinetic temperatures and constituent distributions. The vapor density monitor employs a diode laser, preferably of an external cavity design. By using a diode laser, the vapor density monitor is significantly less expensive and more reliable than prior art vapor density monitoring devices. In addition, the compact size of diode lasers enables the vapor density monitor to be portable. According to the method of the present invention, the density of a component of a gas vapor is calculated by tuning the diode laser to a frequency at which the amount of light absorbed by the component is at a minimum or a maximum within about 50 MHz of that frequency. Laser light from the diode laser is then transmitted at the determined frequency across a predetermined pathlength of the gas vapor. By comparing the amount of light transmitted by the diode laser to the amount of light transmitted after the laser light passes through the gas vapor, the density of the component can be determined using Beer`s law. 6 figs.

Conductive Polymer Synthesis with Single-Crystallinity via a Novel Plasma Polymerization Technique for Gas Sensor Applications.

PubMed

Park, Choon-Sang; Kim, Dong Ha; Shin, Bhum Jae; Kim, Do Yeob; Lee, Hyung-Kun; Tae, Heung-Sik

2016-09-30

This study proposes a new nanostructured conductive polymer synthesis method that can grow the single-crystalline high-density plasma-polymerized nanoparticle structures by enhancing the sufficient nucleation and fragmentation of the pyrrole monomer using a novel atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) technique. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) results show that the plasma-polymerized pyrrole (pPPy) nanoparticles have a fast deposition rate of 0.93 µm·min -1 under a room-temperature process and have single-crystalline characteristics with porous properties. In addition, the single-crystalline high-density pPPy nanoparticle structures were successfully synthesized on the glass, plastic, and interdigitated gas sensor electrode substrates using a novel plasma polymerization technique at room temperature. To check the suitability of the active layer for the fabrication of electrochemical toxic gas sensors, the resistance variations of the pPPy nanoparticles grown on the interdigitated gas sensor electrodes were examined by doping with iodine. As a result, the proposed APPJ device could obtain the high-density and ultra-fast single-crystalline pPPy thin films for various gas sensor applications. This work will contribute to the design of highly sensitive gas sensors adopting the novel plasma-polymerized conductive polymer as new active layer.

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.

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.

Dislocation Density Reduction in Cadmium Telluride and Mercury Cadmium Telluride Grown on Silicon Using Thermal Cycle Annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Farrell, Stuart Bennett

Mercury Cadmium Telluride (HgCdTe) is a material of great importance for infrared focal plane array applications. In order to produce large format detector arrays this material needs to be grown on a large area substrate, with silicon being the most mature substrate, it is the optimal choice for large format arrays. To help mitigate the effect of the lattice mismatch between the two materials, cadmium telluride (CdTe) is used as a buffer layer. The CdTe itself has nearly the same lattice mismatch (19.3%) to silicon, but due to the technological advantages it offers and compatibility with HgCdTe, it is the best buffer layer choice. The lattice mismatch between HgCdTe/CdTe and the silicon substrate leads to the formation of dislocations at densities in the mid 106 to low 107 cm-2 range in the epilayers. Such a high dislocation density greatly effects detector device performance quantities such as operability and sensitivity. Hence, the dislocation density should be brought down by at least an order of magnitude by adopting novel in situ and ex situ material processing techniques. In this work, in situ and ex situ thermal cycle annealing (TCA) methods have been used to decrease dislocation density in CdTe and HgCdTe. During the molecular beam epitaxial (MBE) growth of the CdTe buffer layer, the growth was interrupted and the layer was subjected to an annealing cycle within the growth chamber under tellurium overpressure. During the annealing cycle the temperature is raised to beyond the growth temperature (290 → 550 °C) and then allowed to cool before resuming growth again. This process was repeated several times during the growth. After growth, a portion of the material was subjected to a dislocation decoration etch in order to count the etch pit density (EPD) which has a direct correspondence with the dislocation density in the crystal. The crystalline quality was also characterized by x-ray diffraction rocking curves and photoluminescence. The in situ TCA resulted in almost a two order of magnitude reduction in the dislocation density, and factor of two reduction in the full width at half maximum of the x-ray rocking curves. Photoluminescence also suggested a decrease in the number of dislocations present in the material. This decrease is attributed to the movement of the dislocations during the annealing cycles and their subsequent interaction and annihilation. To decrease the dislocation density in HgCdTe layers grown on CdTe/Si composite substrates, ex situ TCA has been performed in a sealed quartz ampoule under a mercury overpressure in a conventional clam-shell furnace. The reduction in the dislocation density has been studied as a function of growth/annealing parameters such as the initial (as grown) dislocation density, buffer layer quality, Hg overpressure, annealing temperature, annealing duration, and the number of annealing cycles. It was found that the primary parameters that affect dislocation density reduction are the annealing temperature and the number of annealing cycles. Some secondary affects were observed by varying the duration spent at the maximum annealing temperature. Parameters such as the initial dislocation density and buffer layer quality did not play a significant role in dislocation reduction. Though no correlation between Hg overpressure and dislocation density was found, it did play a vital role in maintaining the quality of the surface. By using the ex situ TCA, a dislocation density of 1 x 106 cm-2 could be reliably and consistently achieved in HgCdTe layers that had a starting density ranging from 0.5 -- 3 x 107 cm-2. Examination of the annealing parameters revealed an exponential decay in the dislocation density as a function of increasing number of annealing cycles. In addition, a similar exponential decay was observed between the dislocation density and the annealing temperature. The decrease in the dislocation density is once again attributed to moving dislocations that interact and annihilate. This behavior was modeled using a second order reaction equation. It was found that the results of the model closely agreed with the experimental values for a wide range of annealing temperatures and number of annealing cycles.

Density-dependent regulation of population size in colonial breeders: Allee and buffer effects in the migratory Montagu's harrier.

PubMed

Soutullo, Alvaro; Limiñana, Rubén; Urios, Vicente; Surroca, Martín; A Gill, Jennifer

2006-09-01

Expanding populations offer an opportunity to uncover the processes driving spatial variation in distribution and abundance. Individual settlement decisions will be influenced by the availability and relative quality of patches, and by how these respond to changes in conspecific density. For example, conspecific presence can alter patch suitability through reductions in resource availability or territorial exclusion, leading to buffer effect patterns of disproportionate population expansion into poorer quality areas. However, conspecific presence can also enhance patch suitability through Allee effect processes, such as transmission of information about resources or improved predator detection and deterrence. Here, we explore the factors underlying the settlement pattern of a growing population of Montagu's harriers (Circus pygargus) in Spain. The population increased exponentially between 1981 and 2001, but stabilised between 2001 and 2004. This population increase occurred alongside a remarkable spatial expansion, with novel site use occurring prior to maximum densities in occupied sites being reached. However, no temporal trends in fecundity were observed and, within sites, average fecundity did not decline with increasing density. Across the population, variance in productivity did increase with population size, suggesting a complex pattern of density-dependent costs and benefits. We suggest that both Allee and buffer effects are operating in this system, with the benefits of conspecific presence counteracting density-dependent declines in resource availability or quality.

Kinetics and Chemistry of Ionization Wave Discharges Propagating Over Dielectric Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petrishchev, Vitaly

Experimental studies of near-surface ionization wave electric discharges generated by high peak voltage (20-30 kV), nanosecond duration pulses (full width at half-maximum 50-100 ns) of positive and negative polarity and propagating over dielectric surfaces have been performed. A novel way to sustain diffuse, reproducible, ns pulse surface plasmas at a liquid-vapor interface is demonstrated at buffer gas pressures ranging from 10 to 200 Torr. Generation of surface ionization waves well reproduced shot-to-shot and sustaining diffuse near-surface plasmas is one of the principal advantages of the use of ns pulse discharge waveforms. This makes possible characterization of these plasmas in repetitively pulsed experiments. Numerous applications of these plasmas include low-temperature plasma assisted combustion, plasma fuel reforming, plasma flow control, plasma materials processing, agriculture, biology, and medicine. The objectives of the present work are (i) to demonstrate that surface ionization wave discharge plasmas sustained at a liquid-vapor interface can be used as an experimental platform for studies of near-surface plasma chemical reaction kinetics, at the conditions when the interface acts as a high-yield source of radical species, and (ii) to obtain quantitative insight into dynamics, kinetics and chemistry of surface ionization wave discharges and provide experimental data for validation of kinetic models, to assess their predictive capability. Generation of the initial radical pool may trigger a number of plasma chemical processes leading to formation of a variety of stable product species, depending on the initial composition of the liquid and the buffer gas flow. One of the products formed and detected during surface plasma / liquid water interaction is hydroxyl radical, which is closely relevant to applications of plasmas for biology and medicine. The present work includes detailed studies of surface ionization wave discharges sustained in different buffer gases over solid and liquid dielectric surfaces, such as quartz, distilled water, saline solution, and alcohols, over a wide range of pressures. Specific experiments include: measurements of ionization wave speed; plasma emission imaging using a ns gate camera; detection of surface discharge plasma chemistry products using Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy; surface charge dynamics on short (ns) and long (hundreds of mus) time scales; time-resolved electron density and electron temperature measurements in a ns pulse surface discharge in helium by Thomson scattering; spatially-resolved absolute OH and H atom concentration measurements in ns pulse discharges over distilled water by single-photon and two-photon Laser Induced Fluorescence; and schlieren imaging of perturbations generated by a ns pulse dielectric barrier discharge in a surface plasma actuator in quiescent atmospheric pressure air.

Discharge runaway in high power impulse magnetron sputtering of carbon: the effect of gas pressure, composition and target peak voltage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vitelaru, Catalin; Aijaz, Asim; Constantina Parau, Anca; Kiss, Adrian Emil; Sobetkii, Arcadie; Kubart, Tomas

2018-04-01

Pressure and target voltage driven discharge runaway from low to high discharge current density regimes in high power impulse magnetron sputtering of carbon is investigated. The main purpose is to provide a meaningful insight of the discharge dynamics, with the ultimate goal to establish a correlation between discharge properties and process parameters to control the film growth. This is achieved by examining a wide range of pressures (2–20 mTorr) and target voltages (700–850 V) and measuring ion saturation current density at the substrate position. We show that the minimum plasma impedance is an important parameter identifying the discharge transition as well as establishing a stable operating condition. Using the formalism of generalized recycling model, we introduce a new parameter, ‘recycling ratio’, to quantify the process gas recycling for specific process conditions. The model takes into account the ion flux to the target, the amount of gas available, and the amount of gas required for sustaining the discharge. We show that this parameter describes the relation between the gas recycling and the discharge current density. As a test case, we discuss the pressure and voltage driven transitions by changing the gas composition when adding Ne into the discharge. We propose that standard Ar HiPIMS discharges operated with significant gas recycling do not require Ne to increase the carbon ionization.

A high density two-dimensional electron gas in an oxide heterostructure on Si (001)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jin, E. N.; Kornblum, L.; Kumah, D. P.; Zou, K.; Broadbridge, C. C.; Ngai, J. H.; Ahn, C. H.; Walker, F. J.

2014-11-01

We present the growth and characterization of layered heterostructures comprised of LaTiO3 and SrTiO3 epitaxially grown on Si (001). Magnetotransport measurements show that the sheet carrier densities of the heterostructures scale with the number of LaTiO3/SrTiO3 interfaces, consistent with the presence of an interfacial 2-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at each interface. Sheet carrier densities of 8.9 × 1014 cm-2 per interface are observed. Integration of such high density oxide 2DEGs on silicon provides a bridge between the exceptional properties and functionalities of oxide 2DEGs and microelectronic technologies.

High-Quality GaN Epilayers Achieved by Facet-Controlled Epitaxial Lateral Overgrowth on Sputtered AlN/PSS Templates.

PubMed

He, Chenguang; Zhao, Wei; Zhang, Kang; He, Longfei; Wu, Hualong; Liu, Ningyang; Zhang, Shan; Liu, Xiaoyan; Chen, Zhitao

2017-12-13

It is widely believed that the lack of high-quality GaN wafers severely hinders the progress in GaN-based devices, especially for defect-sensitive devices. Here, low-cost AlN buffer layers were sputtered on cone-shaped patterned sapphire substrates (PSSs) to obtain high-quality GaN epilayers. Without any mask or regrowth, facet-controlled epitaxial lateral overgrowth was realized by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The uniform coating of the sputtered AlN buffer layer and the optimized multiple modulation guaranteed high growth selectivity and uniformity of the GaN epilayer. As a result, an extremely smooth surface was achieved with an average roughness of 0.17 nm over 3 × 3 μm 2 . It was found that the sputtered AlN buffer layer could significantly suppress dislocations on the cones. Moreover, the optimized three-dimensional growth process could effectively promote dislocation bending. Therefore, the threading dislocation density (TDD) of the GaN epilayer was reduced to 4.6 × 10 7 cm -2 , which is about an order of magnitude lower than the case of two-step GaN on the PSS. In addition, contamination and crack in the light-emitting diode fabricated on the obtained GaN were also effectively suppressed by using the sputtered AlN buffer layer. All of these advantages led to a high output power of 116 mW at 500 mA with an emission wavelength of 375 nm. This simple, yet effective growth technique is believed to have great application prospects in high-performance TDD-sensitive optoelectronic and electronic devices.

Fabrication and characterization of a CNT forest integrated micromechanical resonator for a rarefied gas analyzer in a medium vacuum atmosphere

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugano, Koji; Matsumoto, Ryu; Tsutsui, Ryota; Kishihara, Hiroyuki; Matsuzuka, Naoki; Yamashita, Ichiro; Uraoka, Yukiharu; Isono, Yoshitada

2016-07-01

This study focuses on the development of a multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) forest integrated micromechanical resonator working as a rarefied gas analyzer for nitrogen (N2) and hydrogen (H2) gases in a medium vacuum atmosphere. The resonant response is detected in the form of changes in the resonant frequency or damping effects, depending on the rarefied gas species. The carbon nanotube (CNT) forest on the resonator enhances the effective specific surface area of the resonator, such that the variation of the resonant frequency and the damping effect based on the gas species increase significantly. We developed the fabrication process for the proposed resonator, which consists of standard micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) processes and high-density CNT synthesis on the resonator mass. The high-density CNT synthesis was realized using multistep alternate coating of two types of ferritin proteins that act as catalytic iron particles. Two devices with different CNT densities were fabricated and characterized to evaluate the effect of the surface area of the CNT forest on the resonant response as a function of gas pressures ranging from 0.011 to 1 Pa for N2 and H2. Considering the damping effect, we found that the device with higher density was able to distinguish N2 and H2 clearly, whereas the device with lower density showed no difference between N2 and H2. We confirmed that a larger surface area showed a higher damping effect. These results were explained based on the kinetic theory of gases. In the case of resonant frequency, the relative resonant frequency shift increased with gas pressure and surface area because of the adsorption of gas molecules on the resonator surfaces. Higher density CNT forest adsorbed more gas molecules on the surfaces. The developed CNT forest integrated micromechanical resonator could successfully detect N2 and H2 gases and distinguish between them under pressures of 1 Pa.

Copernicus observations of interstellar matter toward the Orion OB1 association. I - Epsilon and Pi-5 Orionis

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shull, J. M.

1979-01-01

Copernicus UV data on interstellar lines toward Epsilon Ori and Pi-5 Ori are analyzed to study abundances and physical conditions in both low- and intermediate-velocity components. Clouds at -8 and +5 km/s (LSR) toward Epsilon Ori show typical depletions of Fe, Ti, Mg, and Si in dense (H number density about 100 per cu cm) gas. Low-column-density intermediate-velocity clouds toward both stars, with low densities (hydrogen number density less than 1 per cu cm) and near-cosmic Si abundances, are consistent with a widespread pattern of high-velocity gas over a 15-deg area surrounding the Orion region. Such activity may be attributed to the repeated action of supernovae in a patchy low-density region of interstellar gas.

Development of iron platinum/oxide high anisotropy magnetic media

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, En

Because the size of magnetic grains is approaching the superparamagnetic limit in current perpendicular media, it is necessary to produce thin film media made with magnetic alloys with larger magneto-crystalline anisotropy energies to achieve higher recording densities. Due to its high anisotropy field and good environmental stability, FePt (L10) is the most promising media for achieving such ultra-high recording densities. However, there are several challenges associated with the development of FePt as a perpendicular media. As deposited FePt has disordered fee phase; either high deposition temperature, > 600 oC, or a high temperature post annealing process is required to obtain the ordered L10 structure, which is not desirable for manufacturing purposes. Therefore, techniques that enable ordering at significantly reduced temperatures are critically and urgently needed. Furthermore, in order to use it as a high density recording media, very small (less than 5 nm), uniform and fully-ordered, magnetically isolated FePt (L10) columnar grains with well defined grain boundaries, excellent perpendicular texture and high coercivity are desired. In this study, experiments and research have been mainly focused on the following aspects: (1) controlling of c axis orientation of FePt, (2) obtaining small columnar FePt grains, (3) improving order parameter and magnetic properties at lower ordering temperature. After a systematic experimental investigation, we have found an experimental approach for obtaining highly ordered L1 0 FePt-oxide thin film media at moderate deposition temperatures. In most previous studies, the FePt-Oxide layer is directly deposited on a textured MgO (001) layer. By introducing a double buffer layer in between the FePt-oxide layer and the MgO underlayer, we are able to substantially enhance the L1 0 ordering of the FePt-oxide layer while lowering the deposition temperature to 400oC. The buffer layers also yield a significantly enhanced (001) texture of the formed L10 FePt film. With the order parameter near unity, the coercivity of the resulting granular L10 FePt-oxide film exceeds Hc > 20 kOe with an average grain size about D = 8 nm. With the buffer layer technique, l8kOe coercivity has also been achieved for L10 FePt-oxide film at a grain size of about D = 4.5 nm, but it requires 35% of SiO2 in the magnetic layer. With 9% of Oxide in the film, excellent perpendicular texture, very high order parameter and small grain size of FePt can also be obtained by utilizing RuAl grain size defining layer along with TiN barrier layer. With the Ag buffer layer technique, the microstructure and magnetic properties of FePt films with RuAl grain size defining layer can be further improved.

Influences of ultrathin amorphous buffer layers on GaAs/Si grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hu, Haiyang; Wang, Jun; Cheng, Zhuo; Yang, Zeyuan; Yin, Haiying; Fan, Yibing; Ma, Xing; Huang, Yongqing; Ren, Xiaomin

2018-04-01

In this work, a technique for the growth of GaAs epilayers on Si, combining an ultrathin amorphous Si buffer layer and a three-step growth method, has been developed to achieve high crystalline quality for monolithic integration. The influences of the combined technique for the crystalline quality of GaAs on Si are researched in this article. The crystalline quality of GaAs epilayer on Si with the combined technique is investigated by scanning electron microscopy, double crystal X-ray diffraction (DCXRD), photoluminescence, and transmission electron microscopy measurements. By means of this technique, a 1.8-µm-thick high-quality GaAs/Si epilayer was grown by metal-organic chemical vapor deposition. The full-width at half-maximum of the DCXRD rocking curve in the (400) reflection obtained from the GaAs/Si epilayers is about 163 arcsec. Compared with only using three-step growth method, the current technique reduces etch pit density from 3 × 106 cm-2 to 1.5 × 105 cm-2. The results demonstrate that the combined technique is an effective approach for reducing dislocation density in GaAs epilayers on Si.

Normal and grazing incidence pulsed laser deposition of nanostructured MoSx hydrogen evolution catalysts from a MoS2 target

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fominski, V. Yu.; Romanov, R. I.; Fominski, D. V.; Dzhumaev, P. S.; Troyan, I. A.

2018-06-01

Pulsed laser ablation of a MoS2 target causes enhanced splashing of the material. So, for MoSx films obtained by pulsed laser deposition (PLD) in the conventional normal incidence (NI) configuration, their typical morphology is characterized by an underlying granular structure with an overlayer of widely dispersed spherical Mo and MoSx particles possessing micro-, sub-micro- and nanometer sizes. We investigated the possibility of using high surface roughness, which occurs due to particle deposition, as a support with a large exposed surface area for thin MoSx catalytic layers for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). For comparison, the HER performance of MoSx layers formed by grazing incidence (GI) PLD was studied. During GI-PLD, a substrate was placed along the direction of laser plume transport and few large particles loaded the substrate. The local structure and composition of thin MoSx layers formed by the deposition of the vapor component of the laser plume were varied by changing the pressure of the buffer gas (argon, Ar). In the case of NI-PLD, an increase in Ar pressure caused the formation of quasi-amorphous MoSx (x ≥ 2) films that possessed highly active catalytic sites on the edges of the layered MoS2 nanophase. At the same time, a decrease in the deposition rate of the MoSx film appeared due to the scattering of the vapor flux by Ar molecules during flux transport from the target to the substrate. This effect prevented uniform deposition of the MoSx catalytic film on the surface of most particles, whose deposition rate was independent of Ar pressure. The scattered vapor flux containing Mo and S atoms was a dominant source for MoSx film growth during GI-PLD. The thickness and composition distribution of the MoSx film on the substrate depended on both the pressure of the buffer gas and the distance from the target. For 1.0-2.5 cm from the target, the deposition rate was quite sufficient to form S-enriched quasi-amorphous MoSx (2.5 < x < 6) catalytic films that consisted of densely packed 30-50 nm nanoparticles. The GI-PLD films possessed a greater density of catalytically active sites with a distinct local atomic configuration including edge sites of the layered MoS2 nanophase and diverse S ligands in the amorphous phase, which contained Mo3-S clusters. At a modest loading of ∼300 μg/cm2 on glassy carbon substrates and an overpotential of -140 mV, these films activated H2 production with geometric current densities up to -10 mA/cm2.

Star formation in proto dwarf galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Noriega-Crespo, A.; Bodenheimer, P.; Lin, D. N. C.; Tenorio-Tagle, G.

1990-01-01

The effects of the onset of star formation on the residual gas in primordial low-mass Local-Group dwarf spheroidal galaxies is studied by a series of hydrodynamical simulations. The models have concentrated on the effect of photoionization. The results indicate that photoionization in the presence of a moderate gas density gradient can eject most of the residual gas on a time scale of a few 10 to the 7th power years. High central gas density combined with inefficient star formation, however, may prevent mass ejection. The effect of supernova explosions is discussed briefly.

Plasma assisted molecular beam epitaxy growth and effect of varying buffer thickness on the formation of ultra-thin In{sub 0.17}Al{sub 0.83}N/GaN heterostructure on Si(111)

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

Chowdhury, Subhra, E-mail: subhra1109@gmail.com; Biswas, Dhrubes; Department of E and E C E, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, Kharagpur 721302

2015-02-23

This work reports on the detailed plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) growth of ultra-thin In{sub 0.17}Al{sub 0.83}N/GaN heterostructures on Si(111) substrate with three different buffer thickness (600 nm, 400 nm, and 200 nm). Growth through critical optimization of growth conditions is followed by the investigation of impact of varying buffer thickness on the formation of ultra-thin 1.5 nm, In{sub 0.17}Al{sub 0.83}N–1.25 nm, GaN–1.5 nm, In{sub 0.17}Al{sub 0.83}N heterostructure, in terms of threading dislocation (TD) density. Analysis reveals a drastic reduction of TD density from the order 10{sup 10 }cm{sup −2} to 10{sup 8 }cm{sup −2} with increasing buffer thickness resulting smooth ultra-thin active region for thick buffer structure.more » Increasing strain with decreasing buffer thickness is studied through reciprocal space mapping analysis. Surface morphology through atomic force microscopy analysis also supports our study by observing an increase of pits and root mean square value (0.89 nm, 1.2 nm, and 1.45 nm) with decreasing buffer thickness which are resulted due to the internal strain and TDs.« less

Density structure of submarine slump and normal sediments of the first gas production test site at Daini-Atsumi Knoll near Nankai Trough, estimated by LWD logging data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suzuki, K.; Takayama, T.; Fujii, T.; Yamamoto, K.

2014-12-01

Many geologists have discussed slope instability caused by gas-hydrate dissociation, which could make movable fluid in pore space of sediments. However, physical property changes caused by gas hydrate dissociation would not be so simple. Moreover, during the period of natural gas-production from gas-hydrate reservoir applying depressurization method would be completely different phenomena from dissociation processes in nature, because it could not be caused excess pore pressure, even though gas and water exist. Hence, in all cases, physical properties of gas-hydrate bearing sediments and that of their cover sediments are quite important to consider this phenomena, and to carry out simulation to solve focusing phenomena during gas hydrate dissociation periods. Daini-Atsumi knoll that was the first offshore gas-production test site from gas-hydrate is partially covered by slumps. Fortunately, one of them was penetrated by both Logging-While-Drilling (LWD) hole and pressure-coring hole. As a result of LWD data analyses and core analyses, we have understood density structure of sediments from seafloor to Bottom Simulating Reflector (BSR). The results are mentioned as following. ・Semi-confined slump showed high-density, relatively. It would be explained by over-consolidation that was result of layer-parallel compression caused by slumping. ・Bottom sequence of slump has relative high-density zones. It would be explained by shear-induced compaction along slide plane. ・Density below slump tends to increase in depth. It is reasonable that sediments below slump deposit have been compacting as normal consolidation. ・Several kinds of log-data for estimating physical properties of gas-hydrate reservoir sediments have been obtained. It will be useful for geological model construction from seafloor until BSR. We can use these results to consider geological model not only for slope instability at slumping, but also for slope stability during depressurized period of gas production from gas-hydrate. AcknowledgementThis study was supported by funding from the Research Consortium for Methane Hydrate Resources in Japan (MH21 Research Consortium) planned by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI).

UF6 Density and Mass Flow Measurements for Enrichment Plants using Acoustic Techniques

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

Good, Morris S.; Smith, Leon E.; Warren, Glen A.

A key enabling capability for enrichment plant safeguards being considered by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is high-accuracy, noninvasive, unattended measurement of UF6 gas density and mass flow rate. Acoustic techniques are currently used to noninvasively monitor gas flow in industrial applications; however, the operating pressures at gaseous centrifuge enrichment plants (GCEPs) are roughly two orders magnitude below the capabilities of commercial instrumentation. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is refining acoustic techniques for estimating density and mass flow rate of UF6 gas in scenarios typical of GCEPs, with the goal of achieving 1% measurement accuracy. Proof-of-concept laboratory measurements using amore » surrogate gas for UF6 have demonstrated signatures sensitive to gas density at low operating pressures such as 10–50 Torr, which were observed over the background acoustic interference. Current efforts involve developing a test bed for conducting acoustic measurements on flowing SF6 gas at representative flow rates and pressures to ascertain the viability of conducting gas flow measurements under these conditions. Density and flow measurements will be conducted to support the evaluation. If successful, the approach could enable an unattended, noninvasive approach to measure mass flow in unit header pipes of GCEPs.« less

H2 suppression with shocking inflows: testing a pathway for supermassive black hole formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernandez, Ricardo; Bryan, Greg L.; Haiman, Zoltan; Li, Miao

2014-04-01

The presence of quasars at redshifts z > 6 indicates the existence of supermassive black holes (SMBHs) as massive as a few times 109 M⊙, challenging models for SMBH formation. One pathway is through the direct collapse of gas in Tvir ≳ 104 K haloes; however, this requires the suppression of H2 cooling to prevent fragmentation. In this paper, we examine a proposed new mechanism for this suppression which relies on cold-mode accretion flows leading to shocks at high densities (n > 104 cm-3) and temperatures (T > 104 K). In such gas, H2 is efficiently collisionally dissociated. We use high-resolution numerical simulations to test this idea, demonstrating that such haloes typically have lower temperature progenitors, in which cooling is efficient. Those haloes do show filamentary flows; however, the gas shocks at or near the virial radius (at low densities), thus preventing the proposed collisional mechanism from operating. We do find that if we artificially suppress H2 formation with a high-UV background, so as to allow gas in the halo centre to enter the high-temperature, high-density `zone of no return', it will remain there even if the UV flux is turned off, collapsing to high density at high temperature. Due to computational limitations, we simulated only three haloes. However, we demonstrate, using Monte Carlo calculations of 106 halo merger histories, that a few rare haloes could assemble rapidly enough to avoid efficient H2 cooling in all of their progenitor haloes, provided that the UV background exceeds J21 ˜ few at redshifts as high as z ˜ 20.

Anolyte recycling enhanced bioelectricity generation of the buffer-free single-chamber air-cathode microbial fuel cell.

PubMed

Ren, Yueping; Chen, Jinli; Shi, Yugang; Li, Xiufen; Yang, Na; Wang, Xinhua

2017-11-01

Anolyte acidification is an inevitable restriction for the bioelectricity generation of buffer-free microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In this work, acidification of the buffer-free KCl anolyte has been thoroughly eliminated through anolyte recycling. The accumulated HCO 3 - concentration in the recycled KCl anolyte was above 50mM, which played as natural buffer and elevated the anolyte pH to above 8. The maximum power density (P max ) increased from 322.9mWm -2 to 527.2mWm -2 , which is comparable with the phosphate buffered MFC. Besides Geobacter genus, the gradually increased anolyte pH and conductivity induced the growing of electrochemically active Geoalkalibacter genus, in the anode biofilm. Anolyte recycling is a feasible strategy to strengthen the self-buffering capacity of buffer-free MFCs, thoroughly eliminate the anolyte acidification and prominently enhance the electric power. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A critical review of measurements of water vapor absorption in the 840 to 1100 cm(-1) spectral region

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grant, William B.

1987-01-01

A set of eleven measurements of the water vapor continuum absorption in the 840 to 1100 sq cm spectral region is reviewed and compared with spectral models maintained by the Air Force Geophysics Laboratory. The measurements were made in four different ways: spectrometer with a White cell, CO2 laser with a White cell, CO2 laser with a spectrophone, and broadband radiation source over a long atmospheric path. Where possible, the data were selected at a water vapor partial pressure of ten torr buffered to 760 torr with N2 or synthetic air and a temperature of between 296 and 300 K. The intercomparison of the data leads to several observations and conclusions. First, there are four sets of laboratory data taken with nitrogen as the buffer gas which generally agree well mutually and with AFGL's HITRAN code. Second, there is one set of laboratory data that shows that using air as the buffer gas gives a few percent decrease in the water vapor continuum compared with using nitrogen as the buffer gas. Third, the atmospheric long-path measurements for water vapor partial pressure below about 12 torr are roughly grouped within 20 percent of the HITRAN values. Fourth, there are three sets of spectrophone data for water vapor in synthetic air which are significantly higher than any of the other measurements. This discrepancy is attributed to the effects of impurity gases in the cell.

New Advancements in the Study of the Uniform Electron Gas with Full Configuration Interaction Quantum Monte Carlo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruggeri, Michele; Luo, Hongjun; Alavi, Ali

Full Configuration Interaction Quantum Monte Carlo (FCIQMC) is able to give remarkably accurate results in the study of atoms and molecules. The study of the uniform electron gas (UEG) on the other hand has proven to be much harder, particularly in the low density regime. The source of this difficulty comes from the strong interparticle correlations that arise at low density, and essentially forbid the study of the electron gas in proximity of Wigner crystallization. We extend a previous study on the three dimensional electron gas computing the energy of a fully polarized gas for N=27 electrons at high and medium density (rS = 0 . 5 to 5 . 0). We show that even when dealing with a polarized UEG the computational cost of the study of systems with rS > 5 . 0 is prohibitive; in order to deal with correlations and to extend the density range that to be studied we introduce a basis of localized states and an effective transcorrelated Hamiltonian.

U2 8 + -intensity record applying a H2 -gas stripper cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barth, Winfried; Adonin, Aleksey; Düllmann, Christoph E.; Heilmann, Manuel; Hollinger, Ralph; Jäger, Egon; Khuyagbaatar, Jadambaa; Krier, Joerg; Scharrer, Paul; Vormann, Hartmut; Yakushev, Alexander

2015-04-01

To meet the Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research science requirements higher beam intensity has to be achieved in the present GSI-accelerator complex. For this an advanced upgrade program for the UNILAC is ongoing. Stripping is a key technology for all heavy ion accelerators. For this an extensive research and development program was carried out to optimize for high brilliance heavy ion operation. After upgrade of the supersonic N2 -gas jet (2007), implementation of high current foil stripping (2011) and preliminary investigation of H2 -gas jet operation (2012), recently (2014) a new H2 -gas cell using a pulsed gas regime synchronized with arrival of the beam pulse has been developed. An obviously enhanced stripper gas density as well as a simultaneously reduced gas load for the pumping system result in an increased stripping efficiency, while the beam emittance remains the same. A new record intensity (7.8 emA) for 238U2 8 + beams at 1.4 MeV /u has been achieved applying the pulsed high density H2 stripper target to a high intensity 238U4 + beam from the VARIS ion source with a newly developed extraction system. The experimental results are presented in detail.

Production of fullerenes and single-wall carbon nanotubes by high-temperature pulsed arc discharge

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sugai, Toshiki; Omote, Hideki; Bandow, Shunji; Tanaka, Nobuo; Shinohara, Hisanori

2000-04-01

Fullerenes and single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) have been produced for the first time by the high-temperature pulsed arc-discharge technique, which has developed in this laboratory. Fullerenes are identified quantitatively by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) observations reveal a significant amount of production of bundles of SWNTs in soot. The pulse arc production of fullerenes and SWNTs favors the high-temperature (⩾1000 °C), long pulses (⩾1 ms) and a heavy rare gas such as Ar or Kr as a buffer gas. We have found that fullerenes and SWNTs have complementary relationships in their early stage of production. The details of the pulsed arc discharge have been obtained by observing the transition from the pulsed arc discharge to the steady arc discharge while increasing the pulse width.

Regional Influences of Marcellus Shale Natural Gas Activity: Back-trajectory Analysis of Baltimore/Washington Ethane Concentrations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vinciguerra, T.; Chittams, A.; Dadzie, J.; Deskins, T.; Goncalves, V.; M'Bagui Matsanga, C.; Zakaria, R.; Ehrman, S.; Dickerson, R. R.

2015-12-01

Over the past several years, the combined utilization of hydraulic fracturing and horizontal drilling has led to a rapid increase in natural gas production, especially from the Marcellus Shale. To explore the impact of this activity downwind on regions with no natural gas production, the Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) Model was used to generate 48-hour back-trajectories for summer, daytime hours from the years 2007-2014 in the Baltimore, MD and Washington, D.C. areas where hourly ethane measurements are available from Photochemical Assessment Monitoring Stations (PAMS). For each of the years investigated, unconventional well counts were obtained for counties in the surrounding states of Pennsylvania, Ohio, West Virginia, and Virginia, and counties exceeding a threshold of 0.05 wells/km2 were designated as counties with a high density of wells. The back-trajectories for each year were separated into two groups: those which passed through counties containing a high density of wells, and those which did not. Back-trajectories passing through high-density counties were further screened by applying a height criterion where trajectories beyond 10% above the mixing layer were excluded. Preliminary results indicate that air parcels with back-trajectories passing within the boundary layer of counties with a high density of unconventional natural gas wells correspond to significantly greater concentrations of observed ethane at these downwind monitors.

Evolution of HI from Z=5 to the present

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Storrie-Lombardi, L. J.

2002-01-01

Studies of damped Lya systems provide us with a good measure of the evolution of the HI column density distribution function and the contribution to the comoving mass density in neutral gas out to redshifts of z = 5 . The column density distribution function at high redshift steepens for the highest column density HI absorbers, though the contribution to the comoving mass density of neutral gas remains fiat from 2 < z < 5 . Results from studies at z < 2 are finding substantial numbers of damped absorbers identified from MgII absorption, compared to previous blind surveys. These results indicate that the contribution to the comoving mass density in neutral gas may be constant from z 0 to z 5. Details of recent work in the redshift range z < 2 work is covered elsewhere in this volume (see D. Nestor). We review here recent results for the redshift range 2 < z < 5.

A comparative study of the annealing behavior of Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se){sub 2} based solar cells with an indium sulfide buffer layer, partly submitted to wet chemical treatments

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

Hönes, C., E-mail: christian.hoenes@de.bosch.com; Laboratory for Photovoltaics, University of Luxembourg, 41 rue du Brill, L-4422 Belvaux; Hackenberg, J.

2015-03-07

Indium sulfide thin films deposited via thermal evaporation from compound source material have been successfully utilized as a cadmium free buffer layer for Cu(In,Ga)Se{sub 2} based solar cells. However, high efficiencies are only reached after an additional annealing step. In this work, the annealing behavior of Cu(In,Ga)(S,Se){sub 2} based indium sulfide buffered solar cells is compared to the annealing behavior of similar cells, which were submitted to wet chemical treatments partly containing cadmium ions. Upon annealing a significant improvement of the initial solar cell characteristics is observed for the untreated cell and is related to the increase of activation energymore » for the carrier recombination process and a decrease of the ideality factor within the one diode model. It is shown here that this improvement can also be achieved by wet treatments of the absorber prior to buffer layer deposition. Upon annealing these treated cells still gain in collection length but lose open circuit voltage, which is explained here within a model including a highly p-doped absorber surface layer and supported by simulations showing that a decrease in doping density of such a surface layer would lead to the observed effects.« less

Detailed analysis of particle launch velocities, size distributions and gas densities during normal explosions at Stromboli

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Harris, Andrew J. L.; Ripepe, Maurizio; Hughes, Elizabeth A.

2012-06-01

Using high frame rate (33 Hz) thermal video data we describe and parameterize the emission and ascent dynamics of a mixed plume of gas and particles emitted during a normal explosion at Stromboli (Aeolian Islands, Italy). Analysis of 34 events showed that 31 of them were characterized by a first phase characterized by an initial diffuse spray of relatively small (lapilli-sized) particles moving at high velocities (up to 213 m s- 1; average 66-82 m s- 1). This was followed, typically within 0.1 s, by a burst comprising a mixture of ash and lapilli, but dominated by larger bomb-sized particles, moving at lower exit velocities of up to 129 m s- 1, but typically 46 m s- 1. We interpret these results as revealing initial emission of a previously unrecorded high velocity gas-jet phase, to which the lapilli are coupled. This is followed by emission of slower moving larger particles that are decoupled from the faster moving gas-phase. Diameters for particles carried by the gas phase are typically around 4 cm, but can be up to 9 cm, with the diameter of the particles carried by the gas jet (D) decreasing with increased density and velocity of the erupted gas cloud (ρgas and Ugas). Data for 101 particles identified as moving with the gas jet during 32 eruptions allow us to define a new relation, whereby Ugas = Uparticle + a [ρgas√{D}]b. Here, Uparticle is the velocity of bombs whose motion is decoupled from that of the gas cloud, and a and b are two empirically-derived coefficients. This replaces the old relation, whereby Ugas = Uparticle + k √{D}; a relation that requires a constant gas density for each eruption. This is an assumption that we show to be invalid, with gas density potentially varying between 0.04 kg m- 3 and 9 kg m- 3 for the 32 cases considered, so that k varies between 54 m1/2 s- 1 and 828 m1/2 s- 1, compared with the traditionally used constant of 150 m1/2 s- 1.

Hot and cold gas toward young stellar objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, George F.; Maillard, Jean-Pierre; Allen, Mark; Beer, Reinhard; Belcourt, Kenneth

1990-01-01

High-resolution M band spectra are presented for the seven embedded IR sources W3 IRS 5, S140 IRS1, NGC 7538 IRS 1, NGC 7538 IRS 9, GL 2136, LkH-alpha 101, and MWC 349A, and the data are combined with previously published work for W33A and GL 2591. Cold CO is seen toward all nine sources, with temperatures from 11 K to 66 K. Column densities of cold CO are presented. Hot gas is seen toward eight of the nine objects with temperatures from 120 K to 1010 K. New lower limits to the hot gas density are obtained. The hot gas toward GL 2591, GL 2136, W3 IRS 5, and S140 IRS 1 is probably very near the central source and heated via gas-grain collisions. The optical depth in the silicate feature is strongly correlated with the (C-13)O column density, confirming that silicate optical depth is a useful measure of gas column density. The ratio of solid-to-gaseous CO is obtained for seven sources.

Simulation study of the sub-terawatt laser wakefield acceleration operated in self-modulated regime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hsieh, C.-Y.; Lin, M.-W.; Chen, S.-H.

2018-02-01

Laser wakefield acceleration (LWFA) can be accomplished by introducing a sub-terawatt (TW) laser pulse into a thin, high-density gas target. In this way, the self-focusing effect and the self-modulation that happened on the laser pulse produce a greatly enhanced laser peak intensity that can drive a nonlinear plasma wave to accelerate electrons. A particle-in-cell model is developed to study sub-TW LWFA when a 0.6-TW laser pulse interacts with a dense hydrogen plasma. Gas targets having a Gaussian density profile or a flat-top distribution are defined for investigating the properties of sub-TW LWFA when conducting with a gas jet or a gas cell. In addition to using 800-nm laser pulses, simulations are performed with 1030-nm laser pulses, as they represent a viable approach to realize the sub-TW LWFA driven by high-frequency, diode-pumped laser systems. The peak density which allows the laser peak power PL˜2 Pc r of self-focusing critical power is favourable for conducting sub-TW LWFA. Otherwise, an excessively high peak density can induce an undesired filament effect which rapidly disintegrates the laser field envelope and violates the process of plasma wave excitation. The plateau region of a flat-top density distribution allows the self-focusing and the self-modulation of the laser pulse to develop, from which well-established plasma bubbles can be produced to accelerate electrons. The process of electron injection is complicated in such high-density plasma conditions; however, increasing the length of the plateau region represents a straightforward method to realize the injection and acceleration of electrons within the first bubble, such that an improved LWFA performance can be accomplished.

Plasma wake field XUV radiation source

DOEpatents

Prono, Daniel S.; Jones, Michael E.

1997-01-01

A XUV radiation source uses an interaction of electron beam pulses with a gas to create a plasma radiator. A flowing gas system (10) defines a circulation loop (12) with a device (14), such as a high pressure pump or the like, for circulating the gas. A nozzle or jet (16) produces a sonic atmospheric pressure flow and increases the density of the gas for interacting with an electron beam. An electron beam is formed by a conventional radio frequency (rf) accelerator (26) and electron pulses are conventionally formed by a beam buncher (28). The rf energy is thus converted to electron beam energy, the beam energy is used to create and then thermalize an atmospheric density flowing gas to a fully ionized plasma by interaction of beam pulses with the plasma wake field, and the energetic plasma then loses energy by line radiation at XUV wavelengths Collection and focusing optics (18) are used to collect XUV radiation emitted as line radiation when the high energy density plasma loses energy that was transferred from the electron beam pulses to the plasma.

Crystalline orientation engineering and charge transport in thin film YBa(2)Cu(3)O(7-x) superconducting surface-coated conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chudzik, Michael Patrick

The weak-link behavior of grain boundaries in polycrystalline high-T c superconductors adversely affects the current density in these materials. The development of wire technology based on polycrystalline high-Tc materials requires understanding and controlling the development of low-angle grain boundaries in these conductors. The research goal is to comprehensively examine the methodology in fabrication and characterization to understand the structure-transport correlation in YBa2Cu3O 7-x (YBCO) surface-coated conductors. High current density YBCO coated conductors were fabricated and characterized as candidates for second generation high-Tc wire technology. Critical current densities (Jc) greater than 1 x 106 A/cm2 at 77 K and zero magnetic field were obtained using thin films epitaxially grown by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) and pulsed laser deposition (PLD) on oriented buffer layers. The biaxially textured oxide buffer layers were deposited by ion-beam-assisted deposition (IBAD). The transport properties of coated conductors were evaluated in high magnetic fields for intrinsic and extrinsic flux vortex pinning effects for improved high-field properties. Transport Jc's of these coated conductors at 7 tesla (77 K) were measured at values greater than 105 A/cm 2 with the magnetic field perpendicular to the YBCO c-axis (B⊥ c) in both MOCVD and PLD derived conductors. The Jc's in B || c orientation fell an order of magnitude lower at 7 tesla to values near 10 4 A/cm2 due to decreased intrinsic flux pinning. The critical current densities as a function of grain boundary misorientation were found to deviate from the general trend determined for single grain boundary junctions, due to the mosaic structure, which allows meandering current flow. Extensive parametric investigations of relevant thin film growth techniques were utilized to establish growth-property relationships that led to optimized fabrication of high-Tc conductors. The work contained in this dissertation successfully addresses the challenge in engineering low-angle grain boundary polycrystalline conductors for high-current high-field applications and develops a structure-property correlation, which is essential for advancing this technology.

EQUALIZING THE ELECTRIC FIELD INTENSITY WITHIN CHICK BRAIN IMMERSED IN BUFFER SOLUTION AT DIFFERENT CARRIER FREQUENCIES

EPA Science Inventory

Presented here are the numerical relationships between incident power densities that produce the same average electric field intensity within a chick brain half immersed in buffered saline solution and exposed to a uniform electromagnetic field at carrier frequencies of 50, 147, ...

Derivation and calibration of semi-empirical gas geothermometers for Mahanagdong Geothermal Project, Philippines

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

Sanchez, D.R.

1996-12-31

The dissolved CO{sub 2}, H{sub 2}S, and H{sub 2} gases in Mahanagdong aquifer fluids are controlled by specific gas-mineral equilibria. At temperature range of 250 to 310 {degrees}C, CO{sub 2} is buffered by clinozoisite + K-feldspar + calcite + muscovite (illite) + quartz mineral assemblage. For H{sub 2}S and H{sub 2} dissolved gases, they are more likely buffered by pyrrhotite + pyrite + magnetite mineral assemblage at similar temperature range. Calibration of five Mahanagdong (MG) gas geothermometers is presented, three of which used CO{sub 2}, H{sub 2}S, and H{sub 2} concentration in steam. The remaining two use CO{sub 2}/H{sub 2}more » and H{sub 2}S/H{sub 2} ratios. The calibration is based on the relation between gas content of drillhole discharges and measured aquifer temperatures. After establishing the gas content in the aquifer, gas concentrations were computed in steam after adiabatic boiling to atmospheric condition (100 {degrees}C), to obtain gas geothermometry functions. These functions could also be used in evaluating fraction of steam condensation and temperature of phase separation. A demonstration given the Mahanagdong fumarole data, indicates that there is generally a fair relation between computed temperatures using Mahanagdong gas geothermometers and the actual field trend`s temperatures.« less

Optical ionization detector

DOEpatents

Wuest, C.R.; Lowry, M.E.

1994-03-29

An optical ionization detector wherein a beam of light is split so that one arm passes through a fiber optics and the other arm passes through a gas-filled region, and uses interferometry to detect density changes in a gas when charged particles pass through it. The gas-filled region of the detector is subjected to a high electric field and as a charged particle traverses this gas region electrons are freed from the cathode and accelerated so as to generate an electron avalanche which is collected on the anode. The gas density is effected by the electron avalanche formation and if the index or refraction is proportional to the gas density the index will change accordingly. The detector uses this index change by modulating the one arm of the split light beam passing through the gas, with respect to the other arm that is passed through the fiber optic. Upon recombining of the beams, interference fringe changes as a function of the index change indicates the passage of charged particles through the gaseous medium. 3 figures.

Optical ionization detector

DOEpatents

Wuest, Craig R.; Lowry, Mark E.

1994-01-01

An optical ionization detector wherein a beam of light is split so that one arm passes through a fiber optics and the other arm passes through a gas-filled region, and uses interferometry to detect density changes in a gas when charged particles pass through it. The gas-filled region of the detector is subjected to a high electric field and as a charged particle traverses this gas region electrons are freed from the cathode and accelerated so as to generate an electron avalanche which is collected on the anode. The gas density is effected by the electron avalanche formation and if the index or refraction is proportional to the gas density the index will change accordingly. The detector uses this index change by modulating the one arm of the split light beam passing through the gas, with respect to the other arm that is passed through the fiber optic. Upon recombining of the beams, interference fringe changes as a function of the index change indicates the passage of charged particles through the gaseous medium.

Mixed microalgae consortia growth under higher concentration of CO2 from unfiltered coal fired flue gas: Fatty acid profiling and biodiesel production.

PubMed

Aslam, Ambreen; Thomas-Hall, Skye R; Manzoor, Maleeha; Jabeen, Faiza; Iqbal, Munawar; Uz Zaman, Qamar; Schenk, Peer M; Asif Tahir, M

2018-02-01

Biodiesel is produced by transesterification of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) from oleaginous microalgae feedstock. Biodiesel fuel properties were studied and compared with biodiesel standards. Qualitative analysis of FAME was done while cultivating mixed microalgae consortia under three concentrations of coal fired flue gas (1%, 3.0% and 5.5% CO 2 ). Under 1% CO 2 concentration (flue gas), the FAME content was 280.3 μg/mL, whereas the lipid content was 14.03 μg/mL/D (day). Both FAMEs and lipid contents were low at other CO 2 concentrations (3.0 and 5.5%). However, mixed consortia in the presence of phosphate buffer and flue gas (PB + FG) showed higher saturated fatty acids (SFA) (36.28%) and unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) (63.72%) versus 5.5% CO 2 concentration, which might be responsible for oxidative stability of biodiesel. Subsequently, higher cetane number (52) and low iodine value (136.3 gI 2 /100 g) biodiesel produced from mixed consortia (PB + FG) under 5.5% CO 2 along with 50 mM phosphate buffer were found in accordance with European (EN 14214) standard. Results revealed that phosphate buffer significantly enhanced the biodiesel quality, but reduced the FAME yield. This study intended to develop an integrated approach for significant improvement in biodiesel quality under surplus phosphorus by utilizing waste flue gas (as CO 2 source) using microalgae. The CO 2 sequestration from industrial flue gas not only reduced greenhouse gases, but may also ensure the sustainable and eco-benign production of biodiesel. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Gradient heating protocol for a diode-pumped alkali laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cai, He; Wang, You; Han, Juhong; Yu, Hang; Rong, Kepeng; Wang, Shunyan; An, Guofei; Wang, Hongyuan; Zhang, Wei; Wu, Peng; Yu, Qiang

2018-06-01

A diode-pumped alkali laser (DPAL) has gained rapid development in the recent years. Until now, the structure with single heater has been widely utilized to adjust the temperature of an alkali vapor cell in most of the literatures about DPALs. However, for an end-pumped DPAL using single heater, most pump energy is absorbed by the gain media near the entrance cell window because of the large absorption cross section of atomic alkali. As a result, the temperature in the pumping area around the entrance window will go up rapidly, especially in a case of high pumping density. The temperature rise would bring about some negative influences such as thermal effects and variations in population density. In addition, light scattering and window contamination aroused by the chemical reaction between the alkali vapor and the buffer gas will also affect the output performance of a DPAL system. To find a solution to these problems, we propose a gradient heating approach in which several heaters are tandem-set along the optical axis to anneal an alkali vapor cell. The temperature at the entrance window is adjusted to be lower than that of the other side. By using this novel scheme, one can not only achieve a homogeneous absorption of the pump energy along the cell axis, but also decrease the possibility of the window damage in a DPAL configuration. The theoretical simulation of the laser output features has been carried out for a configuration of multiple heaters. Additionally, the DPAL output performance under different gradient temperatures is also discussed in this paper. The conclusions might be helpful for development of a high-powered and high-beam-quality DPAL.

Electron particle transport and turbulence studies in the T-10 tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vershkov, V. A.; Borisov, M. A.; Subbotin, G. F.; Shelukhin, D. A.; Dnestrovskii, Yu. N.; Danilov, A. V.; Cherkasov, S. V.; Gorbunov, E. P.; Sergeev, D. S.; Grashin, S. A.; Krylov, S. V.; Kuleshin, E. O.; Myalton, T. B.; Skosyrev, Yu. V.; Chistiakov, V. V.

2013-08-01

The goals of this paper are to compare the results of electron particle transport measurements in ohmic (OH) plasmas by means of a small perturbation technique, high-level gas puff and gas switch off, investigate the phenomenon of ‘density pump out’ during electron cyclotron resonance heating (ECRH) and to correlate density behaviour with turbulence. Two approaches for plasma particle transport studies were compared: the low perturbation technique of periodic puff (δn/ne = 0.3%) and strong density variations (δn/ne < 50%), including density ramp-up by gas puff and ramp-down with gas switch off. The model with constant in time diffusion coefficients and pinch velocities could describe the core density perturbations but failed at the edge. In the case of strong puff three stages were distinguished. Degraded energy confinement and, respectively, low turbulence frequencies were observed during density ramp-up and ramp-down, while enhanced confinement and higher turbulence frequencies were typical for the intermediate stage. Density profile variation during this intermediate phase could be described in the framework of the transport model with constant in time coefficients. The application of ECRH at the density ramp-up phase provided the possibility of postponing the ‘density pump out’. The increase in the low-frequency modes in turbulence spectra was observed at the ‘density pump out’ phase during central ECRH. Although the high- and low-frequency bands of turbulence spectra behaved as trapped electron mode and ion temperature gradient, respectively, they both rotated at the same angular velocity as a rigid body together with magnetohydrodynamic mode m/n = 2/1 and [E × B] plasma rotation.

Fluid simulation of species concentrations in capacitively coupled N2/Ar plasmas: Effect of gas proportion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Ying-Shuang; Liu, Gang-Hu; Xue, Chan; Liu, Yong-Xin; Wang, You-Nian

2017-05-01

A two-dimensional self-consistent fluid model and the experimental diagnostic are employed to investigate the dependencies of species concentrations on the gas proportion in the capacitive N2/Ar discharges operated at 60 MHz, 50 Pa, and 140 W. The results indicate that the N2/Ar proportion has a considerable impact on the species densities. As the N2 fraction increases, the electron density, as well as the Ar+ and Arm densities, decreases remarkably. On the contrary, the N2 + density is demonstrated to increase monotonically with the N2 fraction. Moreover, the N density is observed to increase significantly with the N2 fraction at the N2 fractions below 40%, beyond which it decreases slightly. The electrons are primarily generated via the electron impact ionization of the feed gases. The electron impact ionization of Ar essentially determines the Ar+ density. For the N2 + production, the charge transition process between the Ar+ ions and the feed gas N2 dominates at low N2 fraction, while the electron impact ionization of N2 plays the more important role at high N2 fraction. At any gas mixtures, more than 60% Arm atoms are generated through the radiative decay process from Ar(4p). The dissociation of the feed gas N2 by the excited Ar atoms and by the electrons is responsible for the N formation at low N2 fraction and high N2 fraction, respectively. To validate the simulation results, the floating double probe and the optical emission spectroscopy are employed to measure the total positive ion density and the emission intensity originating from Ar(4p) transitions, respectively. The results from the simulation show a qualitative agreement with that from the experiment, which indicates the reliable model.

The impact of electric vehicles on the outlook of future energy system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhuk, A.; Buzoverov, E.

2018-02-01

Active promotion of electric vehicles (EVs) and technology of fast EV charging in the medium term may cause significant peak loads on the energy system, what necessitates making strategic decisions related to the development of generating capacities, distribution networks with EV charging infrastructure, and priorities in the development of battery electric vehicles and vehicles with electrochemical generators. The paper analyses one of the most significant aspects of joint development of electric transport system and energy system in the conditions of substantial growth of energy consumption by EVs. The assessments of per-unit-costs of operation and depreciation of EV power unit were made, taking into consideration the expenses of electric power supply. The calculations show that the choice of electricity buffering method for EV fast charging depends on the character of electricity infrastructure in the region where the electric transport is operating. In the conditions of high density of electricity network and a large number of EVs, the stationary storage facilities or the technology of distributed energy storage in EV batteries - vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology may be used for buffering. In the conditions of low density and low capacity of electricity networks, the most economical solution could be usage of EVs with traction power units based on the combination of air-aluminum electrochemical generator and a buffer battery of small capacity.

Habitable zones exposed: astrosphere collapse frequency as a function of stellar mass.

PubMed

Smith, David S; Scalo, John M

2009-09-01

Stellar astrospheres--the plasma cocoons carved out of the interstellar medium by stellar winds--are one of several buffers that partially screen planetary atmospheres and surfaces from high-energy radiation. Screening by astrospheres is continually influenced by the passage of stars through the fluctuating density field of the interstellar medium (ISM). The most extreme events occur inside dense interstellar clouds, where the increased pressure may compress an astrosphere to a size smaller than the liquid-water habitable-zone distance. Habitable planets then enjoy no astrospheric buffering from exposure to the full flux of galactic cosmic rays and interstellar dust and gas, a situation we call "descreening" or "astrospheric collapse." Under such conditions the ionization fraction in the atmosphere and contribution to radiation damage of putative coding organisms at the surface would increase significantly, and a series of papers have suggested a variety of global responses to descreening. These possibilities motivate a more careful calculation of the frequency of descreening events. Using a ram-pressure balance model, we compute the size of the astrosphere in the apex direction as a function of parent-star mass and velocity and ambient interstellar density, emphasizing the importance of gravitational focusing of the interstellar flow. The interstellar densities required to descreen planets in the habitable zone of solar- and subsolar-mass stars are found to be about 600(M/M[middle dot in circle])(-2) cm(-3) for the Sun's velocity relative to the local ISM. Such clouds are rare and small, indicating that descreening encounters are rare. We use statistics from two independent catalogues of dense interstellar clouds to derive a dependence of descreening frequency on the parent-star mass that decreases strongly with decreasing stellar mass, due to the weaker gravitational focusing and smaller habitable-zone distances for lower-mass stars. We estimate an uncertain upper limit to the absolute frequency of descreening encounters as 1-10 Gyr(-1) for solar-type stars and 10(2) to 10(9) times smaller for stars between 0.5 and 0.1 M[middle dot in circle]. Habitable-zone planets orbiting late-K to M stars are virtually never exposed to the severe consequences that have been proposed for astrospheric descreening events, but descreening events at a moderate rate may occur for stars with the Sun's mass or larger.

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}}.

Dual role of TiO2 buffer layer in Pt catalyzed BiFeO3 photocathodes: Efficiency enhancement and surface protection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Huanyu; Zhou, Xiaoxue; Dong, Wen; Su, Xiaodong; Fang, Liang; Wu, Xi; Shen, Mingrong

2017-09-01

Polycrystalline ferroelectric BiFeO3 (BFO) films deposited on transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes have shown to be an interesting photocathode for photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting; however, its PEC performance and stability are far from perfection. Herein, we reported an amorphous TiO2 buffer layer, inserted between BFO and Pt catalyst, improves significantly both its PEC activity and stability. A photocathodic current density of -460 μA/cm2 at 0 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE) and an onset potential of 1.25 V vs. RHE were obtained in ITO/BFO/TiO2/Pt photocathode under 100 mW/cm2 Xe-lamp illumination. TiO2 functions as a buffer layer to remove the upward barrier between BFO and Pt, and makes the photogenerated carriers separate efficiently. The photocathode also shows high stability in acid solution after a 10-h PEC continuous testing.

Spotting optimization for oligo microarrays on aldehyde-glass.

PubMed

Dawson, Erica D; Reppert, Amy E; Rowlen, Kathy L; Kuck, Laura R

2005-06-15

Low-density microarrays that utilize short oligos (<100 nt) for capture are highly attractive for use in diagnostic applications, yet these experiments require strict quality control and meticulous reproducibility. However, a survey of current literature indicates vast inconsistencies in the spotting and processing procedures. In this study, spotting and processing protocols were optimized for aldehyde-functionalized glass substrates. Figures of merit were developed for quantitative comparison of spot quality and reproducibility. Experimental variables examined included oligo concentration in the spotting buffer, composition of the spotting buffer, postspotting "curing" conditions, and postspotting wash conditions. Optimized conditions included the use of 3-4 microM oligo in a 3x standard saline citrate/0.05% sodium dodecyl sulfate/0.001% (3-[(3-cholamidopropyl) dimethylammonia]-1-propane sulfonate) spotting buffer, 24-h postspotting reaction at 100% relative humidity, and a four-step wash procedure. Evaluation of six types of aldehyde-functionalized glass substrates indicated that those manufactured by CEL Associates, Inc. yield the highest oligo coverage.

Epitaxial growth of YBa2Cu3O7 - delta films on oxidized silicon with yttria- and zirconia-based buffer layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pechen, E. V.; Schoenberger, R.; Brunner, B.; Ritzinger, S.; Renk, K. F.; Sidorov, M. V.; Oktyabrsky, S. R.

1993-09-01

A study of epitaxial growth of YBa2Cu3O7-δ films on oxidized Si with yttria- and zirconia-based buffer layers is reported. Using substrates with either SiO2 free or naturally oxidized (100) surfaces of Si it was found that a thin SiO2 layer on top of the Si favors high-quality superconducting film formation. Compared to yttria-stabilized ZrO2 (YSZ) single layers, YSZY2O3 double and YSZ/Y2O3YSZ triple layers allows the deposition of thin YBa2Cu3O7-δ films with improved properties including reduced aging effects. In epitaxial YBa2Cu3O7-δ films grown on the double buffer layers a critical temperature Tc(R=0)=89.5 K and critical current densities of 3.5×106 A/cm2 at 77 K and 1×107 A/cm2 at 66 K were reached.

Polarized internal target apparatus

DOEpatents

Holt, Roy J.

1986-01-01

A polarized internal target apparatus with a polarized gas target of improved polarization and density achieved by mixing target gas atoms with a small amount of alkali metal gas atoms, and passing a high intensity polarized light source into the mixture to cause the alkali metal gas atoms to become polarized which interact in spin exchange collisions with target gas atoms yielding polarized target gas atoms.

Structural arrest in an ideal gas.

PubMed

van Ketel, Willem; Das, Chinmay; Frenkel, Daan

2005-04-08

We report a molecular dynamics study of a simple model system that has the static properties of an ideal gas, yet exhibits nontrivial "glassy" dynamics behavior at high densities. The constituent molecules of this system are constructs of three infinitely thin hard rods of length L, rigidly joined at their midpoints. The crosses have random but fixed orientation. The static properties of this system are those of an ideal gas, and its collision frequency can be computed analytically. For number densities NL(3)/V>1, the single-particle diffusivity goes to zero. As the system is completely structureless, standard mode-coupling theory cannot describe the observed structural arrest. Nevertheless, the system exhibits many dynamical features that appear to be mode-coupling-like. All high-density incoherent intermediate scattering functions collapse onto master curves that depend only on the wave vector.

Highly Enhanced Gas Adsorption Properties in Vertically Aligned MoS2 Layers.

PubMed

Cho, Soo-Yeon; Kim, Seon Joon; Lee, Youhan; Kim, Jong-Seon; Jung, Woo-Bin; Yoo, Hae-Wook; Kim, Jihan; Jung, Hee-Tae

2015-09-22

In this work, we demonstrate that gas adsorption is significantly higher in edge sites of vertically aligned MoS2 compared to that of the conventional basal plane exposed MoS2 films. To compare the effect of the alignment of MoS2 on the gas adsorption properties, we synthesized three distinct MoS2 films with different alignment directions ((1) horizontally aligned MoS2 (basal plane exposed), (2) mixture of horizontally aligned MoS2 and vertically aligned layers (basal and edge exposed), and (3) vertically aligned MoS2 (edge exposed)) by using rapid sulfurization method of CVD process. Vertically aligned MoS2 film shows about 5-fold enhanced sensitivity to NO2 gas molecules compared to horizontally aligned MoS2 film. Vertically aligned MoS2 has superior resistance variation compared to horizontally aligned MoS2 even with same surface area exposed to identical concentration of gas molecules. We found that electrical response to target gas molecules correlates directly with the density of the exposed edge sites of MoS2 due to high adsorption of gas molecules onto edge sites of vertically aligned MoS2. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations corroborate the experimental results as stronger NO2 binding energies are computed for multiple configurations near the edge sites of MoS2, which verifies that electrical response to target gas molecules (NO2) correlates directly with the density of the exposed edge sites of MoS2 due to high adsorption of gas molecules onto edge sites of vertically aligned MoS2. We believe that this observation extends to other 2D TMD materials as well as MoS2 and can be applied to significantly enhance the gas sensor performance in these materials.

Versatile buffer layer architectures based on Ge1-xSnx alloys

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roucka, R.; Tolle, J.; Cook, C.; Chizmeshya, A. V. G.; Kouvetakis, J.; D'Costa, V.; Menendez, J.; Chen, Zhihao D.; Zollner, S.

2005-05-01

We describe methodologies for integration of compound semiconductors with Si via buffer layers and templates based on the GeSn system. These layers exhibit atomically flat surface morphologies, low defect densities, tunable thermal expansion coefficients, and unique ductile properties, which enable them to readily absorb differential stresses produced by mismatched overlayers. They also provide a continuous selection of lattice parameters higher than that of Ge, which allows lattice matching with technologically useful III-V compounds. Using this approach we have demonstrated growth of GaAs, GeSiSn, and pure Ge layers at low temperatures on Si(100). These materials display extremely high-quality structural, morphological, and optical properties opening the possibility of versatile integration schemes directly on silicon.

Ethnic density as a buffer for psychotic experiences: findings from a national survey (EMPIRIC).

PubMed

Das-Munshi, Jayati; Bécares, Laia; Boydell, Jane E; Dewey, Michael E; Morgan, Craig; Stansfeld, Stephen A; Prince, Martin J

2012-10-01

Aetiological mechanisms underlying ethnic density associations with psychosis remain unclear. To assess potential mechanisms underlying the observation that minority ethnic groups experience an increased risk of psychosis when living in neighbourhoods of lower own-group density. Multilevel analysis of nationally representative community-level data (from the Ethnic Minorities Psychiatric Illness Rates in the Community survey), which included the main minority ethnic groups living in England, and a White British group. Structured instruments assessed discrimination, chronic strains and social support. The Psychosis Screening Questionnaire ascertained psychotic experiences. For every ten percentage point reduction in own-group density, the relative odds of reporting psychotic experiences increased 1.07 times (95% CI 1.01-1.14, P = 0.03 (trend)) for the total minority ethnic sample. In general, people living in areas of lower own-group density experienced greater social adversity that was in turn associated with reporting psychotic experiences. People resident in neighbourhoods of higher own-group density experience 'buffering' effects from the social risk factors for psychosis.

In situ Charge Density Imaging of Metamaterials made with Switchable Two dimensionalElectron Gas at Oxide Heterointerfaces

DTIC Science & Technology

2017-11-28

AFRL-AFOSR-JP-TR-2018-0028 In-situ Charge-Density Imaging of Metamaterials from Switchable 2D electron gas CHANG BEOM EOM UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN...Imaging of Metamaterials made with Switchable Two-dimensional Electron Gas at Oxide Heterointerfaces 5a.  CONTRACT NUMBER 5b.  GRANT NUMBER FA2386-16-1...using pulsed laser deposition atomic with in-situ reflection high-energy electron diffraction (RHEED). We have also demonstrated that the inline

Facile fabrication of CNTs@C@MoSe2@Se hybrids with amorphous structure for high performance anode in lithium-ion batteries.

PubMed

Jin, Rencheng; Cui, Yuming; Wang, Qingyao; Li, Guihua

2017-12-15

Amorphous MoSe 2 and Se anchored on amorphous carbon coated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (CNTs@C@MoSe 2 @Se) have been synthesized by a facile solvothermal strategy. The one dimensional CNTs@C@MoSe 2 @Se can effectively buffer the volume variation, prohibit the aggregation and facilitate electron and ion transport throughout the electrode. Furthermore, the combination of MoSe 2 and Se also provides buffer spaces for the volumetric change during cycling. Thus, the obtained CNTs@C@MoSe 2 @Se hybrids display the enhanced cycle stability and excellent high rate capacity. The reversible capacity of 1010mAhg -1 can be achieved after 100 cycles at the current density of 0.1Ag -1 . Even after 500 cycles, a reversible capacity of 508mAhg -1 is still retained at 5Ag -1 . Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Synthesis of Co/MFe(2)O(4) (M = Fe, Mn) Core/Shell Nanocomposite Particles.

PubMed

Peng, Sheng; Xie, Jin; Sun, Shouheng

2008-01-01

Monodispersed cobalt nanoparticles (NPs) with controllable size (8-14 nm) have been synthesized using thermal decomposition of dicobaltoctacarbonyl in organic solvent. The as-synthesized high magnetic moment (125 emu/g) Co NPs are dispersible in various organic solvents, and can be easily transferred into aqueous phase by surface modification using phospholipids. However, the modified hydrophilic Co NPs are not stable as they are quickly oxidized, agglomerated in buffer. Co NPs are stabilized by coating the MFe(2)O(4) (M = Fe, Mn) ferrite shell. Core/shell structured bimagnetic Co/MFe(2)O(4) nanocomposites are prepared with tunable shell thickness (1-5 nm). The Co/MFe(2)O(4) nanocomposites retain the high magnetic moment density from the Co core, while gaining chemical and magnetic stability from the ferrite shell. Comparing to Co NPs, the nanocomposites show much enhanced stability in buffer solution at elevated temperatures, making them promising for biomedical applications.

Microenergetic Shock Initiation Studies on Deposited Films of PETN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tappan, Alexander S.; Wixom, Ryan R.; Trott, Wayne M.; Long, Gregory T.; Knepper, Robert; Brundage, Aaron L.; Jones, David A.

2009-06-01

Films of the high explosive PETN (pentaerythritol tetranitrate) up to 500-μm thick have been deposited through physical vapor deposition, with the intent of creating well-defined samples for shock-initiation studies. PETN films were characterized with surface profilometry, scanning electron microscopy, x-ray diffraction, and focused ion beam nanotomography. These high-density films were subjected to strong shocks in both the in-plane and out-of-plane orientations. Initiation behavior was monitored with high-speed framing and streak camera photography. Direct initiation with a donor explosive (either RDX with binder, or CL-20 with binder) was possible in both orientations, but with the addition of a thin aluminum buffer plate (in-plane configuration only), initiation proved to be difficult due to the attenuated shock and the high density of the PETN films. Mesoscale models of microenergetic samples were created using the shock physics code CTH and compared with experimental results. The results of these experiments will be discussed in the context of small sample geometry, deposited film morphology, and density.

Optimizing Dense Plasma Focus Neutron Yields With Fast Gas Jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMahon, Matthew; Stein, Elizabeth; Higginson, Drew; Kueny, Christopher; Link, Anthony; Schmidt, Andrea

2017-10-01

We report a study using the particle-in-cell code LSP to perform fully kinetic simulations modeling dense plasma focus (DPF) devices with high density gas jets on axis. The high-density jets are modeled in the large-eddy Navier-Stokes code CharlesX, which is suitable for modeling both sub-sonic and supersonic gas flow. The gas pattern, which is essentially static on z-pinch time scales, is imported from CharlesX to LSP for neutron yield predictions. Fast gas puffs allow for more mass on axis while maintaining the optimal pressure for the DPF. As the density of a subsonic jet increases relative to the background fill, we find the neutron yield increases, as does the variability in the neutron yield. Introducing perturbations in the jet density via super-sonic flow (also known as Mach diamonds) allow for consistent seeding of the m =0 instability leading to more consistent ion acceleration and higher neutron yields with less variability. Jets with higher on axis density are found to have the greatest yield. The optimal jet configuration and the necessary jet conditions for increasing neutron yield and reducing yield variability are explored. Simulations of realistic jet profiles are performed and compared to the ideal scenario. This work performed under the auspices of the U.S. Department of Energy by Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory under Contract DE-AC52-07NA27344 and supported by the Laboratory Directed Research and Development Program (15-ERD-034) at LLNL.

Status of the Beam Thermalization Area at the NSCL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cooper, Kortney; Barquest, Bradley; Morrissey, David; Rodriguez, Jose Alberto; Schwarz, Stefan; Sumithrarachchi, Chandana; Kwarsick, Jeff; Savard, Guy

2013-10-01

Beam thermalization is a necessary process for the production of low-energy ion beams at projectile fragmentation facilities. Present beam thermalization techniques rely on passing high-energy ion beams through solid degraders followed by a gas cell where the remaining kinetic energy is dissipated through collisions with buffer gas atoms. Recently, the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory (NSCL) upgraded its thermalization area with the implementation of new large acceptance beam lines and a large RF-gas catcher constructed by Argonne National Lab (ANL). Two high-energy beam lines were commissioned along with the installation and commissioning of this new device in late 2012. Low-energy radioactive ion beams have been successfully delivered to the Electron Beam Ion Trap (EBIT) charge breeder for the ReA3 reaccelerator, the SuN detector, the Low Energy Beam Ion Trap (LEBIT) penning trap, and the Beam Cooler and Laser Spectroscopy (BeCoLa) collinear laser beamline. Construction of a gas-filled reverse cyclotron dubbed the CycStopper is also underway. The status of the beam thermalization area will be presented and the overall efficiency of the system will be discussed.

Buffer Layer Effects on Tandem InGaAs TPV Devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wilt, David M.; Wehrer, Rebecca J.; Maurer, William F.

2004-01-01

Single junction indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) based TPV devices have demonstrated efficiencies in excess of 20% at radiator temperatures of 1058 C. Modeling suggests that efficiency improvements in single bandgap devices should continue although they will eventually plateau. One approach for extending efficiencies beyond the single bandgap limit is to follow the technique taken in the solar cell field, namely tandem TPV cells. Tandem photovoltaic devices are traditionally composed of cells of decreasing bandgap, connected electrically and optically in series. The incident light impinges upon the highest bandgap first. This device acts as a sieve, absorbing the high-energy photons, while allowing the remainder to pass through to the underlying cell(s), and so on. Tandem devices reduce the energy lost to overexcitation as well as reducing the current density (Jsc). Reduced Jsc results in lower resistive losses and enables the use of thinner and lower doped lateral current conducting layers as well as a higher pitch grid design. Fabricating TPV tandem devices utilizing InGaAs for all of the component cells in a two cell tandem necessitates the inclusion of a buffer layer in-between the high bandgap device (In0.53 Ga0.47As - 0.74eV) and the low bandgap device (In0.66Ga0.34As - 0.63eV) to accommodate the approximately 1% lattice strain generated due to the change in InGaAs composition. To incorporate only a single buffer layer structure, we have investigated the use of the indium phosphide (InP) substrate as a superstrate. Thus the high-bandgap, lattice- matched device is deposited first, followed by the buffer structure and the low-bandgap cell. The near perfect transparency of the high bandgap (1.35eV) iron-doped InP permits the device to be oriented such that the light enters through the substrate. In this paper we examine the impact of the buffer layer on the underlying lattice-matched InGaAs device. 0.74eV InGaAs devices were produced in a variety of configurations both with and without buffer layers. All structures were characterized by reciprocal space x-ray diffraction to determine epilayer composition and residual strain. Electrical characterization of the devices was performed to examine the effect of the buffer on the device performance. The effect of the buffer structure depends upon where it is positioned. When near the emitter region, a 2.6x increase in dark current was measured, whereas no change in dark current was observed when it was near the base region.

Development And Characterization Of A Liner-On-Target Injector For Staged Z-Pinch Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Valenzuela, J. C.; Conti, F.; Krasheninnikov, I.; Narkis, J.; Beg, F.; Wessel, F. J.; Rahman, H. U.

2016-10-01

We present the design and optimization of a liner-on-target injector for Staged Z-pinch experiments. The injector is composed of an annular high atomic number (e.g. Ar, Kr) gas-puff and an on-axis plasma gun that delivers the ionized deuterium target. The liner nozzle injector has been carefully studied using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations to produce a highly collimated 1 cm radius gas profile that satisfies the theoretical requirement for best performance on the 1 MA Zebra current driver. The CFD simulations produce density profiles as a function of the nozzle shape and gas. These profiles are initialized in the MHD MACH2 code to find the optimal liner density for a stable, uniform implosion. We use a simple Snowplow model to study the plasma sheath acceleration in a coaxial plasma gun to help us properly design the target injector. We have performed line-integrated density measurements using a CW He-Ne laser to characterize the liner gas and the plasma gun density as a function of time. The measurements are compared with models and calculations and benchmarked accordingly. Advanced Research Projects Agency - Energy, DE-AR0000569.

The effect of accretion environment at large radius on hot accretion flows

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Xiao-Hong; Bu, De-Fu

2018-05-01

We study the effects of accretion environment (gas density, temperature, and angular momentum) at large radii (˜10 pc) on luminosity of hot accretion flows. The radiative feedback effects from the accretion flow on the accretion environment are also self-consistently taken into account. We find that the slowly rotating flows at large radii can significantly deviate from Bondi accretion when radiation heating and cooling are considered. We further find that when the temperature of environment gas is low (e.g. T = 2 × 107 K), the luminosity of hot accretion flows is high. When the temperature of gas is high (e.g. T ≥ 4 × 107 K), the luminosity of hot accretion flow significantly deceases. The environment gas density can also significantly influence the luminosity of accretion flows. When density is higher than ˜4 × 10-22 g cm-3 and temperature is lower than 2 × 107 K, hot accretion flow with luminosity lower than 2 per cent LEdd is not present. Therefore, the parsec-scale environment density and temperature are two important parameters to determine the luminosity. The results are also useful for the subgrid models adopted by the cosmological simulations.

Large-Scale Structure of the Molecular Gas in Taurus Revealed by High Spatial Dynamic Range Spectral Line Mapping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsmith, Paul F.

2008-01-01

Viewgraph topics include: optical image of Taurus; dust extinction in IR has provided a new tool for probing cloud morphology; observations of the gas can contribute critical information on gas temperature, gas column density and distribution, mass, and kinematics; the Taurus molecular cloud complex; average spectra in each mask region; mas 2 data; dealing with mask 1 data; behavior of mask 1 pixels; distribution of CO column densities; conversion to H2 column density; variable CO/H2 ratio with values much less than 10(exp -4) at low N indicated by UV results; histogram of N(H2) distribution; H2 column density distribution in Taurus; cumulative distribution of mass and area; lower CO fractional abundance in mask 0 and 1 regions greatly increases mass determined in the analysis; masses determined with variable X(CO) and including diffuse regions agrees well with the found from L(CO); distribution of young stars as a function of molecular column density; star formation efficiency; star formation rate and gas depletion; and enlarged images of some of the regions with numerous young stars. Additional slides examine the origin of the Taurus molecular cloud, evolution from HI gas, kinematics as a clue to its origin, and its relationship to star formation.

Phase diagram and universality of the Lennard-Jones gas-liquid system.

PubMed

Watanabe, Hiroshi; Ito, Nobuyasu; Hu, Chin-Kun

2012-05-28

The gas-liquid phase transition of the three-dimensional Lennard-Jones particles system is studied by molecular dynamics simulations. The gas and liquid densities in the coexisting state are determined with high accuracy. The critical point is determined by the block density analysis of the Binder parameter with the aid of the law of rectilinear diameter. From the critical behavior of the gas-liquid coexisting density, the critical exponent of the order parameter is estimated to be β = 0.3285(7). Surface tension is estimated from interface broadening behavior due to capillary waves. From the critical behavior of the surface tension, the critical exponent of the correlation length is estimated to be ν = 0.63(4). The obtained values of β and ν are consistent with those of the Ising universality class.

Near infrared and extreme ultraviolet light pulses induced modifications of ultrathin Co films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kisielewski, Jan; Sveklo, Iosif; Kurant, Zbigniew; Bartnik, Andrzej; Jakubowski, Marcin; Dynowska, ElŻbieta; Klinger, Dorota; Sobierajski, Ryszard; Wawro, Andrzej; Maziewski, Andrzej

2017-05-01

We report on comparative study of magnetic properties of Pt/Co/Pt trilayers after irradiation with different light sources. Ultrathin Pt/Co/Pt films were deposited by molecular beam epitaxy technique on sapphire (0001) substrates. Pt buffers were grown at room temperature (RT) and at 750°C (high temperature, HT). The samples were irradiated with a broad range of light energy densities (up to film ablation) using two different single pulse irradiation sources: (i) 40 fs laser with 800 nm wavelength and (ii) 3 ns laser-plasma source of extreme ultraviolet (EUV) with the most intense emission centered at 11 nm. The light pulse-driven irreversible structural and as a consequence, magnetic modifications were investigated using polar magneto-optical Kerr effect-based microscopy and atomic and magnetic force microscopies. The light pulse-induced transitions from the out-of-plane to in-plane magnetization state, and from in-plane to out-of-plane, were observed for both types of samples and irradiation methods. Diagrams of the magnetic states as a function of the Co layer thickness and energy density of the absorbed femtosecond pulses were constructed for the samples with both the RT and HT buffers. The energy density range responsible for the creation of the out-of-plane magnetization was wider for the HT than for RT buffer. This is correlated with the higher (for HT) crystalline quality and much smoother Pt/Co surface deduced from the X-ray diffraction studies. Submicrometer magnetic domains were observed in the irradiated region while approaching the out-of-plane magnetization state. Changes of Pt/Co/Pt structures are discussed for both types of light pulses.

Process and system for producing high-density pellets from a gaseous medium

DOEpatents

Foster, Christopher A.

1999-01-01

A process and system for producing pellets of high density carbon dioxide or other gases utilize a chamber containing a plurality of cell-like freezing compartments within which ice is to be formed. A gas desired to be frozen into ice is introduced into the chamber while the internal pressure of the chamber is maintained at a level which is below the equilibrium triple pressure of the gas. The temperature of the freezing compartments is lowered to a temperature which is below the equilibrium vapor pressure temperature of the gas at the chamber pressure so that the gas condenses into ice within the compartments. The temperature of the freezing compartments is thereafter raised so that the ice is thereby released from and falls out of the compartments as pellets for collection.

(Nanotechnology Iniatitive) Multicolor Nanostructured High Efficiency Photovoltaic Devices

DTIC Science & Technology

2007-06-30

temperature reaches 520 °C, the surface of strained buffer layer starts to form some nanoholes and nanogrooves. The depth of these nanoholes and...nanogrooves is more than 3 nm. This indicates that the nanoholes and nanogrooves are formed not only just in the top GaAs (5 ML) layer, but also deep...segregated Sb or unstabled GaAsSb at high temperature during the InAs growth. As the InAs growth temperature decreases, the density of the nanoholes and

Riparian buffer and density management influences on microclimate of young headwater forests of Western Oregon.

Treesearch

Paul D. Anderson; David J. Larson; Samuel S. Chan

2007-01-01

Thinning of 30- to 70-year-old Douglas-fir (Psuedotsuga menziesii [Mirb.] Franco) stands is a common silvicultural activity on federal forest lands of the Pacific Northwest, United States. Empirical relationships among riparian functions, silvicultural treatments, and different riparian buffer widths are not well documented for small headwater...

Electrical swing adsorption gas storage and delivery system

DOEpatents

Judkins, Roddie R.; Burchell, Timothy D.

1999-01-01

Systems and methods for electrical swing natural gas adsorption are described. An apparatus includes a pressure vessel; an electrically conductive gas adsorptive material located within the pressure vessel; and an electric power supply electrically connected to said adsorptive material. The adsorptive material can be a carbon fiber composite molecular sieve (CFCMS). The systems and methods provide advantages in that both a high energy density and a high ratio of delivered to stored gas are provided.

Polarized internal target apparatus

DOEpatents

Holt, R.J.

1984-10-10

A polarized internal target apparatus with a polarized gas target of improved polarization and density (achieved by mixing target gas atoms with a small amount of alkali metal gas atoms, and passing a high intensity polarized light source into the mixture to cause the alkali metal gas atoms to become polarized which interact in spin exchange collisions with target gas atoms yielding polarized target gas atoms) is described.

Maximizing fluid delivered by bubble-free electroosmotic pump with optimum pulse voltage waveform.

PubMed

Tawfik, Mena E; Diez, Francisco J

2017-03-01

In generating high electroosmotic (EO) flows for use in microfluidic pumps, a limiting factor is faradaic reactions that are more pronounced at high electric fields. These reactions lead to bubble generation at the electrodes and pump efficiency reduction. The onset of gas generation for high current density EO pumping depends on many parameters including applied voltage, working fluid, and pulse duration. The onset of gas generation can be delayed and optimized for maximum volume pumped in the minimum time possible. This has been achieved through the use of a novel numerical model that predicts the onset of gas generation during EO pumping using an optimized pulse voltage waveform. This method allows applying current densities higher than previously reported. Optimal pulse voltage waveforms are calculated based on the previous theories for different current densities and electrolyte molarity. The electroosmotic pump performance is investigated by experimentally measuring the fluid volume displaced and flow rate. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

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

Pustelny, S., E-mail: pustelny@uj.edu.pl; Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, California 94720-7300; Schultze, V.

A dichroic atomic vapor laser lock (DAVLL) system exploiting buffer-gas-filled millimeter-scale vapor cells is presented. This system offers similar stability as achievable with conventional DAVLL system using bulk vapor cells, but has several important advantages. In addition to its compactness, it may provide continuous stabilization in a multi-gigahertz range around the optical transition. This range may be controlled either by changing the temperature of the vapor or by application of a buffer gas under an appropriate pressure. In particular, we experimentally demonstrate the ability of the system to lock the laser frequency between two hyperfine components of the {sup 85}Rbmore » ground state or as far as 16 GHz away from the closest optical transition.« less

Demonstrating antiphase domain boundary-free GaAs buffer layer on zero off-cut Si (0 0 1) substrate for interfacial misfit dislocation GaSb film by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ha, Minh Thien Huu; Hoang Huynh, Sa; Binh Do, Huy; Nguyen, Tuan Anh; Luc, Quang Ho; Chang, Edward Yi

2017-08-01

High quality 40 nm GaSb thin film was grown on the zero off-cut Si (0 0 1)-oriented substrate using metalorganic chemical vapor deposition with the temperature-graded GaAs buffer layer. The growth time of the GaAs nucleation layer, which was deposited at a low temperature of 490 °C, is systematically investigated in this paper. Cross-sections of the high resolution transmission electron microscopy images indicate that the GaAs compound formed 3D-islands first before to quasi-2D islands, and finally formed uniform GaAs layer. The optimum thickness of the 490 °C-GaAs layer was found to be 10 nm to suppress the formation of antiphase domain boundaries (APDs). The thin GaAs nucleation layer had a root-mean-square surface roughness of 0.483 nm. This allows the continued high temperature GaAs buffer layer to be achieved with low threading dislocation density of around 7.1  ×  106 cm-2 and almost invisible APDs. Finally, a fully relaxed GaSb film was grown on the top of the GaAs/Si heterostructure using interfacial misfit dislocation growth mode. These results indicate that the GaSb epitaxial layer can be grown on Si substrate with GaAs buffer layer for future p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (MOSFETs) applications.

NMR absolute shielding scale and nuclear magnetic dipole moment of (207)Pb.

PubMed

Adrjan, Bożena; Makulski, Włodzimierz; Jackowski, Karol; Demissie, Taye B; Ruud, Kenneth; Antušek, Andrej; Jaszuński, Michał

2016-06-28

An absolute shielding scale is proposed for (207)Pb nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. It is based on ab initio calculations performed on an isolated tetramethyllead Pb(CH3)4 molecule and the assignment of the experimental resonance frequency from the gas-phase NMR spectra of Pb(CH3)4, extrapolated to zero density of the buffer gas to obtain the result for an isolated molecule. The computed (207)Pb shielding constant is 10 790 ppm for the isolated molecule, leading to a shielding of 10799.7 ppm for liquid Pb(CH3)4 which is the accepted reference standard for (207)Pb NMR spectra. The new experimental and theoretical data are used to determine μ((207)Pb), the nuclear magnetic dipole moment of (207)Pb, by applying the standard relationship between NMR frequencies, shielding constants and nuclear moments of two nuclei in the same external magnetic field. Using the gas-phase (207)Pb and (reference) proton results and the theoretical value of the Pb shielding in Pb(CH3)4, we find μ((207)Pb) = 0.59064 μN. The analysis of new experimental and theoretical data obtained for the Pb(2+) ion in water solutions provides similar values of μ((207)Pb), in the range of 0.59000-0.59131 μN.

Background gas density and beam losses in NIO1 beam source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sartori, E.; Veltri, P.; Cavenago, M.; Serianni, G.

2016-02-01

NIO1 (Negative Ion Optimization 1) is a versatile ion source designed to study the physics of production and acceleration of H- beams up to 60 keV. In ion sources, the gas is steadily injected in the plasma source to sustain the discharge, while high vacuum is maintained by a dedicated pumping system located in the vessel. In this paper, the three dimensional gas flow in NIO1 is studied in the molecular flow regime by the Avocado code. The analysis of the gas density profile along the accelerator considers the influence of effective gas temperature in the source, of the gas temperature accommodation by collisions at walls, and of the gas particle mass. The calculated source and vessel pressures are compared with experimental measurements in NIO1 during steady gas injection.

High-quality electromagnetically-induced absorption resonances in a buffer-gas-filled vapour cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brazhnikov, D. V.; Ignatovich, S. M.; Vishnyakov, V. I.; Skvortsov, M. N.; Andreeva, Ch; Entin, V. M.; Ryabtsev, I. I.

2018-02-01

Magneto-optical subnatural-linewidth resonances of electromagnetically-induced absorption (EIA) in an alkali vapour cell have been experimentally studied. The observation configuration includes using two counter-propagating pumps and probe light waves with mutually orthogonal linear polarizations, exciting an open optical transition in the 87Rb D 1 line in the presence of argon buffer gas. The EIA signals registered in a probe-wave transmission reach an unprecedented contrast of about 135% with respect to the wide ‘Doppler’ absorption pedestal and 29% with respect to the level of background transmission signal. These contrast values correspond to a relatively small resonance full width at half maximum of about 7.2 mG (5.2 kHz). The width of the narrowest EIA resonance observed is about 2.1 mG (1.5 kHz). To our knowledge, such a large relative contrast at the kHz-width is the record result for EIA resonances. In general, the work has experimentally proved that the magneto-optical scheme used has very good prospects for various quantum technologies (quantum sensors of weak magnetic fields, optical switches and other photonic elements).

Massive Warm/Hot Galaxy Coronae as Probed by UV/X-Ray Oxygen Absorption and Emission. I. Basic Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Faerman, Yakov; Sternberg, Amiel; McKee, Christopher F.

2017-01-01

We construct an analytic phenomenological model for extended warm/hot gaseous coronae of L* galaxies. We consider UV O VI Cosmic Origins Spectrograph (COS)-Halos absorption line data in combination with Milky Way (MW) X-ray O vii and O viii absorption and emission. We fit these data with a single model representing the COS-Halos galaxies and a Galactic corona. Our model is multi-phased, with hot and warm gas components, each with a (turbulent) log-normal distribution of temperatures and densities. The hot gas, traced by the X-ray absorption and emission, is in hydrostatic equilibrium in an MW gravitational potential. The median temperature of the hot gas is 1.5× {10}6 K and the mean hydrogen density is ˜ 5× {10}-5 {{cm}}-3. The warm component as traced by the O VI, is gas that has cooled out of the high density tail of the hot component. The total warm/hot gas mass is high and is 1.2× {10}11 {M}⊙ . The gas metallicity we require to reproduce the oxygen ion column densities is 0.5 solar. The warm O VI component has a short cooling time (˜ 2× {10}8 years), as hinted by observations. The hot component, however, is ˜ 80 % of the total gas mass and is relatively long-lived, with {t}{cool}˜ 7× {10}9 years. Our model supports suggestions that hot galactic coronae can contain significant amounts of gas. These reservoirs may enable galaxies to continue forming stars steadily for long periods of time and account for “missing baryons” in galaxies in the local universe.

OT2_dlis_3: Ammonia as a Tracer of the Earliest Stages of Star Formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lis, D.

2011-09-01

Stars form in molecular cloud cores, cold and dense regions enshrouded by dust. The initiation of this process is among the least understood steps of star formation. High!resolution heterodyne spectroscopy provides invaluable information about the physical conditions (density, temperature), kinematics (infall, outflows), and chemistry of these regions. Classical molecular tracers, such CO, CS, and many other abundant gas!phase species, have been shown to freeze out onto dust grain mantles in pre!stellar cores. However, N!bearing species, in particular ammonia, are much less affected by depletion and are observed to stay in the gas phase at densities in excess of 1e6 cm!3. The molecular freeze!out has important consequences for the chemistry of dense gas. In particular, the depletion of abundant gas!phase species with heavy atoms drives up abundances of deuterated H3+ isotopologues, which in turn results in spectacular deuteration levels of molecules that do remain in the gas phase. Consequently, lines of deuterated N!bearing species, in particular the fundamental lines of ammonia isotopologues, having very high critical densities, are optimum tracers of innermost regions of dense cores. We propose to study the morphology, density structure and kinematics of cold and dense cloud cores, by mapping the spatial distribution of ammonia isotopologues in isolated dense pre!stellar cores using Herschel/HIFI. These observations provide optimum probes of the onset of star formation, as well as the physical processes that control gas!grain interaction, freeze!out, mantle ejection and deuteration. The sensitive, high!resolution spectra acquired within this program will be analyzed using sophisticated radiative transfer models and compared with outputs of state!of!the!art 3D MHD simulations and chemical models developed by the members of our team.

Characterization and role in morphogenesis of a new subviral particle (55S) isolated from poliovirus-infected cells.

PubMed Central

Corrias, M V; Flore, O; Broi, E; Marongiu, M E; Pani, A; Torelli, S; La Colla, P

1987-01-01

A previously undetected subviral particle, designated the 55S particle because of its position in sucrose density gradients, has been found in cytoplasmic extracts of poliovirus-infected cells. It contains no RNA, is composed of equimolar amounts of the structural polypeptides P1AB, P1C, and P1D, and is stable in vitro under a variety of conditions: presence or absence of EDTA, dilution in low- or high-ionic-strength buffers, suspension in buffers up to pH 10, incubation at 37 degrees C, and centrifugation to equilibrium in CsCl gradients (where it bands at a density of 1.285 g/cm3). Conventional pulse-chase experiments show that 55S particles are the products of the assembly of 14S subunits and the precursors of virions. These data led to the formulation of a model of poliovirus morphogenesis in which the conversion of capsomers into 73S empty capsids does not occur directly, but through the formation of an intermediate structure, the 55S particle. PMID:3027383

Simultaneous pollutant removal and electricity generation in denitrifying microbial fuel cell with boric acid-borate buffer solution.

PubMed

Chen, Gang; Zhang, Shaohui; Li, Meng; Wei, Yan

2015-01-01

A double-chamber denitrifying microbial fuel cell (MFC), using boric acid-borate buffer solution as an alternative to phosphate buffer solution, was set up to investigate the influence of buffer solution concentration, temperature and external resistance on electricity generation and pollutant removal efficiency. The result revealed that the denitrifying MFC with boric acid-borate buffer solution was successfully started up in 51 days, with a stable cell voltage of 205.1 ± 1.96 mV at an external resistance of 50 Ω. Higher concentration of buffer solution favored nitrogen removal and electricity generation. The maximum power density of 8.27 W/m(3) net cathodic chamber was obtained at a buffer solution concentration of 100 mmol/L. An increase in temperature benefitted electricity generation and nitrogen removal. A suitable temperature for this denitrifying MFC was suggested to be 25 °C. Decreasing the external resistance favored nitrogen removal and organic matter consumption by exoelectrogens.

Transversely diode-pumped alkali metal vapour laser

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

Parkhomenko, A I; Shalagin, A M

2015-09-30

We have studied theoretically the operation of a transversely diode-pumped alkali metal vapour laser. For the case of high-intensity laser radiation, we have obtained an analytical solution to a complex system of differential equations describing the laser. This solution allows one to exhaustively determine all the energy characteristics of the laser and to find optimal parameters of the working medium and pump radiation (temperature, buffer gas pressure, and intensity and width of the pump spectrum). (lasers)

Longitudinal gas-density profilometry for plasma-wakefield acceleration targets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schaper, Lucas; Goldberg, Lars; Kleinwächter, Tobias; Schwinkendorf, Jan-Patrick; Osterhoff, Jens

2014-03-01

Precise tailoring of plasma-density profiles has been identified as one of the critical points in achieving stable and reproducible conditions in plasma wakefield accelerators. Here, the strict requirements of next generation plasma-wakefield concepts, such as hybrid-accelerators, with densities around 1017 cm-3 pose challenges to target fabrication as well as to their reliable diagnosis. To mitigate these issues we combine target simulation with fabrication and characterization. The resulting density profiles in capillaries with gas jet and multiple in- and outlets are simulated with the fluid code OpenFOAM. Satisfactory simulation results then are followed by fabrication of the desired target shapes with structures down to the 10 μm level. The detection of Raman scattered photons using lenses with large collection solid angle allows to measure the corresponding longitudinal density profiles at different number densities and allows a detection sensitivity down to the low 1017 cm-3 density range at high spatial resolution. This offers the possibility to gain insight into steep density gradients as for example in gas jets and at the plasma-to-vacuum transition.

Spatial, Temporal, and Density-Dependent Components of Habitat Quality for a Desert Owl

PubMed Central

Flesch, Aaron D.; Hutto, Richard L.; van Leeuwen, Willem J. D.; Hartfield, Kyle; Jacobs, Sky

2015-01-01

Spatial variation in resources is a fundamental driver of habitat quality but the realized value of resources at any point in space may depend on the effects of conspecifics and stochastic factors, such as weather, which vary through time. We evaluated the relative and combined effects of habitat resources, weather, and conspecifics on habitat quality for ferruginous pygmy-owls (Glaucidium brasilianum) in the Sonoran Desert of northwest Mexico by monitoring reproductive output and conspecific abundance over 10 years in and around 107 territory patches. Variation in reproductive output was much greater across space than time, and although habitat resources explained a much greater proportion of that variation (0.70) than weather (0.17) or conspecifics (0.13), evidence for interactions among each of these components of the environment was strong. Relative to habitat that was persistently low in quality, high-quality habitat buffered the negative effects of conspecifics and amplified the benefits of favorable weather, but did not buffer the disadvantages of harsh weather. Moreover, the positive effects of favorable weather at low conspecific densities were offset by intraspecific competition at high densities. Although realized habitat quality declined with increasing conspecific density suggesting interference mechanisms associated with an Ideal Free Distribution, broad spatial heterogeneity in habitat quality persisted. Factors linked to food resources had positive effects on reproductive output but only where nest cavities were sufficiently abundant to mitigate the negative effects of heterospecific enemies. Annual precipitation and brooding-season temperature had strong multiplicative effects on reproductive output, which declined at increasing rates as drought and temperature increased, reflecting conditions predicted to become more frequent with climate change. Because the collective environment influences habitat quality in complex ways, integrated approaches that consider habitat resources, stochastic factors, and conspecifics are necessary to accurately assess habitat quality. PMID:25786257

Spatial, temporal, and density-dependent components of habitat quality for a desert owl.

PubMed

Flesch, Aaron D; Hutto, Richard L; van Leeuwen, Willem J D; Hartfield, Kyle; Jacobs, Sky

2015-01-01

Spatial variation in resources is a fundamental driver of habitat quality but the realized value of resources at any point in space may depend on the effects of conspecifics and stochastic factors, such as weather, which vary through time. We evaluated the relative and combined effects of habitat resources, weather, and conspecifics on habitat quality for ferruginous pygmy-owls (Glaucidium brasilianum) in the Sonoran Desert of northwest Mexico by monitoring reproductive output and conspecific abundance over 10 years in and around 107 territory patches. Variation in reproductive output was much greater across space than time, and although habitat resources explained a much greater proportion of that variation (0.70) than weather (0.17) or conspecifics (0.13), evidence for interactions among each of these components of the environment was strong. Relative to habitat that was persistently low in quality, high-quality habitat buffered the negative effects of conspecifics and amplified the benefits of favorable weather, but did not buffer the disadvantages of harsh weather. Moreover, the positive effects of favorable weather at low conspecific densities were offset by intraspecific competition at high densities. Although realized habitat quality declined with increasing conspecific density suggesting interference mechanisms associated with an Ideal Free Distribution, broad spatial heterogeneity in habitat quality persisted. Factors linked to food resources had positive effects on reproductive output but only where nest cavities were sufficiently abundant to mitigate the negative effects of heterospecific enemies. Annual precipitation and brooding-season temperature had strong multiplicative effects on reproductive output, which declined at increasing rates as drought and temperature increased, reflecting conditions predicted to become more frequent with climate change. Because the collective environment influences habitat quality in complex ways, integrated approaches that consider habitat resources, stochastic factors, and conspecifics are necessary to accurately assess habitat quality.

The Gas Distribution in the Outer Regions of Galaxy Clusters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckert, D.; Vazza, F.; Ettori, S.; Molendi, S.; Nagai, D.; Lau, E. T.; Roncarelli, M.; Rossetti, M.; Snowden, L.; Gastaldello, F.

2012-01-01

Aims. We present our analysis of a local (z = 0.04 - 0.2) sample of 31 galaxy clusters with the aim of measuring the density of the X-ray emitting gas in cluster outskirts. We compare our results with numerical simulations to set constraints on the azimuthal symmetry and gas clumping in the outer regions of galaxy clusters. Methods. We have exploited the large field-of-view and low instrumental background of ROSAT/PSPC to trace the density of the intracluster gas out to the virial radius, We stacked the density profiles to detect a signal beyond T200 and measured the typical density and scatter in cluster outskirts. We also computed the azimuthal scatter of the profiles with respect to the mean value to look for deviations from spherical symmetry. Finally, we compared our average density and scatter profiles with the results of numerical simulations. Results. As opposed to some recent Suzaku results, and confirming previous evidence from ROSAT and Chandra, we observe a steepening of the density profiles beyond approximately r(sub 500). Comparing our density profiles with simulations, we find that non-radiative runs predict density profiles that are too steep, whereas runs including additional physics and/ or treating gas clumping agree better with the observed gas distribution. We report high-confidence detection of a systematic difference between cool-core and non cool-core clusters beyond approximately 0.3r(sub 200), which we explain by a different distribution of the gas in the two classes. Beyond approximately r(sub 500), galaxy clusters deviate significantly from spherical symmetry, with only small differences between relaxed and disturbed systems. We find good agreement between the observed and predicted scatter profiles, but only when the 1% densest clumps are filtered out in the ENZO simulations. Conclusions. Comparing our results with numerical simulations, we find that non-radiative simulations fail to reproduce the gas distribution, even well outside cluster cores. Although their general behavior agrees more closely with the observations, simulations including cooling and star formation convert a large amount of gas into stars, which results in a low gas fraction with respect to the observations. Consequently, a detailed treatment of gas cooling, star formation, AGN feedback, and consideration of gas clumping is required to construct realistic models of the outer regions of clusters.

The Gas Distribution in Galaxy Cluster Outer Regions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eckert, D.; Vazza, F.; Ettori, S.; Molendi, S.; Nagai, D.; Laue, E. T.; Roncarelli, M.; Rossetti, M.; Snowden, S. L.; Gastaldello, F.

2012-01-01

Aims. We present the analysis of a local (z = 0.04 - 0.2) sample of 31 galaxy clusters with the aim of measuring the density of the X-ray emitting gas in cluster outskirts. We compare our results with numerical simulations to set constraints on the azimuthal symmetry and gas clumping in the outer regions of galaxy clusters. Methods. We exploit the large field-of-view and low instrumental background of ROSAT/PSPC to trace the density of the intracluster gas out to the virial radius. We perform a stacking of the density profiles to detect a signal beyond r200 and measure the typical density and scatter in cluster outskirts. We also compute the azimuthal scatter of the profiles with respect to the mean value to look for deviations from spherical symmetry. Finally, we compare our average density and scatter profiles with the results of numerical simulations. Results. As opposed to some recent Suzaku results, and confirming previous evidence from ROSAT and Chandra, we observe a steepening of the density profiles beyond approximately r(sub 500). Comparing our density profiles with simulations, we find that non-radiative runs predict too steep density profiles, whereas runs including additional physics and/or treating gas clumping are in better agreement with the observed gas distribution. We report for the first time the high-confidence detection of a systematic difference between cool-core and non-cool core clusters beyond 0.3r(sub 200), which we explain by a different distribution of the gas in the two classes. Beyond r(sub 500), galaxy clusters deviate significantly from spherical symmetry, with only little differences between relaxed and disturbed systems. We find good agreement between the observed and predicted scatter profiles, but only when the 1% densest clumps are filtered out in the simulations. Conclusions. Comparing our results with numerical simulations, we find that non-radiative simulations fail to reproduce the gas distribution, even well outside cluster cores. Although their general behavior is in better agreement with the observations, simulations including cooling and star formation convert a large amount of gas into stars, which results in a low gas fraction with respect to the observations. Consequently, a detailed treatment of gas cooling, star formation, AGN feedback, and taking into account gas clumping is required to construct realistic models of cluster outer regions.

Effect of mass and charge transport speed and direction in porous anodes on microbial electrolysis cell performance.

PubMed

Sleutels, Tom H J A; Hamelers, Hubertus V M; Buisman, Cees J N

2011-01-01

The use of porous electrodes like graphite felt as anode material has the potential of achieving high volumetric current densities. High volumetric current densities, however, may also lead to mass transport limitations within these porous materials. Therefore, in this study we investigated the mass and charge transport limitations by increasing the speed of the forced flow and changing the flow direction through the porous anode. Increase of the flow speed led to a decrease in current density when the flow was directed towards the membrane caused by an increase in anode resistance. Current density increased at higher flow speed when the flow was directed away from the membrane. This was caused by a decrease in transport resistance of ions through the membrane which increased the buffering effect of the system. Furthermore, the increase in flow speed led to an increase of the coulombic efficiency by 306%. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Copernicus observations of distant unreddened stars. I. Line of sight to MU Colombae and HD 28497

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

Shull, J.M.; York, D.G.

1977-02-01

Copernicus UV data on interstellar lines toward ..mu.. Col and HD 28497 are analyzed to study the abundances and physical conditions in the many components found in each line of sight. Despite low mean neutral hydrogen densities toward these stars, a substantial portion of the neutral gas is associated with dense condensations containing H/sub 2/. In several high-velocity components, Fe, Ca, and possibly Si appear to be nearer their cosmic abundances than is typical in interstellar gas; this effect may be related to the correlation of N (Ca II)/N (Na I) with cloud velocity, and suggests a grain-disruption model. Low-velocitymore » ionized gas with n/sub e/=0.1 to 0.3 cm/sup -3/ appears to be associated with an extended H II region near ..mu.. Col; ionized gas of similar density is seen at the same velocities as the four neutral components toward HD 28497. Si III absorption, with a wide profile at high negative velocities, unaccompanied by any detectable Si II, N II, or neutral gas, is reported in both stars. The observed Si III column densities and velocity fields may be explained by collisionally ionized gas at 30,000 to 100,000 K behind radiatively cooling strong shocks.« less

NH{sub 3}(3,3) AND CH{sub 3}OH NEAR SUPERNOVA REMNANTS: GBT AND VLA OBSERVATIONS

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

McEwen, Bridget C.; Pihlström, Ylva M.; Sjouwerman, Loránt O.

2016-08-01

We report on Green Bank Telescope 23.87 GHz NH{sub 3}(3,3) emission observations in five supernova remnants (SNRs) interacting with molecular clouds (G1.4−0.1, IC 443, W44, W51C, and G5.7−0.0). The observations show a clumpy gas density distribution, and in most cases the narrow line widths of ∼3–4 km s{sup −1} are suggestive of maser emission. Very Large Array observations reveal 36 and/or 44 GHz CH{sub 3}OH maser emission in a majority (72%) of the NH{sub 3} peak positions toward three of these SNRs. This good positional correlation is in agreement with the high densities required for the excitation of each line.more » Through these observations we have shown that CH{sub 3}OH and NH{sub 3} maser emission can be used as indicators of high-density clumps of gas shocked by SNRs, and provide density estimates thereof. Modeling of the optical depth of the NH{sub 3}(3,3) emission is compared to that of CH{sub 3}OH, constraining the densities of the clumps to a typical density of the order of 10{sup 5} cm{sup −3} for cospatial masers. Regions of gas with this density are found to exist in the post-shocked gas quite close to the SNR shock front, and may be associated with sites where cosmic rays produce gamma-ray emission via neutral pion decay.« less

Discontinuous gas-exchange cycle characteristics are differentially affected by hydration state and energy metabolism in gregarious and solitary desert locusts.

PubMed

Talal, Stav; Ayali, Amir; Gefen, Eran

2015-12-01

The termination of discontinuous gas exchange cycles (DGCs) in severely dehydrated insects casts doubt on the generality of the hygric hypothesis, which posits that DGCs evolved as a water conservation mechanism. We followed DGC characteristics in the two density-dependent phases of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria throughout exposure to an experimental treatment of combined dehydration and starvation stress, and subsequent rehydration. We hypothesized that, under stressful conditions, the more stress-resistant gregarious locusts would maintain DGCs longer than solitary locusts. However, we found no phase-specific variations in body water content, water loss rates (total and respiratory) or timing of stress-induced abolishment of DGCs. Likewise, locusts of both phases re-employed DGCs after ingesting comparable volumes of water when rehydrated. Despite comparable water management performances, the effect of exposure to stressful experimental conditions on DGC characteristics varied significantly between gregarious and solitary locusts. Interburst duration, which is affected by the ability to buffer CO2, was significantly reduced in dehydrated solitary locusts compared with gregarious locusts. Moreover, despite similar rehydration levels, only gregarious locusts recovered their initial CO2 accumulation capacity, indicating that cycle characteristics are affected by factors other than haemolymph volume. Haemolymph protein measurements and calculated respiratory exchange ratios suggest that catabolism of haemolymph proteins may contribute to a reduced haemolymph buffering capacity, and thus a compromised ability for CO2 accumulation, in solitary locusts. Nevertheless, DGC was lost at similar hydration states in the two phases, suggesting that DGCs are terminated as a result of inadequate oxygen supply to the tissues. © 2015. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Radiation hydrodynamics of super star cluster formation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsang, Benny Tsz Ho; Milos Milosavljevic

2018-01-01

Throughout the history of the Universe, the nuclei of super star clusters represent the most active sites for star formation. The high densities of massive stars within the clusters produce intense radiation that imparts both energy and momentum on the surrounding star-forming gas. Theoretical claims based on idealized geometries have claimed the dominant role of radiation pressure in controlling the star formation activity within the clusters. In order for cluster formation simulations to be reliable, numerical schemes have to be able to model accurately the radiation flows through the gas clumps at the cluster nuclei with high density contrasts. With a hybrid Monte Carlo radiation transport module we developed, we performed 3D radiation hydrodynamical simulations of super star cluster formation in turbulent clouds. Furthermore, our Monte Carlo radiation treatment provides a native capability to produce synthetic observations, which allows us to predict observational indicators and to inform future observations. We found that radiation pressure has definite, but minor effects on limiting the gas supply for star formation, and the final mass of the most massive cluster is about one million solar masses. The ineffective forcing was due to the density variations inside the clusters, i.e. radiation takes the paths of low densities and avoids forcing on dense clumps. Compared to a radiation-free control run, we further found that the presence of radiation amplifies the density variations. The core of the resulting cluster has a high stellar density, about the threshold required for stellar collisions and merging. The very massive star that form from the stellar merging could continue to gain mass from the surrounding gas reservoir that is gravitationally confined by the deep potential of the cluster, seeding the potential formation of a massive black hole.

Effects of controlled gas environments in microbial enhancement of plant protein recovery

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

Mudgett, R.E.; Bajracharya, R.

Controlled gas environments were maintained by a novel aeration system in solid substrate fermentations for enhanced protein recovery from pressed alfalfa residues. High O/sub 2/ pressures stimulated biomass and enzyme production by an Aspergillus species, isolated from alfalfa, which produced cellulase and pectinase activities in growth-associated metabolism. High CO/sub 2/ pressures also stimulated enzyme production, but had less effect on biomass production, as established from the dissimilation of plant solids. Cellulase and pectinase activities were generally related to protein recoveries. Recoveries were greater than or equal to 50% higher than those obtained by mechanical extraction, with maximum recoveries of greatermore » than or equal to 70% of crude protein contents. Protein not recovered at high cellulase and pectinase activities were believed to be in structurally bound forms not amenable to recovery by nonproteolytic enzymes. Buffering at pH 8 and autoclaving of residues prior to fermentation had little effect on protein recoveries. Controlled gas environments are seen to offer an interesting potential for optimizing industrial fermentation processes for the production of microbial enzymes.« less

Excess algal symbionts increase the susceptibility of reef corals to bleaching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cunning, Ross; Baker, Andrew C.

2013-03-01

Rising ocean temperatures associated with global climate change are causing mass coral bleaching and mortality worldwide. Understanding the genetic and environmental factors that mitigate coral bleaching susceptibility may aid local management efforts to help coral reefs survive climate change. Although bleaching susceptibility depends partly on the genetic identity of a coral's algal symbionts, the effect of symbiont density, and the factors controlling it, remain poorly understood. By applying a new metric of symbiont density to study the coral Pocillopora damicornis during seasonal warming and acute bleaching, we show that symbiont cell ratio density is a function of both symbiont type and environmental conditions, and that corals with high densities are more susceptible to bleaching. Higher vulnerability of corals with more symbionts establishes a quantitative mechanistic link between symbiont density and the molecular basis for coral bleaching, and indicates that high densities do not buffer corals from thermal stress, as has been previously suggested. These results indicate that environmental conditions that increase symbiont densities, such as nutrient pollution, will exacerbate climate-change-induced coral bleaching, providing a mechanistic explanation for why local management to reduce these stressors will help coral reefs survive future warming.

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.

Electrical swing adsorption gas storage and delivery system

DOEpatents

Judkins, R.R.; Burchell, T.D.

1999-06-15

Systems and methods for electrical swing natural gas adsorption are described. An apparatus includes a pressure vessel; an electrically conductive gas adsorptive material located within the pressure vessel; and an electric power supply electrically connected to said adsorptive material. The adsorptive material can be a carbon fiber composite molecular sieve (CFCMS). The systems and methods provide advantages in that both a high energy density and a high ratio of delivered to stored gas are provided. 5 figs.

Proton acceleration by multi-terawatt interaction with a near-critical density hydrogen jet

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goers, Andy; Feder, Linus; Hine, George; Salehi, Fatholah; Woodbury, Daniel; Su, J. J.; Papadopoulos, Dennis; Zigler, Arie; Milchberg, Howard

2016-10-01

We investigate the high intensity laser interaction with thin, near critical density plasmas as a means of efficient acceleration of MeV protons. A promising mechanism is magnetic vortex acceleration, where the ponderomotive force of a tightly focused laser pulse drives a relativistic electron current which generates a strong azimuthal magnetic field. The rapid expansion of this azimuthal magnetic field at the back side of the target can accelerate plasma ions to MeV scale energies. Compared to typical ion acceleration experiments utilizing a laser- thin solid foil interaction, magnetic vortex acceleration in near critical density plasma may be realized in a high density gas jet, making it attractive for applications requiring high repetition rates. We present preliminary experiments studying laser-plasma interaction and proton acceleration in a thin (< 200 μm) near-critical density hydrogen gas jet delivering electron densities 1020 -1021 cm-3 . This research was funded by the United States Department of Energy and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) under Contract Number W911-NF-15-C-0217, issued by the Army Research Office.

Theoretical description of transverse measurements of polarization in optically-pumped Rb vapor cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dreiling, Joan; Tupa, Dale; Norrgard, Eric; Gay, Timothy

2012-06-01

In optical pumping of alkali-metal vapors, the polarization of the atoms is typically determined by probing along the entire length of the pumping beam, resulting in an averaged value of polarization over the length of the cell. Such measurements do not give any information about spatial variations of the polarization along the pump beam axis. Using a D1 probe beam oriented perpendicular to the pumping beam, we have demonstrated a heuristic method for determining the polarization along the pump beam's axis. Adapting a previously developed theory [1], we provide an analysis of the experiment which explains why this method works. The model includes the effects of Rb density, buffer gas pressure, and pump detuning. [4pt] [1] E.B. Norrgard, D. Tupa, J.M. Dreiling, and T.J. Gay, Phys. Rev. A 82, 033408 (2010).

Impact of food industrial waste on anaerobic co-digestion of sewage sludge and pig manure.

PubMed

Murto, M; Björnsson, L; Mattiasson, B

2004-02-01

The performance of an anaerobic digestion process is much dependent on the type and the composition of the material to be digested. The effects on the degradation process of co-digesting different types of waste were examined in two laboratory-scale studies. In the first investigation, sewage sludge was co-digested with industrial waste from potato processing. The co-digestion resulted in a low buffered system and when the fraction of starch-rich waste was increased, the result was a more sensitive process, with process overload occurring at a lower organic loading rate (OLR). In the second investigation, pig manure, slaughterhouse waste, vegetable waste and various kinds of industrial waste were digested. This resulted in a highly buffered system as the manure contributed to high amounts of ammonia. However, it is important to note that ammonia might be toxic to the micro-organisms. Although the conversion of volatile fatty acids was incomplete the processes worked well with high gas yields, 0.8-1.0 m3 kg(-1) VS.

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%.

High performance YBCO films. Report for 1 August-31 October 1992

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

Denlinger, E.J.; Fathy, A.; Kalokitis, D.

1992-10-31

The objective of this program is to identify suitable low loss, low dielectric constant substrates and develop and optimize deposition processes for high quality YBCO films including the necessary buffer layers. Ultimate goals are large area substrates having double-sided HTS coating with a surface resistance ten times lower than copper at 40 GHz. High quality HTS films on low dielectric constant substrates are expected to find widespread use in advanced millimeter wave components, in extending the power handling capability of microwave and millimeter wave circuitry, and in facilitating high speed computer interconnects. Sample demonstration circuits will be built toward themore » end of the program. We have successfully deposited a high quality YBCO film on a good low loss and low dielectric constant substrate, magnesium fluoride (e=5). With the use of two buffer layers (magnesium oxide and strontium titanate) between the YBCO and the substrate, transition temperatures of 89 deg K and transition widths of about 0.5 deg K were achieved. The critical current density Jc of 4 x 10 6 A/cm2 at 77K in zero field is among the highest reported for YBCO films. The magnesium fluoride (MgF2) substrate has a tetragonal structure with a dielectric constant of 5.2 in the plane of the substrate and 4.6 perpendicular to the substrate surface. It has a good harness (-575 Knoop) and a linear thermal expansion coefficient that closely matches YBCO and the buffer layers.« less

An Advanced Helium Buffer Seal for the SSME, ATD Oxygen Pump

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shapiro, Wilbur

2006-01-01

The present configuration of Helium Buffer Seal on the ATD oxygen pump consists of a pair of opposed carbon rings are forced axially against their containment housings. Leakage occurs through the clearance between the rings and the shaft. The total helium leakage through both sides is approximately 239 SCFM. A reduction in leakage to 50 SCFM will result in less helium storage and consequently permit a substantial increase in payload. Under Phase 1 NASA SBIR, a solid T-Ring seal was analyzed and designed that could satisfy the criteria of reducing leakage to 50 SCFM or less. The design makes maximum use of available length and employs a mid length row of hydrostatic orifaces that feed buffer helium directly into a 2 to 3 mil clearance region. The flow splits into opposite paths to buffer oxygen gas on one side and hydrogen gas on the turbine side. The seal employs opposed hydrostatic tapered land secondary seals that provide friction free support of the primary seal and allows the primary seal to follow rotor excursion and maintain concentric operating clearance . The predicted performance of the T-seal is excellent with operation at a safe film thickness of 2 to 2.5 mils and leakage less than 50 SCFM.

Three Dimensional Simulations of Multiphase Flows Using a Lattice Boltzmann Method Suitable for High Density Ratios - 12126

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

Gokaltun, Seckin; McDaniel, Dwayne; Roelant, David

2012-07-01

Multiphase flows involving gas and liquid phases can be observed in engineering operations at various Department of Energy sites, such as mixing of slurries using pulsed-air mixers and hydrogen gas generation in liquid waste tanks etc. The dynamics of the gas phase in the liquid domain play an important role in the mixing effectiveness of the pulsed-air mixers or in the level of gas pressure build-up in waste tanks. To understand such effects, computational fluid dynamics methods (CFD) can be utilized by developing a three-dimensional computerized multiphase flow model that can predict accurately the behavior of gas motion inside liquid-filledmore » tanks by solving the governing mathematical equations that represent the physics of the phenomena. In this paper, such a CFD method, lattice Boltzmann method (LBM), is presented that can model multiphase flows accurately and efficiently. LBM is favored over traditional Navier-Stokes based computational models since interfacial forces are handled more effectively in LBM. The LBM is easier to program, more efficient to solve on parallel computers, and has the ability to capture the interface between different fluid phases intrinsically. The LBM used in this paper can solve for the incompressible and viscous flow field in three dimensions, while at the same time, solve the Cahn-Hillard equation to track the position of the gas-liquid interface specifically when the density and viscosity ratios between the two fluids are high. This feature is of primary importance since the previous LBM models proposed for multiphase flows become unstable when the density ratio is larger than 10. The ability to provide stable and accurate simulations at large density ratios becomes important when the simulation case involves fluids such as air and water with a density ratio around 1000 that are common to many engineering problems. In order to demonstrate the capability of the 3D LBM method at high density ratios, a static bubble simulation is conducted to solve for the pressure difference between the inside and outside of a gas bubble in a liquid domain. Once the results show that the method is in agreement with the Laplace law, buoyant bubble simulations are conducted. The initial results obtained for bubble shape during the rising process was found to be in agreement with the theoretical expectations. (authors)« less

Fission-gas release from uranium nitride at high fission rate density

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weinstein, M. B.; Kirchgessner, T. A.; Tambling, T. N.

1973-01-01

A sweep gas facility has been used to measure the release rates of radioactive fission gases from small UN specimens irradiated to 8-percent burnup at high fission-rate densities. The measured release rates have been correlated with an equation whose terms correspond to direct recoil release, fission-enhanced diffusion, and atomic diffusion (a function of temperature). Release rates were found to increase linearly with burnups between 1.5 and 8 percent. Pore migration was observed after operation at 1550 K to over 6 percent burnup.

Effects of Buffer Size and Shape on Associations between the Built Environment and Energy Balance

PubMed Central

Berrigan, David; Hart, Jaime E.; Hipp, J. Aaron; Hoehner, Christine M.; Kerr, Jacqueline; Major, Jacqueline M.; Oka, Masayoshi; Laden, Francine

2014-01-01

Uncertainty in the relevant spatial context may drive heterogeneity in findings on the built environment and energy balance. To estimate the effect of this uncertainty, we conducted a sensitivity analysis defining intersection and business densities and counts within different buffer sizes and shapes on associations with self-reported walking and body mass index. Linear regression results indicated that the scale and shape of buffers influenced study results and may partly explain the inconsistent findings in the built environment and energy balance literature. PMID:24607875

The formation of stable pH gradients with weak monovalent buffers for isoelectric focusing in free solution

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mosher, Richard A.; Thormann, Wolfgang; Graham, Aly; Bier, Milan

1985-01-01

Two methods which utilize simple buffers for the generation of stable pH gradients (useful for preparative isoelectric focusing) are compared and contrasted. The first employs preformed gradients comprised of two simple buffers in density-stabilized free solution. The second method utilizes neutral membranes to isolate electrolyte reservoirs of constant composition from the separation column. It is shown by computer simulation that steady-state gradients can be formed at any pH range with any number of components in such a system.

Ablation from High Velocity Clouds: A Source for Low Velocity Ionized Gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelton, Robin L.; Henley, D. B.; Kwak, K.

2012-05-01

High velocity clouds shed material as they move through the Galaxy. This material mixes with the Galactic interstellar medium, resulting in plasma whose temperature and ionization levels are intermediate between those of the cloud and those of the Galaxy. As time passes, the mixed material slows to the velocity of the ambient gas. This raises the possibility that initially warm (T 10^3 K), poorly ionized clouds moving through hot (T 10^6 K), very highly ionized ambient gas could lead to mixed gas that harbors significant numbers of high ions (O+5, N+4, and C+3) and thus helps to explain the large numbers of low-velocity high ions seen on high latitude lines of sight through the Galactic halo. We have used a series of detailed FLASH simulations in order to track the hydrodynamics of warm clouds embedded in hot Galactic halo gas. These simulations tracked the ablated material as it mixed and slowed to low velocities. By following the ionization levels of the gas in a time-dependent fashion, we determined that the mixed material is rich in O+5, N+4, and C+3 ions and continues to contain these ions for some time after slowing to low velocities. Combining our simulational results with estimates of the high velocity cloud infall rate leads to the finding that the mixed gas can account for 1/3 of the normal-velocity O+5 column density found on high latitude lines of sight. It accounts for lesser fractions of the N+4 and C+3 column densities. We will discuss our high velocity cloud results as part of a composite halo model that also includes cooling Galactic fountain gas, isolated supernova remnants, and ionizing photons.

Synthesis and Characterization of CuO Nanodisks for High-Sensitive and Selective Ethanol Gas Sensor Applications.

PubMed

Umar, Ahmad; Lee, Jong-Heun; Kumar, Rajesh; Al-Dossary, O

2017-02-01

Herein, the fabrication and characterization of highly sensitive and selective ethanol gas sensor based on CuO nanodisks is reported. The CuO nanodisks were synthesized by facile hydrothermal process and detailed characterization revealed the well-crystallinity, high-purity and high density growth of the prepared material. To fabricate the ethanol gas sensor, the prepared nanodisks were coated on alumina substrate. The fabricated sensor exhibited high-sensitivity and the recorded gas response (resistance-ratio), response time (τ res) and recovery time (τ recov) were 6.2, 119 and 35 s, respectively for 100 ppm of C₂H₅OH at 300 °C. Further, the fabricated sensor shows high selectivity towards ethanol gas compared to H₂ and CO gases.

Exchange-correlation approximations for reduced-density-matrix-functional theory at finite temperature: Capturing magnetic phase transitions in the homogeneous electron gas

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

Baldsiefen, Tim; Cangi, Attila; Eich, F. G.

Here, we derive an intrinsically temperature-dependent approximation to the correlation grand potential for many-electron systems in thermodynamical equilibrium in the context of finite-temperature reduced-density-matrix-functional theory (FT-RDMFT). We demonstrate its accuracy by calculating the magnetic phase diagram of the homogeneous electron gas. We compare it to known limits from highly accurate quantum Monte Carlo calculations as well as to phase diagrams obtained within existing exchange-correlation approximations from density functional theory and zero-temperature RDMFT.

Exchange-correlation approximations for reduced-density-matrix-functional theory at finite temperature: Capturing magnetic phase transitions in the homogeneous electron gas

DOE PAGES

Baldsiefen, Tim; Cangi, Attila; Eich, F. G.; ...

2017-12-18

Here, we derive an intrinsically temperature-dependent approximation to the correlation grand potential for many-electron systems in thermodynamical equilibrium in the context of finite-temperature reduced-density-matrix-functional theory (FT-RDMFT). We demonstrate its accuracy by calculating the magnetic phase diagram of the homogeneous electron gas. We compare it to known limits from highly accurate quantum Monte Carlo calculations as well as to phase diagrams obtained within existing exchange-correlation approximations from density functional theory and zero-temperature RDMFT.

Efficacy of different methanolic plant extracts on anti-methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and gas production kinetics in vitro

PubMed Central

Sirohi, S.K.; Goel, N.; Pandey, P.

2012-01-01

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of methanolic extracts of three plants, mehandi (Lawsonia inermis), jaiphal (Myristica fragrans) and green chili (Capsicum annuum) on methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and fermentation kinetic parameters by in vitro gas production techniques. Single dose of each plant extract (1 ml / 30 ml buffered rumen fluid) and two sorghum fodder containing diets (high and low fiber diets) were used for evaluating the effect on methanogenesis and rumen fermentation pattern, while sequential incubations (0, 1, 2, 3, 6 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 96 h) were carried out for gas production kinetics. Results showed that methane production was reduced, ammonia nitrogen was increased significantly, while no significant effect was found on pH and protozoal population following addition of different plant extracts in both diets except mehandi. Green chili significantly reduced digestibility of dry matter, total fatty acid and acetate concentration at incubation with sorghum based high and low fiber diets. Among all treatments, green chili increased potential gas production, while jaiphal decreased the gas production rate constant significantly. The present results demonstrate that methanolic extracts of different plants are promising rumen modifying agents. They have the potential to modulate the methane production, potential gas production, gas production rate constant, dry matter digestibility and microbial biomass synthesis. PMID:26623296

Efficacy of different methanolic plant extracts on anti-methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and gas production kinetics in vitro.

PubMed

Sirohi, S K; Goel, N; Pandey, P

2012-01-01

The present study was carried out to evaluate the effect of methanolic extracts of three plants, mehandi (Lawsonia inermis), jaiphal (Myristica fragrans) and green chili (Capsicum annuum) on methanogenesis, rumen fermentation and fermentation kinetic parameters by in vitro gas production techniques. Single dose of each plant extract (1 ml / 30 ml buffered rumen fluid) and two sorghum fodder containing diets (high and low fiber diets) were used for evaluating the effect on methanogenesis and rumen fermentation pattern, while sequential incubations (0, 1, 2, 3, 6 9, 12, 24, 36, 48, 60, 72 and 96 h) were carried out for gas production kinetics. Results showed that methane production was reduced, ammonia nitrogen was increased significantly, while no significant effect was found on pH and protozoal population following addition of different plant extracts in both diets except mehandi. Green chili significantly reduced digestibility of dry matter, total fatty acid and acetate concentration at incubation with sorghum based high and low fiber diets. Among all treatments, green chili increased potential gas production, while jaiphal decreased the gas production rate constant significantly. The present results demonstrate that methanolic extracts of different plants are promising rumen modifying agents. They have the potential to modulate the methane production, potential gas production, gas production rate constant, dry matter digestibility and microbial biomass synthesis.

A Novel High Energy Density Rechargeable Hybrid Sodium-Air Cell with Acidic Electrolyte.

PubMed

Kang, Yao; Su, Fengmei; Zhang, Qingkai; Liang, Feng; Adair, Keegan R; Chen, Kunfeng; Xue, Dongfeng; Hayashi, Katsuro; Cao, Shan Cecilia; Yadegari, Hossein; Sun, Xueliang

2018-06-22

Low cost, high energy density and highly efficient devices for energy storage have long been desired in our society. Herein, a novel high energy density hybrid sodium-air cell was fabricated successfully based on acidic catholytes. Such a hybrid sodium-air cell possess a high theoretical voltage of 3.94 V, capacity of 1121 mAh g-1, and energy density of 4418 Wh kg-1. Firstly, the buffering effect of an acidic solution was demonstrated, which provides relatively long and stable cell discharge behaviours. Secondly, the catholyte of hybrid sodium-air cells were optimized systematically from the solutions of 0.1 M H3PO4 + 0.1 M Na2SO4 to 0.1 M HAc + 0.1 M NaAc, and it was found that the cells with 0.1 M H3PO4 + 0.1 M Na2SO4 displayed maximum power density of 34.9 mW cm-2. The cell with 0.1 M H3PO4 + 0.1 M Na2SO4 displayed higher discharge capacity of 896 mAh g-1. Moreover, the fabricated acidic hybrid sodium-air cells exhibited stable cycling performance in ambient air, and they delivered a low voltage gap around 0.3 V when the current density is 0.13 mA cm-2, leading to a high energy efficiency up to 90%. Therefore, the present study provides new opportunities to develop highly cost-effective energy storage technologies.

Corrosion Protection of Al/Au/ZnO Anode for Hybrid Cell Application

PubMed Central

Slaughter, Gymama; Stevens, Brian

2015-01-01

Effective protection of power sources from corrosion is critical in the development of abiotic fuel cells, biofuel cells, hybrid cells and biobateries for implantable bioelectronics. Corrosion of these bioelectronic devices result in device inability to generate bioelectricity. In this paper Al/Au/ZnO was considered as a possible anodic substrate for the development of a hybrid cell. The protective abilities of corrosive resistant aluminum hydroxide and zinc phosphite composite films formed on the surface of Al/Au/ZnO anode in various electrolyte environments were examined by electrochemical methods. The presence of phosphate buffer and physiological saline (NaCl) buffer allows for the formation of aluminum hyrdroxide and zinc phosphite composite films on the surface of the Al/Au/ZnO anode that prevent further corrosion of the anode. The highly protective films formed on the Al/Au/ZnO anode during energy harvesting in a physiological saline environment resulted in 98.5% corrosion protective efficiency, thereby demonstrating that the formation of aluminum hydroxide and zinc phosphite composite films are effective in the prevention of anode corrosion during energy harvesting. A cell assembly consisting of the Al/Au/ZnO anode and platinum cathode resulted in an open circuit voltage of 1.03 V. A maximum power density of 955.3 μW/ cm2 in physiological saline buffer at a cell voltage and current density of 345 mV and 2.89 mA/ cm2, respectively. PMID:26580661

Corrosion Protection of Al/Au/ZnO Anode for Hybrid Cell Application.

PubMed

Slaughter, Gymama; Stevens, Brian

2015-11-16

Effective protection of power sources from corrosion is critical in the development of abiotic fuel cells, biofuel cells, hybrid cells and biobateries for implantable bioelectronics. Corrosion of these bioelectronic devices result in device inability to generate bioelectricity. In this paper Al/Au/ZnO was considered as a possible anodic substrate for the development of a hybrid cell. The protective abilities of corrosive resistant aluminum hydroxide and zinc phosphite composite films formed on the surface of Al/Au/ZnO anode in various electrolyte environments were examined by electrochemical methods. The presence of phosphate buffer and physiological saline (NaCl) buffer allows for the formation of aluminum hyrdroxide and zinc phosphite composite films on the surface of the Al/Au/ZnO anode that prevent further corrosion of the anode. The highly protective films formed on the Al/Au/ZnO anode during energy harvesting in a physiological saline environment resulted in 98.5% corrosion protective efficiency, thereby demonstrating that the formation of aluminum hydroxide and zinc phosphite composite films are effective in the prevention of anode corrosion during energy harvesting. A cell assembly consisting of the Al/Au/ZnO anode and platinum cathode resulted in an open circuit voltage of 1.03 V. A maximum power density of 955.3 mW/ cm² in physiological saline buffer at a cell voltage and current density of 345 mV and 2.89 mA/ cm², respectively.

Plasma-assisted Molecular Beam Epitaxy of N-polar InAlN-barrier High-electron-mobility Transistors.

PubMed

Hardy, Matthew T; Storm, David F; Katzer, D Scott; Downey, Brian P; Nepal, Neeraj; Meyer, David J

2016-11-24

Plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy is well suited for the epitaxial growth of III-nitride thin films and heterostructures with smooth, abrupt interfaces required for high-quality high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs). A procedure is presented for the growth of N-polar InAlN HEMTs, including wafer preparation and growth of buffer layers, the InAlN barrier layer, AlN and GaN interlayers and the GaN channel. Critical issues at each step of the process are identified, such as avoiding Ga accumulation in the GaN buffer, the role of temperature on InAlN compositional homogeneity, and the use of Ga flux during the AlN interlayer and the interrupt prior to GaN channel growth. Compositionally homogeneous N-polar InAlN thin films are demonstrated with surface root-mean-squared roughness as low as 0.19 nm and InAlN-based HEMT structures are reported having mobility as high as 1,750 cm 2 /V∙sec for devices with a sheet charge density of 1.7 x 10 13 cm -2 .

Evaluation of sources of variation on in vitro fermentation kinetics of feedstuffs in a gas production system.

PubMed

Keim, Juan P; Alvarado-Gilis, Christian; Arias, Rodrigo A; Gandarillas, Mónica; Cabanilla, Jaime

2017-10-01

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different sources of variation in gas production technique on the in vitro gas production kinetics of feedstuffs. Triplicates of commercial concentrate, grass silage, grass hay and grass pasture were incubated in three experiments: experiment 1 assessed two agitation methods; experiment 2 evaluated different rumen inocula (pooled or different donor cows for each incubation run); and experiment 3 used Goering-Van Soest or Mould buffers for media preparation. Gas production data were fitted into the Michaelis-Menten model and then subjected to analysis of variance. Gas production (GP) at 48 h and asymptote gas production (A) were lower when bottles were continuously under horizontal movement. Time to produce half and 75% of A, and A were affected by rumen inocula, while buffer type affected time to produce half and 25% of A and GP. No interactions between substrates and sources of variation were observed, suggesting that the effects of substrates on GP parameters were not modified. It is concluded that comparison of numerical data from in vitro experiments that follow different protocols must be done carefully. However, the ranking of different substrates is more robust and less affected by the sources of variation. © 2017 Japanese Society of Animal Science.

Using geographic information systems for radon exposure assessment in dwellings in the Oslo region, Norway

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kollerud, R.; Blaasaas, K.; Ganerød, G.; Daviknes, H. K.; Aune, E.; Claussen, B.

2014-04-01

Radon exposures were assigned to each residential address in the Oslo region using a geographic information system (GIS) that included indoor radon measurements. The results will be used in an epidemiologic study regarding leukemia and brain cancer. The model is based on 6% of measured residential buildings. High density of indoor radon measurements allowed us to develop a buffer model where indoor radon measurements found around each dwelling were used to assign a radon value for homes lacking radon measurement. Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) were used to study the agreement between radon values from the buffer method, from indoor radon values of measured houses, and from a regression model constructed with radiometric data (eTh, eU) and bedrock geology. We obtained good agreement for both comparisons with ICC values between 0.54 and 0.68. GIS offers a useful variety of tools to study the indoor-radon exposure assessment. By using the buffer method it is more likely that geological conditions are similar within the buffer and this may take more into account the variation of radon over short distances. It is also probable that short-distance-scale correlation patterns express similarities in building styles and living habits. Although the method has certain limitations, we regard it as acceptable for use in epidemiological studies.

Turboexpanders with pressurized magnetic bearings for off-shore applications

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

Agahi, R.R.; Ershaghi, B.; Baudelocque, L.

1995-12-31

There are two primary parameters that encourage the use of magnetic bearings in turbomachinery: oil-free process and space requirements. For cryogenic processes such as hydrogen purification and ethylene plants, oil free process is the primary objective. In the case of off-shore platforms for oil and gas production, the occupied space and weight are of prime concern. In off-shore operations, the process gas density is usually higher than in normal process plants because the gas is untreated and at high pressure. High density process gas generates more windage loss and may also cause excessive radial load to journal bearings. The bearingmore » assembly design should be suitable for sour gas environments as well. Furthermore, the thrust bearing system should withstand process fluctuations which are more severe due to high pressure. In this paper, the authors explain their experience of designing a turboexpander-compressor with magnetic bearings for an off-shore oil production platform. They will present side load analysis and their solutions for heat dissipation and coping with process fluctuations.« less

Impact of neutral density fluctuations on gas puff imaging diagnostics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wersal, C.; Ricci, P.

2017-11-01

A three-dimensional turbulence simulation of the SOL and edge regions of a toroidally limited tokamak is carried out. The simulation couples self-consistently the drift-reduced two-fluid Braginskii equations to a kinetic equation for neutral atoms. A diagnostic neutral gas puff on the low-field side midplane is included and the impact of neutral density fluctuations on D_α light emission investigated. We find that neutral density fluctuations affect the D_α emission. In particular, at a radial distance from the gas puff smaller than the neutral mean free path, neutral density fluctuations are anti-correlated with plasma density, electron temperature, and D_α fluctuations. It follows that the neutral fluctuations reduce the D_α emission in most of the observed region and, therefore, have to be taken into account when interpreting the amplitude of the D_α emission. On the other hand, higher order statistical moments (skewness, kurtosis) and turbulence characteristics (such as correlation length, or the autocorrelation time) are not significantly affected by the neutral fluctuations. At distances from the gas puff larger than the neutral mean free path, a non-local shadowing effect influences the neutral density fluctuations. There, the D_α fluctuations are correlated with the neutral density fluctuations, and the high-order statistical moments and measurements of other turbulence properties are strongly affected by the neutral density fluctuations.

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 425 - Modified Monier-Williams Method

Code of Federal Regulations, 2014 CFR

2014-07-01

... is removed by scrubbing the nitrogen gas stream in a pH 7 buffer solution. The sulfide gas is collected by passage through an alkaline hydrogen peroxide scrubbing solution in which it is oxidized to sulfate. Sulfate concentration in the scrubbing solution is determined by either EPA gravimetric test...

40 CFR Appendix B to Part 425 - Modified Monier-Williams Method

Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR

2013-07-01

... is removed by scrubbing the nitrogen gas stream in a pH 7 buffer solution. The sulfide gas is collected by passage through an alkaline hydrogen peroxide scrubbing solution in which it is oxidized to sulfate. Sulfate concentration in the scrubbing solution is determined by either EPA gravimetric test...

Optical bio-sniffer for ethanol vapor using an oxygen-sensitive optical fiber.

PubMed

Mitsubayashi, Kohji; Kon, Takuo; Hashimoto, Yuki

2003-11-30

An optical bio-sniffer for ethanol was constructed by immobilizing alcohol oxidase (AOD) onto a tip of a fiber optic oxygen sensor with a tube-ring, using an oxygen sensitive ruthenium organic complex (excitation, 470 nm; fluorescent, 600 nm). A reaction unit for circulating buffer solution was applied to the tip of the device. After the experiment in the liquid phase, the sniffer-device was applied for gas analysis using a gas flow measurement system with a gas generator. The optical device was applied to detect the oxygen consumption induced by AOD enzymatic reaction with alcohol application. The sensor in the liquid phase was used to measure ethanol solution from 0.50 to 9.09 mmol/l. Then, the bio-sniffer was calibrated against ethanol vapor from 0.71 to 51.49 ppm with good gas-selectivity based on the AOD substrate specificity. The bio-sniffer with the reaction unit was also used to monitor the concentration change of gaseous ethanol by rinsing and cleaning the fiber tip and the enzyme membrane with buffer solution.

Epi-cleaning of Ge/GeSn heterostructures

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

Di Gaspare, L.; Sabbagh, D.; De Seta, M.

2015-01-28

We demonstrate a very-low temperature cleaning technique based on atomic hydrogen irradiation for highly (1%) tensile strained Ge epilayers grown on metastable, partially strain relaxed GeSn buffer layers. Atomic hydrogen is obtained by catalytic cracking of hydrogen gas on a hot tungsten filament in an ultra-high vacuum chamber. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, reflection high energy electron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and micro-Raman showed that an O- and C-free Ge surface was achieved, while maintaining the same roughness and strain condition of the as-deposited sample and without any Sn segregation, at a process temperature in the 100–300 °C range.

Epi-cleaning of Ge/GeSn heterostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Gaspare, L.; Sabbagh, D.; De Seta, M.; Sodo, A.; Wirths, S.; Buca, D.; Zaumseil, P.; Schroeder, T.; Capellini, G.

2015-01-01

We demonstrate a very-low temperature cleaning technique based on atomic hydrogen irradiation for highly (1%) tensile strained Ge epilayers grown on metastable, partially strain relaxed GeSn buffer layers. Atomic hydrogen is obtained by catalytic cracking of hydrogen gas on a hot tungsten filament in an ultra-high vacuum chamber. X-ray photoemission spectroscopy, reflection high energy electron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, secondary ion mass spectroscopy, and micro-Raman showed that an O- and C-free Ge surface was achieved, while maintaining the same roughness and strain condition of the as-deposited sample and without any Sn segregation, at a process temperature in the 100-300 °C range.

VizieR Online Data Catalog: Spectra of a Holmium in the near-UV. I. Ho I. (Al-Labady+, 2017)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-Labady, N.; Ozdalgic, B.; Er, A.; Guzelcimen, F.; Ozturk, I. K.; Kroger, S.; Kruzins, A.; Tamanis, M.; Ferber, R.; Basar, G.

2017-04-01

The high-resolution spectra of Holmium (Ho) were recorded with a Fourier Transform spectrometer IFS125 HR at the Laser Centre of the University of Latvia in Riga. Two Ho spectra were recorded, one with argon (Ar) as a buffer gas and one with neon (Ne). The spectra cover the ultraviolet spectral range from 25000 up to 31530cm-1, or 317 to 400nm, respectively. (1 data file).

Tile Drainage Density Reduces Groundwater Travel Times and Compromises Riparian Buffer Effectiveness.

PubMed

Schilling, Keith E; Wolter, Calvin F; Isenhart, Thomas M; Schultz, Richard C

2015-11-01

Strategies to reduce nitrate-nitrogen (nitrate) pollution delivered to streams often seek to increase groundwater residence time to achieve measureable results, yet the effects of tile drainage on residence time have not been well documented. In this study, we used a geographic information system groundwater travel time model to quantify the effects of artificial subsurface drainage on groundwater travel times in the 7443-ha Bear Creek watershed in north-central Iowa. Our objectives were to evaluate how mean groundwater travel times changed with increasing drainage intensity and to assess how tile drainage density reduces groundwater contributions to riparian buffers. Results indicate that mean groundwater travel times are reduced with increasing degrees of tile drainage. Mean groundwater travel times decreased from 5.6 to 1.1 yr, with drainage densities ranging from 0.005 m (7.6 mi) to 0.04 m (62 mi), respectively. Model simulations indicate that mean travel times with tile drainage are more than 150 times faster than those that existed before settlement. With intensive drainage, less than 2% of the groundwater in the basin appears to flow through a perennial stream buffer, thereby reducing the effectiveness of this practice to reduce stream nitrate loads. Hence, strategies, such as reconnecting tile drainage to buffers, are promising because they increase groundwater residence times in tile-drained watersheds. Copyright © by the American Society of Agronomy, Crop Science Society of America, and Soil Science Society of America, Inc.

Low voltage to high voltage level shifter and related methods

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mentze, Erik J. (Inventor); Buck, Kevin M. (Inventor); Hess, Herbert L. (Inventor); Cox, David F. (Inventor)

2006-01-01

A shifter circuit comprises a high and low voltage buffer stages and an output buffer stage. The high voltage buffer stage comprises multiple transistors arranged in a transistor stack having a plurality of intermediate nodes connecting individual transistors along the stack. The transistor stack is connected between a voltage level being shifted to and an input voltage. An inverter of this stage comprises multiple inputs and an output. Inverter inputs are connected to a respective intermediate node of the transistor stack. The low voltage buffer stage has an input connected to the input voltage and an output, and is operably connected to the high voltage buffer stage. The low voltage buffer stage is connected between a voltage level being shifted away from and a lower voltage. The output buffer stage is driven by the outputs of the high voltage buffer stage inverter and the low voltage buffer stage.

Ternary Free-Energy Entropic Lattice Boltzmann Model with a High Density Ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wöhrwag, M.; Semprebon, C.; Mazloomi Moqaddam, A.; Karlin, I.; Kusumaatmaja, H.

2018-06-01

A thermodynamically consistent free energy model for fluid flows comprised of one gas and two liquid components is presented and implemented using the entropic lattice Boltzmann scheme. The model allows a high density ratio, up to the order of O (103), between the liquid and gas phases, and a broad range of surface tension ratios, covering partial wetting states where Neumann triangles are formed, and full wetting states where complete encapsulation of one of the fluid components is observed. We further demonstrate that we can capture the bouncing, adhesive, and insertive regimes for the binary collisions between immiscible droplets suspended in air. Our approach opens up a vast range of multiphase flow applications involving one gas and several liquid components.

Modeling of defect tolerance of IMM multijunction photovoltaics for space application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mehrotra, Akhil; Freundlich, Alex

2013-03-01

Reduction of defects by use of thick sophisticated graded metamorphic buffers in inverted metamorphic solar cells has been a requirement to obtain high efficiency devices. With increase in number of metamorphic junctions to obtain higher efficiencies, these graded buffers constitute a significant part of growth time and cost for manufacturer of the solar cells. It's been shown that ultrathin 3 and 4 junction IMM devices perform better in presence of dislocations or/and radiation harsh environment compared to conventional thick IMM devices. Thickness optimization of the device would result in better defect and radiation tolerant behavior of 0.7ev and 1.0ev InGaAs sub-cells which would in turn require thinner buffers with higher efficiencies, hence reducing the total device thickness. It is also shown that for 3 and 4 junc. IMM, with an equivalent 1015 cm-2 1 MeV electron fluence radiation, very high EOL efficiencies can be afforded with substantially higher dislocation densities (<2×107 cm-2) than those commonly perceived as acceptable for IMM devices with remaining power factor as high as 0.85. The irregular radiation degradation behavior in 4-junc IMM is also explained by back photon reflection from gold contacts and reduced by using thickness optimization of 0.7ev and 1.0ev InGaAs sub-cells.

Magnetic bearings for a high-performance optical disk buffer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hockney, Richard; Hawkey, Timothy

1993-01-01

An optical disk buffer concept can provide gigabit-per-second data rates and terabit capacity through the use of arrays of solid state lasers applied to a stack of erasable/reusable optical disks. The RCA optical disk buffer has evoked interest by NASA for space applications. The porous graphite air bearings in the rotary spindle as well as those used in the linear translation of the read/write head would be replaced by magnetic bearings or mechanical (ball or roller) bearings. Based upon past experience, roller or ball bearings for the translation stages are not feasible. Unsatisfactory, although limited experience exists with ball bearing spindles also. Magnetic bearings, however, appear ideally suited for both applications. The use of magnetic bearings is advantageous in the optical disk buffer because of the absence of physical contact between the rotating and stationary members. This frictionless operation leads to extended life and reduced drag. The manufacturing tolerances that are required to fabricate magnetic bearings would also be relaxed from those required for precision ball and gas bearings. Since magnetic bearings require no lubricant, they are inherently compatible with a space (vacuum) environment. Magnetic bearings also allow the dynamics of the rotor/bearing system to be altered through the use of active control. This provides the potential for reduced vibration, extended regions of stable operation, and more precise control of position.

Buffering of blood pressure variability by the renin-angiotensin system in the conscious dog

PubMed Central

Just, Armin; Kirchheim, Hartmut R; Ehmke, Heimo

1998-01-01

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) participates in the compensation of major blood pressure disturbances such as haemorrhage and is involved in the tonic long-term (> 1 day) maintenance of mean arterial blood pressure (MABP). Since its contribution to the short-term (< 1 h) buffering of normal blood pressure variability is not known, this was investigated in resting conscious dogs.The regulatory efficiency and the response time of the RAS were studied by an acute step reduction of renal artery pressure to 70 mmHg for 1 h using a suprarenal aortic cuff. After a delay of at least 100 s, MABP rose exponentially by 22 ± 5 mmHg in normal dogs (n = 4), by 6 ± 3 mmHg after angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibition (n = 4), and by 25 ± 5 mmHg after ganglionic blockade (n = 4). MABP returned to control after release of the cuff with similar time courses. The time constants of the MABP responses were in the range of 20 min. Thus, possible feedback oscillations of the RAS would be expected around 0.0025 Hz (1/(4 × 100 s)); a buffering effect would be possible below this frequency.Blood pressure variability was investigated by spectral analysis of MABP from 3.75 h recordings in the frequency ranges of 0.002–0.003 Hz (feedback oscillations) and below 0.002 Hz (buffering effect).ACE inhibition (n = 7) decreased MABP by 11 ± 2 mmHg (P < 0.05), but in both frequency ranges integrated spectral density was not affected. ACE inhibition also failed to significantly change spectral density in either of the two frequency ranges under the following conditions: (1) during ganglionic blockade (n = 7), (2) during a low-sodium diet (except for a very slight elevation below 0.002 Hz) (n = 7), and (3) when the fall of MABP induced by ACE inhibition was compensated by an angiotensin II infusion (n = 7).It is concluded that in spite of its high regulatory efficiency with an adequate response time the RAS does not directly contribute to the short-term buffering of blood pressure variability, nor does it give rise to feedback oscillations under normal resting conditions. Even if the RAS is stimulated by sodium restriction its contribution to short-term blood pressure buffering is only marginal. PMID:9763646

Electron-Selective TiO 2 Contact for Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 Solar Cells

DOE PAGES

Hsu, Weitse; Sutter-Fella, Carolin M.; Hettick, Mark; ...

2015-11-03

The non-toxic and wide bandgap material TiO 2 is explored as an n-type buffer layer on p-type Cu(In,Ga)Se 2 (CIGS) absorber layer for thin film solar cells. The amorphous TiO 2 thin film deposited by atomic layer deposition process at low temperatures shows conformal coverage on the CIGS absorber layer. Solar cells from non-vacuum deposited CIGS absorbers with TiO 2 buffer layer result in a high short-circuit current density of 38.9 mA/cm 2 as compared to 36.9 mA/cm 2 measured in the reference cell with CdS buffer layer, without compromising open-circuit voltage. The significant photocurrent gain, mainly in the UVmore » part of the spectrum, can be attributed to the low parasitic absorption loss in the ultrathin TiO 2 layer (~10 nm) with a larger bandgap of 3.4 eV compared to 2.4 eV of the traditionally used CdS. Overall the solar cell conversion efficiency was improved from 9.5% to 9.9% by substituting the CdS by TiO 2 on an active cell area of 10.5 mm2. In conclusion, optimized TiO 2/CIGS solar cells show excellent long-term stability. The results imply that TiO 2 is a promising buffer layer material for CIGS solar cells, avoiding the toxic CdS buffer layer with added performance advantage.« less

Riparian buffers and thinning in headwater drainages in western Oregon: aquatic vertebrates and habitats

Treesearch

Deanna H. Olson

2013-01-01

Th e Density Management and Riparian Buff er Study (DMS) of western Oregon is a template for numerous research projects on managed federal forestlands. Herein, I review the origins of Riparian Buffer Study component and summarize key findings of a suite of associated aquatic vertebrate projects. Aquatic vertebrate study objectives include characterization of headwater...

Electronic State Distributions of YBa2Cu3O7-x Laser Ablated Plumes

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-09-01

deposited on buffered metal substrates using gas phase techniques such as pulsed laser deposition (PLD) or metal -oxide chem- ical vapor deposition...along the desired current direction. This grain orientation has been successfully achieved by depositing YBCO on a metal tape substrate coated with a...Reeves, K. Lenseth, and V. Selvamanickam. “Texture Development and Superconducting Properties of YBCO Thick Films Deposited on Buffered Metal Substrates

Numerical Study of Transmission Loss Through a Slow Gas Layer Adjacent to a Plate

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schiller, Noah H.; Beck, Benjamin S.; Slagle, Adam C.

2013-01-01

This paper describes a systematic numerical investigation of the sound transmission loss through a multilayer system consisting of a bagged gas and lightweight panel. The goal of the study is to better understand the effect of the gas on transmission loss and determine whether a gas with a slow speed of sound is beneficial for noise control applications. As part of the study, the density and speed of sound of the gas are varied independently to assess the impact of each on transmission loss. Results show that near grazing incidence the plane wave transmission loss through the multilayer system is more sensitive to the speed of sound than the density of the gas. In addition, it was found that a slow wave speed in the bagged gas provides more low-frequency transmission loss benefit than a fast wave speed. At low angles of incidence, close to the plate normal, the benefit is due to the reduction of the characteristic impedance of the gas. At high angles of incidence, the benefit is attributed to the fact that the incident waves at the air/gas interface are bent towards the surface normal. Since transmission loss is angle dependent, refraction in the slow gas layer results in a significant improvement in the transmission loss at high angles of incidence.

Shale gas development effects on the songbird community in a central Appalachian forest

USGS Publications Warehouse

Farwell, Laura S.; Wood, Petra; Sheehan, James; George, Gregory A.

2016-01-01

In the last decade, unconventional drilling for natural gas from the Marcellus-Utica shale has increased exponentially in the central Appalachians. This heavily forested region contains important breeding habitat for many neotropical migratory songbirds, including several species of conservation concern. Our goal was to examine effects of unconventional gas development on forest habitat and breeding songbirds at a predominantly forested site from 2008 to 2015. Construction of gas well pads and infrastructure (e.g., roads, pipelines) contributed to an overall 4.5% loss in forest cover at the site, a 12.4% loss in core forest, and a 51.7% increase in forest edge density. We evaluated the relationship between land-cover metrics and species richness within three avian guilds: forest-interior, early-successional, and synanthropic, in addition to abundances of 21 focal species. Land-cover impacts were evaluated at two spatial extents: a point-level within 100-m and 500-m buffers of each avian survey station, and a landscape-level across the study area (4326 ha). Although we observed variability in species-specific responses, we found distinct trends in long-term response among the three avian guilds. Forest-interior guild richness declined at all points across the site and at points impacted within 100 m by shale gas but did not change at unimpacted points. Early-successional and synanthropic guild richness increased at all points and at impacted points. Our results suggest that shale gas development has the potential to fragment regional forests and alter avian communities, and that efforts to minimize new development in core forests will reduce negative impacts to forest dependent species.

Perpendicularly magnetized (001)-textured D0{sub 22} MnGa films grown on an (Mg{sub 0.2}Ti{sub 0.8})O buffer with thermally oxidized Si substrates

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

Lee, Hwachol; Sukegawa, Hiroaki, E-mail: sukegawa.hiroaki@nims.go.jp; Liu, Jun

2015-10-28

We report the growth of (001)-textured polycrystalline D0{sub 22} MnGa films with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy (PMA) on thermally oxidized Si substrates using an (Mg{sub 0.2}Ti{sub 0.8})O (MTO) buffer layer. The ordered D0{sub 22} MnGa film grown at the optimum substrate temperature of 530 °C on the MTO buffer layer shows PMA with magnetization of 80 kA/m, PMA energy density of 0.28 MJ/m{sup 3}, and coercivity of 2.3 T. The scanning transmission electron microscope analysis confirms the formation of a highly (001)-textured structure and the elementally sharp interfaces between the MTO layer and the MnGa layer. The achieved D0{sub 22} MnGa PMA films on anmore » amorphous substrate will provide the possible pathway of integration of a Mn-based PMA film into Si-based substrates.« less

Star formation in a hierarchical model for Cloud Complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanchez, N.; Parravano, A.

The effects of the external and initial conditions on the star formation processes in Molecular Cloud Complexes are examined in the context of a schematic model. The model considers a hierarchical system with five predefined phases: warm gas, neutral gas, low density molecular gas, high density molecular gas and protostars. The model follows the mass evolution of each substructure by computing its mass exchange with their parent and children. The parent-child mass exchange depends on the radiation density at the interphase, which is produced by the radiation coming from the stars that form at the end of the hierarchical structure, and by the external radiation field. The system is chaotic in the sense that its temporal evolution is very sensitive to small changes in the initial or external conditions. However, global features such as the star formation efficience and the Initial Mass Function are less affected by those variations.

Laser absorption spectroscopy for measurement of He metastable atoms of a microhollow cathode plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueno, Keisuke; Kamebuchi, Kenta; Kakutani, Jiro; Matsuoka, Leo; Namba, Shinichi; Fujii, Keisuke; Shikama, Taiichi; Hasuo, Masahiro

2018-01-01

We generated a 0.3-mm-diameter DC, hollow-cathode helium discharge in a gas pressure range of 10-80 kPa. In discharge plasmas, we measured position-dependent laser absorption spectra for helium 23S1-23P0 transition with a spatial resolution of 55 µm. From the results of the analysis of the measured spectra using Voigt functions and including both the Doppler and collision broadening, we produced two-dimensional maps of the metastable 23S1 atomic densities and gas temperatures of the plasmas. We found that, at all pressures, the gas temperatures were approximately uniform in space with values in the range of 400-1500 K and the 23S1 atomic densities were ˜1019 m-3. We also found that the two-dimensional density distribution profiles became ring-shaped at high gas pressures, which is qualitatively consistent with the two-dimensional fluid simulation results.

Effect of Propellant Flowrate and Purity on Carbon Deposition in LO2/Methane Gas Generators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bossard, J. A.; Burkhardt, W. M.; Niiya, K. Y.; Braam, F.

1989-01-01

The generation and deposition of carbon was studied in the Carbon Deposition Program using subscale hardware with LO2/Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) and LO2/Methane propellants at low mixture ratios. The purpose of the testing was to evaluate the effect of methane purity and full scale injection density on carbon deposition. The LO2/LNG gas generator/preburner testing was performed at mixture ratios between 0.24 and 0.58 and chamber pressures from 5.8 to 9.4 MPa (840 to 1370 psia). A total of seven 200 second duration tests were performed. The LNG testing occurred at low injection densities, similar to the previous LO2/RP-1, LO2/propane, and LO2/methane testing performed on the carbon deposition program. The current LO2/methane test series occurred at an injection density factor of approximately 10 times higher than the previous testing. The high injection density LO2/methane testing was performed at mixture ratios between from 0.23 to 0.81 and chamber pressures from 6.4 to 15.2 MPa (925 to 2210 psia). A total of nine high injection density tests were performed. The testing performed demonstrated that low purity methane (LNG) did not produce any detectable change in carbon deposition when compared to pure methane. In addition, the C* performance and the combustion gas temperatures measured were similar to those obtained for pure methane. Similar results were obtained testing pure methane at higher propellant injection densities with coarse injector elements.

Rigorous investigation of the reduced density matrix for the ideal Bose gas in harmonic traps by a loop-gas-like approach

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

Beau, Mathieu, E-mail: mbeau@stp.dias.ie; Savoie, Baptiste, E-mail: baptiste.savoie@gmail.com

2014-05-15

In this paper, we rigorously investigate the reduced density matrix (RDM) associated to the ideal Bose gas in harmonic traps. We present a method based on a sum-decomposition of the RDM allowing to treat not only the isotropic trap, but also general anisotropic traps. When focusing on the isotropic trap, the method is analogous to the loop-gas approach developed by Mullin [“The loop-gas approach to Bose-Einstein condensation for trapped particles,” Am. J. Phys. 68(2), 120 (2000)]. Turning to the case of anisotropic traps, we examine the RDM for some anisotropic trap models corresponding to some quasi-1D and quasi-2D regimes. Formore » such models, we bring out an additional contribution in the local density of particles which arises from the mesoscopic loops. The close connection with the occurrence of generalized-Bose-Einstein condensation is discussed. Our loop-gas-like approach provides relevant information which can help guide numerical investigations on highly anisotropic systems based on the Path Integral Monte Carlo method.« less

The structure of the Cepheus E protostellar outflow: The jet, the bowshock, and the cavity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lefloch, B.; Gusdorf, A.; Codella, C.; Eislöffel, J.; Neri, R.; Gómez-Ruiz, A. I.; Güsten, R.; Leurini, S.; Risacher, C.; Benedettini, M.

2015-09-01

Context. Protostellar outflows are a crucial ingredient of the star-formation process. However, the physical conditions in the warm outflowing gas are still poorly known. Aims: We present a multi-transition, high spectral resolution CO study of the outflow of the intermediate-mass Class 0 protostar Cep E-mm. The goal is to determine the structure of the outflow and to constrain the physical conditions of the various components in order to understand the origin of the mass-loss phenomenon. Methods: We have observed the J = 12-11, J = 13-12, and J = 16-15 CO lines at high spectral resolution with SOFIA/GREAT and the J = 5-4, J = 9-8, and J = 14-13 CO lines with HIFI/Herschel towards the position of the terminal bowshock HH377 in the southern outflow lobe. These observations were complemented with maps of CO transitions obtained with the IRAM 30 m telescope (J = 1-0, 2-1), the Plateau de Bure interferometer (J = 2-1), and the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (J = 3-2, 4-3). Results: We identify three main components in the protostellar outflow: the jet, the cavity, and the bowshock, with a typical size of 1.7″ × 21″, 4.5″, and 22″ × 10″, respectively. In the jet, the emission from the low-J CO lines is dominated by a gas layer at Tkin = 80-100 K, column density N(CO) = 9 × 1016 cm-2, and density n(H2) = (0.5-1) × 105 cm-3; the emission of the high-J CO lines arises from a warmer (Tkin = 400-750 K), denser (n(H2) = (0.5-1) × 106 cm-3), lower column density (N(CO) = 1.5 × 1016 cm-2) gas component. Similarly, in the outflow cavity, two components are detected: the emission of the low-J lines is dominated by a gas layer of column density N(CO) = 7 × 1017 cm-2 at Tkin = 55-85 K and density in the range (1-8) × 105 cm-3; the emission of the high-J lines is dominated by a hot, denser gas layer with Tkin = 500-1500K, n(H2) = (1-5) × 106 cm-3, and N(CO) = 6 × 1016 cm-2. A temperature gradient as a function of the velocity is found in the high-excitation gas component. In the terminal bowshock HH377, we detect gas of moderate excitation, with a temperature in the range Tkin ≈ 400-500 K, density n(H2) ≃ (1 -2) × 106 cm-3 and column density N(CO) = 1017 cm-2. The amounts of momentum carried away in the jet and in the entrained ambient medium are similar. Comparison with time-dependent shock models shows that the hot gas emission in the jet is well accounted for by a magnetized shock with an age of 220-740 yr propagating at 20-30 km s-1 in a medium of density n(H2) = (0.5-1) × 105 cm-3, consistent with that of the bulk material. Conclusions: The Cep E protostellar outflow appears to be a convincing case of jet bowshock driven outflow. Our observations trace the recent impact of the protostellar jet into the ambient cloud, produing a non-stationary magnetized shock, which drives the formation of an outflow cavity. Appendices are available in electronic form at http://www.aanda.org

The Effects of Fuel and Cylinder Gas Densities on the Characteristics of Fuel Sprays for Oil Engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joachim, W F; Beardsley, Edward G

1928-01-01

This investigation was conducted as a part of a general research on fuel-injection engines for aircraft. The purpose of the investigation was to determine the effects of fuel and cylinder gas densities with several characteristics of fuel sprays for oil engines. The start, growth, and cut-off of single fuel sprays produced by automatic injection valves were recorded on photographic film by means of special high-speed motion-picture apparatus. This equipment, which has been described in previous reports, is capable of taking twenty-five consecutive pictures of the moving spray at the rate of 4,000 per second. The penetrations of the fuel sprays increased and the cone angles and relative distributions decreased with increase in the specific gravity of the fuel. The density of the gas into which the fuel sprays were injected controlled their penetration. This was the only characteristic of the chamber gas that had a measurable effect upon the fuel sprays. Application of fuel-spray penetration data to the case of an engine, in which the pressure is rising during injection, indicated that fuel sprays may penetrate considerably farther than when injected into a gas at a density equal to that of the gas in an engine cylinder at top center.

Unified first principles description from warm dense matter to ideal ionized gas plasma: electron-ion collisions induced friction.

PubMed

Dai, Jiayu; Hou, Yong; Yuan, Jianmin

2010-06-18

Electron-ion interactions are central to numerous phenomena in the warm dense matter (WDM) regime and at higher temperature. The electron-ion collisions induced friction at high temperature is introduced in the procedure of ab initio molecular dynamics using the Langevin equation based on density functional theory. In this framework, as a test for Fe and H up to 1000 eV, the equation of state and the transition of electronic structures of the materials with very wide density and temperature can be described, which covers a full range of WDM up to high energy density physics. A unified first principles description from condensed matter to ideal ionized gas plasma is constructed.

Thickness effect of Gd2Zr2O7 buffer layer on performance of YBa2Cu3O7-δ coated conductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qiu, Wenbin; Fan, Feng; Lu, Yuming; Liu, Zhiyong; Bai, Chuanyi; Guo, Yanqun; Cai, Chuanbing

2014-12-01

Bilayer buffer architecture of Gd2Zr2O7 (GZO)/Y2O3 was prepared on the biaxially textured tape of Ni-5 at% W (NiW) by reactive sputtering deposition technique. The buffer layer of GZO films were deposited with different thicknesses on Y2O3 seeding layer with a given thickness of 20 nm. According to the results of φ-scan, the in-plane FWHMs of GZO films decreased and then reversed with increasing thickness of GZO, which corresponded with the in-plane FWHMs and superconducting properties of YBa2Cu3O7-δ (YBCO) films. Reflection High-Energy Electron Diffraction (RHEED) was carried out to examine the surface texture of GZO films and the deteriorated surface alignment was found for thicker films. The thickness effect of GZO on performance of YBCO is the coupling result of surface texture and blocking effect caused by thickness. With the balance of these two factors, the YBCO/GZO(120 nm)/Y2O3/NiW architecture exhibit relatively high performance with the transition temperature Tc of 92 K, a transition width ΔTc below 1 K, and a critical current density Jc of 0.65 MA/cm2.

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

Streltsov, Victor A.; Titmuss, Stephen J.; Epa, V. Chandana

Neurodegeneration observed in Alzheimer disease (AD) is believed to be related to the toxicity from reactive oxygen species (ROS) produced in the brain by the amyloid-{beta} (A{beta}) protein bound primarily to copper ions. The evidence for an oxidative stress role of A{beta}-Cu redox chemistry is still incomplete. Details of the copper binding site in A{beta} may be critical to the etiology of AD. Here we present the structure determined by combining x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) and density functional theory analysis of A{beta} peptides complexed with Cu{sup 2+} in solution under a range of buffer conditions. Phosphate-buffered saline buffer salt (NaCl)more » concentration does not affect the high-affinity copper binding mode but alters the second coordination sphere. The XAS spectra for truncated and full-length A{beta}-Cu{sup 2+} peptides are similar. The novel distorted six-coordinated (3N3O) geometry around copper in the A{beta}-Cu{sup 2+} complexes include three histidines: glutamic, or/and aspartic acid, and axial water. The structure of the high-affinity Cu{sup 2+} binding site is consistent with the hypothesis that the redox activity of the metal ion bound to A{beta} can lead to the formation of dityrosine-linked dimers found in AD.« less

Methods and systems for fabricating high quality superconducting tapes

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

Majkic, Goran; Selvamanickam, Venkat

An MOCVD system fabricates high quality superconductor tapes with variable thicknesses. The MOCVD system can include a gas flow chamber between two parallel channels in a housing. A substrate tape is heated and then passed through the MOCVD housing such that the gas flow is perpendicular to the tape's surface. Precursors are injected into the gas flow for deposition on the substrate tape. In this way, superconductor tapes can be fabricated with variable thicknesses, uniform precursor deposition, and high critical current densities.

Investigations on the carbon contaminations on the alkali cells of DPAL with hydrocarbon buffer gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Zhiyong; Tan, Rongqing; Wang, Yujie; Ye, Qing; Bian, Jintian; Huang, Wei; Li, Hui; Han, Gaoce

2017-10-01

Diode pumped alkali laser (DPAL) with hydrocarbon buffer gases has the features of low threshold and high efficiency. The chemical reaction between alkali and hydrocarbon gases affects the life time of DPAL. In this paper, a method based on Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and Lambert-Beer law is adopted to find a safe temperature at which DPAL runs for a long term. A theoretical model is established to figure out ways to reduce the peak temperature in the cell window. The results indicates that 170 °C is a safe temperature. Although the absorbance of the cell window to the pump light and alkali laser is lower, there is temperature increase. Small light-transmitting area and air blowing on the windows can reduce the peak temperature effectively. Cooling the cell window is essential and critical in a long-term running DPAL.

Raman-Scattering Line Profiles of the Symbiotic Star AG Peg

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Seong-Jae; Hyung, Siek

2017-06-01

The high dispersion Hα and Hβ line profiles of the Symbiotic star AG Peg consist of top double Gaussian and bottom components. We investigated the formation of the broad wings with Raman scattering mechanism. Adopting the same physical parameters from the photo-ionization study of Kim and Hyung (2008) for the white dwarf and the ionized gas shell, Monte Carlo simulations were carried out for a rotating accretion disk geometry of non-symmetrical latitude angles from -7° < θ < +7° to -16° < θ < +16°. The smaller latitude angle of the disk corresponds to the approaching side of the disk responsible for weak blue Gaussian profile, while the wider latitude angle corresponds to the other side of the disk responsible for the strong red Gaussian profile. We confirmed that the shell has the high gas density ˜ 109.85 cm-3 in the ionized zone of AG Peg derived in the previous photo-ionization model study. The simulation with various HI shell column densities (characterized by a thickness ΔD × gas number density nH) shows that the HI gas shell with a column density Hhi ≈ 3 - 5 × 1019 cm-2 fits the observed line profiles well. The estimated rotation speed of the accretion disk shell is in the range of 44 - 55 kms-1. We conclude that the kinematically incoherent structure involving the outflowing gas from the giant star caused an asymmetry of the disk and double Gaussian profiles found in AG Peg.

Behaviors of Absolute Densities of N, H, and NH3 at Remote Region of High-Density Radical Source Employing N2-H2 Mixture Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Shang; Kondo, Hiroki; Ishikawa, Kenji; Takeda, Keigo; Sekine, Makoto; Kano, Hiroyuki; Den, Shoji; Hori, Masaru

2011-01-01

For an innovation of molecular-beam-epitaxial (MBE) growth of gallium nitride (GaN), the measurements of absolute densities of N, H, and NH3 at the remote region of the radical source excited by plasmas have become absolutely imperative. By vacuum ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy (VUVAS) at a relatively low pressure of about 1 Pa, we obtained a N atom density of 9×1012 cm-3 for a pure nitrogen gas used, a H atom density of 7×1012 cm-3 for a gas composition of 80% hydrogen mixed with nitrogen gas were measured. The maximum density 2×1013 cm-3 of NH3 was measured by quadruple mass spectrometry (QMS) at H2/(N2+H2)=60%. Moreover, we found that N atom density was considerably affected by processing history, where the characteristic instability was observed during the pure nitrogen plasma discharge sequentially after the hydrogen-containing plasma discharge. These results indicate imply the importance of establishing radical-based processes to control precisely the absolute densities of N, H, and NH3 at the remote region of the radical source.

Modified band alignment effect in ZnO/Cu2O heterojunction solar cells via Cs2O buffer insertion

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Eom, Kiryung; Lee, Dongyoon; Kim, Seunghwan; Seo, Hyungtak

2018-02-01

The effects of a complex buffer layer of cesium oxide (Cs2O) on the photocurrent response in oxide heterojunction solar cells (HSCs) were investigated. A p-n junction oxide HSC was fabricated using p-type copper (I) oxide (Cu2O) and n-type zinc oxide (ZnO); the buffer layer was inserted between the Cu2O and fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO). Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) and x-ray and ultraviolet photoelectron spectroscopy analyses were performed to characterize the electronic band structures of cells, both with and without this buffer layer. In conjunction with the measured band electronic structures, the significantly improved visible-range photocurrent spectra of the buffer-inserted HSC were analyzed in-depth. As a result, the 1 sun power conversion efficiency was increased by about three times by the insertion of buffer layer. The physicochemical origin of the photocurrent enhancement was mainly ascribed to the increased photocarrier density in the buffer layer and modified valence band offset to promote the effective hole transfer at the interface to FTO on the band-alignment model.

Low-velocity Shocks Traced by Extended SiO Emission along the W43 Ridges: Witnessing the Formation of Young Massive Clusters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nguyen-Lu'o'ng, Q.; Motte, F.; Carlhoff, P.; Louvet, F.; Lesaffre, P.; Schilke, P.; Hill, T.; Hennemann, M.; Gusdorf, A.; Didelon, P.; Schneider, N.; Bontemps, S.; Duarte-Cabral, A.; Menten, K. M.; Martin, P. G.; Wyrowski, F.; Bendo, G.; Roussel, H.; Bernard, J.-P.; Bronfman, L.; Henning, T.; Kramer, C.; Heitsch, F.

2013-10-01

The formation of high-mass stars is tightly linked to that of their parental clouds. Here, we focus on the high-density parts of W43, a molecular cloud undergoing an efficient event of star formation. Using a column density image derived from Herschel continuum maps, we identify two high-density filamentary clouds, called the W43-MM1 and W43-MM2 ridges. Both have gas masses of 2.1 × 104 M ⊙ and 3.5 × 104 M ⊙ above >10^{23}\\, {{cm}^{-2}} and within areas of ~6 and ~14 pc2, respectively. The W43-MM1 and W43-MM2 ridges are structures that are coherent in velocity and gravitationally bound, despite their large velocity dispersion measured by the N2H+ (1-0) lines of the W43-HERO IRAM large program. Another intriguing result is that these ridges harbor widespread (~10 pc2) bright SiO (2-1) emission, which we interpret to be the result of low-velocity shocks (<=10 km s-1). We measure a significant relationship between the SiO (2-1) luminosity and velocity extent and show that it distinguishes our observations from the high-velocity shocks associated with outflows. We use state-of-the-art shock models to demonstrate that a small percentage (10%) of Si atoms in low-velocity shocks, observed initially in gas phase or in grain mantles, can explain the observed SiO column density in the W43 ridges. The spatial and velocity overlaps between the ridges of high-density gas and the shocked SiO gas suggest that ridges could be forming via colliding flows driven by gravity and accompanied by low-velocity shocks. This mechanism may be the initial conditions for the formation of young massive clusters.

THE GAS/DUST RATIO OF CIRCUMSTELLAR DISKS: TESTING MODELS OF PLANETESIMAL FORMATION

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

Horne, David; Gibb, Erika; Rettig, Terrence W.

2012-07-20

We present high-resolution, near-infrared NIRSPEC observations of CO absorption toward six class II T Tauri stars: AA Tau, DG Tau, IQ Tau, RY Tau, CW Tau, and Haro 6-5b. {sup 12}CO overtone absorption lines originating from the circumstellar disk of each object were used to calculate line-of-sight gas column densities toward each source. We measured the gas/dust ratio as a function of disk inclination, utilizing measured visual extinctions and inclinations for each star. The majority of our sources show further evidence for a correlation between the gas/dust column density ratio and disk inclination similar to that found by Rettig etmore » al.« less

Black bear density in Glacier National Park, Montana

USGS Publications Warehouse

Stetz, Jeff B.; Kendall, Katherine C.; Macleod, Amy C.

2013-01-01

We report the first abundance and density estimates for American black bears (Ursus americanus) in Glacier National Park (NP),Montana, USA.We used data from 2 independent and concurrent noninvasive genetic sampling methods—hair traps and bear rubs—collected during 2004 to generate individual black bear encounter histories for use in closed population mark–recapture models. We improved the precision of our abundance estimate by using noninvasive genetic detection events to develop individual-level covariates of sampling effort within the full and one-half mean maximum distance moved (MMDM) from each bear’s estimated activity center to explain capture probability heterogeneity and inform our estimate of the effective sampling area.Models including the one-halfMMDMcovariate received overwhelming Akaike’s Information Criterion support suggesting that buffering our study area by this distance would be more appropriate than no buffer or the full MMDM buffer for estimating the effectively sampled area and thereby density. Our modelaveraged super-population abundance estimate was 603 (95% CI¼522–684) black bears for Glacier NP. Our black bear density estimate (11.4 bears/100 km2, 95% CI¼9.9–13.0) was consistent with published estimates for populations that are sympatric with grizzly bears (U. arctos) and without access to spawning salmonids. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.

Design of compact dispersion interferometer with a high efficiency nonlinear crystal and a low power CO2 laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Akiyama, T.; Yoshimura, S.; Tomita, K.; Shirai, N.; Murakami, T.; Urabe, K.

2017-12-01

When the electron density of a plasma generated in high pressure environment is measured by a conventional interferometer, the phase shifts due to changes of the neutral gas density cause significant measurement errors. A dispersion interferometer, which measures the phase shift that arises from dispersion of medium between the fundamental and the second harmonic wavelengths of laser light, can suppress the measured phase shift due to the variations of neutral gas density. In recent years, the CO2 laser dispersion interferometer has been applied to the atmospheric pressure plasmas and its feasibility has been demonstrated. By combining a low power laser and a high efficiency nonlinear crystal for the second harmonic component generation, a compact dispersion interferometer can be designed. The optical design and preliminary experiments are conducted.

High-density convergent plasma sputtering device for a liquid metal target using an unheated glass plate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Motomura, T.; Tabaru, T.

2018-06-01

A high-density convergent plasma sputtering device has been developed for a liquid metal target, using an unheated glass plate. The convergent magnetic field lines, which are produced by an external solenoid coil and a permanent magnet positioned behind the liquid metal target, effectively transport high-density plasmas near the target. In this study, a liquid gallium target was sputtered with nitrogen plasmas, without additive gas required for depositing gallium nitride films on the unheated substrates. The deposition rate of the GaN film was estimated at ˜13 nm/min at a gas pressure of 0.2 Pa. A strong diffraction peak was observed along the GaN (002) axis, with the use of an unheated glass plate and a target-substrate distance of ˜45 mm.

Cathode buffer composed of fullerene-ethylenediamine adduct for an organic solar cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kimoto, Yoshinori; Akiyama, Tsuyoshi; Fujita, Katsuhiko

2017-02-01

We developed a fullerene-ethylenediamine adduct (C60P-DC) for a cathode buffer material in organic bulk heterojunction solar cells, which enhance the open-circuit voltage (V oc). The evaporative spray deposition using ultra dilute solution (ESDUS) technique was employed to deposit the buffer layer onto the organic active layer to avoid damage during the deposition. By the insertion of a C60P-DC buffer layer, V oc and power conversion efficiency (PCE) were increased from 0.41 to 0.57 V and from 1.65 to 2.10%, respectively. The electron-only device with the C60P-DC buffer showed a much lower current level than that without the buffer, indicating that the V oc increase is caused not by vacuum level shift but by hole blocking. The curve fitting of current density-voltage (J-V) characteristics to the equivalent circuit with a single diode indicated that the decrease in reversed saturation current by hole blocking increased caused the V oc.

Aging studies on micro-fabricated alkali buffer-gas cells for miniature atomic clocks

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

Abdullah, S.; Affolderbach, C.; Gruet, F.

2015-04-20

We report an aging study on micro-fabricated alkali vapor cells using neon as a buffer gas. An experimental atomic clock setup is used to measure the cell's intrinsic frequency, by recording the clock frequency shift at different light intensities and extrapolating to zero intensity. We find a drift of the cell's intrinsic frequency of (−5.2 ± 0.6) × 10{sup −11}/day and quantify deterministic variations in sources of clock frequency shifts due to the major physical effects to identify the most probable cause of the drift. The measured drift is one order of magnitude stronger than the total frequency variations expected from clock parameter variationsmore » and corresponds to a slow reduction of buffer gas pressure inside the cell, which is compatible with the hypothesis of loss of Ne gas from the cell due to its permeation through the cell windows. A negative drift on the intrinsic cell frequency is reproducible for another cell of the same type. Based on the Ne permeation model and the measured cell frequency drift, we determine the permeation constant of Ne through borosilicate glass as (5.7 ± 0.7) × 10{sup −22} m{sup 2} s{sup −1 }Pa{sup −1} at 81 °C. We propose this method based on frequency metrology in an alkali vapor cell atomic clock setup based on coherent population trapping for measuring permeation constants of inert gases.« less

High pressure gas spheres for neutron and photon experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rupp, G.; Petrich, D.; Käppeler, F.; Kaltenbaek, J.; Leugers, B.; Reifarth, R.

2009-09-01

High pressure gas spheres have been designed and successfully used in several nuclear physics experiments on noble gases. The pros and cons of this solution are the simple design and the high reliability versus the fact that the density is limited to 40-60% of liquid or solid gas samples. Originally produced for neutron capture studies at keV energies, the comparably small mass of the gas spheres were an important advantage, which turned out to be of relevance for other applications as well. The construction, performance, and operation of the spheres are described and examples for their use are presented.

Determinants of pika population density vs. occupancy in the Southern Rocky Mountains.

PubMed

Erb, Liesl P; Ray, Chris; Guralnick, Robert

2014-04-01

Species distributions are responding rapidly to global change. While correlative studies of local extinction have been vital to understanding the ecological impacts of global change, more mechanistic lines of inquiry are needed for enhanced forecasting. The current study assesses whether the predictors of local extinction also explain population density for a species apparently impacted by climate change. We tested a suite of climatic and habitat metrics as predictors of American pika (Ochotona princeps) relative population density in the Southern Rocky Mountains, USA. Population density was indexed as the density of pika latrine sites. Negative binomial regression and AICc showed that the best predictors of pika latrine density were patch area followed by two measures of vegetation quality: the diversity and relative cover of forbs. In contrast with previous studies of habitat occupancy in the Southern Rockies, climatic factors were not among the top predictors of latrine density. Populations may be buffered from decline and ultimately from extirpation at sites with high-quality vegetation. Conversely, populations at highest risk for declining density and extirpation are likely to be those in sites with poor-quality vegetation.

Pillar[n]arene-based supramolecular organic frameworks with high hydrocarbon storage and selectivity

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

Tan, Li-Li; Zhu, Youlong; Long, Hai

2017-01-01

We report the high hydrocarbon storage capacity and adsorption selectivity of two low-density pillar[n]arene-based SOFs. Our study would open new perspectives in the development of pillar[n]arene-based SOFs and study of their great potential in gas-storage and gas-separation applications.

Mars Atmospheric Capture and Gas Separation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Muscatello, Anthony; Santiago-Maldonado, Edgardo; Gibson, Tracy; Devor, Robert; Captain, James

2011-01-01

The Mars atmospheric capture and gas separation project is selecting, developing, and demonstrating techniques to capture and purify Martian atmospheric gases for their utilization for the production of hydrocarbons, oxygen, and water in ISRU systems. Trace gases will be required to be separated from Martian atmospheric gases to provide pure C02 to processing elements. In addition, other Martian gases, such as nitrogen and argon, occur in concentrations high enough to be useful as buffer gas and should be captured as welL To achieve these goals, highly efficient gas separation processes will be required. These gas separation techniques are also required across various areas within the ISRU project to support various consumable production processes. The development of innovative gas separation techniques will evaluate the current state-of-the-art for the gas separation required, with the objective to demonstrate and develop light-weight, low-power methods for gas separation. Gas separation requirements include, but are not limited to the selective separation of: (1) methane and water from un-reacted carbon oxides (C02- CO) and hydrogen typical of a Sabatier-type process, (2) carbon oxides and water from unreacted hydrogen from a Reverse Water-Gas Shift process, (3) carbon oxides from oxygen from a trash/waste processing reaction, and (4) helium from hydrogen or oxygen from a propellant scavenging process. Potential technologies for the separations include freezers, selective membranes, selective solvents, polymeric sorbents, zeolites, and new technologies. This paper and presentation will summarize the results of an extensive literature review and laboratory evaluations of candidate technologies for the capture and separation of C02 and other relevant gases.

High efficiency Raman memory by suppressing radiation trapping

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thomas, S. E.; Munns, J. H. D.; Kaczmarek, K. T.; Qiu, C.; Brecht, B.; Feizpour, A.; Ledingham, P. M.; Walmsley, I. A.; Nunn, J.; Saunders, D. J.

2017-06-01

Raman interactions in alkali vapours are used in applications such as atomic clocks, optical signal processing, generation of squeezed light and Raman quantum memories for temporal multiplexing. To achieve a strong interaction the alkali ensemble needs both a large optical depth and a high level of spin-polarisation. We implement a technique known as quenching using a molecular buffer gas which allows near-perfect spin-polarisation of over 99.5 % in caesium vapour at high optical depths of up to ˜ 2× {10}5; a factor of 4 higher than can be achieved without quenching. We use this system to explore efficient light storage with high gain in a GHz bandwidth Raman memory.

Discharge dynamics and plasma density recovery by on/off switches of additional gas

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

Lee, Hyo-Chang, E-mail: lhc@kriss.re.kr; Department of Electrical Engineering, Hanyang University, 222 Wangsimni-ro, Seongdong-gu, Seoul 04763; Kwon, Deuk-Chul

2016-06-15

Measurement of the plasma density is investigated to study plasma dynamics by adding reactive gas (O{sub 2}) or rare gas (He) in Ar plasmas. When the O{sub 2} or He gas is added, plasma density is suddenly decreased, while the plasma density recovers slowly with gas off. It is found that the recovery time is strongly dependent on the gas flow rate, and it can be explained by effect of gas residence time. When the He gas is off in the Ar plasma, the plasma density is overshot compared to the case of the O{sub 2} gas pulsing due tomore » enhanced ionizations by metastable atoms. Analysis and calculation for correlation between the plasma density dynamics and the gas pulsing are also presented in detail.« less

Spheroidization of molybdenum powder by radio frequency thermal plasma

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Xiao-ping; Wang, Kuai-she; Hu, Ping; Chen, Qiang; Volinsky, Alex A.

2015-11-01

To control the morphology and particle size of dense spherical molybdenum powder prepared by radio frequency (RF) plasma from irregular molybdenum powder as a precursor, plasma process parameters were optimized in this paper. The effects of the carrier gas flow rate and molybdenum powder feeding rate on the shape and size of the final products were studied. The molybdenum powder morphology was examined using high-resolution scanning electron microscopy. The powder phases were analyzed by X-ray diffraction. The tap density and apparent density of the molybdenum powder were investigated using a Hall flow meter and a Scott volumeter. The optimal process parameters for the spherical molybdenum powder preparation are 50 g/min powder feeding rate and 0.6 m3/h carrier gas rate. In addition, pure spherical molybdenum powder can be obtained from irregular powder, and the tap density is enhanced after plasma processing. The average size is reduced from 72 to 62 µm, and the tap density is increased from 2.7 to 6.2 g/cm3. Therefore, RF plasma is a promising method for the preparation of high-density and high-purity spherical powders.

Growth Optimization of Metal-polar III-Nitride High-electron-mobility Transistor Structures by Molecular Beam Epitaxy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaun, Stephen William

GaN-based high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs) will play an important role in the next generation of high-frequency amplifiers and power-switching devices. Since parasitic conduction (leakage) through the GaN buffer layer and (Al,Ga,In)N barrier reduces the efficiency of operation, HEMT performance hinges on the epitaxial quality of these layers. Increasing the sheet charge density and mobility of the two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is also essential for reducing the channel resistance and improving output. The growth conditions applied in plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE) and ammonia-based molecular beam epitaxy (NH3-MBE) that result in high-quality metal-polar HEMT structures are described. The effects of threading dislocations on the gate leakage and channel conductivity of AlGaN/GaN HEMTs were studied in detail. For this purpose, a series of HEMT structures were grown on GaN templates with threading dislocation densities (TDDs) that spanned three orders of magnitude. There was a clear trend of reduced gate leakage with reduced TDD for HEMTs grown by Ga-rich PAMBE; however, a reduction in TDD also entailed an increase in buffer leakage. By reducing the unintentionally doped (UID) GaN buffer thickness and including an AlGaN back barrier, a HEMT regrown by Ga-rich PAMBE on low-TDD free-standing (FS) GaN (~5 x 107 cm-2 TDD) yielded a three-terminal breakdown voltage greater than 50 V and a power output (power-added efficiency) of 6.7 W/mm (50 %) at 4 GHz with a 40 V drain bias. High TDD was then shown to severely degrade the 2DEG mobility of AlxGa1-xN/GaN (x = 0.24, 0.12, 0.06) and AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures grown by Ga-rich PAMBE. By regrowing on low-TDD FS GaN and including a 2.5 nm AlN interlayer, an Al0.24Ga0.76N/AlN/GaN heterostructure achieved a room temperature (RT) 2DEG sheet resistance of 169 Ω/□. As evidenced by atom probe tomography, the AlN interlayer grown by Ga-rich PAMBE was pure with abrupt interfaces. The pure AlN interlayer greatly reduced alloy-related scattering. When AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures were grown by NH3-MBE at 820 °C, the 2DEG sheet density was lower than expected. These AlN interlayers were shown to have a significant concentration of Ga impurities by atom probe tomography. The source of these impurities was most likely the decomposition of the underlying GaN layers, as reduction of the growth temperature below 750 °C yielded a much lower concentration of Ga impurities. Flux optimization and application of an In surfactant was necessary to reduce the interface roughness in AlGaN/AlN/GaN heterostructures grown by NH3-MBE at low temperature, yielding sheet resistances below 300 Ω/□. The growth of InAlN/(GaN)/(AlN)/GaN heterostructures with lattice-matched In0.17Al0.83N barriers by N-rich PAMBE is also described. Through flux optimization, the columnar microstructure previously observed in N-rich PAMBE-grown InAlN layers was eliminated. By including a 3 nm AlN interlayer and 2 nm GaN interlayer, an In0.17Al0.83N/GaN/AlN/GaN heterostructure regrown on low-TDD FS GaN achieved an exceptionally low RT 2DEG sheet resistance of 145 Ω/□.

MoS2/Ni3S4 composite nanosheets on interconnected carbon shells as an excellent supercapacitor electrode architecture for long term cycling at high current densities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Shengchun; Yao, Tinghui; Guo, Xin; Chen, Qiang; Liu, Dequan; Liu, Qiming; Li, Yali; Li, Junshuai; He, Deyan

2018-05-01

In this paper, we report an electrode architecture of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2)/nickel sulfide (Ni3S4) composite nanosheets anchored on interconnected carbon (C) shells (C@MoS2/Ni3S4). Electrochemical measurements indicate that the C@MoS2/Ni3S4 structure possesses excellent supercapacitive properties especially for long term cycling at high current densities. A specific capacitance as high as ∼640.7 F g-1 can still be delivered even after 10,000 cycles at a high current density of 20 A g-1. From comparison of microstructures and electrochemical properties of the related materials/structures, the improved performance of C@MoS2/Ni3S4 can be attributed to the relatively dispersedly distributed nanosheet-shaped MoS2/Ni3S4 that provides efficient contact with electrolyte and effectively buffers the volume change during charge/discharge processes, enhanced cycling stability by MoS2, and reduced equivalent series resistance by the interconnected C shells.

Implications of seed banking for recruitment of Southern Appalachian woody species

Treesearch

Janneke Hille Ris Lambers; James S. Clark; Michael Lavine

2002-01-01

Seed dormancy is assumed to be unimportant for population dynamics of temperate woody species, because seeds occur at low densities and are short lived in forest soils. However, low soil seed densities may result from low seed production, and even modest seed longevity can buffer against fluctuating seed production, potentially limiting density-dependent mortality and...

Identical spin rotation effect and electron spin waves in quantum gas of atomic hydrogen

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lehtonen, L.; Vainio, O.; Ahokas, J.; Järvinen, J.; Novotny, S.; Sheludyakov, S.; Suominen, K.-A.; Vasiliev, S.; Khmelenko, V. V.; Lee, D. M.

2018-05-01

We present an experimental study of electron spin waves in atomic hydrogen gas compressed to high densities of ∼5 × 1018 cm‑3 at temperatures ranging from 0.26 to 0.6 K in the strong magnetic field of 4.6 T. Hydrogen gas is in a quantum regime when the thermal de-Broglie wavelength is much larger than the s-wave scattering length. In this regime the identical particle effects play a major role in atomic collisions and lead to the identical spin rotation effect (ISR). We observed a variety of spin wave modes caused by this effect with strong dependence on the magnetic potential caused by variations of the polarizing magnetic field. We demonstrate confinement of the ISR modes in the magnetic potential and manipulate their properties by changing the spatial profile of the magnetic field. We have found that at a high enough density of H gas the magnons accumulate in their ground state in the magnetic trap and exhibit long coherence, which has a profound effect on the electron spin resonance spectra. Such macroscopic accumulation of the ground state occurs at a certain critical density of hydrogen gas, where the chemical potential of the magnons becomes equal to the energy of their ground state in the trapping potential.

An experimental investigation of gas fuel injection with X-ray radiography

DOE PAGES

Swantek, Andrew B.; Duke, D. J.; Kastengren, A. L.; ...

2017-04-21

In this paper, an outward-opening compressed natural gas, direct injection fuel injector has been studied with single-shot x-ray radiography. Three dimensional simulations have also been performed to compliment the x-ray data. Argon was used as a surrogate gas for experimental and safety reasons. This technique allows the acquisition of a quantitative mapping of the ensemble-average and standard deviation of the projected density throughout the injection event. Two dimensional, ensemble average and standard deviation data are presented to investigate the quasi-steady-state behavior of the jet. Upstream of the stagnation zone, minimal shot-to-shot variation is observed. Downstream of the stagnation zone, bulkmore » mixing is observed as the jet transitions to a subsonic turbulent jet. From the time averaged data, individual slices at all downstream locations are extracted and an Abel inversion was performed to compute the radial density distribution, which was interpolated to create three dimensional visualizations. The Abel reconstructions reveal that upstream of the stagnation zone, the gas forms an annulus with high argon density and large density gradients. Inside this annulus, a recirculation region with low argon density exists. Downstream, the jet transitions to a fully turbulent jet with Gaussian argon density distributions. This experimental data is intended to serve as a quantitative benchmark for simulations.« less

An experimental investigation of gas fuel injection with X-ray radiography

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

Swantek, Andrew B.; Duke, D. J.; Kastengren, A. L.

In this paper, an outward-opening compressed natural gas, direct injection fuel injector has been studied with single-shot x-ray radiography. Three dimensional simulations have also been performed to compliment the x-ray data. Argon was used as a surrogate gas for experimental and safety reasons. This technique allows the acquisition of a quantitative mapping of the ensemble-average and standard deviation of the projected density throughout the injection event. Two dimensional, ensemble average and standard deviation data are presented to investigate the quasi-steady-state behavior of the jet. Upstream of the stagnation zone, minimal shot-to-shot variation is observed. Downstream of the stagnation zone, bulkmore » mixing is observed as the jet transitions to a subsonic turbulent jet. From the time averaged data, individual slices at all downstream locations are extracted and an Abel inversion was performed to compute the radial density distribution, which was interpolated to create three dimensional visualizations. The Abel reconstructions reveal that upstream of the stagnation zone, the gas forms an annulus with high argon density and large density gradients. Inside this annulus, a recirculation region with low argon density exists. Downstream, the jet transitions to a fully turbulent jet with Gaussian argon density distributions. This experimental data is intended to serve as a quantitative benchmark for simulations.« less

Alternative buffer layer development in Cu(In,Ga)Se2 thin film solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xin, Peipei

Cu(In,Ga)Se2-based thin film solar cells are considered to be one of the most promising photovoltaic technologies. Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) solar devices have the potential advantage of low-cost, fast fabrication by using semiconductor layers of only a few micrometers thick and high efficiency photovoltaics have been reported at both the cell and the module levels. CdS via chemical bath deposition (CBD) has been the most widely used buffer option to form the critical junction in CIGS-based thin film photovoltaic devices. However, the disadvantages of CdS can’t be ignored - regulations on cadmium usage are getting stricter primarily due to its toxicity and environmental impacts, and the proper handling of the large amount of toxic chemical bath waste is a massive and expensive task. This dissertation is devoted to the development of Cd-free alternative buffer layers in CIGS-based thin film solar cells. Based on the considerations of buffer layer selection criteria and extensive literature review, Zn-compound buffer materials are chosen as the primary investigation candidates. Radio frequency magnetron sputtering is the preferred buffer deposition approach since it’s a clean and more controllable technique compared to CBD, and is readily scaled to large area manufacturing. First, a comprehensive study of the ZnSe1-xOx compound prepared by reactive sputtering was completed. As the oxygen content in the reactive sputtering gas increased, ZnSe1-xOx crystallinity and bandgap decreased. It’s observed that oxygen miscibility in ZnSe was low and a secondary phase formed when the O2 / (O2 + Ar) ratio in the sputtering gas exceeded 2%. Two approaches were proposed to optimize the band alignment between the CIGS and buffer layer. One method focused on the bandgap engineering of the absorber, the other focused on the band structure modification of the buffer. As a result, improved current of the solar cell was achieved although a carrier transport barrier at the junction interface still limited the device performance. Second, an investigation of Zn(S,O) buffer layers was completed. Zn(S,O) films were sputtered in Ar using a ZnO0.7S0.3 compound target. Zn(S,O) films had the composition close to the target with S / (S+O) ratio around 0.3. Zn(S,O) films showed the wurtzite structure with the bandgap about 3.2eV. The champion Cu(In,Ga)Se2 / Zn(S,O) cell had 12.5% efficiency and an (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 / Zn(S,O) cell achieved 13.2% efficiency. Detailed device analysis was used to study the Cu(In,Ga)Se2 and (Ag,Cu)(In,Ga)Se2 absorbers, the influence of absorber surface treatments, the effects of device treatments, the sputtering damage and the Na concentration in the absorber. Finally alternative buffer layer development was applied to an innovative superstrate CIGS configuration. The superstrate structure has potential benefits of improved window layer properties, cost reduction, and the possibility to implement back reflector engineering techniques. The application of three buffer layer options - CdS, ZnO and ZnSe was studied and limitations of each were characterized. The best device achieved 8.6% efficiency with a ZnO buffer. GaxOy formation at the junction interface was the main limiting factor of this device performance. For CdS / CIGS and ZnSe / CIGS superstrate devices extensive inter-diffusion between the absorber and buffer layer under CIGS growth conditions was the critical problem. Inter-diffusion severely deteriorated the junction quality and led to poorly behaved devices, despite different efforts to optimize the fabrication process.

Speckle measurements of density and temperature profiles in a model gas circuit breaker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stoller, P. C.; Panousis, E.; Carstensen, J.; Doiron, C. B.; Färber, R.

2015-01-01

Speckle imaging was used to measure the density and temperature distribution in the arc zone of a model high voltage circuit breaker during the high current phase and under conditions simulating those present during current-zero crossings (current-zero-like arc); the arc was stabilized by a transonic, axial flow of synthetic air. A single probe beam was used; thus, accurate reconstruction was only possible for axially symmetric gas flows and arc channels. The displacement of speckles with respect to a reference image was converted to a line-of-sight integrated deflection angle, which was in turn converted into an axially symmetric refractive index distribution using a multistep process that made use of the inverse Radon transform. The Gladstone-Dale relation, which gives the index of refraction as a function of density, was extended to high temperatures by taking into account dissociation and ionization processes. The temperature and density were determined uniquely by assuming that the pressure distribution in the case of cold gas flow (in the absence of an arc) is not modified significantly by the arc. The electric conductivity distribution was calculated from the temperature profile and compared to measurements of the arc voltage and to previous results published in the literature for similar experimental conditions.

A PORTRAIT OF COLD GAS IN GALAXIES AT 60 pc RESOLUTION AND A SIMPLE METHOD TO TEST HYPOTHESES THAT LINK SMALL-SCALE ISM STRUCTURE TO GALAXY-SCALE PROCESSES

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

Leroy, Adam K.; Hughes, Annie; Schruba, Andreas

2016-11-01

The cloud-scale density, velocity dispersion, and gravitational boundedness of the interstellar medium (ISM) vary within and among galaxies. In turbulent models, these properties play key roles in the ability of gas to form stars. New high-fidelity, high-resolution surveys offer the prospect to measure these quantities across galaxies. We present a simple approach to make such measurements and to test hypotheses that link small-scale gas structure to star formation and galactic environment. Our calculations capture the key physics of the Larson scaling relations, and we show good correspondence between our approach and a traditional “cloud properties” treatment. However, we argue thatmore » our method is preferable in many cases because of its simple, reproducible characterization of all emission. Using, low- J {sup 12}CO data from recent surveys, we characterize the molecular ISM at 60 pc resolution in the Antennae, the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), M31, M33, M51, and M74. We report the distributions of surface density, velocity dispersion, and gravitational boundedness at 60 pc scales and show galaxy-to-galaxy and intragalaxy variations in each. The distribution of flux as a function of surface density appears roughly lognormal with a 1 σ width of ∼0.3 dex, though the center of this distribution varies from galaxy to galaxy. The 60 pc resolution line width and molecular gas surface density correlate well, which is a fundamental behavior expected for virialized or free-falling gas. Varying the measurement scale for the LMC and M31, we show that the molecular ISM has higher surface densities, lower line widths, and more self-gravity at smaller scales.« less

Measurement of the orientation of buffer-gas-cooled, electrostatically-guided ammonia molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Steer, Edward W.; Petralia, Lorenzo S.; Western, Colin M.; Heazlewood, Brianna R.; Softley, Timothy P.

2017-02-01

The extent to which the spatial orientation of internally and translationally cold ammonia molecules can be controlled as molecules pass out of a quadrupole guide and through different electric field regions is examined. Ammonia molecules are collisionally cooled in a buffer gas cell, and are subsequently guided by a three-bend electrostatic quadrupole into a detection chamber. The orientation of ammonia molecules is probed using (2 + 1) resonance-enhanced multiphoton ionisation (REMPI), with the laser polarisation axis aligned both parallel and perpendicular to the time-of-flight axis. Even with the presence of a near-zero field region, the ammonia REMPI spectra indicate some retention of orientation. Monte Carlo simulations propagating the time-dependent Schrödinger equation in a full basis set including the hyperfine interaction enable the orientation of ammonia molecules to be calculated - with respect to both the local field direction and a space-fixed axis - as the molecules pass through different electric field regions. The simulations indicate that the orientation of ∼95% of ammonia molecules in JK =11 could be achieved with the application of a small bias voltage (17 V) to the mesh separating the quadrupole and detection regions. Following the recent combination of the buffer gas cell and quadrupole guide apparatus with a linear Paul ion trap, this result could enable one to examine the influence of molecular orientation on ion-molecule reaction dynamics and kinetics.

Rotationally inelastic collisions of H2+ ions with He buffer gas: Computing cross sections and rates

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hernández Vera, Mario; Gianturco, F. A.; Wester, R.; da Silva, H.; Dulieu, O.; Schiller, S.

2017-03-01

We present quantum calculations for the inelastic collisions between H2+ molecules, in rotationally excited internal states, and He atoms. This work is motivated by the possibility of experiments in which the molecular ions are stored and translationally cooled in an ion trap and a He buffer gas is added for deactivation of the internal rotational population, in particular at low (cryogenic) translational temperatures. We carry out an accurate representation of the forces at play from an ab initio description of the relevant potential energy surface, with the molecular ion in its ground vibrational state, and obtain the cross sections for state-changing rotationally inelastic collisions by solving the coupled channel quantum scattering equations. The presence of hyperfine and fine structure effects in both ortho- and para-H2+ molecules is investigated and compared to the results where such a contribution is disregarded. An analysis of possible propensity rules that may predict the relative probabilities of inelastic events involving rotational state-changing is also carried out, together with the corresponding elastic cross sections from several initial rotational states. Temperature-dependent rotationally inelastic rates are then computed and discussed in terms of relative state-changing collisional efficiency under trap conditions. The results provide the essential input data for modeling different aspects of the experimental setups which can finally produce internally cold molecular ions interacting with a buffer gas.

Seismic Characterization of a Gas Hydrate Chimney Associated with Acoustic Blanking: Pegasus Basin, New Zealand

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Henrys, S. A.; Fraser, D. R. A.; Gorman, A. R.; Pecher, I. A.; Crutchley, G. J.

2016-12-01

The Pegasus Basin on the east coast of New Zealand's North Island in the southern part of the Hikurangi Margin is a frontier petroleum basin that is also expected to contain significant gas hydrate deposits. Extensive faulting in the basin has lead to the development of many interesting and unique focused accumulations of gas hydrates. A 2D seismic dataset acquired in 2009/2010 was reprocessed to examine the gas hydrate systems within the basin. Here, we present one of the more interesting hydrate features in the dataset: a presumed gas chimney within the regional gas hydrate stability zone at the centre of a roughly triangular (in 2D) region of low reflectivity, approximately 8 km wide, that is interpreted to be the result of acoustic blanking. Using automated high density velocity picking, the chimney structure is interpreted to be cored by a 200 m wide low-velocity zone which contains free gas and is flanked by high-velocity bands that are 200-400 m wide. The high-velocity zone is interpreted to correspond to concentrated hydrate deposits within the sedimentary pore spaces. Amplitude vs offset (AVO) and inversion techniques have been applied and the results of this work correspond well to the high-density velocity analyses. The analysis methods all indicate zones of free gas below the Bottom Simulating Reflection (BSR) and within the chimney. Areas of increased hydrate concentrations, including at the base of the gas hydrate stability zone, were also identified. A model for fluid flow and how free gas within the chimney at the centre of the blanking zone is converted to hydrate is discussed. The potential size of the gas hydrate resource present in this feature can be estimated based on the seismic velocities and physical properties determined by inversion.

Pollen density on the stigma affects endogenous gibberellin metabolism, seed and fruit set, and fruit quality in Pyrus pyrifolia.

PubMed

Zhang, Caixi; Tateishi, Naoya; Tanabe, Kenji

2010-10-01

To clarify the relationship between pollen density and gametophytic competition in Pyrus pyrifolia, gametophytic performance, gibberellin metabolism, fruit set, and fruit quality were investigated by modifying P. pyrifolia pollen grain number and density with Lycopodium spores. Higher levels of pollen density improved seed viability, fruit set, and fruit quality. Treatments with the highest pollen density showed a significantly increased fruit growth rate and larger fruit at harvest. High pollen density increased germination rate and gave a faster pollen tube growth, both in vivo and in vitro. Endogenous gibberellin (GA) concentrations increased in pollen tubes soon after germination and the concentration of two growth-active GAs, GA(3), and GA(4), was positively correlated to final fruit size, cell numbers in the mesocarp, and pollen tube growth rate. These two GAs appear to be biosynthesized de novo in pollen tube and are the main pollen-derived bioactive GAs found after pollen germination. GA(1) levels in the pollen tube appear to be related to a pollen-style interaction that occurred after the pollen grains landed on the stigma.

Rayleigh Scattering Diagnostic for Measurement of Temperature, Velocity, and Density Fluctuation Spectra

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mielke, Amy F.; Elam, Kristie A.; Sung, Chih-Jen; Panda, Jayanta

2006-01-01

A molecular Rayleigh scattering technique is developed to measure dynamic gas temperature, velocity, and density in unseeded turbulent flows at sampling rates up to 10 kHz. A high power CW laser beam is focused at a point in a heated air jet plume and Rayleigh scattered light is collected and spectrally resolved. The spectrum of the light, which contains information about the temperature, velocity, and density of the flow, is analyzed using a Fabry-Perot interferometer. The circular interference fringe pattern is divided into four concentric regions and sampled at 1 and 10 kHz using photon counting electronics. Monitoring the relative change in intensity within each region allows for measurement of gas temperature and velocity. Independently monitoring the total scattered light intensity provides a measure of gas density. Power spectral density calculations of temperature, velocity, and density fluctuations, as well as mean and fluctuating quantities are demonstrated for various radial locations in the jet flow at a fixed axial distance from the jet exit plane. Results are compared with constant current anemometry and pitot probe measurements at the same locations.

Effects of buffer size and shape on associations between the built environment and energy balance.

PubMed

James, Peter; Berrigan, David; Hart, Jaime E; Hipp, J Aaron; Hoehner, Christine M; Kerr, Jacqueline; Major, Jacqueline M; Oka, Masayoshi; Laden, Francine

2014-05-01

Uncertainty in the relevant spatial context may drive heterogeneity in findings on the built environment and energy balance. To estimate the effect of this uncertainty, we conducted a sensitivity analysis defining intersection and business densities and counts within different buffer sizes and shapes on associations with self-reported walking and body mass index. Linear regression results indicated that the scale and shape of buffers influenced study results and may partly explain the inconsistent findings in the built environment and energy balance literature. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Simulations of supersonic highly under-expanded hydrogen jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miarnau Marin, Ana; Xiao, Cheng-Nian; Denner, Fabian; van Wachem, Berend

2017-11-01

The pressure drop across choke valves required to transport natural gas can be in the order of several hundred bars, leading to the development of supersonic under-expanded jets. When considering a real gas, the gas can cool upon expansion, a phenomenon which can be explained by the Joule-Thomson effect. This study compares the effects of using ideal and real gas equations of state, using a computational model in which hydrogen is released from a high-pressure tank, through a converging nozzle, into a chamber containing hydrogen at near-atmospheric conditions. The initial studies were carried out using an ideal gas assumption and nozzle pressure ratios of 10, 30 and 70 and the results were validated against existing literature. To account for the Joule-Thomson effect, ideal and real gas simulations were then carried out with a pressure ratio of 70. For the real gas model, the Peng-Robinson equation of state was chosen. At the nozzle exit, the ideal gas model underestimates the velocity and overestimates the temperature and density; as the flow expands, the flow properties are the same up to the Mach disk, at which point the ideal gas underestimates the Mach number and predicts a higher temperature and density than the Peng-Robinson model due to the absence of cooling.

Buffers and Oscillations in Intracellular Ca2+ Dynamics

PubMed Central

Falcke, Martin

2003-01-01

I model the behavior of intracellular Ca2+ release with high buffer concentrations. The model uses a spatially discrete array of channel clusters. The channel subunit dynamics is a stochastic representation of the DeYoung-Keizer model. The calculations show that the concentration profile of fast buffer around an open channel is more localized than that of slow buffers. Slow buffers allow for release of larger amounts of Ca2+ from the endoplasmic reticulum and hence bind more Ca2+ than fast buffers with the same dissociation constant and concentration. I find oscillation-like behavior for high slow buffer concentration and low Ca2+ content of the endoplasmic reticulum. High concentration of slow buffer leads to oscillation-like behavior by repetitive wave nucleation for high Ca2+ content of the endoplasmic reticulum. Localization of Ca2+ release by slow buffer, as used in experiments, can be reproduced by the modeling approach. PMID:12524263

Oxygen fugacity of gases and rocks from Momotombo Volcano, Nicaragua: Application to volcanological monitoring

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benhamou, G.; Allard, P.; Sabroux, J. C.; Vitter, G.; Dajlevic, D.; Creusot, A.

1988-12-01

The oxygen fugacity (fO2) and the fO2 versus T°C relationship of high-temperature (600°-860°C) gas emissions from Momotombo volcano, Nicaragua, was determined from both field electrochemical measurements (electrolytic cell assembly) and thermodynamic computations on gas samples collected between 1978 and 1985. It was then compared with the intrinsic fO2 of fresh and altered lavas from the last eruption (1905), as measured between 500° and 1100°C in laboratory. The electrochemical results show that the oxygen fugacity of Momotombo fumaroles, at equivalent temperature, is much higher than that of the fresh 1905 lava (˜FMQ buffer) and closer to that of their altered wall rocks (˜FMQ buffer). The equilibrium O2 fugacities calculated from the chemistry of gas samples confirm this pattern. However, they suggest that the gas mixtures preserve the (variable) memory of a higher thermal equilibrium achieved at depth, under temperature and fO2 conditions of up to 1050°C and 10-9.0 atm, respectively, which correspond to the cross over between the fO2-T gas and lava trends. These data thus support the idea that Momotombo volcanic gases, released in a period of increasing activity, escape from a shallow magma body before suffering a variable oxidation during their ascent through both unbuffered cooling and reactions with environmental fluids and rocks. This late oxidation is weaker at central fumaroles than at peripherical ones. While between 1978 and 1985 the temperature of the hottest fumarole increased from 750° to 865°-900°C, the equilibrium fO2 of the gas decreased by nearly one order of magnitude (at comparable equilibrium temperature). Such an evolution presumably reflects an increasing connection between the surface exhalations and the magma degassing at depth along with time. This work underlines the possibility of monitoring the processes of magma ascent and gas-magma separation within a volcano before an eruption by continuously recording the changes of both oxygen fugacity and temperature in hot fumaroles.

Heterostructures of metamorphic GaInAs photovoltaic converters fabricated by MOCVD on GaAs substrates

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

Mintairov, S. A., E-mail: mintairov@scell.ioffe.ru; Emelyanov, V. M.; Rybalchenko, D. V.

Heterostructures of metamorphic GaInAs photovoltaic converters (PVCs) are on GaAs substrates by the metal-organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) method. It is shown that using a multilayer metamorphic buffer with a step of 2.5% in indium content and layer thicknesses of 120 nm provides the high quality of bulk layers subsequently grown on the buffer up to an indium content of 24%. PVCs with a long-wavelength photosensitivity edge up to 1300 nm and a quantum efficiency of ~80% in the spectral range 1050–1100 nm are fabricated. Analysis of the open-circuit voltage of the PVCs and diffusion lengths of minority carriers inmore » the layers demonstrates that the density of misfit dislocations penetrating into the bulk layers increases at an indium content exceeding 10%.« less

A permanent magnet trap for buffer gas cooled atoms and molecules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nohlmans, D.; Skoff, S. M.; Hendricks, R. J.; Segal, D. M.; Sauer, B. E.; Hinds, E. A.; Tarbutt, M. R.

2013-05-01

Cold molecules are set to provide a wealth of new science compared to their atomic counterparts. Here we want to present preliminary results for cooling and trapping atoms/molecules in a permanent magnetic trap. By replacing the conventional buffer gas cell with an arrangement of permanent magnets, we will be able to trap a fraction of the molecules right where they are cooled. For this purpose we have designed a quadrupole trap using NdFeB magnets, which has a trap depth of 0.4 K for molecules with a magnetic moment of 1 μB. Cold helium gas is pulsed into the trap region by a solenoid valve and the atoms/molecules are subsequently ablated into this and cooled via elastic collisions, leaving a fraction of them trapped. This new set-up is currently being tested with lithium atoms as they are easier to make. After having optimised the trapping and detection processes, we will use the same trap for YbF molecules.

Electron beam-induced radiation damage: the bubbling response in amorphous dried sodium phosphate buffer.

PubMed

Massover, William H

2010-06-01

Irradiation of an amorphous layer of dried sodium phosphate buffer (pH = 7.0) by transmission electron microscopy (100-120 kV) causes rapid formation of numerous small spherical bubbles [10-100 A (= 1-10 nm)] containing an unknown gas. Bubbling is detected even with the first low-dose exposure. In a thin layer (ca. 100-150 A), bubbling typically goes through nucleation, growth, possible fusion, and end-state, after which further changes are not apparent; co-irradiated adjacent areas having a slightly smaller thickness never develop bubbles. In moderately thicker regions (ca. over 200 A), there is no end-state. Instead, a complex sequence of microstructural changes is elicited during continued intermittent high-dose irradiation: nucleation, growth, early simple fusions, a second round of extensive multiple fusions, general reduction of matrix thickness (producing flattening and expansion of larger bubbles, occasional bubble fission, and formation of very large irregularly-shaped bubbles by a third round of compound fusion events), and slow shrinkage of all bubbles. The ongoing lighter appearance of bubble lumens, maintenance of their rounded shape, and extensive changes in size and form indicate that gas content continues throughout their surprisingly long lifetime; the thin dense boundary layer surrounding all bubbles is proposed to be the main mechanism for their long lifetime.

NMR measurement system including two synchronized ring buffers, with 128 rf coils for in situ water monitoring in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ogawa, Kuniyasu; Haishi, Tomoyuki; Aoki, Masaru; Hasegawa, Hiroshi; Morisaka, Shinichi; Hashimoto, Seitaro

2017-01-01

A small radio-frequency (rf) coil inserted into a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) can be used to acquire nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) signals from the water in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) or in oxygen gas channels in the PEFC. Measuring the spatial distribution of the water in a large PEFC requires using many rf probes, so an NMR measurement system which acquires NMR signals from 128 rf probes at intervals of 0.5 s was manufactured. The system has eight rf transceiver units with a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) for modulation of the excitation pulse and quadrature phase detection of the NMR signal, and one control unit with two ring buffers for data control. The sequence data required for the NMR measurement were written into one ring buffer. The acquired NMR signal data were then written temporarily into the other ring buffer and then were transmitted to a personal computer (PC). A total of 98 rf probes were inserted into the PEFC that had an electrical generation area of 16 cm × 14 cm, and the water generated in the PEFC was measured when the PEFC operated at 100 A. As a result, time-dependent changes in the spatial distribution of the water content in the MEA and the water in the oxygen gas channels were obtained.

Characterization of solution-phase and gas-phase reactions in on-line electrochemistry-thermospray tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Volk, K J; Yost, R A; Brajter-Toth, A

1989-07-14

Electrochemistry was used on-line with high-performance liquid chromatography-thermospray tandem mass spectrometry to provide insight into the solution-phase decomposition reactions of electrochemically generated oxidation products. Products formed during electrooxidation were monitored as the electrode potential was varied. The solution reactions which follow the initial electron transfer at the electrode are affected by the vaporizer tip temperature of the thermospray probe and the composition of the thermospray buffer. Either hydrolysis or ammonolysis reactions of the initial electrochemical oxidation products can occur with pH 7 ammonium acetate buffer. Both the electrochemically generated and the synthesized disulfide of 6-thiopurine decompose under thermospray conditions to produce 6-thiopurine and purine-6-sulfinate. Solution-phase studies indicate that nucleophilic and electrophilic substitution reactions with purine-6-sulfinate result in the formation of purine, adenine, and hypoxanthine. Products were identified and characterized by tandem mass spectrometry. This work shows the first example of high-performance liquid chromatography used on-line with electrochemistry to separate stable oxidation products prior to analysis by thermospray tandem mass spectrometry. In addition, solution-phase and gas-phase studies with methylamine show that the site of the nucleophilic and electrophilic reactions is probably inside the thermospray probe. Most importantly, these results also show that the on-line combination of electrochemistry with thermospray tandem mass spectrometry provides valuable information about redox and associated chemical reactions of biological molecules such as the structures of intermediates or products as well as providing insight into reaction pathways.

High sensitivity pH sensing on the BEOL of industrial FDSOI transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rahhal, Lama; Ayele, Getenet Tesega; Monfray, Stéphane; Cloarec, Jean-Pierre; Fornacciari, Benjamin; Pardoux, Eric; Chevalier, Celine; Ecoffey, Serge; Drouin, Dominique; Morin, Pierre; Garnier, Philippe; Boeuf, Frederic; Souifi, Abdelkader

2017-08-01

In this work we demonstrate the use of Fully Depleted Silicon On Insulator (FDSOI) transistors as pH sensors with a 23 nm silicon nitride sensing layer built in the Back-End-Of-Line (BEOL). The back end process to deposit the sensing layer and fabricate the electrical structures needed for testing is detailed. A series of tests employing different pH buffer solutions has been performed on transistors of different geometries, controlled via the back gate. The main findings show a shift of the drain current (ID) as a function of the back gate voltage (VB) when different pH buffer solutions are probed in the range of pH 6 to pH 8. This shift is observed at VB voltages swept from 0 V to 3 V, demonstrating the sensor operation at low voltage. A high sensitivity of up to 250 mV/pH unit (more than 4-fold larger than Nernstian response) is observed on FDSOI MOS transistors of 0.06 μm gate length and 0.08 μm gate width. She is currently working as a Postdoctoral researcher at Institut des nanotechnologies de Lyon in collaboration with STMicroelectronics and Université de Sherbrook (Canada) working on ;Integration of ultra-low-power gas and pH sensors with advanced technologies;. Her research interest includes selection, machining, optimisation and electrical characterisation of the sensitive layer for a low power consumption gas sensor based on advanced MOS transistors.

Direct experimental observation of the gas density depression effect using a two-bunch X-ray FEL beam.

PubMed

Feng, Y; Schafer, D W; Song, S; Sun, Y; Zhu, D; Krzywinski, J; Robert, A; Wu, J; Decker, F J

2018-01-01

The experimental observation of the depression effect in gas devices designed for X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) is reported. The measurements were carried out at the Linac Coherent Light Source using a two-bunch FEL beam at 6.5 keV with 122.5 ns separation passing through an argon gas cell. The relative intensities of the two pulses of the two-bunch beam were measured, after and before the gas cell, from X-ray scattering off thin targets by using fast diodes with sufficient temporal resolution. At a cell pressure of 140 hPa, it was found that the after-to-before ratio of the intensities of the second pulse was about 17% ± 6% higher than that of the first pulse, revealing lower effective attenuation of the gas cell due to heating by the first pulse and subsequent gas density reduction in the beam path. This measurement is important in guiding the design and/or mitigating the adverse effects in gas devices for high-repetition-rate FELs such as the LCLS-II and the European XFEL or other future high-repetition-rate upgrades to existing FEL facilities.

Direct experimental observation of the gas density depression effect using a two-bunch X-ray FEL beam

DOE PAGES

Feng, Y.; Schafer, D. W.; Song, S.; ...

2018-01-01

The experimental observation of the depression effect in gas devices designed for X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) is reported. The measurements were carried out at the Linac Coherent Light Source using a two-bunch FEL beam at 6.5 keV with 122.5 ns separation passing through an argon gas cell. The relative intensities of the two pulses of the two-bunch beam were measured, after and before the gas cell, from X-ray scattering off thin targets by using fast diodes with sufficient temporal resolution. At a cell pressure of 140 hPa, it was found that the after-to-before ratio of the intensities of the secondmore » pulse was about 17% ± 6% higher than that of the first pulse, revealing lower effective attenuation of the gas cell due to heating by the first pulse and subsequent gas density reduction in the beam path. Furthermore, this measurement is important in guiding the design and/or mitigating the adverse effects in gas devices for high-repetition-rate FELs such as the LCLS-II and the European XFEL or other future high-repetition-rate upgrades to existing FEL facilities.« less

Direct experimental observation of the gas density depression effect using a two-bunch X-ray FEL beam

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

Feng, Y.; Schafer, D. W.; Song, S.

The experimental observation of the depression effect in gas devices designed for X-ray free-electron lasers (FELs) is reported. The measurements were carried out at the Linac Coherent Light Source using a two-bunch FEL beam at 6.5 keV with 122.5 ns separation passing through an argon gas cell. The relative intensities of the two pulses of the two-bunch beam were measured, after and before the gas cell, from X-ray scattering off thin targets by using fast diodes with sufficient temporal resolution. At a cell pressure of 140 hPa, it was found that the after-to-before ratio of the intensities of the secondmore » pulse was about 17% ± 6% higher than that of the first pulse, revealing lower effective attenuation of the gas cell due to heating by the first pulse and subsequent gas density reduction in the beam path. Furthermore, this measurement is important in guiding the design and/or mitigating the adverse effects in gas devices for high-repetition-rate FELs such as the LCLS-II and the European XFEL or other future high-repetition-rate upgrades to existing FEL facilities.« less

Hollow-cathode lamps as optical frequency standards: the influence of optical imaging on the line-strength ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huke, Philipp; Tal-Or, Lev; Sarmiento, Luis Fernando; Reiners, Ansgar

2016-07-01

Hollow cathode discharge lamps (HCLs) have been successfully used in recent years as calibration sources of optical astronomical spectrographs. The numerous narrow metal lines have stable wavelengths, which makes them well suited for m/s calibration accuracy of high-resolution spectrographs, while the buffer-gas lines are less stable and less useful. Accordingly, an important property is the metal-to-gas line-strength ratio (Rmetal/gas). Processes inside the lamp cause the light to be emitted from different regions between the cathode and the anode leaing to the emission of different beams with different values of Rmetal/gas. We used commercially- available HCLs to measure and characterize these beams with respect to their spatial distribution, their angle of propagation relative to the optical axis, and their values of Rmetal/gas. We conclude that a good imaging of an HCL into a fiber-fed spectrograph would consist of an aperture close to its front window in order to filter out the parts of the beam with low Rmetal/gas, and of a lens to collimate the important central beam. We show that Rmetal/gas can be further improved with only minor adjustments of the imaging parameters, and that the imaging scheme that yields the highest Rmetal/gas does not necessarily provide the highest flux.

Prototype repository: A full scale experiment at Äspö HRL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Johannesson, Lars-Erik; Börgesson, Lennart; Goudarzi, Reza; Sandén, Torbjörn; Gunnarsson, David; Svemar, Christer

At Äspö Hard Rock Laboratory a full scale test of the Swedish concept for disposal of nuclear waste (KBS-3V) is in progress. The Prototype Repository project consists of two sections. The installation of the first section was made during summer and autumn 2001 and the second section during spring and summer 2003. Section 1 consists of four full-scale deposition holes, copper canisters equipped with electrical heaters, bentonite buffer consisting of blocks and pellets and a deposition tunnel backfilled with a mixture of bentonite and crushed rock, ending with a concrete plug. Section 2 consists of two full-scale deposition holes with a backfilled tunnel section and ends also with a concrete plug. Altogether 84 large bentonite blocks, with a total weight of about 130 tons, were installed and more than 2000 tons of backfill material were mixed and compacted in situ. Earlier developed techniques for both manufacturing and installing the buffer and the backfill were used in the project. Measurements and data from the installation allow calculations of the expected density in the buffer and in different parts of the backfill. The bentonite buffer in deposition holes 1, 3, 5 and 6, the backfill and the surrounding rock are instrumented with gauges for measuring temperature, water pressure, total pressure, relative humidity, resistivity, canister displacement and rock stresses. The instruments are connected to data acquisition systems by cables protected by tubes. These tubes are led through the rock in watertight lead-throughs to a nearby tunnel where the data acquisition systems are situated. More than 1100 transducers have been installed in the rock, buffer and the backfill. The technique for protecting the transducers from high water and swelling pressure was developed in this and preceding projects and furthermore different designs of transducers are used for the same type of measurement in order to compare their behaviour. The deposition holes have different water inflow rates (from 0.0007 to 0.08 l/min), resulting in different water uptake rates of the buffer. The water ratio as a function of time for different parts of the buffer can be estimated from measurement of the relative humidity in the pore system of the buffer. Deposition hole 1 with a relatively high water inflow (0.08 l/min), shows in some parts of the buffer very high degree of saturation while the drier holes 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 (0.0007-0.003 l/min) show a very slow saturation rate in most parts of the buffer. The temperature in the buffer and on the surface of the canisters is carefully studied. The temperature measurements indicate a rather large drop in temperature (approx. 10 °C) over the 10 mm gap between the canister and the buffer. In deposition hole 1 the gap has vanished due to high degree of saturation, resulting in a lower temperature on the surface of the canister. The displacement of the canisters in deposition holes 3 and 6 has been measured continuously with six transducers in each deposition hole. The measurement allows calculation of the displacement of the canisters in all three directions. The maximum measured vertical displacement so far is about 8 mm upwards. The water uptake in the backfill is measured continuously with soil psychrometers. The results indicate a high degree of saturation close to the rock wall and on top of the buffer in the deposition holes, while the backfill in the more central part of tunnel shows slow increase in water ratio over the time. Transducers for measuring suction in the rock (soil psychrometers) have been installed very close to the surface of one of the deposition holes. The transducers are measuring rather high suctions close to the rock surface, indicating a not fully saturated pore system of the rock. The paper describes the following items: the test design, the installation phase, example of measurements made during the water uptake and some preliminary evaluations of water uptake of both the buffer and backfill up to November 1, 2004. The paper is mainly focused on the engineered barriers.

Improvement of the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction by introducing a Ta buffer layer

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

Kim, Nam-Hui; Jung, Jinyong; Cho, Jaehun

2015-10-05

We report systematic measurements of the interfacial Dzyaloshinskii-Moriya interaction (iDMI) by employing Brillouin light scattering in Pt/Co/AlO{sub x} and Ta/Pt/Co/AlO{sub x} structures. By introducing a tantalum buffer layer, the saturation magnetization and the interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy are significantly improved due to the better interface between heavy metal and ferromagnetic layer. From the frequency shift between Stokes- and anti-Stokes spin-waves, we successively obtain considerably larger iDM energy densities (D{sub max} = 1.65 ± 0.13 mJ/m{sup 2} at t{sub Co} = 1.35 nm) upon adding the Ta buffer layer, despite the nominally identical interface materials. Moreover, the energy density shows an inverse proportionality with the Co layer thickness,more » which is the critical clue that the observed iDMI is indeed originating from the interface between the Pt and Co layers.« less

The StreamCat Dataset: Accumulated Attributes for NHDPlusV2(Version 2.1) Catchments Riparian Buffer for the Conterminous United States: 2010 US Census Road Density

EPA Pesticide Factsheets

This dataset represents the road density within individual, local NHDPlusV2 catchments and upstream, contributing watersheds riparian buffers. Attributes of the landscape layer were calculated for every local NHDPlusV2 catchment and accumulated to provide watershed-level metrics. (See Supplementary Info for Glossary of Terms) This data set is derived from TIGER/Line Files of roads in the conterminous United States. Road density describes how many kilometers of road exist in a square kilometer. A raster was produced using the ArcGIS Line Density Tool to form the landscape layer for analysis. (see Data Sources for links to NHDPlusV2 data and Census Data) The (kilometer of road/square kilometer) was summarized by local catchment and by watershed to produce local catchment-level and watershed-level metrics as a continuous data type (see Data Structure and Attribute Information for a description).

Comparison of polymer induced and solvent induced trypsin denaturation: the role of hydrophobicity.

PubMed

Jasti, Lakshmi S; Fadnavis, Nitin W; Addepally, Uma; Daniels, Siona; Deokar, Sarika; Ponrathnam, Surendra

2014-04-01

Trypsin adsorption from aqueous buffer by various copolymers of allyl glycidyl ether-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (AGE-EGDM) copolymer with varying crosslink density increases with increasing crosslink density and the effect slowly wears off after reaching a plateau at 50% crosslink density. The copolymer with 25% crosslink density was reacted with different amines with alkyl/aryl side chains to obtain a series of copolymers with 1,2-amino alcohol functional groups and varying hydrophobicity. Trypsin binding capacity again increases with hydrophobicity of the reacting amine and a good correlation between logPoctanol of the amine and protein binding is observed. The bound trypsin is denatured to the extent of 90% in spite of the presence of hydrophilic hydroxyl and amino groups. The behavior was comparable to that in mixtures of aqueous buffer and water-miscible organic co-solvents where the solvent concentration required to deactivate 50% of the enzyme (C50) is dependent on logPoctanol of the co-solvent. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Airborne environmental endotoxin: a cross-validation of sampling and analysis techniques.

PubMed Central

Walters, M; Milton, D; Larsson, L; Ford, T

1994-01-01

A standard method for measurement of airborne environmental endotoxin was developed and field tested in a fiberglass insulation-manufacturing facility. This method involved sampling with a capillary-pore membrane filter, extraction in buffer using a sonication bath, and analysis by the kinetic-Limulus assay with resistant-parallel-line estimation (KLARE). Cross-validation of the extraction and assay method was performed by comparison with methanolysis of samples followed by 3-hydroxy fatty acid (3-OHFA) analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Direct methanolysis of filter samples and methanolysis of buffer extracts of the filters yielded similar 3-OHFA content (P = 0.72); the average difference was 2.1%. Analysis of buffer extracts for endotoxin content by the KLARE method and by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for 3-OHFA content produced similar results (P = 0.23); the average difference was 0.88%. The source of endotoxin was gram-negative bacteria growing in recycled washwater used to clean the insulation-manufacturing equipment. The endotoxin and bacteria become airborne during spray cleaning operations. The types of 3-OHFAs in bacteria cultured from the washwater, present in the washwater and in the air, were similar. Virtually all of the bacteria cultured from air and water were gram negative composed mostly of two species, Deleya aesta and Acinetobacter johnsonii. Airborne countable bacteria correlated well with endotoxin (r2 = 0.64). Replicate sampling showed that results with the standard sampling, extraction, and Limulus assay by the KLARE method were highly reproducible (95% confidence interval for endotoxin measurement +/- 0.28 log10). These results demonstrate the accuracy, precision, and sensitivity of the standard procedure proposed for airborne environmental endotoxin. PMID:8161191

On the (Non)Evolution of H I Gas in Galaxies Over Cosmic Time

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prochaska, J. Xavier; Wolfe, Arthur M.

2009-05-01

We present new results on the frequency distribution of projected H I column densities f(N H I , X), total comoving covering fraction, and integrated mass densities ρH I of high-redshift, H I galactic gas from a survey of damped Lyα systems (DLAs) in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey, Data Release 5. For the full sample spanning z = 2.2-5 (738 DLAs), f(N H I , X) is well fitted by a double power law with a break column density Nd = 1021.55±0.04 cm-2 and low/high-end exponents α = -2.00 ± 0.05, - 6.4+1.1 -1.6. The shape of f(N H I , X) is invariant during this redshift interval and also follows the projected surface density distribution of present-day H I disks as inferred from 21 cm observations. We conclude that H I gas has been distributed in a self-similar fashion for the past 12 Gyr. The normalization of f(N H I , X), in contrast, decreases by a factor of 2 during the ≈2 Gyr interval from z = 4-2.2 with coincident decreases in both the total covering fraction and ρH I . At z ≈ 2, these quantities match the present-day values suggesting no evolution during the past ≈10 Gyr. We argue that the evolution at early times is driven by "violent" processes that removes gas from nearly half the galaxies at z ≈ 3 establishing the antecedents of current early-type galaxies. The perceived constancy of ρH I , meanwhile, implies that H I gas is a necessary but insufficient precondition for star formation and that the global star formation rate is driven by the accretion and condensation of fresh gas from the intergalactic medium.

Investigation of a Light Gas Helicon Plasma Source for the VASIMR Space Propulsion System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Squire, J. P.; Chang-Diaz, F. R.; Jacobson, V. T.; Glover, T. W.; Baity, F. W.; Carter, M. D.; Goulding, R. H.; Bengtson, R. D.; Bering, E. A., III

2003-01-01

An efficient plasma source producing a high-density (approx.10(exp 19/cu m) light gas (e.g. H, D, or He) flowing plasma with a high degree of ionization is a critical component of the Variable Specific Impulse Magnetoplasma Rocket (VASIMR) concept. We are developing an antenna to apply ICRF power near the fundamental ion cyclotron resonance to further accelerate the plasma ions to velocities appropriate for space propulsion applications. The high degree of ionization and a low vacuum background pressure are important to eliminate the problem of radial losses due to charge exchange. We have performed parametric (e.g. gas flow, power (0.5 - 3 kW), magnetic field , frequency (25 and 50 MHz)) studies of a helicon operating with gas (H2 D2, He, N2 and Ar) injected at one end with a high magnetic mirror downstream of the antenna. We have explored operation with a cusp and a mirror field upstream. Plasma flows into a low background vacuum (<10(exp -4) torr) at velocities higher than the ion sound speed. High densities (approx. 10(exp 19/cu m) have been achieved at the location where ICRF will be applied, just downstream of the magnetic mirror.

Improvement on the electrical characteristics of Pd/HfO2/6H-SiC MIS capacitors using post deposition annealing and post metallization annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Esakky, Papanasam; Kailath, Binsu J.

2017-08-01

HfO2 as a gate dielectric enables high electric field operation of SiC MIS structure and as gas sensor HfO2/SiC capacitors offer higher sensitivity than SiO2/SiC capacitors. The issue of higher density of oxygen vacancies and associated higher leakage current necessitates better passivation of HfO2/SiC interface. Effect of post deposition annealing in N2O plasma and post metallization annealing in forming gas on the structural and electrical characteristics of Pd/HfO2/SiC MIS capacitors are reported in this work. N2O plasma annealing suppresses crystallization during high temperature annealing thereby improving the thermal stability and plasma annealing followed by rapid thermal annealing in N2 result in formation of Hf silicate at the HfO2/SiC interface resulting in order of magnitude lower density of interface states and gate leakage current. Post metallization annealing in forming gas for 40 min reduces interface state density by two orders while gate leakage current density is reduced by thrice. Post deposition annealing in N2O plasma and post metallization annealing in forming gas are observed to be effective passivation techniques improving the electrical characteristics of HfO2/SiC capacitors.

Annealing shallow Si/SiO2 interface traps in electron-beam irradiated high-mobility metal-oxide-silicon transistors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, J.-S.; Tyryshkin, A. M.; Lyon, S. A.

2017-03-01

Electron-beam (e-beam) lithography is commonly used in fabricating metal-oxide-silicon (MOS) quantum devices but creates defects at the Si/SiO2 interface. Here, we show that a forming gas anneal is effective at removing shallow defects (≤4 meV below the conduction band edge) created by an e-beam exposure by measuring the density of shallow electron traps in two sets of high-mobility MOS field-effect transistors. One set was irradiated with an electron-beam (10 keV, 40 μC/cm2) and was subsequently annealed in forming gas while the other set remained unexposed. Low temperature (335 mK) transport measurements indicate that the forming gas anneal recovers the e-beam exposed sample's peak mobility (14 000 cm2/Vs) to within a factor of two of the unexposed sample's mobility (23 000 cm2/Vs). Using electron spin resonance (ESR) to measure the density of shallow traps, we find that the two sets of devices are nearly identical, indicating the forming gas anneal is sufficient to anneal out shallow defects generated by the e-beam exposure. Fitting the two sets of devices' transport data to a percolation transition model, we extract a T = 0 percolation threshold density in quantitative agreement with our lowest temperature ESR-measured trap densities.

Characterization of gas targets for laser produced extreme ultraviolet plasmas with a Hartmann-Shack sensor

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

Peth, Christian; Kranzusch, Sebastian; Mann, Klaus

2004-10-01

A table top extreme ultraviolet (EUV)-source was developed at Laser-Laboratorium Goettingen for the characterization of optical components and sensoric devices in the wavelength region from 11 to 13 nm. EUV radiation is generated by focusing the beam of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser into a pulsed xenon gas jet. Since a directed gas jet with a high number density is needed for an optimal performance of the source, conical nozzles with different cone angles were drilled with an excimer laser to produce a supersonic gas jet. The influence of the nozzle geometry on the gas jet was characterized with a Hartmann-Shackmore » wave front sensor. The deformation of a planar wave front after passing the gas jet was analyzed with this sensor, allowing a reconstruction of the gas density distribution. Thus, the gas jet was optimized resulting in an increase of EUV emission by a factor of two and a decrease of the plasma size at the same time.« less

Report on ISS O2 Production, Gas Supply and Partial Pressure Management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schaezler, Ryan N.; Cook, Anthony J.

2015-01-01

Oxygen is used on International Space Station (ISS) for metabolic support and denitrogenation procedures prior to Extra-Vehicular Activities. Nitrogen is used to maintain total pressure and account for losses associated with leakage and operational losses. Oxygen and nitrogen have been supplied by various visiting vehicles such as the Progress and Shuttle in addition to the on-orbit oxygen production capability. Starting in 2014, new high pressure oxygen/nitrogen tanks are available to launch on commercial cargo vehicles and will replace the high pressure gas source that Shuttle used to provide. To maintain a habitable atmosphere the oxygen and nitrogen partial pressures are controlled between upper and lower bounds. The full range of the allowable partial pressures along with the increased ISS cabin volume are utilized as a buffer allowing days to pass between oxygen production or direct addition of oxygen and nitrogen to the atmosphere from reserves. This paper summarizes the amount of gas supplied and produced from all of the sources and describes past experience of managing partial pressures along with the range of management options available to the ISS.

Miniature Arcs for Synthesis of Carbon Nanotubes in Microgravity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Alford, J. M.; Mason, G. R.; Feikema, D. A.

2006-01-01

Although many methods are available for producing single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), the conventional carbon arc process remains the most popular due to its simplicity and large production rate. In the carbon arc, SWNTs are catalytically synthesized by rapidly evaporating a graphite anode impregnated with NiN metal catalyst from which the nanotubes grow in an inert atmosphere. However, high temperatures inside the carbon arc generate strong buoyancy driven convection, and it is hypothesized that the non-uniform environment created by this flow has a large effect on the growth and morphology of the SWNTs. To study the effect of buoyancy on the arc process, a miniature carbon arc apparatus was developed to synthesize SWNTs in a microgravity environment substantially free from these strong convective flows. The reactor was operated for either 2.2 or 5 seconds during free-fall in the drop towers at the NASA Glenn Research Center. Two apparatus designs differing mainly in their production rate and power capacity were investigated. The first consisted of a miniaturized carbon arc employing a 1 mm diameter graphite anode and powered by a 0.54 F capacitor bank charged to 65 V. The second, larger apparatus employed a 4 mm diameter anode and was powered by a portable battery pack capable of providing in excess of 300 amps at 30 volts to the arc for the duration of a 5 second drop. Initial results indicated that transient heating is a very large effect in the short-duration drop tower carbon arcs, and thermal equilibrium of the arc plasma, buffer gas, and apparatus was not attained during the short microgravity periods. In addition, removal of the buoyant convection by the microgravity now allowed clear observation of large jets of evaporated carbon vapor streaming from the anode and mixing with the inert buffer gas. The initial mixing of these jets with the cold buffer gas combined with the thermal transient made it difficult to establish a uniform high temperature environment around the arc in the 2.1 to 5 second microgravity time interval, and even with a very high-powered arc, the arc region was cooler than in continuously operated arcs. Despite these difficulties, the miniature arc produced SWNTs in microgravity. However, given the large thermal transient to overcome, no dramatic difference in sample yield or composition was noted between normal gravity and q2-,andL%econd long microgravity runs.

NDIR gas sensing using high performance AlInSb mid-infrared LEDs as light source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Camargo, E. G.; Goda, Y.; Morohara, O.; Fujita, H.; Geka, H.; Ueno, K.; Shibata, Y.; Kuze, N.

2017-08-01

In this paper, we report the performance of room temperature operated mid-infrared light emitting diode (LED) with an InSb buffer layer and AlInSb active/barrier layers, which showed to be suitable for non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) gas sensing. Characterization of the LED was performed and we found that good carrier confinement and crystalline quality was responsible for its high performance. High efficiency light extraction was obtained by adopting backside emission architecture together with surface roughening treatment and TiO2 anti-reflection coating. The fabricated AlInSb LED showed 75% higher power conversion efficiency when compared with a commercially available device. The developed LED, together with a commercially available infrared (IR) detector equipped with band-pass optical filter (AK9710, manufactured by Asahi Kasei Microdevices) were coupled into a mirror system forming a light path length of 80 mm, which was tested for CO2 gas sensing. For a non-absorbing environment, sensor output of 8 nA was obtained by driving the LED with peak current of 100 mA and, by exposing the system at CO2 concentration of 1000 ppm signal reduction due to absorbance around 12% was obtained.

Entanglement classification in the noninteracting Fermi gas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jafarizadeh, M. A.; Eghbalifam, F.; Nami, S.; Yahyavi, M.

In this paper, entanglement classification shared among the spins of localized fermions in the noninteracting Fermi gas is studied. It is proven that the Fermi gas density matrix is block diagonal on the basis of the projection operators to the irreducible representations of symmetric group Sn. Every block of density matrix is in the form of the direct product of a matrix and identity matrix. Then it is useful to study entanglement in every block of density matrix separately. The basis of corresponding Hilbert space are identified from the Schur-Weyl duality theorem. Also, it can be shown that the symmetric part of the density matrix is fully separable. Then it has been shown that the entanglement measure which is introduced in Eltschka et al. [New J. Phys. 10, 043104 (2008)] and Guhne et al. [New J. Phys. 7, 229 (2005)], is zero for the even n qubit Fermi gas density matrix. Then by focusing on three spin reduced density matrix, the entanglement classes have been investigated. In three qubit states there is an entanglement measure which is called 3-tangle. It can be shown that 3-tangle is zero for three qubit density matrix, but the density matrix is not biseparable for all possible values of its parameters and its eigenvectors are in the form of W-states. Then an entanglement witness for detecting non-separable state and an entanglement witness for detecting nonbiseparable states, have been introduced for three qubit density matrix by using convex optimization problem. Finally, the four spin reduced density matrix has been investigated by restricting the density matrix to the irreducible representations of Sn. The restricted density matrix to the subspaces of the irreducible representations: Ssym, S3,1 and S2,2 are denoted by ρsym, ρ3,1 and ρ2,2, respectively. It has been shown that some highly entangled classes (by using the results of Miyake [Phys. Rev. A 67, 012108 (2003)] for entanglement classification) do not exist in the blocks of density matrix ρ3,1 and ρ2,2, so these classes do not exist in the total Fermi gas density matrix.

Fluid modeling of a high-voltage nanosecond pulsed xenon microdischarge

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

Levko, Dmitry; Raja, Laxminarayan L.

2016-07-15

A computational modeling study of high-voltage nanosecond pulsed microdischarge in xenon gas at 10 atm is presented. The discharge is observed to develop as two streamers originating from the cathode and the anode, and propagating toward each other until they merge to form a single continuous discharge channel. The peak plasma density obtained in the simulations is ∼10{sup 24 }m{sup −3}, i.e., the ionization degree of plasma does not exceed 1%. The influence of the initial gas pre-ionization is established. It is seen that an increase in the seeded plasma density results in an increase in the streamer propagation velocity andmore » an increase in the plasma density obtained after the merging of two streamers.« less

High density fuel qualification for a gas turbine engine

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

Macleod, J.D.; Orbanski, B.; Hastings, P.R.

1992-01-01

A program for the evaluation of gas turbine engine performance, carried out in the Engine Laboratory of the National Research Council of Canada, is described. Problems under consideration include performance alteration between JP-4 fuel and a high energy density fuel, called strategic military fuel (SMF); performance deterioration during the accelerated endurance test; and emission analysis. The T56 fuel control system is found to be capable of operation on the higher energy density fuel with no detrimental effects regarding control of the engine's normal operating regime. The deterioration of the engine performance during 150-hour endurance tests on SMF was very high,more » which was caused by an increase in turbine nozzle effective flow area and turbine blade untwist. The most significant performance losses during the endurance tests were on corrected output power, fuel flow, specific fuel consumption and compressor and turbine presure ratio. 9 refs.« less

Nuclear Calcium Buffering Capacity Shapes Neuronal Architecture*

PubMed Central

Mauceri, Daniela; Hagenston, Anna M.; Schramm, Kathrin; Weiss, Ursula; Bading, Hilmar

2015-01-01

Calcium-binding proteins (CaBPs) such as parvalbumin are part of the cellular calcium buffering system that determines intracellular calcium diffusion and influences the spatiotemporal dynamics of calcium signals. In neurons, CaBPs are primarily localized to the cytosol and function, for example, in nerve terminals in short-term synaptic plasticity. However, CaBPs are also expressed in the cell nucleus, suggesting that they modulate nuclear calcium signals, which are key regulators of neuronal gene expression. Here we show that the calcium buffering capacity of the cell nucleus in mouse hippocampal neurons regulates neuronal architecture by modulating the expression levels of VEGFD and the complement factor C1q-c, two nuclear calcium-regulated genes that control dendrite geometry and spine density, respectively. Increasing the levels of nuclear calcium buffers by means of expression of a nuclearly targeted form of parvalbumin fused to mCherry (PV.NLS-mC) led to a reduction in VEGFD expression and, as a result, to a decrease in total dendritic length and complexity. In contrast, mRNA levels of the synapse pruning factor C1q-c were increased in neurons expressing PV.NLS-mC, causing a reduction in the density and size of dendritic spines. Our results establish a close link between nuclear calcium buffering capacity and the transcription of genes that determine neuronal structure. They suggest that the development of cognitive deficits observed in neurological conditions associated with CaBP deregulation may reflect the loss of necessary structural features of dendrites and spines. PMID:26231212

Method for local temperature measurement in a nanoreactor for in situ high-resolution electron microscopy.

PubMed

Vendelbo, S B; Kooyman, P J; Creemer, J F; Morana, B; Mele, L; Dona, P; Nelissen, B J; Helveg, S

2013-10-01

In situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of solids under reactive gas conditions can be facilitated by microelectromechanical system devices called nanoreactors. These nanoreactors are windowed cells containing nanoliter volumes of gas at ambient pressures and elevated temperatures. However, due to the high spatial confinement of the reaction environment, traditional methods for measuring process parameters, such as the local temperature, are difficult to apply. To address this issue, we devise an electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) method that probes the local temperature of the reaction volume under inspection by the electron beam. The local gas density, as measured using quantitative EELS, is combined with the inherent relation between gas density and temperature, as described by the ideal gas law, to obtain the local temperature. Using this method we determined the temperature gradient in a nanoreactor in situ, while the average, global temperature was monitored by a traditional measurement of the electrical resistivity of the heater. The local gas temperatures had a maximum of 56 °C deviation from the global heater values under the applied conditions. The local temperatures, obtained with the proposed method, are in good agreement with predictions from an analytical model. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Polycrystalline Superconducting Thin Films: Texture Control and Critical Current Density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Feng

1995-01-01

The growth processes of polycrystalline rm YBa_2CU_3O_{7-X} (YBCO) and yttria-stabilized-zirconia (YSZ) thin films have been developed. The effectiveness of YSZ buffer layers on suppression of the reaction between YBCO thin films and metallic substrates was carefully studied. Grown on the chemically inert surfaces of YSZ buffer layers, YBCO thin films possessed good quality of c-axis alignment with the c axis parallel to the substrate normal, but without any preferred in-plane orientations. This leads to the existence of a large percentage of the high-angle grain boundaries in the YBCO films. The critical current densities (rm J_{c}'s) found in these films were much lower than those in single crystal YBCO thin films, which was the consequence of the weak -link effect of the high-angle grain boundaries in these films. It became clear that the in-plane alignment is vital for achieving high rm J_{c }s in polycrystalline YBCO thin films. To induce the in-plane alignment, ion beam-assisted deposition (IBAD) technique was integrated into the conventional pulsed laser deposition process for the growth of the YSZ buffer layers. It was demonstrated that using IBAD the in-plane orientations of the YSZ grains could be controlled within a certain range of a common direction. This ion -bombardment induced in-plane texturing was explained using the anisotropic sputtering yield theory. Our observations and analyses have provided valuable information on the optimization of the IBAD process, and shed light on the texturing mechanism in YSZ. With the in-plane aligned YSZ buffer layers, YBCO thin films grown on metallic substrates showed improved rm J_{c}s. It was found that the in-plane alignment of YSZ and that of YBCO were closely related. A direct correlation was revealed between the rm J_{c} value and the degree of the in-plane alignment for the YBCO thin films. To explain this correlation, a numerical model was applied to multi-grain superconducting paths with different textures to determine the expected rm J_{c}s. The good agreement between the experimental data and numerical results confirmed that the rm J_{c} improvement directly resulted from the reduction of the number of high-angle grain boundaries in the in-plane aligned polycrystalline YBCO thin films, and provided a guideline on the further improvement of the rm J_ {c}s of polycrystalline YBCO thin films.

Assessing Anthropogenic Influence and Edge Effect Influence on Forested Riparian Buffer Spatial Configuration and Structure: An Example Using Lidar Remote Sensing Methods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wasser, L. A.; Chasmer, L. E.

2012-12-01

Forested riparian buffers (FRB) perform numerous critical ecosystem services. However, globally, FRB spatial configuration and structure have been modified by anthropogenic development resulting in widespread ecological degradation as seen in the Gulf of Mexico and the Chesapeake Bay. Riparian corridors within developed areas are particularly vulnerable to disturbance given two edges - the naturally occurring stream edge and the matrix edge. Increased edge length predisposes riparian vegetation to "edge effects", characterized by modified physical and environmental conditions at the interface between the forested buffer and the adjacent landuse, or matrix and forest fragment degradation. The magnitude and distance of edge influence may be further influenced by adjacent landuse type and the width of the buffer corridor at any given location. There is a need to quantify riparian buffer spatial configuration and structure over broad geographic extents and within multiple riparian systems in support of ecologically sound management and landuse decisions. This study thus assesses the influence of varying landuse types (agriculture, suburban development and undeveloped) on forested riparian buffer 3-dimensional structure and spatial configuration using high resolution Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data collected within a headwater watershed. Few studies have assessed riparian buffer structure and width contiguously for an entire watershed, an integral component of watershed planning and restoration efforts such as those conducted throughout the Chesapeake Bay. The objectives of the study are to 1) quantify differences in vegetation structure at the stream and matrix influenced riparian buffer edges, compared to the forested interior and 2) assess continuous patterns of changes in vegetation structure throughout the buffer corridor beginning at the matrix edge and ending at the stream within buffers a) of varying width and b) that are adjacent to varying landuse types. Results suggest that 1) the spatial configuration of riparian forests has a strong influence on forest structure compared to a weaker association with adjacent landuse type 2) developed landuse types are often associated with increased understory vegetation density 3) that riparian vegetation canopy cover is dense regardless of corridor width or adjacent landuse type and 4) the degree to which edge effects propagate into the buffer corridor is most influenced by corridor width. The study further demonstrates the utility of automated algorithms that sample lidar data in watershed-wide ecological analysis. Results suggest that landuse regulations should encourage wider buffers which will in turn support a greater range of ecosystem services including improved wildlife habitat, stream shading and detrital inputs.

A Deep Herschel/PACS Observation of CO(40-39) in NGC 1068: A Search for the Molecular Torus

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janssen, A. W.; Bruderer, S.; Sturm, E.; Contursi, A.; Davies, R.; Hailey-Dunsheath, S.; Poglitsch, A.; Genzel, R.; Graciá-Carpio, J.; Lutz, D.; Tacconi, L.; Fischer, J.; González-Alfonso, E.; Sternberg, A.; Veilleux, S.; Verma, A.; Burtscher, L.

2015-10-01

Emission from high-J CO lines in galaxies has long been proposed as a tracer of X-ray dominated regions (XDRs) produced by active galactic nuclei (AGNs). Of particular interest is the question of whether the obscuring torus, which is required by AGN unification models, can be observed via high-J CO cooling lines. Here we report on the analysis of a deep Herschel/PACS observation of an extremely high-J CO transition (40-39) in the Seyfert 2 galaxy NGC 1068. The line was not detected, with a derived 3σ upper limit of 2× {10}-17 {{W}} {{{m}}}-2. We apply an XDR model in order to investigate whether the upper limit constrains the properties of a molecular torus in NGC 1068. The XDR model predicts the CO spectral line energy distributions for various gas densities and illuminating X-ray fluxes. In our model, the CO(40-39) upper limit is matched by gas with densities of ˜ {10}6-{10}7 {{cm}}-3, located at 1.6-5 pc from the AGN, with column densities of at least {10}25 {{cm}}-2. At such high column densities, however, dust absorbs most of the CO(40-39) line emission at λ =65.69 μ {{m}}. Therefore, even if NGC 1068 has a molecular torus that radiates in the CO(40-39) line, the dust can attenuate the line emission to below the PACS detection limit. The upper limit is thus consistent with the existence of a molecular torus in NGC 1068. In general, we expect that the CO(40-39) is observable in only a few AGN nuclei (if at all), because of the required high gas column density, and absorption by dust.