Scintillating fibres coupled to silicon photomultiplier prototypes for fast beam monitoring and thin timing detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Papa, A.; Kettle, P.-R.; Ripiccini, E.; Rutar, G.

2016-07-01

Several scintillating fibre prototypes (single- and double-layers) made of 250 μm multi-clad square fibres coupled to silicon photomultiplier have been studied using electrons, positrons and muons at different energies. Current measurements show promising results: already for a single fibre layer and minimum ionizing particles we obtain a detection efficiency ≥ 95 % (mean collected light/fibre ≈ 8 phe), a timing resolution of 550 ps/fibre and a foreseen spatial resolution < 100 μm, based on the achieved negligible optical cross-talk between fibres (< 1 %). We will also discuss the performances of a double-layer staggered prototype configuration, for which a full detection efficiency (≥ 99 %) has been measured together with a timing resolution of ≈ 400 ps for double hit events.

NPS-PASCAL. A Microcomputer-based Implementation of the PASCAL Programming Language.

DTIC Science & Technology

1980-03-01

rCL (N BASED PRINTNAME)(1) BTEV; CALL LI ’ ITS (I: =N (0)4-7); CALL 7NTEmRtLINKS; 12%- CALL ST A DrRT ( ); PY’EPTR(e)= FOR" kALL S7ET.DDRPTR(!K...kAccI, 1971 . 7* Flynn.,C P. and Moranville, .S., kL-;T_-v0 T -Dl1e7-itaticn Cf A Fi-I 1-vel 3o tt~ lanr’uape F-cr A M’icroccssor-bs- C~’-:uter Sy st

Isolated post resonator mesogyroscope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Challoner, Dorian; Peay, Chris; Wellman, Joanne; Shcheglov, Kirill; Hayworth, Ken; Wiberg, Dean; Yee, Karl; Sipppola, Clayton

2004-01-01

A new symmetric vibratory gyroscope principle has been devised in which a central post proof mass is counter-rocked against an outer sensing plate such that the motion is isolated from the gyroscope case. Prototype gyroscopes have been designed and fabricated with micromachined silicon at mesoscale (20-cm resonator width), vs. microscale (e.g., 2-mm resonator width) to achieve higher sensitivity and machined precision. This novel mesogyro design arose out of an ongoing technical cooperation between JPL and Boeing begun in 1997 to advance the design of micro-inertial sensors for low-cost space applications. This paper describes the theory of operation of the mesogyro and relationships with other vibratory gyroscopes, the mechanical design, closed loop electronics design, bulk silicon fabrication and packaged gyroscope assembly and test methods. The initial packaged prototype test results are reported for what is believed to be the first silicon mesogyroscope.

Fabrication of a 20.5-inch-diameter segmented silicon annular optic prototype for the ROMA program

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hassell, Frank R.; Groark, Frank M.

1995-10-01

Recent advancements in single crystal silicon material science and fabrication capabilities and very low absorption (VLA) multi-layer dielectric coating technology have led to the development of uncooled, large aperture, high power mirrors for high energy laser (HEL) systems. Based on this success, a segmented single-crystal silicon substrate concept has been selected as the baseline fabrication approach for uncooled 1.2 meter diameter resonator annular optics for the Alpha space based high energy laser. The objective of this Resonator Optics Materials Assessment (ROMA) task was to demonstrate all of the key fabrication processes required to fabricate the full sized annular optics for the Alpha space based high energy laser. This paper documents the fabrication of a half-scale annular optic prototype (AOP) of the Alpha laser rear cone.

Compact silicon diffractive sensor: design, fabrication, and prototype.

PubMed

Maikisch, Jonathan S; Gaylord, Thomas K

2012-07-01

An in-plane constant-efficiency variable-diffraction-angle grating and an in-plane high-angular-selectivity grating are combined to enable a new compact silicon diffractive sensor. This sensor is fabricated in silicon-on-insulator and uses telecommunications wavelengths. A single sensor element has a micron-scale device size and uses intensity-based (as opposed to spectral-based) detection for increased integrability. In-plane diffraction gratings provide an intrinsic splitting mechanism to enable a two-dimensional sensor array. Detection of the relative values of diffracted and transmitted intensities is independent of attenuation and is thus robust. The sensor prototype measures refractive index changes of 10(-4). Simulations indicate that this sensor configuration may be capable of measuring refractive index changes three or four orders of magnitude smaller. The characteristics of this sensor type make it promising for lab-on-a-chip applications.

Initial steps toward the realization of large area arrays of single photon counting pixels based on polycrystalline silicon TFTs

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liang, Albert K.; Koniczek, Martin; Antonuk, Larry E.; El-Mohri, Youcef; Zhao, Qihua; Jiang, Hao; Street, Robert A.; Lu, Jeng Ping

2014-03-01

The thin-film semiconductor processing methods that enabled creation of inexpensive liquid crystal displays based on amorphous silicon transistors for cell phones and televisions, as well as desktop, laptop and mobile computers, also facilitated the development of devices that have become ubiquitous in medical x-ray imaging environments. These devices, called active matrix flat-panel imagers (AMFPIs), measure the integrated signal generated by incident X rays and offer detection areas as large as ~43×43 cm2. In recent years, there has been growing interest in medical x-ray imagers that record information from X ray photons on an individual basis. However, such photon counting devices have generally been based on crystalline silicon, a material not inherently suited to the cost-effective manufacture of monolithic devices of a size comparable to that of AMFPIs. Motivated by these considerations, we have developed an initial set of small area prototype arrays using thin-film processing methods and polycrystalline silicon transistors. These prototypes were developed in the spirit of exploring the possibility of creating large area arrays offering single photon counting capabilities and, to our knowledge, are the first photon counting arrays fabricated using thin film techniques. In this paper, the architecture of the prototype pixels is presented and considerations that influenced the design of the pixel circuits, including amplifier noise, TFT performance variations, and minimum feature size, are discussed.

Characterization of silicon micro-strip sensors with a pulsed infra-red laser system for the CBM experiment at FAIR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, P.

2015-03-01

The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment at FAIR is composed of 8 tracking stations consisting of 1292 double sided silicon micro-strip sensors. For the quality assurance of produced prototype sensors a laser test system (LTS) has been developed. The aim of the LTS is to scan sensors with a pulsed infra-red laser driven by step motor to determine the charge sharing in-between strips and to measure qualitative uniformity of the sensor response over the whole active area. The prototype sensors which are tested with the LTS so far have 256 strips with a pitch of 50 μm on each side. They are read-out using a self-triggering prototype read-out electronic ASIC called n-XYTER. The LTS is designed to measure sensor response in an automatized procedure at several thousand positions across the sensor with focused infra-red laser light (spot size ≈ 12 μm , wavelength = 1060 nm). The pulse with duration (≈ 10 ns) and power (≈ 5 mW) of the laser pulses is selected such, that the absorption of the laser light in the 300 μm thick silicon sensors produces a number of about 24000 electrons, which is similar to the charge created by minimum ionizing particles (MIP) in these sensors. Laser scans different prototype sensors is reported.

Design, fabrication and test of prototype furnace for continuous growth of wide silicon ribbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, C. S.; Seidensticker, R. G.

1975-01-01

Progress is reported during the apparatus design, fabrication, and assembly phases of a program to grow wide, thin silicon dendritic web. The growth facility was essentially completed with any significant problems arising. A complete set of detailed fabrication drawings is included as an appendix.

Research pressure instrumentation for NASA space shuttle main engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, P. J.; Nussbaum, P.; Gustafson, G.

1985-01-01

The breadboard feasibility model of a silicon piezoresistive pressure transducer suitable for space shuttle main engine (SSME) applications was demonstrated. The development of pressure instrumentation for the SSME was examined. The objective is to develop prototype pressure transducers which are targeted to meet the SSME performance design goals and to fabricate, test and deliver a total of 10 prototype units. Effective utilization of the many advantages of silicon piezoresistive strain sensing technology to achieve the objectives of advanced state-of-the-art pressure sensors for reliability, accuracy and ease of manufacture is analyzed. Integration of multiple functions on a single chip is the key attribute of the technology.

Construction and beam-tests of silicon-tungsten prototype modules for the CMS High Granularity Calorimeter for HL-LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Quast, Thorben

2018-02-01

As part of its HL-LHC upgrade program, CMS is developing a High Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL) to replace the existing endcap calorimeters. The HGCAL will be realised as a sampling calorimeter, including an electromagnetic compartment comprising 28 layers of silicon pad detectors with pad areas of 0.5-1.0 cm2 interspersed with absorbers. Prototype modules, based on 6-inch hexagonal silicon pad sensors with 128 channels, have been constructed and include many of the features required for this challenging detector. In 2016, beam tests of sampling configurations made from these modules have been conducted both at FNAL and at CERN using the Skiroc2 front-end ASIC (designed by the CALICE collaboration for ILC). In 2017, the setup has been extended with CALICE's AHCAL prototype, a scinitillator based sampling calorimeter, and it was further tested in dedicated beam tests at CERN. There, the new Skiroc2-CMS front-end ASIC was used for the first time. We highlight final results from our studies in 2016, including position resolution as well as precision timing-measurements. Furthermore, the extended setup in 2017 is discussed and first results from beam tests with electrons and pions are shown.

Overview of the Design, Fabrication and Performance Requirements of Micro-Spec, an Integrated Submillimeter Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrentine, Emily M.; Noroozian, Omid; Brown, Ari D.; Cataldo, Giuseppe; Ehsan, Negar; Hsieh, Wen-Ting; Stevenson, Thomas R.; U-Yen, Kongpop; Wollack, Edward J.; Moseley, S. Harvey

2015-01-01

Micro-Spec is a compact submillimeter (350-700 GHz) spectrometer which uses low loss superconducting niobium microstrip transmission lines and a single-crystal silicon dielectric to integrate all of the components of a grating-analog spectrometer onto a single chip. Here we present details of the fabrication and design of a prototype Micro-Spec spectrometer with resolution, R64, where we use a high-yield single-flip wafer bonding process to realize instrument components on a 0.45 m single-crystal silicon dielectric. We discuss some of the electromagnetic design concerns (such as loss, stray-light, cross-talk, and fabrication tolerances) for each of the spectrometer components and their integration into the instrument as a whole. These components include a slot antenna with a silicon lens for optical coupling, a phase delay transmission line network, parallel plate waveguide interference region, and aluminum microstrip transmission line kinetic inductance detectors with extremely low cross-talk and immunity to stray light. We have demonstrated this prototype spectrometer with design resolution of R64. Given the optical performance of this prototype, we will also discuss the extension of this design to higher resolutions suitable for balloon-flight.

[Computer-aided method and rapid prototyping for the personalized fabrication of a silicone bandage digital prosthesis].

PubMed

Ventura Ferreira, Nuno; Leal, Nuno; Correia Sá, Inês; Reis, Ana; Marques, Marisa

2014-01-01

The fabrication of digital prostheses has acquired growing importance not only for the possibility for the patient to overcome psychosocial trauma but also to promote grip functionality. An application method of three dimensional-computer-aided design technologies for the production of passive prostheses is presented by means of a fifth finger amputee clinical case following bilateral hand replantation.Three-dimensional-computerized tomography was used for the collection of anthropometric images of the hands. Computer-aided design techniques were used to develop the digital file-based prosthesis from the reconstruction images by inversion and superimposing the contra-lateral finger images. The rapid prototyping manufacturing method was used for the production of a silicone bandage prosthesis prototype. This approach replaces the traditional manual method by a virtual method that is basis for the optimization of a high speed, accurate and innovative process.

Prototype Compton imager for special nuclear material

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wulf, Eric A.; Phlips, Bernard F.; Kurfess, James D.; Novikova, Elena I.; Fitzgerald, Carrie

2006-05-01

Compton imagers offer a method for passive detection of nuclear material over background radiation. A prototype Compton imager has been constructed using 8 layers of silicon detectors. Each layer consists of a 2×2 array of 2 mm thick cross-strip double-sided silicon detectors with active areas of 5.7 × 5.7 cm2 and 64 strips per side. The detectors are daisy-chained together in the array so that only 256 channels of electronics are needed to read-out each layer of the instrument. This imager is a prototype for a large, high-efficiency Compton imager that will meet operational requirements of Homeland Security for detection of shielded uranium. The instrument can differentiate between different radioisotopes using the reconstructed gamma-ray energy and can also show the location of the emissions with respect to the detector location. Results from the current instrument as well as simulations of the next generation instrument are presented.

NREL Technologies Win National Awards

Science.gov Websites

percent for a prototype module, 7.6 percent for a commercial module) from amorphous silicon, which is less expensive to produce than crystalline silicon used in most commercial solar cells. The resulting product is biomass resources such as wood waste or plant material into gas for electric power generation. The new

Silicon Startup Schools: Technocracy, Algorithmic Imaginaries and Venture Philanthropy in Corporate Education Reform

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Williamson, Ben

2018-01-01

Technology companies are investing billions of dollars in educational technology, but also creating their own alternative schools. This article traces the emergence of four prototypical 'silicon startup schools' as exemplars of a technocratic mode of corporatized education reform: IBM's P-TECH, part of its Smarter Cities program; AltSchool, a…

The AGILE silicon tracker: testbeam results of the prototype silicon detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbiellini, G.; Fedel, G.; Liello, F.; Longo, F.; Pontoni, C.; Prest, M.; Tavani, M.; Vallazza, E.

2002-09-01

AGILE (Light Imager for Gamma-ray Astrophysics) is a small scientific satellite for the detection of cosmic γ-ray sources in the energy range 30MeV-50GeV with a very large field of view (1/4 of the sky). It is planned to be operational in the years 2003-2006, a period in which no other γ-ray mission in the same energy range is foreseen. The heart of the AGILE scientific instrument is a silicon-tungsten tracker made of 14 planes of single sided silicon detectors for a total of 43000 readout channels. Each detector has a dimension of 9.5×9.5cm2 and a thickness of 410μm. We present here a detailed description of the performance of the detector prototype during a testbeam period at the CERN PS in May 2000. The Tracker performance is described in terms of position resolution and signal-to-noise ratio for on and off-axis incident charged particles. The measured 40μm resolution for a large range of incident angles will provide an excellent angular resolution for cosmic γ-ray imaging.

Application of CMOS Technology to Silicon Photomultiplier Sensors.

PubMed

D'Ascenzo, Nicola; Zhang, Xi; Xie, Qingguo

2017-09-25

We use the 180 nm GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) BCDLite CMOS process for the production of a silicon photomultiplier prototype. We study the main characteristics of the developed sensor in comparison with commercial SiPMs obtained in custom technologies and other SiPMs developed with CMOS-compatible processes. We support our discussion with a transient modeling of the detection process of the silicon photomultiplier as well as with a series of static and dynamic experimental measurements in dark and illuminated environments.

Silicon carbide-free graphene growth on silicon for lithium-ion battery with high volumetric energy density

PubMed Central

Son, In Hyuk; Hwan Park, Jong; Kwon, Soonchul; Park, Seongyong; Rümmeli, Mark H.; Bachmatiuk, Alicja; Song, Hyun Jae; Ku, Junhwan; Choi, Jang Wook; Choi, Jae-man; Doo, Seok-Gwang; Chang, Hyuk

2015-01-01

Silicon is receiving discernable attention as an active material for next generation lithium-ion battery anodes because of its unparalleled gravimetric capacity. However, the large volume change of silicon over charge–discharge cycles weakens its competitiveness in the volumetric energy density and cycle life. Here we report direct graphene growth over silicon nanoparticles without silicon carbide formation. The graphene layers anchored onto the silicon surface accommodate the volume expansion of silicon via a sliding process between adjacent graphene layers. When paired with a commercial lithium cobalt oxide cathode, the silicon carbide-free graphene coating allows the full cell to reach volumetric energy densities of 972 and 700 Wh l−1 at first and 200th cycle, respectively, 1.8 and 1.5 times higher than those of current commercial lithium-ion batteries. This observation suggests that two-dimensional layered structure of graphene and its silicon carbide-free integration with silicon can serve as a prototype in advancing silicon anodes to commercially viable technology. PMID:26109057

Low-cost solar array project task 1: Silicon material. Gaseous melt replenishment system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jewett, D. N.; Bates, H. E.; Hill, D. M.

1980-01-01

The operation of a silicon production technique was demonstrated. The essentials of the method comprise chemical vapor deposition of silicon, by hydrogen reduction of chlorosilanes, on the inside of a quartz reaction vessel having large internal surface area. The system was designed to allow successive deposition-melting cycles, with silicon removal being accomplished by discharging the molten silicon. The liquid product would be suitable for transfer to a crystal growth process, casting into solid form, or production of shots. A scaled-down prototype reactor demonstrated single pass conversion efficiency of 20 percent and deposition rates and energy consumption better than conventional Siemens reactors, via deposition rates of 365 microns/hr. and electrical consumption of 35 Kwhr/kg of silicon produced.

Application of CMOS Technology to Silicon Photomultiplier Sensors

PubMed Central

D’Ascenzo, Nicola; Zhang, Xi; Xie, Qingguo

2017-01-01

We use the 180 nm GLOBALFOUNDRIES (GF) BCDLite CMOS process for the production of a silicon photomultiplier prototype. We study the main characteristics of the developed sensor in comparison with commercial SiPMs obtained in custom technologies and other SiPMs developed with CMOS-compatible processes. We support our discussion with a transient modeling of the detection process of the silicon photomultiplier as well as with a series of static and dynamic experimental measurements in dark and illuminated environments. PMID:28946675

Non-invasive characterization and quality assurance of silicon micro-strip detectors using pulsed infrared laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ghosh, P.

2016-01-01

The Compressed Baryonic Matter (CBM) experiment at FAIR is composed of 8 tracking stations consisting of roughly 1300 double sided silicon micro-strip detectors of 3 different dimensions. For the quality assurance of prototype micro-strip detectors a non-invasive detector charaterization is developed. The test system is using a pulsed infrared laser for charge injection and characterization, called Laser Test System (LTS). The system is aimed to develop a set of characterization procedures which are non-invasive (non-destructive) in nature and could be used for quality assurances of several silicon micro-strip detectors in an efficient, reliable and reproducible way. The procedures developed (as reported here) uses the LTS to scan sensors with a pulsed infra-red laser driven by step motor to determine the charge sharing in-between strips and to measure qualitative uniformity of the sensor response over the whole active area. The prototype detector modules which are tested with the LTS so far have 1024 strips with a pitch of 58 μm on each side. They are read-out using a self-triggering prototype read-out electronic ASIC called n-XYTER. The LTS is designed to measure sensor response in an automatized procedure at several thousand positions across the sensor with focused infra-red laser light (spot size ≈ 12 μm, wavelength = 1060 nm). The pulse with a duration of ≈ 10 ns and power ≈ 5 mW of the laser pulse is selected such, that the absorption of the laser light in the 300 μm thick silicon sensor produces ≈ 24000 electrons, which is similar to the charge created by minimum ionizing particles (MIP) in these sensors. The laser scans different prototype sensors and various non-invasive techniques to determine characteristics of the detector modules for the quality assurance is reported.

Solid state microdosimetry.

PubMed

Bradley, P D; Rosenfeld, A B; Zaider, M

2001-09-01

A review of solid state microdosimetry is presented with an emphasis on silicon-based devices. The historical foundations and basics of microdosimetry are briefly provided. Various methods of experimental regional microdosimetry are discussed to facilitate a comparison with the more recent development of silicon microdosimetry. In particular, the performance characteristics of a proportional gas counter and a silicon microdosimeter are compared. Recent improvements in silicon microdosimetry address the issues of requirement specification, non-spherical shape, tissue equivalence, sensitive volume definition (charge collection complexity) and low noise requirements which have previously impeded the implementation of silicon-based microdosimetry. A prototype based on silicon-on-insulator technology is described along with some example results from clinical high LET radiotherapy facilities. A brief summary of the applications of microdosimetry is included. c2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Slicing of silicon into sheet material. Silicon sheet growth development for the large area silicon sheet task of the low cost silicon solar array project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Holden, S. C.; Fleming, J. R.

1978-01-01

Fabrication of a prototype large capacity multiple blade slurry saw is considered. Design of the bladehead which will tension up to 1000 blades, and cut a 45 cm long silicon ingot as large as 12 cm in diameter is given. The large blade tensioning force of 270,000 kg is applied through two bolts acting on a pair of scissor toggles, significantly reducing operator set-up time. Tests with an upside-down cutting technique resulted in 100% wafering yields and the highest wafer accuracy yet experienced with MS slicing. Variations in oil and abrasives resulted only in degraded slicing results. A technique of continuous abrasive slurry separation to remove silicon debris is described.

A feasibility study of a data acquisition system for a silicon strip detector with a digital readout scheme

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ikeda, Hirokazu; Ikeda, Mitsuo; Inaba, Susumu; Tanaka, Manobu

1993-06-01

We describe a prototype data acquisition system for a silicon strip detector, which has been developed in terms of a digital readout scheme. The system consists of a master timing generator, readout controller, and a detector emulator card on which we use custom VLSI shift registers with operating clock frequency of 30 MHz.

Fabrication and characterization of resonant SOI micromechanical silicon sensors based on DRIE micromachining, freestanding release process and silicon direct bonding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gigan, Olivier; Chen, Hua; Robert, Olivier; Renard, Stephane; Marty, Frederic

2002-11-01

This paper is dedicated to the fabrication and technological aspect of a silicon microresonator sensor. The entire project includes the fabrication processes, the system modelling/simulation, and the electronic interface. The mechanical model of such resonator is presented including description of frequency stability and Hysterises behaviour of the electrostatically driven resonator. Numeric model and FEM simulations are used to simulate the system dynamic behaviour. The complete fabrication process is based on standard microelectronics technology with specific MEMS technological steps. The key steps are described: micromachining on SOI by Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE), specific release processes to prevent sticking (resist and HF-vapour release process) and collective vacuum encapsulation by Silicon Direct Bonding (SDB). The complete process has been validated and prototypes have been fabricated. The ASIC was designed to interface the sensor and to control the vibration amplitude. This electronic was simulated and designed to work up to 200°C and implemented in a standard 0.6μ CMOS technology. Characterizations of sensor prototypes are done both mechanically and electrostatically. These measurements showed good agreements with theory and FEM simulations.

Rapid Prototyping Technology for Manufacturing GTE Turbine Blades

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balyakin, A. V.; Dobryshkina, E. M.; Vdovin, R. A.; Alekseev, V. P.

2018-03-01

The conventional approach to manufacturing turbine blades by investment casting is expensive and time-consuming, as it takes a lot of time to make geometrically precise and complex wax patterns. Turbine blade manufacturing in pilot production can be sped up by accelerating the casting process while keeping the geometric precision of the final product. This paper compares the rapid prototyping method (casting the wax pattern composition into elastic silicone molds) to the conventional technology. Analysis of the size precision of blade casts shows that silicon-mold casting features sufficient geometric precision. Thus, this method for making wax patterns can be a cost-efficient solution for small-batch or pilot production of turbine blades for gas-turbine units (GTU) and gas-turbine engines (GTE). The paper demonstrates how additive technology and thermographic analysis can speed up the cooling of wax patterns in silicone molds. This is possible at an optimal temperature and solidification time, which make the process more cost-efficient while keeping the geometric quality of the final product.

Tests of a Roman Pot prototype for the TOTEM experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Deile, M.; Alagoz, E.; Anelli, G.; Antchev, G.; Ayache, M.; Caspers, F.; Dimovasili, E.; Dinapoli, R.; Drouhin, F.; Eggert, K.; Escourrou, J.L; Fochler, O.; Gill, K.; Grabit, R.; Haung, F.; Jarron, P.; Kaplon, J.; Kroyer, T.; Luntama, T.; Macina, D.; Mattelon, E.; Niewiadomski, H.; Mirabito, L.; Noschis, E.P.; Oriunno, M.; Park, a.; Perrot, A.-L.; Pirotte, O.; Quetsch, J.M.; Regnier, F.; Ruggiero, G.; Saramad, S.; Siegrist, P.; Snoeys, W.; sSouissi, T.; Szczygiel, R.; Troska, J.; Vasey, F.; Verdier, A.; Da Vià, C.; Hasi, J.; Kok, A.; Watts, S.; Kašpar, J.; Kundrát, V.; Lokajíček, M.V.; Smotlacha, J.; Avati, V.; Järvinen, M.; Kalliokoski, M.; Kalliopuska, J.; Kurvinen, K.; Lauhakangas, R.; Oljemark, F.; Orava, R.; Österberg, K.; Palmieri, V.; Saarikko, H.; Soininen, A.; Boccone, V.; Bozzo, M.; Buzzo, A.; Cuneo, S.; Ferro, F.; Macrí, M.; Minutoli, S.; Morelli, A.; Musico, P.; Negri, M.; Santroni, A.; Sette, G.; Sobol, A.; sBerardi, V.; Catanesi, M.G.; Radicioni, E.

The TOTEM collaboration has developed and tested the first prototype of its Roman Pots to be operated in the LHC. TOTEM Roman Pots contain stacks of 10 silicon detectors with strips oriented in two orthogonal directions. To measure proton scattering angles of a few microradians, the detectors will approach the beam centre to a distance of 10 sigma + 0.5 mm (= 1.3 mm). Dead space near the detector edge is minimised by using two novel "edgeless" detector technologies. The silicon detectors are used both for precise track reconstruction and for triggering. The first full-sized prototypes of both detector technologies as well as their read-out electronics have been developed, built and operated. The tests took place first in a fixed-target muon beam at CERN's SPS, and then in the proton beam-line of the SPS accelerator ring. We present the test beam results demonstrating the successful functionality of the system despite slight technical shortcomings to be improved in the near future.

Development of three-dimensional hollow elastic model for cerebral aneurysm clipping simulation enabling rapid and low cost prototyping.

PubMed

Mashiko, Toshihiro; Otani, Keisuke; Kawano, Ryutaro; Konno, Takehiko; Kaneko, Naoki; Ito, Yumiko; Watanabe, Eiju

2015-03-01

We developed a method for fabricating a three-dimensional hollow and elastic aneurysm model useful for surgical simulation and surgical training. In this article, we explain the hollow elastic model prototyping method and report on the effects of applying it to presurgical simulation and surgical training. A three-dimensional printer using acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene as a modeling material was used to produce a vessel model. The prototype was then coated with liquid silicone. After the silicone had hardened, the acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene was melted with xylene and removed, leaving an outer layer as a hollow elastic model. Simulations using the hollow elastic model were performed in 12 patients. In all patients, the clipping proceeded as scheduled. The surgeon's postoperative assessment was favorable in all cases. This method enables easy fabrication at low cost. Simulation using the hollow elastic model is thought to be useful for understanding of three-dimensional aneurysm structure. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

First results of performance tests of the newly designed Vacuum Silicon Photo Multiplier Tube (VSiPMT).

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Asmundis, R.; Barbarino, G.; Barbato, F. C. T.; Campajola, L.; De Rosa, G.; Fiorillo, G.; Migliozzi, P.; Mollo, C. M.; Rossi, B.; Vivolo, D.

2014-04-01

We invented (2007) the VSiPMT, a novel, high-gain, photo detector device and we publically proposed this idea in an International Conference for the first time at the 11th Topical Seminar on Innovative Particle and Radiation Detectors (IPRD08) in Siena, triggering deep discussions on the feasibility of the device itself and on the convenience of such a solution. After several years spent in designing, evaluation, tests and eventually negotiations with some suppliers, we finally got a couple of prototypes of the Vacuum Silicon Photo Multiplier Tube (VSiPMT) made under our specifications by Hamamatsu. We present in this paper the most important results of characterization tests of the first prototypes of the VSiPMT.

Measurement of nuclear resonant scattering on 61Ni with fast scintillation detector using proportional-mode silicon avalanche photodiode

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Inoue, Keisuke; Kobayashi, Yasuhiro; Yoda, Yoshitaka; Koshimizu, Masanori; Nishikido, Fumihiko; Haruki, Rie; Kishimoto, Shunji

2018-02-01

We developed a new scintillation timing detector using a proportional-mode silicon avalanche photodiode (Si-APD) for synchrotron radiation nuclear resonant scattering. We report on the nuclear forward scattering measurement on 61Ni with a prototype detector using a lead-loaded plastic scintillator (EJ-256, 3 mm in diameter and 2 mm in thickness), mounted on a proportional-mode Si-APD. Using synchrotron X-rays of 67.41 keV, we successfully measured the time spectra of nuclear forward scattering on 61Ni enriched metal foil and 61Ni86V14 alloy. The prototype detector confirmed the expected dynamical beat structure with a time resolution of 0.53 ns (FWHM).

Research pressure instrumentation for NASA Space Shuttle main engine, modification no. 5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, P. J.; Nussbaum, P.; Gustafson, G.

1984-01-01

The objective of the research project described is to define and demonstrate methods to advance the state of the art of pressure sensors for the space shuttle main engine (SSME). Silicon piezoresistive technology was utilized in completing tasks: generation and testing of three transducer design concepts for solid state applications; silicon resistor characterization at cryogenic temperatures; experimental chip mounting characterization; frequency response optimization and prototype design and fabrication. Excellent silicon sensor performance was demonstrated at liquid nitrogen temperature. A silicon resistor ion implant dose was customized for SSME temperature requirements. A basic acoustic modeling software program was developed as a design tool to evaluate frequency response characteristics.

Belle II silicon vertex detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adamczyk, K.; Aihara, H.; Angelini, C.; Aziz, T.; Babu, V.; Bacher, S.; Bahinipati, S.; Barberio, E.; Baroncelli, Ti.; Baroncelli, To.; Basith, A. K.; Batignani, G.; Bauer, A.; Behera, P. K.; Bergauer, T.; Bettarini, S.; Bhuyan, B.; Bilka, T.; Bosi, F.; Bosisio, L.; Bozek, A.; Buchsteiner, F.; Casarosa, G.; Ceccanti, M.; Červenkov, D.; Chendvankar, S. R.; Dash, N.; Divekar, S. T.; Doležal, Z.; Dutta, D.; Enami, K.; Forti, F.; Friedl, M.; Hara, K.; Higuchi, T.; Horiguchi, T.; Irmler, C.; Ishikawa, A.; Jeon, H. B.; Joo, C. W.; Kandra, J.; Kang, K. H.; Kato, E.; Kawasaki, T.; Kodyš, P.; Kohriki, T.; Koike, S.; Kolwalkar, M. M.; Kvasnička, P.; Lanceri, L.; Lettenbicher, J.; Maki, M.; Mammini, P.; Mayekar, S. N.; Mohanty, G. B.; Mohanty, S.; Morii, T.; Nakamura, K. R.; Natkaniec, Z.; Negishi, K.; Nisar, N. K.; Onuki, Y.; Ostrowicz, W.; Paladino, A.; Paoloni, E.; Park, H.; Pilo, F.; Profeti, A.; Rashevskaya, I.; Rao, K. K.; Rizzo, G.; Rozanska, M.; Sandilya, S.; Sasaki, J.; Sato, N.; Schultschik, S.; Schwanda, C.; Seino, Y.; Shimizu, N.; Stypula, J.; Suzuki, J.; Tanaka, S.; Tanida, K.; Taylor, G. N.; Thalmeier, R.; Thomas, R.; Tsuboyama, T.; Uozumi, S.; Urquijo, P.; Vitale, L.; Volpi, M.; Watanuki, S.; Watson, I. J.; Webb, J.; Wiechczynski, J.; Williams, S.; Würkner, B.; Yamamoto, H.; Yin, H.; Yoshinobu, T.; Belle II SVD Collaboration

2016-09-01

The Belle II experiment at the SuperKEKB collider in Japan is designed to indirectly probe new physics using approximately 50 times the data recorded by its predecessor. An accurate determination of the decay-point position of subatomic particles such as beauty and charm hadrons as well as a precise measurement of low-momentum charged particles will play a key role in this pursuit. These will be accomplished by an inner tracking device comprising two layers of pixelated silicon detector and four layers of silicon vertex detector based on double-sided microstrip sensors. We describe herein the design, prototyping and construction efforts of the Belle-II silicon vertex detector.

Large area sheet task. Advanced dendritic web growth development. [silicon films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, C. S.; Seidensticker, R. G.; Mchugh, J. P.; Hopkins, R. H.; Meier, D.; Frantti, E.; Schruben, J.

1981-01-01

The development of a silicon dendritic web growth machine is discussed. Several refinements to the sensing and control equipment for melt replenishment during web growth are described and several areas for cost reduction in the components of the prototype automated web growth furnace are identified. A circuit designed to eliminate the sensitivity of the detector signal to the intensity of the reflected laser beam used to measure melt level is also described. A variable speed motor for the silicon feeder is discussed which allows pellet feeding to be accomplished at a rate programmed to match exactly the silicon removed by web growth.

Tuning the sensing range of silicon pressure sensor by trench etching technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chou, Yu-Tuan; Lin, Hung-Yi; Hu, Hsin-Hua

2006-01-01

The silicon pressure sensor has been developed for over thirty years and widely used in automobiles, medical instruments, commercial electronics, etc. There are many different specifications of silicon pressure sensors that cover a very large sensing range, from less than 1 psi to as high as 1000 psi. The key elements of the silicon pressure sensor are a square membrane and the piezoresistive strain gages near the boundary of the membrane. The dimensions of the membrane determine the full sensing range and the sensitivity of the silicon sensor, including thickness and in-plane length. Unfortunately, in order to change the sensing range, the manufacturers need to order a customized epi wafer to get the desired thickness. All masks (usually six) have to be re-laid and re-fabricated for different membrane sizes. The existing technology requires at least three months to deliver the prototype for specific customer requests or the new application market. This research proposes a new approach to dramatically reduce the prototyping time from three months to one week. The concept is to tune the rigidity of the sensing membrane by modifying the boundary conditions without changing the plenary size. An extra mask is utilized to define the geometry and location of deep-RIE trenches and all other masks remain the same. Membranes with different depths and different patterns of trenches are designed for different full sensing ranges. The simulation results show that for a 17um thick and 750um wide membrane, the adjustable range by tuning trench depth is about 45% (from 5um to 10um), and can go to as high as 100% by tuning both the pattern and depth of the trenches. Based on an actual test in a product fabrication line, we verified that the total delivery time can be minimized to one week to make the prototyping very effective and cost-efficient.

A new Recoil Proton Telescope for energy and fluence measurement of fast neutron fields

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

Lebreton, Lena; Bachaalany, Mario; Husson, Daniel

The spectrometer ATHENA (Accurate Telescope for High Energy Neutron metrology Applications), is being developed at the IRSN / LMDN (Institut de Radioprotection et de Surete nucleaire / Laboratoire de Metrologie et de dosimetrie des neutrons) and aims at characterizing energy and fluence of fast neutron fields. The detector is a Recoil Proton Telescope and measures neutron fields in the range of 5 to 20 MeV. This telescope is intended to become a primary standard for both energy and fluence measurements. The neutron detection is achieved by a polyethylene radiator for n-p conversion, three 50{sub m} thick silicon sensors that usemore » CMOS technology for the proton tracking and a 3 mm thick silicon diode to measure the residual proton energy. This first prototype used CMOS sensors called MIMOSTAR, initially developed for heavy ion physics. The use of CMOS sensors and silicon diode increases the intrinsic efficiency of the detector by a factor of ten compared with conventional designs. The first prototype has already been done and was a successful study giving the results it offered in terms of energy and fluence measurements. For mono energetic beams going from 5 to 19 MeV, the telescope offered an energy resolution between 5 and 11% and fluence difference going from 5 to 7% compared to other home standards. A second and final prototype of the detector is being designed. It will hold upgraded CMOS sensors called FastPixN. These CMOS sensors are supposed to run 400 times faster than the older version and therefore give the telescope the ability to support neutron flux in the order of 107 to 108cm{sup 2}:s{sup 1}. The first prototypes results showed that a 50 m pixel size is enough for a precise scattering angle reconstruction. Simulations using MCNPX and GEANT4 are already in place for further improvements. A DeltaE diode will replace the third CMOS sensor and will be installed right before the silicon diode for a better recoil proton selection. The final prototype with its new geometry will increase the telescopes efficiency by a factor of 1.5. It will also cover some of the most important points in metrology; repeatability, reproducibility and sustainability. (authors)« less

Nanowires from dirty multi-crystalline Si for hydrogen generation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Xiaopeng; Schweizer, Stefan L.; Sprafke, Alexander; Wehrspohn, Ralf B.

2013-09-01

Silicon nanowires are considered as a promising architecture for solar energy conversion systems. By metal assisted chemical etching of multi-crystalline upgraded metallurgical silicon (UMG-Si), large areas of silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with high quality can be produced on the mother substrates. These areas show a low reflectance comparable to black silicon. More interestingly, we find that various metal impurities inside UMG-Si are removed due to the etching through element analysis. A prototype cell was built to test the photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties of UMG-SiNWs for water splitting. The on-set potential for hydrogen evolution was much reduced, and the photocurrent density showed an increment of 35% in comparison with a `dirty' UMG-Si wafer.

Electronics for a highly segmented electromagnetic calorimeter prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fehlker, D.; Alme, J.; van den Brink, A.; de Haas, A. P.; Nooren, G.-J.; Reicher, M.; Röhrich, D.; Rossewij, M.; Ullaland, K.; Yang, S.

2013-03-01

A prototype of a highly segmented electromagnetic calorimeter has been developed. The detector tower is made of 24 layers of PHASE2/MIMOSA23 silicon sensors sandwiched between tungsten plates, with 4 sensors per layer, a total of 96 MIMOSA sensors, resulting in 39 MPixels for the complete prototype detector tower. The paper focuses on the electronics of this calorimeter prototype. Two detector readout and control systems are used, each containing two Spartan 6 and one Virtex 6 FPGA, running embedded Linux, each system serving 12 detector layers. In 550 ms a total of 4 Gbytes of data is read from the detector, stored in memory on the electronics and then shipped to the DAQ system via Gigabit ethernet.

Development and Testing of the AMEGO Silicon Tracker System

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Griffin, Sean; Amego Team

2018-01-01

The All-sky Medium Energy Gamma-ray Observatory (AMEGO) is a probe-class mission in consideration for the 2020 decadal review designed to operate at energies from ˜ 200 keV to > 10 GeV. Operating a detector in this energy regime is challenging due to the crossover in the interaction cross-section for Compton scattering and pair production. AMEGO is made of four major subsystems: a plastic anticoincidence detector for rejecting cosmic-ray events, a silicon tracker for measuring the energies of Compton scattered electrons and pair-production products, a CZT calorimeter for measuring the energy and location of Compton scattered photons, and a CsI calorimeter for measuring the energy of the pair-production products at high energies. The tracker comprises layers of dual-sided silicon strip detectors which provide energy and localization information for Compton scattering and pair-production events. A prototype tracker system is under development at GSFC; in this contribution we provide details on the verification, packaging, and testing of the prototype tracker, as well as present plans for the development of the front-end electronics, beam tests, and a balloon flight.

ALICE inner tracking system readout electronics prototype testing with the CERN "Giga Bit Transceiver''

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

Schambach, Joachim; Rossewij, M. J.; Sielewicz, K. M.

The ALICE Collaboration is preparing a major detector upgrade for the LHC Run 3, which includes the construction of a new silicon pixel based Inner Tracking System (ITS). The ITS readout system consists of 192 readout boards to control the sensors and their power system, receive triggers, and deliver sensor data to the DAQ. To prototype various aspects of this readout system, an FPGA based carrier board and an associated FMC daughter card containing the CERN Gigabit Transceiver (GBT) chipset have been developed. Furthermore, this contribution describes laboratory and radiation testing results with this prototype board set.

ALICE inner tracking system readout electronics prototype testing with the CERN "Giga Bit Transceiver''

DOE PAGES

Schambach, Joachim; Rossewij, M. J.; Sielewicz, K. M.; ...

2016-12-28

The ALICE Collaboration is preparing a major detector upgrade for the LHC Run 3, which includes the construction of a new silicon pixel based Inner Tracking System (ITS). The ITS readout system consists of 192 readout boards to control the sensors and their power system, receive triggers, and deliver sensor data to the DAQ. To prototype various aspects of this readout system, an FPGA based carrier board and an associated FMC daughter card containing the CERN Gigabit Transceiver (GBT) chipset have been developed. Furthermore, this contribution describes laboratory and radiation testing results with this prototype board set.

ALICE inner tracking system readout electronics prototype testing with the CERN ``Giga Bit Transceiver''

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schambach, J.; Rossewij, M. J.; Sielewicz, K. M.; Aglieri Rinella, G.; Bonora, M.; Ferencei, J.; Giubilato, P.; Vanat, T.

2016-12-01

The ALICE Collaboration is preparing a major detector upgrade for the LHC Run 3, which includes the construction of a new silicon pixel based Inner Tracking System (ITS). The ITS readout system consists of 192 readout boards to control the sensors and their power system, receive triggers, and deliver sensor data to the DAQ. To prototype various aspects of this readout system, an FPGA based carrier board and an associated FMC daughter card containing the CERN Gigabit Transceiver (GBT) chipset have been developed. This contribution describes laboratory and radiation testing results with this prototype board set.

Conductance of kinked nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cook, B. G.; Varga, K.

2011-01-01

The conductance properties of kinked nanowires are studied by first-principles transport calculations within a recently developed complex potential framework. Using prototypical examples of monoatomic Au chains as well as small diameter single-crystalline silicon nanowires we show that transmission strongly depends on the kink geometry and one can tune the conductance properties by the kink angle and other geometrical factors. In the case of a silicon nanowire the presence of a kink drastically reduces the conductance.

Test beam measurement of the first prototype of the fast silicon pixel monolithic detector for the TT-PET project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paolozzi, L.; Bandi, Y.; Benoit, M.; Cardarelli, R.; Débieux, S.; Forshaw, D.; Hayakawa, D.; Iacobucci, G.; Kaynak, M.; Miucci, A.; Nessi, M.; Ratib, O.; Ripiccini, E.; Rücker, H.; Valerio, P.; Weber, M.

2018-04-01

The TT-PET collaboration is developing a PET scanner for small animals with 30 ps time-of-flight resolution and sub-millimetre 3D detection granularity. The sensitive element of the scanner is a monolithic silicon pixel detector based on state-of-the-art SiGe BiCMOS technology. The first ASIC prototype for the TT-PET was produced and tested in the laboratory and with minimum ionizing particles. The electronics exhibit an equivalent noise charge below 600 e‑ RMS and a pulse rise time of less than 2 ns , in accordance with the simulations. The pixels with a capacitance of 0.8 pF were measured to have a detection efficiency greater than 99% and, although in the absence of the post-processing, a time resolution of approximately 200 ps .

SiPM application for a detector for UHE neutrinos tested at Sphinx station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Iori, M.; Atakisi, I. O.; Chiodi, G.; Denizli, H.; Ferrarotto, F.; Kaya, M.; Yilmaz, A.; Recchia, L.; Russ, J.

2014-04-01

We present the preliminary test results of the prototype detector, working at Sphinx Observatory Center, Jungfraujoch (~3800 m a.s.l.) HFSJG - Switzerland. This prototype detector is designed to measure large zenith angle showers produced by high energy neutrino interactions in the Earth crust. This station provides us an opportunity to understand if the prototype detector works safely (or not) under hard environmental conditions (the air temperature changes between -25 °C and -5 °C). The detector prototype is using silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) produced by SensL and DRS4 chip as read-out part. Measurements at different temperature at fixed bias voltage (~29.5 V) were performed to reconstruct tracks by Time Of Flight.

Research pressure instrumentation for NASA Space Shuttle main engine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, P. J.; Nussbaum, P.; Gustafson, G.

1984-01-01

The development of prototype pressure transducers which are targeted to meet the Space Shuttle Main Engine SSME performance design goals is discussed. The fabrication, testing and delivery of 10 prototype units is examined. Silicon piezoresistive strain sensing technology is used to achieve the objectives of advanced state-of-the-art pressure sensors in terms of reliability, accuracy and ease of manufacture. Integration of multiple functions on a single chip is the key attribute of this technology.

Rapid Prototyping

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1999-01-01

Javelin, a Lone Peak Engineering Inc. Company has introduced the SteamRoller(TM) System as a commercial product. The system was designed by Javelin during a Phase II NASA funded small commercial product. The purpose of the invention was to allow automated-feed of flexible ceramic tapes to the Laminated Object Manufacturing rapid prototyping equipment. The ceramic material that Javelin was working with during the Phase II project is silicon nitride. This engineered ceramic material is of interest for space-based component.

Large format silicon immersion gratings for high resolution infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Jian; McDavitt, Dan; Zhao, Bo; Miller, Shane

2006-06-01

We report progress on development of large format silicon immersion gratings (SIG) at UF. Currently SIGs on 4 inch diameter thick silicon disks can be routinely produced with groove periods from 7 microns to 250 microns and blaze angles from 20 degrees to 76 degrees. A new capability of making SIGs from 6 inch diameter silicon disks has also been demonstrated. A new Space Astronomy Instrumentation Lab (SAIL) facility is being established at UF to have a capability of fabricating SIGs on 8 inch diameter silicon disks with up to 4 inch thickness. Our prototype SIG with an 85x50 mm2 etched grating area and a 54.7 deg blaze angle has produced a nearly diffraction-limited wavefront, less than 1% integrated scattered light and ghost intensity, a 74% peak blaze efficiency and a R = 55,000 resolving power at 1.55 μm.

Fabrication, characterization and testing of silicon photomultipliers for the Muon Portal Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

La Rocca, P.; Billotta, S.; Blancato, A. A.; Bonanno, D.; Bonanno, G.; Fallica, G.; Garozzo, S.; Lo Presti, D.; Marano, D.; Pugliatti, C.; Riggi, F.; Romeo, G.; Santagati, G.; Valvo, G.

2015-07-01

The Muon Portal is a recently started Project aiming at the construction of a large area tracking detector that exploits the muon tomography technique to inspect the contents of traveling cargo containers. The detection planes will be made of plastic scintillator strips with embedded wavelength-shifting fibres. Special designed silicon photomultipliers will read the scintillation light transported by the fibres along the strips and a dedicated electronics will combine signals from different strips to reduce the overall number of channels, without loss of information. Different silicon photomultiplier prototypes, both with the p-on-n and n-on-p technologies, have been produced by STMicroelectronics during the last years. In this paper we present the main characteristics of the silicon photomultipliers designed for the Muon Portal Project and describe the setup and the procedure implemented for the characterization of these devices, giving some statistical results obtained from the test of a first batch of silicon photomultipliers.

Recovery Act: Novel Kerf-Free PV Wafering that provides a low-cost approach to generate wafers from 150um to 50um in thickness

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

Fong, Theodore E.

2013-05-06

The technical paper summarizes the project work conducted in the development of Kerf-Free silicon wafering equipment for silicon solar wafering. This new PolyMax technology uses a two step process of implantation and cleaving to exfoliate 50um to 120um wafers with thicknesses ranging from 50um to 120um from a 125mm or 156mm pseudo-squared silicon ingot. No kerf is generated using this method of wafering. This method of wafering contrasts with the current method of making silicon solar wafers using the industry standard wire saw equipment. The report summarizes the activity conducted by Silicon Genesis Corporation in working to develop this technologymore » further and to define the roadmap specifications for the first commercial proto-type equipment for high volume solar wafer manufacturing using the PolyMax technology.« less

A Prototype Tactile Sensor Array.

DTIC Science & Technology

1982-09-15

Active Touch Sensing. Technical Report, MIT Artificial Inteligence Laboratory, 1981. (9] Larcombe, M. Carbon Fibre Tactile Sensors. Technical Report...thesis, Carnegie-Mellon University, 1981. [13] Purbrick, John A. A Force Transducer Employing Conductive Silicone Rubber. Technical Report, MIT Artificial

Development of Aspherical Active Gratings at NSRRC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tseng, Tse-Chuan; Wang, Duan Jen; Perng, Shen-Yaw; Chen, Chien-Te; Lin, Chia-Jui; Kuan, Chien-Kuang; Ho, His-Chou; Wang, Jeremy; Fung, H. S.; Chang, Shuo-Hung

2007-01-01

An active grating based on a novel optical concept with bendable polynomial surface profile to reduce the coma and defocus aberrations had been designed and proved by the prototype testing. Due to the low glass transition temperature of the glue and the difference of thermal expansion coefficient between the 17-4 steel bender and silicon, the prototype distorted from flat polished condition when thermally de-blocked the polishing pitch. To improve the thermal deformation of the active grating in the polishing process, a new invar bender and high curing temperature glue were adapted to glue a silicon substrate on the bender. After some tests and manufacturer polishing, it showed acceptable conditions. In this paper we will present the design and preliminary tests of the invar active grating. Meanwhile, the design and analysis of a new 17-4 PH steel bender to be electro-less nickel plating and mechanical ruling for a new beamline will also be discussed.

First fabrication of a silicon vertical JFET for power distribution in high energy physics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fernández-Martínez, Pablo; Flores, D.; Hidalgo, S.; Quirion, D.; Durà, R.; Ullán, M.

2018-01-01

A new vertical JFET transistor has been recently developed at the IMB-CNM, taking advantage of a deep-trenched 3D technology to achieve vertical conduction and low switch-off voltage. The silicon V-JFET transistors were mainly conceived to work as rad-hard protection switches for the renewed HV powering scheme (HV-MUX) of the ATLAS upgraded tracker. This work presents the features of the first batch of V-JFETs produced at the IMB-CNM clean room, together with the results of a full pre-irradiation characterization of the fabricated prototypes. Details of the technological process are provided and the outcome quality is also evaluated with the aid of reverse engineering techniques. Concerning the electrical performance of the prototypes, promising results were obtained, already meeting most of the HV-MUX specifications, both at room and below-zerotemperatures.

SALT, a dedicated readout chip for high precision tracking silicon strip detectors at the LHCb Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bugiel, Sz.; Dasgupta, R.; Firlej, M.; Fiutowski, T.; Idzik, M.; Kuczynska, M.; Moron, J.; Swientek, K.; Szumlak, T.

2016-02-01

The Upstream Tracker (UT) silicon strip detector, one of the central parts of the tracker system of the modernised LHCb experiment, will use a new 128-channel readout ASIC called SALT. It will extract and digitise analogue signals from the UT sensors, perform digital signal processing and transmit a serial output data. The SALT is being designed in CMOS 130 nm process and uses a novel architecture comprising of analog front-end and fast (40 MSps) ultra-low power (<0.5 mW) 6-bit ADC in each channel. The prototype ASICs of important functional blocks, like analogue front-end, 6-bit SAR ADC, PLL, and DLL, were designed, fabricated and tested. A prototype of an 8-channel version of the SALT chip, comprising all important functionalities was also designed and fabricated. The architecture and design of the SALT, together with the selected preliminary tests results, are presented.

Low Noise Double-Sided Silicon Strip Detector for Multiple-Compton Gamma-ray Telescope

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

Tajima, Hiroyasu

2002-12-03

A Semiconductor Multiple-Compton Telescope (SMCT) is being developed to explore the gamma-ray universe in an energy band 0.1-20 MeV, which is not well covered by the present or near-future gamma-ray telescopes. The key feature of the SMCT is the high energy resolution that is crucial for high angular resolution and high background rejection capability. We have developed prototype modules for a low noise Double-sided Silicon Strip Detector (DSSD) system which is an essential element of the SMCT. The geometry of the DSSD is optimized to achieve the lowest noise possible. A new front-end VLSI device optimized for low noise operationmore » is also developed. We report on the design and test results of the prototype system. We have reached an energy resolution of 1.3 keV (FWHM) for 60 keV and 122 keV at 0 C.« less

A Temperature-Monitoring Vaginal Ring for Measuring Adherence

PubMed Central

Boyd, Peter; Desjardins, Delphine; Kumar, Sandeep; Fetherston, Susan M.; Le-Grand, Roger; Dereuddre-Bosquet, Nathalie; Helgadóttir, Berglind; Bjarnason, Ásgeir; Narasimhan, Manjula; Malcolm, R. Karl

2015-01-01

Background Product adherence is a pivotal issue in the development of effective vaginal microbicides to reduce sexual transmission of HIV. To date, the six Phase III studies of vaginal gel products have relied primarily on self-reporting of adherence. Accurate and reliable methods for monitoring user adherence to microbicide-releasing vaginal rings have yet to be established. Methods A silicone elastomer vaginal ring prototype containing an embedded, miniature temperature logger has been developed and tested in vitro and in cynomolgus macaques for its potential to continuously monitor environmental temperature and accurately determine episodes of ring insertion and removal. Results In vitro studies demonstrated that DST nano-T temperature loggers encapsulated in medical grade silicone elastomer were able to accurately and continuously measure environmental temperature. The devices responded quickly to temperature changes despite being embedded in different thickness of silicone elastomer. Prototype vaginal rings measured higher temperatures compared with a subcutaneously implanted device, showed high sensitivity to diurnal fluctuations in vaginal temperature, and accurately detected periods of ring removal when tested in macaques. Conclusions Vaginal rings containing embedded temperature loggers may be useful in the assessment of product adherence in late-stage clinical trials. PMID:25965956

Construction and first beam-tests of silicon-tungsten prototype modules for the CMS High Granularity Calorimeter for HL-LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, S.

2017-03-01

The High Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL) is the technology choice of the CMS collaboration for the endcap calorimetry upgrade planned to cope with the harsh radiation and pileup environment at the High Luminosity-LHC . The HGCAL is realized as a sampling calorimeter, including an electromagnetic compartment comprising 28 layers of silicon pad detectors with pad areas of 0.5-01. cm2 interspersed with absorbers made from tungsten and copper to form a highly compact and granular device. Prototype modules, based on hexagonal silicon pad sensors, with 128 channels, have been constructed and tested in beams at FNAL and at CERN. The modules include many of the features required for this challenging detector, including a PCB glued directly to the sensor, using through-hole wire-bonding for signal readout and 5 mm spacing between layers—including the front-end electronics and all services. Tests in 2016 have used an existing front-end chip —Skiroc2 (designed for the CALICE experiment for ILC). We present results from first tests of these modules both in the laboratory and with beams of electrons, pions and protons, including noise performance, calibration with mips and electron signals.

Performance of a Low-Cost, Low-Concentration Photovoltaic Module

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shell, Kara A.; Brown, Scott A.; Schuetz, Mark A.; Davis, Bob J.; French, Roger H.

2011-12-01

In order to significantly reduce the cost of solar power, Replex Plastics has developed a low-cost, low-concentration PV module incorporating acrylic mirror reflectors. The reflectors are compound parabolic concentrators designed for use with low-accuracy single axis trackers. The prototypes use crystalline silicon photovoltaic cells and achieved 7.1x concentration over a receiver without reflectors. The 1×1.6 m module used 1/10th the silicon of a standard module and produced a max power of 140 W.

Porous silicon carbide and aluminum oxide with unidirectional open porosity as model target materials for radioisotope beam production

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czapski, M.; Stora, T.; Tardivat, C.; Deville, S.; Santos Augusto, R.; Leloup, J.; Bouville, F.; Fernandes Luis, R.

2013-12-01

New silicon carbide (SiC) and aluminum oxide (Al2O3) of a tailor-made microstructure were produced using the ice-templating technique, which permits controlled pore formation conditions within the material. These prototypes will serve to verify aging of the new advanced target materials under irradiation with proton beams. Before this, the evaluation of their mechanical integrity was made based on the energy deposition spectra produced by FLUKA codes.

A novel method for designing and fabricating low-cost facepiece prototypes.

PubMed

Joe, Paula S; Shum, Phillip C; Brown, David W; Lungu, Claudiu T

2014-01-01

In 2010, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published new digital head form models based on their recently updated fit-test panel. The new panel, based on the 2000 census to better represent the modern work force, created two additional sizes: Short/Wide and Long/Narrow. While collecting the anthropometric data that comprised the panel, additional three-dimensional data were collected on a subset of the subjects. Within each sizing category, five individuals' three-dimensional data were used to create the new head form models. While NIOSH has recommended a switch to a five-size system for designing respirators, little has been done in assessing the potential benefits of this change. With commercially available elastomeric facepieces available in only three or four size systems, it was necessary to develop the facepieces to enable testing. This study aims to develop a method for designing and fabricating elastomeric facepieces tailored to the new head form designs for use in fit-testing studies. This novel method used computed tomography of a solid silicone facepiece and a number of computer-aided design programs (VolView, ParaView, MEGG3D, and RapidForm XOR) to develop a facepiece model to accommodate the Short/Wide head form. The generated model was given a physical form by means of three-dimensional printing using stereolithography (SLA). The printed model was then used to create a silicone mold from which elastomeric prototypes can be cast. The prototype facepieces were cast in two types of silicone for use in future fit-testing.

Smart Valley Infrastructure.

ERIC Educational Resources Information Center

Maule, R. William

1994-01-01

Discusses prototype information infrastructure projects in northern California's Silicon Valley. The strategies of the public and private telecommunications carriers vying for backbone services and industries developing end-user infrastructure technologies via office networks, set-top box networks, Internet multimedia, and "smart homes"…

Intra-ocular lens optical changes resulting from the loading of dexamethasone.

PubMed

Artigas, José M; García-Domene, M Carmen; Navea, Amparo; Botella, Pablo; Fernández, Eduardo

2017-10-01

To study the optical changes on hydrogel-silicone intraocular lenses (IOLs) resulting from loading them with dexamethasone. We used prototype hydrogel(pHEMA)-silicone IOLs and loaded the matrices with an anti-inflammatory drug (dexamethasone). The optical properties we analyzed experimentally were a) modulation transfer function (MTF); b) spectral transmission; c) diopter power. These determinations were performed on drug-loaded IOLs, IOLs that had released the drug, and IOLs that had not been drug-loaded. Loading a hydrogel-silicone IOL with dexamethasone results in impairment of its optical qualities, in particular its MTF and spectral transmission, but not dioptric power. However, once the drug has been released, it almost recovers its initial optical properties.

Intra-ocular lens optical changes resulting from the loading of dexamethasone

PubMed Central

Artigas, José M.; García-Domene, M. Carmen; Navea, Amparo; Botella, Pablo; Fernández, Eduardo

2017-01-01

To study the optical changes on hydrogel-silicone intraocular lenses (IOLs) resulting from loading them with dexamethasone. We used prototype hydrogel(pHEMA)-silicone IOLs and loaded the matrices with an anti-inflammatory drug (dexamethasone). The optical properties we analyzed experimentally were a) modulation transfer function (MTF); b) spectral transmission; c) diopter power. These determinations were performed on drug-loaded IOLs, IOLs that had released the drug, and IOLs that had not been drug-loaded. Loading a hydrogel-silicone IOL with dexamethasone results in impairment of its optical qualities, in particular its MTF and spectral transmission, but not dioptric power. However, once the drug has been released, it almost recovers its initial optical properties. PMID:29082089

Low-power chip-level optical interconnects based on bulk-silicon single-chip photonic transceivers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Gyungock; Park, Hyundai; Joo, Jiho; Jang, Ki-Seok; Kwack, Myung-Joon; Kim, Sanghoon; Kim, In Gyoo; Kim, Sun Ae; Oh, Jin Hyuk; Park, Jaegyu; Kim, Sanggi

2016-03-01

We present new scheme for chip-level photonic I/Os, based on monolithically integrated vertical photonic devices on bulk silicon, which increases the integration level of PICs to a complete photonic transceiver (TRx) including chip-level light source. A prototype of the single-chip photonic TRx based on a bulk silicon substrate demonstrated 20 Gb/s low power chip-level optical interconnects between fabricated chips, proving that this scheme can offer compact low-cost chip-level I/O solutions and have a significant impact on practical electronic-photonic integration in high performance computers (HPC), cpu-memory interface, 3D-IC, and LAN/SAN/data-center and network applications.

First Results of an “Artificial Retina” Processor Prototype

DOE PAGES

Cenci, Riccardo; Bedeschi, Franco; Marino, Pietro; ...

2016-11-15

We report on the performance of a specialized processor capable of reconstructing charged particle tracks in a realistic LHC silicon tracker detector, at the same speed of the readout and with sub-microsecond latency. The processor is based on an innovative pattern-recognition algorithm, called “artificial retina algorithm”, inspired from the vision system of mammals. A prototype of the processor has been designed, simulated, and implemented on Tel62 boards equipped with high-bandwidth Altera Stratix III FPGA devices. Also, the prototype is the first step towards a real-time track reconstruction device aimed at processing complex events of high-luminosity LHC experiments at 40 MHzmore » crossing rate.« less

First Results of an “Artificial Retina” Processor Prototype

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

Cenci, Riccardo; Bedeschi, Franco; Marino, Pietro

We report on the performance of a specialized processor capable of reconstructing charged particle tracks in a realistic LHC silicon tracker detector, at the same speed of the readout and with sub-microsecond latency. The processor is based on an innovative pattern-recognition algorithm, called “artificial retina algorithm”, inspired from the vision system of mammals. A prototype of the processor has been designed, simulated, and implemented on Tel62 boards equipped with high-bandwidth Altera Stratix III FPGA devices. Also, the prototype is the first step towards a real-time track reconstruction device aimed at processing complex events of high-luminosity LHC experiments at 40 MHzmore » crossing rate.« less

Large Scale Beam-Tests of the Silicon and Scintillator-SiPM Modules for the CMS High Granularity Calorimeter at the HL-LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jain, Shilpi

The High Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL) will replace the existing CMS endcap calorimeters during the High Luminosity run of the LHC (HL-LHC) era. The electromagnetic part, as well as the first layers of the hadronic part, foresees around 600 square metres of silicon sensors as the active material. The remainder of the HGCAL, in the lower radiation environment, will use plastic scintillators with on-tile silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) readout. Prototype hexagonal silicon modules, featuring a new ASIC (Skiroc2-CMS), together with a modified version of the scintillator-SiPM CALICE AHCAL, have been tested in beams at CERN. This setup represents a full slice through HGCAL. Results from MIP calibration, energy resolution, electromagnetic and hadronic shower-shapes are presented using electrons, pions and muons.

Novel Photon-Counting Detectors for Free-Space Communication

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Krainak, Michael A.; Yang, Guan; Sun, Xiaoli; Lu, Wei; Merritt, Scott; Beck, Jeff

2016-01-01

We present performance data for novel photon counting detectors for free space optical communication. NASA GSFC is testing the performance of three novel photon counting detectors 1) a 2x8 mercury cadmium telluride avalanche array made by DRS Inc. 2) a commercial 2880 silicon avalanche photodiode array and 3) a prototype resonant cavity silicon avalanche photodiode array. We will present and compare dark count, photon detection efficiency, wavelength response and communication performance data for these detectors. We discuss system wavelength trades and architectures for optimizing overall communication link sensitivity, data rate and cost performance. The HgCdTe APD array has photon detection efficiencies of greater than 50 were routinely demonstrated across 5 arrays, with one array reaching a maximum PDE of 70. High resolution pixel-surface spot scans were performed and the junction diameters of the diodes were measured. The junction diameter was decreased from 31 m to 25 m resulting in a 2x increase in e-APD gain from 470 on the 2010 array to 1100 on the array delivered to NASA GSFC. Mean single photon SNRs of over 12 were demonstrated at excess noise factors of 1.2-1.3.The commercial silicon APD array has a fast output with rise times of 300ps and pulse widths of 600ps. Received and filtered signals from the entire array are multiplexed onto this single fast output. The prototype resonant cavity silicon APD array is being developed for use at 1 micron wavelength.

Silicon Drift Detectors - A Novel Technology for Vertex Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lynn, D.

1996-10-01

Silicon Drift Detectors (SDD) are novel position sensing silicon detectors which operate in a manner analogous to gas drift detectors. Single SDD's were shown in the CERN NA45 experiment to permit excellent spatial resolution (< 10 μm), to handle large particle occupancy, and to require a small fraction of the number of electronic channels of an equivalent pixel detector. The Silicon Vertex Tracker (SVT) for the STAR experiment at RHIC is based on this new technology. The SVT will consist of 216 SDD's, each 6.3 cm by 6.3 cm, arranged in a three layer barrel design, covering 2 π in azimuth and ±1 in pseudo-rapidity. Over the last three years we undertook a concentrated R+D effort to optimize the performance of the detector by minimizing the inactive area, the operating voltage and the data volume. We will present test results from several wafer prototypes. The charge produced by the passage of ionizing particles through the bulk of the detectors is collected on segmented anodes, with a pitch of 250 μm, on the far edges of the detector. The anodes are wire-bonded to a thick film multi-chip module which contains preamplifier/shaper chips and CMOS based switched capacitor arrays used as an analog memory pipeline. The ADC is located off-detector. The complete readout chain from the wafer to the DAQ will be presented. Finally we will show physics performance simulations based on the resolution achieved by the SVT prototypes.

Slicing of Silicon into Sheet Material: Silicon Sheet Growth Development for the Large Area Silicon Sheet Task of the Low Cost Silicon Solar Array Project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleming, J. R.

1979-01-01

Testing of low cost low suspension power slurry vehicles is presented. Cutting oils are unlikely to work, but a mineral oil with additives should be workable. Two different abrasives were tested. A cheaper silicon carbide from Norton gave excellent results except for excessive kerf loss: the particles were too big. An abrasive treated for lubricity showed no lubricity improvement in mineral oil vehicle. The bounce fixture was tested for the first time under constant cut rate conditions (rather than constant force). Although the cut was not completed before the blades broke, the blade lifetime of thin (100 micrometer) blades was 120 times the lifetime without the fixture. The large prototype saw completed a successful run, producing 90% cutting yield (849 wafers) at 20 wafers/cm. Although inexperience with large numbers of wafers caused cleaning breakage to reduce this yield to 74%, the yield was high enough that the concept of the large saw is proven workable.

An all-silicon optical PC-to-PC link utilizing USB

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goosen, Marius E.; Alberts, Antonie C.; Venter, Petrus J.; du Plessis, Monuko; Rademeyer, Pieter

2013-02-01

An integrated silicon light source still remains the Holy Grail for integrated optical communication systems. Hot carrier luminescent light sources provide a way to create light in a standard CMOS process, potentially enabling cost effective optical communication between CMOS integrated circuits. In this paper we present a 1 Mb/s integrated silicon optical link for information transfer, targeting a real-world integrated solution by connecting two PCs via a USB port while transferring data optically between the devices. This realization represents the first optical communication product prototype utilizing a CMOS light emitter. The silicon light sources which are implemented in a standard 0.35 μm CMOS technology are electrically modulated and detected using a commercial silicon avalanche photodiode. Data rates exceeding 10 Mb/s using silicon light sources have previously been demonstrated using raw bit streams. In this work data is sent in two half duplex streams accompanied with the separate transmission of a clock. Such an optical communication system could find application in high noise environments where data fidelity, range and cost are a determining factor.

Rapid prototyping of compliant human aortic roots for assessment of valved stents.

PubMed

Kalejs, Martins; von Segesser, Ludwig Karl

2009-02-01

Adequate in-vitro training in valved stents deployment as well as testing of the latter devices requires compliant real-size models of the human aortic root. The casting methods utilized up to now are multi-step, time consuming and complicated. We pursued a goal of building a flexible 3D model in a single-step procedure. We created a precise 3D CAD model of a human aortic root using previously published anatomical and geometrical data and printed it using a novel rapid prototyping system developed by the Fab@Home project. As a material for 3D fabrication we used common house-hold silicone and afterwards dip-coated several models with dispersion silicone one or two times. To assess the production precision we compared the size of the final product with the CAD model. Compliance of the models was measured and compared with native porcine aortic root. Total fabrication time was 3 h and 20 min. Dip-coating one or two times with dispersion silicone if applied took one or two extra days, respectively. The error in dimensions of non-coated aortic root model compared to the CAD design was <3.0% along X, Y-axes and 4.1% along Z-axis. Compliance of a non-coated model as judged by the changes of radius values in the radial direction by 16.39% is significantly different (P<0.001) from native aortic tissue--23.54% at the pressure of 80-100 mmHg. Rapid prototyping of compliant, life-size anatomical models with the Fab@Home 3D printer is feasible--it is very quick compared to previous casting methods.

Study of prototypes of LFoundry active CMOS pixels sensors for the ATLAS detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vigani, L.; Bortoletto, D.; Ambroz, L.; Plackett, R.; Hemperek, T.; Rymaszewski, P.; Wang, T.; Krueger, H.; Hirono, T.; Caicedo Sierra, I.; Wermes, N.; Barbero, M.; Bhat, S.; Breugnon, P.; Chen, Z.; Godiot, S.; Pangaud, P.; Rozanov, A.

2018-02-01

Current high energy particle physics experiments at the LHC use hybrid silicon detectors, in both pixel and strip configurations, for their inner trackers. These detectors have proven to be very reliable and performant. Nevertheless, there is great interest in depleted CMOS silicon detectors, which could achieve a similar performance at lower cost of production. We present recent developments of this technology in the framework of the ATLAS CMOS demonstrator project. In particular, studies of two active sensors from LFoundry, CCPD_LF and LFCPIX, are shown.

Technical instrumentation R&D for ILD SiW ECAL large scale device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Balagura, V.

2018-03-01

Calorimeters with silicon detectors have many unique features and are proposed for several world-leading experiments. We describe the R&D program of the large scale detector element with up to 12 000 readout channels for the International Large Detector (ILD) at the future e+e‑ ILC collider. The program is focused on the readout front-end electronics embedded inside the calorimeter. The first part with 2 000 channels and two small silicon sensors has already been constructed, the full prototype is planned for the beginning of 2018.

The application of rapid prototyping technique in chin augmentation.

PubMed

Li, Min; Lin, Xin; Xu, Yongchen

2010-04-01

This article discusses the application of computer-aided design and rapid prototyping techniques in prosthetic chin augmentation for mild microgenia. Nine cases of mild microgenia underwent an electrobeam computer tomography scan. Then we performed three-dimensional reconstruction and operative design using computer software. According to the design, we determined the shape and size of the prostheses and made an individualized prosthesis for each chin augmentation with the rapid prototyping technique. With the application of computer-aided design and a rapid prototyping technique, we could determine the shape, size, and embedding location accurately. Prefabricating the individual prosthesis model is useful in improving the accuracy of treatment. In the nine cases of mild microgenia, three received a silicone implant, four received an ePTFE implant, and two received a Medpor implant. All patients were satisfied with the results. During follow-up at 6-12 months, all patients remained satisfied. The application of computer-aided design and rapid prototyping techniques can offer surgeons the ability to design an individualized ideal prosthesis for each patient.

EUSO-TA prototype telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bisconti, Francesca; JEM-EUSO Collaboration

2016-07-01

EUSO-TA is one of the prototypes developed for the JEM-EUSO project, a space-based large field-of-view telescope to observe the fluorescence light emitted by cosmic ray air showers in the atmosphere. EUSO-TA is a ground-based prototype located at the Telescope Array (TA) site in Utah, USA, where an Electron Light Source and a Central Laser Facility are installed. The purpose of the EUSO-TA project is to calibrate the prototype with the TA fluorescence detector in presence of well-known light sources and cosmic ray air showers. In 2015, the detector started the first measurements and tests using the mentioned light sources have been performed successfully. A first cosmic ray candidate has been observed, as well as stars of different magnitude and color index. Since Silicon Photo-Multipliers (SiPMs) are very promising for fluorescence telescopes of next generation, they are under consideration for the realization of a new prototype of EUSO Photo Detector Module (PDM). The response of this sensor type is under investigation through simulations and laboratory experimentation.

A compact and modular x- and gamma-ray detector with a CsI scintillator and double-readout Silicon Drift Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campana, R.; Fuschino, F.; Labanti, C.; Marisaldi, M.; Amati, L.; Fiorini, M.; Uslenghi, M.; Baldazzi, G.; Bellutti, P.; Evangelista, Y.; Elmi, I.; Feroci, M.; Ficorella, F.; Frontera, F.; Picciotto, A.; Piemonte, C.; Rachevski, A.; Rashevskaya, I.; Rignanese, L. P.; Vacchi, A.; Zampa, G.; Zampa, N.; Zorzi, N.

2016-07-01

A future compact and modular X and gamma-ray spectrometer (XGS) has been designed and a series of proto- types have been developed and tested. The experiment envisages the use of CsI scintillator bars read out at both ends by single-cell 25 mm2 Silicon Drift Detectors. Digital algorithms are used to discriminate between events absorbed in the Silicon layer (lower energy X rays) and events absorbed in the scintillator crystal (higher energy X rays and -rays). The prototype characterization is shown and the modular design for future experiments with possible astrophysical applications (e.g. for the THESEUS mission proposed for the ESA M5 call) are discussed.

Technology and design of an active-matrix OLED on crystalline silicon direct-view display for a wristwatch computer

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sanford, James L.; Schlig, Eugene S.; Prache, Olivier; Dove, Derek B.; Ali, Tariq A.; Howard, Webster E.

2002-02-01

The IBM Research Division and eMagin Corp. jointly have developed a low-power VGA direct view active matrix OLED display, fabricated on a crystalline silicon CMOS chip. The display is incorporated in IBM prototype wristwatch computers running the Linus operating system. IBM designed the silicon chip and eMagin developed the organic stack and performed the back-end-of line processing and packaging. Each pixel is driven by a constant current source controlled by a CMOS RAM cell, and the display receives its data from the processor memory bus. This paper describes the OLED technology and packaging, and outlines the design of the pixel and display electronics and the processor interface. Experimental results are presented.

A monolithic integrated micro direct methanol fuel cell based on sulfo functionalized porous silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, M.; Lu, Y. X.; Liu, L. T.; Wang, X. H.

2016-11-01

In this paper, we demonstrate a monolithic integrated micro direct methanol fuel cell (μDMFC) for the first time. The monolithic integrated μDMFC combines proton exchange membrane (PEM) and Pt nanocatalysts, in which PEM is achieved by the functionalized porous silicon membrane and 3D Pt nanoflowers being synthesized in situ on it as catalysts. Sulfo groups functionalized porous silicon membrane serves as a PEM and a catalyst support simultaneously. The μDMFC prototype achieves an open circuit voltage of 0.3 V, a maximum power density of 5.5 mW/cm2. The monolithic integrated μDMFC offers several desirable features such as compatibility with micro fabrication techniques, an undeformable solid PEM and the convenience of assembly.

Analog front-end design of the STS/MUCH-XYTER2—full size prototype ASIC for the CBM experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kleczek, Rafal

2017-01-01

The design of the analog front-end of the STS/MUCH-XYTER2 ASIC, a full-size prototype chip for the Silicon Tracking System (STS, based on double-sided silicon strip sensors) and Muon Chamber (MUCH, based on gas sensors) detectors is presented. The ASIC contains 128 charge processing channels, each built of a charge sensitive amplifier, a polarity selection circuit and two pulse shaping amplifiers forming two parallel signal paths. The first path is used for timing measurement with a fast discriminator. The second path allows low-noise amplitude measurement with a 5-bit continuous-time flash ADC. Different operating conditions and constraints posed by two target detectors' applications require front-end electronics flexibility to meet extended system-wise requirements. The presented circuit implements switchable shaper peaking time, gain switching and trimming, input amplifier pulsed reset circuit, fail-safe measures. The power consumption is scalable (for the STS and the MUCH modes), but limited to 10 mW/channel.

Developing Barbed Microtip-Based Electrode Arrays for Biopotential Measurement

PubMed Central

Hsu, Li-Sheng; Tung, Shu-Wei; Kuo, Che-Hsi; Yang, Yao-Joe

2014-01-01

This study involved fabricating barbed microtip-based electrode arrays by using silicon wet etching. KOH anisotropic wet etching was employed to form a standard pyramidal microtip array and HF/HNO3 isotropic etching was used to fabricate barbs on these microtips. To improve the electrical conductance between the tip array on the front side of the wafer and the electrical contact on the back side, a through-silicon via was created during the wet etching process. The experimental results show that the forces required to detach the barbed microtip arrays from human skin, a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) polymer, and a polyvinylchloride (PVC) film were larger compared with those required to detach microtip arrays that lacked barbs. The impedances of the skin-electrode interface were measured and the performance levels of the proposed dry electrode were characterized. Electrode prototypes that employed the proposed tip arrays were implemented. Electroencephalogram (EEG) and electrocardiography (ECG) recordings using these electrode prototypes were also demonstrated. PMID:25014098

An engineer at AeroVironment's Design Development Center inspects a set of silicon solar cells for p

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

An engineer at AeroVironment's Design Development Center in Simi Valley, California, closely inspects a set of silicon solar cells for potential defects. The cells, fabricated by SunPower, Inc., of Sunnyvale, California, are among 64,000 solar cells which have been installed on the Helios Prototype solar-powered aircraft to provide power to its 14 electric motors and operating systems. Developed by AeroVironment under NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project, the Helios Prototype is the forerunner of a planned fleet of slow-flying, long duration, high-altitude aircraft which can perform atmospheric science missions and serve as telecommunications relay platforms in the stratosphere. Target goals set by NASA for the giant 246-foot span flying wing include reaching and sustaining subsonic horizontal flight at 100,000 feet altitude in 2001, and sustained continuous flight for at least four days and nights in 2003 with the aid of a regenerative fuel cell-based energy storage system now in development.

8-channel prototype of SALT readout ASIC for Upstream Tracker in the upgraded LHCb experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abellan Beteta, C.; Bugiel, S.; Dasgupta, R.; Firlej, M.; Fiutowski, T.; Idzik, M.; Kane, C.; Moron, J.; Swientek, K.; Wang, J.

2017-02-01

SALT is a new 128-channel readout ASIC for silicon strip detectors in the upgraded Upstream Tracker of the LHCb experiment. It will extract and digitise analogue signals from the sensor, perform digital processing and transmit serial output data. SALT is designed in CMOS 130 nm process and uses a novel architecture comprising of an analogue front-end and an ultra-low power (<0.5 mW) fast (40 MSps) sampling 6-bit ADC in each channel. An 8-channel prototype (SALT8), comprising all important functionalities was designed, fabricated and tested. A full 128-channel version was also submitted. The design and test results of the SALT8 prototype are presented showing its full functionality.

First Results from the DUNE 35-ton Prototype using Cosmics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Insler, Jonathan; DUNE Collaboration

2016-03-01

The 35-ton prototype for the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE) Far Detector is a single-phase liquid argon time projection chamber (LAr-TPC) integrated detector that will take cosmics data for a two month run beginning in February 2016. The 35-ton prototype will characterize DUNE's Far Detector technology performance and provide a sample of real data for DUNE reconstruction algorithms. The 35-ton prototype has two drift volumes of lengths 2.23 m and 0.23 m on either side of its anode plane assembly (APA) and makes use of wire planes with wrapped wires and a photon detection system (PDS) utilizing photon detection panels read out by silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). Data from the 35-ton LAr detector are expected to provide rich information on scintillation light and charged particle tracks. We present a preliminary analysis of cosmics data taken with the 35-ton detector with a focus on stopping muons.

Alignment of the Pixel and SCT Modules for the 2004 ATLAS Combined Test Beam

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

ATLAS Collaboration; Ahmad, A.; Andreazza, A.

2008-06-02

A small set of final prototypes of the ATLAS Inner Detector silicon tracking system(Pixel Detector and SemiConductor Tracker), were used to take data during the 2004 Combined Test Beam. Data were collected from runs with beams of different flavour (electrons, pions, muons and photons) with a momentum range of 2 to 180 GeV/c. Four independent methods were used to align the silicon modules. The corrections obtained were validated using the known momenta of the beam particles and were shown to yield consistent results among the different alignment approaches. From the residual distributions, it is concluded that the precision attained inmore » the alignmentof the silicon modules is of the order of 5 mm in their most precise coordinate.« less

Large area silicon drift detectors for x-rays -- New results

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

Iwanczyk, J.S.; Patt, B.E.; Tull, C.R.

Large area silicon drift detectors, consisting of 8 mm and 12 mm diameter hexagons, were fabricated on 0.35 mm thick high resistivity n-type silicon. An external FET and a low-noise charge sensitive preamplifier were used for testing the prototype detectors. The detector performance was measured in the range 75 to 25 C using Peltier cooling, and from 0.125 to 6 {micro}s amplifier shaping time. Measured energy resolutions were 159 eV FWHM and 263 eV FWHM for the 0.5 cm{sup 2} and 1 cm{sup 2} detectors, respectively (at 5.9 keV, {minus}75 C, 6 {micro}s shaping time). The uniformity of the detectormore » response over the entire active area (measured using 560 nm light) was < 0.5%.« less

Thermal and hydrodynamic studies for micro-channel cooling for large area silicon sensors in high energy physics experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flaschel, Nils; Ariza, Dario; Díez, Sergio; Gerboles, Marta; Gregor, Ingrid-Maria; Jorda, Xavier; Mas, Roser; Quirion, David; Tackmann, Kerstin; Ullan, Miguel

2017-08-01

Micro-channel cooling initially aiming at small-sized high-power integrated circuits is being transferred to the field of high energy physics. Today's prospects of micro-fabricating silicon opens a door to a more direct cooling of detector modules. The challenge in high energy physics is to save material in the detector construction and to cool large areas. In this paper, we are investigating micro-channel cooling as a candidate for a future cooling system for silicon detectors in a generic research and development approach. The work presented in this paper includes the production and the hydrodynamic and thermal testing of a micro-channel equipped prototype optimized to achieve a homogeneous flow distribution. Furthermore, the device was simulated using finite element methods.

Polyimide-based intracortical neural implant with improved structural stiffness

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Kee-Keun; He, Jiping; Singh, Amarjit; Massia, Stephen; Ehteshami, Gholamreza; Kim, Bruce; Raupp, Gregory

2004-01-01

A novel structure for chronically implantable cortical electrodes using polyimide bio-polymer was devised, which provides both flexibility for micro-motion compliance between brain tissues and the skull and at the brain/implant interface and stiffness for better surgical handling. A 5-10 µm thick silicon backbone layer was attached to the tip of the electrode to enhance the structural stiffness. This stiff segment was then followed by a 1 mm flexible segment without a silicon backbone layer. The fabricated implants have tri-shanks with five recording sites (20 µm × 20 µm) and two vias of 40 µm × 40 µm on each shank. In vitro cytotoxicity tests of prototype implants revealed no adverse toxic effects on cells. Bench test impedance values were assessed, resulting in an average impedance value of ~2 MOmega at 1 KHz. For a 5 µm thick silicon backbone electrode, the stiffness of polyimide-based electrodes was increased ten times over that of electrodes without the silicon backbone layer. Furthermore, polyimide-based electrodes with 5 µm and 10 µm thick silicon backbone layer penetrated pia of rat brain without buckling that has been observed in implants without silicon reinforcement.

Supercapacitor electrodes based on polyaniline-silicon nanoparticle composite

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Qiang; Nayfeh, Munir H.; Yau, Siu-Tung

A composite material formed by dispersing ultrasmall silicon nanoparticles in polyaniline has been used as the electrode material for supercapacitors. Electrochemical characterization of the composite indicates that the nanoparticles give rise to double-layer capacitance while polyaniline produces pseudocapacitance. The composite shows significantly improved capacitance compared to that of polyaniline. The enhanced capacitance results in high power (220 kW kg -1) and energy-storage (30 Wh kg -1) capabilities of the composite material. A prototype supercapacitor using the composite as the charge storage material has been constructed. The capacitor showed the enhanced capacitance and good device stability during 1000 charging/discharging cycles.

High-temperature ceramics for automobile gas turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Walzer, P.

1978-01-01

The employment of the high operational temperatures makes it necessary to use, for the construction of the turbines, ceramic materials such as silicon nitride or silicon carbide. Investigations concerning the development of turbine components made of such materials are conducted by a German automobile manufacturer and the ceramics industry. The current status of these investigations is reviewed. Flame tubes and guide-vane rings have successfully passed tests lasting 20 hours. Prototype turbine wheels have withstood the effects of peripheral speeds of 450 m/s. They also showed resistance to thermal shocks which were as high as 6-0 K/s.

High performance Si immersion gratings patterned with electron beam lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gully-Santiago, Michael A.; Jaffe, Daniel T.; Brooks, Cynthia B.; Wilson, Daniel W.; Muller, Richard E.

2014-07-01

Infrared spectrographs employing silicon immersion gratings can be significantly more compact than spectro- graphs using front-surface gratings. The Si gratings can also offer continuous wavelength coverage at high spectral resolution. The grooves in Si gratings are made with semiconductor lithography techniques, to date almost entirely using contact mask photolithography. Planned near-infrared astronomical spectrographs require either finer groove pitches or higher positional accuracy than standard UV contact mask photolithography can reach. A collaboration between the University of Texas at Austin Silicon Diffractive Optics Group and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory Microdevices Laboratory has experimented with direct writing silicon immersion grating grooves with electron beam lithography. The patterning process involves depositing positive e-beam resist on 1 to 30 mm thick, 100 mm diameter monolithic crystalline silicon substrates. We then use the facility JEOL 9300FS e-beam writer at JPL to produce the linear pattern that defines the gratings. There are three key challenges to produce high-performance e-beam written silicon immersion gratings. (1) E- beam field and subfield stitching boundaries cause periodic cross-hatch structures along the grating grooves. The structures manifest themselves as spectral and spatial dimension ghosts in the diffraction limited point spread function (PSF) of the diffraction grating. In this paper, we show that the effects of e-beam field boundaries must be mitigated. We have significantly reduced ghost power with only minor increases in write time by using four or more field sizes of less than 500 μm. (2) The finite e-beam stage drift and run-out error cause large-scale structure in the wavefront error. We deal with this problem by applying a mark detection loop to check for and correct out minuscule stage drifts. We measure the level and direction of stage drift and show that mark detection reduces peak-to-valley wavefront error by a factor of 5. (3) The serial write process for typical gratings yields write times of about 24 hours- this makes prototyping costly. We discuss work with negative e-beam resist to reduce the fill factor of exposure, and therefore limit the exposure time. We also discuss the tradeoffs of long write-time serial write processes like e-beam with UV photomask lithography. We show the results of experiments on small pattern size prototypes on silicon wafers. Current prototypes now exceed 30 dB of suppression on spectral and spatial dimension ghosts compared to monochromatic spectral purity measurements of the backside of Si echelle gratings in reflection at 632 nm. We perform interferometry at 632 nm in reflection with a 25 mm circular beam on a grating with a blaze angle of 71.6°. The measured wavefront error is 0.09 waves peak to valley.

Optical memory development. Volume 1: prototype memory system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cosentino, L. S.; Mezrich, R. S.; Nagle, E. M.; Stewart, W. C.; Wendt, F. S.

1972-01-01

The design, development, and implementation of a prototype, partially populated, million bit read-write holographic memory system using state-of-the-art components are described. The system employs an argon ion laser, acoustooptic beam deflectors, a holographic beam splitter (hololens), a nematic liquid crystal page composer, a photoconductor-thermoplastic erasable storage medium, a silicon P-I-N photodiode array, with lenses and electronics of both conventional and custom design. Operation of the prototype memory system was successfully demonstrated. Careful attention is given to the analysis from which the design criteria were developed. Specifications for the major components are listed, along with the details of their construction and performance. The primary conclusion resulting from this program is that the basic principles of read-write holographic memory system are well understood and are reducible to practice.

Demonstration of in-vivo Multi-Probe Tracker Based on a Si/CdTe Semiconductor Compton Camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Takeda, Shin'ichiro; Odaka, Hirokazu; Ishikawa, Shin-nosuke; Watanabe, Shin; Aono, Hiroyuki; Takahashi, Tadayuki; Kanayama, Yousuke; Hiromura, Makoto; Enomoto, Shuichi

2012-02-01

By using a prototype Compton camera consisting of silicon (Si) and cadmium telluride (CdTe) semiconductor detectors, originally developed for the ASTRO-H satellite mission, an experiment involving imaging multiple radiopharmaceuticals injected into a living mouse was conducted to study its feasibility for medical imaging. The accumulation of both iodinated (131I) methylnorcholestenol and 85Sr into the mouse's organs was simultaneously imaged by the prototype. This result implies that the Compton camera is expected to become a multi-probe tracker available in nuclear medicine and small animal imaging.

Latest R&D news and beam test performance of the highly granular SiW-ECAL technological prototype for the ILC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Irles, A.

2018-02-01

High precision physics at future colliders as the International Linear Collider (ILC) require unprecedented high precision in the determination of the energy of final state particles. The needed precision will be achieved thanks to the Particle Flow algorithms (PF) which require highly granular and hermetic calorimeters systems. The physical proof of concept of the PF was performed in the previous campaign of beam tests of physic prototypes within the CALICE collaboration. One of these prototypes was the physics prototype of the Silicon-Tungsten Electromagnetic Calorimeter (SiW-ECAL) for the ILC. In this document we present the latest news on R&D of the next generation prototype, the technological prototype with fully embedded very front-end (VFE) electronics, of the SiW-ECAL. Special emphasis is given to the presentation and discussion of the first results from the beam test done at DESY in June 2017. The physics program for such beam test consisted in the calibration and commissioning of the current set of available SiW ECAL modules; the test of performance of individual slabs under 1T magnetic fields; and the study of electromagnetic showers events.

Performance of In-Pixel Circuits for Photon Counting Arrays (PCAs) Based on Polycrystalline Silicon TFTs

PubMed Central

Liang, Albert K.; Koniczek, Martin; Antonuk, Larry E.; El-Mohri, Youcef; Zhao, Qihua; Street, Robert A.; Lu, Jeng Ping

2017-01-01

Photon counting arrays (PCAs), defined as pixelated imagers which measure the absorbed energy of x-ray photons individually and record this information digitally, are of increasing clinical interest. A number of PCA prototypes with a 1 mm pixel-to-pixel pitch have recently been fabricated with polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si) — a thin-film technology capable of creating monolithic imagers of a size commensurate with human anatomy. In this study, analog and digital simulation frameworks were developed to provide insight into the influence of individual poly-Si transistors on pixel circuit performance — information that is not readily available through empirical means. The simulation frameworks were used to characterize the circuit designs employed in the prototypes. The analog framework, which determines the noise produced by individual transistors, was used to estimate energy resolution, as well as to identify which transistors contribute the most noise. The digital framework, which analyzes how well circuits function in the presence of significant variations in transistor properties, was used to estimate how fast a circuit can produce an output (referred to as output count rate). In addition, an algorithm was developed and used to estimate the minimum pixel pitch that could be achieved for the pixel circuits of the current prototypes. The simulation frameworks predict that the analog component of the PCA prototypes could have energy resolution as low as 8.9% FWHM at 70 keV; and the digital components should work well even in the presence of significant TFT variations, with the fastest component having output count rates as high as 3 MHz. Finally, based on conceivable improvements in the underlying fabrication process, the algorithm predicts that the 1 mm pitch of the current PCA prototypes could be reduced significantly, potentially to between ~240 and 290 μm. PMID:26878107

Performance of in-pixel circuits for photon counting arrays (PCAs) based on polycrystalline silicon TFTs.

PubMed

Liang, Albert K; Koniczek, Martin; Antonuk, Larry E; El-Mohri, Youcef; Zhao, Qihua; Street, Robert A; Lu, Jeng Ping

2016-03-07

Photon counting arrays (PCAs), defined as pixelated imagers which measure the absorbed energy of x-ray photons individually and record this information digitally, are of increasing clinical interest. A number of PCA prototypes with a 1 mm pixel-to-pixel pitch have recently been fabricated with polycrystalline silicon (poly-Si)-a thin-film technology capable of creating monolithic imagers of a size commensurate with human anatomy. In this study, analog and digital simulation frameworks were developed to provide insight into the influence of individual poly-Si transistors on pixel circuit performance-information that is not readily available through empirical means. The simulation frameworks were used to characterize the circuit designs employed in the prototypes. The analog framework, which determines the noise produced by individual transistors, was used to estimate energy resolution, as well as to identify which transistors contribute the most noise. The digital framework, which analyzes how well circuits function in the presence of significant variations in transistor properties, was used to estimate how fast a circuit can produce an output (referred to as output count rate). In addition, an algorithm was developed and used to estimate the minimum pixel pitch that could be achieved for the pixel circuits of the current prototypes. The simulation frameworks predict that the analog component of the PCA prototypes could have energy resolution as low as 8.9% full width at half maximum (FWHM) at 70 keV; and the digital components should work well even in the presence of significant thin-film transistor (TFT) variations, with the fastest component having output count rates as high as 3 MHz. Finally, based on conceivable improvements in the underlying fabrication process, the algorithm predicts that the 1 mm pitch of the current PCA prototypes could be reduced significantly, potentially to between ~240 and 290 μm.

Laser Doppler imaging of cutaneous blood flow through transparent face masks: a necessary preamble to computer-controlled rapid prototyping fabrication with submillimeter precision.

PubMed

Allely, Rebekah R; Van-Buendia, Lan B; Jeng, James C; White, Patricia; Wu, Jingshu; Niszczak, Jonathan; Jordan, Marion H

2008-01-01

A paradigm shift in management of postburn facial scarring is lurking "just beneath the waves" with the widespread availability of two recent technologies: precise three-dimensional scanning/digitizing of complex surfaces and computer-controlled rapid prototyping three-dimensional "printers". Laser Doppler imaging may be the sensible method to track the scar hyperemia that should form the basis of assessing progress and directing incremental changes in the digitized topographical face mask "prescription". The purpose of this study was to establish feasibility of detecting perfusion through transparent face masks using the Laser Doppler Imaging scanner. Laser Doppler images of perfusion were obtained at multiple facial regions on five uninjured staff members. Images were obtained without a mask, followed by images with a loose fitting mask with and without a silicone liner, and then with a tight fitting mask with and without a silicone liner. Right and left oblique images, in addition to the frontal images, were used to overcome unobtainable measurements at the extremes of face mask curvature. General linear model, mixed model, and t tests were used for data analysis. Three hundred seventy-five measurements were used for analysis, with a mean perfusion unit of 299 and pixel validity of 97%. The effect of face mask pressure with and without the silicone liner was readily quantified with significant changes in mean cutaneous blood flow (P < .5). High valid pixel rate laser Doppler imager flow data can be obtained through transparent face masks. Perfusion decreases with the application of pressure and with silicone. Every participant measured differently in perfusion units; however, consistent perfusion patterns in the face were observed.

The Imaging Properties of a Silicon Wafer X-Ray Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joy, M. K.; Kolodziejczak, J. J.; Weisskopf, M. C.; Fair, S.; Ramsey, B. D.

1994-01-01

Silicon wafers have excellent optical properties --- low microroughness and good medium-scale flatness --- which Make them suitable candidates for inexpensive flat-plate grazing-incidence x-ray mirrors. On short spatial scales (less than 3 mm) the surface quality of silicon wafers rivals that expected of the Advanced X-Ray Astrophysics Facility (AXAF) high-resolution optics. On larger spatial scales, however, performance may be degraded by the departure from flatness of the wafer and by distortions induced by the mounting scheme. In order to investigate such effects, we designed and constructed a prototype silicon-wafer x-ray telescope. The device was then tested in both visible light and x rays. The telescope module consists of 94 150-mm-diameter wafers, densely packed into the first stage of a Kirkpatrick-Baez configuration. X-ray tests at three energies (4.5, 6.4, and 8.0 keV) showed an energy-independent line spread function with full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 150 arcseconds, dominated by deviations from large-scale flatness.

Slicing of silicon into sheet material: Silicon sheet growth development for the large area silicon sheet task of the Low Cost Silicon Solar Array project

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fleming, J. R.

1978-01-01

The limits of blade tolerance were defined. The standard blades are T-2 thickness tolerance. Good results were obtained by using a slurry fluid consisting of mineral oil and a lubricity additive. Adjustments of the formulation and fine tuning of the cutting process with the new fluid are necessary. Test results and consultation indicate that the blade breakage encountered with water based slurries is unavoidable. Two full capacity (974 wafer) runs were made on the large prototype saw. Both runs resulted in extremely low yield. However, the reasons for the low yield were lack of proper technique rather than problems with machine function. The test on the effect of amount of material etched off of an as-sawn wafer on solar cell efficiency were completed. The results agree with previous work at JPL in that the minimum material removed per side that gives maximum efficiency is on the order of 10 microns.

Performance evaluation of the analogue front-end and ADC prototypes for the Gotthard-II development

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J.; Andrä, M.; Barten, R.; Bergamaschi, A.; Brückner, M.; Dinapoli, R.; Fröjdh, E.; Greiffenberg, D.; Lopez-Cuenca, C.; Mezza, D.; Mozzanica, A.; Ramilli, M.; Redford, S.; Ruat, M.; Ruder, C.; Schmitt, B.; Shi, X.; Thattil, D.; Tinti, G.; Turcato, M.; Vetter, S.

2017-12-01

Gotthard-II is a silicon microstrip detector developed for the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser (XFEL.EU). Its potential scientific applications include X-ray absorption/emission spectroscopy, hard X-ray high resolution single-shot spectrometry (HiREX), energy dispersive experiments at 4.5 MHz frame rate, beam diagnostics, as well as veto signal generation for pixel detectors. Gotthard-II uses a silicon microstrip sensor with a pitch of 50 μm or 25 μm and with 1280 or 2560 channels wire-bonded to readout chips (ROCs). In the ROC, an adaptive gain switching pre-amplifier (PRE), a fully differential Correlated-Double-Sampling (CDS) stage, an Analog-to-Digital Converter (ADC) as well as a Static Random-Access Memory (SRAM) capable of storing all the 2700 images in an XFEL.EU bunch train will be implemented. Several prototypes with different designs of the analogue front-end (PRE and CDS) and ADC test structures have been fabricated in UMC-110 nm CMOS technology and their performance has been evaluated. In this paper, the performance of the analogue front-end and ADC will be summarized.

Overview of the Micro Vertex Detector for the P bar ANDA experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Calvo, Daniela; P¯ANDA MVD Group

2017-02-01

The P bar ANDA experiment is devoted to study interactions between cooled antiproton beams and a fixed target (the interaction rate is of about 107 events/s), hydrogen or heavier nuclei. The innermost tracker of P bar ANDA is the Micro Vertex Detector (MVD), specially designed to ensure the secondary vertex resolution for the discrimination of short-lived charmonium states. Hybrid epitaxial silicon pixels and double-sided silicon microstrips will equip four barrels, arranged around the interaction point, and six forward disks. The experiment features a triggerless architecture with a master clock of 160 MHz, therefore the MVD has to run with a continuous data transmission where the hits need precise timestamps. The energy loss of the particles in the sensor will be measured as well. The challenging request of a triggerless readout suggested to develop custom readout chips for both pixel (ToPix) and microstrip (PASTA) devices. To validate components and the triggerless readout architecture, prototypes have been built and tested. After an overview of the MVD, the technological aspects and performances of some prototypes will be reported.

Large area silicon drift detectors for x-rays -- New results

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

Iwanczyk, J.S.; Patt, B.E.; Tull, C.R.

Large area silicon drift detectors, consisting of 8 mm and 12 mm diameter hexagons, were fabricated on 0.35 mm thick high resistivity n-type silicon. An external FET and a low-noise charge sensitive preamplifier were used for testing the prototype detectors. The detector performance was measured in the range {minus}75 to 25 C using Peltier cooling, and from 0.125 to 6 {micro}s amplifier shaping time. Measured energy resolutions were 159 eV FWHM and 263 eV FWHM for the 0.5 cm{sup 2} and 1 cm{sup 2} detectors, respectively (at 5.9 keV, {minus}75 C, 6 {micro}s shaping time). The uniformity of the detectormore » response over the entire active area (measured using 560 nm light) was <0.5%.« less

Results from the NA62 Gigatracker Prototype: A Low-Mass and sub-ns Time Resolution Silicon Pixel Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiorini, M.; Rinella, G. Aglieri; Carassiti, V.; Ceccucci, A.; Gil, E. Cortina; Ramusino, A. Cotta; Dellacasa, G.; Garbolino, S.; Jarron, P.; Kaplon, J.; Kluge, A.; Marchetto, F.; Mapelli, A.; Martin, E.; Mazza, G.; Morel, M.; Noy, M.; Nuessle, G.; Petagna, P.; Petrucci, F.; Perktold, L.; Riedler, P.; Rivetti, A.; Statera, M.; Velghe, B.

The Gigatracker (GTK) is a hybrid silicon pixel detector developed for NA62, the experiment aimed at studying ultra-rare kaon decays at the CERN SPS. Three GTK stations will provide precise momentum and angular measurements on every track of the high intensity NA62 hadron beam with a time-tagging resolution of 150 ps. Multiple scattering and hadronic interactions of beam particles in the GTK have to be minimized to keep background events at acceptable levels, hence the total material budget is fixed to 0.5% X0 per station. In addition the calculated fluence for 100 days of running is 2×1014 1 MeV neq/cm2, comparable to the one expected for the inner trackers of LHC detectors in 10 years of operation. These requirements pose challenges for the development of an efficient and low-mass cooling system, to be operated in vacuum, and on the thinning of read-out chips to 100 μm or less. The most challenging requirement is represented by the time resolution, which can be achieved by carefully compensating for the discriminator time-walk. For this purpose, two complementary read-out architectures have been designed and produced as small-scale prototypes: the first is based on the use of a Time-over-Threshold circuit followed by a TDC shared by a group of pixels, while the other uses a constant-fraction discriminator followed by an on-pixel TDC. The readout pixel ASICs are produced in 130 nm IBM CMOS technology and bump-bonded to 200 μm thick silicon sensors. The Gigatracker detector system is described with particular emphasis on recent experimental results obtained from laboratory and beam tests of prototype bump-bonded assemblies, which show a time resolution of less than 200 ps for single hits.

Adaptive optics high-resolution IR spectroscopy with silicon grisms and immersion gratings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Jian; McDavitt, Daniel L.; Chakraborty, Abhijit; Bernecker, John L.; Miller, Shane

2003-02-01

The breakthrough of silicon immersion grating technology at Penn State has the ability to revolutionize high-resolution infrared spectroscopy when it is coupled with adaptive optics at large ground-based telescopes. Fabrication of high quality silicon grism and immersion gratings up to 2 inches in dimension, less than 1% integrated scattered light, and diffraction-limited performance becomes a routine process thanks to newly developed techniques. Silicon immersion gratings with etched dimensions of ~ 4 inches are being developed at Penn State. These immersion gratings will be able to provide a diffraction-limited spectral resolution of R = 300,000 at 2.2 micron, or 130,000 at 4.6 micron. Prototype silicon grisms have been successfully used in initial scientific observations at the Lick 3m telescope with adaptive optics. Complete K band spectra of a total of 6 T Tauri and Ae/Be stars and their close companions at a spectral resolution of R ~ 3000 were obtained. This resolving power was achieved by using a silicon echelle grism with a 5 mm pupil diameter in an IR camera. These results represent the first scientific observations conducted by the high-resolution silicon grisms, and demonstrate the extremely high dispersing power of silicon-based gratings. New discoveries from this high spatial and spectral resolution IR spectroscopy will be reported. The future of silicon-based grating applications in ground-based AO IR instruments is promising. Silicon immersion gratings will make very high-resolution spectroscopy (R > 100,000) feasible with compact instruments for implementation on large telescopes. Silicon grisms will offer an efficient way to implement low-cost medium to high resolution IR spectroscopy (R ~ 1000-50000) through the conversion of existing cameras into spectrometers by locating a grism in the instrument's pupil location.

Pushing the Limits of Broadband and High-Frequency Metamaterial Silicon Antireflection Coatings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coughlin, K. P.; McMahon, J. J.; Crowley, K. T.; Koopman, B. J.; Miller, K. H.; Simon, S. M.; Wollack, E. J.

2018-05-01

Broadband refractive optics realized from high-index materials provide compelling design solutions for the next generation of observatories for the cosmic microwave background and for sub-millimeter astronomy. In this paper, work is presented which extends the state of the art in silicon lenses with metamaterial antireflection coatings toward larger-bandwidth and higher-frequency operation. Examples presented include octave bandwidth coatings with less than 0.5% reflection, a prototype 4:1 bandwidth coating, and a coating optimized for 1.4 THz. For these coatings, the detailed design, fabrication and testing processes are described as well as the inherent performance trade-offs.

Multi-pinhole SPECT Imaging with Silicon Strip Detectors

PubMed Central

Peterson, Todd E.; Shokouhi, Sepideh; Furenlid, Lars R.; Wilson, Donald W.

2010-01-01

Silicon double-sided strip detectors offer outstanding instrinsic spatial resolution with reasonable detection efficiency for iodine-125 emissions. This spatial resolution allows for multiple-pinhole imaging at low magnification, minimizing the problem of multiplexing. We have conducted imaging studies using a prototype system that utilizes a detector of 300-micrometer thickness and 50-micrometer strip pitch together with a 23-pinhole collimator. These studies include an investigation of the synthetic-collimator imaging approach, which combines multiple-pinhole projections acquired at multiple magnifications to obtain tomographic reconstructions from limited-angle data using the ML-EM algorithm. Sub-millimeter spatial resolution was obtained, demonstrating the basic validity of this approach. PMID:20953300

Design and implementation of a micromechanical silicon resonant accelerometer.

PubMed

Huang, Libin; Yang, Hui; Gao, Yang; Zhao, Liye; Liang, Jinxing

2013-11-19

The micromechanical silicon resonant accelerometer has attracted considerable attention in the research and development of high-precision MEMS accelerometers because of its output of quasi-digital signals, high sensitivity, high resolution, wide dynamic range, anti-interference capacity and good stability. Because of the mismatching thermal expansion coefficients of silicon and glass, the micromechanical silicon resonant accelerometer based on the Silicon on Glass (SOG) technique is deeply affected by the temperature during the fabrication, packaging and use processes. The thermal stress caused by temperature changes directly affects the frequency output of the accelerometer. Based on the working principle of the micromechanical resonant accelerometer, a special accelerometer structure that reduces the temperature influence on the accelerometer is designed. The accelerometer can greatly reduce the thermal stress caused by high temperatures in the process of fabrication and packaging. Currently, the closed-loop drive circuit is devised based on a phase-locked loop. The unloaded resonant frequencies of the prototype of the micromechanical silicon resonant accelerometer are approximately 31.4 kHz and 31.5 kHz. The scale factor is 66.24003 Hz/g. The scale factor stability is 14.886 ppm, the scale factor repeatability is 23 ppm, the bias stability is 23 μg, the bias repeatability is 170 μg, and the bias temperature coefficient is 0.0734 Hz/°C.

Electromagnetic crystal based terahertz thermal radiators and components

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Ziran

This dissertation presents the investigation of thermal radiation from three-dimensional electromagnetic crystals (EMXT), as well as the development of a THz rapid prototyping fabrication technique and its application in THz EMXT components and micro-system fabrication and integration. First, it is proposed that thermal radiation from a 3-D EMXT would be greatly enhanced at the band gap edge frequency due to the redistribution of photon density of states (DOS) within the crystal. A THz thermal radiator could thus be built upon a THz EMXT by utilizing the exceptional emission peak(s) around its band gap frequency. The thermal radiation enhancement effects of various THz EMXT including both silicon and tungsten woodpile structures (WPS) and cubic photonic cavity (CPC) array are explored. The DOS of all three structures are calculated, and their thermal radiation intensities are predicted using Planck's Equation. These calculations show that the DOS of the silicon and tungsten WPS can be enhanced by a factor of 11.8 around 364 GHz and 2.6 around 406 GHz respectively, in comparison to the normal blackbody radiation at same frequencies. An enhancement factor of more than 100 is obtained in calculation from the CPC array. A silicon WPS with a band gap around 200 GHz has been designed and fabricated. Thermal emissivity of the silicon WPS sample is measured with a control blackbody as reference. And enhancements of the emission from the WPS over the control blackbody are observed at several frequencies quite consistent with the theoretical predictions. Second, the practical challenge of THz EMXT component and system fabrication is met by a THz rapid prototyping technique developed by us. Using this technique, the fabrications of several EMXTs with 3D electromagnetic band gaps in the 100-400 GHz range are demonstrated. Characterization of the samples via THz Time-domain Spectroscopy (THz-TDS) shows very good agreement with simulation, confirming the build accuracy of this prototyping approach. Third, an all-dielectric THz waveguide is designed, fabricated and characterized. The design is based on hollow-core EMXT waveguide, and the fabrication is implemented with the THz prototyping method. Characterization results of the waveguide power loss factor show good consistency with the simulation, and waveguide propagation loss as low as 0.03 dB/mm at 105 GHz is demonstrated. Several design parameters are also varied and their impacts on the waveguide performance investigated theoretically. Finally, a THz EMXT antenna based on expanding the defect radius of the EMXT waveguide to a horn shape is proposed and studied. The boresight directivity and main beam angular width of the optimized EMXT horn antenna is comparable with a copper horn antenna of the same dimensions at low frequencies, and much better than the copper horn at high frequencies. The EMXT antenna has been successfully fabricated via the same THz prototyping, and we believe this is the first time an EMXT antenna of this architecture is fabricated. Far-field measurement of the EMXT antenna radiation pattern is undergoing. Also, in order to integrate planar THz solid-state devices (especially source and detector) and THz samples under test with the potential THz micro-system fabricate-able by the prototyping approach, an EMXT waveguide-to-microstrip line transition structure is designed. The structure uses tapered solid dielectric waveguides on both ends to transit THz energy from the EMXT waveguide defect onto the microstrip line. Simulation of the transition structure in a back-to-back configuration yields about -15 dB insertion loss mainly due to the dielectric material loss. The coupling and radiation loss of the transition structure is estimated to be -2.115 dB. The fabrication and characterization of the transition system is currently underway. With all the above THz components realized in the future, integrated THz micro-systems manufactured by the same prototyping technique will be achieved, with low cost, high quality, self-sufficiency, and great customizability.

Hybrid integration of III-V and silicon materials and devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Zhongsheng

Laser liftoff (LLO) based hybrid integration techniques including the double-transfer process and the pixel-to-point transfer process have been developed to integrate III-V photonics with silicon materials and circuitry. No degradation in the device performance has been observed using the LLO based transfer techniques. On the contrary, performance improvements in both electrical characteristics and electroluminescence (EL) output have been found for the (In,Ga)N light emitting diodes (LEDs) transferred onto Si substrate. Based on computer simulation, it is found that as much as 70% enhancement in EL output could be expected by optimizing the metal layering on the backside of the transferred LEDs. In order to understand the existing experimental data and improve controllability and damage-free transfer yield of the LLO process, a novel, comprehensive LLO model based on thermal-mechanical analysis has been proposed and developed. The LLO model has been validated in the well-studied GaN/sapphire system. By employing the LLO based transfer technique, two optoelectronic systems have been designed and demonstrated. The first one is an integrated fluorescence microsystem, which involved the integration of Cd(S,Se) bandgap filters, (In,Ga)N LEDs, Poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) microfluidic channels with a pre-fabricated Si PIN photodiode chip. Prototypes with both one color (blue LED) excitation and two-color (blue and green LED) excitation have consistently demonstrated a detection capability of as low as 1 nM fluosphere beads using Molecular Probes FluoSpheresRTM dye. Furthermore, the feasibility of multi-wavelength design has been verified using the bi-wavelength prototype. To optimize signal-to-noise ratio and detection sensitivity of the microsystem via system design, an in-depth mathematic analysis has also been performed. The second application is a zero-footprint optical metrology wafer, which relies on the reflection at the optical detection window, through which important parameters such as thickness, refractive index and density of the film on top of the detecting window can be probed in a real-time and location-specific manner. A novel methodology has been developed to ensure accurate and precise measurement across the wafer. A prototype wafer with 3x3 metrology cells has been prototyped and calibrated using a SF6 plasma etching process of silicon oxide.

Epitaxial Growth of beta-Silicon Carbide (SiC) on a Compliant Substrate via Chemical Vapor Deposition (CVD)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mitchell, Sharanda L.

1996-01-01

Many lattice defects have been attributed to the lattice mismatch and the difference in the thermal coefficient of expansion between SiC and silicon (Si). Stacking faults, twins and antiphase boundaries are some of the lattice defects found in these SiC films. These defects may be a partial cause of the disappointing performance reported for the prototype devices fabricated from beta-SiC films. The objective of this research is to relieve some of the thermal stress due to lattice mismatch when SiC is epitaxially grown on Si. The compliant substrate is a silicon membrane 2-4 microns thick. The CVD process includes the buffer layer which is grown at 1360 C followed by a very thin epitaxial growth of SiC. Then the temperature is raised to 1500 C for the subsequent growth of SiC. Since silicon melts at 1415 C, the SiC will be grown on molten Silicon which is absorbed by a porous graphite susceptor eliminating the SiC/Si interface. We suspect that this buffer layer will yield less stressed material to help in the epitaxial growth of SiC.

Hybrid Tandem Solar Cells | Photovoltaic Research | NREL

Science.gov Websites

Hybrid Tandem Solar Cells Hybrid Tandem Solar Cells To achieve aggressive cost reductions in photovoltaics (PV) beyond the 6¢/kWh SunShot Initiative 2020 goal, module efficiency must be increased beyond on a silicon platform and that aim to provide viable prototypes for commercialization. PV Research

EC00-0283-3

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-09-18

An engineer at AeroVironment's Design Development Center in Simi Valley, California, closely inspects a set of silicon solar cells for potential defects. The cells, fabricated by SunPower, Inc., of Sunnyvale, California, are among 64,000 solar cells which have been installed on the Helios Prototype solar-powered aircraft to provide power to its 14 electric motors and operating systems.

EC00-0283-9

NASA Image and Video Library

2000-09-18

A technician at AeroVironment's Design Development Center in Simi Valley, California, checks a panel of silicon solar cells for conductivity and voltage. The bi-facial cells, fabricated by SunPower, Inc., of Sunnyvale, California, are among 64,000 solar cells which have been installed on the Helios Prototype solar-powered aircraft to provide power to its 14 electric motors and operating systems.

Si:Bi switched photoconducttor infrared detector array

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Eakin, C. E.

1983-01-01

A multiplexed infrared detector array is described. The small demonstration prototype consisted of two cryogenically cooled, bismuth doped silicon, extrinsic photoconductor pixels multiplexed onto a single output channel using an on focal plane switch integration sampling technique. Noise levels of the order of 400 to 600 rms electrons per sample were demonstrated for this chip and wire hybrid version.

Solar energy system performance evaluation: Seasonal report for IBM System 2, Togus, Maine

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The solar energy system, SIMS Prototype System 2, was designed to supply domestic hot water to single family residences. The system consists of flat plate collectors, silicone working fluid, storage tanks, pumps, heat exchanger, controls, and associated plumbing. The long term field performance of the installed system was analyzed and the results are described.

Experimental studies with two novel silicon detectors for the development of time-of-flight spectrometry of laser-accelerated proton beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Würl, M.; Reinhardt, S.; Rosenfeld, A.; Petasecca, M.; Lerch, M.; Tran, L.; Karsch, S.; Assmann, W.; Schreiber, J.; Parodi, K.

2017-01-01

Laser-accelerated proton beams exhibit remarkably different beam characteristics as compared to conventionally accelerated ion beams. About 105 to 107 particles per MeV and msr are accelerated quasi-instantaneously within about 1 ps. The resulting energy spectrum typically shows an exponentially decaying distribution. Our planned approach to determine the energy spectrum of the particles generated in each pulse is to exploit the time-of-flight (TOF) difference of protons with different kinetic energies at 1 m distance from the laser-target interaction. This requires fast and sensitive detectors. We therefore tested two prototype silicon detectors, developed at the Centre for Medical Radiation Physics at the University of Wollongong with a current amplifier, regarding their suitability for TOF-spectrometry in terms of sensitivity and timing properties. For the latter, we illuminated the detectors with short laser pulses, measured the signal current and compared it to the signal of a fast photodiode. The comparison revealed that the timing properties of both prototypes are not yet sufficient for our purpose. In contrast, our results regarding the detectors’ sensitivity are promising. The lowest detectable proton flux at 10 MeV was found to be 25 protons per ns on the detector. With this sensitivity and with a smaller pixelation of the detectors, the timing properties can be improved for new prototypes, making them potential candidates for TOF-spectrometry of laser-accelerated particle beams.

Sensors for the End-cap prototype of the Inner Tracker in the ATLAS Detector Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benítez, V.; Ullán, M.; Quirion, D.; Pellegrini, G.; Fleta, C.; Lozano, M.; Sperlich, D.; Hauser, M.; Wonsak, S.; Parzefall, U.; Mahboubi, K.; Kuehn, S.; Mori, R.; Jakobs, K.; Bernabeu, J.; García, C.; Lacasta, C.; Marco, R.; Rodriguez, D.; Santoyo, D.; Solaz, C.; Soldevila, U.; Ariza, D.; Bloch, I.; Diez, S.; Gregor, I. M.; Keller, J.; Lohwasser, K.; Peschke, R.; Poley, L.; Brenner, R.; Affolder, A.

2016-10-01

The new silicon microstrip sensors of the End-cap part of the HL-LHC ATLAS Inner Tracker (ITk) present a number of challenges due to their complex design features such as the multiple different sensor shapes, the varying strip pitch, or the built-in stereo angle. In order to investigate these specific problems, the "petalet" prototype was defined as a small End-cap prototype. The sensors for the petalet prototype include several new layout and technological solutions to investigate the issues, they have been tested in detail by the collaboration. The sensor description and detailed test results are presented in this paper. New software tools have been developed for the automatic layout generation of the complex designs. The sensors have been fabricated, characterized and delivered to the institutes in the collaboration for their assembly on petalet prototypes. This paper describes the lessons learnt from the design and tests of the new solutions implemented on these sensors, which are being used for the full petal sensor development. This has resulted in the ITk strip community acquiring the necessary expertise to develop the full End-cap structure, the petal.

Temperature dependence of the response of ultra fast silicon detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mulargia, R.; Arcidiacono, R.; Bellora, A.; Boscardin, M.; Cartiglia, N.; Cenna, F.; Cirio, R.; Dalla Betta, G. F.; Durando, S.; Fadavi, A.; Ferrero, M.; Galloway, Z.; Gruey, B.; Freeman, P.; Kramberger, G.; Mandic, I.; Monaco, V.; Obertino, M.; Pancheri, L.; Paternoster, G.; Ravera, F.; Sacchi, R.; Sadrozinski, H. F. W.; Seiden, A.; Sola, V.; Spencer, N.; Staiano, A.; Wilder, M.; Woods, N.; Zatserklyaniy, A.

2016-12-01

The Ultra Fast Silicon Detectors (UFSD) are a novel concept of silicon detectors based on the Low Gain Avalanche Diode (LGAD) technology, which are able to obtain time resolution of the order of few tens of picoseconds. First prototypes with different geometries (pads/pixels/strips), thickness (300 and 50 μm) and gain (between 5 and 20) have been recently designed and manufactured by CNM (Centro Nacional de Microelectrónica, Barcelona) and FBK (Fondazione Bruno Kessler, Trento). Several measurements on these devices have been performed in laboratory and in beam test and a dependence of the gain on the temperature has been observed. Some of the first measurements will be shown (leakage current, breakdown voltage, gain and time resolution on the 300 μm from FBK and gain on the 50 μm-thick sensor from CNM) and a comparison with the theoretically predicted trend will be discussed.

High-performance, low-voltage electroosmotic pumps with molecularly thin silicon nanomembranes

PubMed Central

Snyder, Jessica L.; Getpreecharsawas, Jirachai; Fang, David Z.; Gaborski, Thomas R.; Striemer, Christopher C.; Fauchet, Philippe M.; Borkholder, David A.; McGrath, James L.

2013-01-01

We have developed electroosmotic pumps (EOPs) fabricated from 15-nm-thick porous nanocrystalline silicon (pnc-Si) membranes. Ultrathin pnc-Si membranes enable high electroosmotic flow per unit voltage. We demonstrate that electroosmosis theory compares well with the observed pnc-Si flow rates. We attribute the high flow rates to high electrical fields present across the 15-nm span of the membrane. Surface modifications, such as plasma oxidation or silanization, can influence the electroosmotic flow rates through pnc-Si membranes by alteration of the zeta potential of the material. A prototype EOP that uses pnc-Si membranes and Ag/AgCl electrodes was shown to pump microliter per minute-range flow through a 0.5-mm-diameter capillary tubing with as low as 250 mV of applied voltage. This silicon-based platform enables straightforward integration of low-voltage, on-chip EOPs into portable microfluidic devices with low back pressures. PMID:24167263

Origami silicon optoelectronics for hemispherical electronic eye systems.

PubMed

Zhang, Kan; Jung, Yei Hwan; Mikael, Solomon; Seo, Jung-Hun; Kim, Munho; Mi, Hongyi; Zhou, Han; Xia, Zhenyang; Zhou, Weidong; Gong, Shaoqin; Ma, Zhenqiang

2017-11-24

Digital image sensors in hemispherical geometries offer unique imaging advantages over their planar counterparts, such as wide field of view and low aberrations. Deforming miniature semiconductor-based sensors with high-spatial resolution into such format is challenging. Here we report a simple origami approach for fabricating single-crystalline silicon-based focal plane arrays and artificial compound eyes that have hemisphere-like structures. Convex isogonal polyhedral concepts allow certain combinations of polygons to fold into spherical formats. Using each polygon block as a sensor pixel, the silicon-based devices are shaped into maps of truncated icosahedron and fabricated on flexible sheets and further folded either into a concave or convex hemisphere. These two electronic eye prototypes represent simple and low-cost methods as well as flexible optimization parameters in terms of pixel density and design. Results demonstrated in this work combined with miniature size and simplicity of the design establish practical technology for integration with conventional electronic devices.

An overview of silicon carbide device technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Philip G.; Matus, Lawrence G.

1992-01-01

Recent progress in the development of silicon carbide (SiC) as a semiconductor is briefly reviewed. This material shows great promise towards providing electronic devices that can operate under the high-temperature, high-radiation, and/or high-power conditions where current semiconductor technologies fail. High quality single crystal wafers have become available, and techniques for growing high quality epilayers have been refined to the point where experimental SiC devices and circuits can be developed. The prototype diodes and transistors that have been produced to date show encouraging characteristics, but by the same token they also exhibit some device-related problems that are not unlike those faced in the early days of silicon technology development. Although these problems will not prevent the implementation of some useful circuits, the performance and operating regime of SiC electronics will be limited until these device-related issues are solved.

CsI-Silicon Particle detector for Heavy ions Orbiting in Storage rings (CsISiPHOS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Najafi, M. A.; Dillmann, I.; Bosch, F.; Faestermann, T.; Gao, B.; Gernhäuser, R.; Kozhuharov, C.; Litvinov, S. A.; Litvinov, Yu. A.; Maier, L.; Nolden, F.; Popp, U.; Sanjari, M. S.; Spillmann, U.; Steck, M.; Stöhlker, T.; Weick, H.

2016-11-01

A heavy-ion detector was developed for decay studies in the Experimental Storage Ring (ESR) at the GSI Helmholtz Centre for Heavy Ion Research in Darmstadt, Germany. This detector serves as a prototype for the in-pocket particle detectors for future experiments with the Collector Ring (CR) at FAIR (Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research). The detector includes a stack of six silicon pad sensors, a double-sided silicon strip detector (DSSD), and a CsI(Tl) scintillation detector. It was used successfully in a recent experiment for the detection of the β+-decay of highly charged 142Pm60+ ions. Based on the ΔE / E technique for particle identification and an energy resolution of 0.9% for ΔE and 0.5% for E (Full Width at Half Maximum (FWHM)), the detector is well-suited to distinguish neighbouring isobars in the region of interest.

A scalable silicon photonic chip-scale optical switch for high performance computing systems.

PubMed

Yu, Runxiang; Cheung, Stanley; Li, Yuliang; Okamoto, Katsunari; Proietti, Roberto; Yin, Yawei; Yoo, S J B

2013-12-30

This paper discusses the architecture and provides performance studies of a silicon photonic chip-scale optical switch for scalable interconnect network in high performance computing systems. The proposed switch exploits optical wavelength parallelism and wavelength routing characteristics of an Arrayed Waveguide Grating Router (AWGR) to allow contention resolution in the wavelength domain. Simulation results from a cycle-accurate network simulator indicate that, even with only two transmitter/receiver pairs per node, the switch exhibits lower end-to-end latency and higher throughput at high (>90%) input loads compared with electronic switches. On the device integration level, we propose to integrate all the components (ring modulators, photodetectors and AWGR) on a CMOS-compatible silicon photonic platform to ensure a compact, energy efficient and cost-effective device. We successfully demonstrate proof-of-concept routing functions on an 8 × 8 prototype fabricated using foundry services provided by OpSIS-IME.

Production Strategies for Production-Quality Parts for Aerospace Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cawley, J. D.; Best, J. E.; Liu, Z.; Eckel, A. J.; Reed, B. D.; Fox, D. S.; Bhatt, R.; Levine, Stanley R. (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A combination of rapid prototyping processes (3D Systems' stereolithography and Sanders Prototyping's ModelMaker) are combined with gelcasting to produce high quality silicon nitride components that were performance tested under simulated use conditions. Two types of aerospace components were produced, a low-force rocket thruster and a simulated airfoil section. The rocket was tested in a test stand using varying mixtures of H2 and O2, whereas the simulated airfoil was tested by subjecting it to a 0.3 Mach jet-fuel burner flame. Both parts performed successfully, demonstrating the usefulness of the rapid prototyping in efforts to effect materials substitution. In addition, the simulated airfoil was used to explore the possibility of applying thermal/environmental barrier coatings and providing for internal cooling of ceramic parts. It is concluded that this strategy for processing offers the ceramic engineer all the flexibility normally associated with investment casting of superalloys.

Contact lines on silicone elastomers promote contamination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hourlier-Fargette, Aurelie; Antkowiak, Arnaud; Neukirch, Sebastien

2017-11-01

Silicone elastomers are used in contact with aqueous liquids in a large range of applications. Due to numerous advantages such as its flexibility, optical transparency, or gas permeability, polydimethylsiloxane is widely spread in rapid prototyping for microfluidics or elastocapillarity experiments. However, silicone elastomers are known to contain a small fraction of uncrosslinked low-molecular-weight oligomers, the effects of which are not completely understood. We show that in various setups involving an air-water-silicone elastomer contact line, a capillarity-induced extraction of uncrosslinked oligomers occurs, leading to a contamination of water-air interfaces. We investigate the case of a static air-water-PDMS contact line, before focusing on moving contact lines. A water droplet sliding down on a PDMS inclined plane or an air bubble rising on an immersed PDMS plane exhibits two successive speed regimes: the second regime is reached only when a monolayer of oligomers completely covers the water-air interface. These experiments involve processes occurring at the polymer network scale that have significant macroscopic consequences, and therefore provide a simple test to evaluate the presence of uncrosslinked oligomers in an elastomer sample.

On the role of spatial position of bridged oxygen atoms as surface passivants on the ground-state gap and photo-absorption spectrum of silicon nano-crystals

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

Nazemi, Sanaz; Soleimani, Ebrahim Asl; Pourfath, Mahdi, E-mail: pourfath@ut.ac.ir, E-mail: pourfath@iue.tuwien.ac.at

2015-11-28

Silicon nano-crystals (NCs) are potential candidates for enhancing and tuning optical properties of silicon for optoelectronic and photo-voltaic applications. Due to the high surface-to-volume ratio, however, optical properties of NC result from the interplay of quantum confinement and surface effects. In this work, we show that both the spatial position of surface terminants and their relative positions have strong effects on NC properties as well. This is accomplished by investigating the ground-state HOMO-LUMO band-gap, the photo-absorption spectra, and the localization and overlap of HOMO and LUMO orbital densities for prototype ∼1.2 nm Si{sub 32–x}H{sub 42–2x}O{sub x} hydrogenated silicon NC with bridgedmore » oxygen atoms as surface terminations. It is demonstrated that the surface passivation geometry significantly alters the localization center and thus the overlap of frontier molecular orbitals, which correspondingly modifies the electronic and optical properties of NC.« less

A High Temperature Silicon Carbide mosfet Power Module With Integrated Silicon-On-Insulator-Based Gate Drive

DOE PAGES

Wang, Zhiqiang; Shi, Xiaojie; Tolbert, Leon M.; ...

2014-04-30

Here we present a board-level integrated silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFET power module for high temperature and high power density application. Specifically, a silicon-on-insulator (SOI)-based gate driver capable of operating at 200°C ambient temperature is designed and fabricated. The sourcing and sinking current capability of the gate driver are tested under various ambient temperatures. Also, a 1200 V/100 A SiC MOSFET phase-leg power module is developed utilizing high temperature packaging technologies. The static characteristics, switching performance, and short-circuit behavior of the fabricated power module are fully evaluated at different temperatures. Moreover, a buck converter prototype composed of the SOI gate drivermore » and SiC power module is built for high temperature continuous operation. The converter is operated at different switching frequencies up to 100 kHz, with its junction temperature monitored by a thermosensitive electrical parameter and compared with thermal simulation results. The experimental results from the continuous operation demonstrate the high temperature capability of the power module at a junction temperature greater than 225°C.« less

Optimizing Floating Guard Ring Designs for FASPAX N-in-P Silicon Sensors

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

Shin, Kyung-Wook; Bradford, Robert; Lipton, Ronald

2016-10-06

FASPAX (Fermi-Argonne Semiconducting Pixel Array X-ray detector) is being developed as a fast integrating area detector with wide dynamic range for time resolved applications at the upgraded Advanced Photon Source (APS.) A burst mode detector with intendedmore » $$\\mbox{13 $$MHz$}$ image rate, FASPAX will also incorporate a novel integration circuit to achieve wide dynamic range, from single photon sensitivity to $$10^{\\text{5}}$$ x-rays/pixel/pulse. To achieve these ambitious goals, a novel silicon sensor design is required. This paper will detail early design of the FASPAX sensor. Results from TCAD optimization studies, and characterization of prototype sensors will be presented.« less

Recent Results on Gridpix Detectors:. AN Integrated Micromegas Grid and a Micromegas Ageing Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chefdeville, M.; Aarts, A.; van der Graaf, H.; van der Putten, S.

2006-04-01

A new gas-filled detector combining a Micromegas with a CMOS pixel chip has been recently tested. A procedure to integrate the Micromegas grid onto silicon wafers (‘wafer post processing’) has been developed. We aim to eventually integrate the grid on top of wafers of CMOS pixel chips. The first part of this contribution describes an application in vertex detection (GOSSIP). Then tests of the first detector prototype of a grid integrated on a bare silicon wafer are shown. Finally an ageing test of a Micromegas chamber is presented. After verifying the chambers' proportionality at a very high dose rates, the device was irradiated until ageing became apparent.

Development of silicon carbide semiconductor devices for high temperature applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Matus, Lawrence G.; Powell, J. Anthony; Petit, Jeremy B.

1991-01-01

The semiconducting properties of electronic grade silicon carbide crystals, such as wide energy bandgap, make it particularly attractive for high temperature applications. Applications for high temperature electronic devices include instrumentation for engines under development, engine control and condition monitoring systems, and power conditioning and control systems for space platforms and satellites. Discrete prototype SiC devices were fabricated and tested at elevated temperatures. Grown p-n junction diodes demonstrated very good rectification characteristics at 870 K. A depletion-mode metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor was also successfully fabricated and tested at 770 K. While optimization of SiC fabrication processes remain, it is believed that SiC is an enabling high temperature electronic technology.

Characterization of the VEGA ASIC coupled to large area position-sensitive Silicon Drift Detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Campana, R.; Evangelista, Y.; Fuschino, F.; Ahangarianabhari, M.; Macera, D.; Bertuccio, G.; Grassi, M.; Labanti, C.; Marisaldi, M.; Malcovati, P.; Rachevski, A.; Zampa, G.; Zampa, N.; Andreani, L.; Baldazzi, G.; Del Monte, E.; Favre, Y.; Feroci, M.; Muleri, F.; Rashevskaya, I.; Vacchi, A.; Ficorella, F.; Giacomini, G.; Picciotto, A.; Zuffa, M.

2014-08-01

Low-noise, position-sensitive Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) are particularly useful for experiments in which a good energy resolution combined with a large sensitive area is required, as in the case of X-ray astronomy space missions and medical applications. This paper presents the experimental characterization of VEGA, a custom Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) used as the front-end electronics for XDXL-2, a large-area (30.5 cm2) SDD prototype. The ASICs were integrated on a specifically developed PCB hosting also the detector. Results on the ASIC noise performances, both stand-alone and bonded to the large area SDD, are presented and discussed.

Monolithic microfabricated valves and pumps by multilayer soft lithography.

PubMed

Unger, M A; Chou, H P; Thorsen, T; Scherer, A; Quake, S R

2000-04-07

Soft lithography is an alternative to silicon-based micromachining that uses replica molding of nontraditional elastomeric materials to fabricate stamps and microfluidic channels. We describe here an extension to the soft lithography paradigm, multilayer soft lithography, with which devices consisting of multiple layers may be fabricated from soft materials. We used this technique to build active microfluidic systems containing on-off valves, switching valves, and pumps entirely out of elastomer. The softness of these materials allows the device areas to be reduced by more than two orders of magnitude compared with silicon-based devices. The other advantages of soft lithography, such as rapid prototyping, ease of fabrication, and biocompatibility, are retained.

The Gigatracker: An ultra-fast and low-mass silicon pixel detector for the NA62 experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fiorini, M.; Carassiti, V.; Ceccucci, A.; Cortina, E.; Cotta Ramusino, A.; Dellacasa, G.; Garbolino, S.; Jarron, P.; Kaplon, J.; Kluge, A.; Mapelli, A.; Marchetto, F.; Martin, E.; Martoiu, S.; Mazza, G.; Morel, M.; Noy, M.; Nuessle, G.; Petrucci, F.; Riedler, P.; Aglieri Rinella, G.; Rivetti, A.; Tiuraniemi, S.

2011-02-01

The Gigatracker is a hybrid silicon pixel detector developed to track the highly intense NA62 hadron beam with a time resolution of 150 ps (rms). The beam spectrometer of the experiment is composed of three Gigatracker stations installed in vacuum in order to precisely measure momentum, time and direction of every traversing particle. Precise tracking demands a very low mass of the detector assembly ( <0.5% X0 per station) in order to limit multiple scattering and beam hadronic interactions. The high rate and especially the high timing precision requirements are very demanding: two R&D options are ongoing and the corresponding prototype read-out chips have been recently designed and produced in 0.13 μm CMOS technology. One solution makes use of a constant fraction discriminator and on-pixel analogue-based time-to-digital-converter (TDC); the other comprises a delay-locked loop based TDC placed at the end of each pixel column and a time-over-threshold discriminator with time-walk correction technique. The current status of the R&D program is overviewed and results from the prototype read-out chips test are presented.

A hybrid electronically scanned pressure module for cryogenic environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chapman, J. J.; Hopson, P., Jr.; Kruse, N.

1995-01-01

Pressure is one of the most important parameters measured when testing models in wind tunnels. For models tested in the cryogenic environment of the National Transonic Facility at NASA Langley Research Center, the technique of utilizing commercially available multichannel pressure modules inside the models is difficult due to the small internal volume of the models and the requirement of keeping the pressure transducer modules within an acceptable temperature range well above the -173 degrees C tunnel temperature. A prototype multichannel pressure transducer module has been designed and fabricated with stable, repeatable sensors and materials optimized for reliable performance in the cryogenic environment. The module has 16 single crystal silicon piezoresistive pressure sensors electrostatically bonded to a metalized Pyrex substrate for sensing the wind tunnel model pressures. An integral temperature sensor mounted on each silicon micromachined pressure sensor senses real-time temperature fluctuations to within 0.1 degrees C to correct for thermally induced non-random sensor drift. The data presented here are from a prototype sensor module tested in the 0.3 M cryogenic tunnel and thermal equilibrium conditions in an environmental chamber which approximates the thermal environment (-173 degrees C to +60 degrees C) of the National Transonic Facility.

Design of an optical system for interrogation of implanted luminescent sensors and verification with silicone skin phantoms.

PubMed

Long, Ruiqi; McShane, Mike

2012-09-01

Implantable luminescent sensors are being developed for on-demand monitoring of blood glucose levels. For these sensors to be deployed in vivo, a matched external hardware system is needed. In this paper, we designed a compact, low-cost optical system with highly efficient photon delivery and collection using advanced optical modeling software. Compared to interrogation with a fiber bundle, the new system was predicted to improve interrogation efficiency by a factor of 200 for native sensors; an improvement of 37 times was predicted for sensors implanted at a depth of 1 mm in a skin-simulating phantom. A physical prototype was tested using silicone-based skin phantoms developed specifically to mimic the scattering and absorbing properties of human skin. The experimental evaluations revealed that the prototype device performed in agreement with expectations from simulation results, resulting in an overall improvement of over 2000 times. This efficient system enables use of a low-cost commercial spectrometer for recording sensor emission, which was not possible using only fiber optic delivery and collection, and will be used as a tool for in vivo studies with animal models or human subjects.

Optimization of performance parameters for large area silicon photomultipliers for use in the GlueX experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janzen, Kathryn Louise

Largely because of their resistance to magnetic fields, silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are being considered as the readout for the GlueX Barrel Calorimeter, a key component of the GlueX detector located immediately inside a 2.2 T superconducting solenoid. SiPMs with active area 1 x 1 mm2 have been investigated for use in other experiments, but detectors with larger active areas are required for the GlueX BCAL. This puts the GlueX collaboration in the unique position of being pioneers in the use of this frontend detection revolution by driving the technology for larger area sensors. SensL, a photonics research and development company in Ireland, has been collaborating with the University of Regina GlueX group to develop prototype large area SiPMs comprising 16 - 3x3 mm2 cells assembled in a close-packed matrix. Performance parameters of individual SensL 1x1 mm2 and 3x3 mm2 SiPMs along with prototype SensL SiPM arrays are tested, including current versus voltage characteristics, photon detection efficiency, and gain uniformity, in an effort to determine the suitability of these detectors to the GlueX BCAL readout.

Back-end and interface implementation of the STS-XYTER2 prototype ASIC for the CBM experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kasinski, K.; Szczygiel, R.; Zabolotny, W.

2016-11-01

Each front-end readout ASIC for the High-Energy Physics experiments requires robust and effective hit data streaming and control mechanism. A new STS-XYTER2 full-size prototype chip for the Silicon Tracking System and Muon Chamber detectors in the Compressed Baryonic Matter experiment at Facility for Antiproton and Ion Research (FAIR, Germany) is a 128-channel time and amplitude measuring solution for silicon microstrip and gas detectors. It operates at 250 kHit/s/channel hit rate, each hit producing 27 bits of information (5-bit amplitude, 14-bit timestamp, position and diagnostics data). The chip back-end implements fast front-end channel read-out, timestamp-wise hit sorting, and data streaming via a scalable interface implementing the dedicated protocol (STS-HCTSP) for chip control and hit transfer with data bandwidth from 9.7 MHit/s up to 47 MHit/s. It also includes multiple options for link diagnostics, failure detection, and throttling features. The back-end is designed to operate with the data acquisition architecture based on the CERN GBTx transceivers. This paper presents the details of the back-end and interface design and its implementation in the UMC 180 nm CMOS process.

Evolution of a phase separated gravity independent bioreactor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Villeneuve, Peter E.; Dunlop, Eric H.

1992-01-01

The evolution of a phase-separated gravity-independent bioreactor is described. The initial prototype, a zero head-space manifold silicone membrane based reactor, maintained large diffusional resistances. Obtaining oxygen transfer rates needed to support carbon-recycling aerobic microbes is impossible if large resistances are maintained. Next generation designs (Mark I and II) mimic heat exchanger design to promote turbulence at the tubing-liquid interface, thereby reducing liquid and gas side diffusional resistances. While oxygen transfer rates increased by a factor of ten, liquid channeling prevented further increases. To overcome these problems, a Mark III reactor was developed which maintains inverted phases, i.e., media flows inside the silicone tubing, oxygen gas is applied external to the tubing. This enhances design through changes in gas side driving force concentration and liquid side turbulence levels. Combining an applied external pressure of 4 atm with increased Reynolds numbers resulted in oxygen transfer intensities of 232 mmol O2/l per hr (1000 times greater than the first prototype and comparable to a conventional fermenter). A 1.0 liter Mark III reactor can potentially deliver oxygen supplies necessary to support cell cultures needed to recycle a 10-astronaut carbon load continuously.

Prototyping an active neutron veto for SuperCDMS

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

Calkins, Robert; Loer, Ben

2015-08-17

Neutrons, originating cosmogenically or from radioactive decays, can produce signals in dark matter detectors that are indistinguishable from Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). To combat this background for the SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment, we are investigating designs for an active neutron veto within the constrained space of the compact SuperCDMS passive shielding. The current design employs an organic liquid scintillator mixed with an agent to enhance thermal neutron captures, with the scintillation light collected using wavelength-shifting fibers and read out by silicon photo-multipliers. We will describe the proposed veto and its predicted efficiency in detail and give some recent results frommore » our R&D and prototyping efforts.« less

Prototyping an Active Neutron Veto for SuperCDMS

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

Calkins, Robert; Loer, Ben

2015-08-17

Neutrons, originating cosmogenically or from radioactive decays, can produce signals in dark matter detectors that are indistinguishable from Weakly Interacting Massive Particles (WIMPs). To combat this background for the SuperCDMS SNOLAB experiment, we are investigating designs for an active neutron veto within the constrained space of the compact SuperCDMS passive shielding. The current design employs an organic liquid scintillator mixed with an agent to enhance thermal neutron captures, with the scintillation light collected using wavelength-shifting fibers and read out by silicon photo-multipliers. We will describe the proposed veto and its predicted efficiency in detail and give some recent results frommore » our R&D and prototyping efforts.« less

Performance of a Prototype Stationary Catadioptric Concentrating Photovoltaic Module

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

Lloyd, John V.; Kozodoy, Peter; Gladden, Christopher

A stationary catadioptric concentrating photovoltaic module with aperture area over 100 cm2, geometric concentration of 180x, and collection within 60° of polar incidence was designed, prototyped, and characterized. The module performance followed modeling closely with a peak power conversion efficiency of 26% for direct irradiance. Tracking of the sun is accomplished via translational micro-tracking completely internal to the module, avoiding the cost and complexity of mechanical two-axis trackers that point towards the sun. This study demonstrates the potential for concentrating photovoltaic modules with significantly higher efficiency than industry standard silicon photovoltaic modules that could be installed in stationary configurations onmore » rooftops.« less

Performance of a Prototype Stationary Catadioptric Concentrating Photovoltaic Module

DOE PAGES

Lloyd, John V.; Kozodoy, Peter; Gladden, Christopher; ...

2018-03-28

A stationary catadioptric concentrating photovoltaic module with aperture area over 100 cm2, geometric concentration of 180x, and collection within 60° of polar incidence was designed, prototyped, and characterized. The module performance followed modeling closely with a peak power conversion efficiency of 26% for direct irradiance. Tracking of the sun is accomplished via translational micro-tracking completely internal to the module, avoiding the cost and complexity of mechanical two-axis trackers that point towards the sun. This study demonstrates the potential for concentrating photovoltaic modules with significantly higher efficiency than industry standard silicon photovoltaic modules that could be installed in stationary configurations onmore » rooftops.« less

Design and Implementation of a Micromechanical Silicon Resonant Accelerometer

PubMed Central

Huang, Libin; Yang, Hui; Gao, Yang; Zhao, Liye; Liang, Jinxing

2013-01-01

The micromechanical silicon resonant accelerometer has attracted considerable attention in the research and development of high-precision MEMS accelerometers because of its output of quasi-digital signals, high sensitivity, high resolution, wide dynamic range, anti-interference capacity and good stability. Because of the mismatching thermal expansion coefficients of silicon and glass, the micromechanical silicon resonant accelerometer based on the Silicon on Glass (SOG) technique is deeply affected by the temperature during the fabrication, packaging and use processes. The thermal stress caused by temperature changes directly affects the frequency output of the accelerometer. Based on the working principle of the micromechanical resonant accelerometer, a special accelerometer structure that reduces the temperature influence on the accelerometer is designed. The accelerometer can greatly reduce the thermal stress caused by high temperatures in the process of fabrication and packaging. Currently, the closed-loop drive circuit is devised based on a phase-locked loop. The unloaded resonant frequencies of the prototype of the micromechanical silicon resonant accelerometer are approximately 31.4 kHz and 31.5 kHz. The scale factor is 66.24003 Hz/g. The scale factor stability is 14.886 ppm, the scale factor repeatability is 23 ppm, the bias stability is 23 μg, the bias repeatability is 170 μg, and the bias temperature coefficient is 0.0734 Hz/°C. PMID:24256978

Applications of rapid prototyping technology in maxillofacial prosthetics.

PubMed

Sykes, Leanne M; Parrott, Andrew M; Owen, C Peter; Snaddon, Donald R

2004-01-01

The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy, required time, and potential advantages of rapid prototyping technology with traditional methods in the manufacture of wax patterns for two facial prostheses. Two clinical situations were investigated: the production of an auricular prosthesis and the duplication of an existing maxillary prosthesis, using a conventional and a rapid prototyping method for each. Conventional wax patterns were created from impressions taken of a patient's remaining ear and an oral prosthesis. For the rapid prototyping method, a cast of the ear and the original maxillary prosthesis were scanned, and rapid prototyping was used to construct the wax patterns. For the auricular prosthesis, both patterns were refined clinically and then flasked and processed in silicone using routine procedures. Twenty-six independent observers evaluated these patterns by comparing them to the cast of the patient's remaining ear. For the duplication procedure, both wax patterns were scanned and compared to scans of the original prosthesis by generating color error maps to highlight volumetric changes. There was a significant difference in opinions for the two auricular prostheses with regard to shape and esthetic appeal, where the hand-carved prosthesis was found to be of poorer quality. The color error maps showed higher errors with the conventional duplication process compared with the rapid prototyping method. The main advantage of rapid prototyping is the ability to produce physical models using digital methods instead of traditional impression techniques. The disadvantage of equipment costs could be overcome by establishing a centralized service.

3D silicon doped hydroxyapatite scaffolds decorated with Elastin-like Recombinamers for bone regenerative medicine.

PubMed

Vila, Mercedes; García, Ana; Girotti, Alessandra; Alonso, Matilde; Rodríguez-Cabello, Jose Carlos; González-Vázquez, Arlyng; Planell, Josep A; Engel, Elisabeth; Buján, Julia; García-Honduvilla, Natalio; Vallet-Regí, María

2016-11-01

The current study reports on the manufacturing by rapid prototyping technique of three-dimensional (3D) scaffolds based on silicon substituted hydroxyapatite with Elastin-like Recombinamers (ELRs) functionalized surfaces. Silicon doped hydroxyapatite (Si-HA), with Ca 10 (PO 4 ) 5.7 (SiO 4 ) 0.3 (OH) 1.7 h 0.3 nominal formula, was surface functionalized with two different types of polymers designed by genetic engineering: ELR-RGD that contain cell attachment specific sequences and ELR-SN A 15/RGD with both hydroxyapatite and cells domains that interact with the inorganic phase and with the cells, respectively. These hybrid materials were subjected to in vitro assays in order to clarify if the ELRs coating improved the well-known biocompatible and bone regeneration properties of calcium phosphates materials. The in vitro tests showed that there was a total and homogeneous colonization of the 3D scaffolds by Bone marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (BMSCs). In addition, the BMSCs were viable and able to proliferate and differentiate into osteoblasts. Bone tissue engineering is an area of increasing interest because its main applications are directly related to the rising life expectancy of the population, which promotes higher rates of several bone pathologies, so innovative strategies are needed for bone tissue regeneration therapies. Here we use the rapid prototyping technology to allow moulding ceramic 3D scaffolds and we use different bio-polymers for the functionalization of their surfaces in order to enhance the biological response. Combining the ceramic material (silicon doped hydroxyapatite, Si-HA) and the Elastin like Recombinamers (ELRs) polymers with the presence of the integrin-mediate adhesion domain alone or in combination with SNA15 peptide that possess high affinity for hydroxyapatite, provided an improved Bone marrow Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (BMSCs) differentiation into osteoblastic linkage. Copyright © 2016 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Ubiquitous Optical Microsystem Platform with Application to Optical Metrology and Chemical Sensing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gerling, John David

This dissertation is concerned with the development of a novel, versatile optical sensor platform for optical metrology and chemical sensing. We demonstrate the feasibility of embedding optical components between bonded silicon wafers with receptor cavities and optical windows to create a self-contained sensor microsystem that can be used for in-situ measurement of hostile environments. Arrays of these sensors internal to a silicon wafer can enable optical sensing for in-situ, real-time mapping and process development for the semiconductor industry in the form of an instrumented substrate. Single-die versions of these optical sensor platforms can also enable point-of-care diagnostics, high throughput disease screening, bio-warfare agent detection, and environmental monitoring. Our first discussion will focus on a single-wavelength interferometry-based prototype sensor. Several applications are demonstrated using this single wavelength prototype: refractive index monitoring, SiO2 plasma etching, chemical mechanical polishing, photoresist cure and dissolution, copper etch end-point detection, and also nanopore wetting phenomena. Subsequent sections of this dissertation will describe efforts to improve the optical sensor platform to achieve multi-wavelength sensing function. We explore the use of an off-the-shelf commercial RGB sensor for colorimetric monitoring of copper and aluminum thin-film etchings. We then expand upon our prior work and concepts to realize a fully integrated, chip-sized microspectrometer with a photon engine based on a diffraction grating. The design, fabrication, and demonstration of a working prototype with dimensions < 1 mm thick using standard planar microfabrication techniques is described. Proof-of-concept demonstrations indicate the working principle of dispersion, although with a low spectral resolution of 120 nm. With working knowledge of the issues of the first prototype, we present an improved 5-channel microspectrometer with a spectral range 400-900 nm and demonstrate its ability for spectral identification with 3 different phosphor powder samples. Finally, we conclude with suggestions for future areas of research.

Mean of Microaccelerations Estimate in the Small Spacecraft Internal Environment with the Use of Fuzzy Sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sedelnikov, A. V.

2018-05-01

Assessment of parameters of rotary motion of the small spacecraft around its center of mass and of microaccelerations using measurements of current from silicon photocells is carried out. At the same time there is a problem of interpretation of ambiguous telemetric data. Current from two opposite sides of the small spacecraft is significant. The mean of removal of such uncertainty is considered. It is based on an fuzzy set. As membership function it is offered to use a normality condition of the direction cosines. The example of uncertainty removal for a prototype of the Aist small spacecraft is given. The offered approach can significantly increase the accuracy of microaccelerations estimate when using measurements of current from silicon photocells.

Development of silicon grisms and immersion gratings for high-resolution infrared spectroscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Jian; McDavitt, Daniel L.; Bernecker, John L.; Miller, Shane; Ciarlo, Dino R.; Kuzmenko, Paul J.

2002-01-01

We report new results on silicon grism and immersion grating development using photolithography and anisotropic chemical etching techniques, which include process recipe finding, prototype grism fabrication, lab performance evaluation and initial scientific observations. The very high refractive index of silicon (n=3.4) enables much higher dispersion power for silicon-based gratings than conventional gratings, e.g. a silicon immersion grating can offer a factor of 3.4 times the dispersion of a conventional immersion grating. Good transmission in the infrared (IR) allows silicon-based gratings to operate in the broad IR wavelength regions (~1- 10 micrometers and far-IR), which make them attractive for both ground and space-based spectroscopic observations. Coarser gratings can be fabricated with these new techniques rather than conventional techniques, allowing observations at very high dispersion orders for larger simultaneous wavelength coverage. We have found new etching techniques for fabricating high quality silicon grisms with low wavefront distortion, low scattered light and high efficiency. Particularly, a new etching process using tetramethyl ammonium hydroxide (TMAH) is significantly simplifying the fabrication process on large, thick silicon substrates, while providing comparable grating quality to our traditional potassium hydroxide (KOH) process. This technique is being used for fabricating inch size silicon grisms for several IR instruments and is planned to be used for fabricating ~ 4 inch size silicon immersion gratings later. We have obtained complete K band spectra of a total of 6 T Tauri and Ae/Be stars and their close companions at a spectral resolution of R ~ 5000 using a silicon echelle grism with a 5 mm pupil diameter at the Lick 3m telescope. These results represent the first scientific observations conducted by the high-resolution silicon grisms, and demonstrate the extremely high dispersing power of silicon- based gratings. The future of silicon-based grating applications in ground and space-based IR instruments is promising. Silicon immersion gratings will make very high-resolution spectroscopy (R>100,000) feasible with compact instruments for implementation on large telescopes. Silicon grisms will offer an efficient way to implement low-cost medium to high resolution IR spectroscopy (R~ 1000-50000) through the conversion of existing cameras into spectrometers by locating a grism in the instrument's pupil location.

A comparative study of charge transfer inefficiency value and trap parameter determination techniques making use of an irradiated ESA-Euclid prototype CCD

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prod'homme, Thibaut; Verhoeve, P.; Kohley, R.; Short, A.; Boudin, N.

2014-07-01

The science objectives of space missions using CCDs to carry out accurate astronomical measurements are put at risk by the radiation-induced increase in charge transfer inefficiency (CTI) that results from trapping sites in the CCD silicon lattice. A variety of techniques are used to obtain CTI values and derive trap parameters, however they often differ in results. To identify and understand these differences, we take advantage of an on-going comprehensive characterisation of an irradiated Euclid prototype CCD including the following techniques: X-ray, trap pumping, flat field extended pixel edge response and first pixel response. We proceed to a comparative analysis of the obtained results.

A SiPM based real time dosimeter for radiotherapic beams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berra, A.; Conti, V.; Lietti, D.; Milan, L.; Novati, C.; Ostinelli, A.; Prest, M.; Romanó, C.; Vallazza, E.

2015-02-01

This paper describes the development of a scintillator dosimeter prototype for radiotherapic applications based on plastic scintillating fibers readout by Silicon PhotoMultipliers. The dosimeter, whose probes are water equivalent, could be used for quality control measurements, beam characterization and in vivo dosimetry, allowing a real time measurement of the dose spatial distribution. This paper describes the preliminary percentual depth dose scan performed with clinical 6 and 18 MV photon beams, comparing the results with a reference curve. The measurements were performed using a Varian Clinac iX linear accelerator at the Radiotherapy Department of the St. Anna Hospital in Como (IT). The prototype has given promising results, allowing real time measurements of relative dose without applying any correction factors.

Design of air blast pressure sensors based on miniature silicon membrane and piezoresistive gauges

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riondet, J.; Coustou, A.; Aubert, H.; Pons, P.; Lavayssière, M.; Luc, J.; Lefrançois, A.

2017-11-01

Available commercial piezoelectric pressure sensors are not able to accurately reproduce the ultra-fast transient pressure occurring during an air blast experiment. In this communication a new pressure sensor prototype based on a miniature silicon membrane and piezoresistive gauges is reported for significantly improving the performances in terms of time response. Simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of a pressure transducer having a fundamental resonant frequency almost ten times greater than the commercial piezoelectric sensors one. The sensor uses a 5μm-thick SOI membrane and four P-type silicon gauges (doping level ≅ 1019 at/cm3) in Wheatstone bridge configuration. To obtain a good trade-off between the fundamental mechanical resonant frequency and pressure sensitivity values, the typical dimension of the rectangular membrane is fixed to 30μm x 90μm with gauge dimension of 1μm x 5μm. The achieved simulated mechanical resonant frequency of these configuration is greater than 40MHz with a sensitivity of 0.04% per bar.

Photonic all-silicon microsensor for electromagnetic power in the microwave and millimeter-wave range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rendina, Ivo; Bellucci, Marco; Cocorullo, Giuseppe; Della Corte, Francesco G.; Iodice, Mario

2000-03-01

A new type of non-perturbing electromagnetic power sensor for microwaves and millimeter-waves, based on the thermo- optical effect in a silicon interferometric etalon cavity is presented. The incident field power is partially dissipated into the all-silicon metal-less etalon, constituting the sensing element of the detector, so causing its temperature increase. This, in turn, induces the intensity modulation of a probe laser beam reflected by the cavity after a multiple beam interference process. The sensing element is directly connected to an optical fiber for remote interrogation, so avoiding the use of perturbing coaxial cables. The performances of such a new class of non-perturbing and wideband probes, in terms of sensitivity and resolution are discussed in detail. The experimental results concerning the characterization of a preliminary prototype sensor are presented and compared with theoretical data. The dependence of the sensor response on the electromagnetic frequency and on the sensing element characteristics is finally discussed.

Modeling of Transmittance Degradation Caused by Optical Surface Contamination by Atomic Oxygen Reaction with Adsorbed Silicones

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Snyder, Aaron; Banks, Bruce; Miller, Sharon; Stueber, Thomas; Sechkar, Edward

2001-01-01

A numerical procedure is presented to calculate transmittance degradation caused by contaminant films on spacecraft surfaces produced through the interaction of orbital atomic oxygen (AO) with volatile silicones and hydrocarbons from spacecraft components. In the model, contaminant accretion is dependent on the adsorption of species, depletion reactions due to gas-surface collisions, desorption, and surface reactions between AO and silicone producing SiO(x), (where x is near 2). A detailed description of the procedure used to calculate the constituents of the contaminant layer is presented, including the equations that govern the evolution of fractional coverage by specie type. As an illustrative example of film growth, calculation results using a prototype code that calculates the evolution of surface coverage by specie type is presented and discussed. An example of the transmittance degradation caused by surface interaction of AO with deposited contaminant is presented for the case of exponentially decaying contaminant flux. These examples are performed using hypothetical values for the process parameters.

Precision Timing with Silicon Sensors for Use in Calorimetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bornheim, A.; Ronzhin, A.; Kim, H.; Bolla, G.; Pena, C.; Xie, S.; Apresyan, A.; Los, S.; Spiropulu, M.; Ramberg, E.

2017-11-01

The high luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) at CERN is expected to provide instantaneous luminosities of 5 × 1034 cm -2 s -1. The high luminosities expected at the HL-LHC will be accompanied by a factor of 5 to 10 more pileup compared with LHC conditions in 2015, causing general confusion for particle identification and event reconstruction. Precision timing allows to extend calorimetric measurements into such a high density environment by subtracting the energy deposits from pileup interactions. Calorimeters employing silicon as the active component have recently become a popular choice for the HL- LHC and future collider experiments which face very high radiation environments. We present studies of basic calorimetric and precision timing measurements using a prototype composed of tungsten absorber and silicon sensor as the active medium. We show that for the bulk of electromagnetic showers induced by electrons in the range of 20 GeV to 30 GeV, we can achieve time resolutions better than 25 ps per single pad sensor.

A new timing detector for the CT-PPS project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arcidiacono, R.; Cms; TOTEM Collaborations

2017-02-01

The CT-PPS detector will be installed close to the beam line on both sides of CMS, 200 m downstream the interaction point. This detector will measure forward scattered protons, allowing detailed studies of diffractive hadron physics and Central Exclusive Production. The main components of the CT-PPS detector are a silicon tracking system and a timing system. In this contribution we present the proposal of an innovative solution for the timing system, based on Ultra-Fast Silicon Detectors (UFSD). UFSD are a novel concept of silicon detectors potentially able to obtain the necessary time resolution (∼20 ps on the proton arrival time). The use of UFSD has also other attractive features as its material budget is small and the pixel geometries can be tailored to the precise physics distribution of protons. UFSD prototypes for CT-PPS have been designed by CNM (Barcelona) and FBK (Trento): we will present the status of the sensor productions and of the low-noise front-end electronics currently under development and test.

Multiple EFG silicon ribbon technology as the basis for manufacturing low-cost terrestrial solar cells. [Epitaxial Film Growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mackintosh, B.; Kalejs, J. P.; Ho, C. T.; Wald, F. V.

1981-01-01

Mackintosh et al. (1978) have reported on the development of a multiple ribbon furnace based on the 'edge defined film fed growth' (EFG) process for the fabrication of silicon ribbon. It has been demonstrated that this technology can meet the requirements for a silicon substrate material to be used in the manufacture of solar panels which can meet requirements regarding a selling price of $0.70/Wp when certain goals in terms of throughput and quality are achieved. These goals for the multiple ribbon technology using 10 cm wide ribbon require simultaneous growth of 12 ribbons by one operator at average speeds of 4 to 4.5 cm/min, and 13% efficient solar cells. A description is presented of the progress made toward achieving these goals. It is concluded that the required performance levels have now been achieved. The separate aspects of technology must now be integrated into a single prototype furnace.

Mid-infrared materials and devices on a Si platform for optical sensing

PubMed Central

Singh, Vivek; Lin, Pao Tai; Patel, Neil; Lin, Hongtao; Li, Lan; Zou, Yi; Deng, Fei; Ni, Chaoying; Hu, Juejun; Giammarco, James; Soliani, Anna Paola; Zdyrko, Bogdan; Luzinov, Igor; Novak, Spencer; Novak, Jackie; Wachtel, Peter; Danto, Sylvain; Musgraves, J David; Richardson, Kathleen; Kimerling, Lionel C; Agarwal, Anuradha M

2014-01-01

In this article, we review our recent work on mid-infrared (mid-IR) photonic materials and devices fabricated on silicon for on-chip sensing applications. Pedestal waveguides based on silicon are demonstrated as broadband mid-IR sensors. Our low-loss mid-IR directional couplers demonstrated in SiNx waveguides are useful in differential sensing applications. Photonic crystal cavities and microdisk resonators based on chalcogenide glasses for high sensitivity are also demonstrated as effective mid-IR sensors. Polymer-based functionalization layers, to enhance the sensitivity and selectivity of our sensor devices, are also presented. We discuss the design of mid-IR chalcogenide waveguides integrated with polycrystalline PbTe detectors on a monolithic silicon platform for optical sensing, wherein the use of a low-index spacer layer enables the evanescent coupling of mid-IR light from the waveguides to the detector. Finally, we show the successful fabrication processing of our first prototype mid-IR waveguide-integrated detectors. PMID:27877641

Silicon Carbide Mixers Demonstrated to Improve the Interference Immunity of Radio-Based Aircraft Avionics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, Philip G.

1998-01-01

Concern over the interference of stray radiofrequency (RF) emissions with key aircraft avionics is evident during takeoff and landing of every commercial flight when the flight attendant requests that all portable electronics be switched off. The operation of key radio-based avionics (such as glide-slope and localizer approach instruments) depends on the ability of front-end RF receivers to detect and amplify desired information signals while rejecting interference from undesired RF sources both inside and outside the aircraft. Incidents where key navigation and approach avionics malfunction because of RF interference clearly represent an increasing threat to flight safety as the radio spectrum becomes more crowded. In an initial feasibility experiment, the U.S. Army Research Laboratory and the NASA Lewis Research Center recently demonstrated the strategic use of silicon carbide (SiC) semiconductor components to significantly reduce the susceptibility of an RF receiver circuit to undesired RF interference. A pair of silicon carbide mixer diodes successfully reduced RF interference (intermodulation distortion) in a prototype receiver circuit by a factor of 10 (20 dB) in comparison to a pair of commercial silicon-based mixer diodes.

Post passivation light trapping back contacts for silicon heterojunction solar cells.

PubMed

Smeets, M; Bittkau, K; Lentz, F; Richter, A; Ding, K; Carius, R; Rau, U; Paetzold, U W

2016-11-10

Light trapping in crystalline silicon (c-Si) solar cells is an essential building block for high efficiency solar cells targeting low material consumption and low costs. In this study, we present the successful implementation of highly efficient light-trapping back contacts, subsequent to the passivation of Si heterojunction solar cells. The back contacts are realized by texturing an amorphous silicon layer with a refractive index close to the one of crystalline silicon at the back side of the silicon wafer. As a result, decoupling of optically active and electrically active layers is introduced. In the long run, the presented concept has the potential to improve light trapping in monolithic Si multijunction solar cells as well as solar cell configurations where texturing of the Si absorber surfaces usually results in a deterioration of the electrical properties. As part of this study, different light-trapping textures were applied to prototype silicon heterojunction solar cells. The best path length enhancement factors, at high passivation quality, were obtained with light-trapping textures based on randomly distributed craters. Comparing a planar reference solar cell with an absorber thickness of 280 μm and additional anti-reflection coating, the short-circuit current density (J SC ) improves for a similar solar cell with light-trapping back contact. Due to the light trapping back contact, the J SC is enhanced around 1.8 mA cm -2 to 38.5 mA cm -2 due to light trapping in the wavelength range between 1000 nm and 1150 nm.

Adaptive Signal Processing Testbed: VME-based DSP board market survey

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ingram, Rick E.

1992-04-01

The Adaptive Signal Processing Testbed (ASPT) is a real-time multiprocessor system utilizing digital signal processor technology on VMEbus based printed circuit boards installed on a Sun workstation. The ASPT has specific requirements, particularly as regards to the signal excision application, with respect to interfacing with current and planned data generation equipment, processing of the data, storage to disk of final and intermediate results, and the development tools for applications development and integration into the overall EW/COM computing environment. A prototype ASPT was implemented using three VME-C-30 boards from Applied Silicon. Experience gained during the prototype development led to the conclusions that interprocessor communications capability is the most significant contributor to overall ASPT performance. In addition, the host involvement should be minimized. Boards using different processors were evaluated with respect to the ASPT system requirements, pricing, and availability. Specific recommendations based on various priorities are made as well as recommendations concerning the integration and interaction of various tools developed during the prototype implementation.

Construction of the optical part of a time-of-flight detector prototype for the AFP detector

DOE PAGES

Nozka, L.; Adamczyk, L.; Avoni, G.; ...

2016-11-22

We present the construction of the optical part of the ToF (time-of-flight) subdetector prototype for the AFP (ATLAS Forward Proton) detector. The ToF detector in conjunction with a 3D silicon pixel tracker will tag and measure protons originating in central exclusive interactions p + p → p + X + p, where the two outgoing protons are scattered in the very forward directions. The ToF is required to reduce so-called pileup backgrounds that arise from multiple proton interactions in the same bunch crossing at high luminosity. The background can fake the signal of interest, and the extra rejection from themore » ToF allows the proton tagger to operate at the high luminosity required for measurement of the processes. The prototype detector uses fused silica bars emitting Cherenkov radiation as a relativistic particle passes through it. Finally, the emitted Cherenkov photons are detected by a micro-channel plate multi-anode Photomultiplier Tube (MCP-PMT) and processed by fast electronics.« less

Low-friction nanojoint prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Vlassov, Sergei; Oras, Sven; Antsov, Mikk; Butikova, Jelena; Lõhmus, Rünno; Polyakov, Boris

2018-05-01

High surface energy of individual nanostructures leads to high adhesion and static friction that can completely hinder the operation of nanoscale systems with movable parts. For instance, silver or gold nanowires cannot be moved on silicon substrate without plastic deformation. In this paper, we experimentally demonstrate an operational prototype of a low-friction nanojoint. The movable part of the prototype is made either from a gold or silver nano-pin produced by laser-induced partial melting of silver and gold nanowires resulting in the formation of rounded bulbs on their ends. The nano-pin is then manipulated into the inverted pyramid (i-pyramids) specially etched in a Si wafer. Due to the small contact area, the nano-pin can be repeatedly tilted inside an i-pyramid as a rigid object without noticeable deformation. At the same time in the absence of external force the nanojoint is stable and preserves its position and tilt angle. Experiments are performed inside a scanning electron microscope and are supported by finite element method simulations.

Construction of the optical part of a time-of-flight detector prototype for the AFP detector

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

Nozka, L.; Adamczyk, L.; Avoni, G.

We present the construction of the optical part of the ToF (time-of-flight) subdetector prototype for the AFP (ATLAS Forward Proton) detector. The ToF detector in conjunction with a 3D silicon pixel tracker will tag and measure protons originating in central exclusive interactions p + p → p + X + p, where the two outgoing protons are scattered in the very forward directions. The ToF is required to reduce so-called pileup backgrounds that arise from multiple proton interactions in the same bunch crossing at high luminosity. The background can fake the signal of interest, and the extra rejection from themore » ToF allows the proton tagger to operate at the high luminosity required for measurement of the processes. The prototype detector uses fused silica bars emitting Cherenkov radiation as a relativistic particle passes through it. Finally, the emitted Cherenkov photons are detected by a micro-channel plate multi-anode Photomultiplier Tube (MCP-PMT) and processed by fast electronics.« less

UVSiPM: A light detector instrument based on a SiPM sensor working in single photon counting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sottile, G.; Russo, F.; Agnetta, G.; Belluso, M.; Billotta, S.; Biondo, B.; Bonanno, G.; Catalano, O.; Giarrusso, S.; Grillo, A.; Impiombato, D.; La Rosa, G.; Maccarone, M. C.; Mangano, A.; Marano, D.; Mineo, T.; Segreto, A.; Strazzeri, E.; Timpanaro, M. C.

2013-06-01

UVSiPM is a light detector designed to measure the intensity of electromagnetic radiation in the 320-900 nm wavelength range. It has been developed in the framework of the ASTRI project whose main goal is the design and construction of an end-to-end Small Size class Telescope prototype for the Cherenkov Telescope Array. The UVSiPM instrument is composed by a multipixel Silicon Photo-Multiplier detector unit coupled to an electronic chain working in single photon counting mode with 10 nanosecond double pulse resolution, and by a disk emulator interface card for computer connection. The detector unit of UVSiPM is of the same kind as the ones forming the camera at the focal plane of the ASTRI prototype. Eventually, the UVSiPM instrument can be equipped with a collimator to regulate its angular aperture. UVSiPM, with its peculiar characteristics, will permit to perform several measurements both in lab and on field, allowing the absolute calibration of the ASTRI prototype.

Inauguration and first light of the GCT-M prototype for the Cherenkov telescope array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watson, J. J.; De Franco, A.; Abchiche, A.; Allan, D.; Amans, J.-P.; Armstrong, T. P.; Balzer, A.; Berge, D.; Boisson, C.; Bousquet, J.-J.; Brown, A. M.; Bryan, M.; Buchholtz, G.; Chadwick, P. M.; Costantini, H.; Cotter, G.; Daniel, M. K.; De Frondat, F.; Dournaux, J.-L.; Dumas, D.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Fasola, G.; Funk, S.; Gironnet, J.; Graham, J. A.; Greenshaw, T.; Hervet, O.; Hidaka, N.; Hinton, J. A.; Huet, J.-M.; Jegouzo, I.; Jogler, T.; Kraus, M.; Lapington, J. S.; Laporte, P.; Lefaucheur, J.; Markoff, S.; Melse, T.; Mohrmann, L.; Molyneux, P.; Nolan, S. J.; Okumura, A.; Osborne, J. P.; Parsons, R. D.; Rosen, S.; Ross, D.; Rowell, G.; Rulten, C. B.; Sato, Y.; Sayède, F.; Schmoll, J.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Servillat, M.; Sol, H.; Stamatescu, V.; Stephan, M.; Stuik, R.; Sykes, J.; Tajima, H.; Thornhill, J.; Tibaldo, L.; Trichard, C.; Vink, J.; White, R.; Yamane, N.; Zech, A.; Zink, A.; Zorn, J.; CTA Consortium

2017-01-01

The Gamma-ray Cherenkov Telescope (GCT) is a candidate for the Small Size Telescopes (SSTs) of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). Its purpose is to extend the sensitivity of CTA to gamma-ray energies reaching 300 TeV. Its dual-mirror optical design and curved focal plane enables the use of a compact camera of 0.4 m diameter, while achieving a field of view of above 8 degrees. Through the use of the digitising TARGET ASICs, the Cherenkov flash is sampled once per nanosecond contin-uously and then digitised when triggering conditions are met within the analogue outputs of the photosensors. Entire waveforms (typically covering 96 ns) for all 2048 pixels are then stored for analysis, allowing for a broad spectrum of investigations to be performed on the data. Two prototypes of the GCT camera are under development, with differing photosensors: Multi-Anode Photomultipliers (MAPMs) and Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). During November 2015, the GCT MAPM (GCT-M) prototype camera was integrated onto the GCT structure at the Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, where it observed the first Cherenkov light detected by a prototype instrument for CTA.

Development of Critical Technologies for the COSMO/SkyMed Hyperspectral Camera

DTIC Science & Technology

2000-10-01

Carbide (SiC) material (SiC or lightweighted Zerodur mirrors , carbon fiber technology. structures). - development of electronics blocks at high - High...investigation was Kcarried out to get the highest lightening factors on the Zerodur mirror substrates. Several samples of the TMA Fig. 5 - Prototypes of...implementation of state-of-the-art - manufacturing of very light mirrors with special manufacturing techniques for light components emphasis on Silicon

Outdoor module testing and comparison of photovoltaic technologies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fabick, L. B.; Rifai, R.; Mitchell, K.; Woolston, T.; Canale, J.

A comparison of outdoor test results for several module technologies is presented. The technologies include thin-film silicon:hydrogen alloys (TFS), TFS modules with semitransparent conductor back contacts, and CuInSe2 module prototypes. A method for calculating open-circuit voltage and fill-factor temperature coefficients is proposed. The method relies on the acquisition of large statistical data samples to average effects due to varying insolation level.

Development of advanced Czochralski growth process to produce low cost 150 kg silicon ingots from a single crucible for technology readiness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1980-01-01

The design and development of an advanced Czochralski crystal grower are described. Several exhaust gas analysis system equipment specifications studied are discussed. Process control requirements were defined and design work began on the melt temperature, melt level, and continuous diameter control. Sensor development included assembly and testing of a bench prototype of a diameter scanner system.

Nuclear Astrophysics at ELI-NP: the ELISSA prototype tested at Laboratori Nazionali del Sud

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guardo, Giovanni Luca; Anzalone, Antonello; Balabanski, Dimiter; Chesnevskaya, Svetlana; Crucillá, Walter; Filipescu, Dan; Gulino, Marisa; La Cognata, Marco; Lattuada, Dario; Matei, Catalin; Pizzone, Rosario Gianluca; Rapisarda, Giuseppe; Romano, Stefano; Spitaleri, Claudio; Taffara, Alessandra; Tumino, Aurora; Xu, Yi

2018-01-01

The Extreme Light Infrastructure-Nuclear Physics (ELI-NP) facility, under construction in Magurele near Bucharest in Romania, will provide high-intensity and high-resolution gamma ray beams that can be used to address hotly debated problems in nuclear astrophysics, such as the accurate measurements of the cross sections of the 24Mg(γ,α)20Ne reaction, that is fundamental to determine the effective rate of 28Si destruction right before the core collapse and the subsequent supernova explosion. For this purpose, a silicon strip detector array (named ELISSA, acronym for Extreme Light Infrastructure Silicon Strip Array) will be realized in a common effort by ELI-NP and Laboratori Nazionali del Sud (INFN-LNS), in order to measure excitation functions and angular distributions over a wide energy and angular range. A prototype of ELISSA was built and tested at INFN-LNS in Catania (Italy) with the support of ELI-NP. In this occasion, we have carried out experiments with alpha sources and with a 11 MeV 7Li beam. Thanks to our approach, the first results of those tests show up a very good energy resolution (better than 1%) and very good position resolution, of the order of 1 mm. Moreover, a threshold of 150 keV can be easily achieved with no cooling.

Construction and performance of a silicon photomultiplier/extruded scintillator tail-catcher and muon-tracker

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adloff, C.; Blaha, J.; Blaising, J.-J.; Drancourt, C.; Espargilière, A.; Gaglione, R.; Geffroy, N.; Karyotakis, Y.; Prast, J.; Vouters, G.; Bilki, B.; Francis, K.; Repond, J.; Smith, J.; Xia, L.; Baldolemar, E.; Li, J.; Park, S. T.; Sosebee, M.; White, A. P.; Yu, J.; Buanes, T.; Eigen, G.; Mikami, Y.; Watson, N. K.; Mavromanolakis, G.; Thomson, M. A.; Ward, D. R.; Yan, W.; Benchekroun, D.; Hoummada, A.; Khoulaki, Y.; Benyamna, M.; Cârloganu, C.; Fehr, F.; Gay, P.; Manen, S.; Royer, L.; Blazey, G. C.; Boona, S.; Chakraborty, D.; Dyshkant, A.; Hedin, D.; Lima, J. G. R.; Powell, J.; Rykalin, V.; Scurti, N.; Smith, M.; Tran, N.; Zutshi, V.; Hostachy, J.-Y.; Morin, L.; Cornett, U.; David, D.; Dietrich, J.; Falley, G.; Gadow, K.; Göttlicher, P.; Günter, C.; Hermberg, B.; Karstensen, S.; Krivan, F.; Lucaci-Timoce, A.-I.; Lu, S.; Lutz, B.; Marchesini, I.; Morozov, S.; Morgunov, V.; Reinecke, M.; Sefkow, F.; Smirnov, P.; Terwort, M.; Vargas-Trevino, A.; Feege, N.; Garutti, E.; Eckert, P.; Kaplan, A.; Schultz-Coulon, H.-Ch; Shen, W.; Stamen, R.; Tadday, A.; Norbeck, E.; Onel, Y.; Wilson, G. W.; Kawagoe, K.; Uozumi, S.; Dauncey, P. D.; Magnan, A.-M.; Bartsch, V.; Wing, M.; Salvatore, F.; Calvo Alamillo, E.; Fouz, M.-C.; Puerta-Pelayo, J.; Bobchenko, B.; Chadeeva, M.; Danilov, M.; Epifantsev, A.; Markin, O.; Mizuk, R.; Novikov, E.; Rusinov, V.; Tarkovsky, E.; Kirikova, N.; Kozlov, V.; Soloviev, Y.; Buzhan, P.; Dolgoshein, B.; Ilyin, A.; Kantserov, V.; Kaplin, V.; Karakash, A.; Popova, E.; Smirnov, S.; Frey, A.; Kiesling, C.; Seidel, K.; Simon, F.; Soldner, C.; Weuste, L.; Bonis, J.; Bouquet, B.; Callier, S.; Cornebise, P.; Doublet, Ph; Dulucq, F.; Faucci Giannelli, M.; Fleury, J.; Li, H.; Martin-Chassard, G.; Richard, F.; de la Taille, Ch; Pöschl, R.; Raux, L.; Seguin-Moreau, N.; Wicek, F.; Anduze, M.; Boudry, V.; Brient, J.-C.; Jeans, D.; Mora de Freitas, P.; Musat, G.; Reinhard, M.; Ruan, M.; Videau, H.; Bulanek, B.; Zacek, J.; Cvach, J.; Gallus, P.; Havranek, M.; Janata, M.; Kvasnicka, J.; Lednicky, D.; Marcisovsky, M.; Polak, I.; Popule, J.; Tomasek, L.; Tomasek, M.; Ruzicka, P.; Sicho, P.; Smolik, J.; Vrba, V.; Zalesak, J.; Belhorma, B.; Ghazlane, H.; Takeshita, T.

2012-04-01

A prototype module for an International Linear Collider (ILC) detector was built, installed, and tested between 2006 and 2009 at CERN and Fermilab as part of the CALICE test beam program, in order to study the possibilities of extending energy sampling behind a hadronic calorimeter and to study the possibilities of providing muon tracking. The ``tail catcher/muon tracker'' (TCMT) is composed of 320 extruded scintillator strips (dimensions 1000 × 50 × 5 mm3) packaged in 16 one-meter square planes interleaved between steel plates. The scintillator strips were read out with wavelength shifting fibers and silicon photomultipliers. The planes were arranged with alternating horizontal and vertical strip orientations. Data were collected for muons and pions in the energy range 6 GeV to 80 GeV. Utilizing data taken in 2006, this paper describes the design and construction of the TCMT, performance characteristics, and a beam-based evaluation of the ability of the TCMT to improve hadronic energy resolution in a prototype ILC detector. For a typical configuration of an ILC detector with a coil situated outside a calorimeter system with a thickness of 5.5 nuclear interaction lengths, a TCMT would improve relative energy resolution by 6-16% for pions between 20 and 80 GeV.

An infrared high resolution silicon immersion grating spectrometer for airborne and space missions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ge, Jian; Zhao, Bo; Powell, Scott; Jiang, Peng; Uzakbaiuly, Berik; Tanner, David

2014-08-01

Broad-band infrared (IR) spectroscopy, especially at high spectral resolution, is a largely unexplored area for the far IR (FIR) and submm wavelength region due to the lack of proper grating technology to produce high resolution within the very constrained volume and weight required for space mission instruments. High resolution FIR spectroscopy is an essential tool to resolve many atomic and molecular lines to measure physical and chemical conditions and processes in the environments where galaxy, star and planets form. A silicon immersion grating (SIG), due to its over three times high dispersion over a traditional reflective grating, offers a compact and low cost design of new generation IR high resolution spectrographs for space missions. A prototype SIG high resolution spectrograph, called Florida IR Silicon immersion grating spectromeTer (FIRST), has been developed at UF and was commissioned at a 2 meter robotic telescope at Fairborn Observatory in Arizona. The SIG with 54.74 degree blaze angle, 16.1 l/mm groove density, and 50x86 mm2 grating area has produced R=50,000 in FIRST. The 1.4-1.8 um wavelength region is completely covered in a single exposure with a 2kx2k H2RG IR array. The on-sky performance meets the science requirements for ground-based high resolution spectroscopy. Further studies show that this kind of SIG spectrometer with an airborne 2m class telescope such as SOFIA can offer highly sensitive spectroscopy with R~20,000-30,000 at 20 to 55 microns. Details about the on-sky measurement performance of the FIRST prototype SIG spectrometer and its predicted performance with the SOFIA 2.4m telescope are introduced.

Experimental evaluation of the resolution improvement provided by a silicon PET probe.

PubMed

Brzeziński, K; Oliver, J F; Gillam, J; Rafecas, M; Studen, A; Grkovski, M; Kagan, H; Smith, S; Llosá, G; Lacasta, C; Clinthorne, N H

2016-09-01

A high-resolution PET system, which incorporates a silicon detector probe into a conventional PET scanner, has been proposed to obtain increased image quality in a limited region of interest. Detailed simulation studies have previously shown that the additional probe information improves the spatial resolution of the reconstructed image and increases lesion detectability, with no cost to other image quality measures. The current study expands on the previous work by using a laboratory prototype of the silicon PET-probe system to examine the resolution improvement in an experimental setting. Two different versions of the probe prototype were assessed, both consisting of a back-to-back pair of 1-mm thick silicon pad detectors, one arranged in 32 × 16 arrays of 1.4 mm × 1.4 mm pixels and the other in 40 × 26 arrays of 1.0 mm × 1.0 mm pixels. Each detector was read out by a set of VATAGP7 ASICs and a custom-designed data acquisition board which allowed trigger and data interfacing with the PET scanner, itself consisting of BGO block detectors segmented into 8 × 6 arrays of 6 mm × 12 mm × 30 mm crystals. Limited-angle probe data was acquired from a group of Na-22 point-like sources in order to observe the maximum resolution achievable using the probe system. Data from a Derenzo-like resolution phantom was acquired, then scaled to obtain similar statistical quality as that of previous simulation studies. In this case, images were reconstructed using measurements of the PET ring alone and with the inclusion of the probe data. Images of the Na-22 source demonstrated a resolution of 1.5 mm FWHM in the probe data, the PET ring resolution being approximately 6 mm. Profiles taken through the image of the Derenzo-like phantom showed a clear increase in spatial resolution. Improvements in peak-to-valley ratios of 50% and 38%, in the 4.8 mm and 4.0 mm phantom features respectively, were observed, while previously unresolvable 3.2 mm features were brought to light by the addition of the probe. These results support the possibility of improving the image resolution of a clinical PET scanner using the silicon PET-probe.

Design, fabrication and test of prototype furnace for continuous growth of wide silicon ribbon

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Duncan, C. S.; Seidensticker, R. G.

1976-01-01

A program having the overall objective of growing wide, thin silicon dendritic web crystals quasi-continuously from a semi-automated facility is discussed. The design considerations and fabrication of the facility as well as the test and operation phase are covered; detailed engineering drawings are included as an appendix. During the test and operation phase of the program, more than eighty growth runs and numerous thermal test runs were performed. At the conclusion of the program, 2.4 cm wide web was being grown at thicknesses of 100 to 300 micrometers. As expected, the thickness and growth rate are closely related. Solar cells made from this material were tested at NASA-Lewis and found to have conversion efficiencies comparable to devices fabricated from Czochralski material.

Development of a Prototype Optical Hydrogen Gas Sensor Using a Getter-Doped Polymer Transducer for Monitoring Cumulative Exposure: Preliminary Results

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

Small IV, W; Maitland, D J; Wilson, T S

2008-06-05

A novel prototype optical sensor for monitoring cumulative hydrogen gas exposure was fabricated and evaluated. Chemical-to-optical transduction was accomplished by detecting the intensity of 670 nm laser light transmitted through a hydrogen getter-doped polymer film mounted at the end of an optical fiber; the transmittance of the composite film increased with uptake of hydrogen by the embedded getter. The composite film consisted of the hydrogen getter 1,4-bis(phenylethynyl)benzene, also known as DEB, with carbon-supported palladium catalyst embedded in silicone elastomer. Because the change in transmittance was irreversible and occurred continuously as the getter captured hydrogen, the sensor behaved like a dosimeter,more » providing a unique indication of the cumulative gas exposure.« less

The Design and Implementation of a Prototype Surf-Zone Robot for Waterborne Operations

DTIC Science & Technology

2015-12-01

parents, Oscar and Ada Lucia, for allowing my mind to dream and pursue those dreams since I was a child. To Sean, Judith, Tatiana, David and...prolonged immersion periods. Grease or marine silicone was applied to prevent water intrusion into the mechanical components of the gearbox. The following... intrusion . The waterproof cylinder for electronics successfully served this purpose. Components external to the cylinder were potted for protection

The calorimeter system of the new muon g-2 experiment at Fermilab

DOE PAGES

Alonzi, L. P.; Anastasi, A.; Bjorkquist, R.; ...

2015-12-02

The electromagnetic calorimeter for the new muon ( g–2) experiment at Fermilab will consist of arrays of PbF 2 Cerenkov crystals read out by large-area silicon photo-multiplier (SiPM) sensors. Here, we report here the requirements for this system, the achieved solution and the results obtained from a test beam using 2.0–4.5 GeV electrons with a 28-element prototype array.

The FAZIA project in Europe: R&D phase

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bougault, R.; Poggi, G.; Barlini, S.; Borderie, B.; Casini, G.; Chbihi, A.; Le Neindre, N.; Pârlog, M.; Pasquali, G.; Piantelli, S.; Sosin, Z.; Ademard, G.; Alba, R.; Anastasio, A.; Barbey, S.; Bardelli, L.; Bini, M.; Boiano, A.; Boisjoli, M.; Bonnet, E.; Borcea, R.; Bougard, B.; Brulin, G.; Bruno, M.; Carboni, S.; Cassese, C.; Cassese, F.; Cinausero, M.; Ciolacu, L.; Cruceru, I.; Cruceru, M.; D'Aquino, B.; De Fazio, B.; Degerlier, M.; Desrues, P.; Di Meo, P.; Dueñas, J. A.; Edelbruck, P.; Energico, S.; Falorsi, M.; Frankland, J. D.; Galichet, E.; Gasior, K.; Gramegna, F.; Giordano, R.; Gruyer, D.; Grzeszczuk, A.; Guerzoni, M.; Hamrita, H.; Huss, C.; Kajetanowicz, M.; Korcyl, K.; Kordyasz, A.; Kozik, T.; Kulig, P.; Lavergne, L.; Legouée, E.; Lopez, O.; Łukasik, J.; Maiolino, C.; Marchi, T.; Marini, P.; Martel, I.; Masone, V.; Meoli, A.; Merrer, Y.; Morelli, L.; Negoita, F.; Olmi, A.; Ordine, A.; Paduano, G.; Pain, C.; Pałka, M.; Passeggio, G.; Pastore, G.; Pawłowski, P.; Petcu, M.; Petrascu, H.; Piasecki, E.; Pontoriere, G.; Rauly, E.; Rivet, M. F.; Rocco, R.; Rosato, E.; Roscilli, L.; Scarlini, E.; Salomon, F.; Santonocito, D.; Seredov, V.; Serra, S.; Sierpowski, D.; Spadaccini, G.; Spitaels, C.; Stefanini, A. A.; Tobia, G.; Tortone, G.; Twaróg, T.; Valdré, S.; Vanzanella, A.; Vanzanella, E.; Vient, E.; Vigilante, M.; Vitiello, G.; Wanlin, E.; Wieloch, A.; Zipper, W.

2014-02-01

The goal of the FAZIA Collaboration is the design of a new-generation 4 π detector array for heavy-ion collisions with radioactive beams. This article summarizes the main results of the R&D phase, devoted to the search for significant improvements of the techniques for charge and mass identification of reaction products. This was obtained by means of a systematic study of the basic detection module, consisting of two transmission-mounted silicon detectors followed by a CsI(Tl) scintillator. Significant improvements in ΔE- E and pulse-shape techniques were obtained by controlling the doping homogeneity and the cutting angles of silicon and by putting severe constraints on thickness uniformity. Purposely designed digital electronics contributed to identification quality. The issue of possible degradation related to radiation damage of silicon was also addressed. The experimental activity was accompanied by studies on the physics governing signal evolution in silicon. The good identification quality obtained with the prototypes during the R&D phase, allowed us to investigate also some aspects of isospin physics, namely isospin transport and odd-even staggering. Now, after the conclusion of the R&D period, the FAZIA Collaboration has entered the demonstrator phase, with the aim of verifying the applicability of the devised solutions for the realization of a larger-scale experimental set-up.

High-Accuracy Surface Figure Measurement of Silicon Mirrors at 80 K

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Blake, Peter; Mink, Ronald G.; Chambers, John; Davila, Pamela; Robinson, F. David

2004-01-01

This report describes the equipment, experimental methods, and first results at a new facility for interferometric measurement of cryogenically-cooled spherical mirrors at the Goddard Space Flight Center Optics Branch. The procedure, using standard phase-shifting interferometry, has an standard combined uncertainty of 3.6 nm rms in its representation of the two-dimensional surface figure error at 80, and an uncertainty of plus or minus 1 nm in the rms statistic itself. The first mirror tested was a concave spherical silicon foam-core mirror, with a clear aperture of 120 mm. The optic surface was measured at room temperature using standard absolute techniques; and then the change in surface figure error from room temperature to 80 K was measured. The mirror was cooled within a cryostat. and its surface figure error measured through a fused-silica window. The facility and techniques will be used to measure the surface figure error at 20K of prototype lightweight silicon carbide and Cesic mirrors developed by Galileo Avionica (Italy) for the European Space Agency (ESA).

Large-area hexagonal silicon detectors for the CMS High Granularity Calorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pree, E.

2018-02-01

During the so-called Phase-2 Upgrade, the CMS experiment at CERN will undergo significant improvements to cope with the 10-fold luminosity increase of the High Luminosity LHC (HL-LHC) era. Especially the forward calorimetry will suffer from very high radiation levels and intensified pileup in the detectors. For this reason, the CMS collaboration is designing a High Granularity Calorimeter (HGCAL) to replace the existing endcap calorimeters. It features unprecedented transverse and longitudinal segmentation for both electromagnetic (CE-E) and hadronic (CE-H) compartments. The CE-E and a large fraction of CE-H will consist of a sandwich structure with silicon as active detector material. This paper presents an overview of the ongoing sensor development for the HGCAL and highlights important design features and measurement techniques. The design and layout of an 8-inch silicon sensor prototype is shown. The hexagonal sensors consist of 235 pads, each with an area of about 1 cm2. Furthermore, Synopsys TCAD simulations regarding the high voltage stability of the sensors for different geometric parameters are performed. Finally, two different IV characterisation methods are compared on the same sensor.

Strategies to improve electrode positioning and safety in cochlear implants.

PubMed

Rebscher, S J; Heilmann, M; Bruszewski, W; Talbot, N H; Snyder, R L; Merzenich, M M

1999-03-01

An injection-molded internal supporting rib has been produced to control the flexibility of silicone rubber encapsulated electrodes designed to electrically stimulate the auditory nerve in human subjects with severe to profound hearing loss. The rib molding dies, and molds for silicone rubber encapsulation of the electrode, were designed and machined using AutoCad and MasterCam software packages in a PC environment. After molding, the prototype plastic ribs were iteratively modified based on observations of the performance of the rib/silicone composite insert in a clear plastic model of the human scala tympani cavity. The rib-based electrodes were reliably inserted farther into these models, required less insertion force and were positioned closer to the target auditory neural elements than currently available cochlear implant electrodes. With further design improvements the injection-molded rib may also function to accurately support metal stimulating contacts and wire leads during assembly to significantly increase the manufacturing efficiency of these devices. This method to reliably control the mechanical properties of miniature implantable devices with multiple electrical leads may be valuable in other areas of biomedical device design.

A LYSO crystal array readout by silicon photomultipliers as compact detector for space applications

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

Kryemadhi, A.; Barner, L.; Grove, A.

Precise measurements of GeV range gamma rays help narrow down among var- ious gamma emission models and increase sensitivity for dark matter searches. Construction of precise as well as compact instruments requires detectors with high efficiency, high stopping power, excellent energy resolution, and excellent angular resolution. Fast and bright crystal scintillators coupled with small foot- print photo-detectors are suitable candidates. We prototyped a detector array consisting of four LYSO crystals where each crystal is read out by a 2x2 SensL ArrayJ60035 silicon photomultipliers. The LYSO crystals were chosen because of their good light yield, fast decay time, demonstrated radiation hardness,more » and small radiation length. Here, we used the silicon photomultiplier arrays as photo- detectors because of their small size, simple readout, low voltage operation, and immunity to magnetic elds. We also studied the detector performance in the energy range of interest by exposing it to 2-16 GeV particles produced at the Test Beam Facility of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.« less

Test beam studies of silicon timing for use in calorimetry

DOE PAGES

Apresyan, A.; Bolla, G.; Bornheim, A.; ...

2016-04-12

The high luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) at CERN is expected to provide instantaneous luminosities of 5 X 10 34 cm –2 s –1. The high luminosities expected at the HL-LHC will be accompanied by a factor of 5 to 10 more pileup compared with LHC conditions in 2015, causing general confusion for particle identification and event reconstruction. Precision timing allows to extend calorimetric measurements into such a high density environment by subtracting the energy deposits from pileup interactions. Calorimeters employing silicon as the active component have recently become a popular choice for the HL-LHC and futuremore » collider experiments which face very high radiation environments. In this article, we present studies of basic calorimetric and precision timing measurements using a prototype composed of tungsten absorber and silicon sensor as the active medium. Lastly, we show that for the bulk of electromagnetic showers induced by electrons in the range of 20 GeV to 30 GeV, we can achieve time resolutions better than 25 ps per single pad sensor.« less

Fabrication of silicon films from patterned protruded seeds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zeng, Huang; Zhang, Wei; Li, Jizhou; Wang, Cong; Yang, Hui; Chen, Yigang; Chen, Xiaoyuan; Liu, Dongfang

2017-05-01

Thin, flexible silicon crystals are starting up applications such as light-weighted flexible solar cells, SOI, flexible IC chips, 3D ICs imagers and 3D CMOS imagers on the demand of high performance with low cost. Kerfless wafering technology by direct conversion of source gases into mono-crystalline wafers on reusable substrates is highly cost-effective and feedstock-effective route to cheap wafers with the thickness down to several microns. Here we show a prototype for direct conversion of silicon source gases to wafers by using the substrate with protruded seeds. A reliable and controllable method of wafer-scaled preparation of protruded seed patterns has been developed by filling liquid wax into a rod array as the mask for the selective removal of oxide layer on the rod head. Selectively epitaxial growth is performed on the protruded seeds, and the voidless film is formed by the merging of neighboring seeds through growing. And structured hollows are formed between the grown film and the substrate, which would offer the transferability of the grown film and the reusability of the protruded seeds.

A LYSO crystal array readout by silicon photomultipliers as compact detector for space applications

DOE PAGES

Kryemadhi, A.; Barner, L.; Grove, A.; ...

2017-10-31

Precise measurements of GeV range gamma rays help narrow down among var- ious gamma emission models and increase sensitivity for dark matter searches. Construction of precise as well as compact instruments requires detectors with high efficiency, high stopping power, excellent energy resolution, and excellent angular resolution. Fast and bright crystal scintillators coupled with small foot- print photo-detectors are suitable candidates. We prototyped a detector array consisting of four LYSO crystals where each crystal is read out by a 2x2 SensL ArrayJ60035 silicon photomultipliers. The LYSO crystals were chosen because of their good light yield, fast decay time, demonstrated radiation hardness,more » and small radiation length. Here, we used the silicon photomultiplier arrays as photo- detectors because of their small size, simple readout, low voltage operation, and immunity to magnetic elds. We also studied the detector performance in the energy range of interest by exposing it to 2-16 GeV particles produced at the Test Beam Facility of Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory.« less

Precision Timing with Silicon Sensors for Use in Calorimetry

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

Bornheim, A.; Ronzhin, A.; Kim, H.

2017-11-27

The high luminosity upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) at CERN is expected to provide instantaneous luminosities of 5 × 10 34 cm -2 s -1. The high luminosities expected at the HL-LHC will be accompanied by a factor of 5 to 10 more pileup compared with LHC conditions in 2015, causing general confusion for particle identification and event reconstruction. Precision timing allows to extend calorimetric measurements into such a high density environment by subtracting the energy deposits from pileup interactions. Calorimeters employing silicon as the active component have recently become a popular choice for the HL- LHC andmore » future collider experiments which face very high radiation environments. We present studies of basic calorimetric and precision timing measurements using a prototype composed of tungsten absorber and silicon sensor as the active medium. We show that for the bulk of electromagnetic showers induced by electrons in the range of 20 GeV to 30 GeV, we can achieve time resolutions better than 25 ps per single pad sensor.« less

Time-Resolved Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging Using Solid-State Detectors: Characteristics, Present Status, and Research Challenges.

PubMed

Alayed, Mrwan; Deen, M Jamal

2017-09-14

Diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) and diffuse optical imaging (DOI) are emerging non-invasive imaging modalities that have wide spread potential applications in many fields, particularly for structural and functional imaging in medicine. In this article, we review time-resolved diffuse optical imaging (TR-DOI) systems using solid-state detectors with a special focus on Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) and Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). These TR-DOI systems can be categorized into two types based on the operation mode of the detector (free-running or time-gated). For the TR-DOI prototypes, the physical concepts, main components, figures-of-merit of detectors, and evaluation parameters are described. The performance of TR-DOI prototypes is evaluated according to the parameters used in common protocols to test DOI systems particularly basic instrumental performance (BIP). In addition, the potential features of SPADs and SiPMs to improve TR-DOI systems and expand their applications in the foreseeable future are discussed. Lastly, research challenges and future developments for TR-DOI are discussed for each component in the prototype separately and also for the entire system.

Rapid and low-cost prototyping of medical devices using 3D printed molds for liquid injection molding.

PubMed

Chung, Philip; Heller, J Alex; Etemadi, Mozziyar; Ottoson, Paige E; Liu, Jonathan A; Rand, Larry; Roy, Shuvo

2014-06-27

Biologically inert elastomers such as silicone are favorable materials for medical device fabrication, but forming and curing these elastomers using traditional liquid injection molding processes can be an expensive process due to tooling and equipment costs. As a result, it has traditionally been impractical to use liquid injection molding for low-cost, rapid prototyping applications. We have devised a method for rapid and low-cost production of liquid elastomer injection molded devices that utilizes fused deposition modeling 3D printers for mold design and a modified desiccator as an injection system. Low costs and rapid turnaround time in this technique lower the barrier to iteratively designing and prototyping complex elastomer devices. Furthermore, CAD models developed in this process can be later adapted for metal mold tooling design, enabling an easy transition to a traditional injection molding process. We have used this technique to manufacture intravaginal probes involving complex geometries, as well as overmolding over metal parts, using tools commonly available within an academic research laboratory. However, this technique can be easily adapted to create liquid injection molded devices for many other applications.

Recent development on the realization of a 1-inch VSiPMT prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbato, F. C. T.; Barbarino, G.; Campajola, L.; Di Capua, F.; Mollo, C. M.; Valentini, A.; Vivolo, D.

2017-03-01

The VSiPMT (Vacuum Silicon PhotoMultiplier Tube) is an innovative design for a revolutionary hybrid photodetector. The idea, born with the purpose to use a SiPM for large detection volumes, consists in replacing the classical dynode chain with a SiPM. In this configuration, we match the large sensitive area of a photocathode with the performances of the SiPM technology, which therefore acts like an electron detector and so like a current amplifier. The excellent photon counting capability, fast response, low power consumption and great stability are among the most attractive features of the VSiPMT. In order to realize such a device we first studied the feasibility of this detector both from theoretical and experimental point of view, by implementing a Geant4-based simulation and studying the response of a special non-windowed MPPC by Hamamatsu with an electron beam. Thanks to this result Hamamatsu realized two VSiPMT industrial prototypes with a photocathode of 3mm diameter. We present the progress on the realization of a 1-inch prototype and the preliminary tests we are performing on it.

Rapid prototyping of 2D glass microfluidic devices based on femtosecond laser assisted selective etching process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Sung-Il; Kim, Jeongtae; Koo, Chiwan; Joung, Yeun-Ho; Choi, Jiyeon

2018-02-01

Microfluidics technology which deals with small liquid samples and reagents within micro-scale channels has been widely applied in various aspects of biological, chemical, and life-scientific research. For fabricating microfluidic devices, a silicon-based polymer, PDMS (Polydimethylsiloxane), is widely used in soft lithography, but it has several drawbacks for microfluidic applications. Glass has many advantages over PDMS due to its excellent optical, chemical, and mechanical properties. However, difficulties in fabrication of glass microfluidic devices that requires multiple skilled steps such as MEMS technology taking several hours to days, impedes broad application of glass based devices. Here, we demonstrate a rapid and optical prototyping of a glass microfluidic device by using femtosecond laser assisted selective etching (LASE) and femtosecond laser welding. A microfluidic droplet generator was fabricated as a demonstration of a microfluidic device using our proposed prototyping. The fabrication time of a single glass chip containing few centimeter long and complex-shaped microfluidic channels was drastically reduced in an hour with the proposed laser based rapid and simple glass micromachining and hermetic packaging technique.

Cost-effective rapid prototyping and assembly of poly(methyl methacrylate) microfluidic devices.

PubMed

Matellan, Carlos; Del Río Hernández, Armando E

2018-05-03

The difficulty in translating conventional microfluidics from laboratory prototypes to commercial products has shifted research efforts towards thermoplastic materials for their higher translational potential and amenability to industrial manufacturing. Here, we present an accessible method to fabricate and assemble polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) microfluidic devices in a "mask-less" and cost-effective manner that can be applied to manufacture a wide range of designs due to its versatility. Laser micromachining offers high flexibility in channel dimensions and morphology by controlling the laser properties, while our two-step surface treatment based on exposure to acetone vapour and low-temperature annealing enables improvement of the surface quality without deformation of the device. Finally, we demonstrate a capillarity-driven adhesive delivery bonding method that can produce an effective seal between PMMA devices and a variety of substrates, including glass, silicon and LiNbO 3 . We illustrate the potential of this technique with two microfluidic devices, an H-filter and a droplet generator. The technique proposed here offers a low entry barrier for the rapid prototyping of thermoplastic microfluidics, enabling iterative design for laboratories without access to conventional microfabrication equipment.

Investigation of CMOS pixel sensor with 0.18 μm CMOS technology for high-precision tracking detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, L.; Fu, M.; Zhang, Y.; Yan, W.; Wang, M.

2017-01-01

The Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC) proposed by the Chinese high energy physics community is aiming to measure Higgs particles and their interactions precisely. The tracking detector including Silicon Inner Tracker (SIT) and Forward Tracking Disks (FTD) has driven stringent requirements on sensor technologies in term of spatial resolution, power consumption and readout speed. CMOS Pixel Sensor (CPS) is a promising candidate to approach these requirements. This paper presents the preliminary studies on the sensor optimization for tracking detector to achieve high collection efficiency while keeping necessary spatial resolution. Detailed studies have been performed on the charge collection using a 0.18 μm CMOS image sensor process. This process allows high resistivity epitaxial layer, leading to a significant improvement on the charge collection and therefore improving the radiation tolerance. Together with the simulation results, the first exploratory prototype has bee designed and fabricated. The prototype includes 9 different pixel arrays, which vary in terms of pixel pitch, diode size and geometry. The total area of the prototype amounts to 2 × 7.88 mm2.

Toward DNA-based Security Circuitry: First Step - Random Number Generation.

PubMed

Bogard, Christy M; Arazi, Benjamin; Rouchka, Eric C

2008-08-10

DNA-based circuit design is an area of research in which traditional silicon-based technologies are replaced by naturally occurring phenomena taken from biochemistry and molecular biology. Our team investigates the implications of DNA-based circuit design in serving security applications. As an initial step we develop a random number generation circuitry. A novel prototype schema employs solid-phase synthesis of oligonucleotides for random construction of DNA sequences. Temporary storage and retrieval is achieved through plasmid vectors.

Plasma chamber testing of advanced photovoltaic solar array coupons

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hillard, G. Barry

1994-01-01

The solar array module plasma interactions experiment is a space shuttle experiment designed to investigate and quantify the high voltage plasma interactions. One of the objectives of the experiment is to test the performance of the Advanced Photovoltaic Solar Array (APSA). The material properties of array blanket are also studied as electric insulators for APSA arrays in high voltage conditions. Three twelve cell prototype coupons of silicon cells were constructed and tested in a space simulation chamber.

Regular dislocation networks in silicon as a tool for nanostructure devices used in optics, biology, and electronics.

PubMed

Kittler, M; Yu, X; Mchedlidze, T; Arguirov, T; Vyvenko, O F; Seifert, W; Reiche, M; Wilhelm, T; Seibt, M; Voss, O; Wolff, A; Fritzsche, W

2007-06-01

Well-controlled fabrication of dislocation networks in Si using direct wafer bonding opens broad possibilities for nanotechnology applications. Concepts of dislocation-network-based light emitters, manipulators of biomolecules, gettering and insulating layers, and three-dimensional buried conductive channels are presented and discussed. A prototype of a Si-based light emitter working at a wavelength of about 1.5 microm with an efficiency potential estimated at 1% is demonstrated.

Development of absorber coupled TES polarimeter at millimeter wavelengths.

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

Wang, G.; Yefremenko, V.; Novosad, V.

2009-06-01

We report an absorber coupled TES bolometric polarimeter, consisting of an absorptive metal grid and a Mo/Au bi-layer TES on a suspended silicon nitride membrane disk. The electromagnetic design of the polarization sensitive absorbers, the heat transport modeling of the detector, the thermal response of the TES, and the micro-fabrication processes are presented. We also report the results of laboratory tests of a single pixel prototype detector, and compare with theoretical expectations.

The low energy detector of Simbol-X

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lechner, P.; Andricek, L.; Briel, U.; Hasinger, G.; Heinzinger, K.; Herrmann, S.; Huber, H.; Kendziorra, E.; Lauf, T.; Lutz, G.; Richter, R.; Santangelo, A.; Schaller, G.; Schnecke, M.; Schopper, F.; Segneri, G.; Strüder, L.; Treis, J.

2008-07-01

Simbol-X is a French-Italian-German hard energy X-ray mission with a projected launch in 2014. Being sensitive in the energy range from 500 eV to 80 keV it will cover the sensitivity gap beyond the energy interval of today's telescopes XMM-Newton and Chandra. Simbol-X will use an imaging telescope of nested Wolter-I mirrors. To provide a focal length of 20 m it will be the first mission of two independent mirror and detector spacecrafts in autonomous formation flight. The detector spacecraft's payload is composed of an imaging silicon low energy detector in front of a pixelated cadmium-telluride hard energy detector. Both have a sensitive area of 8 × 8 cm2 to cover a 12 arcmin field of view and a pixel size of 625 × 625 μm2 adapted to the telescope's resolution of 20 arcsec. The additional LED specifications are: high energy resolution, high quantum efficiency, fast readout and optional window mode, monolithic device with 100 % fill factor and suspension mounting, and operation at warm temperature. To match these requirements the low energy detector is composed of 'active macro pixels', combining the large, scalable area of a Silicon Drift Detector and the low-noise, on-demand readout of an integrated DEPFET amplifier. Flight representative prototypes have been processed at the MPI semiconductor laboratory, and the prototype's measured performance demonstrates the technology readiness.

Three-dimensional integration of nanotechnologies for computing and data storage on a single chip

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shulaker, Max M.; Hills, Gage; Park, Rebecca S.; Howe, Roger T.; Saraswat, Krishna; Wong, H.-S. Philip; Mitra, Subhasish

2017-07-01

The computing demands of future data-intensive applications will greatly exceed the capabilities of current electronics, and are unlikely to be met by isolated improvements in transistors, data storage technologies or integrated circuit architectures alone. Instead, transformative nanosystems, which use new nanotechnologies to simultaneously realize improved devices and new integrated circuit architectures, are required. Here we present a prototype of such a transformative nanosystem. It consists of more than one million resistive random-access memory cells and more than two million carbon-nanotube field-effect transistors—promising new nanotechnologies for use in energy-efficient digital logic circuits and for dense data storage—fabricated on vertically stacked layers in a single chip. Unlike conventional integrated circuit architectures, the layered fabrication realizes a three-dimensional integrated circuit architecture with fine-grained and dense vertical connectivity between layers of computing, data storage, and input and output (in this instance, sensing). As a result, our nanosystem can capture massive amounts of data every second, store it directly on-chip, perform in situ processing of the captured data, and produce ‘highly processed’ information. As a working prototype, our nanosystem senses and classifies ambient gases. Furthermore, because the layers are fabricated on top of silicon logic circuitry, our nanosystem is compatible with existing infrastructure for silicon-based technologies. Such complex nano-electronic systems will be essential for future high-performance and highly energy-efficient electronic systems.

Integrated optical sensors for 2D spatial chemical mapping (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Flores, Raquel; Janeiro, Ricardo; Viegas, Jaime

2017-02-01

Sensors based on optical waveguides for chemical sensing have attracted increasing interest over the last two decades, fueled by potential applications in commercial lab-on-a-chip devices for medical and food safety industries. Even though the early studies were oriented for single-point detection, progress in device size reduction and device yield afforded by photonics foundries have opened the opportunity for distributed dynamic chemical sensing at the microscale. This will allow researchers to follow the dynamics of chemical species in field of microbiology, and microchemistry, with a complementary method to current technologies based on microfluorescence and hyperspectral imaging. The study of the chemical dynamics at the surface of photoelectrodes in water splitting cells are a good candidate to benefit from such optochemical sensing devices that includes a photonic integrated circuit (PIC) with multiple sensors for real-time detection and spatial mapping of chemical species. In this project, we present experimental results on a prototype integrated optical system for chemical mapping based on the interaction of cascaded resonant optical devices, spatially covered with chemically sensitive polymers and plasmon-enhanced nanostructured metal/metal-oxide claddings offering chemical selectivity in a pixelated surface. In order to achieve a compact footprint, the prototype is based in a silicon photonics platform. A discussion on the relative merits of a photonic platform based on large bandgap metal oxides and nitrides which have higher chemical resistance than silicon is also presented.

Three-dimensional integration of nanotechnologies for computing and data storage on a single chip.

PubMed

Shulaker, Max M; Hills, Gage; Park, Rebecca S; Howe, Roger T; Saraswat, Krishna; Wong, H-S Philip; Mitra, Subhasish

2017-07-05

The computing demands of future data-intensive applications will greatly exceed the capabilities of current electronics, and are unlikely to be met by isolated improvements in transistors, data storage technologies or integrated circuit architectures alone. Instead, transformative nanosystems, which use new nanotechnologies to simultaneously realize improved devices and new integrated circuit architectures, are required. Here we present a prototype of such a transformative nanosystem. It consists of more than one million resistive random-access memory cells and more than two million carbon-nanotube field-effect transistors-promising new nanotechnologies for use in energy-efficient digital logic circuits and for dense data storage-fabricated on vertically stacked layers in a single chip. Unlike conventional integrated circuit architectures, the layered fabrication realizes a three-dimensional integrated circuit architecture with fine-grained and dense vertical connectivity between layers of computing, data storage, and input and output (in this instance, sensing). As a result, our nanosystem can capture massive amounts of data every second, store it directly on-chip, perform in situ processing of the captured data, and produce 'highly processed' information. As a working prototype, our nanosystem senses and classifies ambient gases. Furthermore, because the layers are fabricated on top of silicon logic circuitry, our nanosystem is compatible with existing infrastructure for silicon-based technologies. Such complex nano-electronic systems will be essential for future high-performance and highly energy-efficient electronic systems.

Nanoklystron: A Monolithic Tube Approach to THz Power Generation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Siegel, Peter H.; Fung, Andy; Manohara, Harish; Xu, Jimmy; Chang, Baohe

2001-01-01

The authors propose a new approach to THz power generation: the nanoklystron. Utilizing silicon micromachining techniques, the design and fabrication concept of a monolithic THz vacuum-tube reflex-klystron source is described. The nanoklystron employs a separately fabricated cathode structure composed of densely packed carbon nanotube field emitters and an add-in repeller. The nanotube cathode is expected to increase the current density, extend the cathode life and decrease the required oscillation voltage to values below 100 V. The excitation cavity is based on ridged-waveguide and differs from the conventional cylindrical re-entrant structures found in lower frequency klystrons. A quasi-static field analysis of the cavity and output coupling structure show excellent control of the quality factor and desired field distribution. Output power is expected to occur through an iris coupled matched rectangular waveguide and integrated pyramidal feed horn. The entire circuit is designed so as to be formed monolithically from two thermocompression bonded silicon wafers processed using deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) techniques. To expedite prototyping, a 600 GHz mechanically machined structure has been designed and is in fabrication. A complete numeric analysis of the nanoklystron circuit, including the electron beam dynamics has just gotten underway. Separate evaluation of the nanotube cathodes is also ongoing. The authors will describe the progress to date as well as plans for the immediate implementation and testing of nanoklystron prototypes at 640 and 1250 GHz.

Volume holographic lens spectrum-splitting photovoltaic system for high energy yield with direct and diffuse solar illumination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chrysler, Benjamin D.; Wu, Yuechen; Yu, Zhengshan; Kostuk, Raymond K.

2017-08-01

In this paper a prototype spectrum-splitting photovoltaic system based on volume holographic lenses (VHL) is designed, fabricated and tested. In spectrum-splitting systems, incident sunlight is divided in spectral bands for optimal conversion by a set of single-junction PV cells that are laterally separated. The VHL spectrumsplitting system in this paper has a form factor similar to conventional silicon PV modules but with higher efficiencies (>30%). Unlike many other spectrum-splitting systems that have been proposed in the past, the system in this work converts both direct and diffuse sunlight while using inexpensive 1-axis tracking systems. The VHL system uses holographic lenses that focus light at a transition wavelength to the boundary between two PV cells. Longer wavelength light is dispersed to the narrow bandgap cell and shorter wavelength light to the wide bandgap cell. A prototype system is designed with silicon and GaAs PV cells. The holographic lenses are fabricated in Covestro Bayfol HX photopolymer by `stitching' together lens segments through sequential masked exposures. The PV cells and holographic lenses were characterized and the data was used in a raytrace simulation and predicts an improvement in total power output of 15.2% compared to a non-spectrum-splitting reference. A laboratory measurement yielded an improvement in power output of 8.5%.

Silicon photomultipliers for scintillating trackers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rabaioli, S.; Berra, A.; Bolognini, D.; Bonvicini, V.; Bosisio, L.; Ciano, S.; Iugovaz, D.; Lietti, D.; Penzo, A.; Prest, M.; Rashevskaya, I.; Reia, S.; Stoppani, L.; Vallazza, E.

2012-12-01

In recent years, silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) have been proposed as a new kind of readout device for scintillating detectors in many experiments. A SiPM consists of a matrix of parallel-connected pixels, which are independent photon counters working in Geiger mode with very high gain (∼106). This contribution presents the use of an array of eight SiPMs (manufactured by FBK-irst) for the readout of a scintillating bar tracker (a small size prototype of the Electron Muon Ranger detector for the MICE experiment). The performances of the SiPMs in terms of signal to noise ratio, efficiency and time resolution will be compared to the ones of a multi-anode photomultiplier tube (MAPMT) connected to the same bars. Both the SiPMs and the MAPMT are interfaced to a VME system through a 64 channel MAROC ASIC.

Three-dimensional patterning in polymer optical waveguides using focused ion beam milling

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruse, Kevin; Burrell, Derek; Middlebrook, Christopher

2016-07-01

Waveguide (WG) photonic-bridge taper modules are designed for symmetric planar coupling between silicon WGs and single-mode fibers (SMFs) to minimize photonic chip and packaging footprint requirements with improving broadband functionality. Micromachined fabrication and evaluation of polymer WG tapers utilizing high-resolution focused ion beam (FIB) milling is performed and presented. Polymer etch rates utilizing the FIB and optimal methods for milling polymer tapers are identified for three-dimensional patterning. Polymer WG tapers with low sidewall roughness are manufactured utilizing FIB milling and optically tested for fabrication loss. FIB platforms utilize a focused beam of ions (Ga+) to etch submicron patterns into substrates. Fabricating low-loss polymer WG taper prototypes with the FIB before moving on to mass-production techniques provides theoretical understanding of the polymer taper and its feasibility for connectorization devices between silicon WGs and SMFs.

Development and characterization of a dual-energy subtraction imaging system for chest radiography based on CsI:Tl amorphous silicon flat-panel technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sabol, John M.; Avinash, Gopal B.; Nicolas, Francois; Claus, Bernhard E. H.; Zhao, Jianguo; Dobbins, James T., III

2001-06-01

Dual-energy subtraction imaging increases the sensitivity and specificity of pulmonary nodule detection in chest radiography by reducing the contrast of overlying bone structures. Recent development of a fast, high-efficiency detector enables dual-energy imaging to be integrated into the traditional workflow. We have modified a GE RevolutionTM XQ/i chest imaging system to construct a dual-energy imaging prototype system. Here we describe the operating characteristics of this prototype and evaluate image quality. Empirical results show that the dual-energy CNR is maximized if the dose is approximately equal for both high and low energy exposures. Given the high detector DQE, and allocation of dose between the two views, we can acquire dual-energy PA and conventional lateral images with total dose equivalent to a conventional two-view film chest exam. Calculations have shown that the dual-exposure technique has superior CNR and tissue cancellation than single-exposure CR systems. Clinical images obtained on a prototype dual-energy imaging system show excellent tissue contrast cancellation, low noise, and modest motion artefacts. In summary, a prototype dual-energy system has been constructed which enables rapid, dual-exposure imaging of the chest using a commercially available high-efficiency, flat-panel x-ray detector. The quality of the clinical images generated with this prototype exceeds that of CR techniques and demonstrates the potential for improved detection and characterization of lung disease through dual-energy imaging.

Chemical Sensors Based on Optical Ring Resonators

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Homer, Margie; Manfreda, Allison; Mansour, Kamjou; Lin, Ying; Ksendzov, Alexander

2005-01-01

Chemical sensors based on optical ring resonators are undergoing development. A ring resonator according to this concept is a closed-circuit dielectric optical waveguide. The outermost layer of this waveguide, analogous to the optical cladding layer on an optical fiber, is a made of a polymer that (1) has an index of refraction lower than that of the waveguide core and (2) absorbs chemicals from the surrounding air. The index of refraction of the polymer changes with the concentration of absorbed chemical( s). The resonator is designed to operate with relatively strong evanescent-wave coupling between the outer polymer layer and the electromagnetic field propagating along the waveguide core. By virtue of this coupling, the chemically induced change in index of refraction of the polymer causes a measurable shift in the resonance peaks of the ring. In a prototype that has been used to demonstrate the feasibility of this sensor concept, the ring resonator is a dielectric optical waveguide laid out along a closed path resembling a racetrack (see Figure 1). The prototype was fabricated on a silicon substrate by use of standard techniques of thermal oxidation, chemical vapor deposition, photolithography, etching, and spin coating. The prototype resonator waveguide features an inner cladding of SiO2, a core of SixNy, and a chemical-sensing outer cladding of ethyl cellulose. In addition to the ring Chemical sensors based on optical ring resonators are undergoing development. A ring resonator according to this concept is a closed-circuit dielectric optical waveguide. The outermost layer of this waveguide, analogous to the optical cladding layer on an optical fiber, is a made of a polymer that (1) has an index of refraction lower than that of the waveguide core and (2) absorbs chemicals from the surrounding air. The index of refraction of the polymer changes with the concentration of absorbed chemical( s). The resonator is designed to operate with relatively strong evanescent-wave coupling between the outer polymer layer and the electromagnetic field propagating along the waveguide core. By virtue of this coupling, the chemically induced change in index of refraction of the polymer causes a measurable shift in the resonance peaks of the ring. In a prototype that has been used to demonstrate the feasibility of this sensor concept, the ring resonator is a dielectric optical waveguide laid out along a closed path resembling a racetrack (see Figure 1). The prototype was fabricated on a silicon substrate by use of standard techniques of thermal oxidation, chemical vapor deposition, photolithography, etching, and spin coating. The prototype resonator waveguide features an inner cladding of SiO2, a core of SixNy, and a chemical-sensing outer cladding of ethyl cellulose. In addition to the ring res

Prototyping of Silicon Strip Detectors for the Inner Tracker of the ALICE Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sokolov, Oleksiy

2006-04-01

The ALICE experiment at CERN will study heavy ion collisions at a center-of-mass energy 5.5˜TeV per nucleon. Particle tracking around the interaction region at radii r<45 cm is done by the Inner Tracking System (ITS), consisting of six cylindrical layers of silicon detectors. The outer two layers of the ITS use double-sided silicon strip detectors. This thesis focuses on testing of these detectors and performance studies of the detector module prototypes at the beam test. Silicon strip detector layers will require about 20 thousand HAL25 front-end readout chips and about 3.5 thousand hybrids each containing 6 HAL25 chips. During the assembly procedure, chips are bonded on a patterned TAB aluminium microcables which connect to all the chip input and output pads, and then the chips are assembled on the hybrids. Bonding failures at the chip or hybrid level may either render the component non-functional or deteriorate its the performance such that it can not be used for the module production. After each bonding operation, the component testing is done to reject the non-functional or poorly performing chips and hybrids. The LabView-controlled test station for this operation has been built at Utrecht University and was successfully used for mass production acceptance tests of chips and hybrids at three production labs. The functionality of the chip registers, bonding quality and analogue functionality of the chips and hybrids are addressed in the test. The test routines were optimized to minimize the testing time to make sure that testing is not a bottleneck of the mass production. For testing of complete modules the laser scanning station with 1060 nm diode laser has been assembled at Utrecht University. The testing method relies of the fact that a response of the detector module to a short collimated laser beam pulse resembles a response to a minimum ionizing particle. A small beam spot size (˜7 μm ) allows to deposit the charge in a narrow region and measure the response of individual detector channels. First several module prototypes have been studied with this setup, the strip gain and charge sharing function have been measured, the later is compared with the model predictions. It was also shown that for a laser beam of a high monochromaticity, interference in the sensor bulk significantly modulates the deposited charge and introduces a systematic error of the gain measurement. Signatures of disconnected strips and pinholes defects have been observed, the response of the disconnected strips to the laser beam has been correlated with the noise measurements. Beam test of four prototype modules have been carried out at PS accelerator at CERN using 7 GeV/c pions. It was demonstrated that the modules provide an excellent signal-to-noise ratio in the range 40-75. The estimated spatial resolution for the normally incident tracks is about 18 μm using the center-of-gravity cluster reconstruction method. A non-iterative method for spatial resolution determination was developed, it was shown that in order to determine the resolution of each individual detector in the telescope, the telescope should consist of at least 5 detectors. The detectors showed high detection efficiency, in the order 99%. It was shown that the particle loss occurs mostly in the defected regions near the noisy strips or strips with a very low gain. The efficiency of the sensor area with nominal characteristics is consistent with 100%.

Fabrication of a Cryogenic Terahertz Emitter for Bolometer Focal Plane Calibrations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chervenak, James; Brown, Ari; Wollack, Edward

2012-01-01

A fabrication process is reported for prototype emitters of THz radiation, which operate cryogenically, and should provide a fast, stable blackbody source suitable for characterization of THz devices. The fabrication has been demonstrated and, at the time of this reporting, testing was underway. The emitter is similar to a monolithic silicon bolometer in design, using both a low-noise thermometer and a heater element on a thermally isolated stage. An impedance-matched, high-emissivity coat ing is also integrated to tune the blackbody properties. This emitter is designed to emit a precise amount of power as a blackbody spectrum centered on terahertz frequencies. The emission is a function of the blackbody temperature. An integrated resistive heater and thermometer system can control the temperature of the blackbody with greater precision than previous incarnations of calibration sources that relied on blackbody emission. The emitter is fabricated using a silicon- on-insulator substrate wafer. The buried oxide is chosen to be less than 1 micron thick, and the silicon device thickness is 1-2 microns. Layers of phosphorus compensated with boron are implanted into and diffused throughout the full thickness of the silicon device layer to create the thermometer and heater components. Degenerately doped wiring is implanted to connect the devices to wire-bondable contact pads at the edge of the emitter chip. Then the device is micromachined to remove the thick-handle silicon behind the thermometer and heater components, and to thermally isolate it on a silicon membrane. An impedance- matched emissive coating (ion assisted evaporated Bi) is applied to the back of the membrane to enable high-efficiency emission of the blackbody spectrum.

A Disposable Tear Glucose Biosensor—Part 2: System Integration and Model Validation

PubMed Central

La Belle, Jeffrey T.; Bishop, Daniel K.; Vossler, Stephen R.; Patel, Dharmendra R.; Cook, Curtiss B.

2010-01-01

Background We presented a concept for a tear glucose sensor system in an article by Bishop and colleagues in this issue of Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. A unique solution to collect tear fluid and measure glucose was developed. Individual components were selected, tested, and optimized, and system error modeling was performed. Further data on prototype testing are now provided. Methods An integrated fluidics portion of the prototype was designed, cast, and tested. A sensor was created using screen-printed sensors integrated with a silicone rubber fluidics system and absorbent polyurethane foam. A simulated eye surface was prepared using fluid-saturated poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) sheets, and the disposable prototype was tested for both reproducibility at 0, 200, and 400 μM glucose (n = 7) and dynamic range of glucose detection from 0 to 1000 μM glucose. Results From the replicated runs, an established relative standard deviation of 15.8% was calculated at 200 μM and a lower limit of detection was calculated at 43.4 μM. A linear dynamic range was demonstrated from 0 to 1000 μM with an R2 of 99.56%. The previously developed model predicted a 14.9% variation. This compares to the observed variance of 15.8% measured at 200 μM glucose. Conclusion With the newly designed fluidics component, an integrated tear glucose prototype was assembled and tested. Testing of this integrated prototype demonstrated a satisfactory lower limit of detection for measuring glucose concentration in tears and was reproducible across a physiological sampling range. The next step in the device design process will be initial animal studies to evaluate the current prototype for factors such as eye irritation, ease of use, and correlation with blood glucose. PMID:20307390

A disposable tear glucose biosensor-part 2: system integration and model validation.

PubMed

La Belle, Jeffrey T; Bishop, Daniel K; Vossler, Stephen R; Patel, Dharmendra R; Cook, Curtiss B

2010-03-01

We presented a concept for a tear glucose sensor system in an article by Bishop and colleagues in this issue of Journal of Diabetes Science and Technology. A unique solution to collect tear fluid and measure glucose was developed. Individual components were selected, tested, and optimized, and system error modeling was performed. Further data on prototype testing are now provided. An integrated fluidics portion of the prototype was designed, cast, and tested. A sensor was created using screen-printed sensors integrated with a silicone rubber fluidics system and absorbent polyurethane foam. A simulated eye surface was prepared using fluid-saturated poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) sheets, and the disposable prototype was tested for both reproducibility at 0, 200, and 400 microM glucose (n = 7) and dynamic range of glucose detection from 0 to 1000 microM glucose. From the replicated runs, an established relative standard deviation of 15.8% was calculated at 200 microM and a lower limit of detection was calculated at 43.4 microM. A linear dynamic range was demonstrated from 0 to 1000 microM with an R(2) of 99.56%. The previously developed model predicted a 14.9% variation. This compares to the observed variance of 15.8% measured at 200 microM glucose. With the newly designed fluidics component, an integrated tear glucose prototype was assembled and tested. Testing of this integrated prototype demonstrated a satisfactory lower limit of detection for measuring glucose concentration in tears and was reproducible across a physiological sampling range. The next step in the device design process will be initial animal studies to evaluate the current prototype for factors such as eye irritation, ease of use, and correlation with blood glucose. (c) 2010 Diabetes Technology Society.

Development of silicon detectors for Beam Loss Monitoring at HL-LHC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Verbitskaya, E.; Eremin, V.; Zabrodskii, A.; Bogdanov, A.; Shepelev, A.; Dehning, B.; Bartosik, M. R.; Alexopoulos, A.; Glaser, M.; Ravotti, F.; Sapinski, M.; Härkönen, J.; Egorov, N.; Galkin, A.

2017-03-01

Silicon detectors were proposed as novel Beam Loss Monitors (BLM) for the control of the radiation environment in the vicinity of the superconductive magnets of the High-Luminosity Large Hadron Collider. The present work is aimed at enhancing the BLM sensitivity and therefore the capability of triggering the beam abort system before a critical radiation load hits the superconductive coils. We report here the results of three in situ irradiation tests of Si detectors carried out at the CERN PS at 1.9-4.2 K. The main experimental result is that all silicon detectors survived irradiation up to 1.22× 1016 p/cm2. The third test, focused on the detailed characterization of the detectors with standard (300 μm) and reduced (100 μm) thicknesses, showed only a marginal difference in the sensitivity of thinned detectors in the entire fluence range and a smaller rate of signal degradation that promotes their use as BLMs. The irradiation campaigns produced new information on radiation damage and carrier transport in Si detectors irradiated at the temperatures of 1.9-4.2 K. The results were encouraging and permitted to initiate the production of the first BLM prototype modules which were installed at the end of the vessel containing the superconductive coil of a LHC magnet immersed in superfluid helium to be able to test the silicon detectors in real operational conditions.

A digitalized silicon microgyroscope based on embedded FPGA.

PubMed

Xia, Dunzhu; Yu, Cheng; Wang, Yuliang

2012-09-27

This paper presents a novel digital miniaturization method for a prototype silicon micro-gyroscope (SMG) with the symmetrical and decoupled structure. The schematic blocks of the overall system consist of high precision analog front-end interface, high-speed 18-bit analog to digital convertor, a high-performance core Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chip and other peripherals such as high-speed serial ports for transmitting data. In drive mode, the closed-loop drive circuit are implemented by automatic gain control (AGC) loop and software phase-locked loop (SPLL) based on the Coordinated Rotation Digital Computer (CORDIC) algorithm. Meanwhile, the sense demodulation module based on varying step least mean square demodulation (LMSD) are addressed in detail. All kinds of algorithms are simulated by Simulink and DSPbuilder tools, which is in good agreement with the theoretical design. The experimental results have fully demonstrated the stability and flexibility of the system.

A Digitalized Silicon Microgyroscope Based on Embedded FPGA

PubMed Central

Xia, Dunzhu; Yu, Cheng; Wang, Yuliang

2012-01-01

This paper presents a novel digital miniaturization method for a prototype silicon micro-gyroscope (SMG) with the symmetrical and decoupled structure. The schematic blocks of the overall system consist of high precision analog front-end interface, high-speed 18-bit analog to digital convertor, a high-performance core Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) chip and other peripherals such as high-speed serial ports for transmitting data. In drive mode, the closed-loop drive circuit are implemented by automatic gain control (AGC) loop and software phase-locked loop (SPLL) based on the Coordinated Rotation Digital Computer (CORDIC) algorithm. Meanwhile, the sense demodulation module based on varying step least mean square demodulation (LMSD) are addressed in detail. All kinds of algorithms are simulated by Simulink and DSPbuilder tools, which is in good agreement with the theoretical design. The experimental results have fully demonstrated the stability and flexibility of the system. PMID:23201990

Crystalline-silicon reliability lessons for thin-film modules

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, R. G., Jr.

1985-01-01

The reliability of crystalline silicon modules has been brought to a high level with lifetimes approaching 20 years, and excellent industry credibility and user satisfaction. The transition from crystalline modules to thin film modules is comparable to the transition from discrete transistors to integrated circuits. New cell materials and monolithic structures will require new device processing techniques, but the package function and design will evolve to a lesser extent. Although there will be new encapsulants optimized to take advantage of the mechanical flexibility and low temperature processing features of thin films, the reliability and life degradation stresses and mechanisms will remain mostly unchanged. Key reliability technologies in common between crystalline and thin film modules include hot spot heating, galvanic and electrochemical corrosion, hail impact stresses, glass breakage, mechanical fatigue, photothermal degradation of encapsulants, operating temperature, moisture sorption, circuit design strategies, product safety issues, and the process required to achieve a reliable product from a laboratory prototype.

Monolithic optoelectronic integrated broadband optical receiver with graphene photodetectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheng, Chuantong; Huang, Beiju; Mao, Xurui; Zhang, Zanyun; Zhang, Zan; Geng, Zhaoxin; Xue, Ping; Chen, Hongda

2017-07-01

Optical receivers with potentially high operation bandwidth and low cost have received considerable interest due to rapidly growing data traffic and potential Tb/s optical interconnect requirements. Experimental realization of 65 GHz optical signal detection and 262 GHz intrinsic operation speed reveals the significance role of graphene photodetectors (PDs) in optical interconnect domains. In this work, a novel complementary metal oxide semiconductor post-backend process has been developed for integrating graphene PDs onto silicon integrated circuit chips. A prototype monolithic optoelectronic integrated optical receiver has been successfully demonstrated for the first time. Moreover, this is a firstly reported broadband optical receiver benefiting from natural broadband light absorption features of graphene material. This work is a perfect exhibition of the concept of monolithic optoelectronic integration and will pave way to monolithically integrated graphene optoelectronic devices with silicon ICs for three-dimensional optoelectronic integrated circuit chips.

X-ray metrology of an array of active edge pixel sensors for use at synchrotron light sources

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Plackett, R.; Arndt, K.; Bortoletto, D.; Horswell, I.; Lockwood, G.; Shipsey, I.; Tartoni, N.; Williams, S.

2018-01-01

We report on the production and testing of an array of active edge silicon sensors as a prototype of a large array. Four Medipix3RX.1 chips were bump bonded to four single chip sized Advacam active edge n-on-n sensors. These detectors were then mounted into a 2 by 2 array and tested on B16 at Diamond Light Source with an x-ray beam spot of 2um. The results from these tests, compared with optical metrology demonstrate that this type of sensor is sensitive to the physical edge of the silicon, with only a modest loss of efficiency in the final two rows of pixels. We present the efficiency maps recorded with the microfocus beam and a sample powder diffraction measurement. These results give confidence that this sensor technology can be used effectively in larger arrays of detectors at synchrotron light sources.

High temperature ultrasonic immersion measurements using a BS-PT based piezoelectric transducer without a delay line

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bilgunde, Prathamesh N.; Bond, Leonard J.

2018-04-01

Ultrasonic imaging is a key enabling technology required for in-service inspection of advanced sodium fast reactors at the hot stand-by operating mode (˜250C). Current work presents development of a single element, 2.4MHz, planar, ultrasonic immersion transducer for a potential application in ranging, inspection and imaging of the reactor components. The prototype immersion transducer is first tested in water for three thermal cycles up to 92C. The transducer is further evaluated for four thermal cycles in silicone oil, with total seven thermal cycles that exceeded operation period of 21 hours. Moreover, the preliminary data acquired for speed of sound in silicone oil indicates 24% reduction from 22C to 142C. Sensitivity of the ultrasonic transducer is also measured as a function of temperature and demonstrates the effect of multiple thermal cycles on the transducer components.

DSSD detectors development PACT, a new space Compton telescope at the horizon 2025

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Laurent, P.; Khalil, M.; Dolgorouki, Y.; Bertoli, W.; Oger, R.; Bréelle, E.

2015-07-01

PACT is a Pair and Compton telescope that aims to make a sensitive survey of the gamma-ray sky between 100 keV and 100 MeV . It will be devoted to the detection of radioactivity lines from present and past supernova explosions, the observation of thousands of new blazars, and the study of polarized radiations from gamma-ray bursts, pulsars and accreting black holes. It will reach a sensitivity of one to two orders of magnitude lower than COMPTEL/CGRO (e.g. about 50 times lower for the broad-band, survey sensitivity at 1 MeV after 5 years). The PACT telescope is based upon three main components: a silicon-based gamma-ray tracker, a crystal-based calorimeter (e.g. CeBr3), and an anticoincidence detector made of plastic scintillator panels. Prototypes of the Silicon detector planes have been optimized and are currently tested in the APC laboratory.

Developments towards the LHCb VELO upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cid Vidal, Xabier

2016-09-01

The Vertex Locator (VELO) is a silicon strip detector surrounding the interaction region of the LHCb experiment. The upgrade of the VELO is planned to be installed in 2019-2020, and the current detector will be replaced by a hybrid pixel system equipped with electronics capable of reading out at a rate of 40 MHz. The new detector is designed to withstand the radiation dose expected at an integrated luminosity of 50 fb-1. The detector will be composed of silicon pixel sensors, read out by the VeloPix ASIC that is being developed based on the TimePix/MediPix family. The prototype sensors for the VELO upgrade are being irradiated in five different facilities and the post-irradiation performance is being measured with testbeams, and in the lab. These proceedings present the VELO upgrade and briefly discuss the results of the sensor testing campaign.

Superhydrophobic Silicon Nanocrystal-Silica Aerogel Hybrid Materials: Synthesis, Properties, and Sensing Application.

PubMed

Kehrle, Julian; Purkait, Tapas K; Kaiser, Simon; Raftopoulos, Konstantinos N; Winnacker, Malte; Ludwig, Theresa; Aghajamali, Maryam; Hanzlik, Marianne; Rodewald, Katia; Helbich, Tobias; Papadakis, Christine M; Veinot, Jonathan G C; Rieger, Bernhard

2018-04-24

Silicon nanocrystals (SiNCs) are abundant and exhibit exquisitely tailorable optoelectronic properties. The incorporation of SiNCs into highly porous and lightweight substrates such as aerogels leads to hybrid materials possessing the attractive features of both materials. This study describes the covalent deposition of SiNCs on and intercalation into silica aerogels, explores the properties, and demonstrates a prototype sensing application of the composite material. SiNCs of different sizes were functionalized with triethoxyvinylsilane (TEVS) via a radical grafting approach and subsequently used for the synthesis of photoluminescent silica hybrids. The resulting SiNC-containing aerogels possess high porosities, SiNC-based size-dependent photoluminescence, transparency, and a superhydrophobic macroscopic surface. The materials were used to examine the photoluminescence response toward low concentrations of 3-nitrotoluene (270 μM), demonstrating their potential as a sensing platform for high-energy materials.

Application of magnetohydrodynamic actuation to continuous flow chemistry.

PubMed

West, Jonathan; Karamata, Boris; Lillis, Brian; Gleeson, James P; Alderman, John; Collins, John K; Lane, William; Mathewson, Alan; Berney, Helen

2002-11-01

Continuous flow microreactors with an annular microchannel for cyclical chemical reactions were fabricated by either bulk micromachining in silicon or by rapid prototyping using EPON SU-8. Fluid propulsion in these unusual microchannels was achieved using AC magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) actuation. This integrated micropumping mechanism obviates the use of moving parts by acting locally on the electrolyte, exploiting its inherent conductive nature. Both silicon and SU-8 microreactors were capable of MHD actuation, attaining fluid velocities of the order of 300 microm s(-1) when using a 500 mM KCl electrolyte. The polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a thermocycling process, was chosen as an illustrative example of a cyclical chemistry. Accordingly, temperature zones were provided to enable a thermal cycle during each revolution. With this approach, fluid velocity determines cycle duration. Here, we report device fabrication and performance, a model to accurately describe fluid circulation by MHD actuation, and compatibility issues relating to this approach to chemistry.

Measurements on a full-field digital mammography system with a photon counting crystalline silicon detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lundqvist, Mats; Danielsson, Mats; Cederstroem, Bjoern; Chmill, Valery; Chuntonov, Alexander; Aslund, Magnus

2003-06-01

Sectra Microdose is the first single photon counting mammography detector. An edge-on crystalline silicon detector is connected to application specific integrated circuits that individually process each photon. The detector is scanned across the breast and the rejection of scattered radiation exceeds 97% without the use of a Bucky. Processing of each x-rays individually enables an optimization of the information transfer from the x-rays to the image in a way previously not possible. Combined with an almost absence of noise from scattered radiation and from electronics we foresee a possibility to reduce the radiation dose and/or increase the image quality. We will discuss fundamental features of the new direct photon counting technique in terms of dose efficiency and present preliminary measurements for a prototype on physical parameters such as Noise Power Spectra (NPS), MTF and DQE.

Magnetic resonance imaging properties of multimodality anthropomorphic silicone rubber phantoms for validating surgical robots and image guided therapy systems

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheung, Carling L.; Looi, Thomas; Drake, James; Kim, Peter C. W.

2012-02-01

The development of image guided robotic and mechatronic platforms for medical applications requires a phantom model for initial testing. Finding an appropriate phantom becomes challenging when the targeted patient population is pediatrics, particularly infants, neonates or fetuses. Our group is currently developing a pediatricsized surgical robot that operates under fused MRI and laparoscopic video guidance. To support this work, we describe a method for designing and manufacturing silicone rubber organ phantoms for the purpose of testing the robotics and the image fusion system. A surface model of the organ is obtained and converted into a mold that is then rapid-prototyped using a 3D printer. The mold is filled with a solution containing a particular ratio of silicone rubber to slacker additive to achieve a specific set of tactile and imaging characteristics in the phantom. The expected MRI relaxation times of different ratios of silicone rubber to slacker additive are experimentally quantified so that the imaging properties of the phantom can be matched to those of the organ that it represents. Samples of silicone rubber and slacker additive mixed in ratios ranging from 1:0 to 1:1.5 were prepared and scanned using inversion recovery and spin echo sequences with varying TI and TE, respectively, in order to fit curves to calculate the expected T1 and T2 relaxation times of each ratio. A set of infantsized abdominal organs was prepared, which were successfully sutured by the robot and imaged using different modalities.

The Global File System

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Soltis, Steven R.; Ruwart, Thomas M.; OKeefe, Matthew T.

1996-01-01

The global file system (GFS) is a prototype design for a distributed file system in which cluster nodes physically share storage devices connected via a network-like fiber channel. Networks and network-attached storage devices have advanced to a level of performance and extensibility so that the previous disadvantages of shared disk architectures are no longer valid. This shared storage architecture attempts to exploit the sophistication of storage device technologies whereas a server architecture diminishes a device's role to that of a simple component. GFS distributes the file system responsibilities across processing nodes, storage across the devices, and file system resources across the entire storage pool. GFS caches data on the storage devices instead of the main memories of the machines. Consistency is established by using a locking mechanism maintained by the storage devices to facilitate atomic read-modify-write operations. The locking mechanism is being prototyped in the Silicon Graphics IRIX operating system and is accessed using standard Unix commands and modules.

Performance Evaluation of CMUT-Based Ultrasonic Transformers for Galvanic Isolation.

PubMed

Heller, Jacques; Boulme, Audren; Alquier, Daniel; Ngo, Sophie; Certon, Dominique

2018-04-01

This paper presents the development of a novel acoustic transformer with high galvanic isolation dedicated to power switch triggering. The transformer is based on two capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducers layered on each side of a silicon substrate; one is the primary circuit, and the other is the secondary circuit. The thickness mode resonance of the substrate is leveraged to transmit the triggering signal. The fabrication and characterization of an initial prototype is presented in this paper. All experimental results are discussed, from the electrical impedance measurements to the power efficiency measurements, for different electrical load conditions. A comparison with a specifically developed finite-element method model is done. Simulations are finally used to identify the optimization rules of this initial prototype. It is shown that the power efficiency can be increased from 35% to 60%, and the transmitted power can be increased from 1.6 to 45 mW/Volt.

Design and prototype studies of the TOTEM Roman pot detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oriunno, Marco; Battistin, Michele; David, Eric; Guglielmini, Paolo; Joram, Christian; Radermacher, Ernst; Ruggiero, Gennaro; Wu, Jihao; Vacek, Vaclav; Vins, Vaclav

2007-10-01

The Roman pots of the TOTEM experiment at LHC will be equipped with edgeless silicon micro-strip detectors. A detector package consists of 10 detector planes cooled at -15C in vacuum. The detector resolution is 20 μm, the overall alignment precision has to be better than 30 μm. The detector planes are composed of a kapton hybrid glued on a substrate made of low expansion alloy, CE07 with 70% Si and 30% Al. An evaporative cooling system based on the fluorocarbon C3F8 with oil-free compressors has been adopted. The throttling of the fluid is done locally through capillaries. A thermo-mechanical prototype has been assembled. The results fully match the requirements and the expectations of calculations. They show a low thermal gradient on the cards and a uniform temperature distribution over the 10 planes.

Research pressure instrumentation for NASA Space Shuttle main engine, modification no. 5

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Anderson, P. J.; Nussbaum, P.; Gustafson, G.

1984-01-01

The purpose of Modification No. 5 of this contract is to expand the scope of work (Task C) of this research study effort to develop pressure instrumentation for the SSME. The objective of this contract (Task C) is to direct Honeywell's Solid State Electronics Division's (SSED) extensive experience and expertise in solid state sensor technology to develop prototype pressure transducers which are targeted to meet the SSME performance design goals and to fabricate, test and deliver a total of 10 prototype units. SSED's basic approach is to effectively utilize the many advantages of silicon piezoresistive strain sensing technology to achieve the objectives of advanced state-of-the-art pressure sensors in terms of reliability, accuracy and ease of manufacture. More specifically, integration of multiple functions on a single chip is the key attribute of this technology which will be exploited during this research study.

Rapid prototyping and parametric optimization of plastic acoustofluidic devices for blood-bacteria separation.

PubMed

Silva, R; Dow, P; Dubay, R; Lissandrello, C; Holder, J; Densmore, D; Fiering, J

2017-09-01

Acoustic manipulation has emerged as a versatile method for microfluidic separation and concentration of particles and cells. Most recent demonstrations of the technology use piezoelectric actuators to excite resonant modes in silicon or glass microchannels. Here, we focus on acoustic manipulation in disposable, plastic microchannels in order to enable a low-cost processing tool for point-of-care diagnostics. Unfortunately, the performance of resonant acoustofluidic devices in plastic is hampered by a lack of a predictive model. In this paper, we build and test a plastic blood-bacteria separation device informed by a design of experiments approach, parametric rapid prototyping, and screening by image-processing. We demonstrate that the new device geometry can separate bacteria from blood while operating at 275% greater flow rate as well as reduce the power requirement by 82%, while maintaining equivalent separation performance and resolution when compared to the previously published plastic acoustofluidic separation device.

Large-Format Dual-Counter Pixelated X-Ray Detector Platform: Phase II Final Report

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

Lee, Adam; Williams, George; Huntington, Andrew

2016-10-10

Within the program, a Voxtel led team demonstrated both prototype (48 x 48, 130-μm pitch, VX-798) and full-format (192 x 192, 100-μm pitch, VX-810) versions of a high-dynamic-range, x-ray photon-counting (HDR-XPC) sensor. Within the program the following tasks were completed: 1) integration and evaluation of the VX-798 prototype camera at the Advanced Photon Source beamline at Argonne National Labs; 2) the design, simulation, and fabrication of the full-format VX-810 ROIC was completed; 3) fabrication of thick, fully depleted silicon photodiodes optimized for x-ray photon collection; 4) hybridization of the VX-810 ROIC to the photodiode array in the creation of themore » optically sensitive FPA (FPA), and 4) development of an evaluation camera to enable electrical and optical characterization of the sensor.« less

Beam test results of STS prototype modules for the future accelerator experiments FAIR/CBM and NICA/MPD projects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kharlamov, Petr; Dementev, Dmitrii; Shitenkov, Mikhail

2017-10-01

High-energy heavy-ion collision experiments provide the unique possibility to create and investigate extreme states of strongly-interacted matter and address the fundamental aspects of QCD. The experimental investigation the QCD phase diagram would be a major breakthrough in our understanding of the properties of nuclear matter. The reconstruction of the charged particles created in the nuclear collisions, including the determination of their momenta, is the central detection task in high-energy heavy-ion experiments. It is taken up by the Silicon Tracking System in CBM@FAIR and by Inner Tracker in MPD@NICA currently under development. These experiments requires very fast and radiation hard detectors, a novel data read-out and analysis concept including free streaming front-end electronics. Thermal and beam tests of prototype detector modules for these tracking systems showed the stability of sensors and readout electronics operation.

Prototype of a single probe Compton camera for laparoscopic surgery

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Koyama, A.; Nakamura, Y.; Shimazoe, K.; Takahashi, H.; Sakuma, I.

2017-02-01

Image-guided surgery (IGS) is performed using a real-time surgery navigation system with three-dimensional (3D) position tracking of surgical tools. IGS is fast becoming an important technology for high-precision laparoscopic surgeries, in which the field of view is limited. In particular, recent developments in intraoperative imaging using radioactive biomarkers may enable advanced IGS for supporting malignant tumor removal surgery. In this light, we develop a novel intraoperative probe with a Compton camera and a position tracking system for performing real-time radiation-guided surgery. A prototype probe consisting of Ce :Gd3 Al2 Ga3 O12 (GAGG) crystals and silicon photomultipliers was fabricated, and its reconstruction algorithm was optimized to enable real-time position tracking. The results demonstrated the visualization capability of the radiation source with ARM = ∼ 22.1 ° and the effectiveness of the proposed system.

Internally Cooled Monolithic Silicon Nitride Aerospace Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Best, Jonathan E.; Cawley, James D.; Bhatt, Ramakrishna T.; Fox, Dennis S.; Lang, Jerry (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

A set of rapid prototyping (RP) processes have been combined with gelcasting to make ceramic aerospace components that contain internal cooling geometry. A mold and core combination is made using a MM6Pro (Sanders Prototyping, Inc.) and SLA-250/40 (3Dsystems, Inc.). The MM6Pro produces cores from ProtoBuild (trademarked) wax that are dissolved in room temperature ethanol following gelcasting. The SLA-250/40 yields epoxy/acrylate reusable molds. Parts produced by this method include two types of specimens containing a high density of thin long cooling channels, thin-walled cylinders and plates, as well as a model hollow airfoil shape that can be used for burner rig evaluation of coatings. Both uncoated and mullite-coated hollow airfoils has been tested in a Mach 0.3 burner rig with cooling air demonstrating internal cooling and confirming the effectiveness of mullite coatings.

Prototype of an in vitro model of the microcirculation.

PubMed

Shevkoplyas, Sergey S; Gifford, Sean C; Yoshida, Tatsuro; Bitensky, Mark W

2003-03-01

We have used microfabrication technology to construct a network of microchannels, patterned after the dimensions and architecture of the mammalian microcirculation. The network is cast in transparent silicone elastomer and the channels are coated with silanated mPEG to provide lubrication. Flow of red and white blood cells through the network is readily visualized by the use of high-speed digital image acquisition. The acquired sequences of high-quality images are used to calculate hematocrits and rates of red cell movement in the microchannels. Our prototype system has significant advantages over scaled-up room-size experimental systems in that it permits experimentation with actual human blood cells. Experiments can be carried out under well-controlled conditions in a network of microchannels with precisely known dimensions using cell suspensions of defined composition. Moreover, there is no need to counteract or anticipate the host's adaptive responses that may confound live animal experiments. Notwithstanding its limitations, the current prototype demonstrates certain features characteristic of the microcirculation, such as parachute and bullet shapes of red cells deformed in capillary channels, rouleaux formation, plasma skimming, and the utilization of collateral flow pathways due to flow obstruction caused by a white cell blocking a microchannel. We present this device as a prototype scale-to-scale model of the mammalian microcirculation. Limitations of the system as well as a variety of possible applications are described.

Diffusive Silicon Nanopore Membranes for Hemodialysis Applications

PubMed Central

Kim, Steven; Feinberg, Benjamin; Kant, Rishi; Chui, Benjamin; Goldman, Ken; Park, Jaehyun; Moses, Willieford; Blaha, Charles; Iqbal, Zohora; Chow, Clarence; Wright, Nathan; Fissell, William H.; Zydney, Andrew; Roy, Shuvo

2016-01-01

Hemodialysis using hollow-fiber membranes provides life-sustaining treatment for nearly 2 million patients worldwide with end stage renal disease (ESRD). However, patients on hemodialysis have worse long-term outcomes compared to kidney transplant or other chronic illnesses. Additionally, the underlying membrane technology of polymer hollow-fiber membranes has not fundamentally changed in over four decades. Therefore, we have proposed a fundamentally different approach using microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) fabrication techniques to create thin-flat sheets of silicon-based membranes for implantable or portable hemodialysis applications. The silicon nanopore membranes (SNM) have biomimetic slit-pore geometry and uniform pores size distribution that allow for exceptional permeability and selectivity. A quantitative diffusion model identified structural limits to diffusive solute transport and motivated a new microfabrication technique to create SNM with enhanced diffusive transport. We performed in vitro testing and extracorporeal testing in pigs on prototype membranes with an effective surface area of 2.52 cm2 and 2.02 cm2, respectively. The diffusive clearance was a two-fold improvement in with the new microfabrication technique and was consistent with our mathematical model. These results establish the feasibility of using SNM for hemodialysis applications with additional scale-up. PMID:27438878

Electrochemical synthesis of MoS2 quantum dots embedded nanostructured porous silicon with enhanced electroluminescence property

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shrivastava, Megha; Kumari, Reeta; Parra, Mohammad Ramzan; Pandey, Padmini; Siddiqui, Hafsa; Haque, Fozia Z.

2017-11-01

In this report we present the successful enhancement in electroluminescence (EL) in nanostructured n-type porous silicon (PS) with an idea of embedding luminophorous Molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) quantum dots (QD's). Electrochemical anodization technique was used for the formation of PS surface and MoS2 QD's were prepared using the electrochemical route. Spin coating technique was employed for the proper incorporation of MoS2 QD's within the PS nanostructures. The crystallographic analysis was performed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman and Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy techniques. However, surface morphology was determined using Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and Atomic force microscopy (AFM). The optical measurements were performed on photoluminescence (PL) spectrophotometer; additionally for electroluminescence (EL) study special arrangement of instrumental setup was made at laboratory level which provides novelty to this work. A diode prototype was made comprising Ag/MoS2:PS/Silicon/Ag for EL study. The MoS2:PS shows a remarkable concentration dependent enhancement in PL as well as in EL intensities, which paves a way to better utilize this strategy in optoelectronic device applications.

Ultra-High Efficiency, High-Concentration PV System Based On Spectral Division Between GaInP/GaInAs/Ge And BPC Silicon Cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benítez, P.; Mohedano, R.; Buljan, M.; Miñano, J. C.; Sun, Y.; Falicoff, W.; Vilaplana, J.; Chaves, J.; Biot, G.; López, J.

2011-12-01

A novel HCPV nonimaging concentrator concept with high concentration (>500×) is presented. It uses the combination of a commercial concentration GaInP/GaInAs/Ge 3J cell and a concentration Back-Point-Contact (BPC) concentration silicon cell for efficient spectral utilization, and external confinement techniques for recovering the 3J cell's reflection. The primary optical element (POE) is a flat Fresnel lens and the secondary optical element (SOE) is a free-form RXI-type concentrator with a band-pass filter embedded it, both POE and SOE performing Köhler integration to produce light homogenization. The band-pass filter sends the IR photons in the 900-1200 nm band to the silicon cell. Computer simulations predict that four-terminal terminal designs could achieve ˜46% added cell efficiencies using commercial 39% 3J and 26% Si cells. A first proof-of concept receiver prototype has been manufactured using a simpler optical architecture (with a lower concentration, ˜100× and lower simulated added efficiency), and experimental measurements have shown up to 39.8% 4J receiver efficiency using a 3J with peak efficiency of 36.9%.

SiPM based readout system for PbWO4 crystals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Berra, A.; Bolognini, D.; Bonfanti, S.; Bonvicini, V.; Lietti, D.; Penzo, A.; Prest, M.; Stoppani, L.; Vallazza, E.

2013-08-01

Silicon PhotoMultipliers (SiPMs) consist of a matrix of small passively quenched silicon avalanche photodiodes operated in limited Geiger-mode (GM-APDs) and read out in parallel from a common output node. Each pixel (with a typical size in the 20-100 μm range) gives the same current response when hit by a photon; the SiPM output signal is the sum of the signals of all the pixels, which depends on the light intensity. The main advantages of SiPMs with respect to photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) are essentially the small dimensions, the insensitivity to magnetic fields and a low bias voltage. This contribution presents the performance of a SiPM based readout system for crystal calorimeters developed in the framework of the FACTOR/TWICE collaboration. The SiPM used for the test is a new device produced by FBK-irst which consists in a matrix of four sensors embedded in the same silicon substrate, called QUAD. The SiPM has been coupled to a lead tungstate crystal, an early-prototype version of the crystals developed for the electromagnetic calorimeter of the CMS experiment. New tests are foreseen using a complete module consisting of nine crystals, each one readout by two QUADs.

Miniature PT Cryocooler Activated by Resonant Piezoelectric Compressor and Passive Warm Expander

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sobol, S.; Grossman, G.

2017-12-01

A novel type of PZT-based compressor operating at mechanical resonance, suitable for pneumatically-driven Stirling-type cryocoolers, was presented at CEC-ICMC 2015. The detailed concept, analytical model and the test results on the preliminary prototype were reported earlier and presented at ICC17. Despite some mismatch between the impedances and insufficient structural stiffness, this compressor demonstrated the feasibility to drive our miniature Pulse Tube cryocooler MTSa, operating at 103 Hz and requiring an average PV power of 11 W, filling pressure of 40 Bar and a pressure ratio of 1.3. At ICC19 the prototype of a miniature passive warm expander (WE) was presented. The WE mechanism included a phase shifting piston suspended on a silicone diaphragm, a mass element, and a viscous damping system. Several technical drawbacks prevented perfect matching between the WE and MTSa; however, the presented prototype proved the ability to create any flow-to-pressure phase appropriate for a PT cryocooler. This paper concentrates on integration of the MTSa cryocooler with the recently modified PZT compressor operating at corrected mechanical resonance and the modified WE, which was also updated recently to match the MTSa requirements.

Rapid and Low-cost Prototyping of Medical Devices Using 3D Printed Molds for Liquid Injection Molding

PubMed Central

Chung, Philip; Heller, J. Alex; Etemadi, Mozziyar; Ottoson, Paige E.; Liu, Jonathan A.; Rand, Larry; Roy, Shuvo

2014-01-01

Biologically inert elastomers such as silicone are favorable materials for medical device fabrication, but forming and curing these elastomers using traditional liquid injection molding processes can be an expensive process due to tooling and equipment costs. As a result, it has traditionally been impractical to use liquid injection molding for low-cost, rapid prototyping applications. We have devised a method for rapid and low-cost production of liquid elastomer injection molded devices that utilizes fused deposition modeling 3D printers for mold design and a modified desiccator as an injection system. Low costs and rapid turnaround time in this technique lower the barrier to iteratively designing and prototyping complex elastomer devices. Furthermore, CAD models developed in this process can be later adapted for metal mold tooling design, enabling an easy transition to a traditional injection molding process. We have used this technique to manufacture intravaginal probes involving complex geometries, as well as overmolding over metal parts, using tools commonly available within an academic research laboratory. However, this technique can be easily adapted to create liquid injection molded devices for many other applications. PMID:24998993

The gamma-ray Cherenkov telescope for the Cherenkov telescope array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tibaldo, L.; Abchiche, A.; Allan, D.; Amans, J.-P.; Armstrong, T. P.; Balzer, A.; Berge, D.; Boisson, C.; Bousquet, J.-J.; Brown, A. M.; Bryan, M.; Buchholtz, G.; Chadwick, P. M.; Costantini, H.; Cotter, G.; Daniel, M. K.; De Franco, A.; De Frondat, F.; Dournaux, J.-L.; Dumas, D.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Fasola, G.; Funk, S.; Gironnet, J.; Graham, J. A.; Greenshaw, T.; Hervet, O.; Hidaka, N.; Hinton, J. A.; Huet, J.-M.; Jankowsky, D.; Jegouzo, I.; Jogler, T.; Kraus, M.; Lapington, J. S.; Laporte, P.; Lefaucheur, J.; Markoff, S.; Melse, T.; Mohrmann, L.; Molyneux, P.; Nolan, S. J.; Okumura, A.; Osborne, J. P.; Parsons, R. D.; Rosen, S.; Ross, D.; Rowell, G.; Rulten, C. B.; Sato, Y.; Sayède, F.; Schmoll, J.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Servillat, M.; Sol, H.; Stamatescu, V.; Stephan, M.; Stuik, R.; Sykes, J.; Tajima, H.; Thornhill, J.; Trichard, C.; Vink, J.; Watson, J. J.; White, R.; Yamane, N.; Zech, A.; Zink, A.; Zorn, J.; CTA Consortium

2017-01-01

The Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA) is a forthcoming ground-based observatory for very-high-energy gamma rays. CTA will consist of two arrays of imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes in the Northern and Southern hemispheres, and will combine telescopes of different types to achieve unprecedented performance and energy coverage. The Gamma-ray Cherenkov Telescope (GCT) is one of the small-sized telescopes proposed for CTA to explore the energy range from a few TeV to hundreds of TeV with a field of view ≳ 8° and angular resolution of a few arcminutes. The GCT design features dual-mirror Schwarzschild-Couder optics and a compact camera based on densely-pixelated photodetectors as well as custom electronics. In this contribution we provide an overview of the GCT project with focus on prototype development and testing that is currently ongoing. We present results obtained during the first on-telescope campaign in late 2015 at the Observatoire de Paris-Meudon, during which we recorded the first Cherenkov images from atmospheric showers with the GCT multi-anode photomultiplier camera prototype. We also discuss the development of a second GCT camera prototype with silicon photomultipliers as photosensors, and plans toward a contribution to the realisation of CTA.

Time-Resolved Diffuse Optical Spectroscopy and Imaging Using Solid-State Detectors: Characteristics, Present Status, and Research Challenges

PubMed Central

Alayed, Mrwan

2017-01-01

Diffuse optical spectroscopy (DOS) and diffuse optical imaging (DOI) are emerging non-invasive imaging modalities that have wide spread potential applications in many fields, particularly for structural and functional imaging in medicine. In this article, we review time-resolved diffuse optical imaging (TR-DOI) systems using solid-state detectors with a special focus on Single-Photon Avalanche Diodes (SPADs) and Silicon Photomultipliers (SiPMs). These TR-DOI systems can be categorized into two types based on the operation mode of the detector (free-running or time-gated). For the TR-DOI prototypes, the physical concepts, main components, figures-of-merit of detectors, and evaluation parameters are described. The performance of TR-DOI prototypes is evaluated according to the parameters used in common protocols to test DOI systems particularly basic instrumental performance (BIP). In addition, the potential features of SPADs and SiPMs to improve TR-DOI systems and expand their applications in the foreseeable future are discussed. Lastly, research challenges and future developments for TR-DOI are discussed for each component in the prototype separately and also for the entire system. PMID:28906462

An "artificial retina" processor for track reconstruction at the full LHC crossing rate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abba, A.; Bedeschi, F.; Caponio, F.; Cenci, R.; Citterio, M.; Cusimano, A.; Fu, J.; Geraci, A.; Grizzuti, M.; Lusardi, N.; Marino, P.; Morello, M. J.; Neri, N.; Ninci, D.; Petruzzo, M.; Piucci, A.; Punzi, G.; Ristori, L.; Spinella, F.; Stracka, S.; Tonelli, D.; Walsh, J.

2016-07-01

We present the latest results of an R&D study for a specialized processor capable of reconstructing, in a silicon pixel detector, high-quality tracks from high-energy collision events at 40 MHz. The processor applies a highly parallel pattern-recognition algorithm inspired to quick detection of edges in mammals visual cortex. After a detailed study of a real-detector application, demonstrating that online reconstruction of offline-quality tracks is feasible at 40 MHz with sub-microsecond latency, we are implementing a prototype using common high-bandwidth FPGA devices.

Optical properties of Argonne/KICP TES bolometers for CMB polarimetry.

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

Crites, A. T.; Bleem, L. E.; Carlstrom, J. E.

2009-01-01

We present optical data on prototype polarization sensitive Argonne/KICP detectors fabricated at Argonne National Labs which are designed to be installed on the South Pole Telescope and used to measure the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation. The detectors are Mo/Au transition edge sensors (TES) suspended on silicon nitride, with radiation coupled to the TES using a gold bar absorber. Two stacked detectors with bars in orthogonal directions will be used to measure both polarizations. We discuss measurements of the optical bandpass, time constants and cross-polarization of the detectors.

An "artificial retina" processor for track reconstruction at the full LHC crossing rate

DOE PAGES

Abba, A.; F. Bedeschi; Caponio, F.; ...

2015-10-23

Here, we present the latest results of an R&D; study for a specialized processor capable of reconstructing, in a silicon pixel detector, high-quality tracks from high-energy collision events at 40 MHz. The processor applies a highly parallel pattern-recognition algorithm inspired to quick detection of edges in mammals visual cortex. After a detailed study of a real-detector application, demonstrating that online reconstruction of offline-quality tracks is feasible at 40 MHz with sub-microsecond latency, we are implementing a prototype using common high-bandwidth FPGA devices.

CMOS minimal array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janesick, James; Cheng, John; Bishop, Jeanne; Andrews, James T.; Tower, John; Walker, Jeff; Grygon, Mark; Elliot, Tom

2006-08-01

A high performance prototype CMOS imager is introduced. Test data is reviewed for different array formats that utilize 3T photo diode, 5T pinned photo diode and 6T photo gate CMOS pixel architectures. The imager allows several readout modes including progressive scan, snap and windowed operation. The new imager is built on different silicon substrates including very high resistivity epitaxial wafers for deep depletion operation. Data products contained in this paper focus on sensor's read noise, charge capacity, charge transfer efficiency, thermal dark current, RTS dark spikes, QE, pixel cross- talk and on-chip analog circuitry performance.

Towards control of dexterous hand manipulations using a silicon Pattern Generator.

PubMed

Russell, Alexander; Tenore, Francesco; Singhal, Girish; Thakor, Nitish; Etienne-Cummings, Ralph

2008-01-01

This work demonstrates how an in silico Pattern Generator (PG) can be used as a low power control system for rhythmic hand movements in an upper-limb prosthesis. Neural spike patterns, which encode rotation of a cylindrical object, were implemented in a custom Very Large Scale Integration chip. PG control was tested by using the decoded control signals to actuate the fingers of a virtual prosthetic arm. This system provides a framework for prototyping and controlling dexterous hand manipulation tasks in a compact and efficient solution.

Pixel sensors with slim edges and small pitches for the CMS upgrades for HL-LHC

DOE PAGES

Vernieri, Caterina; Bolla, Gino; Rivera, Ryan; ...

2016-06-07

Here, planar n-in-n silicon detectors with small pitches and slim edges are being investigated for the innermost layers of tracking devices for the foreseen upgrades of the LHC experiments. Sensor prototypes compatible with the CMS readout, fabricated by Sintef, were tested in the laboratory and with a 120 GeV/c proton beam at the Fermilab test beam facility before and after irradiation with up to 2 × 10 15 neq/cm 2 fluence. Preliminary results of the data analysis are presented.

Development and marketing of a prosthetic urinary control valve system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tenney, J. B., Jr.; Rabinowitz, R.; Rogers, D. W.; Harrison, H. N.

1983-01-01

An implantable prosthetic for the control of urinary incontinence was developed and marketed. Three phases are presented: bench development studies, animal trials, and human clinical trials. This work was performed under the direction of a Research Team at Rochester General Hospital (RGH). Bench trials were completed on prototype hardware and provided early verification of the device's ability to withstand repeated cyclic testing. Configurational variants were evaluated and a preferred design concept was established. Silicone rubber (medical grade) was selected as the preferred material for the prosthesis.

Carbon p Electron Ferromagnetism in Silicon Carbide

PubMed Central

Wang, Yutian; Liu, Yu; Wang, Gang; Anwand, Wolfgang; Jenkins, Catherine A.; Arenholz, Elke; Munnik, Frans; Gordan, Ovidiu D.; Salvan, Georgeta; Zahn, Dietrich R. T.; Chen, Xiaolong; Gemming, Sibylle; Helm, Manfred; Zhou, Shengqiang

2015-01-01

Ferromagnetism can occur in wide-band gap semiconductors as well as in carbon-based materials when specific defects are introduced. It is thus desirable to establish a direct relation between the defects and the resulting ferromagnetism. Here, we contribute to revealing the origin of defect-induced ferromagnetism using SiC as a prototypical example. We show that the long-range ferromagnetic coupling can be attributed to the p electrons of the nearest-neighbor carbon atoms around the VSiVC divacancies. Thus, the ferromagnetism is traced down to its microscopic electronic origin. PMID:25758040

Optical Properties of Argonne/KICP TES Bolometers for CMB Polarimetry

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

Crites, A. T.; Bleem, L. E.; Carlstrom, J. E.

2009-12-16

We present optical data on prototype polarization sensitive Argonne/KICP detectors fabricated at Argonne National Labs which are designed to be installed on the South Pole Telescope and used to measure the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background radiation. The detectors are Mo/Au transition edge sensors (TES) suspended on silicon nitride, with radiation coupled to the TES using a gold bar absorber. Two stacked detectors with bars in orthogonal directions will be used to measure both polarizations. We discuss measurements of the optical bandpass, time constants and cross-polarization of the detectors.

Carbon p electron ferromagnetism in silicon carbide

DOE PAGES

Wang, Yutian; Liu, Yu; Wang, Gang; ...

2015-03-11

Ferromagnetism can occur in wide-band gap semiconductors as well as in carbon-based materials when specific defects are introduced. It is thus desirable to establish a direct relation between the defects and the resulting ferromagnetism. Here, we contribute to revealing the origin of defect-induced ferromagnetism using SiC as a prototypical example. We show that the long-range ferromagnetic coupling can be attributed to the p electrons of the nearest-neighbor carbon atoms around the V SiV C divacancies. Thus, the ferromagnetism is traced down to its microscopic electronic origin.

DAPHNE silicon photonics technological platform for research and development on WDM applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baudot, Charles; Fincato, Antonio; Fowler, Daivid; Perez-Galacho, Diego; Souhaité, Aurélie; Messaoudène, Sonia; Blanc, Romuald; Richard, Claire; Planchot, Jonathan; De-Buttet, Come; Orlando, Bastien; Gays, Fabien; Mezzomo, Cécilia; Bernard, Emilie; Marris-Morini, Delphine; Vivien, Laurent; Kopp, Christophe; Boeuf, Frédéric

2016-05-01

A new technological platform aimed at making prototypes and feasibility studies has been setup at STMicroelectronics using 300mm wafer foundry facilities. The technology, called DAPHNE (Datacom Advanced PHotonic Nanoscale Environment), is devoted at developing and evaluating new devices and sub-systems in particular for wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) applications and ring resonator based applications. Developed in the course of PLAT4MFP7 European project, DAPHNE is a flexible platform that fits perfectly R&D needs. The fabrication flow enables the processing of photonic integrated circuits using a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) of 300nm, partial etches of 150nm and 50nm and a total silicon etching. Consequently, two varieties of rib waveguides and one strip waveguide can be fabricated simultaneously with auto-alignment properties. The process variability on the 150nm partially etched silicon and the thin 50nm slab region are both less than 6 nm. Using a variety of different implantation configurations and a back-end of line of 5 metal layers, active devices are fabricated both in germanium and silicon. An available far back-end of line process consists of making 20 μm diameter copper posts on top of the electrical pads so that an electronic integrated circuit can be bonded on top the photonic die by 3D integration. Besides having those fabrication process options, DAPHNE is equipped with a library of standard cells for optical routing and multiplexing. Moreover, typical Mach-Zehnder modulators based on silicon pn junctions are also available for optical signal modulation. To achieve signal detection, germanium photodetectors also exist as standard cells. The measured single-mode propagation losses are 3.5 dB/cm for strip, 3.7 dB/cm for deep-rib (50nm slab) and 1.4 dB/cm for standard rib (150nm slab) waveguides. Transition tapers between different waveguide structures are as low as 0.006 dB.

Efficient 'Optical Furnace': A Cheaper Way to Make Solar Cells is Reaching the Marketplace

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

von Kuegelgen, T.

In Bhushan Sopori's laboratory, you'll find a series of optical furnaces he has developed for fabricating solar cells. When not in use, they sit there discreetly among the lab equipment. But when a solar silicon wafer is placed inside one for processing, Sopori walks over to a computer and types in a temperature profile. Almost immediately this fires up the furnace, which glows inside and selectively heats up the silicon wafer to 800 degrees centigrade by the intense light it produces. Sopori, a principal engineer at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, has been researching and developing optical furnace technology formore » around 20 years. He says it's a challenging technology to develop because there are many issues to consider when you process a solar cell, especially in optics. Despite the challenges, Sopori and his research team have advanced the technology to the point where it will benefit all solar cell manufacturers. They are now developing a commercial version of the furnace in partnership with a manufacturer. 'This advanced optical furnace is highly energy efficient, and it can be used to manufacture any type of solar cell,' he says. Each type of solar cell or manufacturing process typically requires a different furnace configuration and temperature profile. With NREL's new optical furnace system, a solar cell manufacturer can ask the computer for any temperature profile needed for processing a solar cell, and the same type of furnace is suitable for several solar cell fabrication process steps. 'In the future, solar cell manufacturers will only need this one optical furnace because it can be used for any process, including diffusion, metallization and oxidation,' Sopori says. 'This helps reduce manufacturing costs.' One startup company, Applied Optical Systems, has recognized the furnace's potential for manufacturing thin-film silicon cells. 'We'd like to develop thin-film silicon cells with higher efficiencies, up to 15 to 18 percent, and we believe this furnace will enable us to do so,' says A. Rangappan, founder and CEO of Applied Optical Systems. Rangappan also says it will take only a few minutes for the optical furnace to process a thin-film solar cell, which reduces manufacturing costs. Overall, he estimates the company's solar cell will cost around 80 cents per watt. For manufacturing these thin-film silicon cells, Applied Optical Systems and NREL have developed a partnership through a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) to construct an optical furnace system prototype. DOE is providing $500,000 from its Technology Commercialization Development Fund to help offset the prototype's development costs because of the technology's significant market potential. The program has provided the NREL technology transfer office with a total of $4 million to expand such collaborative efforts between NREL researchers and companies. Applied Optical will construct a small version of the optical furnace based on the prototype design in NREL's process development and integration laboratory through a separate CRADA. This small furnace will only develop one solar cell wafer at a time. Then, the company will construct a large, commercial-scale optical furnace at its own facilities, which will turn out around 1,000 solar cell wafers per hour. 'We hope to start using the optical furnace for manufacturing within four to five years,' Rangappan says. Meanwhile, another partnership using the optical furnace has evolved between NREL and SiXtron Advanced Materials, another startup. Together they'll use the optical furnace to optimize the metallization process for novel antireflective solar cell coatings. The process is not only expected to yield higher efficiencies for silicon-based solar cells, but also lowers processing costs and eliminates safety concerns for manufacturers. Most solar cell manufacturers currently use a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) system with compressed and extremely pyrophoric silane gas (SiH4) for applying passivation antireflective coatings (ARC). If silane is exposed to air, the SiH4 will explode - a serious safety issue for high-volume manufacturers. SiXtron's process uses a solid, silicon-based polymer that's converted into noncompressed, nonexplosive gas, which then flows to a standard PECVD system. 'The solid source is so safe to handle that it can be shipped by FedEx,' says Zbigniew Barwicz, president and CEO of SiXtron. Barwicz says manufacturers can use the same PECVD processing equipment for the SiXtron process that they already use for SiH4, a plug-and-play solution. For this novel passivation ARC process, NREL is helping to optimize the metallization parameters. NREL has developed a new technology called optical processing. One of the applications of this process is fire-through contact formation of silicon solar cells.« less

Fabrication and electromechanical examination of a spherical dielectric elastomer actuator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmadi, S.; Gooyers, M.; Soleimani, M.; Menon, C.

2013-11-01

In this paper, a procedure for fabricating and testing a seamless spherical dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) is presented. In previously developed spherical prototypes, the DEA material is pre-strained by a rigid frame to improve the actuator’s output force; however, it is possible to pre-strain a spherical DEA by inflating the sample with a liquid or gas as long as the sample contains the pressure. In this work, a very compliant silicone-based material was used to fabricate a nearly spherical balloon-shaped prototype. The DEA sample was inflated by air and various electrical-actuation regimes were considered. The performance of the DEA sample was studied using an analytical and a finite element-based model. An Ogden hyperelastic model was used in formulation of the analytical model to include nonlinear behavior of the silicone material. Full statistical analysis of the experimental and numerical results was carried out using the root-mean-square (RMS) error and the normalized RMS error. The analytical and FEM results were in good agreement with the experimental data. According to modeling results, it was found that the DEA’s actuation force can be mainly improved by increasing the voltage, reducing the thickness, lowering the stiffness, and/or increasing the initial pressure. As an example, a three-fold increase of the actuation force was found when the thickness was reduced to half of its initial value. This improvement of the efficiency suggests that the spherical DEA is suitable for use in several applications if an appropriate design with optimal governing parameters is developed.

Development of very large electrode arrays for epiretinal stimulation (VLARS)

PubMed Central

2014-01-01

Background Retinal implants have been developed to treat blindness causing retinal degenerations such as Retinitis pigmentosa (RP). The retinal stimulators are covering only a small portion of the retina usually in its center. To restore not only central vision but also a useful visual field retinal stimulators need to cover a larger area of the retina. However, large area retinal stimulators are much more difficult to implant into an eye. Some basic questions concerning this challenge should be answered in a series of experiments. Methods Large area retinal stimulators were fabricated as flexible multielectrode arrays (MEAs) using silicon technology with polyimide as the basic material for the substrate. Electrodes were made of gold covered with reactively sputtered iridium oxide. Several prototype designs were considered and implanted into enucleated porcine eyes. The prototype MEAs were also used as recording devices. Results Large area retinal stimulator MEAs were fabricated with a diameter of 12 mm covering a visual angle of 37.6° in a normal sighted human eye. The structures were flexible enough to be implanted in a folded state through an insertion nozzle. The implants could be positioned onto the retinal surface and fixated here using a retinal tack. Recording of spontaneous activity of retinal neurons was possible in vitro using these devices. Conclusions Large flexible MEAs covering a wider area of the retina as current devices could be fabricated using silicon technology with polyimide as a base material. Principal surgical techniques were established to insert such large devices into an eye and the devices could also be used for recording of retinal neural activity. PMID:24502253

Alternative glues for the production of ATLAS silicon strip modules for the Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS Inner Detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Poley, L.; Bloch, I.; Edwards, S.; Friedrich, C.; Gregor, I.-M.; Jones, T.; Lacker, H.; Pyatt, S.; Rehnisch, L.; Sperlich, D.; Wilson, J.

2016-05-01

The Phase-II upgrade of the ATLAS detector for the High Luminosity Large Hadron Collider (HL-LHC) includes the replacement of the current Inner Detector with an all-silicon tracker consisting of pixel and strip detectors. The current Phase-II detector layout requires the construction of 20,000 strip detector modules consisting of sensor, circuit boards and readout chips, which are connected mechanically using adhesives. The adhesive used initially between readout chips and circuit board is a silver epoxy glue as was used in the current ATLAS SemiConductor Tracker (SCT). However, this glue has several disadvantages, which motivated the search for an alternative. This paper presents a study of six ultra-violet (UV) cure glues and a glue pad for possible use in the assembly of silicon strip detector modules for the ATLAS upgrade. Trials were carried out to determine the ease of use, thermal conduction and shear strength. Samples were thermally cycled, radiation hardness and corrosion resistance were also determined. These investigations led to the exclusion of three UV cure glues as well as the glue pad. Three UV cure glues were found to be possible better alternatives than silver loaded glue. Results from electrical tests of first prototype modules constructed using these glues are presented.

Controllable liquid colour-changing lenses with microfluidic channels for vision protection, camouflage and optical filtering based on soft lithography fabrication.

PubMed

Zhang, Min; Li, Songjing

2016-01-01

In this work, liquid colour-changing lenses for vision protection, camouflage and optical filtering are developed by circulating colour liquids through microfluidic channels on the lenses manually. Soft lithography technology is applied to fabricate the silicone liquid colour-changing layers with microfluidic channels on the lenses instead of mechanical machining. To increase the hardness and abrasion resistance of the silicone colour-changing layers on the lenses, proper fabrication parameters such as 6:1 (mass ration) mixing proportion and 100 °C curing temperature for 2 h are approved for better soft lithography process of the lenses. Meanwhile, a new surface treatment for the irreversible bonding of silicone colour-changing layer with optical resin (CR39) substrate lens by using 5 % (volume ratio) 3-Aminopropyltriethoxysilane solution is proposed. Vision protection, camouflage and optical filtering functions of the lenses are investigated with different designs of the channels and multi-layer structures. Each application can not only well achieve their functional demands, but also shows the advantages of functional flexibility, rapid prototyping and good controllability compared with traditional ways. Besides optometry, some other designs and applications of the lenses are proposed for potential utility in the future.

Low-temperature technique of thin silicon ion implanted epitaxial detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kordyasz, A. J.; Le Neindre, N.; Parlog, M.; Casini, G.; Bougault, R.; Poggi, G.; Bednarek, A.; Kowalczyk, M.; Lopez, O.; Merrer, Y.; Vient, E.; Frankland, J. D.; Bonnet, E.; Chbihi, A.; Gruyer, D.; Borderie, B.; Ademard, G.; Edelbruck, P.; Rivet, M. F.; Salomon, F.; Bini, M.; Valdré, S.; Scarlini, E.; Pasquali, G.; Pastore, G.; Piantelli, S.; Stefanini, A.; Olmi, A.; Barlini, S.; Boiano, A.; Rosato, E.; Meoli, A.; Ordine, A.; Spadaccini, G.; Tortone, G.; Vigilante, M.; Vanzanella, E.; Bruno, M.; Serra, S.; Morelli, L.; Guerzoni, M.; Alba, R.; Santonocito, D.; Maiolino, C.; Cinausero, M.; Gramegna, F.; Marchi, T.; Kozik, T.; Kulig, P.; Twaróg, T.; Sosin, Z.; Gaşior, K.; Grzeszczuk, A.; Zipper, W.; Sarnecki, J.; Lipiński, D.; Wodzińska, H.; Brzozowski, A.; Teodorczyk, M.; Gajewski, M.; Zagojski, A.; Krzyżak, K.; Tarasiuk, K. J.; Khabanowa, Z.; Kordyasz, Ł.

2015-02-01

A new technique of large-area thin ion implanted silicon detectors has been developed within the R&D performed by the FAZIA Collaboration. The essence of the technique is the application of a low-temperature baking process instead of high-temperature annealing. This thermal treatment is performed after B+ ion implantation and Al evaporation of detector contacts, made by using a single adjusted Al mask. Extremely thin silicon pads can be therefore obtained. The thickness distribution along the X and Y directions was measured for a prototype chip by the energy loss of α-particles from 241Am (< E α > = 5.5 MeV). Preliminary tests on the first thin detector (area ≈ 20 × 20 mm2) were performed at the INFN-LNS cyclotron in Catania (Italy) using products emitted in the heavy-ion reaction 84Kr ( E = 35 A MeV) + 112Sn. The ΔE - E ion identification plot was obtained using a telescope consisting of our thin ΔE detector (21 μm thick) followed by a typical FAZIA 510 μm E detector of the same active area. The charge distribution of measured ions is presented together with a quantitative evaluation of the quality of the Z resolution. The threshold is lower than 2 A MeV depending on the ion charge.

Development of a thin scintillation films fission-fragment detector and a novel neutron source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusev, G.; Jandel, M.; Baramsai, B.; Bond, E. M.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Couture, A.; Daum, J. K.; Favalli, A.; Ianakiev, K. D.; Iliev, M. L.; Mosby, S.; Roman, A. R.; Springs, R. K.; Ullmann, J. L.; Walker, C. L.

2015-08-01

Investigation of prompt fission and neutron-capture Υ rays from fissile actinide samples at the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE) requires use of a fission-fragment detector to provide a trigger or a veto signal. A fission-fragment detector based on thin scintillating films and silicon photomultipliers has been built to serve as a trigger/veto detector in neutron-induced fission measurements at DANCE. The fissile material is surrounded by scintillating films providing a 4π detection of the fission fragments. The scintillations were registered with silicon photomultipliers. A measurement of the 235U(n,f) reaction with this detector at DANCE revealed a correct time-of-flight spectrum and provided an estimate for the efficiency of the prototype detector of 11.6(7)%. Design and test measurements with the detector are described. A neutron source with fast timing has been built to help with detector-response measurements. The source is based on the neutron emission from the spontaneous fission of 252Cf and the same type of scintillating films and silicon photomultipliers. Overall time resolution of the source is 0.3 ns. Design of the source and test measurements with it are described. An example application of the source for determining the neutron/gamma pulse-shape discrimination by a stilbene crystal is given.

Testing of Diode-Clamping in an Inductive Pulsed Plasma Thruster Circuit

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Toftul, Alexandra; Polzin, Kurt A.; Martin, Adam K.; Hudgins, Jerry L.

2014-01-01

Testing of a 5.5 kV silicon (Si) diode and 5.8 kV prototype silicon carbide (SiC) diode in an inductive pulsed plasma thruster (IPPT) circuit was performed to obtain a comparison of the resulting circuit recapture efficiency,eta(sub r), defined as the percentage of the initial charge energy remaining on the capacitor bank after the diode interrupts the current. The diode was placed in a pulsed circuit in series with a silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) switch, and the voltages across different components and current waveforms were collected over a range of capacitor charge voltages. Reverse recovery parameters, including turn-off time and peak reverse recovery current, were measured and capacitor voltage waveforms were used to determine the recapture efficiency for each case. The Si fast recovery diode in the circuit was shown to yield a recapture efficiency of up to 20% for the conditions tested, while the SiC diode further increased recapture efficiency to nearly 30%. The data presented show that fast recovery diodes operate on a timescale that permits them to clamp the discharge quickly after the first half cycle, supporting the idea that diode-clamping in IPPT circuit reduces energy dissipation that occurs after the first half cycle

Flexible deep brain neural probes based on a parylene tube structure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhao, Zhiguo; Kim, Eric; Luo, Hao; Zhang, Jinsheng; Xu, Yong

2018-01-01

Most microfabricated neural probes have limited shank length, which prevents them from reaching many deep brain structures. This paper reports deep brain neural probes with ultra-long penetrating shanks based on a simple but novel parylene tube structure. The mechanical strength of the parylene tube shank is temporarily enhanced during implantation by inserting a metal wire. The metal wire can be removed after implantation, making the implanted probe very flexible and thus minimizing the stress caused by micromotions of brain tissues. Optogenetic stimulation and chemical delivery capabilities can be potentially integrated by taking advantage of the tube structure. Single-shank prototypes with a shank length of 18.2 mm have been developed. The microfabrication process comprises of deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) of silicon, parylene conformal coating/refilling, and XeF2 isotropic silicon etching. In addition to bench-top insertion characterization, the functionality of developed probes has been preliminarily demonstrated by implanting into the amygdala of a rat and recording neural signals.

Another step towards photodetector innovation: The first 1-inch industrial VSiPMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbarino, G.; Barbato, F. C. T.; Mollo, C. M.; Nocerino, E.; Vivolo, D.; Fukasawa, A.

2018-09-01

The VSiPMT (Vacuum Silicon PhotoMultiplier Tube) is an original design for an innovative light detector we proposed with the aim to create new scientific instrumentation for future missions of exploration and observation of the universe. The idea behind this device is to replace the classical dynode chain of a photomultiplier tube with a silicon photomultiplier, the latter acting as an electron detector and amplifier. In this way we obtain a large area photodetector with an excellent photon counting, proper of the SiPMs, but with the dark noise of only one SiPM (1-inch is equivalent to ∼ 54 SiPM 3 × 3 mm2). From this point of view, the VSiPMT offers very attractive features and unprecedented performance in large area detection, such as: negligible power consumption, excellent SPE resolution, easy low-voltage-based stabilization and very good time performance. Hamamatsu realized for our group a 1-inch prototype. The results of the full characterization of the device are presented in this work.

Fiber Optic Microphone

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cho, Y. C.; George, Thomas; Norvig, Peter (Technical Monitor)

1999-01-01

Research into advanced pressure sensors using fiber-optic technology is aimed at developing compact size microphones. Fiber optic sensors are inherently immune to electromagnetic noise, and are very sensitive, light weight, and highly flexible. In FY 98, NASA researchers successfully designed and assembled a prototype fiber-optic microphone. The sensing technique employed was fiber optic Fabry-Perot interferometry. The sensing head is composed of an optical fiber terminated in a miniature ferrule with a thin, silicon-microfabricated diaphragm mounted on it. The optical fiber is a single mode fiber with a core diameter of 8 micron, with the cleaved end positioned 50 micron from the diaphragm surface. The diaphragm is made up of a 0.2 micron thick silicon nitride membrane whose inner surface is metallized with layers of 30 nm titanium, 30 nm platinum, and 0.2 micron gold for efficient reflection. The active sensing area is approximately 1.5 mm in diameter. The measured differential pressure tolerance of this diaphragm is more than 1 bar, yielding a dynamic range of more than 100 dB.

Forces on intraocular lens haptics induced by capsular fibrosis. An experimental study.

PubMed

Guthoff, R; Abramo, F; Draeger, J; Chumbley, L C; Lang, G K; Neumann, W

1990-01-01

Electronic dynamometry measurements, performed upon intraocular lens (IOL) haptics of prototype one-piece three-loop silicone lenses, accurately defined the relationships between elastic force and haptic displacement. Lens implantations in the capsular bag of dogs (loop span equal to capsular bag diameter, loops underformed immediately after the operation) were evaluated macrophotographically 5-8 months postoperatively. The highly constant elastic property of silicon rubber permitted quantitative correlation of subsequent in vivo haptic displacement with the resultant force vectors responsible for tissue contraction. The lens optics were well centered in 17 (85%) and slightly offcenter in 3 (15%) of 20 implanted eyes. Of the 60 supporting loops, 28 could be visualized sufficiently well to permit reliable haptic measurement. Of these 28, 20 (71%) were clearly displaced, ranging from 0.45 mm away from to 1.4 mm towards the lens' optic center. These extremes represented resultant vector forces of 0.20 and 1.23 mN respectively. Quantitative vector analysis permits better understanding of IOL-capsular interactions.

Residual Silicone Detection. [external tank and solid rocket booster surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, T.

1980-01-01

Both photoelectron emission and ellipsometry proved successful in detecting silicone contamination on unpainted and epoxy painted metal surfaces such as those of the external tank and the solid rocket booster. Great success was achieved using photoelectron emission (PEE). Panels were deliberately contaminated to controlled levels and then mapped with PEE to reveal the areas and levels that were contaminated. The panels were then tested with regard to adhesive properties. Tapes were bonded over the contaminated and uncontaminated regions and the peel force was measured, or the contaminated panels were bonded (with CPR 483 foam) to uncontaminated panels and made into lap shear specimens. Other panels were bonded and made into wedge specimens for hydrothermal stress endurance tests. Strong adhesion resulted if the PEE signal fell within an acceptance window, but was poor outside the acceptance window. A prototype instrument is being prepared which can automatically be scanned over the external liquid hydrogen tank and identify those regions that are contaminated and will cause bond degradation.

DAMIC at SNOLAB

DOE PAGES

Chavarria, Alvaro E.; Tiffenberg, Javier; Aguilar-Arevalo, Alexis; ...

2015-03-24

We introduce the fully-depleted charge-coupled device (CCD) as a particle detector. We demonstrate its low energy threshold operation, capable of detecting ionizing energy depositions in a single pixel down to 50 eV ee. We present results of energy calibrations from 0.3 keV ee to 60 ke Vee, showing that the CCD is a fully active detector with uniform energy response throughout the silicon target, good resolution (Fano ~0.16), and remarkable linear response to electron energy depositions. We show the capability of the CCD to localize the depth of particle interactions within the silicon target. We discuss the mode of operationmore » and unique imaging capabilities of the CCD, and how they may be exploited to characterize and suppress backgrounds. We present the first results from the deployment of 250 μm thick CCDs in SNOLAB, a prototype for the upcoming DAMIC100. DAMIC100 will have a target mass of 0.1 kg and should be able to directly test the CDMS-Si signal within a year of operation.« less

3D scanning characteristics of an amorphous silicon position sensitive detector array system.

PubMed

Contreras, Javier; Gomes, Luis; Filonovich, Sergej; Correia, Nuno; Fortunato, Elvira; Martins, Rodrigo; Ferreira, Isabel

2012-02-13

The 3D scanning electro-optical characteristics of a data acquisition prototype system integrating a 32 linear array of 1D amorphous silicon position sensitive detectors (PSD) were analyzed. The system was mounted on a platform for imaging 3D objects using the triangulation principle with a sheet-of-light laser. New obtained results reveal a minimum possible gap or simulated defect detection of approximately 350 μm. Furthermore, a first study of the angle for 3D scanning was also performed, allowing for a broad range of angles to be used in the process. The relationship between the scanning angle of the incident light onto the object and the image displacement distance on the sensor was determined for the first time in this system setup. Rendering of 3D object profiles was performed at a significantly higher number of frames than in the past and was possible for an incident light angle range of 15 ° to 85 °.

Micro Cantilever Movement Detection with an Amorphous Silicon Array of Position Sensitive Detectors

PubMed Central

Contreras, Javier; Costa, Daniel; Pereira, Sonia; Fortunato, Elvira; Martins, Rodrigo; Wierzbicki, Rafal; Heerlein, Holger; Ferreira, Isabel

2010-01-01

The movement of a micro cantilever was detected via a self constructed portable data acquisition prototype system which integrates a linear array of 32 1D amorphous silicon position sensitive detectors (PSD). The system was mounted on a microscope using a metal structure platform and the movement of the 30 μm wide by 400 μm long cantilever was tracked by analyzing the signals acquired by the 32 sensor array electronic readout system and the relevant data algorithm. The obtained results show a linear behavior of the photocurrent relating X and Y movement, with a non-linearity of about 3%, a spatial resolution of less than 2 μm along the lateral dimension of the sensor as well as of less than 3 μm along the perpendicular dimension of the sensor, when detecting just the micro-cantilever, and a spatial resolution of less than 1 μm when detecting the holding structure. PMID:22163648

EXPERIMENTAL AND RESEARCH WORK IN NEUTRON DOSIMETRY. Final Summary Report for the Period May 15, 1959-June 15, 1960

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

Gorton, H.C.; Mengali, O.J.; Zacaroli, A.R.

A practical, prototype silicon p-n junction fast-neutron dosimeter, sensitive in the same range as human tissue, was developed, together with sn associated read-out circuit to facilitate the accurate measurement of accumulated dose. From both theoretical and experimental considerations, it was demonstrated that the dosimeter is essentially insensitive to the gamma and thermal components of a uranium fission spectrum. It was shown that accumulated damage effects appear to be environmentally stable up to an ambient temperature of 100 C. A rather raarked reversible temperature dependence of the read-out parameters requires either control of the read-out temperature or temperature compensation in themore » read-out device. A high degree of reproducibility of dosimeter characteristics from one device to another was not achieved. The lack of reproducibility was attributed to uncontrolled variables in the bulk silicon from which the devices are fabricated, and in the production procedure. (auth)« less

Application of EAP materials toward a refreshable Braille display

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Di Spigna, N.; Chakraborti, P.; Yang, P.; Ghosh, T.; Franzon, P.

2009-03-01

The development of a multiline, refreshable Braille display will assist with the full inclusion and integration of blind people into society. The use of both polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) film planar bending mode actuators and silicone dielectric elastomer cylindrical tube actuators have been investigated for their potential use in a Braille cell. A liftoff process that allows for aggressive scaling of miniature bimorph actuators has been developed using standard semiconductor lithography techniques. The PVDF bimorphs have been demonstrated to provide enough displacement to raise a Braille dot using biases less than 1000V and operating at 10Hz. In addition, silicone tube actuators have also been demonstrated to achieve the necessary displacement, though requiring higher voltages. The choice of electrodes and prestrain conditions aimed at maximizing axial strain in tube actuators are discussed. Characterization techniques measuring actuation displacement and blocking forces appropriate for standard Braille cell specifications are presented. Finally, the integration of these materials into novel cell designs and the fabrication of a prototype Braille cell are discussed.

A Silicon Carbide Wireless Temperature Sensing System for High Temperature Applications

PubMed Central

Yang, Jie

2013-01-01

In this article, an extreme environment-capable temperature sensing system based on state-of-art silicon carbide (SiC) wireless electronics is presented. In conjunction with a Pt-Pb thermocouple, the SiC wireless sensor suite is operable at 450 °C while under centrifugal load greater than 1,000 g. This SiC wireless temperature sensing system is designed to be non-intrusively embedded inside the gas turbine generators, acquiring the temperature information of critical components such as turbine blades, and wirelessly transmitting the information to the receiver located outside the turbine engine. A prototype system was developed and verified up to 450 °C through high temperature lab testing. The combination of the extreme temperature SiC wireless telemetry technology and integrated harsh environment sensors will allow for condition-based in-situ maintenance of power generators and aircraft turbines in field operation, and can be applied in many other industries requiring extreme environment monitoring and maintenance. PMID:23377189

Ultrasonic seam welding on thin silicon solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stofel, E. J.

1982-01-01

The ultrathin silicon solar cell has progressed to where it is a serious candidate for future light weight or radiation tolerant spacecraft. The ultrasonic method of producing welds was found to be satisfactory. These ultrathin cells could be handled without breakage in a semiautomated welding machine. This is a prototype of a machine capable of production rates sufficiently large to support spacecraft array assembly needs. For comparative purposes, this project also welded a variety of cells with thicknesses up to 0.23 mm as well as the 0.07 mm ultrathin cells. There was no electrical degradation in any cells. The mechanical pull strength of welds on the thick cells was excellent when using a large welding force. The mechanical strength of welds on thin cells was less since only a small welding force could be used without cracking these cells. Even so, the strength of welds on thin cells appears adequate for array application. The ability of such welds to survive multiyear, near Earth orbit thermal cycles needs to be demonstrated.

Measurements of the Optical Performance of Prototype TES Bolometers for SAFARI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Audley, M. D.; de Lange, G.; Ranjan, M.; Gao, J.-R.; Khosropanah, P.; Ridder, M. L.; Mauskopf, P. D.; Morozov, D.; Doherty, S.; Trappe, N.; Withington, S.

2014-09-01

We have measured the optical response of prototype detectors for SAFARI, the far-infrared imaging spectrometer for the SPICA satellite. SAFARI's three bolometer arrays, coupled with a Fourier transform spectrometer, will provide images of a 2'×2' field of view with spectral information over the wavelength range 34-210 μm. Each horn-coupled bolometer consists of a transition edge sensor (TES), with a transition temperature close to 100 mK, and a thin-film Ta absorber on a thermally-isolated silicon nitride membrane. SAFARI requires extremely sensitive detectors ( NEP˜2×10-19 W/), with correspondingly low saturation powers (˜5 fW), to take advantage of SPICA's cooled optics. To meet the challenge of testing such sensitive detectors we have constructed an ultra-low background test facility based on a cryogen-free high-capacity dilution refrigerator, paying careful attention to stray-light exclusion, shielding, and vibration isolation. For optical measurements the system contains internal cold (3-30 K) and hot (˜300 K) black-body calibration sources, as well as a light pipe for external illumination. We discuss our measurements of high optical efficiency in prototype SAFARI detectors and describe recent improvements to the test facility that will enable us to test the full SAFARI focal-plane arrays.

Design and fabrication of vertically-integrated CMOS image sensors.

PubMed

Skorka, Orit; Joseph, Dileepan

2011-01-01

Technologies to fabricate integrated circuits (IC) with 3D structures are an emerging trend in IC design. They are based on vertical stacking of active components to form heterogeneous microsystems. Electronic image sensors will benefit from these technologies because they allow increased pixel-level data processing and device optimization. This paper covers general principles in the design of vertically-integrated (VI) CMOS image sensors that are fabricated by flip-chip bonding. These sensors are composed of a CMOS die and a photodetector die. As a specific example, the paper presents a VI-CMOS image sensor that was designed at the University of Alberta, and fabricated with the help of CMC Microsystems and Micralyne Inc. To realize prototypes, CMOS dies with logarithmic active pixels were prepared in a commercial process, and photodetector dies with metal-semiconductor-metal devices were prepared in a custom process using hydrogenated amorphous silicon. The paper also describes a digital camera that was developed to test the prototype. In this camera, scenes captured by the image sensor are read using an FPGA board, and sent in real time to a PC over USB for data processing and display. Experimental results show that the VI-CMOS prototype has a higher dynamic range and a lower dark limit than conventional electronic image sensors.

MIXS on BepiColombo and its DEPFET based focal plane instrumentation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Treis, J.; Andricek, L.; Aschauer, F.; Heinzinger, K.; Herrmann, S.; Hilchenbach, M.; Lauf, T.; Lechner, P.; Lutz, G.; Majewski, P.; Porro, M.; Richter, R. H.; Schaller, G.; Schnecke, M.; Schopper, F.; Soltau, H.; Stefanescu, A.; Strüder, L.; de Vita, G.

2010-12-01

Focal plane instrumentation based on DEPFET Macropixel devices, being a combination of the Detector-Amplifier structure DEPFET with a silicon drift chamber (SDD), has been proposed for the MIXS (Mercury Imaging X-ray Spectrometer) instrument on ESA's Mercury exploration mission BepiColombo. MIXS images X-ray fluorescent radiation from the Mercury surface with a lightweight X-ray mirror system on the focal plane detector to measure the spatially resolved element abundance in Mercury's crust. The sensor needs to have an energy resolution better than 200 eV FWHM at 1 keV and is required to cover an energy range from 0.5 to 10 keV, for a pixel size of 300×300μm2. Main challenges for the instrument are radiation damage and the difficult thermal environment in the mercury orbit. The production of the first batch of flight devices has been finished at the MPI semiconductor laboratory. Prototype modules have been assembled to verify the electrical properties of the devices; selected results are presented here. The prototype devices, Macropixel prototypes for the SIMBOL-X focal plane, are electrically fully compatible, but have a pixel size of 0.5×0.5 mm2. Excellent homogeneity and near Fano-limited energy resolution at high readout speeds have been observed on these devices.

Design and Fabrication of Vertically-Integrated CMOS Image Sensors

PubMed Central

Skorka, Orit; Joseph, Dileepan

2011-01-01

Technologies to fabricate integrated circuits (IC) with 3D structures are an emerging trend in IC design. They are based on vertical stacking of active components to form heterogeneous microsystems. Electronic image sensors will benefit from these technologies because they allow increased pixel-level data processing and device optimization. This paper covers general principles in the design of vertically-integrated (VI) CMOS image sensors that are fabricated by flip-chip bonding. These sensors are composed of a CMOS die and a photodetector die. As a specific example, the paper presents a VI-CMOS image sensor that was designed at the University of Alberta, and fabricated with the help of CMC Microsystems and Micralyne Inc. To realize prototypes, CMOS dies with logarithmic active pixels were prepared in a commercial process, and photodetector dies with metal-semiconductor-metal devices were prepared in a custom process using hydrogenated amorphous silicon. The paper also describes a digital camera that was developed to test the prototype. In this camera, scenes captured by the image sensor are read using an FPGA board, and sent in real time to a PC over USB for data processing and display. Experimental results show that the VI-CMOS prototype has a higher dynamic range and a lower dark limit than conventional electronic image sensors. PMID:22163860

Wireless data transmission for high energy physics applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dittmeier, Sebastian; Brenner, Richard; Dancila, Dragos; Dehos, Cedric; De Lurgio, Patrick; Djurcic, Zelimir; Drake, Gary; Gonzalez Gimenez, Jose Luis; Gustafsson, Leif; Kim, Do-Won; Locci, Elizabeth; Pfeiffer, Ullrich; Röhrich, Dieter; Rydberg, Anders; Schöning, André; Siligaris, Alexandre; Soltveit, Hans Kristian; Ullaland, Kjetil; Vincent, Pierre; Rodriguez Vazquez, Pedro; Wiedner, Dirk; Yang, Shiming

2017-08-01

Silicon tracking detectors operated at high luminosity collider experiments pose a challenge for current and future readout systems regarding bandwidth, radiation, space and power constraints. With the latest developments in wireless communications, wireless readout systems might be an attractive alternative to commonly used wired optical and copper based readout architectures. The WADAPT group (Wireless Allowing Data and Power Transmission) has been formed to study the feasibility of wireless data transmission for future tracking detectors. These proceedings cover current developments focused on communication in the 60 GHz band. This frequency band offers a high bandwidth, a small form factor and an already mature technology. Motivation for wireless data transmission for high energy physics application and the developments towards a demonstrator prototype are summarized. Feasibility studies concerning the construction and operation of a wireless transceiver system have been performed. Data transmission tests with a transceiver prototype operating at even higher frequencies in the 240 GHz band are described. Data transmission at rates up to 10 Gb/s have been obtained successfully using binary phase shift keying.

An artificial retina processor for track reconstruction at the LHC crossing rate

DOE PAGES

Bedeschi, F.; Cenci, R.; Marino, P.; ...

2017-11-23

The goal of the INFN-RETINA R&D project is to develop and implement a computational methodology that allows to reconstruct events with a large number (> 100) of charged-particle tracks in pixel and silicon strip detectors at 40 MHz, thus matching the requirements for processing LHC events at the full bunch-crossing frequency. Our approach relies on a parallel pattern-recognition algorithm, dubbed artificial retina, inspired by the early stages of image processing by the brain. In order to demonstrate that a track-processing system based on this algorithm is feasible, we built a sizable prototype of a tracking processor tuned to 3 000more » patterns, based on already existing readout boards equipped with Altera Stratix III FPGAs. The detailed geometry and charged-particle activity of a large tracking detector currently in operation are used to assess its performances. Here, we report on the test results with such a prototype.« less

MoO3/nano-Si heterostructure based highly sensitive and acetone selective sensor prototype: a key to non-invasive detection of diabetes.

PubMed

Dwivedi, Priyanka; Dhanekar, Saakshi; Das, Samaresh

2018-07-06

This paper presents the development of an extremely sensitive and selective acetone sensor prototype which can be used as a platform for non-invasive diabetes detection through exhaled human breath. The miniaturized sensors were produced in high yield with the use of standard microfabrication processes. The sensors were based on a heterostructure composed of MoO 3 and nano-porous silicon (NPS). Features like acetone selective, enhanced sensor response and 0.5 ppm detection limit were observed upon introduction of MoO 3 on the NPS. The sensors were found to be repeatable and stable for almost 1 year, as tested under humid conditions at room temperature. It was inferred that the interface resistance of MoO 3 and NPS played a key role in the sensing mechanism. With the use of breath analysis and lab-on-chip, medical diagnosis procedures can be simplified and provide solutions for point-of-care testing.

Low-cost ultra-thin broadband terahertz beam-splitter.

PubMed

Ung, Benjamin S-Y; Fumeaux, Christophe; Lin, Hungyen; Fischer, Bernd M; Ng, Brian W-H; Abbott, Derek

2012-02-27

A low-cost terahertz beam-splitter is fabricated using ultra-thin LDPE plastic sheeting coated with a conducting silver layer. The beam splitting ratio is determined as a function of the thickness of the silver layer--thus any required splitting ratio can be printed on demand with a suitable rapid prototyping technology. The low-cost aspect is a consequence of the fact that ultra-thin LDPE sheeting is readily obtainable, known more commonly as domestic plastic wrap or cling wrap. The proposed beam-splitter has numerous advantages over float zone silicon wafers commonly used within the terahertz frequency range. These advantages include low-cost, ease of handling, ultra-thin thickness, and any required beam splitting ratio can be readily fabricated. Furthermore, as the beam-splitter is ultra-thin, it presents low loss and does not suffer from Fabry-Pérot effects. Measurements performed on manufactured prototypes with different splitting ratios demonstrate a good agreement with our theoretical model in both P and S polarizations, exhibiting nearly frequency-independent splitting ratios in the terahertz frequency range.

A high temperature hybrid photovoltaic-thermal receiver employing spectral beam splitting for linear solar concentrators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mojiri, Ahmad; Stanley, Cameron; Rosengarten, Gary

2015-09-01

Hybrid photovoltaic/thermal (PV-T) solar collectors are capable of delivering heat and electricity concurrently. Implementing such receivers in linear concentrators for high temperature applications need special considerations such as thermal decoupling of the photovoltaic (pv) cells from the thermal receiver. Spectral beam splitting of concentrated light provides an option for achieving this purpose. In this paper we introduce a relatively simple hybrid receiver configuration that spectrally splits the light between a high temperature thermal fluid and silicon pv cells using volumetric light filtering by semi-conductor doped glass and propylene glycol. We analysed the optical performance of this device theoretically using ray tracing and experimentally through the construction and testing of a full scale prototype. The receiver was mounted on a commercial parabolic trough concentrator in an outdoor experiment. The prototype receiver delivered heat and electricity at total thermal efficiency of 44% and electrical efficiency of 3.9% measured relative to the total beam energy incident on the primary mirror.

Colt: an experiment in wormhole run-time reconfiguration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bittner, Ray; Athanas, Peter M.; Musgrove, Mark

1996-10-01

Wormhole run-time reconfiguration (RTR) is an attempt to create a refined computing paradigm for high performance computational tasks. By combining concepts from field programmable gate array (FPGA) technologies with data flow computing, the Colt/Stallion architecture achieves high utilization of hardware resources, and facilitates rapid run-time reconfiguration. Targeted mainly at DSP-type operations, the Colt integrated circuit -- a prototype wormhole RTR device -- compares favorably to contemporary DSP alternatives in terms of silicon area consumed per unit computation and in computing performance. Although emphasis has been placed on signal processing applications, general purpose computation has not been overlooked. Colt is a prototype that defines an architecture not only at the chip level but also in terms of an overall system design. As this system is realized, the concept of wormhole RTR will be applied to numerical computation and DSP applications including those common to image processing, communications systems, digital filters, acoustic processing, real-time control systems and simulation acceleration.

Fast-Neutron Survey With Compact Plastic Scintillation Detectors.

PubMed

Preston, Rhys M; Tickner, James R

2017-07-01

With the rise of the Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM), it is now practical to build compact scintillation detectors well suited to portable use. A prototype survey meter for fast-neutrons and gamma-rays, based around an EJ-299-34 plastic scintillator with SiPM readout, has been developed and tested. A custom digital pulse processor was used to perform pulse shape discrimination on-the-fly. Ambient dose equivalent H*(10) was calculated by means of two energy-dependent 'G-functions'. The sensitivity was calculated to be between 0.10 and 0.22 cps/(µSv/hr) for fast-neutrons with energies above 2.5 MeV. The prototype was used to survey various laboratory radiation fields, with the readings compared with commercial survey meters. The high sensitivity and lightweight nature of this detector makes it promising for rapid survey of the mixed neutron/gamma-ray fields encountered in industry and homeland security. © The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please email: journals.permissions@oup.com.

AeroVironment technician checks a Helios solar cell panel

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2000-01-01

A technician at AeroVironment's Design Development Center in Simi Valley, California, checks a panel of silicon solar cells for conductivity and voltage. The bi-facial cells, fabricated by SunPower, Inc., of Sunnyvale, California, are among 64,000 solar cells which have been installed on the Helios Prototype solar-powered aircraft to provide power to its 14 electric motors and operating systems. Developed by AeroVironment under NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology (ERAST) project, the Helios Prototype is the forerunner of a planned fleet of slow-flying, long duration, high-altitude aircraft which can perform atmospheric science missions and serve as telecommunications relay platforms in the stratosphere. Target goals set by NASA for the giant 246-foot span flying wing include reaching and sustaining subsonic horizontal flight at 100,000 feet altitude in 2001, and sustained continuous flight for at least four days and nights above 50,000 feet altitude with the aid of a regenerative fuel cell-based energy storage system now under development in 2003.

Rapid Prototyping Technique for the Fabrication of Millifluidic Devices for Polymer Formulations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cabral, Joao; Harrison, Christopher; Eric, Amis; Karim, Alamgir

2003-03-01

We describe a rapid prototyping technique for the fabrication of 600 micron deep fluidic channels in a solvent-resistant polymeric matrix. Using a conventional illumination source, a laser-jet printed mask, and a commercially available thioelene-based adhesive, we demonstrate the fabrication of fluidic channels which are impervious to a wide range of solvents. The fabrication of channels with this depth by conventional lithography would be both challenging and time-consuming. We demonstrate two lithography methods: one which fabricates channels sealed between glass plates (closed face) and one which fabricates structures on a single plate (open-faced). Furthermore, we demonstrate that this technology can be used to fabricate channels with a depth which varies linearly with distance. The latter is completely compatible with silicone replication technniques. Additionally, we demonstrate that siloxane-based elastomer molds of these channels can be readily made for aqueous applications. Applications to on-line phase mapping of polymer solutions (PEO-Water-Salt) and off line phase separation studies will be discussed.

An artificial retina processor for track reconstruction at the LHC crossing rate

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

Bedeschi, F.; Cenci, R.; Marino, P.

The goal of the INFN-RETINA R&D project is to develop and implement a computational methodology that allows to reconstruct events with a large number (> 100) of charged-particle tracks in pixel and silicon strip detectors at 40 MHz, thus matching the requirements for processing LHC events at the full bunch-crossing frequency. Our approach relies on a parallel pattern-recognition algorithm, dubbed artificial retina, inspired by the early stages of image processing by the brain. In order to demonstrate that a track-processing system based on this algorithm is feasible, we built a sizable prototype of a tracking processor tuned to 3 000more » patterns, based on already existing readout boards equipped with Altera Stratix III FPGAs. The detailed geometry and charged-particle activity of a large tracking detector currently in operation are used to assess its performances. Here, we report on the test results with such a prototype.« less

Development of phonon-mediated cryogenic particle detectors with electron and nuclear recoil discrimination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nam, Sae Woo

1999-10-01

Observations have shown that galaxies, including our own, are surrounded by halos of ``dark matter''. One possibility is that this may be an undiscovered form of matter, weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs). This thesis describes the development of silicon based cryogenic particle detectors designed to directly detect interactions with these WIMPs. These detectors are part of a new class of detectors which are able to reject background events by simultaneously measuring energy deposited into phonons versus electron hole pairs. By using the phonon sensors with the ionization sensors to compare the partitioning of energy between phonons and ionizations we can discriminate between electron recoil events (background radiation) and nuclear recoil events (dark matter events). These detectors with built-in background rejection are a major advance in background rejection over previous searches. Much of this thesis will describe work in scaling the detectors from / g prototype devices to a fully functional prototype 100g dark matter detector. In particular, many sensors were fabricated and tested to understand the behavior of our phonon sensors, Quasipartice trapping assisted Electrothermal feedback Transition edge sensors (QETs). The QET sensors utilize aluminum quasiparticle traps attached to tungsten superconducting transition edge sensors patterned on a silicon substrate. The tungsten lines are voltage biased and self-regulate in the transition region. Phonons from particle interactions within the silicon propogate to the surface where they are absorbed by the aluminum generating quasiparticles in the aluminum. The quasiparticles diffuse into the tungsten and couple energy into the tungsten electron system. Consequently, the tungsten increases in resistance and causes a current pulse which is measured with a high bandwidth SQUID system. With this advanced sensor technology, we were able to demonstrate detectors with xy position sensitivity with electron and nuclear recoil discrimination. Furthermore, early results from running the 100g detector in the Stanford Underground Facility (SUF) indicate that competitive dark matter results are achievable with the current detector design. Much of the design and testing of the experimental apparatus and instrumentation is described as well.

TU-H-206-02: Novel Linearly-Filled Derenzo PET Phantom Design

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

Graves, S; Cox, B; Valdovinos, H

Purpose: To design a linearly-filled Derenzo positron emission tomography (PET) phantom, eliminating the extraneous radioisotope volumes in a conventional reservoir-type design. This activity reduction combined with the elimination of bubbles in smaller phantom channels would significantly reduce personnel dose, radioisotope cost, and would improve image quality by reducing out-of-slice activity scatter. Methods: A computer-aided design (CAD) was created of a modular Derenzo phantom consisting of three phantom layers with gaskets between the layers. The central piece contains the active pattern volume and channels connecting adjacent rods in a serpentine pattern. The two end-pieces contained an inlet and an outlet formore » filling purposes. Phantom prototypes were 3D printed on a Viper Si2 stereolithography machine. The two gaskets were fabricated from silicon sheets using a PLS 6.75 laser cutter. Phantoms were held together by pass-through glass-filled nylon bolts and nuts. Phantoms were filled with {sup 52}Mn, {sup 64}Cu, {sup 74}Br, and {sup 124}I for testing, and were imaged on a Siemens Inveon MicroPET scanner. Results: Four phantom prototypes were constructed using male Leur Lock fittings for inlet/outlet ports. 3D printed layers were sanded to ensure proper coupling to the silicon gaskets. The filling volume for each prototype was approximately 2.4 mL. The filling process was found to be rapid, leak-tight, and with minimal back-pressure. PET images were reconstructed by OSEM3D, and axial slices along the phantom pattern length were averaged to provide final images. Image distortion was isotope dependent with {sup 52}Mn and {sup 64}Cu having the least distortion and {sup 124}I having the most distortion. Conclusion: These results indicate that the linearlyfilled Derenzo design improves on conventional reservoir-type designs by eliminating potential bubbles in small channels and by reducing activity level, radioisotope volume, radioisotope cost, personnel dose, filling time, and out-of-slice activity scatter The method described in this abstract has been filed as a patent application to the US Patent and Trade Office by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF).« less

Performance study of SKIROC2/A ASIC for ILD Si-W ECAL

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suehara, T.; Sekiya, I.; Callier, S.; Balagura, V.; Boudry, V.; Brient, J.-C.; de la Taille, C.; Kawagoe, K.; Irles, A.; Magniette, F.; Nanni, J.; Pöschl, R.; Yoshioka, T.

2018-03-01

The ILD Si-W ECAL is a sampling calorimeter with tungsten absorber and highly segmented silicon layers for the International Large Detector (ILD), one of the two detector concepts for the International Linear Collider. SKIROC2 is an ASIC for the ILD Si-W ECAL. To investigate the issues found in prototype detectors, we prepared dedicated ASIC evaluation boards with either BGA sockets or directly soldered SKIROC2. We report a performance study with the evaluation boards, including signal-to-noise ratio and TDC performance with comparing SKIROC2 and an updated version, SKIROC2A.

Thermal Switch for Satellite Temperature Control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ziad, H.; Slater, T.; vanGerwen, P.; Masure, E.; Preudhomme, F.; Baert, K.

1995-01-01

An active radiator tile (ART) thermal valve has been fabricated using silicon micromachining. Intended for orbital satellite heat control applications, the operational principal of the ART is to control heat flow between two thermally isolated surfaces by bring the surfaces into intimate mechanical contact using electrostatic actuation. Prototype devices have been tested in a vacuum and demonstrate thermal actuation voltages as low as 40 volts, very good thermal insulation in the OFF state, and a large increase in radiative heat flow in the ON state. Thin, anodized aluminum was developed as a coating for high infrared emissivity and high solar reflectance.

Testing a Prototype for a New Cosmic Ray Particle Detector at the South Pole

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howell, R.; Rimsa, E.; Tharp, T.; Andeen, K.

2017-01-01

Cosmic ray research has grown rapidly in the past century, often using vacuum photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) to analyze the light produced by high-energy particles passing through scintillating material. Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) are now being recognized as a more efficient alternative to PMTs. Different types of photon events have been characterized using a SensL brand SiPM in combination with a QuarkNet Data Acquisition board. The goal of this study is to test the viability of the SiPM for a new generation surface detector at the South Pole.

Micromachined integrated quantum circuit containing a superconducting qubit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Brecht, Teresa; Chu, Yiwen; Axline, Christopher; Pfaff, Wolfgang; Blumoff, Jacob; Chou, Kevin; Krayzman, Lev; Frunzio, Luigi; Schoelkopf, Robert

We demonstrate a functional multilayer microwave integrated quantum circuit (MMIQC). This novel hardware architecture combines the high coherence and isolation of three-dimensional structures with the advantages of integrated circuits made with lithographic techniques. We present fabrication and measurement of a two-cavity/one-qubit prototype, including a transmon coupled to a three-dimensional microwave cavity micromachined in a silicon wafer. It comprises a simple MMIQC with competitive lifetimes and the ability to perform circuit QED operations in the strong dispersive regime. Furthermore, the design and fabrication techniques that we have developed are extensible to more complex quantum information processing devices.

Solid-dielectric compound parabolic concentrators: on their use with photovoltaic devices.

PubMed

Goodman, N B; Ignatius, R; Wharton, L; Winston, R

1976-10-01

Prototype solid dielectric compound parabolic concentrators have been made and tested. By means of the geometry and refractive properties of a transparent solid they provide a technique for increasing the power output of silicon solar cells exposed to the sun by an amount nearly equal to the increase in effective collecting area. The response is uniform over a large angle which eliminates the necessity of diurnal tracking of the sun. The technique can be applied to the construction of thin panels and has the potential for significantly reducing, their cost per unit area.

Fission-fragment detector for DANCE based on thin scintillating films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rusev, G.; Roman, A. R.; Daum, J. K.; Springs, R. K.; Bond, E. M.; Jandel, M.; Baramsai, B.; Bredeweg, T. A.; Couture, A.; Favalli, A.; Ianakiev, K. D.; Iliev, M. L.; Mosby, S.; Ullmann, J. L.; Walker, C. L.

2015-12-01

A fission-fragment detector based on thin scintillating films has been built to serve as a trigger/veto detector in neutron-induced fission measurements at DANCE. The fissile material is surrounded by scintillating films providing 4 π detection of the fission fragments. The scintillation photons were registered with silicon photomultipliers. A measurement of the 235U (n , f) reaction with this detector at DANCE revealed a correct time-of-flight spectrum and provided an estimate for the efficiency of the prototype detector of 11.6(7)%. Design and test measurements with the detector are described.

Initial results for the silicon monolithically interconnected solar cell product

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dinetta, L. C.; Shreve, K. P.; Cotter, J. E.; Barnett, A. M.

1995-01-01

This proprietary technology is based on AstroPower's electrostatic bonding and innovative silicon solar cell processing techniques. Electrostatic bonding allows silicon wafers to be permanently attached to a thermally matched glass superstrate and then thinned to final thicknesses less than 25 micron. These devices are based on the features of a thin, light-trapping silicon solar cell: high voltage, high current, light weight (high specific power) and high radiation resistance. Monolithic interconnection allows the fabrication costs on a per watt basis to be roughly independent of the array size, power or voltage, therefore, the cost effectiveness to manufacture solar cell arrays with output powers ranging from milliwatts up to four watts and output voltages ranging from 5 to 500 volts will be similar. This compares favorably to conventionally manufactured, commercial solar cell arrays, where handling of small parts is very labor intensive and costly. In this way, a wide variety of product specifications can be met using the same fabrication techniques. Prototype solar cells have demonstrated efficiencies greater than 11%. An open-circuit voltage of 5.4 volts, fill factor of 65%, and short-circuit current density of 28 mA/sq cm at AM1.5 illumination are typical. Future efforts are being directed to optimization of the solar cell operating characteristics as well as production processing. The monolithic approach has a number of inherent advantages, including reduced cost per interconnect and increased reliability of array connections. These features make this proprietary technology an excellent candidate for a large number of consumer products.

Optimization of single keV ion implantation for the construction of single P-donor devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Changyi; Jamieson, David N.; Hopf, Toby; Andresen, Soren E.; Hearne, Sean M.; Hudson, Fay E.; Pakes, Christopher I.; Mitic, Mladen; Gauja, Eric; Tamanyan, Grigori; Dzurak, Andrew S.; Prawer, Steven; Clark, Robert G.

2005-02-01

We report recent progress in single keV ion implantation and online detection for the controlled implantation of single donors in silicon. When integrated with silicon nanofabrication technology this forms the "top down" strategy for the construction of prototype solid state quantum computer devices based on phosphorus donors in silicon. We have developed a method of single ion implantation and online registration that employs detector electrodes adjacent to the area into which the donors are to be implanted. The implantation sites are positioned with nanometer accuracy using an electron beam lithography patterned PMMA mask. Control of the implantation depth of 20 nm is achieved by tuning the phosphorus ion energy to 14 keV. The counting of single ion implantation in each site is achieved by the detection of e-/h+ pairs produced by the implanted phosphorus ion in the substrate. The system is calibrated by use of Mn K-line x-rays (5.9 and 6.4 keV) and we find the ionization energy of the 14 keV phosphorus ions in silicon to be about 3.5-4.0 keV for implants through a 5 nm SiO2 surface layer. This paper describes the development of an improved PIN detector structure that provides more reliable performance of the earlier MOS structure. With the new structure, the energy noise threshold has been minimized to 1 keV or less. Unambiguous detection/counting of single keV ion implantation events were achieved with a confidence level greater than 98% with a reliable and reproducible fabrication process.

SuperCDMS Prototype Detector Design and Testing

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

Kennedy, Allison Blair

A substantial amount of astrophysical evidence indicates that approximately a quarter of all energy in the universe is composed of a nonluminous, and nonbaryonic \\dark" matter. Of the potential dark matter particle candidates, Weakly Interacting Massive Particles, or WIMPs, is particularly well motivated. As a means to directly detect WIMP interactions with baryonic matter, the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search (CDMS) project was established, operating at the Soudan Underground Laboratory from 2003 - 2015, under the CDMS II and SuperCDMS Soudan experiments. CDMS detectors simultaneously measure the ionization and phonon energies of recoil events in Si and Ge crystals kept atmore » cryogenic temperatures in a low-background environment. The ratio of ionization energy to recoil energy serves as a discrimination parameter to separate nuclear recoil events from the electron-recoil background. The next installation, SuperCDMS SNOLAB, is preparing for future operation, with an initial payload of eighteen Ge and six Si, 100 mm diameter, 33 mm thick detectors. Of this initial payload, eight Ge and four Si detectors will operate in a high-voltage ( 100 V) mode, which have an increased sensitivity to low-mass WIMPs due to decreased energy thresholds. The SuperCDMS test facility at University of Minnesota aids in the detector R&D and characterization of prototype detectors, as part of the scale-up eort for Super- CDMS SNOLAB. This thesis presents the rst full ionization and phonon characterization study of a 100 mm diameter, 33 mm thick prototype Ge detector with interleaved phonon and ionization channels. Measurements include ionization collection eciency, surface event rejection capabilities, and successful demonstration of nuclear recoil event discrimination. Results indicate that 100 mm diameter, interleaved Ge detectors show potential for use in SuperCDMS SNOLAB. As part of detector R&D, the Minnesota test facility also looks beyond the next stage of SuperCDMS, investigating larger individual detectors as a means to easily scale up the sensitive mass of future searches. This thesis presents the design and initial testing results of a prototype 150 mm diameter, 33 mm thick silicon ionization detector, which is 5.2 times larger than those used in SuperCDMS at Soudan and 2.25 times larger than those planned for use at SuperCDMS SNOLAB. In addition, the detector was operated with contact-free ionization electrodes to minimize bias leakage currents, which can limit operation at high bias voltages. The results show promise for the operation of both large volume silicon detectors and contact-free ionization electrodes for scaling up detector mass and bias.« less

A novel electron tunneling infrared detector

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kenny, T. W.; Waltman, S. B.; Reynolds, J. K.; Kaiser, W. J.

1990-01-01

The pneumatic infrared detector, originally developed by Golay in the late 1940s, uses the thermal expansion of one cm(exp 3) of xenon at room temperature to detect the heat deposited by infrared radiation. This detector was limited by thermal fluctuations within a 10 Hz bandwidth, but suffered from long thermal time constants and a fragile structure. Nevertheless, it represents the most sensitive room temperature detector currently available in the long wavelength infrared (LWIR). Fabrication of this type of detector on smaller scales has been limited by the lack of a suitably sensitive transducer. Researchers designed a detector based on this principle, but which is constructed entirely from micromachined silicon, and uses a vacuum tunneling transducer to detect the expansion of the trapped gas. Because this detector is fabricated using micromachining techniques, miniaturization and integration into one and two-dimensional arrays is feasible. The extreme sensitivity of vacuum tunneling to changes in electrode separation will allow a prototype of this detector to operate in the limit of thermal fluctuations over a 10 kHz bandwidth. A calculation of the predicted response and noise of the prototype is presented with the general formalism of thermal detectors. At present, most of the components of the prototype have been fabricated and tested independently. In particular, a characterization of the micromachined electron tunneling transducer has been carried out. The measured noise in the tunnel current is within a decade of the limit imposed by shot noise, and well below the requirements for the operation of an infrared detector with the predicted sensitivity. Assembly and characterization of the prototype infrared detector will be carried out promptly.

A novel fully integrated handheld gamma camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Massari, R.; Ucci, A.; Campisi, C.; Scopinaro, F.; Soluri, A.

2016-10-01

In this paper, we present an innovative, fully integrated handheld gamma camera, namely designed to gather in the same device the gamma ray detector with the display and the embedded computing system. The low power consumption allows the prototype to be battery operated. To be useful in radioguided surgery, an intraoperative gamma camera must be very easy to handle since it must be moved to find a suitable view. Consequently, we have developed the first prototype of a fully integrated, compact and lightweight gamma camera for radiopharmaceuticals fast imaging. The device can operate without cables across the sterile field, so it may be easily used in the operating theater for radioguided surgery. The prototype proposed consists of a Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) array coupled with a proprietary scintillation structure based on CsI(Tl) crystals. To read the SiPM output signals, we have developed a very low power readout electronics and a dedicated analog to digital conversion system. One of the most critical aspects we faced designing the prototype was the low power consumption, which is mandatory to develop a battery operated device. We have applied this detection device in the lymphoscintigraphy technique (sentinel lymph node mapping) comparing the results obtained with those of a commercial gamma camera (Philips SKYLight). The results obtained confirm a rapid response of the device and an adequate spatial resolution for the use in the scintigraphic imaging. This work confirms the feasibility of a small gamma camera with an integrated display. This device is designed for radioguided surgery and small organ imaging, but it could be easily combined into surgical navigation systems.

MicroElectroMechanical devices and fabrication technologies for radio-frequency analog signal processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Young, Darrin Jun

The proliferation of wireless services creates a pressing need for compact and low cost RF transceivers. Modern sub-micron technologies provide the active components needed for miniaturization but fail to deliver high quality passives needed in oscillators and filters. This dissertation demonstrates procedures for adding high quality inductors and tunable capacitors to a standard silicon integrated circuits. Several voltage-controlled oscillators operating in the low Giga-Hertz range demonstrate the suitability of these components for high performance RF building blocks. Two low-temperature processes are described to add inductors and capacitors to silicon ICs. A 3-D coil geometry is used for the inductors rather than the conventional planar spiral to substantially reduce substrate loss and hence improve the quality factor and self-resonant frequency. Measured Q-factors at 1 GHz are 30 for a 4.8 nH device, 16 for 8.2 nH and 13.8 nH inductors. Several enhancements are proposed that are expected to result in a further improvement of the achievable Q-factor. This research investigates the design and fabrication of silicon-based IC-compatible high-Q tunable capacitors and inductors. The goal of this investigation is to develop a monolithic low phase noise radio-frequency voltage-controlled oscillator using these high-performance passive components for wireless communication applications. Monolithic VCOs will help the miniaturization of current radio transceivers, which offers a potential solution to achieve a single hand-held wireless phone with multistandard capabilities. IC-compatible micromachining fabrication technologies have been developed to realize on-chip high-Q RF tunable capacitors and 3-D coil inductors. The capacitors achieve a nominal capacitance value of 2 pF and can be tuned over 15% with 3 V. A quality factor over 60 has been measured at 1 GHz. 3-D coil inductors obtain values of 4.8 nH, 8.2 nH and 13.8 nH. At 1 GHz a Q factor of 30 has been achieved for a 4.8 nH device and a Q of 16 for 8.2 nH and 13.8 nH inductors. A prototype RF voltage-controlled oscillator has been implemented employing the micromachined tunable capacitors and a 8.2 nH 3-D coil inductor. The active electronics, tunable capacitors and inductor are fabricated on separated silicon substrates and wire bonded to form the VCO. This hybrid approach is used to avoid the complexity of building the prototype oscillator. Both passive components are fabricated on silicon substrates and thus amenable to monolithic integration with standard IC process. The VCO achieves a -136 dBc/Hz phase noise at a 3 MHz offset frequency from the carrier, suitable for most wireless communication applications and is tunable from 855 MHz to 863 MHz with 3 V.

Prototype of a silicon nitride ceramic-based miniplate osteofixation system for the midface.

PubMed

Neumann, Andreas; Unkel, Claus; Werry, Christoph; Herborn, Christoh U; Maier, Horst R; Ragoss, Christian; Jahnke, Klaus

2006-06-01

The favorable properties of silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramics, such as high mean strength level and fracture toughness, suggest biomedical use as an implant material. Minor reservations about the biocompatibility of Si3N4 ceramics were cleared up by previous in vitro and in vivo investigations. A Si3N4 prototype minifixation system was manufactured and implanted for osteosynthesis of artificial frontal bone defects in 3 minipigs. After 3 months, histological sections, computed tomography (CT) scans, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans were obtained. Finite element modeling (FEM) was used to simulate stresses and strains on Si3N4 miniplates and screws to calculate survival probabilities. Si3N4 miniplates and screws showed satisfying intraoperative workability. There was no implant loss, displacement, or fracture. Bone healing was complete in all animals. The formation of new bone was observed in direct contact to the implants. The implants showed no artifacts on CT and MRI scanning. FEM simulation confirmed the mechanical reliability of the screws, whereas simulated plate geometries regarding pullout forces at maximum load showed limited safety in a bending situation. Si3N4 ceramics show a good biocompatibility outcome both in vitro and in vivo. In ENT surgery, this ceramic may serve as a biomaterial for osteosynthesis (eg, of the midface including reconstruction the floor of the orbit and the skull base). To our knowledge, this is the first introduction of a ceramic-based miniplate-osteofixation system. Advantages compared with titanium are no risk of implantation to bone with mucosal attachment, no need for explantation, and no interference with radiologic imaging. Disadvantages include the impossibility of individual bending of the miniplates.

Development of Silicon Micromirrors for the Next Generation Space Telescope

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Garcia, E. J.; Polosky, M. A.; Sleefe, G. E.; Habbit, R.; Zamora, J. C.; Greenhouse, M. A.

2001-12-01

This paper describes how advanced surface micromachining (SMM) technology is being used to develop prototype cryogenic micromirror arrays for evaluation as an instrument optical component for the NGST. When used as a spectrograph reflective slit mask, these arrays can yield a factor of 1000 reduction in mass and power over, traditional motor-driven slit wheels used on HST instruments. The advantage of micromirrors as a new approach to instrument aperture control is particularly apparent when it is coupled with new large format focal plane arrays to enable multi-object spectroscopy. In this application, the micromirror-enabled capability goes beyond mass and power reduction to offer increased observing efficiency (targets/hour). In the case of NGST, a factor of 100 improvement in efficiency relative to traditional instrument designs has been estimated. Surface micromachining uses fabrication processes adapted from integrated circuit manufacturing to build microscopic-sized electromechanical devices from polycrystalline silicon. Because these devices can be batch fabricated thousands or even millions of devices can be constructed on a single wafer at costs several orders of magnitude less than conventionally fabricated devices. This paper will describe the design and operation of prototype mirror devices that are currently under development. We have recently demonstrated the feasibility of operating micromirrors at cryogenic temperatures. A packaged unit with its associated interconnects has been successfully operated at temperatures less than 30 K. The ability to function at the cryogenic temperatures encountered in certain space applications is a major milestone for microsystems. This work is funded by NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Sandia is a multiprogram laboratory operated by Sandia Corporation, a Lockheed Martin Company, for the United States Dept. of Energy under Contract DE-AC04-94AL85000.

On the transmission of terahertz radiation through silicon-based structures

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

Persano, Anna, E-mail: anna.persano@le.imm.cnr.it; Francioso, Luca; Cola, Adriano

2014-07-28

We report on the transmission of a terahertz (THz) radiation through prototype structures based on a p-type silicon substrate. In particular, the bare substrate and progressively more complicated multilayer structures were investigated, allowing to address the effect on the transmission of different factors, such as the orientation of interdigitated contacts with respect to the polarized beam, the temperature, and the current flowing through a conductive SnO{sub 2} nanorods layer. A suitable experimental set-up was developed for the direct spectral measurement of transmission in the range of 0.75–1.1 THz at room and low temperatures. A simple Drude-Lorentz model was formulated, findingmore » a quantitative agreement with the experimental transmission spectrum of the bare substrate at room temperature. For the multilayer structures, the spectra variations observed with temperature are well accounted by the corresponding change of the mobility of holes in the silicon p-type substrate. The influence of the contact orientation is consistent with that of a polarizing metallic grating. Finally, Joule heating effects are observed in the spectra performed as a function of the current flowing through the SnO{sub 2} nanorods layer. The experimental results shown here, together with their theoretical interpretation, provide insights for the development of devices fabricated on conductive substrates aimed to absorb/modulate radiation in the THz range.« less

Development of a thin scintillation films fission-fragment detector and a novel neutron source

DOE PAGES

Rusev, Gencho Yordanov; Jandel, Marian; Baramsai, Bayarbadrakh; ...

2015-08-26

Here, investigation of prompt fission and neutron-capture Υ rays from fissile actinide samples at the Detector for Advanced Neutron Capture Experiments (DANCE) requires use of a fission-fragment detector to provide a trigger or a veto signal. A fission-fragment detector based on thin scintillating films and silicon photomultipliers has been built to serve as a trigger/veto detector in neutron-induced fission measurements at DANCE. The fissile material is surrounded by scintillating films providing a 4π detection of the fission fragments. The scintillations were registered with silicon photomultipliers. A measurement of the 235U(n,f) reaction with this detector at DANCE revealed a correct time-of-flightmore » spectrum and provided an estimate for the efficiency of the prototype detector of 11.6(7)%. Design and test measurements with the detector are described. A neutron source with fast timing has been built to help with detector-response measurements. The source is based on the neutron emission from the spontaneous fission of 252Cf and the same type of scintillating films and silicon photomultipliers. Overall time resolution of the source is 0.3 ns. Design of the source and test measurements with it are described. An example application of the source for determining the neutron/gamma pulse-shape discrimination by a stilbene crystal is given.« less

Prospects of Silicon Photomultipliers for Ground-Based Cosmic Ray Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Peters, Christine; Bretz, Thomas; Hebbeker, Thomas; Kemp, Julian; Lauscher, Markus; Middendorf, Lukas; Niggemann, Tim; Schumacher, Johannes

An established technique to study ultra-high-energy cosmic rays is the detection of extensive air showers induced in the atmosphere of the earth. Thereby, cascades of secondary particles are produced consisting of a hadronic, an electromagnetic and a muonic component. Especially the determination of the number of muons and the amount of fluorescence light produced during the shower development allows to draw conclusions on the mass and energy of the primary particle. Thus, these are important observables for air shower experiments like for instance the Pierre Auger Observatory in Argentina, and its AugerPrime upgrade in progress. The steady development of semiconductor devices in the last years resulted in highly improved photon sensors, e.g., silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). The small package and moderate bias voltage (<100 V) of these silicon devices allow for compact and robust designs. Detailed detector simulations, the development of dedicated front-end electronics, as well as construction and investigation of detector prototypes, are needed to study the applicability of SiPMs for cosmic ray experiments. We present our findings for two different detector techniques: First, we present the fluorescence telescope, FAMOUS. Its basic principle is based on a Fresnel lens focusing the incoming light onto a camera instrumented with 61 pixels. Secondly, the benefit of the application of SiPMs is studied for scintillator detectors designed for an improved determination of the muonic component in air showers of current experiments.

Rapid prototyping of microfluidic systems using a PDMS/polymer tape composite.

PubMed

Kim, Jungkyu; Surapaneni, Rajesh; Gale, Bruce K

2009-05-07

Rapid prototyping of microfluidic systems using a combination of double-sided tape and PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) is introduced. PDMS is typically difficult to bond using adhesive tapes due to its hydrophobic nature and low surface energy. For this reason, PDMS is not compatible with the xurography method, which uses a knife plotter and various adhesive coated polymer tapes. To solve these problems, a PDMS/tape composite was developed and demonstrated in microfluidic applications. The PDMS/tape composite was created by spinning it to make a thin layer of PDMS over double-sided tape. Then the PDMS/tape composite was patterned to create channels using xurography, and bonded to a PDMS slab. After removing the backing paper from the tape, a complete microfluidic system could be created by placing the construct onto nearly any substrate; including glass, plastic or metal-coated glass/silicon substrates. The bond strength was shown to be sufficient for the pressures that occur in typical microfluidic channels used for chemical or biological analysis. This method was demonstrated in three applications: standard microfluidic channels and reactors, a microfluidic system with an integrated membrane, and an electrochemical biosensor. The PDMS/tape composite rapid prototyping technique provides a fast and cost effective fabrication method and can provide easy integration of microfluidic channels with sensors and other components without the need for a cleanroom facility.

Development of a compressive sampling hyperspectral imager prototype

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barducci, Alessandro; Guzzi, Donatella; Lastri, Cinzia; Nardino, Vanni; Marcoionni, Paolo; Pippi, Ivan

2013-10-01

Compressive sensing (CS) is a new technology that investigates the chance to sample signals at a lower rate than the traditional sampling theory. The main advantage of CS is that compression takes place during the sampling phase, making possible significant savings in terms of the ADC, data storage memory, down-link bandwidth, and electrical power absorption. The CS technology could have primary importance for spaceborne missions and technology, paving the way to noteworthy reductions of payload mass, volume, and cost. On the contrary, the main CS disadvantage is made by the intensive off-line data processing necessary to obtain the desired source estimation. In this paper we summarize the CS architecture and its possible implementations for Earth observation, giving evidence of possible bottlenecks hindering this technology. CS necessarily employs a multiplexing scheme, which should produce some SNR disadvantage. Moreover, this approach would necessitate optical light modulators and 2-dim detector arrays of high frame rate. This paper describes the development of a sensor prototype at laboratory level that will be utilized for the experimental assessment of CS performance and the related reconstruction errors. The experimental test-bed adopts a push-broom imaging spectrometer, a liquid crystal plate, a standard CCD camera and a Silicon PhotoMultiplier (SiPM) matrix. The prototype is being developed within the framework of the ESA ITI-B Project titled "Hyperspectral Passive Satellite Imaging via Compressive Sensing".

The GCT camera for the Cherenkov Telescope Array

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lapington, J. S.; Abchiche, A.; Allan, D.; Amans, J.-P.; Armstrong, T. P.; Balzer, A.; Berge, D.; Boisson, C.; Bousquet, J.-J.; Bose, R.; Brown, A. M.; Bryan, M.; Buchholtz, G.; Buckley, J.; Chadwick, P. M.; Costantini, H.; Cotter, G.; Daniel, M. K.; De Franco, A.; De Frondat, F.; Dournaux, J.-L.; Dumas, D.; Ernenwein, J.-P.; Fasola, G.; Funk, S.; Gironnet, J.; Graham, J. A.; Greenshaw, T.; Hervet, O.; Hidaka, N.; Hinton, J. A.; Huet, J.-M.; Jankowsky, D.; Jegouzo, I.; Jogler, T.; Kawashima, T.; Kraus, M.; Laporte, P.; Leach, S.; Lefaucheur, J.; Markoff, S.; Melse, T.; Minaya, I. A.; Mohrmann, L.; Molyneux, P.; Moore, P.; Nolan, S. J.; Okumura, A.; Osborne, J. P.; Parsons, R. D.; Rosen, S.; Ross, D.; Rowell, G.; Rulten, C. B.; Sato, Y.; Sayede, F.; Schmoll, J.; Schoorlemmer, H.; Servillat, M.; Sol, H.; Stamatescu, V.; Stephan, M.; Stuik, R.; Sykes, J.; Tajima, H.; Thornhill, J.; Tibaldo, L.; Trichard, C.; Varner, G.; Vink, J.; Watson, J. J.; White, R.; Yamane, N.; Zech, A.; Zink, A.; Zorn, J.; CTA Consortium

2017-12-01

The Gamma Cherenkov Telescope (GCT) is one of the designs proposed for the Small Sized Telescope (SST) section of the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). The GCT uses dual-mirror optics, resulting in a compact telescope with good image quality and a large field of view with a smaller, more economical, camera than is achievable with conventional single mirror solutions. The photon counting GCT camera is designed to record the flashes of atmospheric Cherenkov light from gamma and cosmic ray initiated cascades, which last only a few tens of nanoseconds. The GCT optics require that the camera detectors follow a convex surface with a radius of curvature of 1 m and a diameter of 35 cm, which is approximated by tiling the focal plane with 32 modules. The first camera prototype is equipped with multi-anode photomultipliers, each comprising an 8×8 array of 6×6 mm2 pixels to provide the required angular scale, adding up to 2048 pixels in total. Detector signals are shaped, amplified and digitised by electronics based on custom ASICs that provide digitisation at 1 GSample/s. The camera is self-triggering, retaining images where the focal plane light distribution matches predefined spatial and temporal criteria. The electronics are housed in the liquid-cooled, sealed camera enclosure. LED flashers at the corners of the focal plane provide a calibration source via reflection from the secondary mirror. The first GCT camera prototype underwent preliminary laboratory tests last year. In November 2015, the camera was installed on a prototype GCT telescope (SST-GATE) in Paris and was used to successfully record the first Cherenkov light of any CTA prototype, and the first Cherenkov light seen with such a dual-mirror optical system. A second full-camera prototype based on Silicon Photomultipliers is under construction. Up to 35 GCTs are envisaged for CTA.

First results of the silicon telescope using an 'artificial retina' for fast track finding

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

Neri, N.; Abba, A.; Caponio, F.

We present the first results of the prototype of a silicon tracker with trigger capabilities based on a novel approach for fast track finding. The working principle of the 'artificial retina' is inspired by the processing of visual images by the brain and it is based on extensive parallelization of data distribution and pattern recognition. The algorithm has been implemented in commercial FPGAs in three main logic modules: a switch for the routing of the detector hits, a pool of engines for the digital processing of the hits, and a block for the calculation of the track parameters. The architecturemore » is fully pipelined and allows the reconstruction of real-time tracks with a latency less then 100 clock cycles, corresponding to 0.25 microsecond at 400 MHz clock. The silicon telescope consists of 8 layers of single-sided silicon strip detectors with 512 strips each. The detector size is about 10 cm x 10 cm and the strip pitch is 183 μm. The detectors are read out by the Beetle chip, a custom ASICs developed for LHCb, which provides the measurement of the hit position and pulse height of 128 channels. The 'artificial retina' algorithm has been implemented on custom data acquisition boards based on FPGAs Xilinx Kintex 7 lx160. The parameters of the tracks detected are finally transferred to host PC via USB 3.0. The boards manage the read-out ASICs and the sampling of the analog channels. The read-out is performed at 40 MHz on 4 channels for each ASIC that corresponds to a decoding of the telescope information at 1.1 MHz. We report on the first results of the fast tracking device and compare with simulations. (authors)« less

High temperature - low mass solar blanket

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Mesch, H. G.

1979-01-01

Interconnect materials and designs for use with ultrathin silicon solar cells are discussed, as well as the results of an investigation of the applicability of parallel-gap resistance welding for interconnecting these cells. Data relating contact pull strength and cell electrical degradation to variations in welding parameters such as time, voltage and pressure are presented. Methods for bonding ultrathin cells to flexible substances and for bonding thin (75 micrometers) covers to these cells are described. Also, factors influencing fabrication yield and approaches for increasing yield are discussed. The results of vacuum thermal cycling and thermal soak tests on prototype ultrathin cell test coupons and one solar module blanket are presented.

A demonstration of CMOS VLSI circuit prototyping in support of the site facility using the 1.2 micron standard cell library developed by National Security Agency

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Edwyn D.

1991-01-01

Two silicon CMOS application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), a data generation chip, and a data checker chip were designed. The conversion of the data generator circuitry into a pair of CMOS ASIC chips using the 1.2 micron standard cell library is documented. The logic design of the data checker is discussed. The functions of the control circuitry is described. An accurate estimate of timing relationships is essential to make sure that the logic design performs correctly under practical conditions. Timing and delay information are examined.

Affordable Manufacturing Technologies Being Developed for Actively Cooled Ceramic Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatt, Ramakrishna T.

1999-01-01

Efforts to improve the performance of modern gas turbine engines have imposed increasing service temperature demands on structural materials. Through active cooling, the useful temperature range of nickel-base superalloys in current gas turbine engines has been extended, but the margin for further improvement appears modest. Because of their low density, high-temperature strength, and high thermal conductivity, in situ toughened silicon nitride ceramics have received a great deal of attention for cooled structures. However, high processing costs have proven to be a major obstacle to their widespread application. Advanced rapid prototyping technology, which is developing rapidly, offers the possibility of an affordable manufacturing approach.

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

Jose, J. M.; Čermák, P.; Fajt, L.

The SPT collaboration has been investigating the applicability of pixel detectors in the detection of two neutrino double electron capture (2νEC/EC) in{sup 106}Cd. The collaboration has proposed a Silicon Pixel Telescope (SPT) where a pair of Si pixel detectors with enriched Cd foil in the middle forms the detection unit. The Pixel detector gives spatial information along with energy of the particle, thus helps to identify and remove the background signals. Four units of SPT prototype (using 0.5 and 1 mm Si sensors) were fabricated and installed in the LSM underground laboratory, France. Recent progress in the SPT experiment and preliminarymore » results from background measurements are presented.« less

Data Acquisition System for Silicon Ultra Fast Cameras for Electron and Gamma Sources in Medical Applications (sucima Imager)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Czermak, A.; Zalewska, A.; Dulny, B.; Sowicki, B.; Jastrząb, M.; Nowak, L.

2004-07-01

The needs for real time monitoring of the hadrontherapy beam intensity and profile as well as requirements for the fast dosimetry using Monolithic Active Pixel Sensors (MAPS) forced the SUCIMA collaboration to the design of the unique Data Acquisition System (DAQ SUCIMA Imager). The DAQ system has been developed on one of the most advanced XILINX Field Programmable Gate Array chip - VERTEX II. The dedicated multifunctional electronic board for the detector's analogue signals capture, their parallel digital processing and final data compression as well as transmission through the high speed USB 2.0 port has been prototyped and tested.

A feedforward artificial neural network based on quantum effect vector-matrix multipliers.

PubMed

Levy, H J; McGill, T C

1993-01-01

The vector-matrix multiplier is the engine of many artificial neural network implementations because it can simulate the way in which neurons collect weighted input signals from a dendritic arbor. A new technology for building analog weighting elements that is theoretically capable of densities and speeds far beyond anything that conventional VLSI in silicon could ever offer is presented. To illustrate the feasibility of such a technology, a small three-layer feedforward prototype network with five binary neurons and six tri-state synapses was built and used to perform all of the fundamental logic functions: XOR, AND, OR, and NOT.

OM300 Direction Drilling Module

DOE Data Explorer

MacGugan, Doug

2013-08-22

OM300 – Geothermal Direction Drilling Navigation Tool: Design and produce a prototype directional drilling navigation tool capable of high temperature operation in geothermal drilling Accuracies of 0.1° Inclination and Tool Face, 0.5° Azimuth Environmental Ruggedness typical of existing oil/gas drilling Multiple Selectable Sensor Ranges High accuracy for navigation, low bandwidth High G-range & bandwidth for Stick-Slip and Chirp detection Selectable serial data communications Reduce cost of drilling in high temperature Geothermal reservoirs Innovative aspects of project Honeywell MEMS* Vibrating Beam Accelerometers (VBA) APS Flux-gate Magnetometers Honeywell Silicon-On-Insulator (SOI) High-temperature electronics Rugged High-temperature capable package and assembly process

A Recipe for Soft Fluidic Elastomer Robots

PubMed Central

Marchese, Andrew D.; Katzschmann, Robert K.

2015-01-01

Abstract This work provides approaches to designing and fabricating soft fluidic elastomer robots. That is, three viable actuator morphologies composed entirely from soft silicone rubber are explored, and these morphologies are differentiated by their internal channel structure, namely, ribbed, cylindrical, and pleated. Additionally, three distinct casting-based fabrication processes are explored: lamination-based casting, retractable-pin-based casting, and lost-wax-based casting. Furthermore, two ways of fabricating a multiple DOF robot are explored: casting the complete robot as a whole and casting single degree of freedom (DOF) segments with subsequent concatenation. We experimentally validate each soft actuator morphology and fabrication process by creating multiple physical soft robot prototypes. PMID:27625913

A Recipe for Soft Fluidic Elastomer Robots.

PubMed

Marchese, Andrew D; Katzschmann, Robert K; Rus, Daniela

2015-03-01

This work provides approaches to designing and fabricating soft fluidic elastomer robots. That is, three viable actuator morphologies composed entirely from soft silicone rubber are explored, and these morphologies are differentiated by their internal channel structure, namely, ribbed, cylindrical, and pleated. Additionally, three distinct casting-based fabrication processes are explored: lamination-based casting, retractable-pin-based casting, and lost-wax-based casting. Furthermore, two ways of fabricating a multiple DOF robot are explored: casting the complete robot as a whole and casting single degree of freedom (DOF) segments with subsequent concatenation. We experimentally validate each soft actuator morphology and fabrication process by creating multiple physical soft robot prototypes.

Fabrication of Thin Film Heat Flux Sensors

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Will, Herbert A.

1992-01-01

Prototype thin film heat flux sensors have been constructed and tested. The sensors can be applied to propulsion system materials and components. The sensors can provide steady state and fast transient heat flux information. Fabrication of the sensor does not require any matching of the mounting surface. Heat flux is proportional to the temperature difference across the upper and lower surfaces of an insulation material. The sensor consists of an array of thermocouples on the upper and lower surfaces of a thin insulating layer. The thermocouples for the sensor are connected in a thermopile arrangement. A 100 thermocouple pair heat flux sensor has been fabricated on silicon wafers. The sensor produced an output voltage of 200-400 microvolts when exposed to a hot air heat gun. A 20 element thermocouple pair heat flux sensor has been fabricated on aluminum oxide sheet. Thermocouples are Pt-Pt/Rh with silicon dioxide as the insulating material. This sensor produced an output of 28 microvolts when exposed to the radiation of a furnace operating at 1000 C. Work is also underway to put this type of heat flux sensor on metal surfaces.

Characterization of screen-printed electrodes for dielectric elastomer (DE) membranes: influence of screen dimensions and electrode thickness on actuator performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fasolt, Bettina; Hodgins, Micah; Seelecke, Stefan

2016-04-01

Screen printing is used as a method for printing electrodes on silicone thin films for the fabrication of dielectric elastomer transducers (DET). This method can be used to manufacture a multitude of patternable designs for actuator and sensor applications, implementing the same method for prototyping as well as large-scale production. The fabrication of DETs does not only require the development of a flexible, highly conductive electrode material, which adheres to a stretched and unstretched silicone film, but also calls for a thorough understanding of the effects of the different printing parameters. This work studies the influence of screen dimensions (open area, mesh thickness) as well as the influence of multiple-layer- printing on the electrode stiffness, electrical resistance and capacitance as well as actuator performance. The investigation was conducted in a custom-built testing device, which enabled an electro-mechanical characterization of the DET, simultaneously measuring parameters such as strain, voltage, current, force, sheet resistance, capacitance and membrane thickness. Magnified pictures of the electrodes will additionally illustrate the effects of the different printing parameters.

Silicon device performance measurements to support temperature range enhancement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bromstead, James; Weir, Bennett; Nelms, R. Mark; Johnson, R. Wayne; Askew, Ray

1994-01-01

Silicon based power devices can be used at 200 C. The device measurements made during this program show a predictable shift in device parameters with increasing temperature. No catastrophic or abrupt changes occurred in the parameters over the temperature range. As expected, the most dramatic change was the increase in leakage currents with increasing temperature. At 200 C the leakage current was in the milliAmp range but was still several orders of magnitude lower than the on-state current capabilities of the devices under test. This increase must be considered in the design of circuits using power transistors at elevated temperature. Three circuit topologies have been prototyped using MOSFET's and IGBT's. The circuits were designed using zero current or zero voltage switching techniques to eliminate or minimize hard switching of the power transistors. These circuits have functioned properly over the temperature range. One thousand hour life data have been collected for two power supplies with no failures and no significant change in operating efficiency. While additional reliability testing should be conducted, the feasibility of designing soft switched circuits for operation at 200 C has been successfully demonstrated.

Development of advanced Czochralski Growth Process to produce low cost 150 KG silicon ingots from a single crucible for technology readiness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1981-01-01

The goals in this program for advanced czochralski growth process to produce low cost 150 kg silicon ingots from a single crucible for technology readiness are outlined. To provide a modified CG2000 crystal power capable of pulling a minimum of five crystals, each of approximately 30 kg in weight, 150 mm diameter from a single crucible with periodic melt replenishment. Crystals to have: resistivity of 1 to 3 ohm cm, p-type; dislocation density below 1- to the 6th power per cm; orientation (100); after growth yield of greater than 90%. Growth throughput of greater than 2.5 kg per hour of machine operation using a radiation shield. Prototype equipment suitable for use as a production facility. The overall cost goal is $.70 per peak watt by 1986. To accomplish these goals, the modified CG2000 grower and development program includes: (1) increased automation with a microprocessor based control system; (2) sensors development which will increase the capability of the automatic controls system, and provide technology transfer of the developed systems.

Feasibility of a semiconductor dosimeter to monitor skin dose in interventional radiology.

PubMed

Meyer, P; Regal, R; Jung, M; Siffert, P; Mertz, L; Constantinesco, A

2001-10-01

The design and preliminary test results of a semiconductor silicon dosimeter are presented in this article. Use of this dosimeter is foreseen for real-time skin dose control in interventional radiology. The strong energy dependence of this kind of radiation detector is well overcome by filtering the silicon diode. Here, the optimal filter features have been calculated by numerical Monte Carlo simulations. A prototype has been built and tested in a radiological facility. The first experimental results show a good match between the filtered semiconductor diode response and an ionization chamber response, within 2% fluctuation in a 2.2 to 4.1 mm Al half-value layer (HVL) energy range. Moreover, the semiconductor sensor response is linear from 0.02 Gy/min to at least 6.5 Gy/min, covering the whole dose rate range found in interventional radiology. The results show that a semiconductor dosimeter could be used to monitor skin dose during the majority of procedures using x-rays below 150 keV. The use of this device may assist in avoiding radiation-induced skin injuries and lower radiation levels during interventional procedures.

HAREM: high aspect ratio etching and metallization for microsystems fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarajlic, Edin; Yamahata, Christophe; Cordero, Mauricio; Collard, Dominique; Fujita, Hiroyuki

2008-07-01

We report a simple bulk micromachining method for the fabrication of high aspect ratio monocrystalline silicon MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) in a standard silicon wafer. We call this two-mask microfabrication process high aspect ratio etching and metallization or HAREM: it combines double-side etching and metallization to create suspended micromechanical structures with electrically 'insulating walls' on their backside. The insulating walls ensure a proper electrical insulation between the different actuation and sensing elements situated on either fixed or movable parts of the device. To demonstrate the high potential of this simple microfabrication method, we have designed and characterized electrostatically actuated microtweezers that integrate a differential capacitive sensor. The prototype showed an electrical insulation better than 1 GΩ between the different elements of the device. Furthermore, using a lock-in amplifier circuit, we could measure the position of the moving probe with few nanometers resolution for a displacement range of about 3 µm. This work was presented in part at the 21st IEEE MEMS Conference (Tucson, AZ, USA, 13-17 January, 2008) (doi:10.1109/MEMSYS.2008.4443656).

Solar concentrator modules with silicone-onglass Fresnel lens panels and multijunction cells.

PubMed

Rumyantsev, Valery D

2010-04-26

High-efficiency multijunction (MJ) solar cells, being very expensive to manufacture, should only be used in combination with solar concentrators in terrestrial applications. An essential cost reduction of electric power produced by photovoltaic (PV) installations with MJ cells, may be expected by the creation of highly-effective, but inexpensive, elements for optical concentration and sun tracking. This article is an overview of the corresponding approach under development at the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute. The approach to R&D of the solar PV modules is based on the concepts of sunlight concentration by small-aperture area Fresnel lenses and "all-glass" module design. The small-aperture area lenses are arranged as a panel with silicone-on-glass structure where the glass plate serves as the front surface of a module. In turn, high-efficiency InGaP/(In)GaAs/Ge cells are arranged on a rear module panel mounted on a glass plate which functions as a heat sink and integrated protective cover for the cells. The developed PV modules and sun trackers are characterized by simple design, and are regarded as the prototypes for further commercialization.

Fabrication mechanism of friction-induced selective etching on Si(100) surface

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

As a maskless nanofabrication technique, friction-induced selective etching can easily produce nanopatterns on a Si(100) surface. Experimental results indicated that the height of the nanopatterns increased with the KOH etching time, while their width increased with the scratching load. It has also found that a contact pressure of 6.3 GPa is enough to fabricate a mask layer on the Si(100) surface. To understand the mechanism involved, the cross-sectional microstructure of a scratched area was examined, and the mask ability of the tip-disturbed silicon layer was studied. Transmission electron microscope observation and scanning Auger nanoprobe analysis suggested that the scratched area was covered by a thin superficial oxidation layer followed by a thick distorted (amorphous and deformed) layer in the subsurface. After the surface oxidation layer was removed by HF etching, the residual amorphous and deformed silicon layer on the scratched area can still serve as an etching mask in KOH solution. The results may help to develop a low-destructive, low-cost, and flexible nanofabrication technique suitable for machining of micro-mold and prototype fabrication in micro-systems. PMID:22356699

Observation of 67 keV x-rays with a scintillation detector using proportional-mode silicon avalanche photodiode

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

Inoue, Keisuke; Kishimoto, Shunji, E-mail: syunji.kishimoto@kek.jp; Inst. of Materials Structure Science, KEK, 1-1 Oho, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-0801

2016-07-27

We developed a scintillation X-ray detector using a proportional-mode silicon avalanche photodiode (Si-APD). We report a prototype detector using a lead-loaded plastic scintillator mounted on a proportional-mode Si-APD (active area size: 3 mm in diameter), which is operated at a low temperature. Using 67.41 keV X-rays, we could measure pulse-height spectra of scintillation light with a charge-sensitive preamplifier at 20, 0, and −35°C. Time spectra of the X-ray bunch structure were successfully recorded using a wideband and 60-dB-gain amplifier in hybrid-mode operation of the Photon Factory ring. We obtained a better time resolution of 0.51 ns (full width at half-maximum)more » for the single-bunch X-ray peak at −35°C. We were also able to observe a linear response of the scintillation pulses up to 8 Mcps for input photon rates up to 1.4 × 10{sup 8} photons/s.« less

Development of a Prototype Miniature Silicon Microgyroscope

PubMed Central

Xia, Dunzhu; Chen, Shuling; Wang, Shourong

2009-01-01

A miniature vacuum-packaged silicon microgyroscope (SMG) with symmetrical and decoupled structure was designed to prevent unintended coupling between drive and sense modes. To ensure high resonant stability and strong disturbance resisting capacity, a self-oscillating closed-loop circuit including an automatic gain control (AGC) loop based on electrostatic force feedback is adopted in drive mode, while, dual-channel decomposition and reconstruction closed loops are applied in sense mode. Moreover, the temperature effect on its zero bias was characterized experimentally and a practical compensation method is given. The testing results demonstrate that the useful signal and quadrature signal will not interact with each other because their phases are decoupled. Under a scale factor condition of 9.6 mV/°/s, in full measurement range of ± 300 deg/s, the zero bias stability reaches 15°/h with worse-case nonlinearity of 400 ppm, and the temperature variation trend of the SMG bias is thus largely eliminated, so that the maximum bias value is reduced to one tenth of the original after compensation from -40 °C to 80 °C. PMID:22408543

Fabrication mechanism of friction-induced selective etching on Si(100) surface.

PubMed

Guo, Jian; Song, Chenfei; Li, Xiaoying; Yu, Bingjun; Dong, Hanshan; Qian, Linmao; Zhou, Zhongrong

2012-02-23

As a maskless nanofabrication technique, friction-induced selective etching can easily produce nanopatterns on a Si(100) surface. Experimental results indicated that the height of the nanopatterns increased with the KOH etching time, while their width increased with the scratching load. It has also found that a contact pressure of 6.3 GPa is enough to fabricate a mask layer on the Si(100) surface. To understand the mechanism involved, the cross-sectional microstructure of a scratched area was examined, and the mask ability of the tip-disturbed silicon layer was studied. Transmission electron microscope observation and scanning Auger nanoprobe analysis suggested that the scratched area was covered by a thin superficial oxidation layer followed by a thick distorted (amorphous and deformed) layer in the subsurface. After the surface oxidation layer was removed by HF etching, the residual amorphous and deformed silicon layer on the scratched area can still serve as an etching mask in KOH solution. The results may help to develop a low-destructive, low-cost, and flexible nanofabrication technique suitable for machining of micro-mold and prototype fabrication in micro-systems.

Exploiting Sub-threshold and above-threshold characteristics in a silver-enhanced gold nanoparticle based biochip.

PubMed

Liu, Yang; Alocilja, Evangelyn; Chakrabartty, Shantanu

2009-01-01

Silver-enhanced labeling is a technique used in immunochromatographic assays for improving the sensitivity of pathogen detection. In this paper, we employ the silver enhancement approach for constructing a biomolecular transistor that uses a high-density interdigitated electrode to detect rabbit IgG. We show that the response of the biomolecular transistor comprises of: (a) a sub-threshold region where the conductance change is an exponential function of the enhancement time and; (b) an above-threshold region where the conductance change is a linear function with respect to the enhancement time. By exploiting both these regions of operation, it is shown that the silver enhancing time is a reliable indicator of the IgG concentration. The method provides a relatively straightforward alternative to biomolecular signal amplification techniques. The measured results using a biochip prototype fabricated in silicon show that 240 pg/mL rabbit IgG can be detected at the silver enhancing time of 42 min. Also, the biomolecular transistor is compatible with silicon based processing making it ideal for designing integrated CMOS biosensors.

A Submillimeter Resolution PET Prototype Evaluated With an 18F Inkjet Printed Phantom

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Schneider, Florian R.; Hohberg, Melanie; Mann, Alexander B.; Paul, Stephan; Ziegler, Sibylle I.

2015-10-01

This work presents a submillimeter resolution PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scanner prototype based on SiPM/MPPC arrays (Silicon Photomultiplier/Multi Pixel Photon Counter). Onto each active area a 1 ×1 ×20 mm3 LYSO (Lutetium-Yttrium-Oxyorthosilicate) scintillator crystal is coupled one-to-one. Two detector modules facing each other in a distance of 10.0 cm have been set up with in total 64 channels that are digitized by SADCs (Sampling Analog to Digital Converters) with 80 MHz, 10 bit resolution and FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) based extraction of energy and time information. Since standard phantoms are not sufficient for testing submillimeter resolution at which positron range is an issue, a 18F inkjet printed phantom has been used to explore the limit in spatial resolution. The phantom could be successfully reconstructed with an iterative MLEM (Maximum Likelihood Expectation Maximization) and an analytically calculated system matrix based on the DRF (Detector Response Function) model. The system yields a coincidence time resolution of 4.8 ns FWHM, an energy resolution of 20%-30% FWHM and a spatial resolution of 0.8 mm.

Some Aspects on the Mechanical Analysis of Micro-Shutters

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fettig, Rainer K.; Kuhn, Jonathan L.; Moseley, S. Harvey; Kutyrev, Alexander S.; Orloff, Jon; Lu, Shude

1999-01-01

An array of individually addressable micro-shutters is being designed for spectroscopic applications. Details of the design are presented in a companion paper. The mechanical design of a single shutter element has been completed. This design consists of a shutter blade suspended on a torsion beam manufactured out of single crystal silicon membranes. During operation the shutter blade will be rotated by 90 degrees out of the array plane. Thus, the stability and durability of the beams are crucial for the reliability of the devices. Structures were fabricated using focused ion beam milling in a FEI 620 dual beam machine, and subsequent testing was completed using the same platform. This allowed for short turn around times. We performed torsion and bending experiments to determine key characteristics of the membrane material. Results of measurements on prototype shutters were compared with the predictions of the numerical models. The data from these focused studies were used in conjunction with experiments and numerical models of shutter prototypes to optimize the design. In this work, we present the results of the material studies, and assess the mechanical performance of the resulting design.

The AGILE silicon tracker: an innovative /γ-ray instrument for space

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prest, M.; Barbiellini, G.; Bordignon, G.; Fedel, G.; Liello, F.; Longo, F.; Pontoni, C.; Vallazza, E.

2003-03-01

AGILE (Light Imager for Gamma-ray Astrophysics) is the first small scientific mission of ASI, the Italian Space Agency. It is a light (100kg for the scientific instrument) satellite for the detection of /γ-ray sources in the energy range 30MeV-50GeV within a large field of view (1/4 of the sky). It is planned to be operational in the years 2003-2006, a period in which no other gamma-ray mission in the same energy range is foreseen. AGILE is made of a silicon tungsten tracker, a CsI(Tl) minicalorimeter (1.5X0), an anticoincidence system of segmented plastic scintillators and a X-ray imaging detector sensitive in the 10-40keV range. The tracker consists of 14 planes, each of them made of two layers of 16 single-sided, AC coupled, 410μm thick, 9.5×9.5cm2 silicon detectors with a readout pitch of 242μm and a floating strip. The readout ASIC is the TAA1, an analog-digital, low noise, self-triggering ASIC used in a very low power configuration (<400μW/channel) with full analog readout. The trigger of the satellite is given by the tracker. The total number of readout channels is around 43000. We present a detailed description of the tracker, its trigger and readout logic, its assembly procedures and the prototype performance in several testbeam periods at the CERN PS.

Experimental Searches for Exotic Short-Range Forces Using Mechanical Oscillators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weisman, Evan

Experimental searches for forces beyond gravity and electromagnetism at short range have attracted a great deal of attention over the last decade. In this thesis I describe the test mass development for two new experiments searching for forces below 1 mm. Both modify a previous experiment that used 1 kHz mechanical oscillators as test masses with a stiff conducting shield between them to suppress backgrounds, a promising technique for probing exceptionally small distances at the limit of instrumental thermal noise. To further reduce thermal noise, one experiment will use plated silicon test masses at cryogenic temperatures. The other experiment, which searches for spin-dependent interactions, will apply the spin-polarizable material Dy3Fe5O 12 to the test mass surfaces. This material exhibits orbital compensation of the magnetism associated with its intrinsic electron spin, minimizing magnetic backgrounds. Several plated silicon test mass prototypes were fabricated using photolithography (useful in both experiments), and spin-dependent materials were synthesized with a simple chemical recipe. Both silicon and spin-dependent test masses demonstrate the mechanical and magnetic properties necessary for sensitive experiments. I also describe sensitivity calculations of another proposed spin-dependent experiment, based on a modified search for the electron electric dipole moment, which show unprecedented sensitivity to exotic monopole-dipole forces. Inspired by a finite element model, a study attempting to maximize detector quality factor versus geometry is also presented, with experimental results so far not explained by the model.

Test beam demonstration of silicon microstrip modules with transverse momentum discrimination for the future CMS tracking detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adam, W.; Bergauer, T.; Brondolin, E.; Dragicevic, M.; Friedl, M.; Frühwirth, R.; Hoch, M.; Hrubec, J.; König, A.; Steininger, H.; Treberspurg, W.; Waltenberger, W.; Alderweireldt, S.; Beaumont, W.; Janssen, X.; Lauwers, J.; Van Mechelen, P.; Van Remortel, N.; Van Spilbeeck, A.; Beghin, D.; Brun, H.; Clerbaux, B.; De Lentdecker, G.; Delannoy, H.; Fasanella, G.; Favart, L.; Goldouzian, R.; Grebenyuk, A.; Karapostoli, G.; Lenzi, T.; Léonard, A.; Luetic, J.; Maerschalk, T.; Marinov, A.; Postiau, N.; Randle-Conde, A.; Seva, T.; Vanlaer, P.; Vannerom, D.; Yonamine, R.; Wang, Q.; Yang, Y.; Zenoni, F.; Zhang, F.; Abu Zeid, S.; Blekman, F.; De Bruyn, I.; De Clercq, J.; D'Hondt, J.; Deroover, K.; Lowette, S.; Moortgat, S.; Moreels, L.; Python, Q.; Skovpen, K.; Van Mulders, P.; Van Parijs, I.; Bakhshiansohi, H.; Bondu, O.; Brochet, S.; Bruno, G.; Caudron, A.; Delaere, C.; Delcourt, M.; De Visscher, S.; Francois, B.; Giammanco, A.; Jafari, A.; Cabrera Jamoulle, J.; De Favereau De Jeneret, J.; Komm, M.; Krintiras, G.; Lemaitre, V.; Magitteri, A.; Mertens, A.; Michotte, D.; Musich, M.; Piotrzkowski, K.; Quertenmont, L.; Szilasi, N.; Vidal Marono, M.; Wertz, S.; Beliy, N.; Caebergs, T.; Daubie, E.; Hammad, G. H.; Härkönen, J.; Lampén, T.; Luukka, P.; Peltola, T.; Tuominen, E.; Tuovinen, E.; Eerola, P.; Baulieu, G.; Boudoul, G.; Caponetto, L.; Combaret, C.; Contardo, D.; Dupasquier, T.; Gallbit, G.; Lumb, N.; Mirabito, L.; Perries, S.; Vander Donckt, M.; Viret, S.; Agram, J.-L.; Andrea, J.; Bloch, D.; Bonnin, C.; Brom, J.-M.; Chabert, E.; Chanon, N.; Charles, L.; Conte, E.; Fontaine, J.-Ch.; Gross, L.; Hosselet, J.; Jansova, M.; Tromson, D.; Autermann, C.; Feld, L.; Karpinski, W.; Kiesel, K. M.; Klein, K.; Lipinski, M.; Ostapchuk, A.; Pierschel, G.; Preuten, M.; Rauch, M.; Schael, S.; Schomakers, C.; Schulz, J.; Schwering, G.; Wlochal, M.; Zhukov, V.; Pistone, C.; Fluegge, G.; Kuensken, A.; Pooth, O.; Stahl, A.; Aldaya, M.; Asawatangtrakuldee, C.; Beernaert, K.; Bertsche, D.; Contreras-Campana, C.; Eckerlin, G.; Eckstein, D.; Eichhorn, T.; Gallo, E.; Garay Garcia, J.; Hansen, K.; Haranko, M.; Harb, A.; Hauk, J.; Keaveney, J.; Kalogeropoulos, A.; Kleinwort, C.; Lohmann, W.; Mankel, R.; Maser, H.; Mittag, G.; Muhl, C.; Mussgiller, A.; Pitzl, D.; Reichelt, O.; Savitskyi, M.; Schuetze, P.; Walsh, R.; Zuber, A.; Biskop, H.; Buhmann, P.; Centis-Vignali, M.; Garutti, E.; Haller, J.; Hoffmann, M.; Klanner, R.; Matysek, M.; Perieanu, A.; Scharf, Ch.; Schleper, P.; Schmidt, A.; Schwandt, J.; Sonneveld, J.; Steinbrück, G.; Vormwald, B.; Wellhausen, J.; Abbas, M.; Amstutz, C.; Barvich, T.; Barth, Ch.; Boegelspacher, F.; De Boer, W.; Butz, E.; Casele, M.; Colombo, F.; Dierlamm, A.; Freund, B.; Hartmann, F.; Heindl, S.; Husemann, U.; Kornmeyer, A.; Kudella, S.; Muller, Th.; Printz, M.; Simonis, H. J.; Steck, P.; Weber, M.; Weiler, Th.; Anagnostou, G.; Asenov, P.; Assiouras, P.; Daskalakis, G.; Kyriakis, A.; Loukas, D.; Paspalaki, L.; Siklér, F.; Veszprémi, V.; Bhardwaj, A.; Dalal, R.; Jain, G.; Ranjan, K.; Dutta, S.; Chowdhury, S. Roy; Bakhshiansohl, H.; Behnamian, H.; Khakzad, M.; Naseri, M.; Cariola, P.; Creanza, D.; De Palma, M.; De Robertis, G.; Fiore, L.; Franco, M.; Loddo, F.; Sala, G.; Silvestris, L.; Maggi, G.; My, S.; Selvaggi, G.; Albergo, S.; Costa, S.; Di Mattia, A.; Giordano, F.; Potenza, R.; Saizu, M. A.; Tricomi, A.; Tuve, C.; Barbagli, G.; Brianzi, M.; Ciaranfi, R.; Ciulli, V.; Civinini, C.; D'Alessandro, R.; Focardi, E.; Latino, G.; Lenzi, P.; Meschini, M.; Paoletti, S.; Russo, L.; Scarlini, E.; Sguazzoni, G.; Strom, D.; Viliani, L.; Ferro, F.; Lo Vetere, M.; Robutti, E.; Dinardo, M. E.; Fiorendi, S.; Gennai, S.; Malvezzi, S.; Manzoni, R. A.; Menasce, D.; Moroni, L.; Pedrini, D.; Azzi, P.; Bacchetta, N.; Bisello, D.; Dall'Osso, M.; Pozzobon, N.; Tosi, M.; De Canio, F.; Gaioni, L.; Manghisoni, M.; Nodari, B.; Riceputi, E.; Re, V.; Traversi, G.; Comotti, D.; Ratti, L.; Alunni Solestizi, L.; Biasini, M.; Bilei, G. M.; Cecchi, C.; Checcucci, B.; Ciangottini, D.; Fanò, L.; Gentsos, C.; Ionica, M.; Leonardi, R.; Manoni, E.; Mantovani, G.; Marconi, S.; Mariani, V.; Menichelli, M.; Modak, A.; Morozzi, A.; Moscatelli, F.; Passeri, D.; Placidi, P.; Postolache, V.; Rossi, A.; Saha, A.; Santocchia, A.; Storchi, L.; Spiga, D.; Androsov, K.; Azzurri, P.; Arezzini, S.; Bagliesi, G.; Basti, A.; Boccali, T.; Borrello, L.; Bosi, F.; Castaldi, R.; Ciampa, A.; Ciocci, M. A.; Dell'Orso, R.; Donato, S.; Fedi, G.; Giassi, A.; Grippo, M. T.; Ligabue, F.; Lomtadze, T.; Magazzu, G.; Martini, L.; Mazzoni, E.; Messineo, A.; Moggi, A.; Morsani, F.; Palla, F.; Palmonari, F.; Raffaelli, F.; Rizzi, A.; Savoy-Navarro, A.; Spagnolo, P.; Tenchini, R.; Tonelli, G.; Venturi, A.; Verdini, P. G.; Bellan, R.; Costa, M.; Covarelli, R.; Da Rocha Rolo, M.; Demaria, N.; Rivetti, A.; Dellacasa, G.; Mazza, G.; Migliore, E.; Monteil, E.; Pacher, L.; Ravera, F.; Solano, A.; Fernandez, M.; Gomez, G.; Jaramillo Echeverria, R.; Moya, D.; Gonzalez Sanchez, F. J.; Vila, I.; Virto, A. L.; Abbaneo, D.; Ahmed, I.; Albert, E.; Auzinger, G.; Berruti, G.; Bianchi, G.; Blanchot, G.; Bonnaud, J.; Caratelli, A.; Ceresa, D.; Christiansen, J.; Cichy, K.; Daguin, J.; D'Auria, A.; Detraz, S.; Deyrail, D.; Dondelewski, O.; Faccio, F.; Frank, N.; Gadek, T.; Gill, K.; Honma, A.; Hugo, G.; Jara Casas, L. M.; Kaplon, J.; Kornmayer, A.; Kottelat, L.; Kovacs, M.; Krammer, M.; Lenoir, P.; Mannelli, M.; Marchioro, A.; Marconi, S.; Mersi, S.; Martina, S.; Michelis, S.; Moll, M.; Onnela, A.; Orfanelli, S.; Pavis, S.; Peisert, A.; Pernot, J.-F.; Petagna, P.; Petrucciani, G.; Postema, H.; Rose, P.; Tropea, P.; Troska, J.; Tsirou, A.; Vasey, F.; Vichoudis, P.; Verlaat, B.; Zwalinski, L.; Bachmair, F.; Becker, R.; di Calafiori, D.; Casal, B.; Berger, P.; Djambazov, L.; Donega, M.; Grab, C.; Hits, D.; Hoss, J.; Kasieczka, G.; Lustermann, W.; Mangano, B.; Marionneau, M.; Martinez Ruiz del Arbol, P.; Masciovecchio, M.; Meinhard, M.; Perozzi, L.; Roeser, U.; Starodumov, A.; Tavolaro, V.; Wallny, R.; Zhu, D.; Amsler, C.; Bösiger, K.; Caminada, L.; Canelli, F.; Chiochia, V.; de Cosa, A.; Galloni, C.; Hreus, T.; Kilminster, B.; Lange, C.; Maier, R.; Ngadiuba, J.; Pinna, D.; Robmann, P.; Taroni, S.; Yang, Y.; Bertl, W.; Deiters, K.; Erdmann, W.; Horisberger, R.; Kaestli, H.-C.; Kotlinski, D.; Langenegger, U.; Meier, B.; Rohe, T.; Streuli, S.; Chen, P.-H.; Dietz, C.; Grundler, U.; Hou, W.-S.; Lu, R.-S.; Moya, M.; Cussans, D.; Flacher, H.; Goldstein, J.; Grimes, M.; Jacob, J.; Seif El Nasr-Storey, S.; Cole, J.; Hoad, C.; Hobson, P.; Morton, A.; Reid, I. D.; Auzinger, G.; Bainbridge, R.; Dauncey, P.; Fulcher, J.; Hall, G.; James, T.; Magnan, A.-M.; Pesaresi, M.; Raymond, D. M.; Uchida, K.; Braga, D.; Coughlan, J. A.; Harder, K.; Jones, L.; Ilic, J.; Murray, P.; Prydderch, M.; Tomalin, I. R.; Garabedian, A.; Heintz, U.; Narain, M.; Nelson, J.; Sagir, S.; Speer, T.; Swanson, J.; Tersegno, D.; Watson-Daniels, J.; Chertok, M.; Conway, J.; Conway, R.; Flores, C.; Lander, R.; Pellett, D.; Ricci-Tam, F.; Squires, M.; Thomson, J.; Yohay, R.; Burt, K.; Ellison, J.; Hanson, G.; Olmedo, M.; Si, W.; Yates, B. R.; Gerosa, R.; Sharma, V.; Vartak, A.; Yagil, A.; Zevi Della Porta, G.; Dutta, V.; Gouskos, L.; Incandela, J.; Kyre, S.; Mullin, S.; Qu, H.; White, D.; Dominguez, A.; Bartek, R.; Cumalat, J. P.; Ford, W. T.; Jensen, F.; Johnson, A.; Krohn, M.; Leontsinis, S.; Mulholland, T.; Stenson, K.; Wagner, S. R.; Apresyan, A.; Bolla, G.; Burkett, K.; Butler, J. N.; Cheung, H. W. K.; Chramowicz, J.; Christian, D.; Cooper, W. E.; Deptuch, G.; Derylo, G.; Gingu, C.; Grünendahl, S.; Hasegawa, S.; Hoff, J.; Howell, J.; Hrycyk, M.; Jindariani, S.; Johnson, M.; Kahlid, F.; Lei, C. M.; Lipton, R.; Lopes De Sá, R.; Liu, T.; Los, S.; Matulik, M.; Merkel, P.; Nahn, S.; Prosser, A.; Rivera, R.; Schneider, B.; Sellberg, G.; Shenai, A.; Spiegel, L.; Tran, N.; Uplegger, L.; Voirin, E.; Berry, D. R.; Chen, X.; Ennesser, L.; Evdokimov, A.; Evdokimov, O.; Gerber, C. E.; Hofman, D. J.; Makauda, S.; Mills, C.; Sandoval Gonzalez, I. D.; Alimena, J.; Antonelli, L. J.; Francis, B.; Hart, A.; Hill, C. S.; Parashar, N.; Stupak, J.; Bortoletto, D.; Bubna, M.; Hinton, N.; Jones, M.; Miller, D. H.; Shi, X.; Tan, P.; Baringer, P.; Bean, A.; Khalil, S.; Kropivnitskaya, A.; Majumder, D.; Wilson, G.; Ivanov, A.; Mendis, R.; Mitchell, T.; Skhirtladze, N.; Taylor, R.; Anderson, I.; Fehling, D.; Gritsan, A.; Maksimovic, P.; Martin, C.; Nash, K.; Osherson, M.; Swartz, M.; Xiao, M.; Acosta, J. G.; Cremaldi, L. M.; Oliveros, S.; Perera, L.; Summers, D.; Bloom, K.; Claes, D. R.; Fangmeier, C.; Gonzalez Suarez, R.; Monroy, J.; Siado, J.; Hahn, K.; Sevova, S.; Sung, K.; Trovato, M.; Bartz, E.; Gershtein, Y.; Halkiadakis, E.; Kyriacou, S.; Lath, A.; Nash, K.; Osherson, M.; Schnetzer, S.; Stone, R.; Walker, M.; Malik, S.; Norberg, S.; Ramirez Vargas, J. E.; Alyari, M.; Dolen, J.; Godshalk, A.; Harrington, C.; Iashvili, I.; Kharchilava, A.; Nguyen, D.; Parker, A.; Rappoccio, S.; Roozbahani, B.; Alexander, J.; Chaves, J.; Chu, J.; Dittmer, S.; McDermott, K.; Mirman, N.; Rinkevicius, A.; Ryd, A.; Salvati, E.; Skinnari, L.; Soffi, L.; Tao, Z.; Thom, J.; Tucker, J.; Zientek, M.; Akgün, B.; Ecklund, K. M.; Kilpatrick, M.; Nussbaum, T.; Zabel, J.; Betchart, B.; Covarelli, R.; Demina, R.; Hindrichs, O.; Petrillo, G.; Eusebi, R.; Patel, R.; Perloff, A.; Ulmer, K. A.; Delannoy, A. G.; D'Angelo, P.; Johns, W.

2018-03-01

A new CMS Tracker is under development for operation at the High Luminosity LHC from 2026 onwards. It includes an outer tracker based on dedicated modules that will reconstruct short track segments, called stubs, using spatially coincident clusters in two closely spaced silicon sensor layers. These modules allow the rejection of low transverse momentum track hits and reduce the data volume before transmission to the first level trigger. The inclusion of tracking information in the trigger decision is essential to limit the first level trigger accept rate. A customized front-end readout chip, the CMS Binary Chip (CBC), containing stub finding logic has been designed for this purpose. A prototype module, equipped with the CBC chip, has been constructed and operated for the first time in a 4 GeemVem/emc positron beam at DESY. The behaviour of the stub finding was studied for different angles of beam incidence on a module, which allows an estimate of the sensitivity to transverse momentum within the future CMS detector. A sharp transverse momentum threshold around 2 emVem/emc was demonstrated, which meets the requirement to reject a large fraction of low momentum tracks present in the LHC environment on-detector. This is the first realistic demonstration of a silicon tracking module that is able to select data, based on the particle's transverse momentum, for use in a first level trigger at the LHC . The results from this test are described here.

Optical MEMS platform for low-cost on-chip integration of planar light circuits and optical switching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

German, Kristine A.; Kubby, Joel; Chen, Jingkuang; Diehl, James; Feinberg, Kathleen; Gulvin, Peter; Herko, Larry; Jia, Nancy; Lin, Pinyen; Liu, Xueyuan; Ma, Jun; Meyers, John; Nystrom, Peter; Wang, Yao Rong

2004-07-01

Xerox Corporation has developed a technology platform for on-chip integration of latching MEMS optical waveguide switches and Planar Light Circuit (PLC) components using a Silicon On Insulator (SOI) based process. To illustrate the current state of this new technology platform, working prototypes of a Reconfigurable Optical Add/Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) and a l-router will be presented along with details of the integrated latching MEMS optical switches. On-chip integration of optical switches and PLCs can greatly reduce the size, manufacturing cost and operating cost of multi-component optical equipment. It is anticipated that low-cost, low-overhead optical network products will accelerate the migration of functions and services from high-cost long-haul markets to price sensitive markets, including networks for metropolitan areas and fiber to the home. Compared to the more common silica-on-silicon PLC technology, the high index of refraction of silicon waveguides created in the SOI device layer enables miniaturization of optical components, thereby increasing yield and decreasing cost projections. The latching SOI MEMS switches feature moving waveguides, and are advantaged across multiple attributes relative to alternative switching technologies, such as thermal optical switches and polymer switches. The SOI process employed was jointly developed under the auspice of the NIST APT program in partnership with Coventor, Corning IntelliSense Corp., and MicroScan Systems to enable fabrication of a broad range of free space and guided wave MicroOptoElectroMechanical Systems (MOEMS).

In-beam test of the RPC architecture foreseen to be used for the CBM-TOF inner wall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Petriş, M.; Bartoş, D.; Petrovici, M.; Rădulescu, L.; Simion, V.; Deppner, I.; Herrmann, N.; Simon, C.; Frühauf, J.; Kiš, M.; Loizeau, P.-A.

2018-05-01

The Time Of Flight (TOF) subsystem is one of the main detectors of the CBM experiment. The TOF wall in conjunction with Silicon Tracking System (STS) is foreseen to identify charged hadrons, i.e. pions, kaons and protons, with a full azimuthal coverage at 2.50 - 250 polar angles. A system time resolution of at least 80 ps, including all contributions, such as electronics jitter and the resolution of the time reference system, is required. Such a performance should be maintained up to a counting rate larger than 30 kHz/cm2 at the most inner region of TOF wall. Our R&D activity has been focused on the development of two-dimensional position sensitive Multi-gap Resistive Plate Counter (MRPC) prototypes for the forward region of the CBM-TOF subdetector, the most demanding zone in terms of granularity and counting rate. The in-beam tests using secondary particles produced in 30 GeV/u Pb ion collisions on a Pb target at SPS - CERN aimed to test the performance of these prototypes in conditions similar to the ones expected at SIS100 at FAIR. The performance of the prototypes is studied in conditions of exposure of the whole active area of the chamber to high multiplicity of reaction products. The results show that this type of MRPC fulfill the challenging requirements of the CBM-TOF wall. Therefore, such an architecture is recommended as basic solution for CBM-TOF inner zone.

High performance computing applications in neurobiological research

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, Muriel D.; Cheng, Rei; Doshay, David G.; Linton, Samuel W.; Montgomery, Kevin; Parnas, Bruce R.

1994-01-01

The human nervous system is a massively parallel processor of information. The vast numbers of neurons, synapses and circuits is daunting to those seeking to understand the neural basis of consciousness and intellect. Pervading obstacles are lack of knowledge of the detailed, three-dimensional (3-D) organization of even a simple neural system and the paucity of large scale, biologically relevant computer simulations. We use high performance graphics workstations and supercomputers to study the 3-D organization of gravity sensors as a prototype architecture foreshadowing more complex systems. Scaled-down simulations run on a Silicon Graphics workstation and scale-up, three-dimensional versions run on the Cray Y-MP and CM5 supercomputers.

4H-SiC JFET Multilayer Integrated Circuit Technologies Tested Up to 1000 K

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Spry, D. J.; Neudeck, P. G.; Chen, L.; Chang, C. W.; Lukco, D.; Beheim, G. M.

2015-01-01

Testing of semiconductor electronics at temperatures above their designed operating envelope is recognized as vital to qualification and lifetime prediction of circuits. This work describes the high temperature electrical testing of prototype 4H silicon carbide (SiC) junction field effect transistor (JFET) integrated circuits (ICs) technology implemented with multilayer interconnects; these ICs are intended for prolonged operation at temperatures up to 773K (500 C). A 50 mm diameter sapphire wafer was used in place of the standard NASA packaging for this experiment. Testing was carried out between 300K (27 C) and 1150K (877 C) with successful electrical operation of all devices observed up to 1000K (727 C).

A Temperature-Hardened Sensor Interface with a 12-Bit Digital Output Using a Novel Pulse Width Modulation Technique

PubMed Central

Badets, Franck; Nouet, Pascal; Masmoudi, Mohamed

2018-01-01

A fully integrated sensor interface for a wide operational temperature range is presented. It translates the sensor signal into a pulse width modulated (PWM) signal that is then converted into a 12-bit digital output. The sensor interface is based on a pair of injection locked oscillators used to implement a differential time-domain architecture with low sensitivity to temperature variations. A prototype has been fabricated using a 180 nm partially depleted silicon-on-insulator (SOI) technology. Experimental results demonstrate a thermal stability as low as 65 ppm/°C over a large temperature range from −20 °C up to 220 °C. PMID:29621171

Microgravity

NASA Image and Video Library

2001-01-24

Advanced finite element models are used to study three-dimensional, time-dependent flow and segregation in crystal growth systems. In this image of a prototypical model for melt and crystal growth, pathlines at one instant in time are shown for the flow of heated liquid silicon in a cylindrical container. The container is subjected to g-jitter disturbances along the vertical axis. A transverse magnetic field is applied to control them. Such computations are extremely powerful for understanding melt growth in microgravity where g-jitter drives buoyant flows. The simulation is part of the Theoretical Analysis of 3D, Transient Convection and Segregation in Microgravity Bridgman Crystal Growth investigation by Dr. Jeffrey J. Derby of the University of Mirnesota, Minneapolis.

Measurement of shower development and its Molière radius with a four-plane LumiCal test set-up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abramowicz, H.; Abusleme, A.; Afanaciev, K.; Benhammou, Y.; Bortko, L.; Borysov, O.; Borysova, M.; Bozovic-Jelisavcic, I.; Chelkov, G.; Daniluk, W.; Dannheim, D.; Elsener, K.; Firlej, M.; Firu, E.; Fiutowski, T.; Ghenescu, V.; Gostkin, M.; Hempel, M.; Henschel, H.; Idzik, M.; Ignatenko, A.; Ishikawa, A.; Kananov, S.; Karacheban, O.; Klempt, W.; Kotov, S.; Kotula, J.; Kozhevnikov, D.; Kruchonok, V.; Krupa, B.; Kulis, Sz.; Lange, W.; Leonard, J.; Lesiak, T.; Levy, A.; Levy, I.; Lohmann, W.; Lukic, S.; Moron, J.; Moszczynski, A.; Neagu, A. T.; Nuiry, F.-X.; Pandurovic, M.; Pawlik, B.; Preda, T.; Rosenblat, O.; Sailer, A.; Schumm, B.; Schuwalow, S.; Smiljanic, I.; Smolyanskiy, P.; Swientek, K.; Terlecki, P.; Uggerhoj, U. I.; Wistisen, T. N.; Wojton, T.; Yamamoto, H.; Zawiejski, L.; Zgura, I. S.; Zhemchugov, A.

2018-02-01

A prototype of a luminometer, designed for a future e^+e^- collider detector, and consisting at present of a four-plane module, was tested in the CERN PS accelerator T9 beam. The objective of this beam test was to demonstrate a multi-plane tungsten/silicon operation, to study the development of the electromagnetic shower and to compare it with MC simulations. The Molière radius has been determined to be 24.0 ± 0.6 (stat.) ± 1.5 (syst.) mm using a parametrization of the shower shape. Very good agreement was found between data and a detailed Geant4 simulation.

Microgravity crystal growth

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2001-01-01

Advanced finite element models are used to study three-dimensional, time-dependent flow and segregation in crystal growth systems. In this image of a prototypical model for melt and crystal growth, pathlines at one instant in time are shown for the flow of heated liquid silicon in a cylindrical container. The container is subjected to g-jitter disturbances along the vertical axis. A transverse magnetic field is applied to control them. Such computations are extremely powerful for understanding melt growth in microgravity where g-jitter drives buoyant flows. The simulation is part of the Theoretical Analysis of 3D, Transient Convection and Segregation in Microgravity Bridgman Crystal Growth investigation by Dr. Jeffrey J. Derby of the University of Mirnesota, Minneapolis.

SVGA AMOLED with world's highest pixel pitch

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prache, Olivier; Wacyk, Ihor

2006-05-01

We present the design and early evaluation results of the world's highest pixel pitch full-color 800x3x600- pixel, active matrix organic light emitting diode (AMOLED) color microdisplay for consumer and environmentally demanding applications. The design premises were aimed at improving small area uniformity as well as reducing the pixel size while expanding the functionality found in existing eMagin Corporations' microdisplay products without incurring any power consumption degradation when compared to existing OLED microdisplays produced by eMagin. The initial results of the first silicon prototype presented here demonstrate compliance with all major objectives as well as the validation of a new adaptive gamma correction technique that can operate automatically over temperature.

Step Free Surface Heteroepitaxy of 3C-SiC Layers on Patterned 4H/6H-SiC Mesas and Cantilevers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Neudeck, P. G.; Powell, J. A.; Trunek, A. J.; Spry, D. J.

2004-01-01

The off-axis approach to SiC epitaxial growth has not prevented many substrate crystal defects from propagating into SiC epilayers, and does not permit the realization of SiC heteropolytype devices. This paper reviews recent advancements in SiC epitaxial growth that begin to overcome the above shortcomings for arrays of device-sized mesas patterned into on-axis 4H/6HSiC wafers. These on-axis mesa growth techniques have produced 4H/6H-SiC homoepilayers and 3C-SiC heteroepilayers with substantially lower dislocation densities. The results should enable improved homojunction and heterojunction silicon carbide prototype devices.

Shortwave surface radiation network for observing small-scale cloud inhomogeneity fields

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lakshmi Madhavan, Bomidi; Kalisch, John; Macke, Andreas

2016-03-01

As part of the High Definition Clouds and Precipitation for advancing Climate Prediction Observational Prototype Experiment (HOPE), a high-density network of 99 silicon photodiode pyranometers was set up around Jülich (10 km × 12 km area) from April to July 2013 to capture the small-scale variability of cloud-induced radiation fields at the surface. In this paper, we provide the details of this unique setup of the pyranometer network, data processing, quality control, and uncertainty assessment under variable conditions. Some exemplary days with clear, broken cloudy, and overcast skies were explored to assess the spatiotemporal observations from the network along with other collocated radiation and sky imager measurements available during the HOPE period.

Athermal operation of silicon waveguides: spectral, second order and footprint dependencies.

PubMed

Raghunathan, Vivek; Ye, Winnie N; Hu, Juejun; Izuhara, Tomoyuki; Michel, Jurgen; Kimerling, Lionel

2010-08-16

We report the design criteria and performance of Si ring resonators for passive athermal applications in wavelength division multiplexing (WDM). The waveguide design rules address i) positive-negative thermo-optic (TO) composite structures, ii) resonant wavelength dependent geometry to achieve constant confinement factor (Gamma), and iii) observation of small residual second order effects. We develop exact design requirements for a temperature dependent resonant wavelength shift (TDWS) of 0 pm/K and present prototype TDWS performance of 0.5 pm/K. We evaluate the materials selection tradeoffs between high-index contrast (HIC) and low-index contrast (LIC) systems and show, remarkably, that FSR and footprint become comparable under the constraint of athermal design.

Feasibility of Actively Cooled Silicon Nitride Airfoil for Turbine Applications Demonstrated

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatt, Ramakrishna T.

2001-01-01

Nickel-base superalloys currently limit gas turbine engine performance. Active cooling has extended the temperature range of service of nickel-base superalloys in current gas turbine engines, but the margin for further improvement appears modest. Therefore, significant advancements in materials technology are needed to raise turbine inlet temperatures above 2400 F to increase engine specific thrust and operating efficiency. Because of their low density and high-temperature strength and thermal conductivity, in situ toughened silicon nitride ceramics have received a great deal of attention for cooled structures. However, the high processing costs and low impact resistance of silicon nitride ceramics have proven to be major obstacles for widespread applications. Advanced rapid prototyping technology in combination with conventional gel casting and sintering can reduce high processing costs and may offer an affordable manufacturing approach. Researchers at the NASA Glenn Research Center, in cooperation with a local university and an aerospace company, are developing actively cooled and functionally graded ceramic structures. The objective of this program is to develop cost-effective manufacturing technology and experimental and analytical capabilities for environmentally stable, aerodynamically efficient, foreign-object-damage-resistant, in situ toughened silicon nitride turbine nozzle vanes, and to test these vanes under simulated engine conditions. Starting with computer aided design (CAD) files of an airfoil and a flat plate with internal cooling passages, the permanent and removable mold components for gel casting ceramic slips were made by stereolithography and Sanders machines, respectively. The gel-cast part was dried and sintered to final shape. Several in situ toughened silicon nitride generic airfoils with internal cooling passages have been fabricated. The uncoated and thermal barrier coated airfoils and flat plates were burner rig tested for 30 min without and with air cooling. Without cooling, the surface temperature of the flat plate reached approximately 2350 F. Starting with computer aided design (CAD) files of an airfoil and a flat plate with internal cooling passages, the permanent and removable mold components for gel casting ceramic slips were made by stereolithography and Sanders machines, respectively. The gel-cast part was dried and sintered to final shape. Several in situ toughened silicon nitride generic airfoils with internal cooling passages have been fabricated. The uncoated and thermal barrier coated airfoils and flat plates were burner rig tested for 30 min without and with air cooling. Without cooling, the surface temperature of the flat plate reached approximately 2350 F. With cooling, the surface temperature decreased to approximately 1910 F--a drop of approximately 440 F. This preliminary study demonstrates that a near-net-shape silicon nitride airfoil can be fabricated and that silicon nitride can sustain severe thermal shock and the thermal gradients induced by cooling and, thus, is a viable candidate for cooled components.

TU-FG-209-03: Exploring the Maximum Count Rate Capabilities of Photon Counting Arrays Based On Polycrystalline Silicon

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

Liang, A K; Koniczek, M; Antonuk, L E

Purpose: Photon counting arrays (PCAs) offer several advantages over conventional, fluence-integrating x-ray imagers, such as improved contrast by means of energy windowing. For that reason, we are exploring the feasibility and performance of PCA pixel circuitry based on polycrystalline silicon. This material, unlike the crystalline silicon commonly used in photon counting detectors, lends itself toward the economic manufacture of radiation tolerant, monolithic large area (e.g., ∼43×43 cm2) devices. In this presentation, exploration of maximum count rate, a critical performance parameter for such devices, is reported. Methods: Count rate performance for a variety of pixel circuit designs was explored through detailedmore » circuit simulations over a wide range of parameters (including pixel pitch and operating conditions) with the additional goal of preserving good energy resolution. The count rate simulations assume input events corresponding to a 72 kVp x-ray spectrum with 20 mm Al filtration interacting with a CZT detector at various input flux rates. Output count rates are determined at various photon energy threshold levels, and the percentage of counts lost (e.g., due to deadtime or pile-up) is calculated from the ratio of output to input counts. The energy resolution simulations involve thermal and flicker noise originating from each circuit element in a design. Results: Circuit designs compatible with pixel pitches ranging from 250 to 1000 µm that allow count rates over a megacount per second per pixel appear feasible. Such rates are expected to be suitable for radiographic and fluoroscopic imaging. Results for the analog front-end circuitry of the pixels show that acceptable energy resolution can also be achieved. Conclusion: PCAs created using polycrystalline silicon have the potential to offer monolithic large-area detectors with count rate performance comparable to those of crystalline silicon detectors. Further improvement through detailed circuit simulations and prototyping is expected. Partially supported by NIH grant R01-EB000558. This work was partially supported by NIH grant no. R01-EB000558.« less

Temperature measurement and control system for transtibial prostheses: Functional evaluation.

PubMed

Ghoseiri, Kamiar; Zheng, Yong Ping; Leung, Aaron K L; Rahgozar, Mehdi; Aminian, Gholamreza; Lee, Tat Hing; Safari, Mohammad Reza

2018-01-01

The accumulation of heat inside the prosthetic socket increases skin temperature and fosters perspiration, which consequently leads to high tissue stress, friction blister, discomfort, unpleasant odor, and decreased prosthesis suspension and use. In the present study, the prototype of a temperature measurement and control (TM&C) system was designed, fabricated, and functionally evaluated in a phantom model of the transtibial prosthetic socket. The TM&C system was comprised of 12 thermistors divided equally into two groups that arranged internal and external to a prosthetic silicone liner. Its control system was programmed to select the required heating or cooling function of a thermal pump to provide thermal equilibrium based on the amount of temperature difference from a defined set temperature, or the amount of difference between the mean temperature recorded by inside and outside thermistors. A thin layer of aluminum was used for thermal conduction between the thermal pump and different sites around the silicone liner. The results showed functionality of the TM&C system for thermoregulation inside the prosthetic socket. However, enhancing the structure of this TM&C system, increasing its thermal power, and decreasing its weight and cost are main priorities before further development.

The Development of SiC MOSFET-based Switching Power Amplifiers for Fusion Science

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prager, James; Ziemba, Timothy; Miller, Kenneth; Picard, Julian

2015-11-01

Eagle Harbor Technologies (EHT), Inc. is developing a switching power amplifier (SPA) based on silicon carbide (SiC) metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET). SiC MOSFETs offer many advantages over IGBTs including lower drive energy requirements, lower conduction and switching losses, and higher switching frequency capabilities. When comparing SiC and traditional silicon-based MOSFETs, SiC MOSFETs provide higher current carrying capability allowing for smaller package weights and sizes and lower operating temperature. EHT has conducted single device testing that directly compares the capabilities of SiC MOSFETs and IGBTs to demonstrate the utility of SiC MOSFETs for fusion science applications. These devices have been built into a SPA that can drive resistive loads and resonant tank loads at 800 V, 4.25 kA at pulse repetition frequencies up to 1 MHz. During the Phase II program, EHT will finalize the design of the SPA. In Year 2, EHT will replace the SPAs used in the HIT-SI lab at the University of Washington to allow for operation over 100 kHz. SPA prototype results will be presented. This work is supported under DOE Grant # DE-SC0011907.

Parylene-on-oil packaging for long-term implantable pressure sensors.

PubMed

Shapero, Aubrey M; Liu, Yang; Tai, Yu-Chong

2016-08-01

This paper reports and analyzes the feasibility study of a parylene-on-oil encapsulation packaging method of pressure sensors targeted for long-term implantation. Commercial barometric digital-output pressure sensors are enclosed in silicone oil and then encapsulated in situ with parylene-C or -D (PA-C, PA-D) chemical vapor deposition. Experimentally, sensors encapsulated with 30,000 cSt silicone oil and 27 μm PA-D show good performance for 6 weeks in 77 °C saline with >99 % of original sensitivity, corresponding to an extrapolated lifetime of around 21 months in 37 °C saline. This work shows that, with proper designs, such a packaging method can preserve the original pressure sensor sensitivity without offset, validated throughout accelerated lifetime tests. In experiments, wires on the prototypes are used for external electronics but it is found that they contributed to early failures, which would be absent in real wireless versions, indicating a potential for even longer lifetimes. Finally, a verified model is presented to predict the pressure sensor sensitivity of parylene-on-oil packaging with and without the presence of a bubble in the oil.

Solar concentrator modules with silicone-on-glass Fresnel lens panels and multijunction cells.

PubMed

Rumyantsev, Valery D

2010-04-26

High-efficiency multijunction (MJ) solar cells, being very expensive to manufacture, should only be used in combination with solar concentrators in terrestrial applications. An essential cost reduction of electric power produced by photovoltaic (PV) installations with MJ cells, may be expected by the creation of highly-effective, but inexpensive, elements for optical concentration and sun tracking. This article is an overview of the corresponding approach under development at the Ioffe Physical Technical Institute. The approach to R&D of the solar PV modules is based on the concepts of sunlight concentration by small-aperture area Fresnel lenses and "all-glass" module design. The small-aperture area lenses are arranged as a panel with silicone-on-glass structure where the glass plate serves as the front surface of a module. In turn, high-efficiency InGaP/(In)GaAs/Ge cells are arranged on a rear module panel mounted on a glass plate which functions as a heat sink and integrated protective cover for the cells. The developed PV modules and sun trackers are characterized by simple design, and are regarded as the prototypes for further commercialization.

X-ray tests of a microchannel plate detector and amorphous silicon pixel array readout for neutron radiography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambrosi, R. M.; Street, R.; Feller, B.; Fraser, G. W.; Watterson, J. I. W.; Lanza, R. C.; Dowson, J.; Ross, D.; Martindale, A.; Abbey, A. F.; Vernon, D.

2007-03-01

High-performance large area imaging detectors for fast neutrons in the 5-14 MeV energy range do not exist at present. The aim of this project is to combine microchannel plates or MCPs (or similar electron multiplication structures) traditionally used in image intensifiers and X-ray detectors with amorphous silicon (a-Si) pixel arrays to produce a composite converter and intensifier position sensitive imaging system. This detector will provide an order of magnitude improvement in image resolution when compared with current millimetre resolution limits obtained using phosphor or scintillator-based hydrogen rich converters. In this study we present the results of the initial experimental evaluation of the prototype system. This study was carried out using a medical X-ray source for the proof of concept tests, the next phase will involve neutron imaging tests. The hybrid detector described in this study is a unique development and paves the way for large area position sensitive detectors consisting of MCP or microsphere plate detectors and a-Si or polysilicon pixel arrays. Applications include neutron and X-ray imaging for terrestrial applications. The technology could be extended to space instrumentation for X-ray astronomy.

[Osteosynthesis in facial bones: silicon nitride ceramic as material].

PubMed

Neumann, A; Unkel, C; Werry, C; Herborn, C U; Maier, H R; Ragoss, C; Jahnke, K

2006-12-01

The favorable properties of silicon nitride (Si3N4) ceramic, such as high stability and biocompatibility suggest its biomedical use as an implant material. The aim of this study was to test its suitability for osteosynthesis. A Si3N4 prototype minifixation system was manufactured and implanted for osteosynthesis of artificial frontal bone defects in three minipigs. After 3 months, histological sections, CT and MRI scans were obtained. Finite element modeling (FEM) was used to simulate stresses and strains on Si3N4 miniplates and screws to calculate survival probabilities. Si3N4 miniplates and screws showed satisfactory intraoperative workability. There was no implant loss, displacement or fracture. Bone healing was complete in all animals and formation of new bone was observed in direct contact to the implants. Si3N4 ceramic showed a good biocompatibility outcome both in vitro and in vivo. This ceramic may serve as biomaterial for osteosynthesis, e.g. of the midface including reconstruction of the floor of the orbit and the skull base. Advantages compared to titanium are no risk of implantation to bone with mucosal attachment, no need for explantation, no interference with radiological imaging.

Towards Gotthard-II: development of a silicon microstrip detector for the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, J.; Andrä, M.; Barten, R.; Bergamaschi, A.; Brückner, M.; Dinapoli, R.; Fröjdh, E.; Greiffenberg, D.; Lopez-Cuenca, C.; Mezza, D.; Mozzanica, A.; Ramilli, M.; Redford, S.; Ruat, M.; Ruder, C.; Schmitt, B.; Shi, X.; Thattil, D.; Tinti, G.; Turcato, M.; Vetter, S.

2018-01-01

Gotthard-II is a 1-D microstrip detector specifically developed for the European X-ray Free-Electron Laser. It will not only be used in energy dispersive experiments but also as a beam diagnostic tool with additional logic to generate veto signals for the other 2-D detectors. Gotthard-II makes use of a silicon microstrip sensor with a pitch of either 50 μm or 25 μm and with 1280 or 2560 channels wire-bonded to adaptive gain switching readout chips. Built-in analog-to-digital converters and digital memories will be implemented in the readout chip for a continuous conversion and storage of frames for all bunches in the bunch train. The performance of analogue front-end prototypes of Gotthard has been investigated in this work. The results in terms of noise, conversion gain, dynamic range, obtained by means of infrared laser and X-rays, will be shown. In particular, the effects of the strip-to-strip coupling are studied in detail and it is found that the reduction of the coupling effects is one of the key factors for the development of the analogue front-end of Gotthard-II.

Optimization of Performance Parameters for Large Area Silicon Photomultipliers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janzen, Kathryn

2008-10-01

The goal of the GlueX experiment is to search for exotic hybrid mesons as evidence of gluonic excitations in an effort to better understand confinement. A key component of the GlueX detector is the electromagnetic barrel calorimeter (BCAL) located immediately inside a superconducting solenoid of approximately 2.5T. Because of this arrangement, traditional vacuum photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) which are affected significantly by magnetic fields cannot be used on the BCAL. The use of Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) as front-end detectors has been proposed. While the largest SiPMs that have been previously employed by other experiments are 1x1 mm^2, GlueX proposes to use large area SiPMs each composed of 16 - 3x3 mm^2 cells in a 4x4 array. This puts the GlueX collaboration in the unique position of driving the technology for larger area sensors. In this talk I will discuss tests done in Regina regarding performance parameters of prototype SiPM arrays delivered by SensL, a photonics research and development company based in Ireland, as well as sample 1x1 mm^2 and 3x3 mm^2 SiPMs.

An indentation depth-force sensing wheeled probe for abnormality identification during minimally invasive surgery.

PubMed

Liu, H; Puangmali, P; Zbyszewski, D; Elhage, O; Dasgupta, P; Dai, J S; Seneviratne, L; Althoefer, K

2010-01-01

This paper presents a novel wheeled probe for the purpose of aiding a surgeon in soft tissue abnormality identification during minimally invasive surgery (MIS), compensating the loss of haptic feedback commonly associated with MIS. Initially, a prototype for validating the concept was developed. The wheeled probe consists of an indentation depth sensor employing an optic fibre sensing scheme and a force/torque sensor. The two sensors work in unison, allowing the wheeled probe to measure the tool-tissue interaction force and the rolling indentation depth concurrently. The indentation depth sensor was developed and initially tested on a homogenous silicone phantom representing a good model for a soft tissue organ; the results show that the sensor can accurately measure the indentation depths occurring while performing rolling indentation, and has good repeatability. To validate the ability of the wheeled probe to identify abnormalities located in the tissue, the device was tested on a silicone phantom containing embedded hard nodules. The experimental data demonstrate that recording the tissue reaction force as well as rolling indentation depth signals during rolling indentation, the wheeled probe can rapidly identify the distribution of tissue stiffness and cause the embedded hard nodules to be accurately located.

A depth-of-interaction PET detector using mutual gain-equalized silicon photomultiplier

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

W. Xi, A.G, Weisenberger, H. Dong, Brian Kross, S. Lee, J. McKisson, Carl Zorn

We developed a prototype high resolution, high efficiency depth-encoding detector for PET applications based on dual-ended readout of LYSO array with two silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). Flood images, energy resolution, and depth-of-interaction (DOI) resolution were measured for a LYSO array - 0.7 mm in crystal pitch and 10 mm in thickness - with four unpolished parallel sides. Flood images were obtained such that individual crystal element in the array is resolved. The energy resolution of the entire array was measured to be 33%, while individual crystal pixel elements utilizing the signal from both sides ranged from 23.3% to 27%. By applyingmore » a mutual-gain equalization method, a DOI resolution of 2 mm for the crystal array was obtained in the experiments while simulations indicate {approx}1 mm DOI resolution could possibly be achieved. The experimental DOI resolution can be further improved by obtaining revised detector supporting electronics with better energy resolutions. This study provides a detailed detector calibration and DOI response characterization of the dual-ended readout SiPM-based PET detectors, which will be important in the design and calibration of a PET scanner in the future.« less

Timing resolution studies of the optical part of the AFP Time-of-flight detector

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

Chytka, L.; Avoni, G.; Brandt, A.

We present results of the timing performance studies of the optical part and front-end electronics of the time-of-flight subdetector prototype for the ATLAS Forward Proton (AFP) detector obtained during the test campaigns at the CERN-SPS test-beam facility (120 GeV π + particles) in July 2016 and October 2016. The time-of-flight (ToF) detector in conjunction with a 3D silicon pixel tracker will tag and measure protons originating in central exclusive interactions p + p → p + X + p, where the two outgoing protons are scattered in the very forward directions. The ToF is required to reduce so-called pileup backgroundsmore » that arise from multiple proton interactions in the same bunch crossing at high luminosity. The background can fake the signal of interest, and the extra rejection from the ToF allows the proton tagger to operate at the high luminosity required for the measurement of the processes. The prototype detector uses fused silica bars emitting Cherenkov radiation as a relativistic particle passes through them. The emitted Cherenkov photons are detected by a multi-anode micro-channel plate photomultiplier tube (MCP-PMT) and processed by fast electronics.« less

The MU-RAY experiment. An application of SiPM technology to the understanding of volcanic phenomena

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Anastasio, A.; Ambrosino, F.; Basta, D.; Bonechi, L.; Brianzi, M.; Bross, A.; Callier, S.; Cassese, F.; Castellini, G.; Ciaranfi, R.; Cimmino, L.; D'Alessandro, R.; De Fazio, B.; de La Taille, C.; Garufi, F.; Iacobucci, G.; Martini, M.; Masone, V.; Mattone, C.; Miyamoto, S.; Montesi, M. C.; Nishiyama, R.; Noli, P.; Orazi, M.; Parascandolo, L.; Passeggio, G.; Peluso, R.; Pla-Dalmau, A.; Raux, L.; Rocco, R.; Rubinov, P.; Saracino, G.; Scarlini, E.; Scarpato, G.; Sekhniaidze, G.; Starodubtsev, O.; Strolin, P.; Taketa, A.; Tanaka, H. K. M.; Tanaka, M.; Uchida, T.

2013-08-01

The purpose of the MU-RAY project is to develop an innovative approach to the study of volcanoes and their monitoring based on a particle physics approach. The test site is Vesuvio: one of the higher risk volcanoes in the world. In this context, muon radiography is an innovative method of enormous impact. This is an imaging technique which relies on the measurement, by means of a cosmic ray telescope, of the absorption in the volcano of muons with near-horizontal trajectories, produced by the interactions of cosmic rays with the atmosphere. Since 2003 this technique has been successfully used on volcanoes in Japan, providing pictures of their vertices with resolutions much better than those obtained with the traditional techniques based on gravimeters. Researchers from Naples and Florence are currently involved in the construction and testing of a prototype telescope based on the use of bars of plastic scintillator with a triangular section whose scintillation light is collected by special fibres (wave length shifters) and transported to SiPM (Silicon photomultipliers). A complete prototype telescope, consisting of three xy scintillation planes and 1 m2 active area has been assembled and is now under test.

Instrumentation progress at the Giant Magellan Telescope project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jacoby, George H.; Bernstein, R.; Bouchez, A.; Colless, M.; Crane, Jeff; DePoy, D.; Espeland, B.; Hare, Tyson; Jaffe, D.; Lawrence, J.; Marshall, J.; McGregor, P.; Shectman, Stephen; Sharp, R.; Szentgyorgyi, A.; Uomoto, Alan; Walls, B.

2016-08-01

Instrument development for the 24m Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT) is described: current activities, progress, status, and schedule. One instrument team has completed its preliminary design and is currently beginning its final design (GCLEF, an optical 350-950 nm, high-resolution and precision radial velocity echelle spectrograph). A second instrument team is in its conceptual design phase (GMACS, an optical 350-950 nm, medium resolution, 6-10 arcmin field, multi-object spectrograph). A third instrument team is midway through its preliminary design phase (GMTIFS, a near-IR YJHK diffraction-limited imager/integral-field-spectrograph), focused on risk reduction prototyping and design optimization. A fourth instrument team is currently fabricating the 5 silicon immersion gratings needed to begin its preliminary design phase (GMTNIRS, a simultaneous JHKLM high-resolution, AO-fed, echelle spectrograph). And, another instrument team is focusing on technical development and prototyping (MANIFEST, a facility robotic, multifiber feed, with a 20 arcmin field of view). In addition, a medium-field (6 arcmin, 0.06 arcsec/pix) optical imager will support telescope and AO commissioning activities, and will excel at narrow-band imaging. In the spirit of advancing synergies with other groups, the challenges of running an ELT instrument program and opportunities for cross-ELT collaborations are discussed.

Timing resolution studies of the optical part of the AFP Time-of-flight detector

DOE PAGES

Chytka, L.; Avoni, G.; Brandt, A.; ...

2018-04-02

We present results of the timing performance studies of the optical part and front-end electronics of the time-of-flight subdetector prototype for the ATLAS Forward Proton (AFP) detector obtained during the test campaigns at the CERN-SPS test-beam facility (120 GeV π + particles) in July 2016 and October 2016. The time-of-flight (ToF) detector in conjunction with a 3D silicon pixel tracker will tag and measure protons originating in central exclusive interactions p + p → p + X + p, where the two outgoing protons are scattered in the very forward directions. The ToF is required to reduce so-called pileup backgroundsmore » that arise from multiple proton interactions in the same bunch crossing at high luminosity. The background can fake the signal of interest, and the extra rejection from the ToF allows the proton tagger to operate at the high luminosity required for the measurement of the processes. The prototype detector uses fused silica bars emitting Cherenkov radiation as a relativistic particle passes through them. The emitted Cherenkov photons are detected by a multi-anode micro-channel plate photomultiplier tube (MCP-PMT) and processed by fast electronics.« less

Multiproject wafers: not just for million-dollar mask sets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Morse, Richard D.

2003-06-01

With the advent of Reticle Enhancement Technologies (RET) such as Optical Proximity Correction (OPC) and Phase Shift Masks (PSM) required to manufacture semiconductors in the sub-wavelength era, the cost of photomask tooling has skyrocketed. On the leading edge of technology, mask set prices often exceed $1 million. This shifts an enormous burden back to designers and Electronic Design Automation (EDA) software vendors to create perfect designs at a time when the number of transistors per chip is measured in the hundreds of millions, and gigachips are on the drawing boards. Moore's Law has driven technology to incredible feats. The prime beneficiaries of the technology - memory and microprocessor (MPU) manufacturers - can continue to fit the model because wafer volumes (and chip prices in the MPU case) render tooling costs relatively insignificant. However, Application-Specific IC (ASIC) manufacturers and most foundry clients average very small wafer per reticle ratios causing a dramatic and potentially insupportable rise in the cost of manufacturing. Multi-Project wafers (MPWs) are a way to share the cost of tooling and silicon by putting more than one chip on each reticle. Lacking any unexpected breakthroughs in simulation, verification, or mask technology to reduce the cost of prototyping, more efficient use of reticle space becomes a viable and increasingly attractive choice. It is worthwhile therefore, to discuss the economics of prototyping in the sub-wavelength era and the increasing advantages of the MPW, shared-silicon approach. However, putting together a collection of different-sized chips during tapeout can be challenging and time consuming. Design compatibility, reticle field optimization, and frame generation have traditionally been the biggest worries but, with the advent of dummy-fill for planarization and RET for resolution, another layer of complexity has been added. MPW automation software is quite advanced today, but the size of the task dictates careful consideration of the alternative methods.

Preoperative planning with three-dimensional reconstruction of patient's anatomy, rapid prototyping and simulation for endoscopic mitral valve repair.

PubMed

Sardari Nia, Peyman; Heuts, Samuel; Daemen, Jean; Luyten, Peter; Vainer, Jindrich; Hoorntje, Jan; Cheriex, Emile; Maessen, Jos

2017-02-01

Mitral valve repair performed by an experienced surgeon is superior to mitral valve replacement for degenerative mitral valve disease; however, many surgeons are still deterred from adapting this procedure because of a steep learning curve. Simulation-based training and planning could improve the surgical performance and reduce the learning curve. The aim of this study was to develop a patient-specific simulation for mitral valve repair and provide a proof of concept of personalized medicine in a patient prospectively planned for mitral valve surgery. A 65-year old male with severe symptomatic mitral valve regurgitation was referred to our mitral valve heart team. On the basis of three-dimensional (3D) transoesophageal echocardiography and computed tomography, 3D reconstructions of the patient's anatomy were constructed. By navigating through these reconstructions, the repair options and surgical access were chosen (minimally invasive repair). Using rapid prototyping and negative mould fabrication, we developed a process to cast a patient-specific mitral valve silicone replica for preoperative repair in a high-fidelity simulator. Mitral valve and negative mould were printed in systole to capture the pathology when the valve closes. A patient-specific mitral valve silicone replica was casted and mounted in the simulator. All repair techniques could be performed in the simulator to choose the best repair strategy. As the valve was printed in systole, no special testing other than adjusting the coaptation area was required. Subsequently, the patient was operated, mitral valve pathology was validated and repair was successfully done as in the simulation. The patient-specific simulation and planning could be applied for surgical training, starting the (minimally invasive) mitral valve repair programme, planning of complex cases and the evaluation of new interventional techniques. The personalized medicine could be a possible pathway towards enhancing reproducibility, patient's safety and effectiveness of a complex surgical procedure. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.

Advanced Avionics and Processor Systems for a Flexible Space Exploration Architecture

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keys, Andrew S.; Adams, James H.; Smith, Leigh M.; Johnson, Michael A.; Cressler, John D.

2010-01-01

The Advanced Avionics and Processor Systems (AAPS) project, formerly known as the Radiation Hardened Electronics for Space Environments (RHESE) project, endeavors to develop advanced avionic and processor technologies anticipated to be used by NASA s currently evolving space exploration architectures. The AAPS project is a part of the Exploration Technology Development Program, which funds an entire suite of technologies that are aimed at enabling NASA s ability to explore beyond low earth orbit. NASA s Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) manages the AAPS project. AAPS uses a broad-scoped approach to developing avionic and processor systems. Investment areas include advanced electronic designs and technologies capable of providing environmental hardness, reconfigurable computing techniques, software tools for radiation effects assessment, and radiation environment modeling tools. Near-term emphasis within the multiple AAPS tasks focuses on developing prototype components using semiconductor processes and materials (such as Silicon-Germanium (SiGe)) to enhance a device s tolerance to radiation events and low temperature environments. As the SiGe technology will culminate in a delivered prototype this fiscal year, the project emphasis shifts its focus to developing low-power, high efficiency total processor hardening techniques. In addition to processor development, the project endeavors to demonstrate techniques applicable to reconfigurable computing and partially reconfigurable Field Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs). This capability enables avionic architectures the ability to develop FPGA-based, radiation tolerant processor boards that can serve in multiple physical locations throughout the spacecraft and perform multiple functions during the course of the mission. The individual tasks that comprise AAPS are diverse, yet united in the common endeavor to develop electronics capable of operating within the harsh environment of space. Specifically, the AAPS tasks for the Federal fiscal year of 2010 are: Silicon-Germanium (SiGe) Integrated Electronics for Extreme Environments, Modeling of Radiation Effects on Electronics, Radiation Hardened High Performance Processors (HPP), and and Reconfigurable Computing.

3D printing for health & wealth: Fabrication of custom-made medical devices through additive manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colpani, Alessandro; Fiorentino, Antonio; Ceretti, Elisabetta

2018-05-01

Additive Manufacturing (AM) differs from traditional manufacturing technologies by its ability to handle complex shapes with great design flexibility. These features make the technique suitable to fabricate customized components, particularly answering specific custom needs. Although AM mainly referred to prototyping, nowadays the interest in direct manufacturing of actual parts is growing. This article shows the application of AM within the project 3DP-4H&W (3D Printing for Health & Wealth) which involves engineers and physicians for developing pediatric custom-made medical devices to enhance the fulfilling of the patients specific needs. In the project, two types of devices made of a two-component biocompatible silicone are considered. The first application (dental field) consists in a device for cleft lip and palate. The second one (audiological field) consists in an acoustic prosthesis. The geometries of the devices are based on the anatomy of the patient that is obtained through a 3D body scan process. For both devices, two different approaches were planned, namely direct AM and indirect Rapid Tooling (RT). In particular, direct AM consists in the FDM processing of silicone, while RT consists in molds FDM fabrication followed by silicone casting. This paper presents the results of the RT method that is articulated in different phases: the acquisition of the geometry to be realized, the design of the molds taking into account the casting feasibility (as casting channel, vents, part extraction), the realization of molds produced through AM, molds surface chemical finishing, pouring and curing of the silicone. The fabricated devices were evaluated by the physicians team that confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed procedure in fabricating the desired devices. Moreover, the procedure can be used as a general method to extend the range of applications to any custom-made device for anatomic districts, especially where complex shapes are present (as tracheal or maxillary prostheses).

Design, manufacturing and measurement of a PV miniconcentrator for front point-contact silicon solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pérez, D.; Miñano, J. C.; Benítez, P.; Muñoz, F.; Mohedano, R.

2005-08-01

A novel photovoltaic concentrator has been developed in the framework of the European project "High efficiency silicon solar cells concentrator". In this project, front-contacted silicon solar cell have also been designed and manufactured by the project leader (the French LETI). This silicon cell concept is potentially capable to perform well (24% efficiency has been predicted) for much higher concentration levels than the back-contacted cells (and, of course, than the two-side contacted cells). The concentrator is formed by one lens of squared contour with flat entry surface and large-facet Fresnel exit surface, and a secondary that encapsulates the solar cell. On the contrary to the conventional Fresnel lens plus nonimaging secondary concentrators, the primary and secondary are designed simultaneously, leading to better concentration-acceptance angle product without compromise with the compactness. The grid lines in the front-contacted cells are aluminium prisms (which contact the p+ and n+ emitters, alternatively), acting as a linear cone concentrator that concentrates Cg =1.52× in the cross sectional dimension of the prisms. The secondary concentrator has a refractive rotational symmetric top surface that is crossed with two linear flow-line TIR mirror. Then, in the cross section normal to the aluminium prisms, the secondary provides a 2D concentration of Cg =12×, while in the cross section parallel to the prisms it provides a 2D concentration of Cg =24.16× as the grid lines in this dimension. Therefore, the cell is rectangular (1:2.08 aspect ratio), being the grid lines parallel to the shorter rectangle side. The total 3D geometrical concentration is 24.16×(12×1.52) = 455× for the square aperture and rectangular cell, and gets a design acceptance angle α=+/-1.8 degrees. Injection moulded prototypes are have been manufactured and measured, proving an optical efficiency of 79%. Computer modelling of the concentrator performance will also be presented.

Implementation of a Si/SiC hybrid optically controlled high-power switching device

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhadri, Prashant; Ye, Kuntao; Guliants, E.; Beyette, Fred R., Jr.

2002-03-01

The ever-increasing performance and economy of operation requirements placed on commercial and military transport aircraft are resulting in very complex systems. As a result, the use of fiber optic component technology has lead to high data throughput, immunity to EMI, reduced certification and maintenance costs and reduced weight features. In particular, in avionic systems, data integrity and high data rates are necessary for stable flight control. Fly-by-Light systems that use optical signals to actuate the flight control surfaces of an aircraft have been suggested as a solution to the EMI problem in avionic systems. Current fly-by-light systems are limited by the lack of optically activated high-power switching devices. The challenge has been the development of an optoelectronic switching technology that can withstand the high power and harsh environmental conditions common in a flight surface actuation system. Wide bandgap semiconductors such as Silicon Carbide offer the potential to overcome both the temperature and voltage blocking limitations that inhibit the use of Silicon. Unfortunately, SiC is not optically active at the near IR wavelengths where communications grade light sources are readily available. Thus, we have proposed a hybrid device that combines a silicon based photoreceiver model with a SiC power transistor. When illuminated with the 5mW optical control signal the silicon chip produces a 15mA drive current for a SiC Darlington pair. The SiC Darlington pair then produces a 150 A current that is suitable for driving an electric motor with sufficient horsepower to actuate the control surfaces on an aircraft. Further, when the optical signal is turned off, the SiC is capable of holding off a 270 V potential to insure that the motor drive current is completely off. We present in this paper the design and initial tests from a prototype device that has recently been fabricated.

A Microseismometer for Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Banerdt, W.; Kaiser, W.; Vanzandt, T.

1993-01-01

The scientific and technical requirements of extraterrestrial seismology place severe demands on instrumentation. Performance in terms of sensitivity, stability, and frequency band must match that of the best terrestrial instruments, at a fraction of the size, mass, and power. In addition, this performance must be realized without operator intervention in harsh temperature, shock, and radiation environments. These constraints have forced us to examine some fundamental limits of accelerometer design in order to produce a small, rugged, sensitive seismometer. Silicon micromachined sensor technology offers techniques for the fabrication of monolithic, robust, compact, low-power and -mass accelerometers. However, currently available sensors offer inadequate sensitivity and bandwidth. Our implementation of an advanced silicon micro machined seismometer is based on principles developed at JPL for high-sensitivity position sensor technology. The use of silicon micro machining technology with these new principles should enable the fabrication of a 10(exp -11) g sensitivity seismometer with a bandwidth of at least 0.01 to 20 Hz. The low Q properties of pure single-crystal silicon are essential in order to minimize the Brownian thermal noise limitations generally characteristic of seismometers with small proof masses. A seismometer consists of a spring-supported proof mass and a transducer for measuring its motion. For long period motion a position sensor is generally used, for which the displacement is proportional to the ground acceleration. The mechanical sensitivity can be increased either by increasing the proof mass or decreasing the spring stiffness, neither of which is desirable for planetary applications. Our approach has been to use an ultra sensitive capacitive position sensor with a sensitivity of better than 10(exp -13) m/Hz(exp 1/2). This allows the use of a stiffer suspension and a smaller proof mass. We have built several prototypes using these principles, and tests show that these devices can exhibit performance comparable to state-of-the-art instruments.

Materials Development for Auxiliary Components for Large Compact Mo/Au TES Arrays

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Finkbeiner, F. m.; Chervenak, J. A.; Bandler, S. R.; Brekosky, R.; Brown, A. D.; Figueroa-Feliciano, E.; Iyomoto, N.; Kelley, R. L.; Kilbourne, C. A.; Porter, F. S.;

Optimization of geometric characteristics to improve sensing performance of MEMS piezoresistive strain sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mohammed, Ahmed A. S.; Moussa, Walied A.; Lou, Edmond

2010-01-01

In this paper, the design of MEMS piezoresistive strain sensor is described. ANSYS®, finite element analysis (FEA) software, was used as a tool to model the performance of the silicon-based sensor. The incorporation of stress concentration regions (SCRs), to localize stresses, was explored in detail. This methodology employs the structural design of the sensor silicon carrier. Therefore, the induced strain in the sensing chip yielded stress concentration in the vicinity of the SCRs. Hence, this concept was proved to enhance the sensor sensitivity. Another advantage of the SCRs is to reduce the sensor transverse gauge factor, which offered a great opportunity to develop a MEMS sensor with minimal cross sensitivity. Two basic SCR designs were studied. The depth of the SCRs was also investigated. Moreover, FEA simulation is utilized to investigate the effect of the sensing element depth on the sensor sensitivity. Simulation results showed that the sensor sensitivity is independent of the piezoresistors' depth. The microfabrication process flow was introduced to prototype the different sensor designs. The experiments covered operating temperature range from -50 °C to +50 °C. Finally, packaging scheme and bonding adhesive selection were discussed. The experimental results showed good agreement with the FEA simulation results. The findings of this study confirmed the feasibility of introducing SCRs in the sensor silicon carrier to improve the sensor sensitivity while using relatively high doping levels (5 × 1019 atoms cm-3). The fabricated sensors have a gauge factor about three to four times higher compared to conventional thin-foil strain gauges.

Silicon Carbide Emitter Turn-Off Thyristor

DOE PAGES

Wang, Jun; Wang, Gangyao; Li, Jun; ...

2008-01-01

A novel MOS-conmore » trolled SiC thyristor device, the SiC emitter turn-off thyristor (ETO) is a promising technology for future high-voltage switching applications because it integrates the excellent current conduction capability of a SiC thyristor with a simple MOS-control interface. Through unity-gain turn-off, the SiC ETO also achieves excellent Safe Operation Area (SOA) and faster switching speeds than silicon ETOs. The world's first 4.5-kV SiC ETO prototype shows a forward voltage drop of 4.26 V at 26.5  A / cm 2 current density at room and elevated temperatures. Tested in an inductive circuit with a 2.5 kV DC link voltage and a 9.56-A load current, the SiC ETO shows a fast turn-off time of 1.63 microseconds and a low 9.88 mJ turn-off energy. The low switching loss indicates that the SiC ETO could operate at about 4 kHz if 100  W / cm 2 conduction and the 100  W / cm 2 turn-off losses can be removed by the thermal management system. This frequency capability is about 4 times higher than 4.5-kV-class silicon power devices. The preliminary demonstration shows that the SiC ETO is a promising candidate for high-frequency, high-voltage power conversion applications, and additional developments to optimize the device for higher voltage (>5 kV) and higher frequency (10 kHz) are needed.« less

Active pixel sensor array as a detector for electron microscopy.

PubMed

Milazzo, Anna-Clare; Leblanc, Philippe; Duttweiler, Fred; Jin, Liang; Bouwer, James C; Peltier, Steve; Ellisman, Mark; Bieser, Fred; Matis, Howard S; Wieman, Howard; Denes, Peter; Kleinfelder, Stuart; Xuong, Nguyen-Huu

2005-09-01

A new high-resolution recording device for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) is urgently needed. Neither film nor CCD cameras are systems that allow for efficient 3-D high-resolution particle reconstruction. We tested an active pixel sensor (APS) array as a replacement device at 200, 300, and 400 keV using a JEOL JEM-2000 FX II and a JEM-4000 EX electron microscope. For this experiment, we used an APS prototype with an area of 64 x 64 pixels of 20 microm x 20 microm pixel pitch. Single-electron events were measured by using very low beam intensity. The histogram of the incident electron energy deposited in the sensor shows a Landau distribution at low energies, as well as unexpected events at higher absorbed energies. After careful study, we concluded that backscattering in the silicon substrate and re-entering the sensitive epitaxial layer a second time with much lower speed caused the unexpected events. Exhaustive simulation experiments confirmed the existence of these back-scattered electrons. For the APS to be usable, the back-scattered electron events must be eliminated, perhaps by thinning the substrate to less than 30 microm. By using experimental data taken with an APS chip with a standard silicon substrate (300 microm) and adjusting the results to take into account the effect of a thinned silicon substrate (30 microm), we found an estimate of the signal-to-noise ratio for a back-thinned detector in the energy range of 200-400 keV was about 10:1 and an estimate for the spatial resolution was about 10 microm.

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

Atmaram, G.H.; Ventre, G.G.; Maytrott, C.W.

This study evaluates the long-term effects of outdoor exposure and high voltage operation on the performance and reliability of flat-plate crystalline silicon photovoltaic modules. The photovoltaic modules selected for this study were employed in the arrays of grid-connected residential photovoltaic prototype systems for over ten years at the Southeast Regional Experiment Station (SE RES) in Cape Canaveral, Florida. The modules included Mobil Ra-180 EFG ribbon silicon modules, Photowatt MU-7061 and ARCO 16-2000 single-crystal silicon modules with round cells. The Mobil and Photowatt modules were Block 5 generation, while the ARCO modules were Block 4 generation type. In all three typesmore » of photovoltaic modules (Mobil, Photowatt and ARCO), no significant power loss occurred over more than ten years of outdoor operation in the warm, humid and ocean-salt environments of coastal Florida. However, the wet insulation resistance values of a majority of the modules in all three types were lower than the values recommended in IEEE Standard 1262. This indicates potential future safety, reliability and lifetime related problems. The visual defects were more pronounced in the ARCO modules, which were manufactured in 1980 than in the Mobil and Photowatt modules, both of which were fabricated in 1983. The ARCO modules showed significant damage to the back surface tedlar in the form of tearing of the tedlar. All of the Mobil and most of the ARCO modules showed significant browning of the encapsulant, while only about half of the Photowatt modules showed significant encapsulant browning. The encapsulant discoloration generally did not appear to have any effect on the modules` power generation.« less

Comparison of Efficacy, Embolism Rate and Safety of Thrombectomy with Stent Retrievers in an Anterior Circulation Stroke Model.

PubMed

Larsen, Naomi; Oberbeck, Katharina; Lima de Miranda, Rodrigo; Trentmann, Jens; Madjidyar, Jawid; Quandt, Eckhard; Jansen, Olav

2018-06-18

 Various stent retrievers differing in stent design and mechanical properties are currently available for the treatment of ischemic stroke. We conducted this in vitro study to compare the efficacy, embolism rate, and safety of commercially available stent retrievers and prototypes.  Whole blood thrombi were produced in a Chandler loop. The thrombi were inserted into the curved M1 segment of a silicone model of the anterior cerebral circulation. Thrombectomy maneuvers were performed with six commercially available stent retrievers and 2 prototypes with different strut thickness. Wall-stent apposition, first pass recanalization rate, retraction force, and embolism rate were compared.  Devices with complete wall-stent apposition had the highest first pass recanalization rate and lowest embolism rate, but showed the highest retraction force. The prototype with thinner struts had a comparable recanalization and embolism rate, while a lower retraction force had to be applied compared to the prototype with thicker struts.  Complete wall-stent apposition facilitates a higher recanalization rate and lower embolism rate but also correlates to a higher necessary retraction force and thus possibly higher risk of endothelium damage. Stent modifications leading to a reduced retraction force do not compromise efficacy and embolism rate.   · Complete wall-stent apposition facilitates an effective thrombectomy. · Complete wall-stent apposition leads to higher retraction force and possibly greater endothelium damage. · Modifications of strut thickness do not compromise recanalization and embolism rate. · Thinner struts correlate with a lower retraction force. · Larsen N, Oberbeck K, Lima de Miranda R et al. Comparison of Efficacy, Embolism Rate and Safety of Thrombectomy with Stent Retrievers in an Anterior Circulation Stroke Model. Fortschr Röntgenstr 2018; DOI: 10.1055/a-0631-4118. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

The Si/CdTe semiconductor Compton camera of the ASTRO-H Soft Gamma-ray Detector (SGD)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Shin; Tajima, Hiroyasu; Fukazawa, Yasushi; Ichinohe, Yuto; Takeda, Shin`ichiro; Enoto, Teruaki; Fukuyama, Taro; Furui, Shunya; Genba, Kei; Hagino, Kouichi; Harayama, Atsushi; Kuroda, Yoshikatsu; Matsuura, Daisuke; Nakamura, Ryo; Nakazawa, Kazuhiro; Noda, Hirofumi; Odaka, Hirokazu; Ohta, Masayuki; Onishi, Mitsunobu; Saito, Shinya; Sato, Goro; Sato, Tamotsu; Takahashi, Tadayuki; Tanaka, Takaaki; Togo, Atsushi; Tomizuka, Shinji

2014-11-01

The Soft Gamma-ray Detector (SGD) is one of the instrument payloads onboard ASTRO-H, and will cover a wide energy band (60-600 keV) at a background level 10 times better than instruments currently in orbit. The SGD achieves low background by combining a Compton camera scheme with a narrow field-of-view active shield. The Compton camera in the SGD is realized as a hybrid semiconductor detector system which consists of silicon and cadmium telluride (CdTe) sensors. The design of the SGD Compton camera has been finalized and the final prototype, which has the same configuration as the flight model, has been fabricated for performance evaluation. The Compton camera has overall dimensions of 12 cm×12 cm×12 cm, consisting of 32 layers of Si pixel sensors and 8 layers of CdTe pixel sensors surrounded by 2 layers of CdTe pixel sensors. The detection efficiency of the Compton camera reaches about 15% and 3% for 100 keV and 511 keV gamma rays, respectively. The pixel pitch of the Si and CdTe sensors is 3.2 mm, and the signals from all 13,312 pixels are processed by 208 ASICs developed for the SGD. Good energy resolution is afforded by semiconductor sensors and low noise ASICs, and the obtained energy resolutions with the prototype Si and CdTe pixel sensors are 1.0-2.0 keV (FWHM) at 60 keV and 1.6-2.5 keV (FWHM) at 122 keV, respectively. This results in good background rejection capability due to better constraints on Compton kinematics. Compton camera energy resolutions achieved with the final prototype are 6.3 keV (FWHM) at 356 keV and 10.5 keV (FWHM) at 662 keV, which satisfy the instrument requirements for the SGD Compton camera (better than 2%). Moreover, a low intrinsic background has been confirmed by the background measurement with the final prototype.

Prototyping of MWIR MEMS-based optical filter combined with HgCdTe detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kozak, Dmitry A.; Fernandez, Bautista; Velicu, Silviu; Kubby, Joel

2010-02-01

In the past decades, there have been several attempts to create a tunable optical detector with operation in the infrared. The drive for creating such a filter is its wide range of applications, from passive night vision to biological and chemical sensors. Such a device would combine a tunable optical filter with a wide-range detector. In this work, we propose using a Fabry-Perot interferometer centered in the mid-wave infrared (MWIR) spectrum with an HgCdTe detector. Using a MEMS-based interferometer with an integrated Bragg stack will allow in-plane operation over a wide range. Because such devices have a tendency to warp, creating less-than-perfect optical surfaces, the Fabry-Perot interferometer is prototyped using the SOI-MUMPS process to ensure desirable operation. The mechanical design is aimed at optimal optical flatness of the moving membranes and a low operating voltage. The prototype is tested for these requirements. An HgCdTe detector provides greater performance than a pyroelectic detector used in some previous work, allowing for lower noise, greater detection speed and higher sensitivity. Both a custom HgCdTe detector and commercially available pyroelectric detector are tested with commercial optical filter. In previous work, monolithic integration of HgCdTe detectors with optical filters proved to be problematic. Part of this work investigates the best approach to combining these two components, either monolithically in HgCdTe or using a hybrid packaging approach where a silicon MEMS Fabry-Perot filter is bonded at low temperature to a HgCdTe detector.

Software platform for simulation of a prototype proton CT scanner.

PubMed

Giacometti, Valentina; Bashkirov, Vladimir A; Piersimoni, Pierluigi; Guatelli, Susanna; Plautz, Tia E; Sadrozinski, Hartmut F-W; Johnson, Robert P; Zatserklyaniy, Andriy; Tessonnier, Thomas; Parodi, Katia; Rosenfeld, Anatoly B; Schulte, Reinhard W

2017-03-01

Proton computed tomography (pCT) is a promising imaging technique to substitute or at least complement x-ray CT for more accurate proton therapy treatment planning as it allows calculating directly proton relative stopping power from proton energy loss measurements. A proton CT scanner with a silicon-based particle tracking system and a five-stage scintillating energy detector has been completed. In parallel a modular software platform was developed to characterize the performance of the proposed pCT. The modular pCT software platform consists of (1) a Geant4-based simulation modeling the Loma Linda proton therapy beam line and the prototype proton CT scanner, (2) water equivalent path length (WEPL) calibration of the scintillating energy detector, and (3) image reconstruction algorithm for the reconstruction of the relative stopping power (RSP) of the scanned object. In this work, each component of the modular pCT software platform is described and validated with respect to experimental data and benchmarked against theoretical predictions. In particular, the RSP reconstruction was validated with both experimental scans, water column measurements, and theoretical calculations. The results show that the pCT software platform accurately reproduces the performance of the existing prototype pCT scanner with a RSP agreement between experimental and simulated values to better than 1.5%. The validated platform is a versatile tool for clinical proton CT performance and application studies in a virtual setting. The platform is flexible and can be modified to simulate not yet existing versions of pCT scanners and higher proton energies than those currently clinically available. © 2017 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.

Controlled waveguide coupling for photon emission from colloidal PbS quantum dot using tunable microcavity made of optical polymer and silicon

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nozaka, Takahiro; Mukai, Kohki

2016-04-01

A tunable microcavity device composed of optical polymer and Si with a colloidal quantum dot (QD) is proposed as a single-photon source for planar optical circuit. Cavity size is controlled by electrostatic micromachine behavior with the air bridge structure to tune timing of photon injection into optical waveguide from QD. Three-dimensional positioning of a QD in the cavity structure is available using a nanohole on Si processed by scanning probe microscope lithography. We fabricated the prototype microcavity with PbS-QD-mixed polymenthyl methacrylate on a SOI (semiconductor-on-insulator) substrate to show the tunability of cavity size as the shift of emission peak wavelength of QD ensemble.

The Whitfield Solar CPV Collector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bentley, Roger; Anstey, Ben; Callear, Jason; Chonavel, Sylvain; Clark, Ian; Collins, Ian; Ramallo, Alfonso; Scanlon, Hamilton; Weatherby, Clive

2010-10-01

Whitfield Solar is now in production with a point-focus Fresnel lens 70x PV concentrator that uses LGBC silicon cells. The design builds on initial research carried out under a number of EU-funded R&D projects. Each collector has twenty-four V-troughs 1.2 m long by 110 mm wide by 110 mm deep, and each trough carries 12 cells. Tracking is closed-loop, in a 2-axis tilt & roll system. Initial prototypes were installed in Spain in 2006, and subsequent production-version collectors have been on-sun since September 2008. In-field normalised d.c. system efficiency is 13.5%. Volume-manufactured sales price—including support frame and mark-up—is €2.40/Wp,dc, with scope for further significant cost reduction identified.

Electro-optical characterization of SiPM: A comparative study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dinu, N.; Amara, Z.; Bazin, C.; Chaumat, V.; Cheikali, C.; Guilhem, G.; Puill, V.; Sylvia, C.; Vagnucci, J. F.

2009-10-01

This work reports on the development of an electro-optical set-up for the characterization of the Silicon PhotoMultiplier (SiPM) devices as well as on the comparative study of the characteristics of different SiPM prototypes. The electrical set-up allows the measurement of the static (breakdown voltage, overvoltage quenching resistance) and dynamic (gain, dark count rate) characteristics. The optical set-up allows the estimation of the photon detection efficiency as a function of the wavelength and the operation voltage. The comparative study has been performed on SiPM devices covering an area of 1×1 mm 2 and supplied during 2007 by Photonique S.A. (Switzerland), FBK-irst (Italy), SensL (Ireland) and Hamamatsu (Japan).

Projective geometry for the NICA/MPD Electromagnetic Calorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Basylev, S.; Dabrowska, B.; Egorov, D.; Filippov, I.; Golovatyuk, V.; Krechetov, Yu.; Shutov, A.; Shutov, V.; Terletskiy, A.; Tyapkin, I.

2018-02-01

A Multi Purpose Detector (MPD) is being constructed for the Heavy-Ion Collider at Dubna (NICA). One of the important components of MPD setup is an Electromagnetic Calorimeter, which will operate in the magnetic field of MPD solenoid 0.5 T and provide good energy and space resolution to detect particles in the energy range from ~20 MeV to few GeV . For this purpose the, so-called, "shashlyk" sampling structure with the fiber readout to the silicon Multi Pixel Avalanche Photodetector is used. Serious modifications in comparison to conventional "shaslyk" calorimeter are proposed to improve the properties of device. These modifications are presented in the report along with the beam test results obtained with the MPD/NICA module prototypes.

Design and Analyses of a MEMS Based Resonant Magnetometer

PubMed Central

Ren, Dahai; Wu, Lingqi; Yan, Meizhi; Cui, Mingyang; You, Zheng; Hu, Muzhi

2009-01-01

A novel design of a MEMS torsional resonant magnetometer based on Lorentz force is presented and fabricated. The magnetometer consists of a silicon resonator, torsional beam, excitation coil, capacitance plates and glass substrate. Working in a resonant condition, the sensor’s vibration amplitude is converted into the sensing capacitance change, which reflects the outside magnetic flux-density. Based on the simulation, the key structure parameters are optimized and the air damping effect is estimated. The test results of the prototype are in accordance with the simulation results of the designed model. The resolution of the magnetometer can reach 30 nT. The test results indicate its sensitivity of more than 400 mV/μT when operating in a 10 Pa vacuum environment. PMID:22399981

Preparation for B4C/Mo2C multilayer deposition of alternate multilayer gratings with high efficiency in the 0.5-2.5 keV energy range

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Choueikani, Fadi; Delmotte, Franck; Bridou, Françoise; Lagarde, Bruno; Mercere, Pascal; Otero, Edwige; Ohresser, Philippe; Polack, François

2013-03-01

This paper presents a study of B4C/Mo2C multilayers mirrors with the aim of using it in the achievement of Alternate MultiLayer (AML) grating. Such component allows a high efficiency in the 500-2500 eV energy range for the DEIMOS beamline. Multilayers were deposited on silicon substrate. They are characterized by reflectometry under grazing incidence. Numerical adjustments were performed with a model of two layers in the period without any interfacial. A prototype of AML grating was fabricated and characterized. The efficiency of the first order of diffraction was worth 15% at 1700 eV.

Designing a Modern Low Cost Muon Detector to Teach Nuclear Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Press, Carly; Kotler, Julia

2016-09-01

In an effort to make it possible for small institutions to train students in nuclear physics, an attempt is made to design a low cost cosmic ray muon detector (perhaps under 600 dollars) capable of measuring flux vs. solid angle and muon lifetime. In order to expose students to current particle detection technologies, silicon photomultipliers will be coupled with plastic scintillator to provide the signals, and an Arduino, Raspberry Pi, or National Instruments device will interface with the detector. Once designed and built, prototypes of the detector will be used in outreach to K-12 students in the Allentown, PA area. This material is based upon work supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. 1507841.

R&D of a pioneering system for a high resolution photodetector: The VSiPMT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Barbato, F. C. T.; Barbarino, G.; Campajola, L.; Di Capua, F.; Mollo, C. M.; Valentini, A.; Vivolo, D.

2017-12-01

The VSiPMT (Vacuum Silicon PhotoMultiplier Tube) is an innovative design for a hybrid photodetector. The idea, born with the purpose to use a SiPM for large detection volumes, consists in replacing the classical dynode chain with a special SiPM. In this configuration, we match the large sensitive area of a photocathode with the performances of the SiPM technology, which therefore acts like an electron detector and so like a current amplifier. The excellent photon counting capability, fast response, low power consumption and the stability are among the most attractive features of the VSiPMT.We now present the progress on the realization of a 1-in. prototype and the preliminary tests we are performing on it.

Application of the fractional Fourier transform to the design of LCOS based optical interconnects and fiber switches.

PubMed

Robertson, Brian; Zhang, Zichen; Yang, Haining; Redmond, Maura M; Collings, Neil; Liu, Jinsong; Lin, Ruisheng; Jeziorska-Chapman, Anna M; Moore, John R; Crossland, William A; Chu, D P

2012-04-20

It is shown that reflective liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) spatial light modulator (SLM) based interconnects or fiber switches that use defocus to reduce crosstalk can be evaluated and optimized using a fractional Fourier transform if certain optical symmetry conditions are met. Theoretically the maximum allowable linear hologram phase error compared to a Fourier switch is increased by a factor of six before the target crosstalk for telecom applications of -40 dB is exceeded. A Gerchberg-Saxton algorithm incorporating a fractional Fourier transform modified for use with a reflective LCOS SLM is used to optimize multi-casting holograms in a prototype telecom switch. Experiments are in close agreement to predicted performance.

Cameras for semiconductor process control

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Porter, W. A.; Parker, D. L.

1977-01-01

The application of X-ray topography to semiconductor process control is described, considering the novel features of the high speed camera and the difficulties associated with this technique. The most significant results on the effects of material defects on device performance are presented, including results obtained using wafers processed entirely within this institute. Defects were identified using the X-ray camera and correlations made with probe data. Also included are temperature dependent effects of material defects. Recent applications and improvements of X-ray topographs of silicon-on-sapphire and gallium arsenide are presented with a description of a real time TV system prototype and of the most recent vacuum chuck design. Discussion is included of our promotion of the use of the camera by various semiconductor manufacturers.

The GSFC Mark-2 three band hand-held radiometer. [thematic mapper for ground truth data collection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, C. J.; Jones, W. H.; Kley, W. A.; Sundstrom, G. J.

1980-01-01

A self-contained, portable, hand-radiometer designed for field usage was constructed and tested. The device, consisting of a hand-held probe containing three sensors and a strap supported electronic module, weighs 4 1/2 kilograms. It is powered by flashlight and transistor radio batteries, utilizes two silicon and one lead sulfide detectors, has three liquid crystal displays, sample and hold radiometric sampling, and its spectral configuration corresponds to LANDSAT-D's thematic mapper bands. The device was designed to support thematic mapper ground-truth data collection efforts and to facilitate 'in situ' ground-based remote sensing studies of natural materials. Prototype instruments were extensively tested under laboratory and field conditions with excellent results.

Integrated nanoscale tools for interrogating living cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jorgolli, Marsela

The development of next-generation, nanoscale technologies that interface biological systems will pave the way towards new understanding of such complex systems. Nanowires -- one-dimensional nanoscale structures -- have shown unique potential as an ideal physical interface to biological systems. Herein, we focus on the development of nanowire-based devices that can enable a wide variety of biological studies. First, we built upon standard nanofabrication techniques to optimize nanowire devices, resulting in perfectly ordered arrays of both opaque (Silicon) and transparent (Silicon dioxide) nanowires with user defined structural profile, densities, and overall patterns, as well as high sample consistency and large scale production. The high-precision and well-controlled fabrication method in conjunction with additional technologies laid the foundation for the generation of highly specialized platforms for imaging, electrochemical interrogation, and molecular biology. Next, we utilized nanowires as the fundamental structure in the development of integrated nanoelectronic platforms to directly interrogate the electrical activity of biological systems. Initially, we generated a scalable intracellular electrode platform based on vertical nanowires that allows for parallel electrical interfacing to multiple mammalian neurons. Our prototype device consisted of 16 individually addressable stimulation/recording sites, each containing an array of 9 electrically active silicon nanowires. We showed that these vertical nanowire electrode arrays could intracellularly record and stimulate neuronal activity in dissociated cultures of rat cortical neurons similar to patch clamp electrodes. In addition, we used our intracellular electrode platform to measure multiple individual synaptic connections, which enables the reconstruction of the functional connectivity maps of neuronal circuits. In order to expand and improve the capability of this functional prototype device we designed and fabricated a new hybrid chip that combines a front-side nanowire-based interface for neuronal recording with backside complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) circuits for on-chip multiplexing, voltage control for stimulation, signal amplification, and signal processing. Individual chips contain 1024 stimulation/recording sites enabling large-scale interfacing of neuronal networks with single cell resolution. Through electrical and electrochemical characterization of the devices, we demonstrated their enhanced functionality at a massively parallel scale. In our initial cell experiments, we achieved intracellular stimulations and recordings of changes in the membrane potential in a variety of cells including: HEK293T, cardiomyocytes, and rat cortical neurons. This demonstrated the device capability for single-cell-resolution recording/stimulation which when extended to a large number of neurons in a massively parallel fashion will enable the functional mapping of a complex neuronal network.

Active pixel imagers incorporating pixel-level amplifiers based on polycrystalline-silicon thin-film transistors

PubMed Central

El-Mohri, Youcef; Antonuk, Larry E.; Koniczek, Martin; Zhao, Qihua; Li, Yixin; Street, Robert A.; Lu, Jeng-Ping

2009-01-01

Active matrix, flat-panel imagers (AMFPIs) employing a 2D matrix of a-Si addressing TFTs have become ubiquitous in many x-ray imaging applications due to their numerous advantages. However, under conditions of low exposures and∕or high spatial resolution, their signal-to-noise performance is constrained by the modest system gain relative to the electronic additive noise. In this article, a strategy for overcoming this limitation through the incorporation of in-pixel amplification circuits, referred to as active pixel (AP) architectures, using polycrystalline-silicon (poly-Si) TFTs is reported. Compared to a-Si, poly-Si offers substantially higher mobilities, enabling higher TFT currents and the possibility of sophisticated AP designs based on both n- and p-channel TFTs. Three prototype indirect detection arrays employing poly-Si TFTs and a continuous a-Si photodiode structure were characterized. The prototypes consist of an array (PSI-1) that employs a pixel architecture with a single TFT, as well as two arrays (PSI-2 and PSI-3) that employ AP architectures based on three and five TFTs, respectively. While PSI-1 serves as a reference with a design similar to that of conventional AMFPI arrays, PSI-2 and PSI-3 incorporate additional in-pixel amplification circuitry. Compared to PSI-1, results of x-ray sensitivity demonstrate signal gains of ∼10.7 and 20.9 for PSI-2 and PSI-3, respectively. These values are in reasonable agreement with design expectations, demonstrating that poly-Si AP circuits can be tailored to provide a desired level of signal gain. PSI-2 exhibits the same high levels of charge trapping as those observed for PSI-1 and other conventional arrays employing a continuous photodiode structure. For PSI-3, charge trapping was found to be significantly lower and largely independent of the bias voltage applied across the photodiode. MTF results indicate that the use of a continuous photodiode structure in PSI-1, PSI-2, and PSI-3 results in optical fill factors that are close to unity. In addition, the greater complexity of PSI-2 and PSI-3 pixel circuits, compared to that of PSI-1, has no observable effect on spatial resolution. Both PSI-2 and PSI-3 exhibit high levels of additive noise, resulting in no net improvement in the signal-to-noise performance of these early prototypes compared to conventional AMFPIs. However, faster readout rates, coupled with implementation of multiple sampling protocols allowed by the nondestructive nature of pixel readout, resulted in a significantly lower noise level of ∼560 e (rms) for PSI-3. PMID:19673229

Active pixel imagers incorporating pixel-level amplifiers based on polycrystalline-silicon thin-film transistors.

PubMed

El-Mohri, Youcef; Antonuk, Larry E; Koniczek, Martin; Zhao, Qihua; Li, Yixin; Street, Robert A; Lu, Jeng-Ping

2009-07-01

Active matrix, flat-panel imagers (AMFPIs) employing a 2D matrix of a-Si addressing TFTs have become ubiquitous in many x-ray imaging applications due to their numerous advantages. However, under conditions of low exposures and/or high spatial resolution, their signal-to-noise performance is constrained by the modest system gain relative to the electronic additive noise. In this article, a strategy for overcoming this limitation through the incorporation of in-pixel amplification circuits, referred to as active pixel (AP) architectures, using polycrystalline-silicon (poly-Si) TFTs is reported. Compared to a-Si, poly-Si offers substantially higher mobilities, enabling higher TFT currents and the possibility of sophisticated AP designs based on both n- and p-channel TFTs. Three prototype indirect detection arrays employing poly-Si TFTs and a continuous a-Si photodiode structure were characterized. The prototypes consist of an array (PSI-1) that employs a pixel architecture with a single TFT, as well as two arrays (PSI-2 and PSI-3) that employ AP architectures based on three and five TFTs, respectively. While PSI-1 serves as a reference with a design similar to that of conventional AMFPI arrays, PSI-2 and PSI-3 incorporate additional in-pixel amplification circuitry. Compared to PSI-1, results of x-ray sensitivity demonstrate signal gains of approximately 10.7 and 20.9 for PSI-2 and PSI-3, respectively. These values are in reasonable agreement with design expectations, demonstrating that poly-Si AP circuits can be tailored to provide a desired level of signal gain. PSI-2 exhibits the same high levels of charge trapping as those observed for PSI-1 and other conventional arrays employing a continuous photodiode structure. For PSI-3, charge trapping was found to be significantly lower and largely independent of the bias voltage applied across the photodiode. MTF results indicate that the use of a continuous photodiode structure in PSI-1, PSI-2, and PSI-3 results in optical fill factors that are close to unity. In addition, the greater complexity of PSI-2 and PSI-3 pixel circuits, compared to that of PSI-1, has no observable effect on spatial resolution. Both PSI-2 and PSI-3 exhibit high levels of additive noise, resulting in no net improvement in the signal-to-noise performance of these early prototypes compared to conventional AMFPIs. However, faster readout rates, coupled with implementation of multiple sampling protocols allowed by the nondestructive nature of pixel readout, resulted in a significantly lower noise level of approximately 560 e (rms) for PSI-3.

Monte Carlo simulation of the dose response of a novel 2D silicon diode array for use in hybrid MRI-LINAC systems.

PubMed

Gargett, Maegan; Oborn, Brad; Metcalfe, Peter; Rosenfeld, Anatoly

2015-02-01

MRI-guided radiation therapy systems (MRIgRT) are being developed to improve online imaging during treatment delivery. At present, the operation of single point dosimeters and an ionization chamber array have been characterized in such systems. This work investigates a novel 2D diode array, named "magic plate," for both single point calibration and 2D positional performance, the latter being a key element of modern radiotherapy techniques that will be delivered by these systems. geant4 Monte Carlo methods have been employed to study the dose response of a silicon diode array to 6 MV photon beams, in the presence of in-line and perpendicularly aligned uniform magnetic fields. The array consists of 121 silicon diodes (dimensions 1.5 × 1.5 × 0.38 mm(3)) embedded in kapton substrate with 1 cm pitch, spanning a 10 × 10 cm(2) area in total. A geometrically identical, water equivalent volume was simulated concurrently for comparison. The dose response of the silicon diode array was assessed for various photon beam field shapes and sizes, including an IMRT field, at 1 T. The dose response was further investigated at larger magnetic field strengths (1.5 and 3 T) for a 4 × 4 cm(2) photon field size. The magic plate diode array shows excellent correspondence (< ± 1%) to water dose in the in-line orientation, for all beam arrangements and magnetic field strengths investigated. The perpendicular orientation, however, exhibits a dose shift with respect to water at the high-dose-gradient beam edge of jaw-defined fields [maximum (4.3 ± 0.8)% over-response, maximum (1.8 ± 0.8)% under-response on opposing side for 1 T, uncertainty 1σ]. The trend is not evident in areas with in-field dose gradients typical of IMRT dose maps. A novel 121 pixel silicon diode array detector has been characterized by Monte Carlo simulation for its performance inside magnetic fields representative of current prototype and proposed MRI-linear accelerator systems. In the in-line orientation, the silicon dose is directly proportional to the water dose. In the perpendicular orientation, there is a shift in dose response relative to water in the highest dose gradient regions, at the edge of jaw-defined and single-segment MLC fields. The trend was not observed in-field for an IMRT beam. The array is expected to be a valuable tool in MRIgRT dosimetry.

Monte Carlo simulation of the dose response of a novel 2D silicon diode array for use in hybrid MRI–LINAC systems

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

Gargett, Maegan, E-mail: mg406@uowmail.edu.au; Rosenfeld, Anatoly; Oborn, Brad

2015-02-15

Purpose: MRI-guided radiation therapy systems (MRIgRT) are being developed to improve online imaging during treatment delivery. At present, the operation of single point dosimeters and an ionization chamber array have been characterized in such systems. This work investigates a novel 2D diode array, named “magic plate,” for both single point calibration and 2D positional performance, the latter being a key element of modern radiotherapy techniques that will be delivered by these systems. Methods: GEANT4 Monte Carlo methods have been employed to study the dose response of a silicon diode array to 6 MV photon beams, in the presence of in-linemore » and perpendicularly aligned uniform magnetic fields. The array consists of 121 silicon diodes (dimensions 1.5 × 1.5 × 0.38 mm{sup 3}) embedded in kapton substrate with 1 cm pitch, spanning a 10 × 10 cm{sup 2} area in total. A geometrically identical, water equivalent volume was simulated concurrently for comparison. The dose response of the silicon diode array was assessed for various photon beam field shapes and sizes, including an IMRT field, at 1 T. The dose response was further investigated at larger magnetic field strengths (1.5 and 3 T) for a 4 × 4 cm{sup 2} photon field size. Results: The magic plate diode array shows excellent correspondence (< ± 1%) to water dose in the in-line orientation, for all beam arrangements and magnetic field strengths investigated. The perpendicular orientation, however, exhibits a dose shift with respect to water at the high-dose-gradient beam edge of jaw-defined fields [maximum (4.3 ± 0.8)% over-response, maximum (1.8 ± 0.8)% under-response on opposing side for 1 T, uncertainty 1σ]. The trend is not evident in areas with in-field dose gradients typical of IMRT dose maps. Conclusions: A novel 121 pixel silicon diode array detector has been characterized by Monte Carlo simulation for its performance inside magnetic fields representative of current prototype and proposed MRI–linear accelerator systems. In the in-line orientation, the silicon dose is directly proportional to the water dose. In the perpendicular orientation, there is a shift in dose response relative to water in the highest dose gradient regions, at the edge of jaw-defined and single-segment MLC fields. The trend was not observed in-field for an IMRT beam. The array is expected to be a valuable tool in MRIgRT dosimetry.« less

Sample extraction and injection with a microscale preconcentrator.

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

Robinson, Alex Lockwood; Chan, Helena Kai Lun

2007-09-01

This report details the development of a microfabricated preconcentrator that functions as a fully integrated chemical extractor-injector for a microscale gas chromatograph (GC). The device enables parts-per-billion detection and quantitative analysis of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in indoor air with size and power advantages over macro-scale systems. The 44 mm{sup 3} preconcentrator extracts VOCs using highly adsorptive, granular forms of graphitized carbon black and carbon molecular sieves. The micron-sized silicon cavities have integrated heating and temperature sensing allowing low power, yet rapid heating to thermally desorb the collected VOCs (GC injection). The keys to device construction are a new adsorbent-solventmore » filling technique and solvent-tolerant wafer-level silicon-gold eutectic bonding technology. The product is the first granular adsorbent preconcentrator integrated at the wafer level. Other advantages include exhaustive VOC extraction and injection peak widths an order of magnitude narrower than predecessor prototypes. A mass transfer model, the first for any microscale preconcentrator, is developed to describe both adsorption and desorption behaviors. The physically intuitive model uses implicit and explicit finite differences to numerically solve the required partial differential equations. The model is applied to the adsorption and desorption of decane at various concentrations to extract Langmuir adsorption isotherm parameters from effluent curve measurements where properties are unknown a priori.« less

Micro-engineered remote palpation device for assessing tissue compliance.

PubMed

Hien, M; Yang, T H J; Leung, S K W; Reuben, R L; Habib, F K; McNeill, S A; Schneider, A; McBride, G; Stevens, R; Else, R W

2008-01-01

This paper concerns the operation of the actuator for a prototype micro-engineered mechanical palpation device for deployment via a cystoscope to measure the dynamic mechanical properties of the prostate gland in vivo. The subassembly consists of a 400x200 microm silicon (Si) piston manufactured using deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) housed within an anodically bonded glass-Si-glass sandwiched housing. The micro-channel on the Si layer was formed by powder blasting and contains the micro-piston with one end pointing to the side of the housing and the other facing a via hole leading to a capillary tube. The opening on the side of the housing was sealed by a 5 microm thick silicone membrane which acts to retain the micro-piston and act as a return spring. A 320 microm diameter capillary forms the connection between the micro-channel and a micro-syringe which is operated by a programmable syringe pump to produce a reciprocating action. A pressure sensor is connected along the capillary tube to measure the dynamic pressure within the system. The micro-piston has already been used, separately actuated to measure the dynamic mechanical properties of known viscoelastic materials and prostate tissue. The purpose of the present work is to assess the functionality of the actuator assembly.

Three-dimensional micro-electrode array for recording dissociated neuronal cultures.

PubMed

Musick, Katherine; Khatami, David; Wheeler, Bruce C

2009-07-21

This work demonstrates the design, fabrication, packaging, characterization, and functionality of an electrically and fluidically active three-dimensional micro-electrode array (3D MEA) for use with neuronal cell cultures. The successful function of the device implies that this basic concept-construction of a 3D array with a layered approach-can be utilized as the basis for a new family of neural electrode arrays. The 3D MEA prototype consists of a stack of individually patterned thin films that form a cell chamber conducive to maintaining and recording the electrical activity of a long-term three-dimensional network of rat cortical neurons. Silicon electrode layers contain a polymer grid for neural branching, growth, and network formation. Along the walls of these electrode layers lie exposed gold electrodes which permit recording and stimulation of the neuronal electrical activity. Silicone elastomer micro-fluidic layers provide a means for loading dissociated neurons into the structure and serve as the artificial vasculature for nutrient supply and aeration. The fluidic layers also serve as insulation for the micro-electrodes. Cells have been shown to survive in the 3D MEA for up to 28 days, with spontaneous and evoked electrical recordings performed in that time. The micro-fluidic capability was demonstrated by flowing in the drug tetrotodoxin to influence the activity of the culture.

A thermal microprobe fabricated with wafer-stage processing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Yongxia; Zhang, Yanwei; Blaser, Juliana; Sriram, T. S.; Enver, Ahsan; Marcus, R. B.

1998-05-01

A thermal microprobe has been designed and built for high resolution temperature sensing. The thermal sensor is a thin-film thermocouple junction at the tip of an atomic force microprobe (AFM) silicon probe needle. Only wafer-stage processing steps are used for the fabrication. For high resolution temperature sensing it is essential that the junction be confined to a short distance at the AFM tip. This confinement is achieved by a controlled photoresist coating process. Experiment prototypes have been made with an Au/Pd junction confined to within 0.5 μm of the tip, with the two metals separated elsewhere by a thin insulating oxide layer. Processing begins with double-polished, n-type, 4 in. diameter, 300-μm-thick silicon wafers. Atomically sharp probe tips are formed by a combination of dry and wet chemical etching, and oxidation sharpening. The metal layers are sputtering deposited and the cantilevers are released by a combination of KOH and dry etching. A resistively heated calibration device was made for temperature calibration of the thermal microprobe over the temperature range 25-110 °C. Over this range the thermal outputs of two microprobes are 4.5 and 5.6 μV/K and is linear. Thermal and topographical images are also obtained from a heated tungsten thin film fuse.

Testbeam results of irradiated ams H18 HV-CMOS pixel sensor prototypes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Benoit, M.; Braccini, S.; Casse, G.; Chen, H.; Chen, K.; Di Bello, F. A.; Ferrere, D.; Golling, T.; Gonzalez-Sevilla, S.; Iacobucci, G.; Kiehn, M.; Lanni, F.; Liu, H.; Meng, L.; Merlassino, C.; Miucci, A.; Muenstermann, D.; Nessi, M.; Okawa, H.; Perić, I.; Rimoldi, M.; Ristić, B.; Barrero Pinto, M. Vicente; Vossebeld, J.; Weber, M.; Weston, T.; Wu, W.; Xu, L.; Zaffaroni, E.

2018-02-01

HV-CMOS pixel sensors are a promising option for the tracker upgrade of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, as well as for other future tracking applications in which large areas are to be instrumented with radiation-tolerant silicon pixel sensors. We present results of testbeam characterisations of the 4th generation of Capacitively Coupled Pixel Detectors (CCPDv4) produced with the ams H18 HV-CMOS process that have been irradiated with different particles (reactor neutrons and 18 MeV protons) to fluences between 1× 1014 and 5× 1015 1-MeV- neq. The sensors were glued to ATLAS FE-I4 pixel readout chips and measured at the CERN SPS H8 beamline using the FE-I4 beam telescope. Results for all fluences are very encouraging with all hit efficiencies being better than 97% for bias voltages of 85 V. The sample irradiated to a fluence of 1× 1015 neq—a relevant value for a large volume of the upgraded tracker—exhibited 99.7% average hit efficiency. The results give strong evidence for the radiation tolerance of HV-CMOS sensors and their suitability as sensors for the experimental HL-LHC upgrades and future large-area silicon-based tracking detectors in high-radiation environments.

Status and New Results for the sPHENIX Calorimeter Systems

DOE PAGES

Woody, C.

2017-11-27

Here, the PHENIX Experiment at RHIC is planning a major upgrade that involves building an entirely new spectrometer, sPHENIX, that is based around the former BaBar solenoid magnet which will enable a comprehensive study of jets and heavy quarkonia in relativistic heavy ion collisions. It will include two new calorimeter systems, one electromagnetic and one hadronic, that will cover an acceptance of ±1.1 units in pseudorapidity and 2π in azimuth. The hadronic calorimeter will be a steel plate scintillating tile design that is read out with wavelength shifting fibers and silicon photomultipliers. It will be divided into two sections: onemore » (the Inner HCAL) will be situated inside the magnet and the other (the Outer HCAL) will be outside the magnet. The electromagnetic calorimeter will be a SPACAL design consisting of a tungsten powder epoxy matrix absorber with embedded scintillating fibers which are also read out with silicon photomultipliers. The design of sPHENIX and its calorimeter systems has made considerable progress over the past several years and is described in this paper. Prototypes of all three calorimeters were built and tested in the test beam at Fermilab in April of 2016, and the first preliminary results from this test, along with a comparison to Monte Carlo simulations, are also discussed.« less

Status and New Results for the sPHENIX Calorimeter Systems

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

Woody, C.

Here, the PHENIX Experiment at RHIC is planning a major upgrade that involves building an entirely new spectrometer, sPHENIX, that is based around the former BaBar solenoid magnet which will enable a comprehensive study of jets and heavy quarkonia in relativistic heavy ion collisions. It will include two new calorimeter systems, one electromagnetic and one hadronic, that will cover an acceptance of ±1.1 units in pseudorapidity and 2π in azimuth. The hadronic calorimeter will be a steel plate scintillating tile design that is read out with wavelength shifting fibers and silicon photomultipliers. It will be divided into two sections: onemore » (the Inner HCAL) will be situated inside the magnet and the other (the Outer HCAL) will be outside the magnet. The electromagnetic calorimeter will be a SPACAL design consisting of a tungsten powder epoxy matrix absorber with embedded scintillating fibers which are also read out with silicon photomultipliers. The design of sPHENIX and its calorimeter systems has made considerable progress over the past several years and is described in this paper. Prototypes of all three calorimeters were built and tested in the test beam at Fermilab in April of 2016, and the first preliminary results from this test, along with a comparison to Monte Carlo simulations, are also discussed.« less

Fast multichannel astronomical photometer based on silicon photo multipliers mounted at the Telescopio Nazionale Galileo

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ambrosino, Filippo; Meddi, Franco; Rossi, Corinne; Sclavi, Silvia; Nesci, Roberto; Bruni, Ivan; Ghedina, Adriano; Riverol, Luis; Di Fabrizio, Luca

2014-07-01

The realization of low-cost instruments with high technical performance is a goal that deserves efforts in an epoch of fast technological developments. Such instruments can be easily reproduced and therefore allow new research programs to be opened in several observatories. We realized a fast optical photometer based on the SiPM (Silicon Photo Multiplier) technology, using commercially available modules. Using low-cost components, we developed a custom electronic chain to extract the signal produced by a commercial MPPC (Multi Pixel Photon Counter) module produced by Hamamatsu Photonics to obtain sub-millisecond sampling of the light curve of astronomical sources (typically pulsars). We built a compact mechanical interface to mount the MPPC at the focal plane of the TNG (Telescopio Nazionale Galileo), using the space available for the slits of the LRS (Low Resolution Spectrograph). On February 2014 we observed the Crab pulsar with the TNG with our prototype photometer, deriving its period and the shape of its light curve, in very good agreement with the results obtained in the past with other much more expensive instruments. After the successful run at the telescope we describe here the lessons learned and the ideas that burst to optimize this instrument and make it more versatile.

Full characterization of laser-accelerated ion beams using Faraday cup, silicon carbide, and single-crystal diamond detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Margarone, D.; Krása, J.; Giuffrida, L.; Picciotto, A.; Torrisi, L.; Nowak, T.; Musumeci, P.; Velyhan, A.; Prokůpek, J.; Láska, L.; Mocek, T.; Ullschmied, J.; Rus, B.

2011-05-01

Multi-MeV beams of light ions have been produced using the 300 picosecond, kJ-class iodine laser, operating at the Prague Asterix Laser System facility in Prague. Real-time ion diagnostics have been performed by the use of various time-of-flight (TOF) detectors: ion collectors (ICs) with and without absorber thin films, new prototypes of single-crystal diamond and silicon carbide detectors, and an electrostatic ion mass spectrometer (IEA). In order to suppress the long photopeak induced by soft X-rays and to avoid the overlap with the signal from ultrafast particles, the ICs have been shielded with Al foil filters. The application of large-bandgap semiconductor detectors (>3 eV) ensured cutting of the plasma-emitted visible and soft-UV radiation and enhancing the sensitivity to the very fast proton/ion beams. Employing the IEA spectrometer, various ion species and charge states in the expanding laser-plasma have been determined. Processing of the experimental data based on the TOF technique, including estimation of the plasma fast proton maximum and peak energy, ion beam currents and total charge, total number of fast protons, as well as deconvolution processes, ion stopping power, and ion/photon transmission calculations for the different metallic filters used, are reported.

A High-Density, High-Efficiency, Isolated On-Board Vehicle Battery Charger Utilizing Silicon Carbide Power Devices

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

Whitaker, B; Barkley, A; Cole, Z

2014-05-01

This paper presents an isolated on-board vehicular battery charger that utilizes silicon carbide (SiC) power devices to achieve high density and high efficiency for application in electric vehicles (EVs) and plug-in hybrid EVs (PHEVs). The proposed level 2 charger has a two-stage architecture where the first stage is a bridgeless boost ac-dc converter and the second stage is a phase-shifted full-bridge isolated dc-dc converter. The operation of both topologies is presented and the specific advantages gained through the use of SiC power devices are discussed. The design of power stage components, the packaging of the multichip power module, and themore » system-level packaging is presented with a primary focus on system density and a secondary focus on system efficiency. In this work, a hardware prototype is developed and a peak system efficiency of 95% is measured while operating both power stages with a switching frequency of 200 kHz. A maximum output power of 6.1 kW results in a volumetric power density of 5.0 kW/L and a gravimetric power density of 3.8 kW/kg when considering the volume and mass of the system including a case.« less

The XGS instrument on-board THESEUS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fuschino, F.; Campana, R.; Labanti, C.; Marisaldi, M.; Amati, L.; Fiorini, M.; Uslenghi, M.; Baldazzi, G.; Evangelista, Y.; Elmi, I.; Feroci, M.; Frontera, F.; Rachevski, A.; Rignanese, L. P.; Vacchi, A.; Zampa, G.; Zampa, N.; Rashevskaya, I.; Bellutti, P.; Piemonte, C.

2016-10-01

Consolidated techniques used for space-borne X-ray and gamma-ray instruments are based on the use of scintillators coupled to Silicon photo-detectors. This technology associated with modern very low noise read-out electronics allows the design of innovative architectures able to reduce drastically the system complexity and power consumption, also with a moderate-to-high number of channels. These detector architectures can be exploited in the design of space instrumentation for gamma-spectroscopy with the benefit of possible smart background rejection strategies. We describe a detector prototype with 3D imaging capabilities to be employed in future gamma-ray and particle space missions in the 0.002-100 MeV energy range. The instrument is based on a stack of scintillating bars read out by Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) at both ends. The spatial segmentation and the crystal double-side readout allow a 3D position reconstruction with ∼3 mm accuracy within the full active volume, using a 2D readout along the two external faces of the detector. Furthermore, one of the side of SDDs can be used simultaneously to detect X-rays in the 2-30 keV energy range. The characteristics of this instrument make it suitable in next generation gamma-ray and particle space missions for Earth or outer space observations, and it will be briefly illustrated.

Evaporative CO2 microchannel cooling for the LHCb VELO pixel upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

de Aguiar Francisco, O. A.; Buytaert, J.; Collins, P.; Dumps, R.; John, M.; Mapelli, A.; Romagnoli, G.

2015-05-01

The LHCb Vertex Detector (VELO) will be upgraded in 2018 to a lightweight pixel detector capable of 40 MHz readout and operation in very close proximity to the LHC beams. The thermal management of the system will be provided by evaporative CO2 circulating in microchannels embedded within thin silicon plates. This solution has been selected due to the excellent thermal efficiency, the absence of thermal expansion mismatch with silicon ASICs and sensors, the radiation hardness of CO2, and very low contribution to the material budget. Although microchannel cooling is gaining considerable attention for applications related to microelectronics, it is still a novel technology for particle physics experiments, in particular when combined with evaporative CO2 cooling. The R&D effort for LHCb is focused on the design and layout of the channels together with a fluidic connector and its attachment which must withstand pressures up to 170 bar. Even distribution of the coolant is ensured by means of the use of restrictions implemented before the entrance to a race track like layout of the main cooling channels. The coolant flow and pressure drop have been simulated as well as the thermal performance of the device. This proceeding describes the design and optimization of the cooling system for LHCb and the latest prototyping results.

Design and characterization of a hyperelastic tubular soft composite.

PubMed

Shaheen, Robert; Doumit, Marc; Helal, Alexander

2017-11-01

Research in the field of human mobility assistive devices, aiming to reduce the metabolic cost of daily activities, is seeing the benefits of the exclusive use of passive actuators to store and release energy during the gait cycle. Current devices commonly employ either mechanical springs or Pneumatic Artificial Muscles as the primary method of passive actuation. The Pneumatic Artificial Muscle has proven to be a superior actuation choice for these devices, when compared to its alternatives. However, challenges regarding muscle pressure loss and limited elongation potential have been identified. This paper presents a hyperelastic tubular Soft Composite that replicates the distinctive mechanical behaviour of the Pneumatic Artificial Muscle without the need for internal pressurization. The proposed Soft Composite solution is achieved by impregnating a prefabricated polyethylene terephthalate braided sleeve, held at a high initial fibre angle, with a silicone prepolymer. A comprehensive experimental evaluation is achieved on numerous prototypes for a variety of customizable design parameters including: the initial fibre angle, the silicone stiffness, and the braided sleeve style. This research has successfully developed, tested, and validated a novel Soft Composite that can achieve the desired nonlinear stiffness and elongation potential for optimal use as passive actuation in human mobility assistive devices. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Aerosol emission monitoring in the production of silicon carbide nanoparticles by induction plasma synthesis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Thompson, Drew; Leparoux, Marc; Jaeggi, Christian; Buha, Jelena; Pui, David Y. H.; Wang, Jing

2013-12-01

In this study, the synthesis of silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles in a prototype inductively coupled thermal plasma reactor and other supporting processes, such as the handling of precursor material, the collection of nanoparticles, and the cleaning of equipment, were monitored for particle emissions and potential worker exposure. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of engineering controls and best practice guidelines developed for the production and handling of nanoparticles, identify processes which result in a nanoparticle release, characterize these releases, and suggest possible administrative or engineering controls which may eliminate or control the exposure source. No particle release was detected during the synthesis and collection of SiC nanoparticles and the cleaning of the reactor. This was attributed to most of these processes occurring in closed systems operated at slight underpressure. Other tasks occurring in more open spaces, such as the disconnection of a filter assembly from the reactor system and the use of compressed air for the cleaning of filters where synthesized SiC nanoparticles were collected, resulted in releases of submicrometer particles with a mode size of 170-180 nm. Observation of filter samples under scanning electron microscope confirmed that the particles were agglomerates of SiC nanoparticles.

Athermal Photonic Devices and Circuits on a Silicon Platform

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Raghunathan, Vivek

In recent years, silicon based optical interconnects has been pursued as an effective solution that can offer cost, energy, distance and bandwidth density improvements over copper. Monolithic integration of optics and electronics has been enabled by silicon photonic devices that can be fabricated using CMOS technology. However, high levels of device integration result in significant local and global temperature fluctuations that prove problematic for silicon based photonic devices. In particular, high temperature dependence of Si refractive index (thermo-optic (TO) coefficient) shifts the filter response of resonant devices that limit wavelength resolution in various applications. Active thermal compensation using heaters and thermo-electric coolers are the legacy solution for low density integration. However, the required electrical power, device foot print and number of input/output (I/O) lines limit the integration density. We present a passive approach to an athermal design that involves compensation of positive TO effects from a silicon core by negative TO effects of the polymer cladding. In addition, the design rule involves engineering the waveguide core geometry depending on the resonance wavelength under consideration to ensure desired amount of light in the polymer. We develop exact design requirements for a TO peak stability of 0 pm/K and present prototype performance of 0.5 pm/K. We explore the material design space through initiated chemical vapor deposition (iCVD) of 2 polymer cladding choices. We study the effect of cross-linking on the optical properties of a polymer and establish the superior performance of the co-polymer cladding compared to the homo-polymer. Integration of polymer clad devices in an electronic-photonic architecture requires the possibility of multi-layer stacking capability. We use a low temperature, high density plasma chemical vapor deposition of SiO2/SiN x to hermetically seal the athermal. Further, we employ visible light for post-fabrication trimming of athermal rings by sandwiching a thin photosensitive layer of As2S3 in between amorphous Si core and polymer top cladding. System design of an add-drop filter requires an optimum combination of channel counts performance and power handling capacity for maximum aggregate bandwidth. We establish the superior performance of athermal add-drop filter compared to a standard filter treating bandwidth as the figure-of-merit. (Copies available exclusively from MIT Libraries, libraries.mit.edu/docs - docs mit.edu)

Skin-Inspired Hydrogel-Elastomer Composite with Application in a Moisture Permeable Prosthetic Limb Liner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ruiz, Esteban

Recent advances in fields such as 3D printing, and biomaterials, have enabled the development of a moisture permeable prosthetic liner. This project demonstrates the feasibility of the invention by addressing the three primary areas of risk including the mechanical strength, the permeability, and the ability to manufacture. The key enabling technology which allows the liner to operate is the skin inspired hydrogel elastomer composite. The skin inspiration is reflected in the molecular arrangement of the double network of polymers which mimics collagen-elastin toughening in the natural epidermis. A custom formulation for a novel tough double network nanocomposite reinforced hydrogel was developed to improve manufacturability of the liner. The liner features this double network nanocomposite reinforced hydrogel as a permeable membrane which is reinforced on either side by perforated silicone layers manufactured by 3d printing assisted casting. Uniaxial compression tests were conducted on the individual hydrogels, as well as a representative sample of off the shelf prosthetic liners for comparison. Permeability testing was also done on the same set of materials and compared to literature values for traditional hydrogels. This work led to the manufacture of three generations of liner prototypes, with the second and third liner prototype being tested with human participants.

Novel Air Flow Meter for an Automobile Engine Using a Si Sensor with Porous Si Thermal Isolation

PubMed Central

Hourdakis, Emmanouel; Sarafis, Panagiotis; Nassiopoulou, Androula G.

2012-01-01

An air flow meter for measuring the intake air of an automobile engine is presented. It is based on a miniaturized silicon thermal mass flow sensor using a thick porous Si (Po-Si) layer for local thermal isolation from the Si substrate, on which the sensor active elements are integrated. The sensor is mounted on one side of a printed circuit board (PCB), on the other side of which the readout and control electronics of the meter are mounted. The PCB is fixed on a housing containing a semi-cylindrical flow tube, in the middle of which the sensor is situated. An important advantage of the present air flow meter is that it detects with equal sensitivity both forward and reverse flows. Two prototypes were fabricated, a laboratory prototype for flow calibration using mass flow controllers and a final demonstrator with the housing mounted in an automobile engine inlet tube. The final demonstrator was tested in real life conditions in the engine inlet tube of a truck. It shows an almost linear response in a large flow range between –6,500 kg/h and +6,500 kg/h, which is an order of magnitude larger than the ones usually encountered in an automobile engine. PMID:23202189

The High Energy cosmic-Radiation Detection (HERD) Facility onboard China's Future Space Station

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Bobing

2015-08-01

The High Energy cosmic-Radiation Detection (HERD) facility is one of several space astronomy payloads of the cosmic lighthouse program onboard China's Space Station, which is planned for operation starting around 2020 for about 10 years. The main scientific objectives of HERD are indirect dark matter search, precise cosmic ray spectrum and composition measurements up to the knee energy, and high energy gamma-ray monitoring and survey. HERD is composed of a 3-D cubic calorimeter (CALO) surrounded by microstrip silicon trackers (STKs)from five sides except the bottom. CALO is made of about 10^4 cubes of LYSO crystals, corresponding to about 55 radiation lengths and 3 nuclear interaction lengths, respectively. HERD can achieve the following performance: energy resolution of 1% for electrons and gamma-rays beyond 100 GeV, 20% for protons from 100 GeV to 1 PeV; 2) electron/proton separation power better than 10^5 ; effective geometrical factors of > 3 m^2 sr for electron and diffuse gamma-rays, > 2 m^2 sr for cosmic ray nuclei. The prototype of about 1/40 of HERD calorimeter is under construction. A beam test in CERN with the prototype is approved and will be carried out in Nov. 2015.

Neutron detection with plastic scintillators coupled to solid state photomultiplier detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Christian, James F.; Johnson, Erik B.; Fernandez, Daniel E.; Vogel, Samuel; Frank, Rebecca; Stoddard, Graham; Stapels, Christopher; Pereira, Jorge; Zegers, Remco

2017-09-01

The recent reduction of dark current in Silicon Solid-state photomultipliers (SiSSPMs) makes them an attractive alternative to conventional photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) for scintillation detection applications. Nuclear Physics experiments often require large detector volumes made using scintillation materials, which require sensitive photodetectors, such as a PMTs. PMTs add to the size, fragility, and high-voltage requirements as well as distance requirements for experiments using magnetic fields. This work compares RMD's latest detector modules, denoted as the "year 2 prototype", of plastic scintillators that discriminate gamma and high-energy particle events from neutron events using pulse shape discrimination (PSD) coupled to a SiSSPM to the following two detector modules: a similar "year 1 prototype" and a scintillator coupled to a PMT module. It characterizes the noise floor, relative signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), the timing performance, the PSD figure-of-merit (FOM) and the neutron detection efficiency of RMD's detectors. This work also evaluates the scaling of SiSSPM detector modules to accommodate the volumes needed for many Nuclear Physics experiments. The Si SSPM detector module provides a clear advantage in Nuclear Physics experiments that require the following attributes: discrimination of neutron and gamma-ray events, operation in or near strong magnetic fields, and segmentation of the detector.

An asynchronous data-driven readout prototype for CEPC vertex detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Ping; Sun, Xiangming; Huang, Guangming; Xiao, Le; Gao, Chaosong; Huang, Xing; Zhou, Wei; Ren, Weiping; Li, Yashu; Liu, Jianchao; You, Bihui; Zhang, Li

2017-12-01

The Circular Electron Positron Collider (CEPC) is proposed as a Higgs boson and/or Z boson factory for high-precision measurements on the Higgs boson. The precision of secondary vertex impact parameter plays an important role in such measurements which typically rely on flavor-tagging. Thus silicon CMOS Pixel Sensors (CPS) are the most promising technology candidate for a CEPC vertex detector, which can most likely feature a high position resolution, a low power consumption and a fast readout simultaneously. For the R&D of the CEPC vertex detector, we have developed a prototype MIC4 in the Towerjazz 180 nm CMOS Image Sensor (CIS) process. We have proposed and implemented a new architecture of asynchronous zero-suppression data-driven readout inside the matrix combined with a binary front-end inside the pixel. The matrix contains 128 rows and 64 columns with a small pixel pitch of 25 μm. The readout architecture has implemented the traditional OR-gate chain inside a super pixel combined with a priority arbiter tree between the super pixels, only reading out relevant pixels. The MIC4 architecture will be introduced in more detail in this paper. It will be taped out in May and will be characterized when the chip comes back.

Novel air flow meter for an automobile engine using a Si sensor with porous Si thermal isolation.

PubMed

Hourdakis, Emmanouel; Sarafis, Panagiotis; Nassiopoulou, Androula G

2012-11-02

An air flow meter for measuring the intake air of an automobile engine is presented. It is based on a miniaturized silicon thermal mass flow sensor using a thick porous Si (Po-Si) layer for local thermal isolation from the Si substrate, on which the sensor active elements are integrated. The sensor is mounted on one side of a printed circuit board (PCB), on the other side of which the readout and control electronics of the meter are mounted. The PCB is fixed on a housing containing a semi-cylindrical flow tube, in the middle of which the sensor is situated. An important advantage of the present air flow meter is that it detects with equal sensitivity both forward and reverse flows. Two prototypes were fabricated, a laboratory prototype for flow calibration using mass flow controllers and a final demonstrator with the housing mounted in an automobile engine inlet tube. The final demonstrator was tested in real life conditions in the engine inlet tube of a truck. It shows an almost linear response in a large flow range between –6,500 kg/h and +6,500 kg/h, which is an order of magnitude larger than the ones usually encountered in an automobile engine.

Soft gamma-ray detector for the ASTRO-H Mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Watanabe, Shin; Tajima, Hiroyasu; Fukazawa, Yasushi; Blandford, Roger; Enoto, Teruaki; Kataoka, Jun; Kawaharada, Madoka; Kokubun, Motohide; Laurent, Philippe; Lebrun, François; Limousin, Olivier; Madejski, Greg; Makishima, Kazuo; Mizuno, Tsunefumi; Nakamori, Takeshi; Nakazawa, Kazuhiro; Mori, Kunishiro; Odaka, Hirokazu; Ohno, Masanori; Ohta, Masayuki; Sato, Goro; Sato, Rie; Takeda, Shin'ichiro; Takahashi, Hiromitsu; Takahashi, Tadayuki; Tanaka, Takaaki; Tashiro, Makoto; Terada, Yukikatsu; Uchiyama, Hideki; Uchiyama, Yasunobu; Yamada, Shinya; Yatsu, Yoichi; Yonetoku, Daisuke; Yuasa, Takayuki

2012-09-01

ASTRO-H is the next generation JAXA X-ray satellite, intended to carry instruments with broad energy coverage and exquisite energy resolution. The Soft Gamma-ray Detector (SGD) is one of ASTRO-H instruments and will feature wide energy band (60-600 keV) at a background level 10 times better than the current instruments on orbit. The SGD is complimentary to ASTRO-H’s Hard X-ray Imager covering the energy range of 5-80 keV. The SGD achieves low background by combining a Compton camera scheme with a narrow field-of-view active shield where Compton kinematics is utilized to reject backgrounds. The Compton camera in the SGD is realized as a hybrid semiconductor detector system which consists of silicon and CdTe (cadmium telluride) sensors. Good energy resolution is afforded by semiconductor sensors, and it results in good background rejection capability due to better constraints on Compton kinematics. Utilization of Compton kinematics also makes the SGD sensitive to the gamma-ray polarization, opening up a new window to study properties of gamma-ray emission processes. In this paper, we will present the detailed design of the SGD and the results of the final prototype developments and evaluations. Moreover, we will also present expected performance based on the measurements with prototypes.

Development and characterization of silicone embedded distributed piezoelectric sensors for contact detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Acer, Merve; Salerno, Marco; Agbeviade, Kossi; Paik, Jamie

2015-07-01

Tactile sensing transfers complex interactive information in a most intuitive sense. Such a populated set of data from the environment and human interactions necessitates various degrees of information from both modular and distributed areas. A sensor design that could provide such types of feedback becomes challenging when the target component has a nonuniform, agile, high resolution, and soft surface. This paper presents an innovative methodology for the manufacture of novel soft sensors that have a high resolution sensing array due to the sensitivity of ceramic piezoelectric (PZT) elements, while uncommonly matched with the high stretchability of the soft substrate and electrode design. Further, they have a low profile and their transfer function is easy to tune by changing the material and thickness of the soft substrate in which the PZTs are embedded. In this manuscript, we present experimental results of the soft sensor prototypes: PZTs arranged in a four by two array form, measuring 1.5-2.3 mm in thickness, with the sensitivity in the range of 0.07-0.12 of the normalized signal change per unit force. We have conducted extensive tests under dynamic loading conditions that include impact, step and cyclic. The presented prototype's mechanical and functional capacities are promising for applications in biomedical systems where soft, wearable and high precision sensors are needed.

Broad-bandwidth Metamaterial Antireflection Coatings for Sub-Millimeter Astronomy and CMB Foreground Removal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McMahon, Jeff

Sub-millimeter observations are crucial for answering questions about star and galaxy formation; understanding galactic dust foregrounds; and for removing these foregrounds to detect the faint signature of inflationary gravitational waves in the polarization of the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB). Achieving these goals requires improved, broad-band antireflection coated lenses and half-wave plates (HWPs). These optical elements will significantly boost the sensitivity and capability of future sub-millimeter and CMB missions. We propose to develop wide-bandwidth metamaterial antireflection coatings for silicon lenses and sapphire HWPs with 3:1 ratio bandwidth that are scalable across the sub-millimeter band from 300 GHz to 3 THz. This is an extension of our successful work on saw cut metamaterial AR coatings for silicon optics at millimeter wave lengths. These, and the proposed coatings consist of arrays of sub-wavelength scale features cut into optical surfaces that behave like simple dielectrics. We have demonstrated saw cut 3:1 bandwidth coatings on silicon lenses, but these coatings are limited to the millimeter wave band by the limitations of dicing saw machining. The crucial advance needed to extend these broad band coatings throughout the sub-millimeter band is the development of laser cut graded index metamaterial coatings. The proposed work includes developing the capability to fabricate these coatings, optimizing the design of these metamaterials, fabricating and testing prototype lenses and HWPs, and working with the PIPER collaboration to achieve a sub-orbital demonstration of this technology. The proposed work will develop potentially revolutionary new high performance coatings for the sub-millimeter bands, and cary this technology to TRL 7 paving the way for its use in space. We anticipate that there will be a wide range of applications for these coatings on future NASA balloons and satellites.

Towards a high performing UV-A sensor based on Silicon Carbide and hydrogenated Silicon Nitride absorbing layers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzillo, M.; Sciuto, A.; Mannino, G.; Renna, L.; Costa, N.; Badalà, P.

2016-10-01

Exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a major risk factor for most skin cancers. The sun is our primary natural source of UV radiation. The strength of the sun's ultraviolet radiation is expressed as Solar UV Index (UVI). UV-A (320-400 nm) and UV-B (290-320 nm) rays mostly contribute to UVI. UV-B is typically the most destructive form of UV radiation because it has enough energy to cause photochemical damage to cellular DNA. Also overexposure to UV-A rays, although these are less energetic than UV-B photons, has been associated with toughening of the skin, suppression of the immune system, and cataract formation. The use of preventive measures to decrease sunlight UV radiation absorption is fundamental to reduce acute and irreversible health diseases to skin, eyes and immune system. In this perspective UV sensors able to monitor in a monolithic and compact chip the UV Index and relative UV-A and UV-B components of solar spectrum can play a relevant role for prevention, especially in view of the integration of these detectors in close at hand portable devices. Here we present the preliminary results obtained on our UV-A sensor technology based on the use of hydrogenated Silicon Nitride (SiN:H) thin passivating layers deposited on the surface of thin continuous metal film Ni2Si/4H-SiC Schottky detectors, already used for UV-Index monitoring. The first UV-A detector prototypes exhibit a very low leakage current density of about 0.2 pA/mm2 and a peak responsivity value of 0.027 A/W at 330 nm, both measured at 0V bias.

Application of compound parabolic concentrators to solar photovoltaic conversion. Final report

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

Cole, R.L.; Gorski, A.J.; Graven, R.M.

1977-02-01

The final results of an analytical and experimental study of the application of nonimaging concentrators to solar photovoltaic conversion are presented. Two versions of the Compound Parabolic Concentrator (CPC) were considered, the Dielectric Compound Parabolic Concentrator (DCPC) in which the concentrator is filled with a dielectric material that satisfies requirements for Total Internal Reflection (TIR), and a conventional CPC in which metallic reflection is used for the mirror surfaces. Two working prototype panels were constructed and tested during the course of the program. The first was a 1.22 m by 1.22 m DCPC panel that requires only ten adjustments/year, hasmore » a panel utilization factor (packing factor) of 96%, and delivered the equivalent of 138 W (peak) under 1 kW/m/sup 2/ direct insolation. The net energy conversion efficiency was 10.3% over the entire panel area. The second panel was a conventional CPC panel measuring 1.22 m by 1.22 m. This panel requires thirty-six adjustments per year, and delivers the equivalent of 97 W when under 1 kW/m/sup 2/ direct insolation. The results of a cost-effectiveness analysis of the concept of using nonimaging concentrators for photovoltaic conversion are also presented. The concentrator panels showed a decided savings in comparison to the cost of flat plate photovoltaic panels, both at present-day silicon costs ($2000/m/sup 2/) and projected lower silicon costs ($200/m/sup 2/). At a silicon cost of $200/m/sup 2/, a two-dimensional (cone) version of the collector has the potential for achieving from $0.60-2.00 per average watt (about $0.15-0.50 per peak watt) while requiring only crude (+-4.5/sup 0/) tracking.« less

Software use cases to elicit the software requirements analysis within the ASTRI project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Conforti, Vito; Antolini, Elisa; Bonnoli, Giacomo; Bruno, Pietro; Bulgarelli, Andrea; Capalbi, Milvia; Fioretti, Valentina; Fugazza, Dino; Gardiol, Daniele; Grillo, Alessandro; Leto, Giuseppe; Lombardi, Saverio; Lucarelli, Fabrizio; Maccarone, Maria Concetta; Malaguti, Giuseppe; Pareschi, Giovanni; Russo, Federico; Sangiorgi, Pierluca; Schwarz, Joseph; Scuderi, Salvatore; Tanci, Claudio; Tosti, Gino; Trifoglio, Massimo; Vercellone, Stefano; Zanmar Sanchez, Ricardo

2016-07-01

The Italian National Institute for Astrophysics (INAF) is leading the Astrofisica con Specchi a Tecnologia Replicante Italiana (ASTRI) project whose main purpose is the realization of small size telescopes (SST) for the Cherenkov Telescope Array (CTA). The first goal of the ASTRI project has been the development and operation of an innovative end-to-end telescope prototype using a dual-mirror optical configuration (SST-2M) equipped with a camera based on silicon photo-multipliers and very fast read-out electronics. The ASTRI SST-2M prototype has been installed in Italy at the INAF "M.G. Fracastoro" Astronomical Station located at Serra La Nave, on Mount Etna, Sicily. This prototype will be used to test several mechanical, optical, control hardware and software solutions which will be used in the ASTRI mini-array, comprising nine telescopes proposed to be placed at the CTA southern site. The ASTRI mini-array is a collaborative and international effort led by INAF and carried out by Italy, Brazil and South-Africa. We present here the use cases, through UML (Unified Modeling Language) diagrams and text details, that describe the functional requirements of the software that will manage the ASTRI SST-2M prototype, and the lessons learned thanks to these activities. We intend to adopt the same approach for the Mini Array Software System that will manage the ASTRI miniarray operations. Use cases are of importance for the whole software life cycle; in particular they provide valuable support to the validation and verification activities. Following the iterative development approach, which breaks down the software development into smaller chunks, we have analysed the requirements, developed, and then tested the code in repeated cycles. The use case technique allowed us to formalize the problem through user stories that describe how the user procedurally interacts with the software system. Through the use cases we improved the communication among team members, fostered common agreement about system requirements, defined the normal and alternative course of events, understood better the business process, and defined the system test to ensure that the delivered software works properly. We present a summary of the ASTRI SST-2M prototype use cases, and how the lessons learned can be exploited for the ASTRI mini-array proposed for the CTA Observatory.

Camera memory study for large space telescope. [charge coupled devices

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoffman, C. P.; Brewer, J. E.; Brager, E. A.; Farnsworth, D. L.

1975-01-01

Specifications were developed for a memory system to be used as the storage media for camera detectors on the large space telescope (LST) satellite. Detectors with limited internal storage time such as intensities charge coupled devices and silicon intensified targets are implied. The general characteristics are reported of different approaches to the memory system with comparisons made within the guidelines set forth for the LST application. Priority ordering of comparisons is on the basis of cost, reliability, power, and physical characteristics. Specific rationales are provided for the rejection of unsuitable memory technologies. A recommended technology was selected and used to establish specifications for a breadboard memory. Procurement scheduling is provided for delivery of system breadboards in 1976, prototypes in 1978, and space qualified units in 1980.

Direct-write maskless lithography using patterned oxidation of Si-substrate Induced by femtosecond laser pulses

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kiani, Amirkianoosh; Venkatakrishnan, Krishnan; Tan, Bo

2013-03-01

In this study we report a new method for direct-write maskless lithography using oxidized silicon layer induced by high repetition (MHz) ultrafast (femtosecond) laser pulses under ambient condition. The induced thin layer of predetermined pattern can act as an etch stop during etching process in alkaline etchants such as KOH. The proposed method can be leading to promising solutions for direct-write maskless lithography technique since the proposed method offers a higher degree of flexibility and reduced time and cost of fabrication which makes it particularly appropriate for rapid prototyping and custom scale manufacturing. A Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Micro-Raman, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX), optical microscope and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD) were used to evaluate the quality of oxidized layer induced by laser pulses.

Plasmon satellites in valence-band photoemission spectroscopy. Ab initio study of the photon-energy dependence in semiconductors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guzzo, M.; Kas, J. J.; Sottile, F.; Silly, M. G.; Sirotti, F.; Rehr, J. J.; Reining, L.

2012-09-01

We present experimental data and theoretical results for valence-band satellites in semiconductors, using the prototypical example of bulk silicon. In a previous publication we introduced a new approach that allows us to describe satellites in valence photoemission spectroscopy, in good agreement with experiment. Here we give more details; we show how the the spectra change with photon energy, and how the theory explains this behaviour. We also describe how we include several effects which are important to obtain a correct comparison between theory and experiment, such as secondary electrons and photon cross sections. In particular the inclusion of extrinsic losses and their dependence on the photon energy are key to the description of the energy dependence of spectra.

Studying the High Energy Gamma Ray Sky with Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kamae, T.; Ohsugi, T.; Thompson, D. J.; Watanabe, K.

1998-01-01

Building on the success of the Energetic Gamma Ray Experiment Telescope (EGRET) on the Compton Gamma Ray Observatory, the Gamma Ray Large Area Space Telescope (GLAST) will make a major step in the study of such subjects as blazars, gamma Ray bursts, the search for dark matter, supernova remnants, pulsars, diffuse radiation, and unidentified high energy sources. The instrument will be built on new and mature detector technologies such as silicon strip detectors, low-power low-noise LSI, and a multilevel data acquisition system. GLAST is in the research and development phase, and one full tower (of 25 total) is now being built in collaborating institutes. The prototype tower will be tested thoroughly at Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC) in the fall of 1999.

Compact soft x-ray multichord camera: Design and initial operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Franz, P.; Gadani, G.; Pasqualotto, R.; Marrelli, L.; Martin, P.; Spizzo, G.; Brunsell, P.; Chapman, B. E.; Paganucci, F.; Rossetti, P.; Xiao, C.

2003-03-01

A compact and low cost diagnostic for spatially resolved measurements of soft x-ray or total radiation emission has been designed and realized to be flexibly applied to different plasma physics experiments. Its reduced size (outer diameter=35 mm) makes it suited to a variety of devices. The line integrated emissivity (brightness) has been measured along up to 20 lines of sight, using an array of miniaturized silicon photodiodes. Preliminary prototypes of the diagnostic have been installed in the Madison Symmetric Torus reversed field pinch (RFP) device at University of Wisconsin and in the EXTRAP T2 RFP device at the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm. Application of the diagnostic to a gas-fed (argon, helium) magnetoplasma dynamic thruster (MPDT) with an external magnetic field will also be discussed.

Low-noise analog readout channel for SDD in X-ray spectrometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Atkin, E.; Gusev, A.; Krivchenko, A.; Levin, V.; Malankin, E.; Normanov, D.; Rotin, A.; Sagdiev, I.; Samsonov, V.

2016-01-01

A low-noise analog readout channel optimized for operation with the Silicon Drift Detectors (SDDs) with built-in JFET is presented. The Charge Sensitive Amplifier (CSA) operates in a pulse reset mode using the reset diode built-in the SDD detector. The shaper is a 6th order semi-Gaussian filter with switchable discrete shaping times. The readout channel provides the Equivalent Noise Charge (ENC) of 12e- (simulation) and input dynamic range of 30 keV . The measured energy resolution at the 5,89 keV line of a 55Fe X-ray source is 336 eV (FWHM). The channel was prototyped via Europractice in the AMS 350 nm process as miniASIC. The simulation and first measurement results are presented in the paper.

Paper-based chemical and biological sensors: Engineering aspects.

PubMed

Ahmed, Snober; Bui, Minh-Phuong Ngoc; Abbas, Abdennour

2016-03-15

Remarkable efforts have been dedicated to paper-based chemosensors and biosensors over the last few years, mainly driven by the promise of reaching the best trade-off between performance, affordability and simplicity. Because of the low-cost and rapid prototyping of these sensors, recent research has been focused on providing affordable diagnostic devices to the developing world. The recent progress in sensitivity, multi-functionality and integration of microfluidic paper-based analytical devices (µPADs), increasingly suggests that this technology is not only attractive in resource-limited environments but it also represents a serious challenger to silicon, glass and polymer-based biosensors. This review discusses the design, chemistry and engineering aspects of these developments, with a focus on the past few years. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Detection system for neutron β decay correlations in the UCNB and Nab experiments

DOE PAGES

Broussard, L. J.; Oak Ridge National Lab.; Zeck, B. A.; ...

2016-12-19

Here, we describe a detection system designed to precisely measure multiple correlations in neutron β decay. Furthermore, the system is based on thick, large area, highly segmented silicon detectors developed in collaboration with Micron Semiconductor, Ltd. The prototype system meets specifications of energy thresholds below 10 keV, energy resolution of ~3 keV FWHM, and rise time of ~50 ns with 19 of the 127 detector pixels instrumented. We have demonstrated the coincident detection of β particles and recoil protons from neutron β decay, using ultracold neutrons at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center, . The fully instrumented detection system willmore » be implemented in the UCNB and Nab experiments, to determine the neutron β decay parameters B, a, and b.« less

Design and Performance of A High Resolution Micro-Spec: An Integrated Sub-Millimeter Spectrometer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Barrentine, Emily M.; Cataldo, Giuseppe; Brown, Ari D.; Ehsan, Negar; Noroozian, Omid; Stevenson, Thomas R.; U-Yen, Kongpop; Wollack, Edward J.; Moseley, S. Harvey

2016-01-01

Micro-Spec is a compact sub-millimeter (approximately 100 GHz--1:1 THz) spectrometer which uses low loss superconducting microstrip transmission lines and a single-crystal silicon dielectric to integrate all of the components of a diffraction grating spectrometer onto a single chip. We have already successfully evaluated the performance of a prototype Micro-Spec, with spectral resolving power, R=64. Here we present our progress towards developing a higher resolution Micro-Spec, which would enable the first science returns in a balloon flight version of this instrument. We describe modifications to the design in scaling from a R=64 to a R=256 instrument, as well as the ultimate performance limits and design concerns when scaling this instrument to higher resolutions.

OLED integrated silicon membranes for light-modulation devices

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cheneler, David; Vervaeke, Michael; Thienpont, Hugo; Lambertini, Vito G.; Brignone, Mauro

2014-05-01

Organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) are most frequently used for display purposes and while they have also been utilized in sensing applications, their innate compliance has not previously been exploited for these applications. However, in this manuscript it is shown that OLEDs are compatible with microfabrication methods used in the production of micro mechanical devices. In particular it is shown that the compliance of OLEDs can be utilized in, and not limited to, a new generation of opto-mechanical pressure sensors. A fabrication process for a light-modulating pressure sensor is described. Prototypes were fabricated and tested and the response compared to an analytical theory developed by the authors. It is shown with simple circuitry, a resolution of 11.4 Pa up to 350 kPa is attainable using this technology.

Development and test of video systems for airborne surveillance of oil spills

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Millard, J. P.; Arvesen, J. C.; Lewis, P. L.

1975-01-01

Five video systems - potentially useful for airborne surveillance of oil spills - were developed, flight tested, and evaluated. The systems are: (1) conventional black and white TV, (2) conventional TV with false color, (3) differential TV, (4) prototype Lunar Surface TV, and (5) field sequential TV. Wavelength and polarization filtering were utilized in all systems. Greatly enhanced detection of oil spills, relative to that possible with the unaided eye, was achieved. The most practical video system is a conventional TV camera with silicon-diode-array image tube, filtered with a Corning 7-54 filter and a polarizer oriented with its principal axis in the horizontal direction. Best contrast between oil and water was achieved when winds and sea states were low. The minimum detectable oil film thickness was about 0.1 micrometer.

Development of micromachine tool prototypes for microfactories

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kussul, E.; Baidyk, T.; Ruiz-Huerta, L.; Caballero-Ruiz, A.; Velasco, G.; Kasatkina, L.

2002-11-01

At present, many areas of industry have strong tendencies towards miniaturization of products. Mechanical components of these products as a rule are manufactured using conventional large-scale equipment or micromechanical equipment based on microelectronic technology (MEMS). The first method has some drawbacks because conventional large-scale equipment consumes much energy, space and material. The second method seems to be more advanced but has some limitations, for example, two-dimensional (2D) or 2.5-dimensional shapes of components and materials compatible with silicon technology. In this paper, we consider an alternative technology of micromechanical device production. This technology is based on micromachine tools (MMT) and microassembly devices, which can be produced as sequential generations of microequipment. The first generation can be produced by conventional large-scale equipment. The machine tools of this generation can have overall sizes of 100-200 mm. Using microequipment of this generation, second generation microequipment having smaller overall sizes can be produced. This process can be repeated to produce generations of micromachine tools having overall sizes of some millimetres. In this paper we describe the efforts and some results of first generation microequipment prototyping. A micromachining centre having an overall size of 130 × 160 × 85 mm3 was produced and characterized. This centre has allowed us to manufacture micromechanical details having sizes from 50 µm to 5 mm. These details have complex three-dimensional shapes (for example, screw, gear, graduated shaft, conic details, etc), and are made from different materials, such as brass, steel, different plastics etc. We have started to investigate and to make prototypes of the assembly microdevices controlled by a computer vision system. In this paper we also describe an example of the applications (microfilters) for the proposed technology.

TU-H-CAMPUS-TeP2-03: High Sensitivity and High Resolution Fiber Based Micro-Detector for Sub-Millimeter Preclinical Dosimetry

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

Izaguirre, E; Pokhrel, S; Knewtson, T

2016-06-15

Purpose: Current precision of small animal and cell micro-irradiators has continuously increased during the past years. Currently, preclinical irradiators can deliver sub-millimeter fields with micrometric precision but there are no water equivalent dosimeters to determine small field profiles and dose in the orthovoltage range of energies with micrometric resolution and precision. We have developed a fiber based micro-dosimeter with the resolution and dosimetric accuracy required for radiobiological research. Methods: We constructed two prototypes of micro-dosimeters based on different compositions of fiber scintillators to study the spatial resolution and dosimetric precision of small animal and cell micro-irradiators. The first has greenmore » output and the second has blue output. The blue output dosimeter has the highest sensitivity because it matches the spectral sensitivity of silicon photomultipliers. A blue detector with 500um cross section was built and tested respect to a CC01 ion chamber, film, and the 1500um green output detector. Orthovoltage fields from 1×1mm2 to 5×5mm2 were used for detector characteristics comparison. Results: The blue fiber dosimeter shows great agreement with films and matches dose measurements with the gold-standard ion chamber for 5×5mm2 fields. The detector has the appropriate sensitivity to measure fields from 1×1mm2 to larger sizes with a 1% dosimetric accuracy. The spatial resolution is in the sub-millimeter range and the spectral matching with the photomultiplier allows reducing the sensor cross section even further than the presented prototype. These results suggest that scintillating fibers combined with silicon photomultipliers is the appropriate technology to pursue micro-dosimetry for small animals and disperse cell samples. Conclusion: The constructed detectors establish a new landmark for the resolution and sensitivity of fiber based microdetectors. The validation of the detector in our small animal and cell irradiator shows that they are appropriate for preclinical and micro single cell irradiation quality assurance and dosimetry.« less

Diamond Scattering Detectors for Compton Telescopes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bloser, Peter

The objective of the proposed work is to demonstrate the suitability of artificial singlecrystal diamond detectors (SCDDs) for use as the scattering medium in Compton telescopes for medium-energy gamma-ray astronomy. SCDDs offer the possibility of position and energy resolution comparable to those of silicon solid-state detectors (SSDs), combined with efficiency and timing resolution so-far only achievable using fast scintillators. When integrated with a calorimeter composed of fast inorganic scintillator, such as CeBr3, read out by silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs), SCDDs will enable a compact and efficient Compton telescope using time-of-flight (ToF) discrimination to achieve low background and high sensitivity. This detector development project will be a collaboration between the University of New Hampshire (UNH) and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI). The proposed work represents an innovative combination of detector technologies originally conceived separately for high-energy astronomy (fast scintillators read out by SiPMs; UNH) and space plasma/particle physics (SCDDs; SwRI). Recently SwRI has demonstrated that SCDDs fabricated using chemical vapor deposition (CVD) show good energy resolution ( 7 keV FWHM), comparable to silicon SSDs, with much faster time response ( ns rise time) due to higher electron/hole mobilities. They are also temperature- and lightinsensitive, and radiation hard. In addition, diamond is low-Z, composed entirely of carbon, but relatively high-density (3.5 g cm-3) compared to silicon or organic scintillator. SCDDs are therefore an intriguing possibility for a new Compton scattering element: if patterned with mm-sized readout electrodes and combined with a fast inorganic scintillator calorimeter, SCDDs could enable a compact but efficient Compton telescope with superior angular and energy resolution, while maintaining ToF background rejection. Such an instrument offers the exciting potential for unprecedented sensitivity, especially at energies < 1 - 2 MeV, on a small-scale mission utilizing recently available SmallSat buses (payload mass <100 kg). We propose to demonstrate this by constructing and testing a small proof-of-concept prototype and, based on its performance, using Monte Carlo simulations to explore the possibilities of furthering MeV science using relatively small-scale space missions.

An AC modulated near infrared gain calibration system for a "Violin-Mode" transimpedance amplifier, intended for advanced LIGO suspensions.

PubMed

Lockerbie, N A; Tokmakov, K V

2016-07-01

The background to this work was a prototype shadow sensor, which was designed for retro-fitting to an advanced LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory) test-mass/mirror suspension, in which a 40 kg test-mass/mirror is suspended by four approximately 600 mm long by 0.4 mm diameter fused-silica suspension fibres. The shadow sensor comprised a LED source of Near InfraRed (NIR) radiation, and a "tall-thin" rectangular silicon photodiode detector, which together were to bracket the fibre under test. The photodiode was positioned so as to be sensitive (primarily) to transverse "Violin-Mode" vibrations of such a fibre, via the oscillatory movement of the shadow cast by the fibre, as this moved across the face of the detector. In this prototype shadow sensing system the photodiode was interfaced to a purpose-built transimpedance amplifier, this having both AC and DC outputs. A quasi-static calibration was made of the sensor's DC responsivity, i.e., incremental rate of change of output voltage versus fibre position, by slowly scanning a fused-silica fibre sample transversely through the illuminating beam. The work reported here concerns the determination of the sensor's more important AC (Violin-Mode) responsivity. Recognition of the correspondence between direct AC modulation of the source, and actual Violin-Mode signals, and of the transformative role of the AC/DC gain ratio for the amplifier, at any modulation frequency, f, resulted in the construction of the AC/DC calibration source described here. A method for determining in practice the transimpedance AC/DC gain ratio of the photodiode and amplifier, using this source, is illustrated by a specific numerical example, and the gain ratio for the prototype sensing system is reported over the frequency range 1 Hz-300 kHz. In fact, a maximum DC responsivity of 1.26 kV.m(-1) was measured using the prototype photodiode sensor and amplifier discussed here. Therefore, the measured AC/DC transimpedance gain ratio of 922.5 for this sensor, at 500 Hz, translated into a maximum Violin-Mode (AC) responsivity of (1.16 ± 0.05) MV m(-1), at that frequency.

The performance of a prototype device designed to evaluate general quality parameters of X-ray equipment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Murata, C. H.; Fernandes, D. C.; Lavínia, N. C.; Caldas, L. V. E.; Pires, S. R.; Medeiros, R. B.

2014-02-01

The performance of radiological equipment can be assessed using non-invasive methods and portable instruments that can analyze an X-ray beam with just one exposure. These instruments use either an ionization chamber or a state solid detector (SSD) to evaluate X-ray beam parameters. In Brazil, no such instruments are currently being manufactured; consequently, these instruments come at a higher cost to users due to importation taxes. Additionally, quality control tests are time consuming and impose a high workload on the X-ray tubes when evaluating their performance parameters. The assessment of some parameters, such as the half-value layer (HVL), requires several exposures; however, this can be reduced by using a SSD that requires only a single exposure. One such SSD uses photodiodes designed for high X-ray sensitivity without the use of scintillation crystals. This sensitivity allows one electron-hole pair to be created per 3.63 eV of incident energy, resulting in extremely high and stable quantum efficiencies. These silicon photodiodes operate by absorbing photons and generating a flow of current that is proportional to the incident power. The aim of this study was to show the response of the solid sensor PIN RD100A detector in a multifunctional X-ray analysis system that is designed to evaluate the average peak voltage (kVp), exposure time, and HVL of radiological equipment. For this purpose, a prototype board that uses four SSDs was developed to measure kVp, exposure time, and HVL using a single exposure. The reproducibility and accuracy of the results were compared to that of different X-ray beam analysis instruments. The kVp reproducibility and accuracy results were 2% and 3%, respectively; the exposure time reproducibility and accuracy results were 2% and 1%, respectively; and the HVL accuracy was ±2%. The prototype's methodology was able to calculate these parameters with appropriate reproducibility and accuracy. Therefore, the prototype can be considered a multifunctional instrument that can appropriately evaluate the performance of radiological equipment.

Modular Elastomer Photoresins for Digital Light Processing Additive Manufacturing.

PubMed

Thrasher, Carl J; Schwartz, Johanna J; Boydston, Andrew J

2017-11-15

A series of photoresins suitable for the production of elastomeric objects via digital light processing additive manufacturing are reported. Notably, the printing procedure is readily accessible using only entry-level equipment under ambient conditions using visible light projection. The photoresin formulations were found to be modular in nature, and straightforward adjustments to the resin components enabled access to a range of compositions and mechanical properties. Collectively, the series includes silicones, hydrogels, and hybrids thereof. Printed test specimens displayed maximum elongations of up to 472% under tensile load, a tunable swelling behavior in water, and Shore A hardness values from 13.7 to 33.3. A combination of the resins was used to print a functional multimaterial three-armed pneumatic gripper. These photoresins could be transformative to advanced prototyping applications such as simulated human tissues, stimuli-responsive materials, wearable devices, and soft robotics.

A method for compression of intra-cortically-recorded neural signals dedicated to implantable brain-machine interfaces.

PubMed

Shaeri, Mohammad Ali; Sodagar, Amir M

2015-05-01

This paper proposes an efficient data compression technique dedicated to implantable intra-cortical neural recording devices. The proposed technique benefits from processing neural signals in the Discrete Haar Wavelet Transform space, a new spike extraction approach, and a novel data framing scheme to telemeter the recorded neural information to the outside world. Based on the proposed technique, a 64-channel neural signal processor was designed and prototyped as a part of a wireless implantable extra-cellular neural recording microsystem. Designed in a 0.13- μ m standard CMOS process, the 64-channel neural signal processor reported in this paper occupies ∼ 0.206 mm(2) of silicon area, and consumes 94.18 μW when operating under a 1.2-V supply voltage at a master clock frequency of 1.28 MHz.

Sensors for the CMS Forward Pixel Phase 1 Upgrade

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dilsiz, Kamuran; CMS Collaboration

2016-03-01

The next incarnation of the CMS forward pixel detector, to be installed during the year end extended technical stop 2016-17, will need to survive an integrated luminosity of 300 fb-1 with the inner radius of the active region of the disks decreasing from 6 to 4.5 cm. Based on the Run 1 experience and irradiation studies, the Phase 1 FPIX sensors will again be n-on-n DOFZ silicon, with parameters similar to those in the present run. We will review the design choices including a study during the prototyping phase to explore different p-stop layouts. Results from the quality assurance probing of the full production of sensor wafers will be described. The IV measurements are particularly impressive with current densities in range of 3-4 nA/cm2 at the full depletion voltage.

Liquid argon scintillation detection utilizing wavelength-shifting plates and light guides

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Howard, B.

2018-02-01

In DUNE, the event timing provided by the detection of the relatively prompt scintillation photons will improve spatial resolution in the drift direction of the time-projection chamber (TPC) and is especially useful for non-beam physics topics such as supernova neutrinos and nucleon decay. The baseline design for the first 10kt single phase TPC fits the photon detector system in the natural gap between the wire planes of adjacent TPC volumes. A prototype photon detector design utilizes wavelength-shifter coated plates to convert the vacuum ultraviolet scintillation light to the optical and commercially-produced wavelength-shifting light guides to trap some of this light and transport it to an array of silicon photomultipliers at the end. This system and the testing performed to characterize the system and determine the efficiency are discussed.

Liquid Argon Scintillation Detection Utilizing Wavelength-Shifting Plates and Light Guides

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

Howard, B.

In DUNE, the event timing provided by the detection of the relatively prompt scintillation photons will improve spatial resolution in the drift direction of the time-projection chamber (TPC) and is especially useful for non-beam physics topics such as supernova neutrinos and nucleon decay. The baseline design for the first 10kt single phase TPC fits the photon detector system in the natural gap between the wire planes of adjacent TPC volumes. A prototype photon detector design utilizes wavelength-shifter coated plates to convert the vacuum ultraviolet scintillation light to the optical and commercially-produced wavelength-shifting light guides to trap some of this lightmore » and transport it to an array of silicon photomultipliers at the end. This system and the testing performed to characterize the system and determine the efficiency are discussed.« less

An electrostatic 3-phase linear stepper motor fabricated by vertical trench isolation technology

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sarajlic, Edin; Yamahata, Christophe; Cordero, Mauricio; Fujita, Hiroyuki

2009-07-01

We present the design, microfabrication and characterization of an electrostatic 3-phase linear stepper micromotor constructed with vertical trench isolation technology. This suitable technology was used to create a monolithic stepper motor with high-aspect-ratio poles and an integrated 3-phase electrical network in the bulk of a standard single-crystal silicon wafer. The shuttle of the stepper motor is suspended by a flexure to avoid any mechanical contact during operation, enhancing the precision, repeatability and reliability of the stepping motion. The prototype is capable of a maximum travel of +/-26 µm (52 µm) at an actuation voltage of 30 V and a step size of 1.4 µm during a half-stepping sequence. This work was presented in part at the 19th MicroMechanics Europe Workshop (MME), 28-30 September 2008, Aachen, Germany.

Belt-MRF for large aperture mirrors.

PubMed

Ren, Kai; Luo, Xiao; Zheng, Ligong; Bai, Yang; Li, Longxiang; Hu, Haixiang; Zhang, Xuejun

2014-08-11

With high-determinacy and no subsurface damage, Magnetorheological Finishing (MRF) has become an important tool in fabricating high-precision optics. But for large mirrors, the application of MRF is restricted by its small removal function and low material removal rate. In order to improve the material removal rate, shorten the processing cycle, we proposed a new MRF concept, named Belt-MRF to expand the application of MRF to large mirrors and made a prototype with a large remove function, using a belt instead of a very large polishing wheel to expand the polishing length. A series of experimental results on Silicon carbide (SiC) and BK 7 specimens and fabrication simulation verified that the Belt-MRF has high material removal rates, stable removal function and high convergence efficiency which makes it a promising technology for processing large aperture optical elements.

Particle platforms for cancer immunotherapy

PubMed Central

Serda, Rita Elena

2013-01-01

Elevated understanding and respect for the relevance of the immune system in cancer development and therapy has led to increased development of immunotherapeutic regimens that target existing cancer cells and provide long-term immune surveillance and protection from cancer recurrence. This review discusses using particles as immune adjuvants to create vaccines and to augment the anticancer effects of conventional chemotherapeutics. Several particle prototypes are presented, including liposomes, polymer nanoparticles, and porous silicon microparticles, the latter existing as either single- or multiparticle platforms. The benefits of using particles include immune-cell targeting, codelivery of antigens and immunomodulatory agents, and sustained release of the therapeutic payload. Nanotherapeutic-based activation of the immune system is dependent on both intrinsic particle characteristics and on the immunomodulatory cargo, which may include danger signals known as pathogen-associated molecular patterns and cytokines for effector-cell activation. PMID:23761969

Towards Automated Nanomanipulation under Scanning Electron Microscopy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ye, Xutao

Robotic Nanomaterial Manipulation inside scanning electron microscopes (SEM) is useful for prototyping functional devices and characterizing one-dimensional nanomaterial's properties. Conventionally, manipulation of nanowires has been performed via teleoperation, which is time-consuming and highly skill-dependent. Manual manipulation also has the limitation of low success rates and poor reproducibility. This research focuses on a robotic system capable of automated pick-place of single nanowires. Through SEM visual detection and vision-based motion control, the system transferred individual silicon nanowires from their growth substrate to a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) device that characterized the nanowires' electromechanical properties. The performances of the nanorobotic pick-up and placement procedures were quantified by experiments. The system demonstrated automated nanowire pick-up and placement with high reliability. A software system for a load-lock-compatible nanomanipulation system is also designed and developed in this research.

Development of x-ray laminography under an x-ray microscopic condition

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

Hoshino, Masato; Uesugi, Kentaro; Takeuchi, Akihisa

2011-07-15

An x-ray laminography system under an x-ray microscopic condition was developed to obtain a three-dimensional structure of laterally-extended planar objects which were difficult to observe by x-ray tomography. An x-ray laminography technique was introduced to an x-ray transmission microscope with zone plate optics. Three prototype sample holders were evaluated for x-ray imaging laminography. Layered copper grid sheets were imaged as a laminated sample. Diatomite powder on a silicon nitride membrane was measured to confirm the applicability of this method to non-planar micro-specimens placed on the membrane. The three-dimensional information of diatom shells on the membrane was obtained at a spatialmore » resolution of sub-micron. Images of biological cells on the membrane were also obtained by using a Zernike phase contrast technique.« less

A search for Earth-crossing asteroids, supplement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taff, L. G.; Sorvari, J. M.; Kostishack, D. F.

1984-01-01

The ground based electro-optical deep space surveillance program involves a network of computer controlled 40 inch 1m telescopes equipped with large format, low light level, television cameras of the intensified silicon diode array type which is to replace the Baker-Nunn photographic camera system for artificial satellite tracking. A prototype observatory was constructed where distant artificial satellites are discriminated from stars in real time on the basis of the satellites' proper motion. Hardware was modified and the technique was used to observe and search for minor planets. Asteroids are now routinely observed and searched. The complete observing cycle, including the 2"-3" measurement of position, requires about four minutes at present. The commonality of asteroids and artificial satellite observing, searching, data reduction, and orbital analysis is stressed. Improvements to the hardware and software as well as operational techniques are considered.

Multi-pinhole collimator design for small-object imaging with SiliSPECT: a high-resolution SPECT

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shokouhi, S.; Metzler, S. D.; Wilson, D. W.; Peterson, T. E.

2009-01-01

We have designed a multi-pinhole collimator for a dual-headed, stationary SPECT system that incorporates high-resolution silicon double-sided strip detectors. The compact camera design of our system enables imaging at source-collimator distances between 20 and 30 mm. Our analytical calculations show that using knife-edge pinholes with small-opening angles or cylindrically shaped pinholes in a focused, multi-pinhole configuration in combination with this camera geometry can generate narrow sensitivity profiles across the field of view that can be useful for imaging small objects at high sensitivity and resolution. The current prototype system uses two collimators each containing 127 cylindrically shaped pinholes that are focused toward a target volume. Our goal is imaging objects such as a mouse brain, which could find potential applications in molecular imaging.

iPadPix—A novel educational tool to visualise radioactivity measured by a hybrid pixel detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Keller, O.; Schmeling, S.; Müller, A.; Benoit, M.

2016-11-01

With the ability to attribute signatures of ionising radiation to certain particle types, pixel detectors offer a unique advantage over the traditional use of Geiger-Müller tubes also in educational settings. We demonstrate in this work how a Timepix readout chip combined with a standard 300μm pixelated silicon sensor can be used to visualise radioactivity in real-time and by means of augmented reality. The chip family is the result of technology transfer from High Energy Physics at CERN and facilitated by the Medipix Collaboration. This article summarises the development of a prototype based on an iPad mini and open source software detailed in ref. [1]. Appropriate experimental activities that explore natural radioactivity and everyday objects are given to demonstrate the use of this new tool in educational settings.

Dynamic assessment of women pelvic floor function by using a fiber Bragg grating sensor system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ferreira, Luis A.; Araújo, Francisco M.; Mascarenhas, Teresa; Natal Jorge, Renato M.; Fernandes, António A.

2006-02-01

We present a novel sensing system consisting of an intravaginal probe and an optoelectronic measurement unit, which allows an easy, comfortable and quantitative dynamic evaluation of women pelvic floor muscle strength. The sensing probe is based on a silicone cylinder that transduces radial muscle pressure into axial load applied to a fiber Bragg grating strain sensor. The performance of a first sensor probe prototype with temperature referentiation and of the autonomous, portable optoelectronic measurement unit with data logging capabilities and graphical user interface is disclosed. The presented results refer to an ongoing collaboration work between researchers from the Medical, Optoelectronics and Mechanical areas, directed to the development of equipment that can assist in medical practice and help in the research of primary mechanisms responsible for several pelvic floor disorders, in particular urogenital prolapses.

Performance of the prototype LaBr3 spectrometer developed for the JET gamma-ray camera upgrade.

PubMed

Rigamonti, D; Muraro, A; Nocente, M; Perseo, V; Boltruczyk, G; Fernandes, A; Figueiredo, J; Giacomelli, L; Gorini, G; Gosk, M; Kiptily, V; Korolczuk, S; Mianowski, S; Murari, A; Pereira, R C; Cippo, E P; Zychor, I; Tardocchi, M

2016-11-01

In this work, we describe the solution developed by the gamma ray camera upgrade enhancement project to improve the spectroscopic properties of the existing JET γ-ray camera. Aim of the project is to enable gamma-ray spectroscopy in JET deuterium-tritium plasmas. A dedicated pilot spectrometer based on a LaBr 3 crystal coupled to a silicon photo-multiplier has been developed. A proper pole zero cancellation network able to shorten the output signal to a length of 120 ns has been implemented allowing for spectroscopy at MHz count rates. The system has been characterized in the laboratory and shows an energy resolution of 5.5% at E γ = 0.662 MeV, which extrapolates favorably in the energy range of interest for gamma-ray emission from fast ions in fusion plasmas.

Hemodynamic effects of long-term morphological changes in the human carotid sinus.

PubMed

Seong, Jaehoon; Jeong, Woowon; Smith, Nataliya; Towner, Rheal A

2015-04-13

Previous investigations of morphology for human carotid artery bifurcation from infancy to young adulthood found substantial growth of the internal carotid artery with advancing age, and the development of the carotid sinus at the root of the internal carotid artery during teenage years. Although the reasons for the appearance of the carotid sinus are not clearly understood yet, it has been hypothesized that the dilation of the carotid sinus serves to support pressure sensing, and slows the blood flow to reduce pulsatility to protect the brain. In order to understand this interesting evolvement at the carotid bifurcation in the aspects of fluid mechanics, we performed in vitro phase-contrast MR flow experiments using compliant silicone replicas of age-dependent carotid artery bifurcations. The silicone models in childhood, adolescence, and adulthood were fabricated using a rapid prototyping technique, and incorporated with a bench-top flow mock circulation loop using a computer-controlled piston pump. The results of the in vitro flow study showed highly complex flow characteristics at the bifurcation in all age-dependent models. However, the highest magnitude of kinetic energy was found at the internal carotid artery in the child model. The high kinetic energy in the internal carotid artery during childhood might be one of the local hemodynamic forces that initiate morphological long-term development of the carotid sinus in the human carotid bifurcation. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

MEDUSA-32: A low noise, low power silicon strip detector front-end electronics, for space applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cicuttin, Andres; Colavita, Alberto; Cerdeira, Alberto; Fratnik, Fabio; Vacchi, Andrea

1997-02-01

In this report we describe a mixed analog-digital integrated circuit (IC) designed as the front-end electronics for silicon strip-detectors for space applications. In space power consumption, compactness and robustness become critical constraints for a pre-amplifier design. The IC is a prototype with 32 complete channels, and it is intended for a large area particle tracker of a new generation of gamma ray telescopes. Each channel contains a charge sensitive amplifier, a pulse shaper, a discriminator and two digital buffers. The reference trip point of the discriminator is adjustable. This chip also has a custom PMOSFET transistor per channel, included in order to provide the high dynamic resistance needed to reverse-bias the strip diode. The digital part of the chip is used to store and serially shift out the state of the channels. There is also a storage buffer that allows the disabling of non-functioning channels if it is required by the data acquisition system. An input capacitance of 30 pF introduced at the input of the front-end produces less than 1000 electrons of RMS equivalent noise charge (ENC), for a total power dissipation of only 60 μW per channel. The chip was made using Orbit's 1.2 μm double poly, double metal n-well low noise CMOS process. The dimensions of the IC are 2400 μm × 8840 μm.

PIXSIC: A Pixellated Beta-Microprobe for Kinetic Measurements of Radiotracers on Awake and Freely Moving Small Animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Godart, J.; Weiss, P.; Chantepie, B.; Clemens, J. C.; Delpierre, P.; Dinkespiler, B.; Janvier, B.; Jevaud, M.; Karkar, S.; Lefebvre, F.; Mastrippolito, R.; Menouni, M.; Pain, F.; Pangaud, P.; Pinot, L.; Morel, C.; Laniece, P.

2010-06-01

We present a design study of PIXSIC, a new β+ radiosensitive microprobe implantable in rodent brain dedicated to in vivo and autonomous measurements of local time activity curves of beta radiotracers in a small (a few mm3) volume of brain tissue. This project follows the initial β microprobe previously developed at IMNC, which has been validated in several neurobiological experiments. This first prototype has been extensively used on anesthetized animals, but presents some critical limits for utilization on awake and freely moving animals. Consequently, we propose to develop a wireless setup that can be worn by an animal without constraints upon its movements. To that aim, we have chosen a Silicon-based detector, highly β sensitive, which allows for the development of a compact pixellated probe (typically 600 × 200 × 1000 μm3), read out with miniaturized wireless electronics. Using Monte-Carlo simulations, we show that high resistive Silicon pixels are appropriate for this purpose, assuming that the pixel dimensions are adapted to our specific signals. More precisely, a tradeoff has to be found between the sensitivity to β+ particles and to the 511 keV j background resulting from annihilations of β+ with electrons. We demonstrate that pixels with maximized surface and minimized thickness can lead to an optimization of their β+ sensitivity with a relative transparency to the annihilation background.

Testbeam results of irradiated ams H18 HV-CMOS pixel sensor prototypes

DOE PAGES

Benoit, M.; Braccini, S.; Casse, G.; ...

2018-02-08

HV-CMOS pixel sensors are a promising option for the tracker upgrade of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, as well as for other future tracking applications in which large areas are to be instrumented with radiation-tolerant silicon pixel sensors. We present results of testbeam characterisations of the 4 th generation of Capacitively Coupled Pixel Detectors (CCPDv4) produced with the ams H18 HV-CMOS process that have been irradiated with different particles (reactor neutrons and 18 MeV protons) to fluences between 1×10 14 and 5×10 15 1–MeV– n eq. The sensors were glued to ATLAS FE-I4 pixel readout chips and measured atmore » the CERN SPS H8 beamline using the FE-I4 beam telescope. Results for all fluences are very encouraging with all hit efficiencies being better than 97% for bias voltages of 85 V. The sample irradiated to a fluence of 1×10 15 neq—a relevant value for a large volume of the upgraded tracker—exhibited 99.7% average hit efficiency. Furthermore, the results give strong evidence for the radiation tolerance of HV-CMOS sensors and their suitability as sensors for the experimental HL-LHC upgrades and future large-area silicon-based tracking detectors in high-radiation environments.« less

The TT-PET project: a thin TOF-PET scanner based on fast novel silicon pixel detectors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bandi, Y.; Benoit, M.; Cadoux, F. R.; Forshaw, D. C.; Hänni, R.; Hayakawa, D.; Iacobucci, G.; Michal, S.; Miucci, A.; Paolozzi, L.; Ratib, O.; Ripiccini, E.; Tognina, C.; Valerio, P.; Weber, M.

2018-01-01

The TT-PET project aims at developing a compact Time-of-flight PET scanner with 30ps time resolution, capable of withstanding high magnetic fields and allowing for integration in a traditional MRI scanner, providing complimentary real-time PET images. The very high timing resolution of the TT-PET scanner is achieved thanks to a new generation of Silicon-Germanium (Si-Ge) amplifiers, which are embedded in monolithic pixel sensors. The scanner is composed of 16 detection towers as well as cooling blocks, arranged in a ring structure. The towers are composed of multiple ultra-thin pixel modules stacked on top of each other. Making it possible to perform depth of interaction measurements and maximize the spatial resolution along the line of flight of the two photons emitted within a patient. This will result in improved image quality, contrast, and uniformity while drastically reducing backgrounds within the scanner. Allowing for a reduction in the amount of radioactivity delivered to the patient. Due to an expected data rate of about 250 MB/s a custom readout system for high data throughput has been developed, which includes noise filtering and reduced data pressure. The realisation of a first scanner prototype for small animals is foreseen by 2019. A general overview of the scanner will be given including, technical details concerning the detection elements, mechanics, DAQ readout, simulation and results.

A Low-Noise X-ray Astronomical Silicon-On-Insulator Pixel Detector Using a Pinned Depleted Diode Structure

PubMed Central

Kamehama, Hiroki; Kawahito, Shoji; Shrestha, Sumeet; Nakanishi, Syunta; Yasutomi, Keita; Takeda, Ayaki; Tsuru, Takeshi Go

2017-01-01

This paper presents a novel full-depletion Si X-ray detector based on silicon-on-insulator pixel (SOIPIX) technology using a pinned depleted diode structure, named the SOIPIX-PDD. The SOIPIX-PDD greatly reduces stray capacitance at the charge sensing node, the dark current of the detector, and capacitive coupling between the sensing node and SOI circuits. These features of the SOIPIX-PDD lead to low read noise, resulting high X-ray energy resolution and stable operation of the pixel. The back-gate surface pinning structure using neutralized p-well at the back-gate surface and depleted n-well underneath the p-well for all the pixel area other than the charge sensing node is also essential for preventing hole injection from the p-well by making the potential barrier to hole, reducing dark current from the Si-SiO2 interface and creating lateral drift field to gather signal electrons in the pixel area into the small charge sensing node. A prototype chip using 0.2 μm SOI technology shows very low readout noise of 11.0 e−rms, low dark current density of 56 pA/cm2 at −35 °C and the energy resolution of 200 eV(FWHM) at 5.9 keV and 280 eV (FWHM) at 13.95 keV. PMID:29295523

Testbeam results of irradiated ams H18 HV-CMOS pixel sensor prototypes

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

Benoit, M.; Braccini, S.; Casse, G.

HV-CMOS pixel sensors are a promising option for the tracker upgrade of the ATLAS experiment at the LHC, as well as for other future tracking applications in which large areas are to be instrumented with radiation-tolerant silicon pixel sensors. We present results of testbeam characterisations of the 4 th generation of Capacitively Coupled Pixel Detectors (CCPDv4) produced with the ams H18 HV-CMOS process that have been irradiated with different particles (reactor neutrons and 18 MeV protons) to fluences between 1×10 14 and 5×10 15 1–MeV– n eq. The sensors were glued to ATLAS FE-I4 pixel readout chips and measured atmore » the CERN SPS H8 beamline using the FE-I4 beam telescope. Results for all fluences are very encouraging with all hit efficiencies being better than 97% for bias voltages of 85 V. The sample irradiated to a fluence of 1×10 15 neq—a relevant value for a large volume of the upgraded tracker—exhibited 99.7% average hit efficiency. Furthermore, the results give strong evidence for the radiation tolerance of HV-CMOS sensors and their suitability as sensors for the experimental HL-LHC upgrades and future large-area silicon-based tracking detectors in high-radiation environments.« less

Omnidirectional and broadband absorption enhancement from trapezoidal Mie resonators in semiconductor metasurfaces

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

Pala, Ragip A.; Butun, Serkan; Aydin, Koray

2016-09-19

Light trapping in planar ultrathin-film solar cells is limited due to a small number of optical modes available in the thin-film slab. A nanostructured thin-film design could surpass this limit by providing broadband increase in the local density of states in a subwavelength volume and maintaining efficient coupling of light. Here we report a broadband metasurface design, enabling efficient and broadband absorption enhancement by direct coupling of incoming light to resonant modes of subwavelength scale Mie nanoresonators defined in the thin-film active layer. Absorption was investigated both theoretically and experimentally in prototypes consisting of lithographically patterned, two-dimensional periodic arrays ofmore » silicon nanoresonators on silica substrates. A crossed trapezoid resonator shape of rectangular cross section is used to excite broadband Mie resonances across visible and near-IR spectra. Our numerical simulations, optical absorption measurements and photocurrent spectral response measurements demonstrate that crossed trapezoidal Mie resonant structures enable angle-insensitive, broadband absorption. A short circuit current density of 12.0 mA/cm 2 is achieved in 210 nm thick patterned Si films, yielding a 4-fold increase compared to planar films of the same thickness. As a result, it is suggested that silicon metasurfaces with Mie resonator arrays can provide useful insights to guide future ultrathin-film solar cell designs incorporating nanostructured thin active layers.« less

Macro-meso-microsystems integration in LTCC : LDRD report.

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

De Smet, Dennis J.; Nordquist, Christopher Daniel; Turner, Timothy Shawn

2007-03-01

Low Temperature Cofired Ceramic (LTCC) has proven to be an enabling medium for microsystem technologies, because of its desirable electrical, physical, and chemical properties coupled with its capability for rapid prototyping and scalable manufacturing of components. LTCC is viewed as an extension of hybrid microcircuits, and in that function it enables development, testing, and deployment of silicon microsystems. However, its versatility has allowed it to succeed as a microsystem medium in its own right, with applications in non-microelectronic meso-scale devices and in a range of sensor devices. Applications include silicon microfluidic ''chip-and-wire'' systems and fluid grid array (FGA)/microfluidic multichip modulesmore » using embedded channels in LTCC, and cofired electro-mechanical systems with moving parts. Both the microfluidic and mechanical system applications are enabled by sacrificial volume materials (SVM), which serve to create and maintain cavities and separation gaps during the lamination and cofiring process. SVMs consisting of thermally fugitive or partially inert materials are easily incorporated. Recognizing the premium on devices that are cofired rather than assembled, we report on functional-as-released and functional-as-fired moving parts. Additional applications for cofired transparent windows, some as small as an optical fiber, are also described. The applications described help pave the way for widespread application of LTCC to biomedical, control, analysis, characterization, and radio frequency (RF) functions for macro-meso-microsystems.« less

Free-form Fresnel RXI-RR Köhler design for high-concentration photovoltaics with spectrum-splitting

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buljan, M.; Benítez, P.; Mohedano, R.; Miñano, J. C.; Sun, Y.; Falicoff, W.; Vilaplana, J.; Chaves, J.; Biot, G.; López, J.

2011-10-01

Development of a novel HCPV nonimaging concentrator with high concentration (>500x) and built-in spectrum splitting concept is presented. It uses the combination of a commercial concentration GaInP/GaInAs/Ge 3J cell and a concentration Back-Point-Contact (BPC) silicon cell for efficient spectral utilization, and external confinement techniques for recovering the 3J cell's reflection. The primary optical element (POE) is a flat Fresnel lens and the secondary optical element (SOE) is a free-form RXI-type concentrator with a band-pass filter embedded in it - Both the POE and SOE performing Köhler integration to produce light homogenization on the receiver. The band-pass filter transmits the IR photons in the 900-1200 nm band to the silicon cell. A design target of an "equivalent" cell efficiency ~46% is predicted using commercial 39% 3J and 26% Si cells. A projected CPV module efficiency of greater than 38% is achievable at a concentration level larger than 500X with a wide acceptance angle of +/-1°. A first proof-of concept receiver prototype has been manufactured using a simpler optical architecture (with a lower concentration, ~100x and lower simulated added efficiency), and experimental measurements have shown up to 39.8% 4J receiver efficiency using a 3J cell with a peak efficiency of 36.9%.

A Low-Noise X-ray Astronomical Silicon-On-Insulator Pixel Detector Using a Pinned Depleted Diode Structure.

PubMed

Kamehama, Hiroki; Kawahito, Shoji; Shrestha, Sumeet; Nakanishi, Syunta; Yasutomi, Keita; Takeda, Ayaki; Tsuru, Takeshi Go; Arai, Yasuo

2017-12-23

This paper presents a novel full-depletion Si X-ray detector based on silicon-on-insulator pixel (SOIPIX) technology using a pinned depleted diode structure, named the SOIPIX-PDD. The SOIPIX-PDD greatly reduces stray capacitance at the charge sensing node, the dark current of the detector, and capacitive coupling between the sensing node and SOI circuits. These features of the SOIPIX-PDD lead to low read noise, resulting high X-ray energy resolution and stable operation of the pixel. The back-gate surface pinning structure using neutralized p-well at the back-gate surface and depleted n-well underneath the p-well for all the pixel area other than the charge sensing node is also essential for preventing hole injection from the p-well by making the potential barrier to hole, reducing dark current from the Si-SiO₂ interface and creating lateral drift field to gather signal electrons in the pixel area into the small charge sensing node. A prototype chip using 0.2 μm SOI technology shows very low readout noise of 11.0 e - rms , low dark current density of 56 pA/cm² at -35 °C and the energy resolution of 200 eV(FWHM) at 5.9 keV and 280 eV (FWHM) at 13.95 keV.

Silicone polymer waveguide bridge for Si to glass optical fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kruse, Kevin L.; Riegel, Nicholas J.; Middlebrook, Christopher T.

2015-03-01

Multimode step index polymer waveguides achieve high-speed, (<10 Gb/s) low bit-error-rates for onboard and embedded circuit applications. Using several multimode waveguides in parallel enables overall capacity to reach beyond 100 Gb/s, but the intrinsic bandwidth limitations due to intermodal dispersion limit the data transmission rates within multimode waveguides. Single mode waveguides, where intermodal dispersion is not present, have the potential to further improve data transmission rates. Single mode waveguide size is significantly less than their multimode counterparts allowing for greater density of channels leading to higher bandwidth capacity per layer. Challenges in implementation of embedded single mode waveguides within printed circuit boards involves mass production fabrication techniques to create precision dimensional waveguides, precision alignment tolerances necessary to launch a mode, and effective coupling between adjoining waveguides and devices. An emerging need in which single mode waveguides can be utilized is providing low loss fan out techniques and coupling between on-chip transceiver devices containing Si waveguide structures to traditional single mode optical fiber. A polymer waveguide bridge for Si to glass optical fibers can be implemented using silicone polymers at 1310 nm. Fabricated and measured prototype devices with modeling and simulation analysis are reported for a 12 member 1-D tapered PWG. Recommendations and designs are generated with performance factors such as numerical aperture and alignment tolerances.

Proceedings of the Eleventh International Conference on Calorimetry in Particle Physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cecchi, Claudia

The Pamela silicon tungsten calorimeter / G. Zampa -- Design and development of a dense, fine grained silicon tungsten calorimeter with integrated electronics / D. Strom -- High resolution silicon detector for 1.2-3.1 eV (400-1000 nm) photons / D. Groom -- The KLEM high energy cosmic rays collector for the NUCLEON satellite mission / M. Merkin (contribution not received) -- The electromagnetic calorimeter of the Hera-b experiment / I. Matchikhilian -- The status of the ATLAS tile calorimeter / J. Mendes Saraiva -- Design and mass production of Scintillator Pad Detector (SPD) / Preshower (PS) detector for LHC-b experiment / E. Gushchin -- Study of new FNAL-NICADD extruded scintillator as active media of large EMCal of ALICE at LHC / O. Grachov -- The CMS hadron calorimeter / D. Karmgard (contribution not received) -- Test beam study of the KOPIO Shashlyk calorimeter prototype / A. Poblaguev -- The Shashlik electro-magnetic calorimeter for the LHCb experiment / S. Barsuk -- Quality of mass produced lead-tungstate crystals / R. Zhu -- Status of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter / J. Fay -- Scintillation detectors for radiation-hard electromagnetic calorimeters / H. Loehner -- Energy, timing and two-photon invariant mass resolution of a 256-channel PBWO[symbol] calorimeter / M. Ippolitov -- A high performance hybrid electromagnetic calorimeter at Jefferson Lab / A. Gasparian -- CsI(Tl) calorimetry on BESHI / T. Hu (contribution not received) -- The crystal ball and TAPS detectors at the MAMI electron beam facility / D. Watts -- Front-end electronics of the ATLAS tile calorimeter / R. Teuscher -- The ATLAS tilecal detector control system / A. Gomes -- Performance of the liquid argon final calibration board / C. de la Taille -- Overview of the LHCb calorimeter electronics / F. Machefert -- LHCb preshower photodetector and electronics / S. Monteil -- The CMS ECAL readout architecture and the clock and control system / K. Kloukinas -- Test of the CMS-ECAL trigger primitive generation / N. Regnault -- Optical data links for the CMS ECAL / J. Grahl (contribution not received) -- CMS ECAL off-detector electronics / R. Alemany Fernandez -- Performance of a low noise readout ASIC for the W-Si calorimeter physics prototype for the future linear collider / C. de la Taille -- Properties of a sampling calorimeter with warm-liquid ionization chambers / S. Plewnia -- Calorimetry and the DO experiment / R. Zitoun (contribution not received) -- Data quality monitoring for the DØ calorimeter / V. Shary -- Status of the construction of the ATLAS electromagnetic liquid argon calorimeter, overview of beam test performance studies / L. Serin -- Uniformity of response of ATLAS liquid argon EM calorimeter / O. Gaunter -- Status of the ATLAS liquid argon hadronic endcap calorimeter construction / M. Vincter -- Results from particle beam tests of the ATLAS liquid argon endcap calorimeters / M. Lefebvre -- First results of the DREAM project / R. Wigmans -- Electron and muon detection with a dual-readout (DREAM) calorimeter / N. Akchurin -- The neutron zero degree calorimeter for the ALICE experiment / M. Gallio -- The liquid xenon scintillation calorimeter of the MEG experiment: operation of a large prototype / G. Signorelli -- Detection of high energy particles using radio frequency signals / C. Hebert -- Hadronic shower simulation / J.-P. Wellisch -- E.M. and hadronic shower simulation with FLUKA / G. Battistoni -- Simulation of the LHCb electromagnetic calorimeter response with GEANT4 / P. Robbe -- Comparison of beam test results of the combined ATLAS liquid argon endcap calorimeters with GEANT3 and GEANT4 simulations / D. Salihagić -- GEANT4 hadronic physics validation with LHC test-beam data / C. Alexa -- The full simulation of the GLAST LAT high energy gamma ray telescope / F. Longo -- Response of the KLOE electromagnetic calorimeter to low-energy particles / T. Spadaro -- Calorimeter algorithms for DØ; / S. Trincaz-Duvoid -- Identification of low P[symbol] muon with the ATLAS tile calorimeter / G. Usai -- Electron and photon reconstruction with fully simulated events in the CMS experiment / G. Daskalakis -- Expected performance of Jet, [symbol] and [symbol] reconstruction in ATLAS / I. Vivarelli -- LHCb calorimeter from trigger to physics / O. Deschamps -- The calibration strategy of CMS electromagnetic calorimeter / P. Meridiani -- Energy and impact point reconstruction in the CMS ECAL (testbeam results from 2003) / I. B. van Vulpen -- The jet energy scale and resolution in the DO calorimeter / A. Kupco (contribution not received) -- Precision linearity studies of the ATLAS liquid argon EM calorimeter / G. Graziani -- Calibration of the ATLAS tile calorimeter / F. Sarri -- Performance of the CMS ECAL laser monitoring source in the test beam / A. Bornheim -- Energy reconstruction algorithms and their influence on the ATLAS tile calorimeter / E. Fullana -- Study of the biological effectiveness of ionizing radiations for a more realistic evaluation of the radiation quality in hadrontherapy / R. Cherubini (contribution not received) -- New dosimetry technologies for IMRT (Intensity Modulated Radio Therapy) / A. Piermattei -- Photon neutron radiotherapy / G. Giannini (contribution not received) -- Recent developments in molecular imaging / G. Zavattini (contribution not received) -- Performance goals and design considerations for a linear collider calorimeter / F. Sefkow -- Improving the jet reconstruction with the particle flow method; an introduction / J.-C. Brient -- Fine grained SiW ECAL for a linear collider detector / D. Strom (in the silicon session) -- Silicon-tungsten sampling electromagnetic calorimeter for the TeV electron-positron linear collider / J.-C. Brient -- LCCAL: a calorimeter prototype for future linear colliders / S. Miscetti -- Analog vs digital hadron calorimetry at a future electron-positron linear collider / S. Magill -- Toward a scintillator based heal and tail catcher for the LC calorimeter / M. Martin (contribution not received) -- Minical options, description in MC, calibration, plans for test beam prototype / G. Eigen (contribution not received) -- Photodetector options for a scintillator heal / E. Popova (contribution not received) -- Very low background scintillators in DAMA project: results and perspectives / R. Bernabei -- EDELWEISS Ge cryogenics detectors: main performance and physics results / X. Navick (contribution not received) -- Review of massive underground detectors / A. Rubbia -- Review of neutrino telescopes underwater and under ice / A. Capone (contribution not received) -- The fluorescence detector of the Pierre Auger Observatory / R. Caruso -- The EUSO mission for the observation of ultra high energy cosmic rays from space / A. Petrolini -- Performance of a 3D imaging electromagnetic calorimeter for the AMSO2 space experiment / C. Adloff -- Beam test calibration of the balloon borne imaging calorimeter for the CREAM experiment / P. Maestro.

Measurements with MÖNCH, a 25 μm pixel pitch hybrid pixel detector

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ramilli, M.; Bergamaschi, A.; Andrae, M.; Brückner, M.; Cartier, S.; Dinapoli, R.; Fröjdh, E.; Greiffenberg, D.; Hutwelker, T.; Lopez-Cuenca, C.; Mezza, D.; Mozzanica, A.; Ruat, M.; Redford, S.; Schmitt, B.; Shi, X.; Tinti, G.; Zhang, J.

2017-01-01

MÖNCH is a hybrid silicon pixel detector based on charge integration and with analog readout, featuring a pixel size of 25×25 μm2. The latest working prototype consists of an array of 400×400 identical pixels for a total active area of 1×1 cm2. Its design is optimized for the single photon regime. An exhaustive characterization of this large area prototype has been carried out in the past months, and it confirms an ENC in the order of 35 electrons RMS and a dynamic range of ~4×12 keV photons in high gain mode, which increases to ~100×12 keV photons with the lowest gain setting. The low noise levels of MÖNCH make it a suitable candidate for X-ray detection at energies around 1 keV and below. Imaging applications in particular can benefit significantly from the use of MÖNCH: due to its extremely small pixel pitch, the detector intrinsically offers excellent position resolution. Moreover, in low flux conditions, charge sharing between neighboring pixels allows the use of position interpolation algorithms which grant a resolution at the micrometer-level. Its energy reconstruction and imaging capabilities have been tested for the first time at a low energy beamline at PSI, with photon energies between 1.75 keV and 3.5 keV, and results will be shown.

Ultralightweight Fresnel Lens Solar Concentrators for Space Power

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

ONeill, M. J.; McDanal, A. J.

2000-01-01

The first phase of this project was completed in March 2000, and included the successful technology demonstration of a new ultralightweight photovoltaic concentrator array at the fully functional panel level. The new array is called the Stretched Lens Aurora (SLA) array, and uses deployable, flexible, thin-film silicone rubber Fresnel lenses to focus sunlight onto high efficiency multijunction solar cells, which are mounted to a composite radiator surface for waste heat dissipation. A prototype panel was delivered to NASA Marshall in March 2000, and comprised four side-by-side lenses focussing sunlight onto four side-by-side photovoltaic receivers. This prototype panel was tested by NASA Glenn prior to delivery to NASA Marshall. The best of the four lens/receiver modules achieved 27.4% efficiency at room temperature in the NASA Glenn solar simulator tests. This performance equates to 375 W/sq.m. areal power and 378 W/kg specific power at the fully functional panel level. We believe this to be the first space solar array of any kind to simulataneously meet the two long-standing NASA goals of 300 W/sq.m. and 300 W/kg at the functional panel level. Key results for the first phase of the program have been documented by ENTECH in a Draft Final Technical Report, which is presently being reviewed by NASA, and which should be published in the near future.

Crystal accumulation in the Hanford Waste Treatment Plant high level waste melter. Preliminary settling and resuspension testing

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

Fox, K. M.; Fowley, M. D.; Miller, D. H.

2016-05-01

The full-scale, room-temperature Hanford Tank Waste Treatment and Immobilization Plant (WTP) High-Level Waste (HLW) melter riser test system was successfully operated with silicone oil and magnetite particles at a loading of 0.1 vol %. Design and construction of the system and instrumentation, and the selection and preparation of simulant materials, are briefly reviewed. Three experiments were completed. A prototypic pour rate was maintained, based on the volumetric flow rate. Settling and accumulation of magnetite particles were observed at the bottom of the riser and along the bottom of the throat after each experiment. The height of the accumulated layer atmore » the bottom of the riser, after the first pouring experiment, approximated the expected level given the solids loading of 0.1 vol %. More detailed observations of particle resuspension and settling were made during and after the third pouring experiment. The accumulated layer of particles at the bottom of the riser appeared to be unaffected after a pouring cycle of approximately 15 minutes at the prototypic flow rate. The accumulated layer of particles along the bottom of the throat was somewhat reduced after the same pouring cycle. Review of the time-lapse recording showed that some of the settling particles flow from the riser into the throat. This may result in a thicker than expected settled layer in the throat.« less

A combined positron emission tomography (PET)-electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI) system: initial evaluation of a prototype scanner

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tseytlin, Mark; Stolin, Alexander V.; Guggilapu, Priyaankadevi; Bobko, Andrey A.; Khramtsov, Valery V.; Tseytlin, Oxana; Raylman, Raymond R.

2018-05-01

The advent of hybrid scanners, combining complementary modalities, has revolutionized the application of advanced imaging technology to clinical practice and biomedical research. In this project, we investigated the melding of two complementary, functional imaging methods: positron emission tomography (PET) and electron paramagnetic resonance imaging (EPRI). PET radiotracers can provide important information about cellular parameters, such as glucose metabolism. While EPR probes can provide assessment of tissue microenvironment, measuring oxygenation and pH, for example. Therefore, a combined PET/EPRI scanner promises to provide new insights not attainable with current imagers by simultaneous acquisition of multiple components of tissue microenvironments. To explore the simultaneous acquisition of PET and EPR images, a prototype system was created by combining two existing scanners. Specifically, a silicon photomultiplier (SiPM)-based PET scanner ring designed as a portable scanner was combined with an EPRI scanner designed for the imaging of small animals. The ability of the system to obtain simultaneous images was assessed with a small phantom consisting of four cylinders containing both a PET tracer and EPR spin probe. The resulting images demonstrated the ability to obtain contemporaneous PET and EPR images without cross-modality interference. Given the promising results from this initial investigation, the next step in this project is the construction of the next generation pre-clinical PET/EPRI scanner for multi-parametric assessment of physiologically-important parameters of tissue microenvironments.

Holistic design in high-speed optical interconnects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Saeedi, Saman

Integrated circuit scaling has enabled a huge growth in processing capability, which necessitates a corresponding increase in inter-chip communication bandwidth. As bandwidth requirements for chip-to-chip interconnection scale, deficiencies of electrical channels become more apparent. Optical links present a viable alternative due to their low frequency-dependent loss and higher bandwidth density in the form of wavelength division multiplexing. As integrated photonics and bonding technologies are maturing, commercialization of hybrid-integrated optical links are becoming a reality. Increasing silicon integration leads to better performance in optical links but necessitates a corresponding co-design strategy in both electronics and photonics. In this light, holistic design of high-speed optical links with an in-depth understanding of photonics and state-of-the-art electronics brings their performance to unprecedented levels. This thesis presents developments in high-speed optical links by co-designing and co-integrating the primary elements of an optical link: receiver, transmitter, and clocking. In the first part of this thesis a 3D-integrated CMOS/Silicon-photonic receiver will be presented. The electronic chip features a novel design that employs a low-bandwidth TIA front-end, double-sampling and equalization through dynamic offset modulation. Measured results show -14.9dBm of sensitivity and energy eciency of 170fJ/b at 25Gb/s. The same receiver front-end is also used to implement source-synchronous 4-channel WDM-based parallel optical receiver. Quadrature ILO-based clocking is employed for synchronization and a novel frequency-tracking method that exploits the dynamics of IL in a quadrature ring oscillator to increase the effective locking range. An adaptive body-biasing circuit is designed to maintain the per-bit-energy consumption constant across wide data-rates. The prototype measurements indicate a record-low power consumption of 153fJ/b at 32Gb/s. The receiver sensitivity is measured to be -8.8dBm at 32Gb/s. Next, on the optical transmitter side, three new techniques will be presented. First one is a differential ring modulator that breaks the optical bandwidth/quality factor trade-off known to limit the speed of high-Q ring modulators. This structure maintains a constant energy in the ring to avoid pattern-dependent power droop. As a first proof of concept, a prototype has been fabricated and measured up to 10Gb/s. The second technique is thermal stabilization of micro-ring resonator modulators through direct measurement of temperature using a monolithic PTAT temperature sensor. The measured temperature is used in a feedback loop to adjust the thermal tuner of the ring. A prototype is fabricated and a closed-loop feedback system is demonstrated to operate at 20Gb/s in the presence of temperature fluctuations. The third technique is a switched-capacitor based pre-emphasis technique designed to extend the inherently low bandwidth of carrier injection micro-ring modulators. A measured prototype of the optical transmitter achieves energy efficiency of 342fJ/bit at 10Gb/s and the wavelength stabilization circuit based on the monolithic PTAT sensor consumes 0.29mW. Lastly, a first-order frequency synthesizer that is suitable for high-speed on-chip clock generation will be discussed. The proposed design features an architecture combining an LC quadrature VCO, two sample-and-holds, a PI, digital coarse-tuning, and rotational frequency detection for fine-tuning. In addition to an electrical reference clock, as an extra feature, the prototype chip is capable of receiving a low jitter optical reference clock generated by a high-repetition-rate mode-locked laser. The output clock at 8GHz has an integrated RMS jitter of 490fs, peak-to-peak periodic jitter of 2.06ps, and total RMS jitter of 680fs. The reference spurs are measured to be 64.3dB below the carrier frequency. At 8GHz the system consumes 2.49mW from a 1V supply.

The Energetic Trans-Iron Composition Experiment (ENTICE) on the Heavy Nuclei Explorer (HNX)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Israel, M. H.; Adams, J. H.; Barbier, L. M.; Binns, W. R.; Christian, E. R.; Cummings, A. C.; Cummings, J. R.; Doke, T.; Hasebe, N.; Hayashi, T.;

Mask technology for EUV lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bujak, M.; Burkhart, Scott C.; Cerjan, Charles J.; Kearney, Patrick A.; Moore, Craig E.; Prisbrey, Shon T.; Sweeney, Donald W.; Tong, William M.; Vernon, Stephen P.; Walton, Christopher C.; Warrick, Abbie L.; Weber, Frank J.; Wedowski, Marco; Wilhelmsen, Karl C.; Bokor, Jeffrey; Jeong, Sungho; Cardinale, Gregory F.; Ray-Chaudhuri, Avijit K.; Stivers, Alan R.; Tejnil, Edita; Yan, Pei-yang; Hector, Scott D.; Nguyen, Khanh B.

1999-04-01

Extreme UV Lithography (EUVL) is one of the leading candidates for the next generation lithography, which will decrease critical feature size to below 100 nm within 5 years. EUVL uses 10-14 nm light as envisioned by the EUV Limited Liability Company, a consortium formed by Intel and supported by Motorola and AMD to perform R and D work at three national laboratories. Much work has already taken place, with the first prototypical cameras operational at 13.4 nm using low energy laser plasma EUV light sources to investigate issues including the source, camera, electro- mechanical and system issues, photoresists, and of course the masks. EUV lithograph masks are fundamentally different than conventional photolithographic masks as they are reflective instead of transmissive. EUV light at 13.4 nm is rapidly absorbed by most materials, thus all light transmission within the EUVL system from source to silicon wafer, including EUV reflected from the mask, is performed by multilayer mirrors in vacuum.

A novel scalable manufacturing process for the production of hydrogel-forming microneedle arrays.

PubMed

Lutton, Rebecca E M; Larrañeta, Eneko; Kearney, Mary-Carmel; Boyd, Peter; Woolfson, A David; Donnelly, Ryan F

2015-10-15

A novel manufacturing process for fabricating microneedle arrays (MN) has been designed and evaluated. The prototype is able to successfully produce 14×14 MN arrays and is easily capable of scale-up, enabling the transition from laboratory to industry and subsequent commercialisation. The method requires the custom design of metal MN master templates to produce silicone MN moulds using an injection moulding process. The MN arrays produced using this novel method was compared with centrifugation, the traditional method of producing aqueous hydrogel-forming MN arrays. The results proved that there was negligible difference between either methods, with each producing MN arrays with comparable quality. Both types of MN arrays can be successfully inserted in a skin simulant. In both cases the insertion depth was approximately 60% of the needle length and the height reduction after insertion was in both cases approximately 3%. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Scintillator Detector Development at Central Michigan University

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McClain, David; Estrade, Alfredo; Neupane, Shree

2017-09-01

Experimental nuclear physics relies both on the accuracy and precision of the instruments for radiation detection used in experimental setups. At Central Michigan University we have setup a lab to work with scintillator detectors for radioactive ion beam experiments, using a Picosecond Laser and radioactive sources for testing. We have tested the resolution for prototypes of large area scintillators that could be used for fast timing measurements in the focal plane of spectrometers, such as the future High Rigidity Spectrometer at the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). We measured the resolution as a function of the length of the detector, and also the position of the beam along the scintillator. We have also designed a scintillating detector to veto light ion background in beta-decay experiments with the Advanced Implantation Detector Array (AIDA) at RIKEN in Japan. We tested different configurations of Silicon Photomultipliers and scintillating fiber optics to find the best detection efficiency.

On the refractive index of sodium iodide solutions for index matching in PIV

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bai, Kunlun; Katz, Joseph

2014-04-01

Refractive index matching has become a popular technique for facilitating applications of modern optical diagnostic techniques, such as particle image velocimetry, in complex systems. By matching the refractive index of solid boundaries with that of the liquid, unobstructed optical paths can be achieved for illumination and image acquisition. In this research note, we extend previously provided data for the refractive index of aqueous solutions of sodium iodide (NaI) for concentrations reaching the temperature-dependent solubility limit. Results are fitted onto a quadratic empirical expression relating the concentration to the refractive index. Temperature effects are also measured. The present range of indices, 1.333-1.51, covers that of typical transparent solids, from silicone elastomers to several recently introduced materials that could be manufactured using rapid prototyping. We also review briefly previous measurements of the refractive index, viscosity, and density of NaI solutions, as well as prior research that has utilized this fluid.

Sound source localization inspired by the ears of the Ormia ochracea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kuntzman, Michael L.; Hall, Neal A.

2014-07-01

The parasitoid fly Ormia ochracea has the remarkable ability to locate crickets using audible sound. This ability is, in fact, remarkable as the fly's hearing mechanism spans only 1.5 mm which is 50× smaller than the wavelength of sound emitted by the cricket. The hearing mechanism is, for all practical purposes, a point in space with no significant interaural time or level differences to draw from. It has been discovered that evolution has empowered the fly with a hearing mechanism that utilizes multiple vibration modes to amplify interaural time and level differences. Here, we present a fully integrated, man-made mimic of the Ormia's hearing mechanism capable of replicating the remarkable sound localization ability of the special fly. A silicon-micromachined prototype is presented which uses multiple piezoelectric sensing ports to simultaneously transduce two orthogonal vibration modes of the sensing structure, thereby enabling simultaneous measurement of sound pressure and pressure gradient.

Al/Ti/Al phonon-mediated KIDs for UV–vis light detection over large areas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cardani, L.; Casali, N.; Cruciani, A.; le Sueur, H.; Martinez, M.; Bellini, F.; Calvo, M.; Castellano, M. G.; Colantoni, I.; Cosmelli, C.; D’Addabbo, A.; Di Domizio, S.; Goupy, J.; Minutolo, L.; Monfardini, A.; Vignati, M.

2018-07-01

The development of wide-area cryogenic light detectors with baseline energy resolution lower than 20 eV RMS is essential for next generation bolometric experiments searching for rare interactions. Indeed the simultaneous readout of the light and heat signals will enable background suppression through particle identification. Because of their excellent intrinsic energy resolution, as well as their well-established reproducibility, kinetic inductance detectors (KIDs) are good candidates for the development of next generation light detectors. The CALDER project is investigating the potential of phonon-mediated KIDs. The first phase of the project allowed to reach a baseline resolution of 80 eV using a single KID made of aluminum on a 2 × 2 cm2 silicon substrate acting as photon absorber. In this paper we present a new prototype detector implementing a trilayer aluminum–titanium–aluminum KID. Taking advantage of superconducting proximity effect the baseline resolution improves down to 26 eV.

Improving calorimeter resolution using temperature compensation calculations

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Smiga, Joseph; Purschke, Martin

2017-01-01

The sPHENIX experiment is an upgrade of the existing PHENIX apparatus at the Relativistic Heavy-Ion Collider (RHIC). The new detector improves upon measurements of various physical processes, such as jets of particles created during heavy-ion collisions. Prototypes of various calorimeter components were tested at the Fermilab Test Beam Facility (FTBF). This analysis tries to compensate the effects of temperature drifts in the silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs). Temperature data were used to calculate an appropriate compensation factor. This analysis will improve the achievable resolution and will also determine how accurately the temperature must be controlled in the final experiment. This will improve the performance of the calorimeters in the sPHENIX experiment. This project was supported in part by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Workforce Development for Teachers and Scientists (WDTS) under the Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internships Program (SULI).

Estimating Arrhenius parameters using temperature programmed molecular dynamics.

PubMed

Imandi, Venkataramana; Chatterjee, Abhijit

2016-07-21

Kinetic rates at different temperatures and the associated Arrhenius parameters, whenever Arrhenius law is obeyed, are efficiently estimated by applying maximum likelihood analysis to waiting times collected using the temperature programmed molecular dynamics method. When transitions involving many activated pathways are available in the dataset, their rates may be calculated using the same collection of waiting times. Arrhenius behaviour is ascertained by comparing rates at the sampled temperatures with ones from the Arrhenius expression. Three prototype systems with corrugated energy landscapes, namely, solvated alanine dipeptide, diffusion at the metal-solvent interphase, and lithium diffusion in silicon, are studied to highlight various aspects of the method. The method becomes particularly appealing when the Arrhenius parameters can be used to find rates at low temperatures where transitions are rare. Systematic coarse-graining of states can further extend the time scales accessible to the method. Good estimates for the rate parameters are obtained with 500-1000 waiting times.

Validation of GEANT4 Monte Carlo models with a highly granular scintillator-steel hadron calorimeter

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Adloff, C.; Blaha, J.; Blaising, J.-J.; Drancourt, C.; Espargilière, A.; Gaglione, R.; Geffroy, N.; Karyotakis, Y.; Prast, J.; Vouters, G.; Francis, K.; Repond, J.; Schlereth, J.; Smith, J.; Xia, L.; Baldolemar, E.; Li, J.; Park, S. T.; Sosebee, M.; White, A. P.; Yu, J.; Buanes, T.; Eigen, G.; Mikami, Y.; Watson, N. K.; Mavromanolakis, G.; Thomson, M. A.; Ward, D. R.; Yan, W.; Benchekroun, D.; Hoummada, A.; Khoulaki, Y.; Apostolakis, J.; Dotti, A.; Folger, G.; Ivantchenko, V.; Uzhinskiy, V.; Benyamna, M.; Cârloganu, C.; Fehr, F.; Gay, P.; Manen, S.; Royer, L.; Blazey, G. C.; Dyshkant, A.; Lima, J. G. R.; Zutshi, V.; Hostachy, J.-Y.; Morin, L.; Cornett, U.; David, D.; Falley, G.; Gadow, K.; Göttlicher, P.; Günter, C.; Hermberg, B.; Karstensen, S.; Krivan, F.; Lucaci-Timoce, A.-I.; Lu, S.; Lutz, B.; Morozov, S.; Morgunov, V.; Reinecke, M.; Sefkow, F.; Smirnov, P.; Terwort, M.; Vargas-Trevino, A.; Feege, N.; Garutti, E.; Marchesini, I.; Ramilli, M.; Eckert, P.; Harion, T.; Kaplan, A.; Schultz-Coulon, H.-Ch; Shen, W.; Stamen, R.; Bilki, B.; Norbeck, E.; Onel, Y.; Wilson, G. W.; Kawagoe, K.; Dauncey, P. D.; Magnan, A.-M.; Bartsch, V.; Wing, M.; Salvatore, F.; Calvo Alamillo, E.; Fouz, M.-C.; Puerta-Pelayo, J.; Bobchenko, B.; Chadeeva, M.; Danilov, M.; Epifantsev, A.; Markin, O.; Mizuk, R.; Novikov, E.; Popov, V.; Rusinov, V.; Tarkovsky, E.; Kirikova, N.; Kozlov, V.; Smirnov, P.; Soloviev, Y.; Buzhan, P.; Ilyin, A.; Kantserov, V.; Kaplin, V.; Karakash, A.; Popova, E.; Tikhomirov, V.; Kiesling, C.; Seidel, K.; Simon, F.; Soldner, C.; Szalay, M.; Tesar, M.; Weuste, L.; Amjad, M. S.; Bonis, J.; Callier, S.; Conforti di Lorenzo, S.; Cornebise, P.; Doublet, Ph; Dulucq, F.; Fleury, J.; Frisson, T.; van der Kolk, N.; Li, H.; Martin-Chassard, G.; Richard, F.; de la Taille, Ch; Pöschl, R.; Raux, L.; Rouëné, J.; Seguin-Moreau, N.; Anduze, M.; Boudry, V.; Brient, J.-C.; Jeans, D.; Mora de Freitas, P.; Musat, G.; Reinhard, M.; Ruan, M.; Videau, H.; Bulanek, B.; Zacek, J.; Cvach, J.; Gallus, P.; Havranek, M.; Janata, M.; Kvasnicka, J.; Lednicky, D.; Marcisovsky, M.; Polak, I.; Popule, J.; Tomasek, L.; Tomasek, M.; Ruzicka, P.; Sicho, P.; Smolik, J.; Vrba, V.; Zalesak, J.; Belhorma, B.; Ghazlane, H.; Takeshita, T.; Uozumi, S.; Götze, M.; Hartbrich, O.; Sauer, J.; Weber, S.; Zeitnitz, C.

2013-07-01

Calorimeters with a high granularity are a fundamental requirement of the Particle Flow paradigm. This paper focuses on the prototype of a hadron calorimeter with analog readout, consisting of thirty-eight scintillator layers alternating with steel absorber planes. The scintillator plates are finely segmented into tiles individually read out via Silicon Photomultipliers. The presented results are based on data collected with pion beams in the energy range from 8 GeV to 100 GeV. The fine segmentation of the sensitive layers and the high sampling frequency allow for an excellent reconstruction of the spatial development of hadronic showers. A comparison between data and Monte Carlo simulations is presented, concerning both the longitudinal and lateral development of hadronic showers and the global response of the calorimeter. The performance of several GEANT4 physics lists with respect to these observables is evaluated.

A novel scalable manufacturing process for the production of hydrogel-forming microneedle arrays

PubMed Central

Lutton, Rebecca E.M.; Larrañeta, Eneko; Kearney, Mary-Carmel; Boyd, Peter; Woolfson, A.David; Donnelly, Ryan F.

2015-01-01

A novel manufacturing process for fabricating microneedle arrays (MN) has been designed and evaluated. The prototype is able to successfully produce 14 × 14 MN arrays and is easily capable of scale-up, enabling the transition from laboratory to industry and subsequent commercialisation. The method requires the custom design of metal MN master templates to produce silicone MN moulds using an injection moulding process. The MN arrays produced using this novel method was compared with centrifugation, the traditional method of producing aqueous hydrogel-forming MN arrays. The results proved that there was negligible difference between either methods, with each producing MN arrays with comparable quality. Both types of MN arrays can be successfully inserted in a skin simulant. In both cases the insertion depth was approximately 60% of the needle length and the height reduction after insertion was in both cases approximately 3%. PMID:26302858