Individual Template-Stripped Conductive Gold Pyramids for Tip-Enhanced Dielectrophoresis

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Gradient fields of optical, magnetic, or electrical origin are widely used for the manipulation of micro- and nanoscale objects. Among various device geometries to generate gradient forces, sharp metallic tips are one of the most effective. Surface roughness and asperities present on traditionally produced tips reduce trapping efficiencies and limit plasmonic applications. Template-stripped, noble metal surfaces and structures have sub-nm roughness and can overcome these limits. We have developed a process using a mix of conductive and dielectric epoxies to mount template-stripped gold pyramids on tungsten wires that can be integrated with a movable stage. When coupled with a transparent indium tin oxide (ITO) electrode, the conductive pyramidal tip functions as a movable three-dimensional dielectrophoretic trap which can be used to manipulate submicrometer-scale particles. We experimentally demonstrate the electrically conductive functionality of the pyramidal tip by dielectrophoretic manipulation of fluorescent beads and concentration of single-walled carbon nanotubes, detected with fluorescent microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. PMID:25541619

Optimal Inlet Shape Design of N2B Hybrid Wing Body Configuration

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kim, Hyoungjin; Liou, Meng-Sing

2012-01-01

The N2B hybrid wing body aircraft was conceptually designed to meet environmental and performance goals for the N+2 generation transport set by the Subsonic Fixed Wing project of NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program. In the present study, flow simulations are conducted around the N2B configuration by a Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes flow solver using unstructured meshes. Boundary conditions at engine fan face and nozzle exhaust planes are provided by the NPSS thermodynamic engine cycle model. The flow simulations reveal challenging design issues arising from boundary layer ingestion offset inlet and airframe-propulsion integration. Adjoint-based optimal designs are then conducted for the inlet shape to minimize the airframe drag force and flow distortion at fan faces. Design surfaces are parameterized by NURBS, and the cowl lip geometry is modified by a spring analogy approach. By the drag minimization design, flow separation on the cowl surfaces are almost removed, and shock wave strength got remarkably reduced. For the distortion minimization design, a circumferential distortion indicator DPCP(sub avg) is adopted as the design objective and diffuser bottom and side wall surfaces are perturbed for the design. The distortion minimization results in a 12.5 % reduction in the objective function.

Gating of high-mobility InAs metamorphic heterostructures

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

Shabani, J.; McFadden, A. P.; Shojaei, B.

We investigate the performance of gate-defined devices fabricated on high mobility InAs metamorphic heterostructures. We find that heterostructures capped with In{sub 0.75}Ga{sub 0.25}As often show signs of parallel conduction due to proximity of their surface Fermi level to the conduction band minimum. Here, we introduce a technique that can be used to estimate the density of this surface charge that involves cool-downs from room temperature under gate bias. We have been able to remove the parallel conduction under high positive bias, but achieving full depletion has proven difficult. We find that by using In{sub 0.75}Al{sub 0.25}As as the barrier withoutmore » an In{sub 0.75}Ga{sub 0.25}As capping, a drastic reduction in parallel conduction can be achieved. Our studies show that this does not change the transport properties of the quantum well significantly. We achieved full depletion in InAlAs capped heterostructures with non-hysteretic gating response suitable for fabrication of gate-defined mesoscopic devices.« less

BRNBOX v.1.0

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

Aldridge, David F.

Program BRNBOX conducts a systematic search through a pre-defined 3D volume of candidate sub-surface Born scattering points in order to identify the particular point that minimizes the misfit between predicted (i.e., calculated) and observed electromagnetic (EM) data. This global minimum misfit point is interpreted as the location where electrically conductive proppant is injected into a sub-surface petroleum reservoir in a hydraulic fracturing experiment.

Enhanced surface transfer doping of diamond by V{sub 2}O{sub 5} with improved thermal stability

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

Crawford, Kevin G., E-mail: k.crawford.2@research.gla.ac.uk; Moran, David A. J.; Cao, Liang

2016-01-25

Surface transfer doping of hydrogen-terminated diamond has been achieved utilising V{sub 2}O{sub 5} as a surface electron accepting material. Contact between the oxide and diamond surface promotes the transfer of electrons from the diamond into the V{sub 2}O{sub 5} as revealed by the synchrotron-based high resolution photoemission spectroscopy. Electrical characterization by Hall measurement performed before and after V{sub 2}O{sub 5} deposition shows an increase in hole carrier concentration in the diamond from 3.0 × 10{sup 12} to 1.8 × 10{sup 13 }cm{sup −2} at room temperature. High temperature Hall measurements performed up to 300 °C in atmosphere reveal greatly enhanced thermal stability of the hole channelmore » produced using V{sub 2}O{sub 5} in comparison with an air-induced surface conduction channel. Transfer doping of hydrogen-terminated diamond using high electron affinity oxides such as V{sub 2}O{sub 5} is a promising approach for achieving thermally stable, high performance diamond based devices in comparison with air-induced surface transfer doping.« less

Measurements of CO{sub 2} fluxes and bubbles from a tower during ASGASEX

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

Leeuw, G. de; Kunz, G.J.; Larsen, S.E.

1994-12-31

The Air-Sea Gas Exchange experiment ASGASEX was conducted from August 30 until October 1st from the Meetpost Noordwijk (MPN), a research tower in the North Sea at 9 km from the Dutch coast. The objective of ASGASEX was a study of parameters affecting the air-sea exchange of gases, and a comparison of experimental methods to derive the exchange coefficient for CO{sub 2}. A detailed description of the ASGASEX experiment is presented in Oost. The authors` contribution to ASGASEX was a micro-meteorological package to measure the fluxes of CO{sub 2}, momentum, heat and water vapor, and an instrument to measure themore » size distribution of bubbles just below the sea surface. In this contribution the authors report preliminary results from the CO{sub 2} flux measurements and the bubble measurements. The latter was made as part of a larger study on the influence of bubbles on gas exchange in cooperation with the University of Southampton and the University of Galway.« less

Analytical modeling of conformal mantle cloaks for cylindrical objects using sub-wavelength printed and slotted arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Padooru, Yashwanth R.; Yakovlev, Alexander B.; Chen, Pai-Yen; Alù, Andrea

2012-08-01

Following the idea of "cloaking by a surface" [A. Alù, Phys. Rev. B 80, 245115 (2009); P. Y. Chen and A. Alù, Phys. Rev. B 84, 205110 (2011)], we present a rigorous analytical model applicable to mantle cloaking of cylindrical objects using 1D and 2D sub-wavelength conformal frequency selective surface (FSS) elements. The model is based on Lorenz-Mie scattering theory which utilizes the two-sided impedance boundary conditions at the interface of the sub-wavelength elements. The FSS arrays considered in this work are composed of 1D horizontal and vertical metallic strips and 2D printed (patches, Jerusalem crosses, and cross dipoles) and slotted structures (meshes, slot-Jerusalem crosses, and slot-cross dipoles). It is shown that the analytical grid-impedance expressions derived for the planar arrays of sub-wavelength elements may be successfully used to model and tailor the surface reactance of cylindrical conformal mantle cloaks. By properly tailoring the surface reactance of the cloak, the total scattering from the cylinder can be significantly reduced, thus rendering the object invisible over the range of frequencies of interest (i.e., at microwaves and far-infrared). The results obtained using our analytical model for mantle cloaks are validated against full-wave numerical simulations.

Impedance spectroscopy study on graphene wrapped nanocrystalline V{sub 2}O{sub 5}

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

Bhaskaram, D. Surya, E-mail: dsurya.b@gmail.com; Govindaraj, G.; Cheruku, Rajesh

2016-05-23

Nanocrystalline V{sub 2}O{sub 5} was synthesized by solvothermal technique, which has potential application as electrode material in supercapacitors. The graphene oxide (GO) was prepared by modified Hummer’s method. The V{sub 2}O{sub 5}/ reduced graphene oxide (RGO) composite was synthesized using surfactant free hydrothermal technique to enhance the functionality in terms of conductivity and surface area of V{sub 2}O{sub 5}. The structural characterization was accomplished through X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Morphology was identified by SEM and surface area of VRGO was enhanced by 8 times in comparison with V{sub 2}O{sub 5} nano particles, as confirmed through BET surface area analysis.more » Electrical characterization was done through impedance spectroscopy and the results showed decrease in sample resistance after wrapping V{sub 2}O{sub 5} with RGO.« less

FORTY-SEVEN MILKY WAY-SIZED, EXTREMELY DIFFUSE GALAXIES IN THE COMA CLUSTER

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

Van Dokkum, Pieter G.; Merritt, Allison; Geha, Marla

2015-01-10

We report the discovery of 47 low surface brightness objects in deep images of a 3° × 3° field centered on the Coma cluster, obtained with the Dragonfly Telephoto Array. The objects have central surface brightness μ(g, 0) ranging from 24-26 mag arcsec{sup –2} and effective radii r {sub eff} = 3''-10'', as measured from archival Canada-France-Hawaii Telescope images. From their spatial distribution we infer that most or all of the objects are galaxies in the Coma cluster. This relatively large distance is surprising as it implies that the galaxies are very large: with r {sub eff} = 1.5-4.6 kpcmore » their sizes are similar to those of L {sub *} galaxies even though their median stellar mass is only ∼6 × 10{sup 7} M {sub ☉}. The galaxies are relatively red and round, with (g – i) = 0.8 and (b/a) = 0.74. One of the 47 galaxies is fortuitously covered by a deep Hubble Space Telescope Advanced Camera for Surveys (ACS) observation. The ACS imaging shows a large spheroidal object with a central surface brightness μ{sub 475} = 25.8 mag arcsec{sup –2}, a Sérsic index n = 0.6, and an effective radius of 7'', corresponding to 3.4 kpc at the distance of Coma. The galaxy is not resolved into stars, consistent with expectations for a Coma cluster object. We speculate that these ''ultra-diffuse galaxies'' may have lost their gas supply at early times, possibly resulting in very high dark matter fractions.« less

THE ALBEDOS OF KEPLER'S CLOSE-IN SUPER-EARTHS

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

Demory, Brice-Olivier, E-mail: bod21@cam.ac.uk

Exoplanet research focusing on the characterization of super-Earths is currently limited to the handful of targets orbiting bright stars that are amenable to detailed study. This Letter proposes to look at alternative avenues to probe the surface and atmospheric properties of this category of planets, known to be ubiquitous in our galaxy. I conduct Markov Chain Monte Carlo light-curves analyses for 97 Kepler close-in R{sub P} ≲ 2.0 R {sub ⊕} super-Earth candidates with the aim of detecting their occultations at visible wavelengths. Brightness temperatures and geometric albedos in the Kepler bandpass are constrained for 27 super-Earth candidates. A hierarchicalmore » Bayesian modeling approach is then employed to characterize the population-level reflective properties of these close-in super-Earths. I find median geometric albedos A{sub g} in the Kepler bandpass ranging between 0.16 and 0.30, once decontaminated from thermal emission. These super-Earth geometric albedos are statistically larger than for hot Jupiters, which have medians A{sub g} ranging between 0.06 and 0.11. A subset of objects, including Kepler-10b, exhibit significantly larger albedos (A{sub g} ≳ 0.4). I argue that a better understanding of the incidence of stellar irradation on planetary surface and atmospheric processes is key to explain the diversity in albedos observed for close-in super-Earths.« less

Fabrication of a highly oriented line structure on an aluminum surface and the nanoscale patterning on the nanoscale structure using highly functional molecules

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

Watanabe, Y.; Kato, H.; Takemura, S.

2009-07-15

The surface of an Al plate was treated with a combination of chemical and electrochemical processes for fabrication of surface nanoscale structures on Al plates. Chemical treatments by using acetone and pure water under supersonic waves were conducted on an Al surface. Additional electrochemical process in H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} solution created a finer and oriented nanoscale structure on the Al surface. Dynamic force microscopy (DFM) measurement clarified that the nanoscale highly oriented line structure was successfully created on the Al surface. The line distance was estimated approximately 30-40 nm. At the next stage, molecular patterning on the highly oriented linemore » structure by functional molecules such as copper phthalocyanine (CuPc) and fullerene C{sub 60} was also conducted. CuPc or C{sub 60} molecules were deposited on the highly oriented line structure on Al. A toluene droplet containing CuPc molecules was cast on the nanostructured Al plate and was extended on the surface. CuPc or C{sub 60} deposition on the nanostructured Al surface proceeded by evaporation of toluene. DFM and x-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements demonstrated that a unique molecular pattern was fabricated so that the highly oriented groove channels were filled with the functional molecules.« less

Method of forming a plasma sprayed interconnection layer on an electrode of an electrochemical cell

DOEpatents

Spengler, Charles J.; Folser, George R.; Vora, Shailesh D.; Kuo, Lewis; Richards, Von L.

1995-01-01

A dense, substantially gas-tight, electrically conductive interconnection layer is formed on an air electrode structure of an electrochemical cell by (A) providing an electrode surface; (B) forming on a selected portion of the electrode surface, a layer of doped LaCrO.sub.3 particles doped with an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, Mg, Co, Ni, Al and mixtures thereof by plasma spraying doped LaCrO.sub.3 powder, preferably compensated with chromium as Cr.sub.2 O.sub.3 and/or dopant element, preferably by plasma arc spraying; and, (C) heating the doped and compensated LaCrO.sub.3 layer to about 1100.degree. C. to 1300.degree. C. to provide a dense, substantially gas-tight, substantially hydration-free, electrically conductive interconnection material bonded to the electrode surface. A solid electrolyte layer can be applied to the unselected portion of the air electrode, and a fuel electrode can be applied to the solid electrolyte, to provide an electrochemical cell.

Method of forming a plasma sprayed interconnection layer on an electrode of an electrochemical cell

DOEpatents

Spengler, C.J.; Folser, G.R.; Vora, S.D.; Kuo, L.; Richards, V.L.

1995-06-20

A dense, substantially gas-tight, electrically conductive interconnection layer is formed on an air electrode structure of an electrochemical cell by (A) providing an electrode surface; (B) forming on a selected portion of the electrode surface, a layer of doped LaCrO{sub 3} particles doped with an element selected from Ca, Sr, Ba, Mg, Co, Ni, Al and mixtures thereof by plasma spraying doped LaCrO{sub 3} powder, preferably compensated with chromium as Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} and/or dopant element, preferably by plasma arc spraying; and, (C) heating the doped and compensated LaCrO{sub 3} layer to about 1100 C to 1300 C to provide a dense, substantially gas-tight, substantially hydration-free, electrically conductive interconnection material bonded to the electrode surface. A solid electrolyte layer can be applied to the unselected portion of the air electrode, and a fuel electrode can be applied to the solid electrolyte, to provide an electrochemical cell. 6 figs.

The Hidden Magnetic Field of the Young Neutron Star in Kesteven 79

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shabaltas, Natalia; Lai, Dong

2012-04-01

Recent observations of the central compact object in the Kesteven 79 supernova remnant show that this neutron star (NS) has a weak dipole magnetic field (a few × 1010 G) but an anomalously large (~64%) pulse fraction in its surface X-ray emission. We explore the idea that a substantial sub-surface magnetic field exists in the NS crust, which produces diffuse hot spots on the stellar surface due to anisotropic heat conduction, and gives rise to the observed X-ray pulsation. We develop a general-purpose method, termed "Temperature Template with Full Transport" (TTFT), that computes the synthetic pulse profile of surface X-ray emission from NSs with arbitrary magnetic field and surface temperature distributions, taking into account magnetic atmosphere opacities, beam pattern, vacuum polarization, and gravitational light bending. We show that a crustal toroidal magnetic field of order a few × 1014 G or higher, varying smoothly across the crust, can produce sufficiently distinct surface hot spots to generate the observed pulse fraction in the Kes 79 NS. This result suggests that substantial sub-surface magnetic fields, much stronger than the "visible" dipole fields, may be buried in the crusts of some young NSs, and such hidden magnetic fields can play an important role in their observational manifestations. The general TTFT tool we have developed can also be used for studying radiation from other magnetic NSs.

Development of Tailorable Electrically Conductive Thermal Control Material Systems

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Deshpande, M. S.; Harada, Y.

1997-01-01

The optical characteristics of surfaces on spacecraft are fundamental parameters in controlling its temperature. Passive thermal control coatings with designed solar absorptance and infrared emittance properties have been developed and have been in use for some time. In this total space environment, the coating must be stable and maintain its desired optical properties as well as mechanical properties for the course of the mission lifetime. The mission lifetimes are increasing and in our quest to save weight, newer substrates are being integrated which limit electrical grounding schemes. All of this has added to already existing concerns about spacecraft charging and related spacecraft failures or operational failures. The concern is even greater for thermal control surfaces that are very large. One way of alleviating such concerns is to design new thermal control material systems (TCMS) that can help to mitigate charging via providing charge leakage paths. The objective of this program was to develop two types of passive electrically conductive TCMS. The first was a highly absorbing/emitting black surface and the second was a low (alpha(sub s)/epsilon(sub N)) type white surface. The surface resistance goals for the black absorber was 10(exp 4) to 10(exp 9) Omega/square, and for the white surfaces it was 10(exp 6) to 10(exp 10) Omega/square. Several material system concepts were suggested and evaluated for space environment stability and electrical performance characterization. Our efforts in designing and evaluating these material systems have resulted in several developments. New concepts, pigments and binders have been developed to provide new engineering quality TCMS. Some of these have already found application on space hardware, some are waiting to be recognized by thermal designers, and some require further detailed studies to become state-of-the-art for future space hardware and space structures. Our studies on baseline state-of-the-art materials and conductive concepts have resulted in several important findings that are of interest to all thermal designers and systems integrators.

Solar Powered CO.Sub.2 Conversion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Bin (Inventor)

2016-01-01

Methods and devices for reducing CO.sub.2 to produce hydrocarbons are disclosed. A device comprises a photoanode capable of splitting H.sub.2O into electrons, protons, and oxygen; an electrochemical cell cathode comprising an electro-catalyst capable of reducing CO.sub.2; H.sub.2O in contact with the surface of the photoanode; CO.sub.2 in contact with the surface of the cathode; and a proton-conducting medium positioned between the photoanode and the cathode. Electrical charges associated with the protons and the electrons move from the photoanode to the cathode, driven in part by a chemical potential difference sufficient to drive the electrochemical reduction of CO.sub.2 at the cathode. A light beam is the sole source of energy used to drive chemical reactions. The photoanode can comprise TiO.sub.2 nanowires or nanotubes, and can also include WO.sub.3 nanowires or nanotubes, quantum dots of CdS or PbS, and Ag or Au nanostructures. The cathode can comprise a conductive gas diffusion layer with nanostructures of an electro-catalyst such as Cu or Co.

Fluorescence tomography characterization for sub-surface imaging with protoporphyrin IX

PubMed Central

Kepshire, Dax; Davis, Scott C.; Dehghani, Hamid; Paulsen, Keith D.; Pogue, Brian W.

2009-01-01

Optical imaging of fluorescent objects embedded in a tissue simulating medium was characterized using non-contact based approaches to fluorescence remittance imaging (FRI) and sub-surface fluorescence diffuse optical tomography (FDOT). Using Protoporphyrin IX as a fluorescent agent, experiments were performed on tissue phantoms comprised of typical in-vivo tumor to normal tissue contrast ratios, ranging from 3.5:1 up to 10:1. It was found that tomographic imaging was able to recover interior inclusions with high contrast relative to the background; however, simple planar fluorescence imaging provided a superior contrast to noise ratio. Overall, FRI performed optimally when the object was located on or close to the surface and, perhaps most importantly, FDOT was able to recover specific depth information about the location of embedded regions. The results indicate that an optimal system for localizing embedded fluorescent regions should combine fluorescence reflectance imaging for high sensitivity and sub-surface tomography for depth detection, thereby allowing more accurate localization in all three directions within the tissue. PMID:18545571

Laser Induced Aluminum Surface Breakdown Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chen, Yen-Sen; Liu, Jiwen; Zhang, Sijun; Wang, Ten-See (Technical Monitor)

2002-01-01

Laser powered propulsion systems involve complex fluid dynamics, thermodynamics and radiative transfer processes. Based on an unstructured grid, pressure-based computational aerothermodynamics; platform, several sub-models describing such underlying physics as laser ray tracing and focusing, thermal non-equilibrium, plasma radiation and air spark ignition have been developed. This proposed work shall extend the numerical platform and existing sub-models to include the aluminum wall surface Inverse Bremsstrahlung (IB) effect from which surface ablation and free-electron generation can be initiated without relying on the air spark ignition sub-model. The following tasks will be performed to accomplish the research objectives.

Atmospheric effects on radiometry from zenith of a plane with dark vertical protrusions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Otterman, J.

1983-01-01

Effects of an optically thin plane-parallel scattering atmosphere on radiometric imaging from the zenith of a specific surface-type are analyzed. The surface model was previously developed to describe arid steppe, where the sparse vegetation forms dark vertical protrusions from the bright soil-plane. The analysis is in terms of the surface reflectivity to the zenith r sub p for the direct beam, which is formulated as r sub p = r sub i exp (-s tan theta sub 0), where v sub i is the Lambert law reflectivity of the soil, the protrusions parameters s is the projection on a vertical plane of protrusions per unit area and theta sub 0 is the zenith angle. The surface reflectivity r sub p is approximately equal to that for the global irradiance (which is directly measured in the field) only for a narrow range of the solar zenith angles. The effects of the atmosphere when imaging large uniform areas of this type are comparable to those in imaging a Lambert surface with a reflectivity r sub p. Thus, the effects can be approximated by those in the case of a dark Lambert surface (analyzed previously), inasmuch as r sub p is smaller than the soil reflectivity r sub i for any off-zenith illumination. The surface becomes effectively darker with increasing solar zenith angle. Adjacency effects of a reflection from one area and scattering in the instantaneous field of view (object pixel) are analyzed as cross radiance and cross irradiance.

Mechanistic study of atomic layer deposition of Al{sub x}Si{sub y}O thin film via in-situ FTIR spectroscopy

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

Cho, Jea; Kim, Taeseung; Seegmiller, Trevor

2015-09-15

A study of surface reaction mechanism on atomic layer deposition (ALD) of aluminum silicate (Al{sub x}Si{sub y}O) was conducted with trimethylaluminum (TMA) and tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) as precursors and H{sub 2}O as the oxidant. In-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) was utilized to elucidate the underlying surface mechanism that enables the deposition of Al{sub x}Si{sub y}O by ALD. In-situ FTIR study revealed that ineffective hydroxylation of the surface ethoxy (–OCH{sub 2}CH{sub 3}) groups prohibits ALD of SiO{sub 2} by TEOS/H{sub 2}O. In contrast, effective desorption of the surface ethoxy group was observed in TEOS/H{sub 2}O/TMA/H{sub 2}O chemistry. The presence of Al-OH*more » group in vicinity of partially hydroxylated ethoxy (–OCH{sub 2}CH{sub 3}) group was found to propagate disproportionation reaction, which results in ALD of Al{sub x}Si{sub y}O. The maximum thickness from incorporation of SiO{sub x} from alternating exposures of TEOS/H{sub 2}O chemistry in Al{sub x}Si{sub y}O was found to be ∼2 Å, confirmed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy measurements.« less

Controlled calculation of the thermal conductivity for a spinon Fermi surface coupled to a U(1) gauge field

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

Freire, Hermann, E-mail: hfreire@mit.edu

2014-10-15

Motivated by recent transport measurements on the candidate spin-liquid phase of the organic triangular lattice insulator EtMe{sub 3}Sb[Pd(dmit){sub 2}]{sub 2}, we perform a controlled calculation of the thermal conductivity at intermediate temperatures in a spin liquid system where a spinon Fermi surface is coupled to a U(1) gauge field. The present computation builds upon the double expansion approach developed by Mross et al. (2010) for small ϵ=z{sub b}−2 (where z{sub b} is the dynamical critical exponent of the gauge field) and large number of fermionic species N. Using the so-called memory matrix formalism that most crucially does not assume the existencemore » of well-defined quasiparticles at low energies in the system, we calculate the temperature dependence of the thermal conductivity κ of this model due to non-critical Umklapp scattering of the spinons for a finite N and small ϵ. Then we discuss the physical implications of such theoretical result in connection with the experimental data available in the literature.« less

A spectral method determination of the first critical Rayleigh number for a low-Prandtl number crystal melt in a cylindrical container

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dietz, C. M., Jr.; Diplas, P.

1993-01-01

The onset of laminar axisymmetric Rayleigh-Benard convection is investigated for a low-Prandtl number liquid metal in a cylindrical container. All surfaces are considered to be solid and no-slip. Two separate cases are examined for the thermal boundary conditions at the side wall, one with conducting and the other with insulated surface. The governing Boussinesq system is first perturbed and then simplified by introducing a Stokes stream function. Subsequently, a Chebyshev Galerkin spectral model is employed to reduce the simplified system to a system of first-order nonlinear ordinary differential equations. A local stability analysis determines the two values of the first critical Rayleigh number, Ra(sub cl), for the insulated and conducting side walls. As expected, the conducting Ra(sub cl) value of 2882.5 obtained from the present approach exceeded the corresponding insulated Ra(sub cl) value of 2331.6. For the insulated case, an earlier study using a different numerical approach suggests that Ra(sub cl) = 2261.9, while an experimental study measured Ra(sub cl) = 2700.

Eddy Current System and Method for Crack Detection

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wincheski, Russell A. (Inventor); Simpson, John W. (Inventor)

2012-01-01

An eddy current system and method enables detection of sub-surface damage in a cylindrical object. The invention incorporates a dual frequency, orthogonally wound eddy current probe mounted on a stepper motor-controlled scanning system. The system is designed to inspect for outer surface damage from the interior of the cylindrical object.

Ionic conductivity of binary fluorides of potassium and rare earth elements

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

Sorokin, N. I., E-mail: nsorokin1@yandex.ru

2016-01-15

The ionic conductivity s of KYF{sub 4} and K{sub 2}RF{sub 5} single crystals (R = Gd, Ho, Er) and KNdF{sub 4} and K{sub 2}RF{sub 5} ceramic samples (R = Dy, Er) has been studied in the temperature range of 340–500°C. A comparative analysis of the σ values for these objects has been performed. Binary fluorides of potassium and rare earth elements were synthesized by the hydrothermal method (temperature 480°C, pressure 100–150 MPa) in the R{sub 2}O{sub 3}–KF–H{sub 2}O systems. The σ values of tetraf luorides are 3 × 10{sup –5} S/cm (KYF{sub 4} single crystal) and 3 × 10{sup –6}more » S/cm (KNdF{sub 4} ceramics) at 435°C. A K{sub 2}ErF{sub 5} single crystal with σ = 1.2 × 10{sup –4} S/cm at 435°C has the maximum value of ionic conductivity among pentafluorides. The anisotropy of ionic transport was found in K{sub 2}HoF{sub 5} single crystals, σ{sub ∥c}/σ{sub ⊥c} = 2.5, where σ{sub ∥c} and σ{sub ⊥c} are, respectively, the conductivities along the crystallographic c axis and in the perpendicular direction.« less

Determination of high temperature strains using a PC based vision system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

McNeill, Stephen R.; Sutton, Michael A.; Russell, Samuel S.

1992-09-01

With the widespread availability of video digitizers and cheap personal computers, the use of computer vision as an experimental tool is becoming common place. These systems are being used to make a wide variety of measurements that range from simple surface characterization to velocity profiles. The Sub-Pixel Digital Image Correlation technique has been developed to measure full field displacement and gradients of the surface of an object subjected to a driving force. The technique has shown its utility by measuring the deformation and movement of objects that range from simple translation to fluid velocity profiles to crack tip deformation of solid rocket fuel. This technique has recently been improved and used to measure the surface displacement field of an object at high temperature. The development of a PC based Sub-Pixel Digital Image Correlation system has yielded an accurate and easy to use system for measuring surface displacements and gradients. Experiments have been performed to show the system is viable for measuring thermal strain.

Atmospheric and soil-gas monitoring for surface leakage at the San Juan Basin CO{sub 2} pilot test site at Pump Canyon New Mexico, using perfluorocarbon tracers, CO{sub 2} soil-gas flux and soil-gas hydrocarbons

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

Wells, Arthur W; Diehl, J Rodney; Strazisar, Brian R

2012-05-01

Near-surface monitoring and subsurface characterization activities were undertaken in collaboration with the Southwest Regional Carbon Sequestration Partnership on their San Juan Basin coal-bed methane pilot test site near Navajo City, New Mexico. Nearly 18,407 short tons (1.670 × 107 kg) of CO{sub 2} were injected into 3 seams of the Fruitland coal between July 2008 and April 2009. Between September 18 and October 30, 2008, two additions of approximately 20 L each of perfluorocarbon (PFC) tracers were mixed with the CO{sub 2} at the injection wellhead. PFC tracers in soil-gas and in the atmosphere were monitored over a period ofmore » 2 years using a rectangular array of permanent installations. Additional monitors were placed near existing well bores and at other locations of potential leakage identified during the pre-injection site survey. Monitoring was conducted using sorbent containing tubes to collect any released PFC tracer from soil-gas or the atmosphere. Near-surface monitoring activities also included CO{sub 2} surface flux and carbon isotopes, soil-gas hydrocarbon levels, and electrical conductivity in the soil. The value of the PFC tracers was demonstrated when a significant leakage event was detected near an offset production well. Subsurface characterization activities, including 3D seismic interpretation and attribute analysis, were conducted to evaluate reservoir integrity and the potential that leakage of injected CO{sub 2} might occur. Leakage from the injection reservoir was not detected. PFC tracers made breakthroughs at 2 of 3 offset wells which were not otherwise directly observable in produced gases containing 20–30% CO{sub 2}. These results have aided reservoir geophysical and simulation investigations to track the underground movement of CO{sub 2}. 3D seismic analysis provided a possible interpretation for the order of appearance of tracers at production wells.« less

Electrochemical properties of polycrystalline TiO/sub 2/ electrodes prepared by anodic oxidation

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

Nogami, G.; Ogawa, V.; Nishiyama, Y.

1988-12-01

Polycrystalline TiO/sub 2/ electrodes were characterized by electroluminescence and capacitance-voltage measurements. The intensity of electroluminescence in a polycrystalline TiO/sub 2/ was about two orders of magnitude larger than that in a single crystalline TiO/sub 2/. Due to the intensive light emission which could be seen with the naked eye, a spectroscopic analysis by using a monochromator was possible. The emission spectrum showed a broad band peaked at 570 nm, which was assigned to a radiation recombination of a hole injected from the electrolyte with an electron on the surface state, the distribution of which was estimated from the C-V measurements.more » Mott-Schottky plots for a polycrystalline TiO/sub 2/ showed little frequency dispersion. Cole-Cole plots could be fitted by two semicircles. Through the analysis of relaxation times, charging and discharging process at the electrode surface could be clarified. The analysis of the impedance data have revealed that the surface state is distributed from the conduction bandage to the midgap in the forbidden gap. The surface-state density falls with energy from the conduction band. It has been concluded that the dynamic electron distribution of the surface states, which is determined by the competitive charge transfer process of electrons and holes injected from the electrolyte and from the semiconductor determines the luminescence characteristics of this material.« less

North Polar Surfaces of the Uranian Moons: Coated with CO2 Frost?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cartwright, Richard; Emery, Joshua; Rivkin, Andy; Trilling, David; Pinilla-Alonso, Noemi

2014-12-01

We propose to investigate the near-surface composition of the Uranian moons Ariel, Umbriel, Titania, and Oberon by using the Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) onboard the Spitzer Space Telescope. Previous IRAC observations of these objects in Program 71 (2003 - 2005) indicate that the surfaces of their southern hemispheres are dominated by pure water ice (sub-observer latitudes 7 - 18 degree S). The observations we propose here are of these objects' now observable northern hemispheres (sub-observer latitudes 25 - 33 degree N). Unlike the Program 71 observations, which collected data near the end of southern summer when any seasonal CO2 frost would have migrated to the winter hemisphere, we are proposing to observe these moons at the beginning of northern summer when seasonal CO2 frost should still be present. Therefore, the 2015 - 2016 Cycle 11 opportunity window represents an ideal time frame to search for seasonal CO2 frost on these objects.

Hyper-resistivity and electron thermal conductivity due to destroyed magnetic surfaces in axisymmetric plasma equilibria

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

Weening, R. H.

2012-06-15

In order to model the effects of small-scale current-driven magnetic fluctuations in a mean-field theoretical description of a large-scale plasma magnetic field B(x,t), a space and time dependent hyper-resistivity {Lambda}(x,t) can be incorporated into the Ohm's law for the parallel electric field E Dot-Operator B. Using Boozer coordinates, a theoretical method is presented that allows for a determination of the hyper-resistivity {Lambda}({psi}) functional dependence on the toroidal magnetic flux {psi} for arbitrary experimental steady-state Grad-Shafranov axisymmetric plasma equilibria, if values are given for the parallel plasma resistivity {eta}({psi}) and the local distribution of any auxiliary plasma current. Heat transport inmore » regions of plasma magnetic surfaces destroyed by resistive tearing modes can then be modeled by an electron thermal conductivity k{sub e}({psi})=({epsilon}{sub 0}{sup 2}m{sub e}/e{sup 2}){Lambda}({psi}), where e and m{sub e} are the electron charge and mass, respectively, while {epsilon}{sub 0} is the permittivity of free space. An important result obtained for axisymmetric plasma equilibria is that the {psi}{psi}-component of the metric tensor of Boozer coordinates is given by the relation g{sup {psi}{psi}}({psi}){identical_to}{nabla}{psi} Dot-Operator {nabla}{psi}=[{mu}{sub 0}G({psi})][{mu}{sub 0}I({psi})]/{iota}({psi}), with {mu}{sub 0} the permeability of free space, G({psi}) the poloidal current outside a magnetic surface, I({psi}) the toroidal current inside a magnetic surface, and {iota}({psi}) the rotational transform.« less

Magnetocentrifugally driven flows from young stars and disks. 1: A generalized model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shu, Frank; Najita, Joan; Ostriker, Eve; Wilkin, Frank; Ruden, Steven; Lizano, Susana

1994-01-01

We propose a generalized model for stellar spin-down, disk accretion, and truncation, and the origin of winds, jets, and bipolar outflows from young stellar objects. We consider the steady state dynamics of accretion of matter from a viscous and imperfectly conducting disk onto a young star with a strong magnetic field. For an aligned stellar magnetosphere, shielding currents in the surface layers of the disk prevent stellar field lines from penetrating the disk everywhere except for a range of radii about pi = R(sub x), where the Keplerian angular speed of rotation Omega(sub x) equals the angular speed of the star Omega(sub *). For the low disk accretion rates and high magnetic fields associated with typical T Tauri stars, R(sub x) exceeds the radius of the star R(sub *) by a factor of a few, and the inner disk is effectively truncated at a radius R(sub t) somewhat smaller than R(sub x). Where the closed field lines between R(sub t) and R(sub x) bow sufficiently inward, the accreting gas attaches itself to the field and is funneled dynamically down the effective potential (gravitational plus centrifugal) onto the star. Contrary to common belief, the accompanying magnetic torques associated with this accreting gas may transfer angular momentum mostly to the disk rather than to the star. Thus, the star can spin slowly as long as R(sub x) remains significantly greater than R(sub *). Exterior to R(sub x) field lines threading the disk bow outward, which makes the gas off the mid-plane rotate at super-Keplerian velocities. This combination drives a magnetocentrifugal wind with a mass-loss rate M(sub w) equal to a definite fraction f of the disk accretion rate M(sub D). For high disk accretion rates, R(sub x) is forced down to the stellar surface, the star is spun to breakup, and the wind is generated in a manner identical to that proposed by Shu, Lizano, Ruden, & Najita in a previous communication to this journal. In two companion papers (II and III), we develop a detailed but idealized theory of the magnetocentrifugal acceleration process.

MSL DAN Science Investigation: Physical Simulation of DAN

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jun, Insoo

2012-01-01

The main objective of the proposed investigation is to study the characteristics (i.e., hydrogen content, soil composition, layer-structure, etc.) of sub-surface and the surface radiation (neutron in particular) environment.

The relationship between female genital mutilation and HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Olaniran, Abimbola A

2013-12-01

Female genital mutilation (FGM) is an age-old practice that has since been linked with many health problems. This review aims to highlight some of the controversies trailing the relationship between FGM and HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa. A literature search was conducted on the subject matter. This was done using articles published in English while limiting the geographical coverage to sub-Saharan Africa. Three themes were noted. These themes include: Direct causal link between FGM and HIV transmission; indirect causal link between FGM and HIV transmission and a negative or no association between FGM and HIV transmission. While many of the arguments are within scientific reasoning, the researches supporting the views seem to lack the necessary objectivity. This study underscored the need for a more objective lens in viewing and conducting research on the relationship between FGM and HIV transmission in sub-Saharan Africa.

One-step surface doping of organic nanofibers to achieve high dark conductivity and chemiresistor sensing of amines.

PubMed

Huang, Helin; Gross, Dustin E; Yang, Xiaomei; Moore, Jeffrey S; Zang, Ling

2013-08-28

High dark electrical conductivity was obtained for a p-type organic nanofibril material simply through a one-step surface doping. The nanofibril composite thus fabricated has been proven robust under ambient conditions. The high conductivity, combined with the intrinsic large surface area of the nanofibers, enables development of chemiresistor sensors for trace vapor detection of amines, with detection limit down to sub-parts per billion range.

Process for introducing electrical conductivity into high-temperature polymeric materials

DOEpatents

Liepins, R.; Jorgensen, B.S.; Liepins, L.Z.

1993-12-21

High-temperature electrically conducting polymers are described. The in situ reactions: AgNO[sub 3] + RCHO [yields] Ag + RCOOH and R[sub 3]M [yields] M + 3R, where M=Au or Pt have been found to introduce either substantial bulk or surface conductivity in high-temperature polymers. The reactions involving the R[sub 3]M were caused to proceed thermally suggesting the possibility of using laser means for initiating such reactions in selected areas or volumes of the polymeric materials. The polymers successfully investigated to date are polyphenylquinoxaline, polytolylquinoxaline, polyquinoline, polythiazole, and pyrone.

Process for introducing electrical conductivity into high-temperature polymeric materials

DOEpatents

Liepins, Raimond; Jorgensen, Betty S.; Liepins, Leila Z.

1993-01-01

High-temperature electrically conducting polymers. The in situ reactions: AgNO.sub.3 +RCHO.fwdarw.Ag.degree.+RCOOH and R.sub.3 M.fwdarw.M.degree.+3R, where M=Au or Pt have been found to introduce either substantial bulk or surface conductivity in high-temperature polymers. The reactions involving the R.sub.3 M were caused to proceed thermally suggesting the possibility of using laser means for initiating such reactions in selected areas or volumes of the polymeric materials. The polymers successfully investigated to date are polyphenylquinoxaline, polytolylquinoxaline, polyquinoline, polythiazole, and pyrrone.

Process for introducing electrical conductivity into high-temperature polymeric materials

DOEpatents

Liepins, Raimond; Jorgensen, Betty S.; Liepins, Leila Z.

1989-01-01

High-temperature electrically conducting polymers. The in situ reactions: AgNO.sub.3 +RCHO.fwdarw.AG.sup.0 +RCOOH and R.sub.3 M.fwdarw.M.sup.0 3R, where M=Au or Pt have been found to introduce either substantial bulk or surface conductivity in high-temperature polymers. The reactions involving the R.sub.3 M were caused to proceed thermally suggesting the possibility of using laser means for initiating such reactions in selected areas or volumes of the polymeric materials. The polymers successfully investigated to date are polyphenylquinoxaline, polytolylquinoxaline, polyquinoline, polythiazole, and pyrrone.

Process for introducing electrical conductivity into high-temperature polymeric materials

DOEpatents

Liepins, R.; Jorgensen, B.S.; Liepins, L.Z.

1987-08-27

High-temperature electrically conducting polymers. The in situ reactions: AgNO/sub 3/ + RCHO ..-->.. Ag/sup 0/ + RCOOH and R/sub 3/M ..-->.. M/sup 0/ + 3R, where M = Au or Pt have been found to introduce either substantial bulk or surface conductivity in high- temperature polymers. The reactions involving the R/sub 3/M were caused to proceed thermally suggesting the possibility of using laser means for initiating such reactions in selected areas or volumes of the polymeric materials. The polymers successfully investigated to date are polyphenylquinoxaline, polytolylquinoxaline, polyquinoline, polythiazole, and pyrrone. 3 tabs.

Effect of chromium substitution on the dielectric properties of mixed Ni-Zn ferrite prepared by WOWS sol–gel technique

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

Ashtar, M.; Munir, A.; Anis-ur-Rehman, M.

2016-07-15

Graphical abstract: Variation of AC conductivity (σ{sub AC}) as a function of natural log of angular frequency (lnω) for Ni{sub 0.5}Zn{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2-x}Cr{sub x}O{sub 4} nanoferrites at room temperature. - Highlights: • Cr doped mixed Ni-Zn ferrites were successfully synthesized by a newly developed WOWS sol gel technique. • The specific surface area and specific surface area to volume ratio increased with decrease in particle size. • The resonance peaks appeared in dielectric loss graphs, shifting towards low frequency with the increase in Cr concentration. • The prepared samples have the lowest values of the dielectric constant. • The dielectricmore » constant were observed to be inversely proportional to square root of the AC resistivity. - Abstract: Cr{sup +3} doped Ni-Zn nanoferrite samples with composition Ni{sub 0.5}Zn{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2-x}Cr{sub x}O{sub 4}(x = 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4) were synthesized With Out Water and Surfactant (WOWS) sol-gel technique. The structural, morphological and dielectric properties of the samples were investigated. The lattice constant, crystallite size, theoretical density and porosity of each sample were obtained from X-ray diffraction (XRD) data. The specific surface area and specific surface area to volume ratio increased with the decrease in the size of Cr{sup +3} doped Ni-Zn ferrite nanoparticles, as the concentration of Cr{sup +3} increased. The SEM analysis revealed that the particles were of nano size and of spherical shape. The dielectric parameters such as dielectric constant (ε′) and dielectric loss (tanδ) of all the samples as a function of frequency at room temperature were measured. The AC conductivity (σ{sub AC}) was determined from the dielectric parameters, which showed increasing trend with the rise in frequency.« less

Enthalpy restoration in geothermal energy processing system

DOEpatents

Matthews, Hugh B.

1983-01-01

A geothermal deep well energy extraction system is provided of the general type in which solute-bearing hot water is pumped to the earth's surface from a relatively low temperature geothermal source by transferring thermal energy from the hot water to a working fluid for driving a primary turbine-motor and a primary electrical generator at the earth's surface. The superheated expanded exhaust from the primary turbine motor is conducted to a bubble tank where it bubbles through a layer of sub-cooled working fluid that has been condensed. The superheat and latent heat from the expanded exhaust of the turbine transfers thermal energy to the sub-cooled condensate. The desuperheated exhaust is then conducted to the condenser where it is condensed and sub-cooled, whereupon it is conducted back to the bubble tank via a barometric storage tank. The novel condensing process of this invention makes it possible to exploit geothermal sources which might otherwise be non-exploitable.

Understanding the mechanisms of interfacial reactions during TiO{sub 2} layer growth on RuO{sub 2} by atomic layer deposition with O{sub 2} plasma or H{sub 2}O as oxygen source

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

Chaker, A.; Szkutnik, P. D.; Pointet, J.

2016-08-28

In this paper, TiO{sub 2} layers grown on RuO{sub 2} by atomic layer deposition (ALD) using tetrakis (dimethyla-mino) titanium (TDMAT) and either oxygen plasma or H{sub 2}O as oxygen source were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, and depth-resolved X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The main objective is to investigate the surface chemical reactions mechanisms and their influence on the TiO{sub 2} film properties. The experimental results using XRD show that ALD deposition using H{sub 2}O leads to anatase TiO{sub 2} whereas a rutile TiO{sub 2} is obtained when oxygen-plasma is used as oxygen source. Depth-resolved XPS analysis allows tomore » determine the reaction mechanisms at the RuO{sub 2} substrate surface after growth of thin TiO{sub 2} layers. Indeed, the XPS analysis shows that when H{sub 2}O assisted ALD process is used, intermediate Ti{sub 2}O{sub 3} layer is obtained and RuO{sub 2} is reduced into Ru as evidenced by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. In this case, there is no possibility to re-oxidize the Ru surface into RuO{sub 2} due to the weak oxidation character of H{sub 2}O and an anatase TiO{sub 2} layer is therefore grown on Ti{sub 2}O{sub 3}. In contrast, when oxygen plasma is used in the ALD process, its strong oxidation character leads to the re-oxidation of the partially reduced RuO{sub 2} following the first Ti deposition step. Consequently, the RuO{sub 2} surface is regenerated, allowing the growth of rutile TiO{sub 2}. A surface chemical reaction scheme is proposed that well accounts for the observed experimental results.« less

Use of Free Air CO/sub 2/ Enrichment (FACE) to study effects of CO/sub 2/ on cotton: Preliminary summary report -- 1988

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

Biswas, P.K.; Hileman, D.R.; Bhattacharya, N.C.

1988-01-01

In the summer of 1988, Tuskegee University, along with Brookhaven National Laboratory, Manhattan College, and USDA laboratories in Tallahassee, FL and Phoenix, AZ, participated in joint program to evaluate the feasibility of using a Free Air CO/sub 2/ Enrichment (FACE) system to conduct experiments on the effects of elevated CO/sub 2/ on cotton. The experiments were conducted in Yazoo City, MS, under the direction of the US Department of Energy, Carbon Dioxide Research Division. Tuskegee University's role in the project included the following objectives: (1)Soil moisture and nutrient analysis before planting and at harvest. (2) Photosynthesis and stomatal conductance measurementsmore » at ambient and enriched CO/sub 2/ atmosphere. (3) Leaf water potential measurements. (4) CO/sub 2/ distribution patterns in the FACE array. 12 figs., 14 tabs.« less

ION IRRADIATION OF ETHANE AND WATER MIXTURE ICE AT 15 K: IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SOLAR SYSTEM AND THE ISM

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

Barros, A. L. F. de; Silveira, E. F da; Fulvio, D.

2016-06-20

Solid water has been observed on the surface of many different astronomical objects and is the dominant ice present in the universe, from the solar system (detected on the surface of some asteroids, planets and their satellites, trans-Neptunian objects [TNOs], comets, etc.) to dense cold interstellar clouds (where interstellar dust grains are covered with water-rich ices). Ethane has been detected across the solar system, from the atmosphere of the giant planets and the surface of Saturn’s satellite Titan to various comets and TNOs. To date, there were no experiments focused on icy mixtures of C{sub 2}H{sub 6} and H{sub 2}Omore » exposed to ion irradiation simulating cosmic rays, a case study for many astronomical environments in which C{sub 2}H{sub 6} has been detected. In this work, the radiolysis of a C{sub 2}H{sub 6}:H{sub 2}O (2:3) ice mixture bombarded by a 40 MeV{sup 58}Ni{sup 11+} ion beam is studied. The chemical evolution of the molecular species existing in the sample is monitored by a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer. The analysis of ethane, water, and molecular products in solid phase was performed. Induced chemical reactions in C{sub 2}H{sub 6}:H{sub 2}O ice produce 13 daughter molecular species. Their formation and dissociation cross sections are determined. Furthermore, atomic carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen budgets are determined and used to verify the stoichiometry of the most abundantly formed molecular species. The results are discussed in the view of solar system and interstellar medium chemistry. The study presented here should be regarded as a first step in laboratory works dedicated to simulate the effect of cosmic radiation on multicomponent mixtures involving C{sub 2}H{sub 6} and H{sub 2}O.« less

The Shubnikov-de Haas effect and thermoelectric properties of Tl-doped Sb{sub 2}Te{sub 3} and Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3}

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

Kulbachinskii, V. A., E-mail: kulb@mig.phys.msu.ru; Kudryashov, A. A.; Kytin, V. G.

2015-06-15

The influence of doping with Tl on the Shubnikov-de Haas effect at T = 4.2 K in magnetic fields up to 38 T in p-Sb{sub 2−x}Tl{sub x}Te{sub 3} (x = 0, 0.005, 0.015, and 0.05) and n-Bi{sub 2−x}Tl{sub x}Se{sub 3} (x = 0, 0.01, 0.02, 0.04, and 0.06) single crystals is investigated. Extreme cross-sections of the Fermi surface in both materials decrease upon doping with Tl: the hole concentration decreases in Sb{sub 2−x}Tl{sub x}Te{sub 3} due to the donor effect of Tl and the electron concentration in n-Bi{sub 2−x}Tl{sub x}Se{sub 3} decreases due to the acceptor effect of Tl. Themore » temperature dependences of the Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, and dimensionless thermoelectric figure of merit in a temperature range of 77–300 K are measured. The thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity decrease upon doping with Tl both in p-Sb{sub 2−x}Tl{sub x}Te{sub 3} and in n-Bi{sub 2−x}Tl{sub x}Se{sub 3}. The Seebeck coefficient increases in all compositions upon an increase in doping over the entire measured temperature range. The thermoelectric figure of merit increases upon doping with Tl.« less

Comparison of Summer and Winter California Central Valley Aerosol Distributions from Lidar and MODIS Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lewis, Jasper; DeYoung, Russell; Ferrare, Richard; Chu, D. Allen

2010-01-01

Aerosol distributions from two aircraft lidar campaigns conducted in the California Central Valley are compared in order to identify seasonal variations. Aircraft lidar flights were conducted in June 2003 and February 2007. While the ground PM(sub 2.5) concentration is highest in the winter, the aerosol optical depth measured from MODIS is highest in the summer. A seasonal comparison shows that PM(sub 2.5) in the winter can exceed summer PM(sub 2.5) by 55%, while summer AOD exceeds winter AOD by 43%. Higher temperatures and wildfires in the summer produce elevated aerosol layers that are detected by satellite measurements, but not surface particulate matter monitors. Temperature inversions, especially during the winter, contribute to higher PM(sub 2.5) measurements at the surface. Measurements of the boundary layer height from lidar instruments provide valuable information need to understand the relationship between satellite measurements of optical depth and in-situ measurements of PM(sub 2.5).

Double-pulse 2-μm integrated path differential absorption lidar airborne validation for atmospheric carbon dioxide measurement.

PubMed

Refaat, Tamer F; Singh, Upendra N; Yu, Jirong; Petros, Mulugeta; Remus, Ruben; Ismail, Syed

2016-05-20

Field experiments were conducted to test and evaluate the initial atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO₂) measurement capability of airborne, high-energy, double-pulsed, 2-μm integrated path differential absorption (IPDA) lidar. This IPDA was designed, integrated, and operated at the NASA Langley Research Center on-board the NASA B-200 aircraft. The IPDA was tuned to the CO₂ strong absorption line at 2050.9670 nm, which is the optimum for lower tropospheric weighted column measurements. Flights were conducted over land and ocean under different conditions. The first validation experiments of the IPDA for atmospheric CO₂ remote sensing, focusing on low surface reflectivity oceanic surface returns during full day background conditions, are presented. In these experiments, the IPDA measurements were validated by comparison to airborne flask air-sampling measurements conducted by the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory. IPDA performance modeling was conducted to evaluate measurement sensitivity and bias errors. The IPDA signals and their variation with altitude compare well with predicted model results. In addition, off-off-line testing was conducted, with fixed instrument settings, to evaluate the IPDA systematic and random errors. Analysis shows an altitude-independent differential optical depth offset of 0.0769. Optical depth measurement uncertainty of 0.0918 compares well with the predicted value of 0.0761. IPDA CO₂ column measurement compares well with model-driven, near-simultaneous air-sampling measurements from the NOAA aircraft at different altitudes. With a 10-s shot average, CO₂ differential optical depth measurement of 1.0054±0.0103 was retrieved from a 6-km altitude and a 4-GHz on-line operation. As compared to CO₂ weighted-average column dry-air volume mixing ratio of 404.08 ppm, derived from air sampling, IPDA measurement resulted in a value of 405.22±4.15  ppm with 1.02% uncertainty and 0.28% additional bias. Sensitivity analysis of environmental systematic errors correlates the additional bias to water vapor. IPDA ranging resulted in a measurement uncertainty of <3  m.

A HYPOTHESIS FOR THE COLOR BIMODALITY OF JUPITER TROJANS

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

Wong, Ian; Brown, Michael E., E-mail: iwong@caltech.edu

One of the most enigmatic and hitherto unexplained properties of Jupiter Trojans is their bimodal color distribution. This bimodality is indicative of two sub-populations within the Trojans, which have distinct size distributions. In this paper, we present a simple, plausible hypothesis for the origin and evolution of the two Trojan color sub-populations. In the framework of dynamical instability models of early solar system evolution, which suggest a common primordial progenitor population for both Trojans and Kuiper Belt objects, we use observational constraints to assert that the color bimodalities evident in both minor body populations developed within the primordial population priormore » to the onset of instability. We show that, beginning with an initial composition of rock and ices, location-dependent volatile loss through sublimation in this primordial population could have led to sharp changes in the surface composition with heliocentric distance. We propose that the depletion or retention of H{sub 2}S ice on the surface of these objects was the key factor in creating an initial color bimodality. Objects that retained H{sub 2}S on their surfaces developed characteristically redder colors upon irradiation than those that did not. After the bodies from the primordial population were scattered and emplaced into their current positions, they preserved this primordial color bimodality to the present day. We explore predictions of the volatile loss model—in particular, the effect of collisions within the Trojan population on the size distributions of the two sub-populations—and propose further experimental and observational tests of our hypothesis.« less

Tailored fischer-tropsch synthesis product distribution

DOEpatents

Wang, Yong [Richland, WA; Cao, Chunshe [Kennewick, WA; Li, Xiaohong Shari [Richland, WA; Elliott, Douglas C [Richland, WA

2012-06-19

Novel methods of Fischer-Tropsch synthesis are described. It has been discovered that conducting the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis over a catalyst with a catalytically active surface layer of 35 microns or less results in a liquid hydrocarbon product with a high ratio of C.sub.5-C.sub.20:C.sub.20+. Descriptions of novel Fischer-Tropsch catalysts and reactors are also provided. Novel hydrocarbon compositions with a high ratio of C.sub.5-C.sub.20:C.sub.20+ are also described.

High resolution resonance ionization imaging detector and method

DOEpatents

Winefordner, James D.; Matveev, Oleg I.; Smith, Benjamin W.

1999-01-01

A resonance ionization imaging device (RIID) and method for imaging objects using the RIID are provided, the RIID system including a RIID cell containing an ionizable vapor including monoisotopic atoms or molecules, the cell being positioned to intercept scattered radiation of a resonance wavelength .lambda..sub.1 from the object which is to be detected or imaged, a laser source disposed to illuminate the RIID cell with laser radiation having a wavelength .lambda..sub.2 or wavelengths .lambda..sub.2, .lambda..sub.3 selected to ionize atoms in the cell that are in an excited state by virtue of having absorbed the scattered resonance laser radiation, and a luminescent screen at the back surface of the RIID cell which presents an image of the number and position of charged particles present in the RIID cell as a result of the ionization of the excited state atoms. The method of the invention further includes the step of initially illuminating the object to be detected or imaged with a laser having a wavelength selected such that the object will scatter laser radiation having the resonance wavelength .lambda..sub.1.

Determination of heat transfer coefficient for an interaction of sub-cooled gas and metal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zaidi Sidek, Mohd; Syahidan Kamarudin, Muhammad

2016-02-01

Heat transfer coefficient (HTC) for a hot metal surface and their surrounding is one of the need be defined parameter in hot forming process. This study has been conducted to determine the HTC for an interaction between sub-cooled gas sprayed on a hot metal surface. Both experiments and finite element have been adopted in this work. Initially, the designated experiment was conducted to obtain temperature history of spray cooling process. Then, an inverse method was adopted to calculate the HTC value before we validate in a finite element simulation model. The result shows that the heat transfer coefficient for interaction of subcooled gas and hot metal surface is 1000 W/m2K.

Synthesis of hectorite-TiO2 and kaolinite-TiO2 nanocomposites with photocatalytic activity for the degradation of model air pollutants

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

Destaillats, Hugo; Kibanova, D.; Trejo, M.

2008-03-01

We studied the synthesis and photocatalytic activity of small-sized TiO{sub 2} supported on hectorite and kaolinite. Deposition of TiO{sub 2} on the clay mineral surface was conducted by using a sol-gel method with titanium isopropoxide as precursor. Anatase TiO{sub 2} particles formation was achieved by hydrothermal treatment at 180 C. Material characterization was conducted using XRD, SEM, XPS, ICP-OES, BET and porosimetry analysis. Efficiency in synthesizing clay-TiO{sub 2} composites depended strongly on the clay mineral structure. Incorporation of anatase in hectorite, an expandable clay mineral, was found to be very significant (> 36 wt.% Ti) and to be followed bymore » important structural changes at the clay mineral surface. Instead, no major structural modifications of the clay were observed for kaolinite-TiO{sub 2}, as compared with the untreated material. Photocatalytic performance of clay-TiO{sub 2} composites was evaluated with ATR-FTIR following the oxidation of adsorbed toluene and d-limonene, two model air pollutants. In either case, the photocatalytic removal efficiency of these hydrophobic substrates by the synthesized clay-TiO{sub 2} composites was comparable to that observed using pure commercial TiO{sub 2} (Degussa P25).« less

Method of bonding a conductive layer on an electrode of an electrochemical cell

DOEpatents

Bowker, J.C.; Singh, P.

1989-08-29

A dense, electronically conductive interconnection layer is bonded onto a porous, tubular, electronically conductive air electrode structure, optionally supported by a ceramic support, by (A) providing an air electrode surface, (B) forming on a selected portion of the electrode surface, without the use of pressure, particles of LaCrO[sub 3] doped with an element selected from the group consisting of Sr, Mg, Ca, Ba, Co, and mixtures thereof, where the particles have a deposit on their surface comprising calcium oxide and chromium oxide; (C) heating the particles with the oxide surface deposit in an oxidizing atmosphere at from 1,300 C to 1,550 C, without the application of pressure, to provide a dense, sintered, interconnection material bonded to the air electrode, where calcium and chromium from the surface deposit are incorporated into the structure of the LaCrO[sub 3]. A solid electrolyte layer can be applied to the uncovered portion of the air electrode, and a fuel electrode can be applied to the solid electrolyte, to provide an electrochemical cell. 4 figs.

Method of bonding a conductive layer on an electrode of an electrochemical cell

DOEpatents

Bowker, Jeffrey C.; Singh, Prabhakar

1989-01-01

A dense, electronically conductive interconnection layer 26 is bonded onto a porous, tubular, electronically conductive air electrode structure 16, optionally supported by a ceramic support 22, by (A) providing an air electrode surface, (B) forming on a selected portion of the electrode surface 24, without the use of pressure, particles of LaCrO.sub.3 doped with an element selected from the group consisting of Sr, Mg, Ca, Ba, Co, and mixtures thereof, where the particles have a deposit on their surface comprising calcium oxide and chromium oxide; (C) heating the particles with the oxide surface deposit in an oxidizing atmosphere at from 1,300.degree. C. to 1,550.degree. C., without the application of pressure, to provide a dense, sintered, interconnection material 26 bonded to the air electrode 16, where calcium and chromium from the surface deposit are incorporated into the structure of the LaCrO.sub.3. A solid electrolyte layer 18 can be applied to the uncovered portion of the air electrode, and a fuel electrode 20 can be applied to the solid electrolyte, to provide an electrochemical cell 10.

Effect of band filling on anomalous Hall conductivity and magneto-crystalline anisotropy in NiFe epitaxial thin films

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

Shi, Zhong; Jiang, Hang-Yu; Zhou, Shi-Ming, E-mail: shiming@tongji.edu.cn

2016-01-15

The anomalous Hall effect (AHE) and magneto-crystalline anisotropy (MCA) are investigated in epitaxial Ni{sub x}Fe{sub 1−x} thin films grown on MgO (001) substrates. The scattering independent term b of anomalous Hall conductivity shows obvious correlation with cubic magneto-crystalline anisotropy K{sub 1}. When nickel content x decreasing, both b and K{sub 1} vary continuously from negative to positive, changing sign at about x = 0.85. Ab initio calculations indicate Ni{sub x}Fe{sub 1−x} has more abundant band structures than pure Ni due to the tuning of valence electrons (band fillings), resulting in the increased b and K{sub 1}. This remarkable correlation betweenmore » b and K{sub 1} can be attributed to the effect of band filling near the Fermi surface.« less

Laboratory estimates of trace gas emissions following surface application and injection of cattle slurry

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

Flessa, H.; Beese, F.

2000-02-01

Applying cattle slurry to soil may induce emissions of the greenhouse gases N{sub 2}O and CH{sub 4}. Their objective was to determine the effects of different application techniques (surface application and slit injection) of cattle (Bostaurus) slurry on the decomposition of slurry organic matter and the emissions of N{sub 2}O and CH{sub 4}. The effects of slurry application (43.6 m{sup 3} ha{sup {minus}1}) were studied for 9 wk under controlled laboratory conditions using a soil microcosm system with automated monitoring of the CO{sub 2}, N{sub 2}O, and CH{sub 4} fluxes. The soil used was a silty loam (Ap horizon ofmore » a cambisol) with a constant water-filled pore space of 67% during the experiment. About 38% of the organic matter applied with the slurry was decomposed within 9 wk. Production of CO{sub 2} was not affected by the application technique. Emissions of N{sub 2}O and CH{sub 4} from the injected slurry were significantly higher than from the surface-applied slurry, probably because of restricted aeration at the injected-slurry treatment. Total N{sub 2}O-N emissions were 0.2% (surface application) and 3.3% (slit injection) of the slurry N added. Methane emission occurred only during the first few days following application. The total net flux of CH{sub 4}-C for 2 wk was {minus}12 g ha{sup {minus}1} for the control (CH{sub 4} uptake), 2 g ha{sup {minus}1} for the surface-applied slurry, and 39 g ha{sup {minus}1} for the injected slurry. Slurry injection, which is recommended to reduce NH{sub 3} volatilization, appears to increase emissions of the greenhouse gases N{sub 2}O and CH{sub 4} from the fertilized fields.« less

Final Report - Enhanced LAW Glass Formulation Testing, VSL-07R1130-1, Rev. 0, dated 10/05/07

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

Kruger, Albert A.; Pegg, I. L.; Matlack, K. S.

2013-11-13

The principal objective of this work was to extend the glass formulation methodology developed in the earlier work [2, 5, 6] for Envelope A, B and C waste compositions for development of compliant glass compositions targeting five high sodium-sulfur waste loading regions. This was accomplished through a combination of crucible-scale tests, and tests on the DM10 melter system. The DM10 was used for several previous tests on LAW compositions to determine the maximum feed sulfur concentrations that can be processed without forming secondary sulfate phases on the surface of the melt pool. This melter is the most efficient melter platformmore » for screening glass compositions over a wide range of sulfate concentrations and therefore was selected for the present tests. The tests were conducted to provide information on melter processing characteristics and off-gas data, including sulfur incorporation and partitioning. As described above, the main objective was to identify the limits of waste loading in compliant glass formulations spanning the range of expected Na{sub 2}O and SO{sub 3} concentrations in the LAW glasses.« less

The structural properties of Zr-based bulk metallic glasses subjected to high pressure torsion at different temperatures

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

Boltynjuk, E. V., E-mail: boltynjuk@gmail.com; Ubyivovk, E. V.; Kshumanev, A. M.

2016-06-17

The structural properties of a Zr{sub 62}Cu{sub 22}Al{sub 10}Fe{sub 5}Dy{sub 1} bulk metallic glasses were investigated. Cylindrical rods of the Zr{sub 62}Cu{sub 22}Al{sub 10}Fe{sub 5}Dy{sub 1} BMG were subjected to high pressure torsion at temperatures of 20°C and 150°C. X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy were used to determine peculiarities of the modified structure. Analysis of fracture surfaces, nanohardness measurements were conducted to investigate the influence of structural changes on mechanical behavior of processed samples.

Pulsed Laser Deposition of BaCe(sub 0.85)Y(sub 0.15)0(sub 3) FILMS

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dynys, F. W.; Sayir, A.

2006-01-01

Pulsed laser deposition has been used to grow nanostructured BaCe(sub 0.85)Y(sub 0.15)0(sub 3) films. The objective is to enhance protonic conduction by reduction of membrane thickness. Sintered samples and laser targets were prepared by sintering BaCe(sub 0.85)Y(sub 0.15)O(sub 3) powders derived by solid state synthesis. Films 2 to 6 m thick were deposited by KrF excimer laser on Si and porous Al2O3 substrates. Nanocrystalline films were fabricated at deposition temperatures of 600-800 C deg at O2 pressure of 30 mTorr and laser fluence of 1.2 J/cm square. Films were characterized by x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and electrical impedance spectroscopy. Dense single phase BaCe(sub 0.85)Y((sub 0.15) 0(sub 3) films with a columnar growth morphology is observed, preferred crystal growth was found to be dependent upon deposition temperature and substrate type. Electrical conductivity of bulk samples produced by solid state sintering and thin film samples were measured over a temperature range of 100 C deg to 900 C deg in moist argon. Electrical conduction of the fabricated films was 1 to 4 orders of magnitude lower than the sintered bulk samples. With respect to the film growth direction, activation energy for electrical conduction is 3 times higher in the perpendicular direction than the parallel direction.

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

He Liang; Xiu Faxian; Huang Guan

In this paper, we report the epitaxial growth of Bi{sub 2}Se{sub 3} thin films on Si (111) substrate, using molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). We show that the as-grown samples have good crystalline quality, and their surfaces exhibit terracelike quintuple layers. Angel-resolved photoemission experiments demonstrate single-Dirac-conelike surface states. These results combined with the temperature- and thickness-dependent magneto-transport measurements, suggest the presence of a shallow impurity band. Below a critical temperature of {approx}100K, the surface states of a 7 nm thick film contribute up to 50% of the total conduction.

Size effects in the thermal conductivity of gallium oxide (β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}) films grown via open-atmosphere annealing of gallium nitride

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

Szwejkowski, Chester J.; Giri, Ashutosh; Donovan, Brian F.

2015-02-28

Gallium nitride (GaN) is a widely used semiconductor for high frequency and high power devices due to of its unique electrical properties: a wide band gap, high breakdown field, and high electron mobility. However, thermal management has become a limiting factor regarding efficiency, lifetime, and advancement of GaN devices and GaN-based applications. In this work, we study the thermal conductivity of beta-phase gallium oxide (β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}) thin films, a component of typical gate oxides used in such devices. We use time domain thermoreflectance to measure the thermal conductivity of a variety of polycrystalline β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} films of differentmore » thicknesses grown via open atmosphere annealing of the surfaces of GaN films on sapphire substrates. We show that the measured effective thermal conductivity of these β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} films can span 1.5 orders of magnitude, increasing with an increased film thickness, which is indicative of the relatively large intrinsic thermal conductivity of the β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} grown via this technique (8.8 ± 3.4 W m{sup −1} K{sup −1}) and large mean free paths compared to typical gate dielectrics commonly used in GaN device contacts. By conducting time domain thermoreflectance (TDTR) measurements with different metal transducers (Al, Au, and Au with a Ti wetting layer), we attribute this variation in effective thermal conductivity to a combination of size effects in the β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} film resulting from phonon scattering at the β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}/GaN interface and thermal transport across the β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}/GaN interface. The measured thermal properties of open atmosphere-grown β-Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} and its interface with GaN set the stage for thermal engineering of gate contacts in high frequency GaN-based devices.« less

Controlled preparation of Ag–Cu{sub 2}O nanocorncobs and their enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light

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

Yang, Siyuan; Zhang, Shengsen; College of Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642

Graphical abstract: The corncob-like Ag–Cu{sub 2}O nanostructure with suitably exposed Ag surface exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than Ag@Cu{sub 2}O nanocables and Cu{sub 2}O nanowires. - Highlights: • Ag–Cu{sub 2}O nanocorncobs have been controllably prepared by a simple synthesis. • The possible formation mechanism of Ag–Cu{sub 2}O has been studied. • Ag–Cu{sub 2}O exhibits noticeable improved photocurrent compared with the pure Cu{sub 2}O NWs. • Ag–Cu{sub 2}O with suitably exposed Ag surface shows much higher photocatalytic activity. - Abstract: Novel corncob-like nano-heterostructured Ag–Cu{sub 2}O photocatalyst has been controllably prepared by adjusting the synthetic parameters, and the possible formation mechanism hasmore » been also studied. The photoelectrochemical and photocatalytic performances demonstrated that the as-prepared Ag–Cu{sub 2}O nanocorncobs exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than both pure Cu{sub 2}O nanowires and cable-like Ag@Cu{sub 2}O nano-composites. It was concluded that Ag–Cu{sub 2}O nanocorncobs with suitably exposed Ag surface not only effectively inhibit the recombination of electron–hole pairs but also suitably increase the active sites of electronic conduction, and thus increasing the photocatalytic activity under visible light irradiation.« less

Eddy current imaging with an atomic radio-frequency magnetometer

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

Wickenbrock, Arne, E-mail: wickenbr@uni-mainz.de; Leefer, Nathan; Blanchard, John W.

2016-05-02

We use a radio-frequency {sup 85}Rb alkali-vapor cell magnetometer based on a paraffin-coated cell with long spin-coherence time and a small, low-inductance driving coil to create highly resolved conductivity maps of different objects. We resolve sub-mm features in conductive objects, we characterize the frequency response of our technique, and by operating at frequencies up to 250 kHz we are able to discriminate between differently conductive materials based on the induced response. The method is suited to cover a wide range of driving frequencies and can potentially be used for detecting non-metallic objects with low DC conductivity.

FORMALDEHYDE MASERS: EXCLUSIVE TRACERS OF HIGH-MASS STAR FORMATION

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

Araya, E. D.; Brown, J. E.; Olmi, L.

2015-11-15

The detection of four formaldehyde (H{sub 2}CO) maser regions toward young high-mass stellar objects in the last decade, in addition to the three previously known regions, calls for an investigation of whether H{sub 2}CO masers are an exclusive tracer of young high-mass stellar objects. We report the first survey specifically focused on the search for 6 cm H{sub 2}CO masers toward non high-mass star-forming regions (non HMSFRs). The observations were conducted with the 305 m Arecibo Telescope toward 25 low-mass star-forming regions, 15 planetary nebulae and post-AGB stars, and 31 late-type stars. We detected no H{sub 2}CO emission in ourmore » sample of non HMSFRs. To check for the association between high-mass star formation and H{sub 2}CO masers, we also conducted a survey toward 22 high-mass star-forming regions from a Hi-GAL (Herschel infrared Galactic Plane Survey) sample known to harbor 6.7 GHz CH{sub 3}OH masers. We detected a new 6 cm H{sub 2}CO emission line in G32.74−0.07. This work provides further evidence that supports an exclusive association between H{sub 2}CO masers and young regions of high-mass star formation. Furthermore, we detected H{sub 2}CO absorption toward all Hi-GAL sources, and toward 24 low-mass star-forming regions. We also conducted a simultaneous survey for OH (4660, 4750, 4765 MHz), H110α (4874 MHz), HCOOH (4916 MHz), CH{sub 3}OH (5005 MHz), and CH{sub 2}NH (5289 MHz) toward 68 of the sources in our sample of non HMSFRs. With the exception of the detection of a 4765 MHz OH line toward a pre-planetary nebula (IRAS 04395+3601), we detected no other spectral line to an upper limit of 15 mJy for most sources.« less

DE-SC0004118 (Wong & Lindquist). Final Report: Changes of Porosity, Permeability and Mechanical Strength Induced by Carbon Dioxide Sequestration.

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

WONG, TENG-FONG; Lindquist, Brent

In the context of CO{sub 2} sequestration, the overall objective of this project is to conduct a systematic investigation of how the flow of the acidic, CO{sub 2} saturated, single phase component of the injected/sequestered fluid changes the microstructure, permeability and strength of sedimentary rocks, specifically limestone and sandstone samples. Hydromechanical experiments, microstructural observations and theoretical modeling on multiple scales were conducted.

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

Sridharan, Kumar; Anderson, Mark

The supercritical CO{sub 2} Brayton cycle is gaining importance for power conversion in the Generation IV fast reactor system because of its high conversion efficiencies. When used in conjunction with a sodium fast reactor, the supercritical CO{sub 2} cycle offers additional safety advantages by eliminating potential sodium-water interactions that may occur in a steam cycle. In power conversion systems for Generation IV fast reactors, supercritical CO{sub 2} temperatures could be in the range of 30°C to 650°C, depending on the specific component in the system. Materials corrosion primarily at high temperatures will be an important issue. Therefore, the corrosion performancemore » limits for materials at various temperatures must be established. The proposed research will have four objectives centered on addressing corrosion issues in a high-temperature supercritical CO{sub 2} environment: Task 1: Evaluation of corrosion performance of candidate alloys in high-purity supercritical CO{sub 2}: The following alloys will be tested: Ferritic-martensitic Steels NF616 and HCM12A, austenitic alloys Incoloy 800H and 347 stainless steel, and two advanced concept alloys, AFA (alumina forming austenitic) steel and MA754. Supercritical CO{sub 2} testing will be performed at 450°C, 550°C, and 650°C at a pressure of 20 MPa, in a test facility that is already in place at the proposing university. High purity CO{sub 2} (99.9998%) will be used for these tests. Task 2: Investigation of the effects of CO, H{sub 2}O, and O{sub 2} impurities in supercritical CO{sub 2} on corrosion: Impurities that will inevitably present in the CO{sub 2} will play a critical role in dictating the extent of corrosion and corrosion mechanisms. These effects must be understood to identify the level of CO{sub 2} chemistry control needed to maintain sufficient levels of purity to manage corrosion. The individual effects of important impurities CO, H{sub 2}O, and O{sub 2} will be investigated by adding them separately to high purity CO{sub 2}. Task 3: Evaluation of surface treatments on the corrosion performance of alloys in supercritical CO{sub 2}: Surface treatments can be very beneficial in improving corrosion resistance. Shot peening and yttrium and aluminum surface treatments will be investigated. Shot peening refines the surface grain sizes and promotes protective Cr-oxide layer formation. Both yttrium and aluminum form highly stable oxide layers (Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}), which can get incorporated in the growing Fe-oxide layer to form an impervious complex oxide to enhance corrosion resistance. Task 4: Study of flow-assisted corrosion of select alloys in supercritical CO{sub 2} under a selected set of test conditions: To study the effects of flow-assisted corrosion, tests will be conducted in a supercritical CO{sub 2} flow loop. An existing facility used for supercritical water flow studies at the proposing university will be modified for use in this task. The system is capable of flow velocities up to 10 m/s and can operate at temperatures and pressures of up to 650°C and 20 MPa, respectively. All above tasks will be performed in conjunction with detailed materials characterization and analysis using scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), x-ray diffraction (XRD), Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) techniques, and weight change measurements. Inlet and outlet gas compositions will be monitored using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS).« less

JOCG Aircraft/Stores Compatibility Symposium Proceedings (8th) Held in Fort Walton Beach, Florida on 23-25 October 1990

DTIC Science & Technology

1990-10-25

Compatibility Sub- Group Steering Committee Sub- Group Chairman Wiley I. Robinson Air Force Systems Command Study Group Chairmen Electrical Interface Joe...on the surface of the body organized into groups defining the corners of a series of four -sided surface panel elements which represent a faceted...Structures Technology. In the Aeroanalysis Group , Dr. Cunningham has conducted many studies leading to devel- opments in the area of analytically

Enhanced local tomography

DOEpatents

Katsevich, Alexander J.; Ramm, Alexander G.

1996-01-01

Local tomography is enhanced to determine the location and value of a discontinuity between a first internal density of an object and a second density of a region within the object. A beam of radiation is directed in a predetermined pattern through the region of the object containing the discontinuity. Relative attenuation data of the beam is determined within the predetermined pattern having a first data component that includes attenuation data through the region. In a first method for evaluating the value of the discontinuity, the relative attenuation data is inputted to a local tomography function .function..sub..LAMBDA. to define the location S of the density discontinuity. The asymptotic behavior of .function..sub..LAMBDA. is determined in a neighborhood of S, and the value for the discontinuity is estimated from the asymptotic behavior of .function..sub..LAMBDA.. In a second method for evaluating the value of the discontinuity, a gradient value for a mollified local tomography function .gradient..function..sub..LAMBDA..epsilon. (x.sub.ij) is determined along the discontinuity; and the value of the jump of the density across the discontinuity curve (or surface) S is estimated from the gradient values.

Diffusion and Clustering of Carbon Dioxide on Non-porous Amorphous Solid Water

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

He, Jiao; Emtiaz, Shahnewaj M.; Vidali, Gianfranco

2017-03-01

Observations by ISO and Spitzer toward young stellar objects showed that CO{sub 2} segregates in the icy mantles covering dust grains. Thermal processing of the ice mixture was proposed as being responsible for the segregation. Although several laboratories studied thermally induced segregation, a satisfying quantification is still missing. We propose that the diffusion of CO{sub 2} along pores inside water ice is the key to quantify segregation. We combined Temperature Programmed Desorption and Reflection Absorption InfraRed Spectroscopy to study how CO{sub 2} molecules interact on a non-porous amorphous solid water (np-ASW) surface. We found that CO{sub 2} diffuses significantly onmore » an np-ASW surface above 65 K and clusters are formed at well below one monolayer. A simple rate equation simulation finds that the diffusion energy barrier of CO{sub 2} on np-ASW is 2150 ± 50 K, assuming a diffusion pre-exponential factor of 10{sup 12} s{sup −1}. This energy should also apply to the diffusion of CO{sub 2} on the wall of pores. The binding energy of CO{sub 2} from CO{sub 2} clusters and CO{sub 2} from H{sub 2}O ice has been found to be 2415 ± 20 K and 2250 ± 20 K, respectively, assuming the same prefactor for desorption. CO{sub 2}–CO{sub 2} interaction is stronger than CO{sub 2}–H{sub 2}O interaction, in agreement with the experimental finding that CO{sub 2} does not wet the np-ASW surface. For comparison, we carried out similar experiments with CO on np-ASW, and found that the CO–CO interaction is always weaker than CO–H{sub 2}O. As a result, CO wets the np-ASW surface. This study should be of help to uncover the thermal history of CO{sub 2} on the icy mantles of dust grains.« less

Mapping the Coulomb Environment in Interference-Quenched Ballistic Nanowires.

PubMed

Gutstein, D; Lynall, D; Nair, S V; Savelyev, I; Blumin, M; Ercolani, D; Ruda, H E

2018-01-10

The conductance of semiconductor nanowires is strongly dependent on their electrostatic history because of the overwhelming influence of charged surface and interface states on electron confinement and scattering. We show that InAs nanowire field-effect transistor devices can be conditioned to suppress resonances that obscure quantized conduction thereby revealing as many as six sub-bands in the conductance spectra as the Fermi-level is swept across the sub-band energies. The energy level spectra extracted from conductance, coupled with detailed modeling shows the significance of the interface state charge distribution revealing the Coulomb landscape of the nanowire device. Inclusion of self-consistent Coulomb potentials, the measured geometrical shape of the nanowire, the gate geometry and nonparabolicity of the conduction band provide a quantitative and accurate description of the confinement potential and resulting energy level structure. Surfaces of the nanowire terminated by HfO 2 are shown to have their interface donor density reduced by a factor of 30 signifying the passivating role played by HfO 2 .

Adsorption of ammonia at GaN(0001) surface in the mixed ammonia/hydrogen ambient - a summary of ab initio data

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

Kempisty, Paweł; Krukowski, Stanisław; Interdisciplinary Centre for Materials Modelling, Warsaw University, Pawińskiego 5a, 02-106 Warsaw

Adsorption of ammonia at NH{sub 3}/NH{sub 2}/H-covered GaN(0001) surface was analyzed using results of ab initio calculations. The whole configuration space of partially NH{sub 3}/NH{sub 2}/H-covered GaN(0001) surface was divided into zones of differently pinned Fermi level: at the Ga broken bond state for dominantly bare surface (region I), at the valence band maximum (VBM) for NH{sub 2} and H-covered surface (region II), and at the conduction band minimum (CBM) for NH{sub 3}-covered surface (region III). The electron counting rule (ECR) extension was formulated for the case of adsorbed molecules. The extensive ab intio calculations show the validity of themore » ECR in case of all mixed H-NH{sub 2}-NH{sub 3} coverages for the determination of the borders between the three regions. The adsorption was analyzed using the recently identified dependence of the adsorption energy on the charge transfer at the surface. For region I ammonia adsorbs dissociatively, disintegrating into a H adatom and a HN{sub 2} radical for a large fraction of vacant sites, while for region II adsorption of ammonia is molecular. The dissociative adsorption energy strongly depends on the Fermi level at the surface (pinned) and in the bulk (unpinned) while the molecular adsorption energy is determined by bonding to surface only, in accordance to the recently published theory. Adsorption of Ammonia in region III (Fermi level pinned at CBM) leads to an unstable configuration both molecular and dissociative, which is explained by the fact that broken Ga-bonds are doubly occupied by electrons. The adsorbing ammonia brings 8 electrons to the surface, necessitating the transfer of these two electrons from the Ga broken bond state to the Fermi level. This is an energetically costly process. Adsorption of ammonia at H-covered site leads to the creation of a NH{sub 2} radical at the surface and escape of H{sub 2} molecule. The process energy is close to 0.12 eV, thus not large, but the direct inverse process is not possible due to the escape of the hydrogen molecule.« less

Synthesis of tetraaza bromide macrocyclic and studies of its effect on poly(methyl methacrylate) grafted natural rubber (MG49) - lithium tertrafluoroborate (LiBF{sub 4}) films

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

Mariam, Siti Nor; Yamin, Bohari M.; Ahmad, Azizan

2013-11-27

Good Poly(Methyl Methacrylate) Grafted natural Rubber (MG49) films with homogeneous and smooth surface were obtained in the presence of Lithium Tertrafluoroborate (LiBF{sub 4}) and 5,5,7,12,12,14-hexamethyl-1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradeca-7,14-dienium bromide, (Me{sub 6}N{sub 4}H{sub 4})Br{sub 2} as dopants. The conductivity was found to be 3.63×10{sup −6} S/cm an increase by seven fold compare to the undoped MG49.

Quantification of Impervious Surfaces Along the Wasatch Front, Utah: AN Object-Based Image Analysis Approach to Identifying AN Indicator for Wetland Stress

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Leydsman-McGinty, E. I.; Ramsey, R. D.; McGinty, C.

2013-12-01

The Remote Sensing/GIS Laboratory at Utah State University, in cooperation with the United States Environmental Protection Agency, is quantifying impervious surfaces for three watershed sub-basins in Utah. The primary objective of developing watershed-scale quantifications of impervious surfaces is to provide an indicator of potential impacts to wetlands that occur within the Wasatch Front and along the Great Salt Lake. A geospatial layer of impervious surfaces can assist state agencies involved with Utah's Wetlands Program Plan (WPP) in understanding the impacts of impervious surfaces on wetlands, as well as support them in carrying out goals and actions identified in the WPP. The three watershed sub-basins, Lower Bear-Malad, Lower Weber, and Jordan, span the highly urbanized Wasatch Front and are consistent with focal areas in need of wetland monitoring and assessment as identified in Utah's WPP. Geospatial layers of impervious surface currently exist in the form of national and regional land cover datasets; however, these datasets are too coarse to be utilized in fine-scale analyses. In addition, the pixel-based image processing techniques used to develop these coarse datasets have proven insufficient in smaller scale or detailed studies, particularly when applied to high-resolution satellite imagery or aerial photography. Therefore, object-based image analysis techniques are being implemented to develop the geospatial layer of impervious surfaces. Object-based image analysis techniques employ a combination of both geospatial and image processing methods to extract meaningful information from high-resolution imagery. Spectral, spatial, textural, and contextual information is used to group pixels into image objects and then subsequently used to develop rule sets for image classification. eCognition, an object-based image analysis software program, is being utilized in conjunction with one-meter resolution National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) aerial photography from 2011.

Silver transfer in proustite Ag{sub 3}AsS{sub 3} at high temperatures: Conductivity and single-crystal X-ray studies

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

Gagor, Anna; Pawlowski, Antoni; Pietraszko, Adam

2009-03-15

Single crystals of proustite Ag{sub 3}AsS{sub 3} have been characterised by impedance spectroscopy and single-crystal X-ray diffraction in the temperature ranges of 295-543 and 295-695 K, respectively. An analysis of the one-particle potential of silver atoms shows that in the whole measuring temperature range defects in the silver substructure play a major role in the conduction mechanism. Furthermore, the silver transfer is equally probable within silver chains and spirals, as well as between chains and spirals. The trigonal R3c room temperature phase does not change until the decomposition of the crystal. The electric anomaly of the first-order character which appearsmore » near 502 K is related to an increase in the electronic component of the total conductivity resulting from Ag{sub 2}S deposition at the sample surface. - Joint probability density function map of silver atoms at T=695 K.« less

High temperature oxidation behavior of austenitic stainless steel AISI 304 in steam of nanofluids contain nanoparticle ZrO2

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

Prajitno, Djoko Hadi, E-mail: djokohp@batan.go.id; Syarif, Dani Gustaman, E-mail: djokohp@batan.go.id

2014-03-24

The objective of this study is to evaluate high temperature oxidation behavior of austenitic stainless steel SS 304 in steam of nanofluids contain nanoparticle ZrO{sub 2}. The oxidation was performed at high temperatures ranging from 600 to 800°C. The oxidation time was 60 minutes. After oxidation the surface of the samples was analyzed by different methods including, optical microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). X-ray diffraction examination show that the oxide scale formed during oxidation of stainless steel AISI 304 alloys is dominated by iron oxide, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}. Minor element such as Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} ismore » also appeared in the diffraction pattern. Characterization by optical microscope showed that cross section microstructure of stainless steel changed after oxidized with the oxide scale on the surface stainless steels. SEM and x-ray diffraction examination show that the oxide of ZrO{sub 2} appeared on the surface of stainless steel. Kinetic rate of oxidation of austenite stainless steel AISI 304 showed that increasing oxidation temperature and time will increase oxidation rate.« less

Determination of surface resistance and magnetic penetration depth of superconducting YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) thin films by microwave power transmission measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhasin, K. B.; Warner, J. D.; Miranda, F. A.; Gordon, W. L.; Newman, H. S.

1991-01-01

A novel waveguide power transmission measurement technique was developed to extract the complex conductivity of superconducting thin films at microwave frequencies. The microwave conductivity was taken of two laser ablated YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) thin films on LaAlO3 with transition temperatures of approximately 86.3 and 82 K, respectively, in the temperature range 25 to 300 K. From the conductivity values, the penetration depth was found to be approximately 0.54 and 0.43 micron, and the surface resistance (R sub s) to be approximately 24 and 36 micro-Ohms at 36 GHz and 76 K for the two films under consideration. The R sub s values were compared with those obtained from the change in the Q-factor of a 36 GHz Te sub 011-mode (OFHC) copper cavity by replacing one of its end walls with the superconducting sample. This technique allows noninvasive characterization of high transition superconducting thin films at microwave frequencies.

Determination of surface resistance and magnetic penetration depth of superconducting YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) thin films by microwave power transmission measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhasin, K. B.; Warner, J. D.; Miranda, F. A.; Gordon, W. L.; Newman, H. S.

1990-01-01

A novel waveguide power transmission measurement technique was developed to extract the complex conductivity of superconducting thin films at microwave frequencies. The microwave conductivity was taken of two laser ablated YBa2Cu3O(7-delta) thin films on LaAlO3 with transition temperatures of approx. 86.3 and 82 K, respectively, in the temperature range 25 to 300 K. From the conductivity values, the penetration depth was found to be approx. 0.54 and 0.43 micron, and the surface resistance (R sub s) to be approx. 24 and 36 micro-Ohms at 36 GHz and 76 K for the two films under consideration. The R sub s values were compared with those obtained from the change in the Q-factor of a 36 GHz Te sub 011-mode (OFHC) copper cavity by replacing one of its end walls with the superconducting sample. This technique allows noninvasive characterization of high transition temperature superconducting thin films at microwave frequencies.

A Mechanistic Study of Nucleate Boiling Under Microgravity Conditions

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dhir, V. K.; Warrier, G. R.; Hasan, M. M.

2002-01-01

The overall objective of this work is to study nucleate boiling heat transfer under microgravity conditions in such a way that while providing basic knowledge of the phenomena, it also leads to development of simulation models and correlations that can be used as design tools for a wide range of gravity levels. In the study a building block type of approach is used and both pool and low velocity flow boiling are investigated. Starting with experiments using a single bubble, the complexity of the experiments is increased to two or three inline bubbles, to five bubbles placed on a two-dimensional grid. Finally, experiments are conducted where a large number of prescribed cavities nucleate on the heater and when a commercial surface is used. So far experiments have been conducted at earth normal gravity and in the reduced gravity environment of the KC-135 aircraft whereas experiments on the space station are planned. Modeling/complete numerical simulation of the boiling process is an integral part of the total effort. Experiments conducted with single bubbles formed on a nucleation site microfabricated on a polished silicon wafer show that for gravity levels (g) varying from 1.5g(sub e) to 0.01g(sub e), the bubble diameter at departure varies approximately as (g(sub e)/g)(exp 1/2) and the growth period as (g(sub e)/g). When bubbles merge either inline or in a plane, the bubble diameter at departure is found to be smaller than that obtained for a single bubble and shows a weaker dependence on the level of gravity. The possible reason is that as the bubbles merge they create fluid circulation around the bubbles, which in turn induces a lift force that is responsible for the earlier departure of the bubbles. The verification of this proposition is being sought through numerical simulations. There is a merger of two inline, three inline, and several bubbles in a plane in the low gravity environment of the KC-135 aircraft. After merger and before departure, a mushroom type of bubble with several stems attached to the heater surface is clearly evident. Local heat fluxes during growth and departure of a single bubble were also measured. It was found that during most of the growth period of the bubble, generally the wall heat flux decreased with time because of the increased dry area under the bubble. However, the heat flux increased rapidly just prior to departure of the bubble because of the transient conduction into the cold liquid rushing to fill the space vacated by the bubble as the bubble base shrinks. The measured heat fluxes at various radial locations are found to be in qualitative agreement with the numerical predictions. Single bubble studies at earth normal gravity have also been performed on surfaces oriented at different angles to the gravitational acceleration with flow parallel to the surface. It is found that in all cases the bubbles slide along the surface before lift-off from the surface. The lift force generated as a result of the relative motion between the sliding bubbles and the imposed flow is found to play an important role when the normal force due to buoyancy is reduced. An experimental apparatus for the study of the bubble behavior with imposed flow under reduced gravity conditions has been developed and will soon be employed for experiments in the KC-135 aircraft.

Alkali/TX[sub 2] catalysts for CO/H[sub 2] conversion to C[sub 1]-C[sub 4] alcohols

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

Klier, K.; Herman, R.G.; Richards-Babb, M.

1993-03-01

The objective of this research is to determine the patterns of variations of catalyst activity and selectivity for the synthesis of alcohols from H[sub 2]/CO synthesis gas. Since the source of carbon can be coal-derived synthesis gas, this research makes a contribution to the technology for high quality clean transportation fuels and for basic chemicals from coal. Catalysts prepared were principally based on MoS[sub 2], RuS[sub 2], TaS[sub 2], and NbS[sub 2]. Catalytic testing of these materials was carried out both before and after surface doping with Cs. In alcohol synthesis activation of hydrogen by the catalyst surface is essential.more » Knowledge of transition metal disulfide surface properties is important before the mechanism of hydrogen dissociation can be addressed. The electronic structures of MoS[sub 2], RuS[sub 2], and NbS[sub 2] were studied both theoretically and experimentally. Experimental valence bands were obtained by high resolution electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (HR-ESCA, also referred to as x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) and theoretical valence bands were calculated using solid state extended Hueckel theory. Comparison of two-dimensional (2-D) MoS[sub 2] theoretical valence bands with the experimental HR-ESCA valence bands of polycrystalline MoS[sub 2] led to parametrization of the S 3s, S 3p, and Mo 4d atomic ionization potentials and Slater-type coefficients and exponents. The S 3s and S 3p parameters obtained for MoS[sub 2] were used to obtain the NbS[sub 2] and RuS[sub 2] theoretical valence bands.« less

Alkali/TX{sub 2} catalysts for CO/H{sub 2} conversion to C{sub 1}-C{sub 4} alcohols. Final technical progress report, September 1, 1988--August 31, 1991

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

Klier, K.; Herman, R.G.; Richards-Babb, M.

1993-03-01

The objective of this research is to determine the patterns of variations of catalyst activity and selectivity for the synthesis of alcohols from H{sub 2}/CO synthesis gas. Since the source of carbon can be coal-derived synthesis gas, this research makes a contribution to the technology for high quality clean transportation fuels and for basic chemicals from coal. Catalysts prepared were principally based on MoS{sub 2}, RuS{sub 2}, TaS{sub 2}, and NbS{sub 2}. Catalytic testing of these materials was carried out both before and after surface doping with Cs. In alcohol synthesis activation of hydrogen by the catalyst surface is essential.more » Knowledge of transition metal disulfide surface properties is important before the mechanism of hydrogen dissociation can be addressed. The electronic structures of MoS{sub 2}, RuS{sub 2}, and NbS{sub 2} were studied both theoretically and experimentally. Experimental valence bands were obtained by high resolution electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (HR-ESCA, also referred to as x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy) and theoretical valence bands were calculated using solid state extended Hueckel theory. Comparison of two-dimensional (2-D) MoS{sub 2} theoretical valence bands with the experimental HR-ESCA valence bands of polycrystalline MoS{sub 2} led to parametrization of the S 3s, S 3p, and Mo 4d atomic ionization potentials and Slater-type coefficients and exponents. The S 3s and S 3p parameters obtained for MoS{sub 2} were used to obtain the NbS{sub 2} and RuS{sub 2} theoretical valence bands.« less

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

Terai, Tsuyoshi; Itoh, Yoichi; Oasa, Yumiko

We present a measurement of H{sub 2}O ice crystallinity on the surface of trans-neptunian objects with near-infrared narrow-band imaging. The newly developed photometric technique allows us to efficiently determine the strength of a 1.65 μ m absorption feature in crystalline H{sub 2}O ice. Our data for three large objects—Haumea, Quaoar, and Orcus—which are known to contain crystalline H{sub 2}O ice on the surfaces, show a reasonable result with high fractions of the crystalline phase. It can also be pointed out that if the grain size of H{sub 2}O ice is larger than ∼20 μ m, the crystallinities of these objectsmore » are obviously below 1.0, which suggests the presence of the amorphous phase. In particular, Orcus exhibits a high abundance of amorphous H{sub 2}O ice compared to Haumea and Quaoar, possibly indicating a correlation between the bulk density of the bodies and the degree of surface crystallization. We also found the presence of crystalline H{sub 2}O ice on Typhon and 2008 AP{sub 129}, both of which are smaller than the minimum size limit for inducing cryovolcanism as well as a transition from amorphous to crystalline phase through thermal evolution due to the decay of long-lived isotopes.« less

Dependence of Pentacene Crystal Growth on Dielectric Roughness for Fabrication of Flexible Field-Effect Transistors

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

Yang, H.; Yang, C; Kim, S

2010-01-01

The dependence of pentacene nanostructures on gate dielectric surfaces were investigated for flexible organic field-effect transistor (OFET) applications. Two bilayer types of polymer/aluminum oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) gate dielectrics were fabricated on commercial Al foils laminated onto a polymer back plate. Some Al foils were directly used as gate electrodes, and others were smoothly polished by an electrolytic etching. These Al surfaces were then anodized and coated with poly({alpha}-methyl styrene) (PAMS). For PAMS/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} dielectrics onto etched Al foils, surface roughness up to 1 nm could be reached, although isolated dimples with a lateral diameter of several micrometers weremore » still present. On PAMS/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} dielectrics (surface roughness >40 nm) containing mechanical grooves of Al foil, average hole mobility ({mu}FET) of 50 nm thick pentacene-FETs under the low operating voltages (|V| < 6 V) was {approx}0.15 cm{sup 2} V{sup -1} s{sup -1}. In contrast, pentacene-FETs employing the etched Al gates exhibited {mu}FET of 0.39 cm{sup 2} V{sup -1} s{sup -1}, which was comparable to that of reference samples with PAMS/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} dielectrics onto flat sputtered Al gates. Conducting-probe atomic force microscopy and two-dimensional X-ray diffraction of pentacene films with various thicknesses revealed different out-of-plane and in-plane crystal orderings of pentacene, depending on the surface roughness of the gate dielectrics.« less

Adsorption mechanisms of selenium oxyanions at the aluminum oxide/water interface

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

Peak, Derek

2008-06-09

Sorption processes at the mineral/water interface typically control the mobility and bioaccessibility of many inorganic contaminants such as oxyanions. Selenium is an important micronutrient for human and animal health, but at elevated concentrations selenium toxicity is a concern. The objective of this study was to determine the bonding mechanisms of selenate (SeO{sub 4}{sup 2-}) and selenite (SeO{sub 3}{sup 2-}) on hydrous aluminum oxide (HAO) over a wide range of reaction pH using extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy. Additionally, selenate adsorption on corundum ({alpha}-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) was studied to determine if adsorption mechanisms change as the aluminum oxide surfacemore » structure changes. The overall findings were that selenite forms a mixture of outer-sphere and inner-sphere bidentate-binuclear (corner-sharing) surface complexes on HAO, selenate forms primarily outer-sphere surface complexes on HAO, and on corundum selenate forms outer-sphere surface complexes at pH 3.5 but inner-sphere monodentate surface complexes at pH 4.5 and above. It is possible that the lack of inner-sphere complex formation at pH 3.5 is caused by changes in the corundum surface at low pH or secondary precipitate formation. The results are consistent with a structure-based reactivity for metal oxides, wherein hydrous metal oxides form outer-sphere complexes with sulfate and selenate, but inner-sphere monodentate surface complexes are formed between sulfate and selenate and {alpha}-Me{sub 2}O{sub 3}.« less

Corrosion resistance of titanium ion implanted AZ91 magnesium alloy

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

Liu Chenglong; Xin Yunchang; Tian Xiubo

2007-03-15

Degradable metal alloys constitute a new class of materials for load-bearing biomedical implants. Owing to their good mechanical properties and biocompatibility, magnesium alloys are promising in degradable prosthetic implants. The objective of this study is to improve the corrosion behavior of surgical AZ91 magnesium alloy by titanium ion implantation. The surface characteristics of the ion implanted layer in the magnesium alloys are examined. The authors' results disclose that an intermixed layer is produced and the surface oxidized films are mainly composed of titanium oxide with a lesser amount of magnesium oxide. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reveals that the oxide has threemore » layers. The outer layer which is 10 nm thick is mainly composed of MgO and TiO{sub 2} with some Mg(OH){sub 2}. The middle layer that is 50 nm thick comprises predominantly TiO{sub 2} and MgO with minor contributions from MgAl{sub 2}O{sub 4} and TiO. The third layer from the surface is rich in metallic Mg, Ti, Al, and Ti{sub 3}Al. The effects of Ti ion implantation on the corrosion resistance and electrochemical behavior of the magnesium alloys are investigated in simulated body fluids at 37{+-}1 deg. C using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and open circuit potential techniques. Compared to the unimplanted AZ91 alloy, titanium ion implantation significantly shifts the open circuit potential (OCP) to a more positive potential and improves the corrosion resistance at OCP. This phenomenon can be ascribed to the more compact surface oxide film, enhanced reoxidation on the implanted surface, as well as the increased {beta}-Mg{sub 12}Al{sub 17} phase.« less

Determination of a transient heat transfer property of acrylic using thermochromic liquid crystals

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Heidmann, James D.

1994-01-01

An experiment was performed to determine a transient heat transfer property of acrylic. The experiment took advantage of the known analytical solution for heat conduction in a homogeneous semi-infinite solid with a constant surface heat flux. Thermochromic liquid crystals were used to measure the temperature nonintrusively. The relevant property in this experiment was the transient thermal conduction coefficient h(sub t), which is the square root of the product of density p, specific heat c(sub p), and thermal conductivity k (i.e., square root of pc(sub p)k). A value of 595.6 W square root of s/sq m K was obtained for h(sub t), with a standard deviation of 5.1 W square root of s/sq m K. Although there is no generally accepted value for h(sub t), a commonly used one is 580 W square root of s/sq m K, which is almost 3 percent less than the h(sub t) value obtained in this experiment. Since these results were highly repeatable and since there is no definitive value for h(sub t), the new value is recommended for future use.

Scanning electrochemical microscopy of graphene/polymer hybrid thin films as supercapacitors: Physical-chemical interfacial processes

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

Gupta, Sanju, E-mail: sanju.gupta@wku.edu; Price, Carson

2015-10-15

Hybrid electrode comprising an electric double-layer capacitor of graphene nanosheets and a pseudocapacitor of the electrically conducting polymers namely, polyaniline; PAni and polypyrrole; PPy are constructed that exhibited synergistic effect with excellent electrochemical performance as thin film supercapacitors for alternative energy. The hybrid supercapacitors were prepared by layer-by-layer (LbL) assembly based on controlled electrochemical polymerization followed by reduction of graphene oxide electrochemically producing ErGO, for establishing intimate electronic contact through nanoscale architecture and chemical stability, producing a single bilayer of (PAni/ErGO){sub 1}, (PPy/ErGO){sub 1}, (PAni/GO){sub 1} and (PPy/GO){sub 1}. The rationale design is to create thin films that possess interconnectedmore » graphene nanosheets (GNS) with polymer nanostructures forming well-defined tailored interfaces allowing sufficient surface adsorption and faster ion transport due to short diffusion distances. We investigated their electrochemical properties and performance in terms of gravimetric specific capacitance, C{sub s}, from cyclic voltammograms. The LbL-assembled bilayer films exhibited an excellent C{sub s} of ≥350 F g{sup −1} as compared with constituents (∼70 F g{sup −1}) at discharge current density of 0.3 A g{sup −1} that outperformed many other hybrid supercapacitors. To gain deeper insights into the physical-chemical interfacial processes occurring at the electrode/electrolyte interface that govern their operation, we have used scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) technique in feedback and probe approach modes. We present our findings from viewpoint of reinforcing the role played by heterogeneous electrode surface composed of nanoscale graphene sheets (conducting) and conducting polymers (semiconducting) backbone with ordered polymer chains via higher/lower probe current distribution maps. Also targeted is SECM imaging that allowed to determine electrochemical (re)activity of surface ion adsorption sites density at solid/liquid interface.« less

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

Gholipur, Reza, E-mail: gholipur.reza@gmail.com; Bahari, Ali, E-mail: a.bahari@umz.ac.ir

Highlights: • Glassy Ce{sub x}La{sub 1−x}O{sub y} nanostructure films were grown on Si(1 0 0) substrate using the sol–gel method. • G{sub p} = ωϵ{sub 0}ϵ′ tan(δ) was calculated at different temperatures. • Electrical and structural the Ce{sub x}La{sub 1−x}O{sub y} samples were studied. • The conductivity-temperature study shows that the compound obeys the Arrhenius law. - Abstract: The Ce{sub x}La{sub 1−x}O{sub y} samples are synthesized, characterized and their electrical properties are reported at different molar ratios in the frequency range of 10{sup −1}–10{sup +5} Hz. Ac conductivity and permittivity data are analyzed by using conductivity formalism. The values ofmore » capacitance and tan(δ) were recorded with respect to different frequencies and temperatures. X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns of the films show that the films posses crystalline phases. Surface morphology of the films is analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM). The energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses reveal that elemental composition is in right stoichiometry. Electrical characterizations of the Ce{sub x}La{sub 1−x}O{sub y} samples were done by capacitance–voltage (C–V) and current density–voltage (J–V) measurements of MOS structures. Investigation showed high value of k = 44.80 and low leakage current (∼1 × 10{sup −5} A/cm{sup 2}) of the Ce{sub 0.4}La{sub 0.6}O{sub y} film.« less

Industrial inspection of specular surfaces using a new calibration procedure

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aswendt, Petra; Hofling, Roland; Gartner, Soren

2005-06-01

The methodology of phase encoded reflection measurements has become a valuable tool for the industrial inspection of components with glossy surfaces. The measuring principle provides outstanding sensitivity for tiny variations of surface curvature so that sub-micron waviness and flaws are reliably detected. Quantitative curvature measurements can be obtained from a simple approach if the object is almost flat. 3D-objects with a high aspect ratio require more effort to determine both coordinates and normal direction of a surface point unambiguously. Stereoscopic solutions have been reported using more than one camera for a certain surface area. This paper will describe the combined double camera steady surface approach (DCSS) that is well suited for the implementation in industrial testing stations

Combined wet and dry cleaning of SiGe(001)

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

Park, Sang Wook; Kaufman-Osborn, Tobin; Kim, Hyonwoong

Combined wet and dry cleaning via hydrofluoric acid (HF) and atomic hydrogen on Si{sub 0.6}Ge{sub 0.4}(001) surface was studied at the atomic level using ultrahigh vacuum scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), scanning tunneling spectroscopy (STS), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to understand the chemical transformations of the surface. Aqueous HF removes native oxide, but residual carbon and oxygen are still observed on Si{sub 0.6}Ge{sub 0.4}(001) due to hydrocarbon contamination from post HF exposure to ambient. The oxygen contamination can be eliminated by shielding the sample from ambient via covering the sample in the HF cleaning solution until the sample is introduced tomore » the vacuum chamber or by transferring the sample in an inert environment; however, both processes still leave carbon contaminant. Dry in-situ atomic hydrogen cleaning above 330 °C removes the carbon contamination on the surface consistent with a thermally activated atomic hydrogen reaction with surface hydrocarbon. A postdeposition anneal at 550 °C induces formation of an atomically flat and ordered SiGe surface observed by STM. STS verifies that the wet and dry cleaned surface has an unpinned Fermi level with no states between the conduction and valence band edge comparable to sputter cleaned SiGe surfaces.« less

Simultaneous enhancement of photovoltage and charge transfer in Cu{sub 2}O-based photocathode using buffer and protective layers

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

Li, Changli; Delaunay, Jean-Jacques, E-mail: jean@mech.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp; Hisatomi, Takashi

2016-07-18

Coating n-type buffer and protective layers on Cu{sub 2}O may be an effective means to improve the photoelectrochemical (PEC) water-splitting performance of Cu{sub 2}O-based photocathodes. In this letter, the functions of the buffer layer and protective layer on Cu{sub 2}O are examined. It is found that a Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} buffer layer can form a buried junction with Cu{sub 2}O, which inhibits Cu{sub 2}O self-reduction as well as increases the photovoltage through a small conduction band offset between the two semiconductors. The introduction of a TiO{sub 2} thin protective layer not only improves the stability of the photocathode but alsomore » enhances the electron transfer from the photocathode surface into the electrolyte, thus resulting in an increase in photocurrent at positive potentials. These results show that the selection of overlayers with appropriate conduction band positions provides an effective strategy for obtaining a high photovoltage and high photocurrent in PEC systems.« less

Atomic-scale and pit-free flattening of GaN by combination of plasma pretreatment and time-controlled chemical mechanical polishing

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

Deng, Hui; Endo, Katsuyoshi; Yamamura, Kazuya, E-mail: yamamura@upst.eng.osaka-u.ac.jp

2015-08-03

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) combined with atmospheric-pressure plasma pretreatment was applied to a GaN (0001) substrate. The irradiation of a CF{sub 4}-containing plasma was proven to be very useful for modifying the surface of GaN. When CMP was conducted on a plasma-irradiated surface, a modified layer of GaF{sub 3} acted as a protective layer on GaN by preventing the formation of etch pits. Within a short duration (8 min) of CMP using a commercially available CeO{sub 2} slurry, an atomically flat surface with a root mean square (rms) roughness of 0.11 nm was obtained. Moreover, etch pits, which are inevitably introduced inmore » conventional CMP, could not be observed at the dislocation sites on the polished GaN surface. It was revealed that CMP combined with the plasma pretreatment was very effective for obtaining a pit-free and atomically flat GaN surface.« less

Donor defects and small polarons on the TiO{sub 2}(110) surface

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

Moses, P. G.; Janotti, A., E-mail: janotti@udel.edu; Van de Walle, C. G.

2016-05-14

The role of defects in the chemical activity of the rutile TiO{sub 2}(110) surface remains a rich topic of research, despite the rutile (110) being one of the most studied surfaces of transition-metal oxides. Here, we present results from hybrid functional calculations that reconcile apparently disparate views on the impact of donor defects, such as oxygen vacancies and hydrogen impurities, on the electronic structure of the (110) rutile surface. We find that the bridging oxygen vacancy and adsorbed or substitutional hydrogen are actually shallow donors, which do not induce gap states. The excess electrons from these donor centers tend tomore » localize in the form of small polarons, which are the factual cause of the deep states ∼1 eV below the conduction band, often observed in photoelectron spectroscopy measurements. Our results offer a new framework for understanding the surface electronic structure of TiO{sub 2} and related oxides.« less

Comparative investigation of surface transfer doping of hydrogen terminated diamond by high electron affinity insulators

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

Verona, C.; Marinelli, Marco; Verona-Rinati, G.

We report on a comparative study of transfer doping of hydrogenated single crystal diamond surface by insulators featured by high electron affinity, such as Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}, WO{sub 3}, V{sub 2}O{sub 5}, and MoO{sub 3}. The low electron affinity Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} was also investigated for comparison. Hole transport properties were evaluated in the passivated hydrogenated diamond films by Hall effect measurements, and were compared to un-passivated diamond films (air-induced doping). A drastic improvement was observed in passivated samples in terms of conductivity, stability with time, and resistance to high temperatures. The efficiency of the investigated insulators, as electron acceptingmore » materials in hydrogenated diamond surface, is consistent with their electronic structure. These surface acceptor materials generate a higher hole sheet concentration, up to 6.5 × 10{sup 13} cm{sup −2}, and a lower sheet resistance, down to 2.6 kΩ/sq, in comparison to the atmosphere-induced values of about 1 × 10{sup 13} cm{sup −2} and 10 kΩ/sq, respectively. On the other hand, hole mobilities were reduced by using high electron affinity insulator dopants. Hole mobility as a function of hole concentration in a hydrogenated diamond layer was also investigated, showing a well-defined monotonically decreasing trend.« less

Extrinsic and intrinsic properties in metal–insulator transition of hydrothermally prepared vanadium dioxide crystals

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

Lee, Myeongsoon; Kim, Don, E-mail: donkim@pknu.ac.kr

2014-03-01

The clear insulator (monoclinic-VO{sub 2}) to metal (rutile-VO{sub 2}) transition (IMT) was observed in electrical conductivity and differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) measurements at around 340 K, which is IMT temperature (T{sub H}), in the hydrothermally prepared VO{sub 2} crystals. The occurrence of metal to insulator transition (MIT) temperature (T{sub C}) was observed below 333 K during the first resistance measurement cycle in the most of cases. The sudden jump of the electrical resistance at IMT and MIT points was amplified several times than that of the first cycle during the repeated successive thermal cycles (heating and cooling across the IMTmore » and MIT temperatures). T{sub C} and T{sub H} shifted to higher temperature by the repeated successive thermal cycles. This shift and the amplified jump might be related to the mechanical stress between the VO{sub 2} crystals, i.e. extrinsic properties. However, the starting point of MIT, T{sub CS} = ∼ 336 K, and the starting point of IMT, T{sub HS} = ∼ 338 K, kept almost constant during the repeated thermal cycles (< 10 times). These two temperatures may be related to the intrinsic properties of the VO{sub 2}: the phase transitions initiated at these temperatures regardless of the number of the repeated thermal cycles. The neat surface of the VO{sub 2} crystals was severely damaged and the average size of particles reduced from 110 nm to 70–90 nm after extensively repeated thermal cycles (> 70 times). The damaged surface and the smaller particles, which would be originated from the mechanical stress caused by crystal volume change during the first order transition of the VO{sub 2}, would weaken the electrical conduction path (loosen grain boundaries) between the VO{sub 2} single crystals and would result in the amplified jump at the following MIT. This report may boost the study for the improved stability and lifetime of the VO{sub 2} based electronic devices. - Highlights: • The sharp phase transition in cluster of VO{sub 2} crystals depends on repeated thermal cycles. • Two intrinsic and two extrinsic temperatures are observed during the phase transition. • The mechanical stress change and surface damage may cause the extrinsic properties in transport measurement.« less

VOLATILE LOSS AND CLASSIFICATION OF KUIPER BELT OBJECTS

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

Johnson, R. E.; Schmidt, C.; Oza, A.

Observations indicate that some of the largest Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs) have retained volatiles in the gas phase (e.g., Pluto), while others have surface volatiles that might support a seasonal atmosphere (e.g., Eris). Since the presence of an atmosphere can affect their reflectance spectra and thermal balance, Schaller and Brown examined the role of volatile escape driven by solar heating of the surface. Guided by recent simulations, we estimate the loss of primordial N{sub 2} for several large KBOs, accounting for escape driven by UV/EUV heating of the upper atmosphere as well as by solar heating of the surface. Formore » the latter we present new simulations and for the former we scale recent detailed simulations of escape from Pluto using the energy limited escape model validated recently by molecular kinetic simulations. Unlike what has been assumed to date, we show that unless the N{sub 2} atmosphere is thin (<∼10{sup 18} N{sub 2} cm{sup −2}) and/or the radius small (<∼200–300 km), escape is primarily driven by the UV/EUV radiation absorbed in the upper atmosphere. This affects the discussion of the relationship between atmospheric loss and the observed surface properties for a number of the KBOs examined. Our long-term goal is to connect detailed atmospheric loss simulations with a model for volatile transport for individual KBOs.« less

Point-contact spectroscopic studies on normal and superconducting AFe2As2-type iron-pnictide single crystals

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

Lu, Xin; Park, W.K.; Yuan, H.Q.

2010-04-23

Point-contact Andreev reflection spectroscopy is applied to investigate the gap structure in iron pnictide single-crystal superconductors of the AFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} (A = Ba, Sr) family ('Fe-122'). The observed point-contact junction conductance curves, G(V), can be divided into two categories: one where Andreev reflection is present for both (Ba{sub 0.6}K{sub 0.4})Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} and Ba(Fe{sub 0.9}Co{sub 0.1}){sub 2}As{sub 2}, and the other with a V{sup 2/3} background conductance universally observed, extending even up to 100 meV for Sr{sub 0.6}Na{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} and Sr(Fe{sub 0.9}Co{sub 0.1}){sub 2}As{sub 2}. The latter is also observed in point-contact junctions on the nonsuperconducting parentmore » compound BaFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} and superconducting (Ba{sub 0.6}K{sub 0.4})Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} crystals. Mesoscopic phase-separated coexistence of magnetic and superconducting orders is considered to explain distinct behaviors in the superconducting samples. For Ba{sub 0.6}K{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2}, double peaks due to Andreev reflection with a strongly sloping background are frequently observed for point contacts on freshly cleaved c-axis surfaces. If normalized using a background baseline and analyzed using the Blonder–Tinkham–Klapwijk model, the data show a gap size of ~ 3.0–4.0 meV with 2Δ{sub 0}/k{sub B}T{sub c} ~ 2.0–2.6, consistent with the smaller gap size reported for the LnFeAsO family ('Fe-1111'). For the Ba(Fe{sub 0.9}Co{sub 0.1}){sub 2}As{sub 2}, the G(V) curves typically display a zero-bias conductance peak.« less

Point-contact spectroscopic studies on normal and superconducting AFe2As2-type iron pnictide single crystals

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

Lu, Xin; Park, W. K.; Yuan, H. Q.

2010-01-01

Point-contact Andreev reflection spectroscopy is applied to investigate the gap structure in iron pnictide single-crystal superconductors of the AFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} (A = Ba, Sr) family (Fe-122). The observed point-contact junction conductance curves, G(V), can be divided into two categories: one where Andreev reflection is present for both (Ba{sub 0.6}K{sub 0.4})Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} and Ba(Fe{sub 0.9}Co{sub 0.1}){sub 2}As{sub 2}, and the other with a V{sup 2/3} background conductance universally observed, extending even up to 100 meV for Sr{sub 0.6}Na{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} and Sr(Fe{sub 0.9}Co{sub 0.1}){sub 2}As{sub 2}. The latter is also observed in point-contact junctions on the nonsuperconducting parentmore » compound BaFe{sub 2}As{sub 2} and superconducting (Ba{sub 0.6}K{sub 0.4})Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2} crystals. Mesoscopic phase-separated coexistence of magnetic and superconducting orders is considered to explain distinct behaviors in the superconducting samples. For Ba{sub 0.6}K{sub 0.4}Fe{sub 2}As{sub 2}, double peaks due to Andreev reflection with a strongly sloping background are frequently observed for point contacts on freshly cleaved c-axis surfaces. If normalized using a background baseline and analyzed using the Blonder-Tinkham-Klapwijk model, the data show a gap size of {approx} 3.0-4.0 meV with 2{Delta}{sub 0}/k{sub B}T{sub c} {approx} 2.0-2.6, consistent with the smaller gap size reported for the LnFeAsO family (Fe-1111). For the Ba(Fe{sub 0.9}Co{sub 0.1}){sub 2}As{sub 2}, the G(V) curves typically display a zero-bias conductance peak.« less

A LYSIMETER STUDY TO INVESTIGATE THE EFFECT OF DAIRY EFFLUENT AND UREA ON CATTLE URIN N LOSSES, PLANT UPTAKE, AND SOIL RETENTION

EPA Science Inventory

Loss of nitrate (NO₃^-) from grazing land is a major cause for surface and ground water contamination. These losses can further increase when other N sources apply to grazing land. The objectives of this work were 1) to study the impact of either dairy effl...

The influence of atmosphere on performance of pure-phase WZ and ZB InAs nanowire transistors.

PubMed

Ullah, Abu Rifat; Joyce, Hannah J; Tan, Hoe; Jagadish, Chennupati; Micolich, Adam P

2017-09-21

We compare the characteristics of phase-pure MOCVD grown ZB and WZ InAs nanowire transistors in several atmospheres: air, dry pure N₂ and O₂, and N₂ bubbled through liquid H₂O and alcohols to identify whether phase-related structural/surface differences affect their response. Both WZ and ZB give poor gate characteristics in dry state. Adsorption of polar species reduces off-current by 2-3 orders of magnitude, increases on-off ratio and significantly reduces sub-threshold slope. The key difference is the greater sensitivity of WZ to low adsorbate level. We attribute this to facet structure and its influence on the separation between conduction electrons and surface adsorption sites. We highlight the important role adsorbed species play in nanowire device characterisation. WZ is commonly thought superior to ZB in InAs nanowire transistors. We show this is an artefact of the moderate humidity found in ambient laboratory conditions: WZ and ZB perform equally poorly in the dry gas limit yet equally well in the wet gas limit. We also highlight the vital role density-lowering disorder has in improving gate characteristics, be it stacking faults in mixed-phase WZ or surface adsorbates in pure-phase nanowires. © 2017 IOP Publishing Ltd.

Documentation and Detection of Colour Changes of Bas Relieves Using Close Range Photogrammetry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Malinverni, E. S.; Pierdicca, R.; Sturari, M.; Colosi, F.; Orazi, R.

2017-05-01

The digitization of complex buildings, findings or bas relieves can strongly facilitate the work of archaeologists, mainly for in depth analysis tasks. Notwithstanding, whether new visualization techniques ease the study phase, a classical naked-eye approach for determining changes or surface alteration could bring towards several drawbacks. The research work described in these pages is aimed at providing experts with a workflow for the evaluation of alterations (e.g. color decay or surface alterations), allowing a more rapid and objective monitoring of monuments. More in deep, a pipeline of work has been tested in order to evaluate the color variation between surfaces acquired at different époques. The introduction of reliable tools of change detection in the archaeological domain is needful; in fact, the most widespread practice, among archaeologists and practitioners, is to perform a traditional monitoring of surfaces that is made of three main steps: production of a hand-made map based on a subjective analysis, selection of a sub-set of regions of interest, removal of small portion of surface for in depth analysis conducted in laboratory. To overcome this risky and time consuming process, digital automatic change detection procedure represents a turning point. To do so, automatic classification has been carried out according to two approaches: a pixel-based and an object-based method. Pixel-based classification aims to identify the classes by means of the spectral information provided by each pixel belonging to the original bands. The object-based approach operates on sets of pixels (objects/regions) grouped together by means of an image segmentation technique. The methodology was tested by studying the bas-relieves of a temple located in Peru, named Huaca de la Luna. Despite the data sources were collected with unplanned surveys, the workflow proved to be a valuable solution useful to understand which are the main changes over time.

Parametric Evaluation of Thin, Transonic Circulation-Control Airfoils

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlecht, Robin; Anders, Scott

2007-01-01

Wind-tunnel tests were conducted in the NASA Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel on a 6 percent-thick, elliptical circulation-control airfoil with upper-surface and lower-surface blowing capability. Results for elliptical Coanda trailing-edge geometries, biconvex Coanda trailing-edge geometries, and leading-edge geometries are reported. Results are presented at subsonic and transonic Mach numbers of 0.3 and 0.8, respectively. When considering one fixed trailing-edge geometry, for both the subsonic and transonic conditions it was found that the [3.0:1] ratio elliptical Coanda surface with the most rounded leading-edge [03] performed favorably and was determined to be the best compromise between comparable configurations that took advantage of the Coanda effect. This configuration generated a maximum. (Delta)C(sub 1) = 0.625 at a C(sub mu) = 0.06 at M = 0.3, alpha = 6deg. This same configuration generated a maximum (Delta)C(sub 1) = 0.275 at a C(sub mu) = 0.0085 at M = 0.8, alpha = 3deg.

Growth behavior and properties of atomic layer deposited tin oxide on silicon from novel tin(II)acetylacetonate precursor and ozone

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

Kannan Selvaraj, Sathees; Feinerman, Alan; Takoudis, Christos G., E-mail: takoudis@uic.edu

In this work, a novel liquid tin(II) precursor, tin(II)acetylacetonate [Sn(acac){sub 2}], was used to deposit tin oxide films on Si(100) substrate, using a custom-built hot wall atomic layer deposition (ALD) reactor. Three different oxidizers, water, oxygen, and ozone, were tried. Resulting growth rates were studied as a function of precursor dosage, oxidizer dosage, reactor temperature, and number of ALD cycles. The film growth rate was found to be 0.1 ± 0.01 nm/cycle within the wide ALD temperature window of 175–300 °C using ozone; no film growth was observed with water or oxygen. Characterization methods were used to study the composition, interface quality, crystallinity, microstructure,more » refractive index, surface morphology, and resistivity of the resulting films. X-ray photoelectron spectra showed the formation of a clean SnO{sub x}–Si interface. The resistivity of the SnO{sub x} films was calculated to be 0.3 Ω cm. Results of this work demonstrate the possibility of introducing Sn(acac){sub 2} as tin precursor to deposit conducting ALD SnO{sub x} thin films on a silicon surface, with clean interface and no formation of undesired SiO{sub 2} or other interfacial reaction products, for transparent conducting oxide applications.« less

Direct wafer bonding of highly conductive GaSb/GaInAs and GaSb/GaInP heterojunctions prepared by argon-beam surface activation

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

Predan, Felix, E-mail: felix.predan@ise.fraunhofer.de; Reinwand, Dirk; Cariou, Romain

The authors present a low-temperature wafer bonding process for the formation of electrically conductive n-GaSb/n-Ga{sub 0.79}In{sub 0.21}As and n-GaSb/n-Ga{sub 0.32}In{sub 0.68}P heterojunctions. The surfaces are deoxidized by sputter-etching with an argon-beam and bonded in ultrahigh vacuum. The sputtering behavior was investigated for each material, revealing a distinct selective sputtering characteristic for Ga{sub 0.32}In{sub 0.68}P. According to these findings, the settings for the bonding process were chosen. The mechanical and electrical properties of the wafer bonds were studied. Fully bonded 2 in. wafer pairs were found for both material combinations exhibiting high bond energies, which are comparable to the binding energiesmore » in the semiconductors. Furthermore, bond resistances below 5 mΩ cm{sup 2} could be reached, which are in the range of the lowest resistances that have been reported for wafer bonded heterojunctions. This speaks, together with the high bond energies, for a high amount of covalent bonds at the interfaces. These promising bond characteristics make the integration of antimonides with arsenides or phosphides by wafer bonding attractive for various optoelectronic applications such as multijunction solar cells.« less

Vessel Segmentation and Blood Flow Simulation Using Level-Sets and Embedded Boundary Methods

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

Deschamps, T; Schwartz, P; Trebotich, D

In this article we address the problem of blood flow simulation in realistic vascular objects. The anatomical surfaces are extracted by means of Level-Sets methods that accurately model the complex and varying surfaces of pathological objects such as aneurysms and stenoses. The surfaces obtained are defined at the sub-pixel level where they intersect the Cartesian grid of the image domain. It is therefore straightforward to construct embedded boundary representations of these objects on the same grid, for which recent work has enabled discretization of the Navier-Stokes equations for incompressible fluids. While most classical techniques require construction of a structured meshmore » that approximates the surface in order to extrapolate a 3D finite-element gridding of the whole volume, our method directly simulates the blood-flow inside the extracted surface without losing any complicated details and without building additional grids.« less

Carbonation and CO{sub 2} uptake of concrete

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

Yang, Keun-Hyeok, E-mail: yangkh@kgu.ac.kr; Seo, Eun-A, E-mail: ssooaa@naver.com; Tae, Sung-Ho, E-mail: jnb55@hanyang.ac.kr

This study developed a reliable procedure to assess the carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) uptake of concrete by carbonation during the service life of a structure and by the recycling of concrete after demolition. To generalize the amount of absorbable CO{sub 2} per unit volume of concrete, the molar concentration of carbonatable constituents in hardened cement paste was simplified as a function of the unit content of cement, and the degree of hydration of the cement paste was formulated as a function of the water-to-cement ratio. The contribution of the relative humidity, type of finishing material for the concrete surface, andmore » the substitution level of supplementary cementitious materials to the CO{sub 2} diffusion coefficient in concrete was reflected using various correction factors. The following parameters varying with the recycling scenario were also considered: the carbonatable surface area of concrete crusher-runs and underground phenomena of the decreased CO{sub 2} diffusion coefficient and increased CO{sub 2} concentration. Based on the developed procedure, a case study was conducted for an apartment building with a principal wall system and an office building with a Rahmen system, with the aim of examining the CO{sub 2} uptake of each structural element under different exposure environments during the service life and recycling of the building. As input data necessary for the case study, data collected from actual surveys conducted in 2012 in South Korea were used, which included data on the surrounding environments, lifecycle inventory database, life expectancy of structures, and recycling activity scenario. Ultimately, the CO{sub 2} uptake of concrete during a 100-year lifecycle (life expectancy of 40 years and recycling span of 60 years) was estimated to be 15.5%–17% of the CO{sub 2} emissions from concrete production, which roughly corresponds to 18%–21% of the CO{sub 2} emissions from the production of ordinary Portland cement. - Highlights: • CO{sub 2} uptake assessment approach owing to the concrete carbonation is developed. • An equation to directly determine the absorbable CO{sub 2} amount in concrete is proposed. • The carbonatable surface area of concrete crusher-runs for CO{sub 2} uptake is ascertained. • This study provides typical data for uptake and emission of CO{sub 2} in concrete building.« less

Oceanic lithosphere and asthenosphere: The thermal and mechanical structure

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schubert, G.; Froidevaux, C.; Yuen, D. A.

1976-01-01

A coupled thermal and mechanical solid state model of the oceanic lithosphere and asthenosphere is presented. The model includes vertical conduction of heat with a temperature dependent thermal conductivity, horizontal and vertical advection of heat, viscous dissipation or shear heating, and linear or nonlinear deformation mechanisms with temperature and pressure dependent constitutive relations between shear stress and strain rate. A constant horizontal velocity u sub 0 and temperature t sub 0 at the surface and zero horizontal velocity and constant temperature t sub infinity at great depth are required. In addition to numerical values of the thermal and mechanical properties of the medium, only the values of u sub 0, t sub 0 and t sub infinity are specified. The model determines the depth and age dependent temperature horizontal and vertical velocity, and viscosity structures of the lithosphere and asthenosphere. In particular, ocean floor topography, oceanic heat flow, and lithosphere thickness are deduced as functions of the age of the ocean floor.

Test and Analysis of Solid Rocket Motor Nozzle Ablative Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clayton, J. Louie

2017-01-01

Asbestos free solid motor internal insulation samples were tested at the MSFC Hyperthermal Facility. Objectives of the test were to gather data for analog characterization of ablative and in-depth thermal performance of rubber materials subject to high enthalpy/pressure flow conditions. Tests were conducted over a range of convective heat fluxes for both inert and chemically reactive sub-sonic free stream gas flow. Instrumentation included use of total calorimeters, thermocouples, and a surface pyrometer for surface temperature measurement. Post-test sample forensics involved measurement of eroded depth, charred depth, total sample weight loss, and documentation of the general condition of the eroded profile. A complete Charring Material Ablator (CMA) style aero-thermal analysis was conducted for the test matrix and results compared to the measured data. In general, comparisons were possible for a number of the cases and the results show a limited predictive ability to model accurately both the ablative response and the in-depth temperature profiles. Lessons learned and modeling recommendations are made regarding future testing and modeling improvements that will increase understanding of the basic chemistry/physics associated with the complicated material ablation process of rubber materials.

Organization of Single Molecule Magnets on Surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sessoli, Roberta

2006-03-01

The field of magnetic molecular clusters showing slow relaxation of the magnetization has attracted a great interest for the spectacular quantum effects in the dynamics of the magnetization that range from resonant quantum tunneling to topological interferences. Recently these systems, known as Single Molecule Magnets (SMMs), have also been proposed as model systems for the investigation of flame propagation in flammable substances. A renewed interest in SMMs also comes from the possibility to exploit their rich and complex magnetic behavior in nano-spintronics. However, at the crystalline state these molecular materials are substantially insulating. They can however exhibit significant transport properties if the conduction occurs through one molecule connected to two metal electrodes, or through a tunneling mechanism when the SMM is grafted on a conducting surface, as occurs in scanning tunnel microscopy experiments. Molecular compounds can be organized on surfaces thanks to the self assembly technique that exploits the strong affinity of some groups for the surface, e.g. thiols for gold surfaces. However the deposition of large molecules mainly comprising relatively weak coordinative bonds is far from trivial. Several different approaches have started to be investigated. We will briefly review here the strategies developed in a collaboration between the Universities of Florence and Modena. Well isolated molecules on Au(111) surfaces have been obtained with sub-monolayer coverage and different spacers. Organization on a large scale of micrometric structures has been obtained thanks to micro-contact printing. The magnetic properties of the grafted molecules have been investigated through magneto-optical techniques and the results show a significant change in the magnetization dynamics whose origin is still object of investigations.

Longevity of shallow subsurface drip irrigation tubing under three tillage practices

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

Shallow Sub-Surface drip irrigation (S3DI) has drip tubing buried about 2-in below the soil surface. It is unknown how long drip tubing would be viable at this shallow soil depth using strip- or no-tillage systems. The objectives were to determine drip tube longevity, resultant crop yield, and parti...

TM surface wave diffraction by a truncated dielectric slab recessed in a perfectly conducting surface. [considering flush mounted space shuttle antenna

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Pathak, P. H.; Kouyoumjian, R. G.

1974-01-01

The diffraction of a TM sub o surface wave by a terminated dielectric slab which is flush mounted in a perfectly conducting surface is studied. The incident surface wave gives rise to waves reflected and diffracted by the termination; these reflected and diffracted fields may be expressed in terms of the geometrical theory of diffraction by introducing surface wave reflection and diffraction coefficients which are associated with the termination. In this investigation, the surface wave reflection and diffraction coefficients have been deduced from a formally exact solution to this canonical problem. The solution is obtained by a combination of the generalized scattering matrix technique and function theoretic methods.

Water quality and quantity assessment of pervious pavements performance in experimental car park areas.

PubMed

Sañudo-Fontaneda, Luis A; Charlesworth, Susanne M; Castro-Fresno, Daniel; Andres-Valeri, Valerio C A; Rodriguez-Hernandez, Jorge

2014-01-01

Pervious pavements have become one of the most used sustainable urban drainage system (SUDS) techniques in car parks. This research paper presents the results of monitoring water quality from several experimental car park areas designed and constructed in Spain with bays made of interlocking concrete block pavement, porous asphalt, polymer-modified porous concrete and reinforced grass with plastic and concrete cells. Moreover, two different sub-base materials were used (limestone aggregates and basic oxygen furnace slag). This study therefore encompasses the majority of the materials used as permeable surfaces and sub-base layers all over the world. Effluent from the test bays was monitored for dissolved oxygen, pH, electric conductivity, total suspended solids, turbidity and total petroleum hydrocarbons in order to analyze the behaviour shown by each combination of surface and sub-base materials. In addition, permeability tests were undertaken in all car parks using the 'Laboratorio Caminos Santander' permeameter and the Cantabrian Portable Infiltrometer. All results are presented together with the influence of surface and sub-base materials on water quality indicators using bivariate correlation statistical analysis at a confidence level of 95%. The polymer-modified porous concrete surface course in combination with limestone aggregate sub-base presented the best performance.

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

Khader, S. Abdul, E-mail: khadersku@gmail.com; Sankarappa, T., E-mail: sankarappa@rediffmail.com; Muneeswaran, M.

The Particulate nano-composites of ferrite and ferroelectric phases having the general formula (x) Mg{sub 0.25}Cu{sub 0.25}Zn{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} + (1-x) BaTiO{sub 3} (x=15%, 30% and 45%) were synthesized by sintering mixtures of highly ferroelectric BaTiO{sub 3} (BT) and highly magneto-strictive magnetic component Mg{sub 0.25}Cu{sub 0.25}Zn{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4}(MCZF). The presence of constituent phases of ferrite, ferroelectric and their composites were probed and confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Surface morphology of the samples has been investigated using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). The variation of dielectric constant and dissipation factor as a function of frequency from 100 Hzmore » to 1 MHz at room temperature were carried out using a Hioki LCR Hi-Tester. The dielectric constant and dielectric loss were found to decrease rapidly in the low frequency region and became almost constant in the high frequency region. The electrical conductivity deduced from the measured dielectric data has been thoroughly analyzed and found that the conduction mechanism in these composites is in conformity with small polaron hopping model. The ferroelectric properties of synthesized magneto-electric nano-composites were measured using P-E loop tracer.« less

Microbial community assembly patterns under incipient conditions in a basaltic soil system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sengupta, A.; Stegen, J.; Alves Meira Neto, A.; Wang, Y.; Chorover, J.; Troch, P. A. A.; Maier, R. M.

2017-12-01

In sub-surface environments, the biotic components are critically linked to the abiotic processes. However, there is limited understanding of community establishment, functional associations, and community assembly processes of such microbes in sub-surface environments. This study presents the first analysis of microbial signatures in an incipient terrestrial basalt soil system conducted under controlled conditions. A sub-meter scale sampling of a soil mesocosm revealed the contrasting distribution patterns of simple soil parameters such as bulk density and electrical conductivity. Phylogenetic analysis of 16S rRNA gene indicated the presence of a total 40 bacterial and archaeal phyla, with high relative abundance of Actinobacteria on the surface and highest abundance of Proteobacteria throughout the system. Community diversity patterns were inferred to be dependent on depth profile and average water content in the system. Predicted functional gene analysis suggested mixotrophy lifestyles with both autotrophic and heterotrophic metabolisms, likelihood of a unique salt tolerant methanogenic pathway with links to novel Euryarchea, signatures of an incomplete nitrogen cycle, and predicted enzymes of extracellular iron (II) to iron (III) conversion followed by intracellular uptake, transport and regulation. Null modeling revealed microbial community assembly was predominantly governed by variable selection, but the influence of the variable selection did not show systematic spatial structure. The presence of significant heterogeneity in predicted functions and ecologically deterministic shifts in community composition in a homogeneous incipient basalt highlights the complexity exhibited by microorganisms even in the simplest of environmental systems. This presents an opportunity to further develop our understanding of how microbial communities establish, evolve, impact, and respond in sub-surface environments.

An X-shooter survey of star forming regions: Low-mass stars and sub-stellar objects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alcalá, J. M.; Stelzer, B.; Covino, E.; Cupani, G.; Natta, A.; Randich, S.; Rigliaco, E.; Spezzi, L.; Testi, L.; Bacciotti, F.; Bonito, R.; Covino, S.; Flaccomio, E.; Frasca, A.; Gandolfi, D.; Leone, F.; Micela, G.; Nisini, B.; Whelan, E.

2011-03-01

We present preliminary results of our X-shooter survey in star forming regions. In this contribution we focus on sub-samples of young stellar and sub-stellar objects (YSOs) in the Lupus star forming region and in the TW Hya association. We show that the X-shooter spectra are suitable for conducting several parallel studies such as YSO + disk fundamental parameters, accretion and outflow activity in the very low-mass (VLM) and sub-stellar regimes, as well as magnetic activity in young VLM YSOs, and Li abundance determinations. The capabilities of X-shooter in terms of wide spectral coverage, resolution and limiting magnitudes, allow us to assess simultaneously the accretion/outflow, magnetic activity, and disk diagnostics, from the UV and optical to the near-IR, avoiding ambiguities due to possible YSO variability. Based on observations collected at the European Southern Observatory, Chile, under Programmes 084.C-0269 and 085.C-0238.

Atomic layer deposition of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} for single electron transistors utilizing Pt oxidation and reduction

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

McConnell, Michael S., E-mail: mmcconn5@nd.edu; Schneider, Louisa C.; Karbasian, Golnaz

This work describes the fabrication of single electron transistors using electron beam lithography and atomic layer deposition to form nanoscale tunnel transparent junctions of alumina (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) on platinum nanowires using either water or ozone as the oxygen precursor and trimethylaluminum as the aluminum precursor. Using room temperature, low frequency conductance measurements between the source and drain, it was found that devices fabricated using water had higher conductance than devices fabricated with ozone. Subsequent annealing caused both water- and ozone-based devices to increase in conductance by more than 2 orders of magnitude. Furthermore, comparison of devices at low temperaturesmore » (∼4 K) showed that annealed devices displayed much closer to the ideal behavior (i.e., constant differential conductance) outside of the Coulomb blockade region and that untreated devices showed nonlinear behavior outside of the Coulomb blockade region (i.e., an increase in differential conductance with source-drain voltage bias). Transmission electron microscopy cross-sectional images showed that annealing did not significantly change device geometry, but energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy showed an unusually large amount of oxygen in the bottom platinum layer. This suggests that the atomic layer deposition process results in the formation of a thin platinum surface oxide, which either decomposes or is reduced during the anneal step, resulting in a tunnel barrier without the in-series native oxide contribution. Furthermore, the difference between ozone- and water-based devices suggests that ozone promotes atomic layer deposition nucleation by oxidizing the surface but that water relies on physisorption of the precursors. To test this theory, devices were exposed to forming gas at room temperature, which also reduces platinum oxide, and a decrease in resistance was observed, as expected.« less

Effect of methyl red dye on dielectric and conductivity properties of PEO/CdCl{sub 2} electrolytes

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

Kamath, Archana; Devendrappa, H., E-mail: dehu2010@gmail.com

2016-05-06

In this report the conductivity and dielectric properties of polyethylene oxide-cadmium chloride (PEO/CdCl{sub 2}) polymer electrolyte films doped with an azo dye methyl red (MR) are discussed. The films were prepared by solution casting technique at different concentrations of the dye in PEO/CdCl{sub 2} electrolyte. The thermal behavior, chemical interaction of the dye with the electrolyte and surface morphology were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) respectively. The conductivity and dielectric properties were measured as a function of composition and temperature using complex impedance spectroscopy. The temperature dependent electrical conductivitymore » of the films exhibited Arrhenius type behavior. Conductivity and dielectric results also signify the enhancement in the amorphous phase of the polymer electrolyte dye systems. The value of highest conductivity observed is 1.21x10{sup −4} at 343K and the conductivity of the film was enhanced by a three orders of magnitude.« less

Electromagnetic induction imaging with a radio-frequency atomic magnetometer

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

Deans, Cameron; Marmugi, Luca, E-mail: l.marmugi@ucl.ac.uk; Hussain, Sarah

2016-03-07

We report on a compact, tunable, and scalable to large arrays imaging device, based on a radio-frequency optically pumped atomic magnetometer operating in magnetic induction tomography modality. Imaging of conductive objects is performed at room temperature, in an unshielded environment and without background subtraction. Conductivity maps of target objects exhibit not only excellent performance in terms of shape reconstruction but also demonstrate detection of sub-millimetric cracks and penetration of conductive barriers. The results presented here demonstrate the potential of a future generation of imaging instruments, which combine magnetic induction tomography and the unmatched performance of atomic magnetometers.

Inversion layer on the Ge(001) surface from the four-probe conductance measurements

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

Wojtaszek, Mateusz; Lis, Jakub, E-mail: j.lis@uj.edu.pl; Zuzak, Rafal

2014-07-28

We report four-probe conductance measurements with sub-micron resolution on atomically clean Ge(001) surfaces. A qualitative difference between n-type and p-type crystals is observed. The scaling behavior of the resistance on n-type samples indicates two-dimensional current flow, while for the p-type crystal a three-dimensional description is appropriate. We interpret this in terms of the formation of an inversion layer at the surface. This result points to the surface states, i.e., dangling bonds, as the driving force behind band bending in germanium. It also explains the intrinsic character of band bending in germanium.

30 CFR 900.2 - Objectives.

Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR

2010-07-01

... texts of State and Federal cooperative agreements for regulation of mining on Federal lands. The... Resources OFFICE OF SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AND ENFORCEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PROGRAMS FOR THE CONDUCT OF SURFACE MINING OPERATIONS WITHIN EACH STATE INTRODUCTION § 900.2 Objectives. The objective of...

Compensated amorphous silicon solar cell

DOEpatents

Devaud, Genevieve

1983-01-01

An amorphous silicon solar cell including an electrically conductive substrate, a layer of glow discharge deposited hydrogenated amorphous silicon over said substrate and having regions of differing conductivity with at least one region of intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon. The layer of hydrogenated amorphous silicon has opposed first and second major surfaces where the first major surface contacts the electrically conductive substrate and an electrode for electrically contacting the second major surface. The intrinsic hydrogenated amorphous silicon region is deposited in a glow discharge with an atmosphere which includes not less than about 0.02 atom percent mono-atomic boron. An improved N.I.P. solar cell is disclosed using a BF.sub.3 doped intrinsic layer.

Visible light absorbance enhanced by nitrogen embedded in the surface layer of Mn-doped sodium niobate crystals, detected by ultra violet - visible spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electric conductivity tests

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

Molak, A., E-mail: andrzej.molak@us.edu.pl; Pilch, M.

2016-05-28

Sodium niobate crystals doped with manganese ions, Na(NbMn)O{sub 3}, were annealed in a nitrogen N{sub 2} flow at 600, 670, and 930 K. It was verified that simultaneous doping with Mn ions and annealing in nitrogen enhanced the photocatalytic features of sodium niobate. The transmission in the ultraviolet-visible range was measured at room temperature. The absorbance edge is in the range from 3.4 to 2.3 eV. The optical band gap E{sub gap} = 1.2–1.3 eV was evaluated using the Tauc relation. Crystals annealed at 670 K and 930 K exhibited an additional shift of the absorption edge of ∼20–40 nm toward longer wavelengths. The optical energy gap narrowedmore » as a result of the superimposed effect of Mn and N co-doping. The x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy test showed that N ions incorporated into the surface layer. The valence band consisted of O 2p states hybridized with Nb 4d, Mn 3d, and N 2s states. The disorder detected in the surroundings of Nb and O ions decreased due to annealing. The binding energy of oxygen ions situated within the surface layer was E{sub B} ≈ 531 eV. The other contributions were assigned to molecular contamination. The contribution centered at 535.5 eV vanished after annealing at 600 K and 670 K. The contribution centered at 534 eV vanished after annealing at 930 K. The N{sub 2} annealing partly removed carbonates from the surfaces of the samples. In the 480–950 K range, the electric conductivity activation energy, E{sub a} = 0.7–1.2 eV, was comparable with the optical E{sub gap}. The electric permittivity showed dispersion in the 0.1–800 kHz range that corresponds to the occurrence of defects.« less

Classification of Anticipatory Signals for Grasp and Release from Surface Electromyography.

PubMed

Siu, Ho Chit; Shah, Julie A; Stirling, Leia A

2016-10-25

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a technique for recording natural muscle activation signals, which can serve as control inputs for exoskeletons and prosthetic devices. Previous experiments have incorporated these signals using both classical and pattern-recognition control methods in order to actuate such devices. We used the results of an experiment incorporating grasp and release actions with object contact to develop an intent-recognition system based on Gaussian mixture models (GMM) and continuous-emission hidden Markov models (HMM) of sEMG data. We tested this system with data collected from 16 individuals using a forearm band with distributed sEMG sensors. The data contain trials with shifted band alignments to assess robustness to sensor placement. This study evaluated and found that pattern-recognition-based methods could classify transient anticipatory sEMG signals in the presence of shifted sensor placement and object contact. With the best-performing classifier, the effect of label lengths in the training data was also examined. A mean classification accuracy of 75.96% was achieved through a unigram HMM method with five mixture components. Classification accuracy on different sub-movements was found to be limited by the length of the shortest sub-movement, which means that shorter sub-movements within dynamic sequences require larger training sets to be classified correctly. This classification of user intent is a potential control mechanism for a dynamic grasping task involving user contact with external objects and noise. Further work is required to test its performance as part of an exoskeleton controller, which involves contact with actuated external surfaces.

Classification of Anticipatory Signals for Grasp and Release from Surface Electromyography

PubMed Central

Siu, Ho Chit; Shah, Julie A.; Stirling, Leia A.

2016-01-01

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is a technique for recording natural muscle activation signals, which can serve as control inputs for exoskeletons and prosthetic devices. Previous experiments have incorporated these signals using both classical and pattern-recognition control methods in order to actuate such devices. We used the results of an experiment incorporating grasp and release actions with object contact to develop an intent-recognition system based on Gaussian mixture models (GMM) and continuous-emission hidden Markov models (HMM) of sEMG data. We tested this system with data collected from 16 individuals using a forearm band with distributed sEMG sensors. The data contain trials with shifted band alignments to assess robustness to sensor placement. This study evaluated and found that pattern-recognition-based methods could classify transient anticipatory sEMG signals in the presence of shifted sensor placement and object contact. With the best-performing classifier, the effect of label lengths in the training data was also examined. A mean classification accuracy of 75.96% was achieved through a unigram HMM method with five mixture components. Classification accuracy on different sub-movements was found to be limited by the length of the shortest sub-movement, which means that shorter sub-movements within dynamic sequences require larger training sets to be classified correctly. This classification of user intent is a potential control mechanism for a dynamic grasping task involving user contact with external objects and noise. Further work is required to test its performance as part of an exoskeleton controller, which involves contact with actuated external surfaces. PMID:27792155

Displacement of Tethered Hydro-Acoustic Modems by Uniform Horizontal Currents

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-12-01

smooth and plane surfaces (in incompressible flow ) in air and in water (From [4]) ..............22  Figure 13.  Drag of streamline bodies, tested in...from a stationary sea- surface buoy or Unmanned Surface Vehicle (USV) weighted by a dense object at the free end (Figure 2). The equations of static...forces on the free end are caused by an attached ballast or float. The moored cable has a free -moving sub- surface buoy positioned at a water depth

In situ high temperature microwave microscope for nondestructive detection of surface and sub-surface defects.

PubMed

Wang, Peiyu; Li, Zhencheng; Pei, Yongmao

2018-04-16

An in situ high temperature microwave microscope was built for detecting surface and sub-subsurface structures and defects. This system was heated with a self-designed quartz lamp radiation module, which is capable of heating to 800°C. A line scanning of a metal grating showed a super resolution of 0.5 mm (λ/600) at 1 GHz. In situ scanning detections of surface hole defects on an aluminium plate and a glass fiber reinforced plastic (GFRP) plate were conducted at different high temperatures. A post processing algorithm was proposed to remove the background noises induced by high temperatures and the 3.0 mm-spaced hole defects were clearly resolved. Besides, hexagonal honeycomb lattices were in situ detected and clearly resolved under a 1.0 mm-thick face panel at 20°C and 50°C, respectively. The core wall positions and bonding width were accurately detected and evaluated. In summary, this in situ microwave microscope is feasible and effective in sub-surface detection and super resolution imaging at different high temperatures.

Near-ultraviolet imaging of Jupiter's satellite Io with the Hubble Space Telescope

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Paresce, F.; Sartoretti, P.; Albrecht, R.; Barbieri, C.; Blades, J. C.; Boksenberg, A.; Crane, P.; Deharveng, J. M.; Disney, M. J.; Jakobsen, P.

1992-01-01

The surface of Jupiter's Galilean satellite Io has been resolved for the first time in the near ultraviolet at 2850 A by the Faint Object Camera (FOC) on the Hubble Space Telescope (HST). The restored images reveal significant surface structure down to the resolution limit of the optical system corresponding to approximately 250 km at the sub-earth point.

Air Monitoring Network at Tonopah Test Range: Network Description and Capabilities

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

Jeffrey Tappen; George Nikolich; Ken Giles

2010-05-18

During the period April to June 2008, at the behest of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) National Nuclear Security Administration, Nevada Site Office (NNSA/NSO); the Desert Research Institute (DRI) constructed and deployed two portable environmental monitoring stations at the Tonopah Test Range (TTR) as part of the Environmental Restoration Project Soils Sub-Project. The TTR is located within the boundaries of the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) near the northern edge, and covers an area of approximately 725.20 km2 (179,200 acres). The primary objective of the monitoring stations is to evaluate whether and under what conditions there is windmore » transport of radiological contaminants from one of the three Soil Sub-Project Corrective Action Units (CAUs) associated with Operation Roller Coaster on TTR. Operation Roller Coaster was a series of tests, conducted in 1963, designed to examine the stability and dispersal of plutonium in storage and transportation accidents. These tests did not result in any nuclear explosive yield. However, the tests did result in the dispersal of plutonium and contamination of surface soils in the surrounding area.« less

FY07 LDRD Final Report A Fracture Mechanics and Tribology Approach to Understanding Subsurface Damage on Fused Silica during Grinding and Polishing

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

Suratwala, T I; Miller, P E; Menapace, J A

The objective of this work is to develop a solid scientific understanding of the creation and characteristics of surface fractures formed during the grinding and polishing of brittle materials, specifically glass. In this study, we have experimentally characterized the morphology, number density, and depth distribution of various surface cracks as a function of various grinding and polishing processes (blanchard, fixed abrasive grinding, loose abrasive, pitch polishing and pad polishing). Also, the effects of load, abrasive particle (size, distribution, foreign particles, geometry, velocity), and lap material (pitch, pad) were examined. The resulting data were evaluated in terms of indentation fracture mechanicsmore » and tribological interactions (science of interacting surfaces) leading to several models to explain crack distribution behavior of ground surfaces and to explain the characteristics of scratches formed during polishing. This project has greatly advanced the scientific knowledge of microscopic mechanical damage occurring during grinding and polishing and has been of general interest. This knowledge-base has also enabled the design and optimization of surface finishing processes to create optical surfaces with far superior laser damage resistance. There are five major areas of scientific progress as a result of this LDRD. They are listed in Figure 1 and described briefly in this summary below. The details of this work are summarized through a number of published manuscripts which are included this LDRD Final Report. In the first area of grinding, we developed a technique to quantitatively and statistically measure the depth distribution of surface fractures (i.e., subsurface damage) in fused silica as function of various grinding processes using mixtures of various abrasive particles size distributions. The observed crack distributions were explained using a model that extended known, single brittle indentation models to an ensemble of loaded, sliding particles. The model illustrates the importance of the particle size distribution of the abrasive and its influence on the resulting crack distribution. The results of these studies are summarized in references 1-7. In the second area of polishing, we conducted a series of experiments showing the influence of rogue particles (i.e., particles in the polishing slurry that are larger than base particles) on the creation of scratches on polished surfaces. Scratches can be thought of a as a specific type of sub-surface damage. The characteristics (width, length, type of fractures, concentration) were explained in terms of the rogue particle size, the rogue particle material, and the viscoelastic properties of the lap. The results of these studies are summarized in references 6-7. In the third area of etching, we conducted experiments aimed at understanding the effect of HF:NH{sub 4}F acid etching on surface fractures on fused silica. Etching can be used as a method: (a) to expose sub-surface mechanical damage, (b) to study the morphology of specific mechanical damage occurring by indentation, and (c) to convert a ground surface containing a high concentration of sub-surface mechanical damage into surface roughness. Supporting models have been developed to describe in detail the effect of etching on the morphology and evolution of surface cracks. The results of these studies are summarized in references 8-9. In the fourth area of scratch forensics or scratch fractography, a set of new scratch forensic rule-of-thumbs were developed in order to aid the optical fabricator and process engineer to interpret the cause of scratches and digs on surfaces. The details of how these rules were developed are described in each of the references included in this summary (1-9). Figure 2 provides as a summary of some of the more commonly used rules-of-thumbs that have been developed in this study. In the fifth and final area of laser damage, we demonstrated that the removal of such surface fractures from the surface during optical fabrication can dramatically improve the laser damage.« less

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

Azizah, N., E-mail: norazizahparmin84@gmail.com; Gopinath, Subash C. B.; Nadzirah, Sh.

Titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) nanoparticles based Interdigitated Device Electrodes (IDEs) Nanobiosensor device was developed for intracellular biochemical detection. Fabrication and characterization of pH sensors using IDE nanocoated with TiO{sub 2} was studied in this paper. In this paper, a preliminary assessment of this intracellular sensor with electrical measurement under different pH levels. 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) was used to enhance the sensitivity of titanium dioxide layer as well as able to provide surface modification by undergoing protonation and deprotonation process. Different types of pH solution provide different resistivity and conductivity towards the surface. Base solution has the higher current compared to anmore » acid solution. Amine and oxide functionalized TiO{sub 2} based IDE exhibit pH-dependent could be understood in terms of the change in surface charge during protonation and deprotonation. The simple fabrication process, high sensitivity, and fast response of the TiO{sub 2} based IDEs facilitate their applications in a wide range of areas. The small size of semiconductor TiO{sub 2} based IDE for sensitive, label-free, real time detection of a wide range of biological species could be explored in vivo diagnostics and array-based screening.« less

Groundwater-surface water interactions across scales in a boreal landscape investigated using a numerical modelling approach

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jutebring Sterte, Elin; Johansson, Emma; Sjöberg, Ylva; Huseby Karlsen, Reinert; Laudon, Hjalmar

2018-05-01

Groundwater and surface-water interactions are regulated by catchment characteristics and complex inter- and intra-annual variations in climatic conditions that are not yet fully understood. Our objective was to investigate the influence of catchment characteristics and freeze-thaw processes on surface and groundwater interactions in a boreal landscape, the Krycklan catchment in Sweden. We used a numerical modelling approach and sub-catchment evaluation method to identify and evaluate fundamental catchment characteristics and processes. The model reproduced observed stream discharge patterns of the 14 sub-catchments and the dynamics of the 15 groundwater wells with an average accumulated discharge error of 1% (15% standard deviation) and an average groundwater-level mean error of 0.1 m (0.23 m standard deviation). We show how peatland characteristics dampen the effect of intense rain, and how soil freeze-thaw processes regulate surface and groundwater partitioning during snowmelt. With these results, we demonstrate the importance of defining, understanding and quantifying the role of landscape heterogeneity and sub-catchment characteristics for accurately representing catchment hydrological functioning.

Measurement of host-to-activator transfer efficiency in nano-crystalline Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} under VUV excitation

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

Waite, Christopher; Mann, Rusty; Diaz, Anthony L., E-mail: DiazA@cwu.edu

2013-02-15

We have conducted a systematic study of the excitation and reflectance spectra of nano-crystalline Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu prepared by combustion synthesis. Excitation through the host lattice becomes relatively more efficient as the firing temperature of the precursor is increased, while reflectance properties remain essentially unchanged. Using these data, host-to-activator transfer efficiencies were calculated for excitation at the band edge of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and evaluated using a competition kinetics model. From this analysis we conclude that the relatively low luminous efficiency of these materials is due more to poor bulk crystallinity than to surface loss effects. - Graphical abstract: Themore » low luminous efficiency of nano-crystalline Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} prepared by combustion synthesis is due to poor bulk crystallinity rather than surface loss effects. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We report on the optical properties of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}:Eu{sup 3+} prepared by combustion synthesis. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Host-to-activator transfer efficiencies under VUV excitation were calculated. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The low luminous efficiency of these materials is due to poor bulk crystallinity.« less

Mixed conductivity, structural and microstructural characterization of titania-doped yttria tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline/titania-doped yttria stabilized zirconia composite anode matrices

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

Colomer, M.T., E-mail: tcolomer@icv.csic.e; Maczka, M.

2011-02-15

Taking advantage of the fact that TiO{sub 2} additions to 8YSZ cause not only the formation of a titania-doped YSZ solid solution but also a titania-doped YTZP solid solution, composite materials based on both solutions were prepared by solid state reaction. In particular, additions of 15 mol% of TiO{sub 2} give rise to composite materials constituted by 0.51 mol fraction titania-doped yttria tetragonal zirconia polycrystalline and 0.49 mol fraction titania-doped yttria stabilized zirconia (0.51TiYTZP/0.49TiYSZ). Furthermore, Y{sub 2}(Ti{sub 1-y}Zr{sub y}){sub 2}O{sub 7} pyrochlore is present as an impurity phase with y close to 1, according to FT-Raman results. Lower and highermore » additions of titania than that of 15 mol%, i.e., x=0, 5, 10, 20, 25 and 30 mol% were considered to study the evolution of 8YSZ phase as a function of the TiO{sub 2} content. Furthermore, zirconium titanate phase (ZrTiO{sub 4}) is detected when the titania content is equal or higher than 20 mol% and this phase admits Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} in solid solution according to FE-SEM-EDX. The 0.51TiYTZP/0.49TiYSZ duplex material was selected in this study to establish the mechanism of its electronic conduction under low oxygen partial pressures. In the pO{sub 2} range from 0.21 to 10{sup -7.5} atm. the conductivity is predominantly ionic and constant over the range and its value is 0.01 S/cm. The ionic plus electronic conductivity is 0.02 S/cm at 1000 {sup o}C and 10{sup -12.3} atm. Furthermore, the onset of electronic conductivity under reducing conditions exhibits a -1/4 pO{sub 2} dependence. Therefore, it is concluded that the n-type electronic conduction in the duplex material can be due to a small polaron-hopping between Ti{sup 3+} and Ti{sup 4+}. -- Graphical abstract: FE-SEM micrograph of a polished and thermal etched surface of a Ti-doped YTZP/Ti-doped YSZ composite material. Display Omitted Research highlights: {yields} Ti-doped YTZP/Ti-doped YSZ composite materials are mixed conductors under low partial pressures. {yields} From 5 mol% of TiO{sub 2}, Y{sub 2}(Ti{sub 1-y},Zr{sub y}){sub 2}O{sub 7} pyrochlore is present as a minor phase, being y close to 1 according to FT-Raman studies. {yields} The onset of the electronic conductivity under reducing conditions exhibit a -1/4 pO{sub 2} dependence. The n-type electronic conduction is due to a small polaron-hopping between Ti{sup 3+} and Ti{sup 4+}.« less

Sulfuric acid and hydrogen peroxide surface passivation effects on AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistors

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

Zaidi, Z. H., E-mail: zaffar.zaidi@sheffield.ac.uk; Lee, K. B.; Qian, H.

2014-12-28

In this work, we have compared SiN{sub x} passivation, hydrogen peroxide, and sulfuric acid treatment on AlGaN/GaN HEMTs surface after full device fabrication on Si substrate. Both the chemical treatments resulted in the suppression of device pinch-off gate leakage current below 1 μA/mm, which is much lower than that for SiN{sub x} passivation. The greatest suppression over the range of devices is observed with the sulfuric acid treatment. The device on/off current ratio is improved (from 10{sup 4}–10{sup 5} to 10{sup 7}) and a reduction in the device sub-threshold (S.S.) slope (from ∼215 to 90 mV/decade) is achieved. The sulfuric acid ismore » believed to work by oxidizing the surface which has a strong passivating effect on the gate leakage current. The interface trap charge density (D{sub it}) is reduced (from 4.86 to 0.90 × 10{sup 12 }cm{sup −2} eV{sup −1}), calculated from the change in the device S.S. The gate surface leakage current mechanism is explained by combined Mott hopping conduction and Poole Frenkel models for both untreated and sulfuric acid treated devices. Combining the sulfuric acid treatment underneath the gate with the SiN{sub x} passivation after full device fabrication results in the reduction of D{sub it} and improves the surface related current collapse.« less

Inhaled Carbon Nanotubes Reach the Sub-Pleural Tissue in Mice

PubMed Central

Ryman-Rasmussen, Jessica P.; Cesta, Mark F.; Brody, Arnold R.; Shipley-Phillips, Jeanette K.; Everitt, Jeffrey; Tewksbury, Earl W.; Moss, Owen R.; Wong, Brian A.; Dodd, Darol E.; Andersen, Melvin E.; Bonner, James C.

2009-01-01

Summary Carbon nanotubes have fibre-like shape1 and stimulate inflammation at the surface of the peritoneum when injected into the abdominal cavity of mice2, raising concerns that inhaled nanotubes3 may cause pleural fibrosis and/or mesothelioma4. Here we show that multi-walled carbon nanotubes reach the sub-pleura in mice after a single inhalation exposure of 30 mg/m3 for 6 hours. Nanotubes were embedded in the sub-pleural wall and within sub-pleural macrophages. Mononuclear cell aggregates on the pleural surface increased in number and size after 1 day and nanotube-containing macrophages were observed within these foci. Sub-pleural fibrosis increased after 2 and 6 weeks following inhalation. None of these effects were seen in mice that inhaled carbon black nanoparticles or a lower dose of nanotubes (1 mg/m3). This work advances a growing literature on pulmonary toxicology of nanotubes5 and suggests that minimizing inhalation of nanotubes during handling is prudent until further long term assessments are conducted. PMID:19893520

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

Rodenbücher, C.; Hildebrandt, E.; Sharath, S. U.

On highly oxygen deficient thin films of hafnium oxide (hafnia, HfO{sub 2−x}) contaminated with adsorbates of carbon oxides, the formation of hafnium carbide (HfC{sub x}) at the surface during vacuum annealing at temperatures as low as 600 °C is reported. Using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy the evolution of the HfC{sub x} surface layer related to a transformation from insulating into metallic state is monitored in situ. In contrast, for fully stoichiometric HfO{sub 2} thin films prepared and measured under identical conditions, the formation of HfC{sub x} was not detectable suggesting that the enhanced adsorption of carbon oxides on oxygen deficient films providesmore » a carbon source for the carbide formation. This shows that a high concentration of oxygen vacancies in carbon contaminated hafnia lowers considerably the formation energy of hafnium carbide. Thus, the presence of a sufficient amount of residual carbon in resistive random access memory devices might lead to a similar carbide formation within the conducting filaments due to Joule heating.« less

Zirconium doped TiO{sub 2} thin films: A promising dielectric layer

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

Kumar, Arvind; Mondal, Sandip, E-mail: sandipmondal@physics.iisc.ernet.in; Rao, K. S. R. Koteswara

2016-05-06

In the present work, we have fabricated the zirconium doped TiO{sub 2} thin (ZTO) films from a facile spin – coating method. The addition of Zirconium in TiO{sub 2} offers conduction band offset to Si and consequently decreased the leakage current density by approximately two orders as compared to pure TiO{sub 2} thin (TO) films. The ZTO thin film shows a high dielectric constant 27 with a very low leakage current density ∼10{sup −8} A/cm{sup 2}. The oxide capacitate, flat band voltage and change in flat band voltage are 172 pF, -1.19 V and 54 mV. The AFM analysis confirmed the compactmore » and pore free flat surface. The RMS surface roughness is found to be 1.5 Å. The ellipsometry analysis also verified the fact with a high refractive index 2.21.« less

Space station auxiliary thrust chamber technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Senneff, J. M.

1986-01-01

A program to design, fabricate and test a 50 lb sub f (222 N) thruster was undertaken (Contract NAS 3-24656) to demonstrate the applicability of the reverse flow concept as an item of auxiliary propulsion for the space station. The thruster was to operate at a mixture ratio (O/F) of 4, be capable of operating for 2 million lb sub f- seconds (8.896 million N-seconds) impulse with a chamber pressure of 75 psia (52 N/square cm) and a nozzle area ratio of 40. Superimposed was also the objective of operating with a strainless steel spherical combustion chamber, which limited the wall temperature to 1700 F (1200 K), an objective specific impulse of 400 lb sub f sec/lbm (3923 N-seconds/Kg), and a demonstration of 500,000 lb sub f-seconds (2,224,000 N-seconds) of impulse. The demonstration of these objectives required a number of design iterations which eventually culminated in a very successful 1000 second demonstration, almost immediately followed by a changed program objective imposed to redesign and demonstrate at a mixture ratio (O/F) of 8. This change was made and more then 250,000 lb sub f seconds (1,112,000 N-seconds) of impulse was successfully demonstrated at a mixture ratio of 8. This document contains a description of the effort conducted during the program to design and demonstrate the thrusters involved.

Electrochemical Protection of Thin Film Electrodes in Solid State Nanopores

PubMed Central

Harrer, Stefan; Waggoner, Philip S.; Luan, Binquan; Afzali-Ardakani, Ali; Goldfarb, Dario L.; Peng, Hongbo; Martyna, Glenn; Rossnagel, Stephen M.; Stolovitzky, Gustavo A.

2011-01-01

We have eliminated electrochemical surface oxidation and reduction as well as water decomposition inside sub-5-nm wide nanopores in conducting TiN membranes using a surface passivation technique. Nanopore ionic conductances, and therefore pore diameters, were unchanged in passivated pores after applying potentials of ±4.5 V for as long as 24 h. Water decomposition was eliminated by using aqueous 90% glycerol solvent. The use of a protective self-assembled monolayer of hexadecylphosphonic acid was also investigated. PMID:21597142

Semiconductor-insulator transition in VO{sub 2} (B) thin films grown by pulsed laser deposition

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

Rúa, Armando; Díaz, Ramón D.; Lysenko, Sergiy

2015-09-28

Thin films of B-phase VO{sub 2} were grown by pulsed-laser deposition on glass and (100)-cut MgO substrates in a temperature range from 375 to 425 °C and at higher gas pressures than usual for this technique. The films were strongly oriented, with ab-planes parallel to the substrate surface. Detailed study of surface morphology through Atomic Force Microscopy images suggest significant differences in evolution as a function of growth temperature for films on the two types of substrates. Measurements of electrical conductivities through cooling-heating cycles from room temperature to 120 K showed changes of five orders of magnitude, with steeper changes between roommore » temperature and ∼150 K, which corresponds with the extended and reversible phase transition known to occur for this material. At lower temperatures conductivities exhibited Arrhenius behavior, indicating that no further structural change was occurring and that conduction is thermally activated. In this lower temperature range, conductivity of the samples can be described by the near-neighbor hopping model. No hysteresis was found between the cooling and heating braches of the cycles, which is at variance with previous results published for VO{sub 2} (B). This apparent lack of hysteresis for thin films grown in the manner described and the large conductivity variation as a function of temperature observed for the samples suggests this material could be of interest for infrared sensing applications.« less

METHODS DEVELOPMENT TO IMPROVE LOW-LEVEL PERCHLORATE DETECTION IN DRINKING WATER BY CONDUCTIVITY AND MASS SPECTROMETRY - ISSUES AND IMPACT

EPA Science Inventory

The goal of this research is to develop a USEPA method for the determination of sub-ppb concentrations of the perchlorate anion in ground and surface drinking waters. To date, ion chromatography using a KOH mobile phase, electrolytic conductivity suppression and electrospray ion...

Origins of enhanced thermoelectric power factor in topologically insulating Bi{sub 0.64}Sb{sub 1.36}Te{sub 3} thin films

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

Liu, Wei; State Key Laboratory of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan 430070; Chi, Hang

2016-01-25

In this research, we report the enhanced thermoelectric power factor in topologically insulating thin films of Bi{sub 0.64}Sb{sub 1.36}Te{sub 3} with a thickness of 6–200 nm. Measurements of scanning tunneling spectroscopy and electronic transport show that the Fermi level lies close to the valence band edge, and that the topological surface state (TSS) is electron dominated. We find that the Seebeck coefficient of the 6 nm and 15 nm thick films is dominated by the valence band, while the TSS chiefly contributes to the electrical conductivity. In contrast, the electronic transport of the reference 200 nm thick film behaves similar to bulk thermoelectric materialsmore » with low carrier concentration, implying the effect of the TSS on the electronic transport is merely prominent in the thin region. The conductivity of the 6 nm and 15 nm thick film is obviously higher than that in the 200 nm thick film owing to the highly mobile TSS conduction channel. As a consequence of the enhanced electrical conductivity and the suppressed bipolar effect in transport properties for the 6 nm thick film, an impressive power factor of about 2.0 mW m{sup −1} K{sup −2} is achieved at room temperature for this film. Further investigations of the electronic transport properties of TSS and interactions between TSS and the bulk band might result in a further improved thermoelectric power factor in topologically insulating Bi{sub 0.64}Sb{sub 1.36}Te{sub 3} thin films.« less

Acute O3 damage on first year coppice sprouts of aspen and maple sprouts in an open-air experiment

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

Darbah, J.N.; Nagy, J.; Jones, W. S.

2011-10-01

We studied the effect of high ozone (O{sub 3}) concentration (110-490 nmol mol{sup -1}) on regenerating aspen (Populus tremuloides) and maple (Acer saccharum) trees at an open-air O{sub 3} pollution experiment near Rhinelander WI USA. This study is the first of its kind to examine the effects of acute O{sub 3} exposure on aspen and maple sprouts after the parent trees, which were grown under elevated O{sub 3} and/or CO{sub 2} for 12 years, were harvested. Acute O{sub 3} damage was not uniform within the crowns of aspen suckers; it was most severe in the mature, fully expanded photosynthesizing leaves.more » Young expanding leaves showed no visible signs of acute O{sub 3} damage contrary to expectations. Stomatal conductance played a primary role in the severity of acute O{sub 3} damage as it directly controlled O{sub 3} uptake. Maple sprouts, which had lower stomatal conductance, smaller stomatal aperture, higher stomatal density and larger leaf surface area, were tolerant of acute O{sub 3} exposure. Moreover, elevated CO{sub 2} did not ameliorate the adverse effects of acute O{sub 3} dose on aspen and maple sprouts, in contrast to its ability to counteract the effects of long-term chronic exposure to lower O{sub 3} levels.« less

Local conductance: A means to extract polarization and depolarizing fields near domain walls in ferroelectrics

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

Douglas, A. M.; Kumar, A.; Gregg, J. M.

Conducting atomic force microscopy images of bulk semiconducting BaTiO{sub 3} surfaces show clear stripe domain contrast. High local conductance correlates with strong out-of-plane polarization (mapped independently using piezoresponse force microscopy), and current-voltage characteristics are consistent with dipole-induced alterations in Schottky barriers at the metallic tip-ferroelectric interface. Indeed, analyzing current-voltage data in terms of established Schottky barrier models allows relative variations in the surface polarization, and hence the local domain structure, to be determined. Fitting also reveals the signature of surface-related depolarizing fields concentrated near domain walls. Domain information obtained from mapping local conductance appears to be more surface-sensitive than thatmore » from piezoresponse force microscopy. In the right materials systems, local current mapping could therefore represent a useful complementary technique for evaluating polarization and local electric fields with nanoscale resolution.« less

FUNDAMENTAL PARAMETERS AND SPECTRAL ENERGY DISTRIBUTIONS OF YOUNG AND FIELD AGE OBJECTS WITH MASSES SPANNING THE STELLAR TO PLANETARY REGIME

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

Filippazzo, Joseph C.; Rice, Emily L.; Faherty, Jacqueline

We combine optical, near-infrared, and mid-infrared spectra and photometry to construct expanded spectral energy distributions for 145 field age (>500 Myr) and 53 young (lower age estimate <500 Myr) ultracool dwarfs (M6-T9). This range of spectral types includes very low mass stars, brown dwarfs, and planetary mass objects, providing fundamental parameters across both the hydrogen and deuterium burning minimum masses for the largest sample assembled to date. A subsample of 29 objects have well constrained ages as probable members of a nearby young moving group. We use 182 parallaxes and 16 kinematic distances to determine precise bolometric luminosities (L{sub bol})more » and radius estimates from evolutionary models give semi-empirical effective temperatures (T{sub eff}) for the full range of young and field age late-M, L, and T dwarfs. We construct age-sensitive relationships of luminosity, temperature, and absolute magnitude as functions of spectral type and absolute magnitude to disentangle the effects of degenerate physical parameters such as T{sub eff}, surface gravity, and clouds on spectral morphology. We report bolometric corrections in J for both field age and young objects and find differences of up to a magnitude for late-L dwarfs. Our correction in Ks shows a larger dispersion but not necessarily a different relationship for young and field age sequences. We also characterize the NIR–MIR reddening of low gravity L dwarfs and identify a systematically cooler T{sub eff} of up to 300 K from field age objects of the same spectral type and 400 K cooler from field age objects of the same M{sub H} magnitude.« less

Polarization Reversal Over Flooded Regions and Applications to Large-Scale Flood Mapping with Spaceborne Scatterometers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Nghiem, Son V.; Liu, W. Timothy; Xie, Xiao-Su

1999-01-01

We present the polarization reversal in backscatter over flooded land regions, and demonstrate for the first time the utility of spaceborne Ku-band scatterometer for large-scale flood mapping. Scatterometer data were collected over the globe by the NASA Scatterometer (NSCAT) operated at 14 GHz on the Japanese ADEOS spacecraft from September 1996 to June 1997. During this time span, several severe floods occurred. Over most land surface, vertical polarization backscatter (Sigma(sub upsilon(upsilon)) is larger than horizontal polarization backscatter (sigma(sub hh)). Such polarization characteristics is reversed and sigma(sub upsilon(upsilon)) is smaller than sigma(sub hh) over flooded regions, except under a dense forest canopy. The total backscatter from the flooded landscape consists of direct backscatter and boundary-interaction backscatter. The direct term is contributed by direct backscattering from objects protruding above the water surface, and by backscattering from waves on the water surface. The boundary-interaction term is contributed by the forward scattering from the protruding objects and then reflected from the water surface, and also by the forward scattering from these objects after the water-surface reflection. Over flooded regions, the boundary-interaction term is dominant at large incidence angles and the strong water-surface reflection is much larger for horizontal polarization than the vertical one due to the Brewster effect in transverse-magnetic waves. These scattering mechanisms cause the polarization reversal over flooded regions. An example obtained with the Analytic Wave Theory is used to illustrate the scattering mechanisms leading to the polarization reversal. We then demonstrate the utility of spaceborne Ku-band scatterometer for large-scale flood mapping. We process NSCAT data to obtain the polarization ratio sigma(sub hh)/sigma(sub upsilon(upsilon)) with colocated data at incidence angles larger than 40 deg. The results over Asian summer monsoon regions in September-October 1996 indicate flooded areas in many countries such as Bangladesh, India, Lao, Vietnam, Cambodia, and China. Reports documented by the United Nation Department of Humanitarian Affairs (now called UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) show loss of many lives and severe flood related damages which affected many million people in the corresponding flooded areas. We also map the NSCAT polarization ratio over the same regions in the "dry season" in January 1997 as a reference to confirm our results. Furthermore, we obtain concurrent ocean wind fields also derived from NSCAT data, and Asia topographic data (USGS GTOPO30) to investigate the flooded area. The results show that winds during summer monsoon season blowing inland, which perplex flood problems. Overlaying the topographic map over NSCAT results reveals an excellent correspondence between the confinement of flooded area within the relevant topographic features, which very well illustrates the value of topographic wetness index. Finally, we discuss the applications of future spaceborne scatterometers, including QuikSCAT and Seawinds, for flood mapping over the globe.

An FT-IR study of the effect of simulated solar radiation and various particulates on the oxidation of SO/sub 2/

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

Smith, D. M.; Keifer, J. R.; Novicky, M.

1989-01-01

Short- and long-term studies of the effect of black carbon and otherparticulates on the oxidation of SO/sub 2/, with an without the presence ofoxygen, water vapor, and simulated solar radiation, have been carriedout. FT-IR studies involving isotopic oxygen-18, sulfur dioxide-18, and D/sub 2/Oin these reactions confirm the requirement of water vapor and oxygen forthis oxidation. Such experiments conducted at 298 K demonstrate only theformation of ionic sulfates, while the reactions conducted under simulatedsolar radiation show the formation of both covalent and ionic sulfate species.These observations have implications for the retention or diminution ofcatalytic activity by the soot. The reaction vesselmore » walls, SiO/sub 2/, andparticulate black carbon, all act as catalysts for the conversion ofS(IV) to S(VI), the amounts depending primarily on the surface area of thesolid.« less

Polaradiometric pyrometer in which the parallel and perpendicular components of radiation reflected from an unpolarized light source are equalized with the thermal radiation emitted from a measured object to determine its true temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Abtahi, Ali A. (Inventor)

1995-01-01

A radiation pyrometer for measuring the true temperature of a body is provided by detecting and measuring thermal radiation from the body based on the principle that the effects of angular emission I(sub 1) and reflection I(sub 2) on the polarization states p and s of radiation are complementary such that upon detecting the combined partial polarization state components I(sub p) =I(sub 1p) + I(sub 2p) and I(sub s)=I(sub 1s) + I(sub 2s) and adjusting the intensity of the variable radiation source of the reflected radiation I(sub 2) until the combined partial radiation components I(sub p) and I(sub s) are equal, the effects of emissivity as well as diffusivity of the surface of the body are eliminated, thus obviating the need for any post processing of brightness temperature data.

Distance measurement based on light field geometry and ray tracing.

PubMed

Chen, Yanqin; Jin, Xin; Dai, Qionghai

2017-01-09

In this paper, we propose a geometric optical model to measure the distances of object planes in a light field image. The proposed geometric optical model is composed of two sub-models based on ray tracing: object space model and image space model. The two theoretic sub-models are derived on account of on-axis point light sources. In object space model, light rays propagate into the main lens and refract inside it following the refraction theorem. In image space model, light rays exit from emission positions on the main lens and subsequently impinge on the image sensor with different imaging diameters. The relationships between imaging diameters of objects and their corresponding emission positions on the main lens are investigated through utilizing refocusing and similar triangle principle. By combining the two sub-models together and tracing light rays back to the object space, the relationships between objects' imaging diameters and corresponding distances of object planes are figured out. The performance of the proposed geometric optical model is compared with existing approaches using different configurations of hand-held plenoptic 1.0 cameras and real experiments are conducted using a preliminary imaging system. Results demonstrate that the proposed model can outperform existing approaches in terms of accuracy and exhibits good performance at general imaging range.

Heat Flux and Wall Temperature Estimates for the NASA Langley HIFiRE Direct Connect Rig

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cuda, Vincent, Jr.; Hass, Neal E.

2010-01-01

An objective of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HIFiRE) Program Flight 2 is to provide validation data for high enthalpy scramjet prediction tools through a single flight test and accompanying ground tests of the HIFiRE Direct Connect Rig (HDCR) tested in the NASA LaRC Arc Heated Scramjet Test Facility (AHSTF). The HDCR is a full-scale, copper heat sink structure designed to simulate the isolator entrance conditions and isolator, pilot, and combustor section of the HIFiRE flight test experiment flowpath and is fully instrumented to assess combustion performance over a range of operating conditions simulating flight from Mach 5.5 to 8.5 and for various fueling schemes. As part of the instrumentation package, temperature and heat flux sensors were provided along the flowpath surface and also imbedded in the structure. The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate that the surface heat flux and wall temperature of the Zirconia coated copper wall can be obtained with a water-cooled heat flux gage and a sub-surface temperature measurement. An algorithm was developed which used these two measurements to reconstruct the surface conditions along the flowpath. Determinations of the surface conditions of the Zirconia coating were conducted for a variety of conditions.

Mesoporous anatase TiO{sub 2}/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposites: A simple template-free synthesis and their high photocatalytic performance

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

Zhou, Qi; Zhong, Yong-Hui; Laboratory of Nanomaterials and Environmental Detection, Hefei Institute of Physical Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031

2014-03-01

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Mesoporous TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles with anatase phase were assembled on reduced graphene oxide via a template-free one-step hydrothermal method. • The TiO{sub 2}/rGO nanocomposites have better adsorption capacity and photocatalytic degradation efficiency for dyes removal. • Improved dye adsorption and photogenerated charge separation are responsible for enhanced activity. - Abstract: Mesoporous anatase phase TiO{sub 2} was assembled on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) using a template-free one-step hydrothermal process. The nanocomposites were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area.more » Morphology of TiO{sub 2} was related to the content of graphene oxide. TiO{sub 2}/rGO nanocomposites exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity for the photo-degradation of methyl orange. The degradation rate was 4.5 times greater than that of pure TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles. This difference was attributed to the thin two-dimensional graphene sheet. The graphene sheet had a large surface area, high adsorption capacity, and acted as a good electron acceptor for the transfer of photo-generated electrons from the conduction band of TiO{sub 2}. The enhanced surface adsorption characteristics and excellent charge transport separation were independent properties of the photocatalytic degradation process.« less

Difference in charge transport properties of Ni-Nb thin films with native and artificial oxide

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

Trifonov, A. S., E-mail: trifonov.artem@phys.msu.ru; Physics Faculty, Lomonosov Moscow State University, Moscow 119991; Lubenchenko, A. V.

2015-03-28

Here, we report on the properties of native and artificial oxide amorphous thin film on a surface of an amorphous Ni-Nb sample. Careful measurements of local current-voltage characteristics of the system Ni-Nb / NiNb oxide/Pt, were carried out in contact mode of an atomic force microscope. Native oxide showed n-type conductivity, while in the artificial one exhibited p-type one. The shape of current-voltage characteristic curves is unique in both cases and no analogical behavior is found in the literature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements were used to detect chemical composition of the oxide films and the oxidation state of themore » alloy components. Detailed analysis of the XPS data revealed that the structure of natural Ni-Nb oxide film consists of Ni-NbO{sub x} top layer and nickel enriched bottom layer which provides n-type conductivity. In contrast, in the artificial oxide film Nb is oxidized completely to Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5}, Ni atoms migrate into bulk Ni-Nb matrix. Electron depletion layer is formed at the Ni-Nb/Nb{sub 2}O{sub 5} interface providing p-type conductivity.« less

Optimization of a GO2/GH2 Swirl Coaxial Injector Element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, P. Kevin; Shyy, Wei; Vaidyanathan, Rajkumar

1999-01-01

An injector optimization methodology, method i, is used to investigate optimal design points for a gaseous oxygen/gaseous hydrogen (GO2/GH2) swirl coaxial injector element. The element is optimized in terms of design variables such as fuel pressure drop, DELTA P(sub f), oxidizer pressure drop, DELTA P(sub 0) combustor length, L(sub comb), and full cone swirl angle, theta, for a given mixture ratio and chamber pressure. Dependent variables such as energy release efficiency, ERE, wall heat flux, Q(sub w) injector heat flux, Q(sub inj), relative combustor weight, W(sub rel), and relative injector cost, C(sub rel), are calculated and then correlated with the design variables. An empirical design methodology is used to generate these responses for 180 combinations of input variables. Method i is then used to generate response surfaces for each dependent variable. Desirability functions based on dependent variable constraints are created and used to facilitate development of composite response surfaces representing some, or all, of the five dependent variables in terms of the input variables. Two examples illustrating the utility and flexibility of method i are discussed in detail. First, joint response surfaces are constructed by sequentially adding dependent variables. Optimum designs are identified after addition of each variable and the effect each variable has on the design is shown. This stepwise demonstration also highlights the importance of including variables such as weight and cost early in the design process. Secondly, using the composite response surface that includes all five dependent variables, unequal weights are assigned to emphasize certain variables relative to others. Here, method i is used to enable objective trade studies on design issues such as component life and thrust to weight ratio.

Effect of current compliance and voltage sweep rate on the resistive switching of HfO{sub 2}/ITO/Invar structure as measured by conductive atomic force microscopy

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

Wu, You-Lin, E-mail: ylwu@ncnu.edu.tw; Liao, Chun-Wei; Ling, Jing-Jenn

2014-06-16

The electrical characterization of HfO{sub 2}/ITO/Invar resistive switching memory structure was studied using conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM) with a semiconductor parameter analyzer, Agilent 4156C. The metal alloy Invar was used as the metal substrate to ensure good ohmic contact with the substrate holder of the AFM. A conductive Pt/Ir AFM tip was placed in direct contact with the HfO{sub 2} surface, such that it acted as the top electrode. Nanoscale current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the HfO{sub 2}/ITO/Invar structure were measured by applying a ramp voltage through the conductive AFM tip at various current compliances and ramp voltage sweep rates.more » It was found that the resistance of the low resistance state (RLRS) decreased with increasing current compliance value, but resistance of high resistance state (RHRS) barely changed. However, both the RHRS and RLRS decreased as the voltage sweep rate increased. The reasons for this dependency on current compliance and voltage sweep rate are discussed.« less

Concrete crosstie fastener sub-system testing and modeling.

DOT National Transportation Integrated Search

2014-02-10

The primary objective of this project is to identify methods of improving concrete railroad crosstie fastening system design and performance by conducting a thorough investigation of the behavior of the fastening system using Finite Element Analysis ...

Radial stability of anisotropic strange quark stars

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

Arbañil, José D.V.; Malheiro, M., E-mail: jose.arbanil@upn.pe, E-mail: malheiro@ita.br

The influence of the anisotropy in the equilibrium and stability of strange stars is investigated through the numerical solution of the hydrostatic equilibrium equation and the radial oscillation equation, both modified from their original version to include this effect. The strange matter inside the quark stars is described by the MIT bag model equation of state. For the anisotropy two different kinds of local anisotropic σ = p {sub t} − p {sub r} are considered, where p {sub t} and p {sub r} are respectively the tangential and the radial pressure: one that is null at the star's surfacemore » defined by p {sub r} ( R ) = 0, and one that is nonnull at the surface, namely, σ {sub s} = 0 and σ {sub s} {sub ≠} {sub 0}. In the case σ {sub s} = 0, the maximum mass value and the zero frequency of oscillation are found at the same central energy density, indicating that the maximum mass marks the onset of the instability. For the case σ {sub s} {sub ≠} {sub 0}, we show that the maximum mass point and the zero frequency of oscillation coincide in the same central energy density value only in a sequence of equilibrium configurations with the same value of σ {sub s} . Thus, the stability star regions are determined always by the condition dM / d ρ {sub c} {sub >} {sub 0} only when the tangential pressure is maintained fixed at the star surface's p {sub t} ( R ). These results are also quite important to analyze the stability of other anisotropic compact objects such as neutron stars, boson stars and gravastars.« less

Development of large-area monolithically integrated silicon-film photovoltaic modules

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rand, J. A.; Cotter, J. E.; Ingram, A. E.; Ruffins, T. R.; Shreve, K. P.; Hall, R. B.; Barnett, A. M.

1993-06-01

This report describes work to develop Silicon-Film (trademark) Product 3 into a low-cost, stable solar cell for large-scale terrestrial power applications. The Product 3 structure is a thin (less than 100 micron) polycrystalline layer of silicon on a durable, insulating, ceramic substrate. The insulating substrate allows the silicon layer to be isolated and metallized to form a monolithically interconnected array of solar cells. High efficiency is achievable with the use of light trapping and a passivated back surface. The long-term goal for the product is a 1200 sq cm, 18%-efficient, monolithic array. The short-term objectives are to improve material quality and to fabricate 100 sq cm monolithically interconnected solar cell arrays. Low minority-carrier diffusion length in the silicon film and series resistance in the interconnected device structure are presently limiting device performance. Material quality is continually improving through reduced impurity contamination. Metallization schemes, such as a solder-dipped interconnection process, have been developed that will allow low-cost production processing and minimize R(sub s) effects. Test data for a nine-cell device (16 sq cm) indicated a V(sub oc) of 3.72 V. These first-reported monolithically interconnected multicrystalline silicon-on-ceramic devices show low shunt conductance (less than 0.1 mA/sq cm) due to limited conduction through the ceramic and no process-related metallization shunts.

2011 HM{sub 102}: DISCOVERY OF A HIGH-INCLINATION L5 NEPTUNE TROJAN IN THE SEARCH FOR A POST-PLUTO NEW HORIZONS TARGET

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

Parker, Alex H.; Holman, Matthew J.; McLeod, Brian A.

We present the discovery of a long-term stable L5 (trailing) Neptune Trojan in data acquired to search for candidate trans-Neptunian objects for the New Horizons spacecraft to fly by during an extended post-Pluto mission. This Neptune Trojan, 2011 HM{sub 102}, has the highest inclination (29. Degree-Sign 4) of any known member of this population. It is intrinsically brighter than any single L5 Jupiter Trojan at H{sub V} {approx} 8.18. We have determined its gri colors (a first for any L5 Neptune Trojan), which we find to be similar to the moderately red colors of the L4 Neptune Trojans, suggesting similarmore » surface properties for members of both Trojan clouds. We also present colors derived from archival data for two L4 Neptune Trojans (2006 RJ{sub 103} and 2007 VL{sub 305}), better refining the overall color distribution of the population. In this document we describe the discovery circumstances, our physical characterization of 2011 HM{sub 102}, and this object's implications for the Neptune Trojan population overall. Finally, we discuss the prospects for detecting 2011 HM{sub 102} from the New Horizons spacecraft during its close approach in mid- to late-2013.« less

Natural analogue studies as supplements to biomineralization research

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

McNeil, M.B.

1995-09-01

Chemical reactions can alter the chemistry and crystal structure of solid objects over archeological or geological times, while preserving external physical shapes. The reactions resulting in these structures offer natural analogues to laboratory experiments in biomineralization and to biologically influenced alteration of nuclear waste packages, and thus, they offer the only available way of validating models that purport waste package behavior over archaeological or geological times. Potential uses of such analogues in the construction and validation of hypothetical mechanisms of microbiological corrosion and biomineralization are reviewed. Evidence from such analogues suggests that biofilms can control materials alteration in ways usuallymore » overlooked. The newly hypothesized mechanisms involve control by biofilms of the cation flow near the solid surface and offer plausible mechanisms for the formation of mixed-cation minerals under conditions that would lead to dealloying in abiotic experiments; they also account for the formation of unusual minerals [such as posnjakite, Cu{sub 4}SO{sub 4}(OH){sub 6{center_dot}}H{sub 2}O] and mineral morphologies unusual in corrosion [malachite, Cu{sub 2}CO{sub 3}(OH){sub 2}, rarely forms botryoidally under corrosion conditions and its occasional presence on archaeological objects that appear to have undergone microbiological corrosion may be related to biofilm phenomena].« less

Passive microwave studies of frozen lakes

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hall, D. K.; Foster, J. L.; Rango, A.; Chang, A. T. C.

1978-01-01

Lakes of various sizes, depths and ice thicknesses in Alaska, Utah and Colorado were overflown with passive microwave sensors providing observations at several wavelengths. A layer model is used to calculate the microwave brightness temperature, T sub B (a function of the emissivity and physical temperatures of the object), of snowcovered ice underlain with water. Calculated T sub B's are comparable to measured T sub B's. At short wavelengths, e.g., 0.8 cm, T sub B data provide information on the near surface properties of ice covered lakes where the long wavelength, 21.0 cm, observations sense the entire thickness of ice including underlying water. Additionally, T sub B is found to increase with ice thickness. 1.55 cm observations on Chandalar Lake in Alaska show a T sub B increase of 38 K with an approximate 124 cm increase in ice thickness.

The characteristic of carbon-coated LiFePO{sub 4} as cathode material for lithium ion battery synthesized by sol-gel process in one step heating and varied pH

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

Triwibowo, J., E-mail: joko.triwibowo@lipi.go.id; Yuniarti, E.; Suharyadi, E.

2014-09-25

This research has been done on the synthesis of carbon coated LiFePO{sub 4} through sol-gel process. Carbon layer serves for improving electronic conductivity, while the variation of pH in the sol-gel process is intended to obtain the morphology of the material that may improve battery performance. LiFePO{sub 4}/C precursors are Li{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, NH{sub 4}H{sub 2}PO{sub 4} and FeC{sub 2}O{sub 4}.H{sub 2}O and citric acid. In the synthesis process, consisting of a colloidal suspension FeC{sub 2}O{sub 4}.H{sub 2}O and distilled water mixed with a colloidal suspension consisting of NH{sub 4}H{sub 2}PO{sub 4}, Li{sub 2}CO{sub 3}, and distilled water. Variations additionmore » of citric acid is used to control the pH of the gel formed by mixing two colloidal suspensions. Sol in this study had a pH of 5, 5.4 and 5.8. The obtained wet gel is further dried in the oven and then sintered at a temperature 700°C for 10 hours. The resulting material is further characterized by XRD to determine the phases formed. The resulting powder morphology is observed through SEM. Specific surface area of the powder was tested by BET, while the electronic conductivity characterized with EIS.« less

Digital 3D Microstructure Analysis of Concrete using X-Ray Micro Computed Tomography SkyScan 1173: A Preliminary Study

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latief, F. D. E.; Mohammad, I. H.; Rarasati, A. D.

2017-11-01

Digital imaging of a concrete sample using high resolution tomographic imaging by means of X-Ray Micro Computed Tomography (μ-CT) has been conducted to assess the characteristic of the sample’s structure. A standard procedure of image acquisition, reconstruction, image processing of the method using a particular scanning device i.e., the Bruker SkyScan 1173 High Energy Micro-CT are elaborated. A qualitative and a quantitative analysis were briefly performed on the sample to deliver some basic ideas of the capability of the system and the bundled software package. Calculation of total VOI volume, object volume, percent of object volume, total VOI surface, object surface, object surface/volume ratio, object surface density, structure thickness, structure separation, total porosity were conducted and analysed. This paper should serve as a brief description of how the device can produce the preferred image quality as well as the ability of the bundled software packages to help in performing qualitative and quantitative analysis.

Study of diamond film growth and properties

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Albin, Sacharial

1990-01-01

The objective was to study diamond film growth and its properties in order to enhance the laser damage threshold of substrate materials. Calculations were performed to evaluate laser induced thermal stress parameter, R(sub T) of diamond. It is found that diamond has several orders of magnitude higher in value for R(sub T) compared to other materials. Thus, the laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) of diamond is much higher. Diamond films were grown using a microwave plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (MPECVD) system at various conditions of gas composition, pressure, temperature, and substrate materials. A 0.5 percent CH4 in H2 at 20 torr were ideal conditions for growing of high quality diamond films on substrates maintained at 900 C. The diamond films were polycrystalline which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Raman scattering spectroscopy. The top surface of the growing film is always rough due to the facets of polycrystalline film while the back surface of the film replicates the substrate surface. An analytical model based on two dimensional periodic heat flow was developed to calculate the effective in-plane (face parallel) diffusivity of a two layer system. The effective diffusivity of diamond/silicon samples was measured using a laser pulse technique. The thermal conductivity of the films was measured to be 13.5 W/cm K, which is better than that of a type Ia natural diamond. Laser induced damage experiments were performed on bare Si substrates, diamond film coated Si, and diamond film windows. Significant improvements in the LIDT were obtained for diamond film coated Si compared to the bare Si.

Conductive sub-layer of twisted-tape-induced swirl-flow heat transfer in vertical circular tubes with various twisted-tape inserts

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hata, K.; Fukuda, K.; Masuzaki, S.

2018-04-01

Twisted-tape-induced swirl-flow heat transfer due to exponentially increasing heat inputs with various exponential periods ( Q = Q 0 exp(t/τ), τ = 6.04 to 23.07 s) and twisted-tape-induced pressure drop was systematically measured for various mass velocities ( G = 4115 to 13,656 kg/m2 s), inlet liquid temperatures ( T in = 285.88 to 299.09 K), and inlet pressures ( P in = 847.45 to 943.29 kPa) using an experimental water loop flow. Measurements were made over a 59.2-mm effective length and three sections (upper, middle, and lower positions), within which four potential taps were spot-welded onto the outer surface of a 6-mm-inner-diameter, 69.6-mm-heated length, 0.4-mm-thickness platinum circular test tube. Type SUS304 twisted tapes with a width w = 5.6 mm, a thickness δ T = 0.6 mm, a total length l = 372 mm, and twist ratios y = 2.39 and 4.45 were employed in this study. The RANS equations (Reynolds Averaged Navier-Stokes Simulation) with a k-ɛ turbulence model for a circular tube 6 mm in diameter and 636 mm in length were numerically solved for heating of water with a heated section 6 mm in diameter and 70 mm in length using the CFD code, under the same conditions as the experimental ones and considering the temperature dependence of the thermo-physical properties concerned. The theoretical values of surface heat flux q on the circular tubes with twisted tapes with twist ratios y of 2.39 and 4.45 were found to be almost in agreement with the corresponding experimental values of heat flux q, with deviations of less than 30% for the range of temperature difference between the average heater inner surface temperature and the liquid bulk mean temperature ΔT L [ = T s,av - T L , T L = ( T in + T out )/2] considered in this study. The theoretical values of the local surface temperature T s , local average liquid temperature T f,av , and local liquid pressure drop ΔP x were found to be within almost 15% of the corresponding experimental ones. The thickness of the conductive sub-layer δ CSL and the nondimensional thickness of the conductive sub-layer y + CSL on the circular tubes with various twisted-tape inserts were determined on the basis of numerical solutions for the swirl velocities u sw ranging from 5.23 to 21.18 m/s. Correlations between the conductive sub-layer thickness δ CSL and the nondimensional thickness of the conductive sub-layer y + CSL for twisted-tape-induced swirl-flow heat transfer in a vertical circular tube were derived.

Visible light surface emitting semiconductor laser

DOEpatents

Olbright, Gregory R.; Jewell, Jack L.

1993-01-01

A vertical-cavity surface-emitting laser is disclosed comprising a laser cavity sandwiched between two distributed Bragg reflectors. The laser cavity comprises a pair of spacer layers surrounding one or more active, optically emitting quantum-well layers having a bandgap in the visible which serve as the active optically emitting material of the device. The thickness of the laser cavity is m .lambda./2n.sub.eff where m is an integer, .lambda. is the free-space wavelength of the laser radiation and n.sub.eff is the effective index of refraction of the cavity. Electrical pumping of the laser is achieved by heavily doping the bottom mirror and substrate to one conductivity-type and heavily doping regions of the upper mirror with the opposite conductivity type to form a diode structure and applying a suitable voltage to the diode structure. Specific embodiments of the invention for generating red, green, and blue radiation are described.

Remote Raman - laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) geochemical investigation under Venus atmospheric conditions

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

Clegg, Sanuel M; Barefield, James E; Humphries, Seth D

2010-12-13

The extreme Venus surface temperatures ({approx}740 K) and atmospheric pressures ({approx}93 atm) create a challenging environment for surface missions. Scientific investigations capable of Venus geochemical observations must be completed within hours of landing before the lander will be overcome by the harsh atmosphere. A combined remote Raman - LIBS (Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy) instrument is capable of accomplishing the geochemical science goals without the risks associated with collecting samples and bringing them into the lander. Wiens et al. and Sharma et al. demonstrated that both analytical techniques can be integrated into a single instrument capable of planetary missions. The focusmore » of this paper is to explore the capability to probe geologic samples with Raman - LIBS and demonstrate quantitative analysis under Venus surface conditions. Raman and LIBS are highly complementary analytical techniques capable of detecting both the mineralogical and geochemical composition of Venus surface materials. These techniques have the potential to profoundly increase our knowledge of the Venus surface composition, which is currently limited to geochemical data from Soviet Venera and VEGA landers that collectively suggest a surface composition that is primarily tholeiitic basaltic with some potentially more evolved compositions and, in some locations, K-rich trachyandesite. These landers were not equipped to probe the surface mineralogy as can be accomplished with Raman spectroscopy. Based on the observed compositional differences and recognizing the imprecise nature of the existing data, 15 samples were chosen to constitute a Venus-analog suite for this study, including five basalts, two each of andesites, dacites, and sulfates, and single samples of a foidite, trachyandesite, rhyolite, and basaltic trachyandesite under Venus conditions. LIBS data reduction involved generating a partial least squares (PLS) model with a subset of the rock powder standards to quantitatively determine the major elemental abundance of the remaining samples. PLS analysis suggests that the major element compositions can be determined with root mean square errors ca. 5% (absolute) for SiO{sub 2}, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}(total), MgO, and CaO, and ca. 2% or less for TiO{sub 2}, Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}, MnO, K{sub 2}O, and Na{sub 2}O. Finally, the Raman experiments have been conducted under supercritical CO{sub 2} involving single-mineral and mixed-mineral samples containing talc, olivine, pyroxenes, feldspars, anhydrite, barite, and siderite. The Raman data have shown that the individual minerals can easily be identified individually or in mixtures.« less

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

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

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

2016-05-06

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

Synthesis and CO{sub 2} adsorption study of modified MOF-5 with multi-wall carbon nanotubes and expandable graphite

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

Ullah, Sami, E-mail: samichemist1@gmail.com, E-mail: azmibustam@petronas.com.my, E-mail: azmish@petronas.com.my, E-mail: lkhlfh@gmail.com, E-mail: hmurshid@gmail.com, E-mail: nadiariazz@gmail.com; Bustam, M. A., E-mail: samichemist1@gmail.com, E-mail: azmibustam@petronas.com.my, E-mail: azmish@petronas.com.my, E-mail: lkhlfh@gmail.com, E-mail: hmurshid@gmail.com, E-mail: nadiariazz@gmail.com; Shariff, A. M., E-mail: samichemist1@gmail.com, E-mail: azmibustam@petronas.com.my, E-mail: azmish@petronas.com.my, E-mail: lkhlfh@gmail.com, E-mail: hmurshid@gmail.com, E-mail: nadiariazz@gmail.com

2014-10-24

MOF-5 was synthesized by solvothermal method and its reactivation under anhydrous conditions. This research is conducted to investigate the effect of MOF-5 and MOF-5 modified with multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and expandable graphite (EG) on the performance of CO{sub 2} adsorption. The synthesized MOFs were characterized using Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) for surface morphology, Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) for thermal stability, X-ray diffraction (XRD) for crystals plane, Brunauer-Emmet-Teller (BET) for surface area and CO{sub 2} adsorption. The result had showed that the modified MOF-5 enhanced the CO{sub 2} adsorption compared to the pure MOF-5. The increment in the CO{submore » 2} uptake capacities of MOF materials was attributed to the decrease in the pore size and enhancement of micropore volume of MOF-5 by multi-walled carbon nanotube and EG incorporation. The BET surface area of the synthesized MOF-5@MWCNTs is more than MOF-5. The CO{sub 2} sorption capacities of MOF-5 and MOF-5@MWCNTs were observed to increase from 0.00008 to 0.00048 mol g-1 at 298 K and 1 bar. The modified MOF-5@MWCNTs resulted in the highest CO{sub 2} adsorption followed by the modified MOF-5@ EG and lastly, MOF-5.« less

Electromagnetic Surveying in the Mangrove Lakes Region of Everglades National Park

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Whitman, D.; Price, R.; Frankovich, T.; Fourqurean, J.

2015-12-01

The Mangrove Lakes are an interconnected set of shallow (~ 1m), brackish lake and creek systems on the southern margin of the Everglades adjacent to Florida Bay. Current efforts associated with the Comprehensive Everglades Restoration Plan (CERP) aim to increase freshwater flow into this region. This study describes preliminary results of geophysical surveys in the lakes conducted to assess changes in the groundwater chemistry as part of a larger hydrologic and geochemical study in the Everglades Lakes region. Marine geophysical profiles were conducted in Alligator Creek (West Lake) and McCormick Creek systems in May, 2014. Data included marine electromagnetic (EM) profiles and soundings, water depth measurements, surface water conductivity and salinity measurements. A GSSI Profiler EMP-400 multi-frequency EM conductivity meter continuously recorded in-phase and quadrature field components at 1, 8, and 15 KHz. The system was deployed in a flat bottomed plastic kayak towed behind a motorized skiff. Lake water depths were continuously measured with a sounder/chart plotter which was calibrated with periodic sounding rod measurements. At periodic intervals during the survey, the profiling was stopped and surface water conductivity, temperature and salinity are recorded with a portable YSI probe on the tow boat. Over 40,000 discrete 3-frequency EM measurements were collected. The data were inverted to 2-layer models representing the water layer thickness and conductivity and the lake bottom conductivity. At spot locations, models were constrained with water depth soundings and surface water conductivity measurements. At other locations along the profiles, the water depth and conductivity were allowed to be free, but the free models were generally consistent with the constrained models. Multilayer sub-bottom models were also explored but were found to be poorly constrained. In West Lake, sub-bottom conductivities decreased from 400 mS/m in the west to 200 mS/m in the east indicating a general W to E decrease in groundwater salinity. In the McCormick Creek system, sub-bottom conductivities increased from 200 mS/m at the north end of Seven Palm Lake to over 650 mS/m at the southern end of Monroe Lake indicating a general N to S increase in ground water salinity. Additional profiles are planned in August, 2015.

HfO2 Gate Dielectric on (NH4)2S Passivated (100) GaAs Grown by Atomic Layer Deposition

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

Chen, P.T.; /Stanford U., Materials Sci. Dept.; Sun, Y.

2007-09-28

The interface between hafnium oxide grown by atomic layer deposition and (100) GaAs treated with HCl cleaning and (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S passivation has been characterized. Synchrotron radiation photoemission core level spectra indicated successful removal of the native oxides and formation of passivating sulfides on the GaAs surface. Layer-by-layer removal of the hafnia film revealed a small amount of As{sub 2}O{sub 3} formed at the interface during the dielectric deposition. Traces of arsenic and sulfur out-diffusion into the hafnia film were observed after a 450 C post-deposition anneal, and may be the origins for the electrically active defects. Transmission electron microscopymore » cross section images showed thicker HfO{sub 2} films for a given precursor exposure on S-treated GaAs versus the non-treated sample. In addition, the valence-band and the conduction-band offsets at the HfO{sub 2}/GaAs interface were deduced to be 3.18 eV and a range of 0.87-0.97 eV, respectively. It appears that HCl+(NH{sub 4})2{sub S} treatments provide a superior chemical passivation for GaAs and initial surface for ALD deposition.« less

Metal-assisted chemical etch porous silicon formation method

DOEpatents

Li, Xiuling; Bohn, Paul W.; Sweedler, Jonathan V.

2004-09-14

A thin discontinuous layer of metal such as Au, Pt, or Au/Pd is deposited on a silicon surface. The surface is then etched in a solution including HF and an oxidant for a brief period, as little as a couple seconds to one hour. A preferred oxidant is H.sub.2 O.sub.2. Morphology and light emitting properties of porous silicon can be selectively controlled as a function of the type of metal deposited, Si doping type, silicon doping level, and/or etch time. Electrical assistance is unnecessary during the chemical etching of the invention, which may be conducted in the presence or absence of illumination.

Arc Jet Test and Analysis of Asbestos Free Solid Rocket Motor Nozzle Dome Ablative Materials

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Clayton, J. Louie

2017-01-01

Asbestos free solid motor internal insulation samples were recently tested at the MSFC Hyperthermal Arc Jet Facility. Objectives of the test were to gather data for solid rocket motor analog characterization of ablative and in-depth thermal performance of rubber materials subject to high enthalpy/pressure flow conditions. Tests were conducted over a range of convective heat fluxes for both inert and chemically reactive sub-sonic free stream gas flow. Active instrumentation included use of total calorimeters, in-depth thermocouples, and a surface pyrometer for in-situ surface temperature measurement. Post-test sample forensics involved determination of eroded depth, charred depth, total sample weight loss, and documentation of the general condition of the eroded profile. A complete Charring Material Ablator (CMA) style aero thermal analysis was conducted for the test matrix and results compared to the measured data. In general, comparisons were possible for a number of the cases and the results show a limited predictive ability to model accurately both the ablative response and the in-depth temperature profiles. Lessons learned and modeling recommendations are made regarding future testing and modeling improvements that will increase understanding of the basic chemistry/physics associated with the complicated material ablation process of rubber materials.

Identifying Key Issues and Potential Solutions for Integrated Arrival, Departure, Surface Operations by Surveying Stakeholder Preferences

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Aponso, Bimal; Coppenbarger, Richard A.; Jung, Yoon; Quon, Leighton; Lohr, Gary; O’Connor, Neil; Engelland, Shawn

2015-01-01

NASA's Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate (ARMD) collaborates with the FAA and industry to provide concepts and technologies that enhance the transition to the next-generation air-traffic management system (NextGen). To facilitate this collaboration, ARMD has a series of Airspace Technology Demonstration (ATD) sub-projects that develop, demonstrate, and transitions NASA technologies and concepts for implementation in the National Airspace System (NAS). The second of these sub-projects, ATD-2, is focused on the potential benefits to NAS stakeholders of integrated arrival, departure, surface (IADS) operations. To determine the project objectives and assess the benefits of a potential solution, NASA surveyed NAS stakeholders to understand the existing issues in arrival, departure, and surface operations, and the perceived benefits of better integrating these operations. NASA surveyed a broad cross-section of stakeholders representing the airlines, airports, air-navigation service providers, and industry providers of NAS tools. The survey indicated that improving the predictability of flight times (schedules) could improve efficiency in arrival, departure, and surface operations. Stakeholders also mentioned the need for better strategic and tactical information on traffic constraints as well as better information sharing and a coupled collaborative planning process that allows stakeholders to coordinate IADS operations. To assess the impact of a potential solution, NASA sketched an initial departure scheduling concept and assessed its viability by surveying a select group of stakeholders for a second time. The objective of the departure scheduler was to enable flights to move continuously from gate to cruise with minimal interruption in a busy metroplex airspace environment using strategic and tactical scheduling enhanced by collaborative planning between airlines and service providers. The stakeholders agreed that this departure concept could improve schedule predictability and suggested several key attributes that were necessary to make the concept successful. The goals and objectives of the planned ATD-2 sub-project will incorporate the results of this stakeholder feedback.

Characterization of electrical conductivity of carbon fiber reinforced plastic using surface potential distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kikunaga, Kazuya; Terasaki, Nao

2018-04-01

A new method of evaluating electrical conductivity in a structural material such as carbon fiber reinforced plastic (CFRP) using surface potential is proposed. After the CFRP was charged by corona discharge, the surface potential distribution was measured by scanning a vibrating linear array sensor along the object surface with a high spatial resolution over a short duration. A correlation between the weave pattern of the CFRP and the surface potential distribution was observed. This result indicates that it is possible to evaluate the electrical conductivity of a material comprising conducting and insulating regions.

Improvement of electron mobility in La:BaSnO{sub 3} thin films by insertion of an atomically flat insulating (Sr,Ba)SnO{sub 3} buffer layer

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

Shiogai, Junichi, E-mail: junichi.shiogai@imr.tohoku.ac.jp; Nishihara, Kazuki; Sato, Kazuhisa

One perovskite oxide, ASnO{sub 3} (A = Sr, Ba), is a candidate for use as a transparent conductive oxide with high electron mobility in single crystalline form. However, the electron mobility of films grown on SrTiO{sub 3} substrates does not reach the bulk value, probably because of dislocation scattering that originates from the large lattice mismatch. This study investigates the effect of insertion of bilayer BaSnO{sub 3} / (Sr,Ba)SnO{sub 3} for buffering this large lattice mismatch between La:BaSnO{sub 3} and SrTiO{sub 3} substrate. The insertion of 200-nm-thick BaSnO{sub 3} on (Sr,Ba)SnO{sub 3} bilayer buffer structures reduces the number of dislocationsmore » and improves surface smoothness of the films after annealing as proved respectively by scanning transmission electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. A systematic investigation of BaSnO{sub 3} buffer layer thickness dependence on Hall mobility of the electron transport in La:BaSnO{sub 3} shows that the highest obtained value of mobility is 78 cm{sup 2}V{sup −1}s{sup −1} because of its fewer dislocations. High electron mobility films based on perovskite BaSnO{sub 3} can provide a good platform for transparent-conducting-oxide electronic devices and for creation of fascinating perovskite heterostructures.« less

Phosphate glass useful in high power lasers

DOEpatents

Hayden, Joseph S.; Sapak, David L.; Ward, Julia M.

1990-01-01

A low- or no-silica phosphate glass useful as a laser medium and having a high thermal conductivity, K.sub.90.degree. C. >0.8 W/mK, and a low coefficient of thermal expansion, .alpha..sub.20.degree.-40.degree. C. <80.times.10.sup.-7 /.degree.C., consists essentially of (on a batch composition basis): the amounts of Li.sub.2 O and Na.sub.2 O providing an average alkali metal ionic radius sufficiently low whereby said glass has K.sub.90.degree. C. >0.8 W/mK and .alpha..sub.20.degree.-40.degree. C. <80.times.10.sup.-7 /.degree.C., and wherein, when the batch composition is melted in contact with a silica-containing surface, the final glass composition contains at most about 3.5 mole % of additional silica derived from such contact during melting. The Nd.sub.2 O.sub.3 can be replaced by other lasing species.

Sintering of BaCe(sub 0.85)Y(sub 0.15)O(sub 3-delta) with/without SrTiO3 Dopant

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dynys, F.; Sayir, A.; Heimann, P. J.

2004-01-01

The perovskite composition, BaCe(sub 0.85)Y(sub 0.15)O(sub 3-delta), displays excellent protonic conduction at high temperatures making it a desirable candidate for hydrogen separation membranes. This paper reports on the sintering behavior of BaCe(sub 0.85)Y(sub 0.15)O(sub 3-delta) powders doped with SrTiO3. Two methods were used to synthesize BaCe(sub 0.85)Y(sub 0.15)O(sub 3-delta) powders: (1) solid state reaction and (2) wet chemical co-precipitation. Co-precipitated powder crystallized into the perovskite phase at 1000 C for 4 hrs. Complete reaction and crystallization of the perovskite phase by solid state was achieved by calcining at 1200 C for 24 hrs. Solid state synthesis produced a coarser powder with an average particle size of 1.3 microns and surface area of 0.74 sq m/g. Co-precipitation produced a finer powder with a average particle size of 65 nm and surface area of 14.9 sq m/g. Powders were doped with 1, 2, 5, and 10 mole % SrTiO3. Samples were sintered at 1450 C, 1550 C and 1650 C. SrTiO3 enhances sintering, optimal dopant level is different for powders synthesized by solid state and co-precipitation. Both powders exhibit similar grain growth behavior. Dopant levels of 5 and 10 mole % SrTiO3 significantly enhances the grain size.

Biofilm growth on polyvinylchloride surface incubated in suboptimal microbial warm water and effect of sanitizers on biofilm removal post biofilm formation

USDA-ARS?s Scientific Manuscript database

An in vitro experiment was conducted to understand the nature of biofilm growth on polyvinyl chloride (PVC) surface when exposed to sub optimal quality microbial water (> 4 log10 cfu/ml) obtained from poultry drinking water source mimicking water in waterlines during the first week of poultry broodi...

Numerical investigation of CO{sub 2} emission and thermal stability of a convective and radiative stockpile of reactive material in a cylindrical pipe of variable thermal conductivity

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

Lebelo, Ramoshweu Solomon, E-mail: sollyl@vut.ac.za

In this paper the CO{sub 2} emission and thermal stability in a long cylindrical pipe of combustible reactive material with variable thermal conductivity are investigated. It is assumed that the cylindrical pipe loses heat by both convection and radiation at the surface. The nonlinear differential equations governing the problem are tackled numerically using Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method coupled with shooting technique method. The effects of various thermophysical parameters on the temperature and carbon dioxide fields, together with critical conditions for thermal ignition are illustrated and discussed quantitatively.

Quantified activity pattern data from 6 to 27-month-old farmworker children for use in exposure assessment.

PubMed

Beamer, Paloma; Key, Maya E; Ferguson, Alesia C; Canales, Robert A; Auyeung, Willa; Leckie, James O

2008-10-01

This study was conducted to describe exposure prone behaviors of infants and toddlers in the farmworker community. Analysis of hand and mouth contact frequencies and durations aids understanding of how children interact with their environment and are exposed via contact with surfaces. All 23 participating children (8 female infants, 5 male infants, 5 female toddlers and 5 male toddlers) lived with at least one farmworker. Children were videotaped at home for 2-6 h. Video footage was translated into micro-level activity time series (MLATS) for both hands and the mouth. MLATS were processed to calculate hourly duration in microenvironments, contact frequency, hourly contact duration and median contact duration. The median hourly duration spent indoors was 53 min/h. The median hand-to-mouth frequency was 15.2 events/h and the median object-to-mouth frequency was 27.2 events/h. The hourly mouthing duration was 1.2 and 2.2 min/h with the hands and objects, respectively. The median mouthing duration with hands and objects was 2 s. The median contact frequency for both hands combined was 689.4 events/h with an hourly contact duration of 100.5 min/h and a median contact duration of 3s. Infants had higher mouthing frequencies with non-dietary objects while toddlers had higher mouthing frequencies with objects associated with pica (i.e., paper). Boys had higher contact frequencies while girls had longer contact durations. These sub-group differences indicate factors such as age and gender should be accounted for when conducting exposure assessments. Contact frequencies in this study are higher than current US EPA recommendations, questioning their protective value for infants and toddlers.

Quantified Activity Pattern Data from 6-to-27-Month-Old Farmworker Children for Use in Exposure Assessment

PubMed Central

Beamer, Paloma; Key, Maya E.; Ferguson, Alesia C.; Canales, Robert A.; Auyeung, Willa; Leckie, James O.

2008-01-01

This study was conducted to describe exposure prone behaviors of infants and toddlers in the farmworker community. Analysis of hand and mouth contact frequencies and durations aids understanding of how children interact with their environment and are exposed via contact with surfaces. All 23 participating children (8 female infants, 5 male infants, 5 female toddlers and 5 male toddlers) lived with at least one farmworker. Children were videotaped at home for 2–6 hours. Video footage was translated into micro- level activity time series (MLATS) for both hands and the mouth. MLATS were processed to calculate hourly duration in microenvironments, contact frequency, hourly contact duration and median contact duration. The median hourly duration spent indoors was 53 min/hr. The median hand-to-mouth frequency was 15.2 events/hr and the median object-to-mouth frequency was 27.2 events/hr. The hourly mouthing duration was 1.2 and 2.2 min/hr with the hands and objects respectively. The median mouthing duration with hands and objects was 2 seconds. The median contact frequency for both hands combined was 689.4 events/hr with an hourly contact duration of 100.5 min/hr and a median contact duration of 3 seconds. Infants had higher mouthing frequencies with non-dietary objects while toddlers had higher mouthing frequencies with objects associated with pica (i.e., paper). Boys had higher contact frequencies while girls had longer contact durations. These sub-group differences indicate factors such as age and gender should be accounted for when conducting exposure assessments. Contact frequencies in this study are higher than current U.S. EPA recommendations, questioning their protective value for infants and toddlers. PMID:18723168

WISE/NEOWISE OBSERVATIONS OF THE JOVIAN TROJAN POPULATION: TAXONOMY

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

Grav, T.; Mainzer, A. K.; Bauer, J. M.

2012-11-01

We present updated/new thermal model fits for 478 Jovian Trojan asteroids observed with the Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE). Using the fact that the two shortest bands used by WISE, centered on 3.4 and 4.6 {mu}m, are dominated by reflected light, we derive albedos of a significant fraction of these objects in these bands. While the visible albedos of both the C-, P-, and D-type asteroids are strikingly similar, the WISE data reveal that the albedo at 3.4 {mu}m is different between C-/P- and D-types. The albedo at 3.4 {mu}m can thus be used to classify the objects, with C-/P-typesmore » having values less than 10% and D-types have values larger than 10%. Classifying all objects larger than 50 km shows that the D-type objects dominate both the leading cloud (L {sub 4}), with a fraction of 84%, and trailing cloud (L {sub 5}), with a fraction of 71%-80%. The two clouds thus have very similar taxonomic distribution for these large objects, but the leading cloud has a larger number of these large objects, L {sub 4}/L {sub 5} = 1.34. The taxonomic distribution of the Jovian Trojans is found to be different from that of the large Hildas, which is dominated by C- and P-type objects. At smaller sizes, the fraction of D-type Hildas starts increasing, showing more similarities with the Jovian Trojans. If this similarity is confirmed through deeper surveys, it could hold important clues to the formation and evolution of the two populations. The Jovian Trojans does have similar taxonomic distribution to that of the Jovian irregular satellites, but lacks the ultra red surfaces found among the Saturnian irregular satellites and Centaur population.« less

Sensitivity of High-Resolution Simulations of Hurricane Bob (1991) to Planetary Boundary Layer Parameterizations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Braun, Scott A.; Tao, Wei-Kuo

1999-01-01

The MM5 mesoscale model is used to simulate Hurricane Bob (1991) using grids nested to high resolution (4 km). Tests are conducted to determine the sensitivity of the simulation to the available planetary boundary layer parameterizations, including the bulk-aerodynamic, Blackadar, Medium-RanGe Forecast (MRF) model, and Burk-Thompson boundary-layer schemes. Significant sensitivity is seen, with minimum central pressures varying by up to 17 mb. The Burk-Thompson and bulk-aerodynamic boundary-layer schemes produced the strongest storms while the MRF scheme produced the weakest storm. Precipitation structure of the simulated hurricanes also varied substantially with the boundary layer parameterizations. Diagnostics of boundary-layer variables indicated that the intensity of the simulated hurricanes generally increased as the ratio of the surface exchange coefficients for heat and momentum, C(sub h)/C(sub M), although the manner in which the vertical mixing takes place was also important. Findings specific to the boundary-layer schemes include: 1) the MRF scheme produces mixing that is too deep and causes drying of the lower boundary layer in the inner-core region of the hurricane; 2) the bulk-aerodynamic scheme produces mixing that is probably too shallow, but results in a strong hurricane because of a large value of C(sub h)/C(sub M) (approximately 1.3); 3) the MRF and Blackadar schemes are weak partly because of smaller surface moisture fluxes that result in a reduced value of C(sub h)/C(sub M) (approximately 0.7); 4) the Burk-Thompson scheme produces a strong storm with C(sub h)/C(sub M) approximately 1; and 5) the formulation of the wind-speed dependence of the surface roughness parameter, z(sub 0), is important for getting appropriate values of the surface exchange coefficients in hurricanes based upon current estimates of these parameters.

National Air Space (NAS) Data Exchange Environment Through 2060

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roy, Aloke

2015-01-01

NASA's NextGen Concepts and Technology Development (CTD) Project focuses on capabilities to improve safety, capacity and efficiency of the National Air Space (NAS). In order to achieve those objectives, NASA sought industry-Government partnerships to research and identify solutions for traffic flow management, dynamic airspace configuration, separation assurance, super density operations, airport surface operations and similar forward-looking air-traffic modernization (ATM) concepts. Data exchanges over NAS being the key enabler for most of these ATM concepts, the Sub-Topic area 3 of the CTD project sought to identify technology candidates that can satisfy air-to-air and air/ground communications needs of the NAS in the year 2060 timeframe. Honeywell, under a two-year contract with NASA, is working on this communications technology research initiative. This report summarizes Honeywell's research conducted during the second year of the study task.

Study of benzotriazole as corrosion inhibitors of carbon steel in chloride solution containing hydrogen sulfide using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS)

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

Solehudin, Agus, E-mail: asolehudin@upi.edu; Nurdin, Isdiriayani

2014-03-24

Corrosion and inhibition studies on API 5LX65 carbon steel in chloride solution containing various concentrations of benzotriazole has been conducted at temperature of 70°C using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS). Corroded carbon steel surface with and without inhibitor have been observed using X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS). The objectives of this research are to study the performance of benzotriazole as corrosion inhibitors. The experimental results of carbon steel corrosion in 3.5% NaCl solution containing 500 mg/l H{sub 2}S at different BTAH concentrations showed that corrosion rate of carbon steel decreases with increasing of BTAHmore » concentrations from 0 to 10 mmol/l. The inhibition efficiency of BTAH was found to be affected by its concentration. The optimum efficiency obtained of BTAH is 93% at concentration of 5 mmol/l. The result of XRD and EDS analysis reveal the iron sulfide (FeS) formation on corroded carbon steel surface without inhibitor. The EDS spectrum show the Nitrogen (N) bond on carbon steel surface inhibited by BTAH.« less

Infrared study of CO{sub 2} sorption over 'molecular basket' sorbent consisting of polyethylenimine-modified mesoporous molecular sieve

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

Wang, X.X.; Schwartz, V.; Clark, J.C.

2009-04-15

An infrared study has been conducted on CO{sub 2} sorption into nanoporous CO{sub 2} 'molecular basket' sorbents prepared by loading polyethylenimine (PEI) into mesoporous molecular sieve SBA-15. IR results from DRIFTS showed that a part of loaded PEI is anchored on the surface of SBA-15 through the interaction between amine groups and isolated surface silanol groups. Raising the temperature from 25 to 75{sup o}C increased the molecular flexibility of PEI loaded in the mesopore channels, which may partly contribute to the increase of CO{sub 2} sorption capacity at higher temperatures. CO{sub 2} sorption/desorption behavior studied by in situ transmission FTIRmore » showed that CO{sub 2} is sorbed on amine sites through the formation of alkylammonium carbamates and absorbed into the multiple layers of PEI located in mesopores of SBA-15. A new observation by in situ IR is that two broad IR bands emerged at 2450 and 2160 cm{sup -1} with CO{sub 2} flowing over PEI(50)/SBA-15, which could be attributed to chemically sorbed CO{sub 2} species on PEI molecules inside the mesopores of SBA-15. The intensities of these two bands also increased with increasing CO{sub 2} exposure time and with raising CO{sub 2} sorption temperature. By comparison of the CO{sub 2} sorption rate at 25 and 75{sup o}C in terms of differential IR intensities, it was found that CO{sub 2} sorption over molecular basket sorbent includes two rate regimes which suggest two distinct steps: rapid sorption on exposed outer surface layers of PEI (controlled by sorption affinity or thermodynamics) and the diffusion and sorption inside the bulk of multiple layers of PEI (controlled by diffusion). The sorption of CO{sub 2} is reversible at 75{sup o}C.« less

Isotope analysis of diamond-surface passivation effect of high-temperature H{sub 2}O-grown atomic layer deposition-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films

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

Hiraiwa, Atsushi, E-mail: hiraiwa@aoni.waseda.jp, E-mail: qs4a-hriw@asahi-net.or.jp; Saito, Tatsuya; Matsumura, Daisuke

2015-06-07

The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film formed using an atomic layer deposition (ALD) method with trimethylaluminum as Al precursor and H{sub 2}O as oxidant at a high temperature (450 °C) effectively passivates the p-type surface conduction (SC) layer specific to a hydrogen-terminated diamond surface, leading to a successful operation of diamond SC field-effect transistors at 400 °C. In order to investigate this excellent passivation effect, we carried out an isotope analysis using D{sub 2}O instead of H{sub 2}O in the ALD and found that the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} film formed at a conventional temperature (100 °C) incorporates 50 times more CH{sub 3} groups thanmore » the high-temperature film. This CH{sub 3} is supposed to dissociate from the film when heated afterwards at a higher temperature (550 °C) and causes peeling patterns on the H-terminated surface. The high-temperature film is free from this problem and has the largest mass density and dielectric constant among those investigated in this study. The isotope analysis also unveiled a relatively active H-exchange reaction between the diamond H-termination and H{sub 2}O oxidant during the high-temperature ALD, the SC still being kept intact. This dynamic and yet steady H termination is realized by the suppressed oxidation due to the endothermic reaction with H{sub 2}O. Additionally, we not only observed the kinetic isotope effect in the form of reduced growth rate of D{sub 2}O-oxidant ALD but found that the mass density and dielectric constant of D{sub 2}O-grown Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films are smaller than those of H{sub 2}O-grown films. This is a new type of isotope effect, which is not caused by the presence of isotopes in the films unlike the traditional isotope effects that originate from the presence of isotopes itself. Hence, the high-temperature ALD is very effective in forming Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films as a passivation and/or gate-insulation layer of high-temperature-operation diamond SC devices, and the knowledge of the aforementioned new isotope effect will be a basis for further enhancing ALD technologies in general.« less

Minimizing distortion and internal forces in truss structures by simulated annealing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kincaid, Rex K.

1989-01-01

Inaccuracies in the length of members and the diameters of joints of large truss reflector backup structures may produce unacceptable levels of surface distortion and member forces. However, if the member lengths and joint diameters can be measured accurately it is possible to configure the members and joints so that root-mean-square (rms) surface error and/or rms member forces is minimized. Following Greene and Haftka (1989) it is assumed that the force vector f is linearly proportional to the member length errors e(sub M) of dimension NMEMB (the number of members) and joint errors e(sub J) of dimension NJOINT (the number of joints), and that the best-fit displacement vector d is a linear function of f. Let NNODES denote the number of positions on the surface of the truss where error influences are measured. The solution of the problem is discussed. To classify, this problem was compared to a similar combinatorial optimization problem. In particular, when only the member length errors are considered, minimizing d(sup 2)(sub rms) is equivalent to the quadratic assignment problem. The quadratic assignment problem is a well known NP-complete problem in operations research literature. Hence minimizing d(sup 2)(sub rms) is is also an NP-complete problem. The focus of the research is the development of a simulated annealing algorithm to reduce d(sup 2)(sub rms). The plausibility of this technique is its recent success on a variety of NP-complete combinatorial optimization problems including the quadratic assignment problem. A physical analogy for simulated annealing is the way liquids freeze and crystallize. All computational experiments were done on a MicroVAX. The two interchange heuristic is very fast but produces widely varying results. The two and three interchange heuristic provides less variability in the final objective function values but runs much more slowly. Simulated annealing produced the best objective function values for every starting configuration and was faster than the two and three interchange heuristic.

Effective Detection of Sub-Surface Archeological Features from Laser Scanning Point Clouds and Imagery Data

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fryskowska, A.; Kedzierski, M.; Walczykowski, P.; Wierzbicki, D.; Delis, P.; Lada, A.

2017-08-01

The archaeological heritage is non-renewable, and any invasive research or other actions leading to the intervention of mechanical or chemical into the ground lead to the destruction of the archaeological site in whole or in part. For this reason, modern archeology is looking for alternative methods of non-destructive and non-invasive methods of new objects identification. The concept of aerial archeology is relation between the presence of the archaeological site in the particular localization, and the phenomena that in the same place can be observed on the terrain surface form airborne platform. One of the most appreciated, moreover, extremely precise, methods of such measurements is airborne laser scanning. In research airborne laser scanning point cloud with a density of 5 points/sq. m was used. Additionally unmanned aerial vehicle imagery data was acquired. Test area is located in central Europe. The preliminary verification of potentially microstructures localization was the creation of digital terrain and surface models. These models gave an information about the differences in elevation, as well as regular shapes and sizes that can be related to the former settlement/sub-surface feature. The paper presents the results of the detection of potentially sub-surface microstructure fields in the forestry area.

Electrical Currents and Adhesion of Edge-Delete Regions of EVA-to-Glass Module Packaging: Preprint

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

McMahon, T. J.; Jorgensen, G. J.

2001-10-01

Presented at the 2001 NCPV Program Review Meeting: Electrical conductivity pathways from the grounded frame to the cell area in a PV module are reviewed here. Electrical conductivity pathways from the grounded frame to the cell area in a PV module are reviewed here. Measurements are made on 4 inch x 8 inch soda lime (SL) glass substrates with contact patterns defined using 3-mil and 10-mil diameter bead-blast removal of the SnO{sub 2} coating to study the dominant path, which is the EVA/glass interface. The remaining SnO{sub 2} contact strips are separated by what would simulate the module edge deletemore » regions. EVA encapsulated bead-blast surface resistances are 8 x 10{sup 15} ohm/sq compared to 8 x 10{sup 12} ohm/sq for native SL glass surfaces. Adhesion strengths to bead-blast surfaces are 25 to 30 lbs/in. Stress test results on these interfaces after removal from damp heat suggest corrosion of the glass at the glass-EVA interface.« less

Giant magnetoresistive structures based on CrO{sub 2} with epitaxial RuO{sub 2} as the spacer layer

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

Miao, G.X.; Gupta, A.; Sims, H.

2005-05-15

Epitaxial ruthenium dioxide (RuO{sub 2})/chromium dioxide(CrO{sub 2}) thin film heterostructures have been grown on (100)-TiO{sub 2} substrates by chemical vapor deposition. Both current-in-plane (CIP) and current-perpendicular-to-plane (CPP) giant magnetoresistive stacks were fabricated with either Co or another epitaxial CrO{sub 2} layer as the top electrode. The Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} barrier, which forms naturally on CrO{sub 2} surfaces, is no longer present after the RuO{sub 2} deposition, resulting in a highly conductive interface that has a resistance at least four orders of magnitude lower. However, only very limited magnetoresistance (MR) was observed. Such low MR is due to the appearance ofmore » a chemically and magnetically disordered layer at the CrO{sub 2} and RuO{sub 2} interfaces when Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3} is transformed into rutile structures during its intermixing with RuO{sub 2}.« less

C-H surface diamond field effect transistors for high temperature (400 °C) and high voltage (500 V) operation

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

Kawarada, H., E-mail: kawarada@waseda.jp; Institute of Nano-Science and Nano-Engineering, Waseda University, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-8555; Kagami Memorial Laboratory for Material Science and Technology, Waseda University, Shinjuku, Tokyo 169-0051

2014-07-07

By forming a highly stable Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} gate oxide on a C-H bonded channel of diamond, high-temperature, and high-voltage metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) has been realized. From room temperature to 400 °C (673 K), the variation of maximum drain-current is within 30% at a given gate bias. The maximum breakdown voltage (V{sub B}) of the MOSFET without a field plate is 600 V at a gate-drain distance (L{sub GD}) of 7 μm. We fabricated some MOSFETs for which V{sub B}/L{sub GD} > 100 V/μm. These values are comparable to those of lateral SiC or GaN FETs. The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} was deposited on the C-Hmore » surface by atomic layer deposition (ALD) at 450 °C using H{sub 2}O as an oxidant. The ALD at relatively high temperature results in stable p-type conduction and FET operation at 400 °C in vacuum. The drain current density and transconductance normalized by the gate width are almost constant from room temperature to 400 °C in vacuum and are about 10 times higher than those of boron-doped diamond FETs.« less

Decentralized cooperative TOA/AOA target tracking for hierarchical wireless sensor networks.

PubMed

Chen, Ying-Chih; Wen, Chih-Yu

2012-11-08

This paper proposes a distributed method for cooperative target tracking in hierarchical wireless sensor networks. The concept of leader-based information processing is conducted to achieve object positioning, considering a cluster-based network topology. Random timers and local information are applied to adaptively select a sub-cluster for the localization task. The proposed energy-efficient tracking algorithm allows each sub-cluster member to locally estimate the target position with a Bayesian filtering framework and a neural networking model, and further performs estimation fusion in the leader node with the covariance intersection algorithm. This paper evaluates the merits and trade-offs of the protocol design towards developing more efficient and practical algorithms for object position estimation.

Tubular solid oxide fuel cell current collector

DOEpatents

Bischoff, Brian L.; Sutton, Theodore G.; Armstrong, Timothy R.

2010-07-20

An internal current collector for use inside a tubular solid oxide fuel cell (TSOFC) electrode comprises a tubular coil spring disposed concentrically within a TSOFC electrode and in firm uniform tangential electrical contact with the electrode inner surface. The current collector maximizes the contact area between the current collector and the electrode. The current collector is made of a metal that is electrically conductive and able to survive under the operational conditions of the fuel cell, i.e., the cathode in air, and the anode in fuel such as hydrogen, CO, CO.sub.2, H.sub.2O or H.sub.2S.

The role of corruption and unethical behaviour in precluding the placement of industry sponsored clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa: Stakeholder views.

PubMed

Egharevba, Efe; Atkinson, Jacqueline

2016-08-15

Clinical trials still represent the gold standard in testing the safety and efficacy of new and existing treatments. However, developing regions including sub-Saharan Africa remain underrepresented in pharmaceutical industry sponsored trials for a number of reasons including fear of corruption and unethical behaviour. This fear exists both on the part of pharmaceutical companies, and investigators carrying out research in the region. The objective of this research was to understand the ethical considerations associated with the conduct of pharmaceutical industry sponsored clinical trials in sub-Saharan Africa. Corruption was identified as a significant issue by a number of stakeholders who participated in semi-structured interviews and completed questionnaires. Additionally, fear of being perceived as corrupt or unethical even when conducting ethically sound research was raised as a concern. Thus corruption, whether actual or perceived, is one of a number of issues which have precluded the placement of a greater number of pharmaceutical sponsored clinical trials in this region. More discussion around corruption with all relevant stakeholders is required in order for progress to be made and to enable greater involvement of sub-Saharan African countries in the conduct of industry sponsored clinical trials.

Fabrication of dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using annato seeds (Bixa orellana Linn)

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

Haryanto, Ditia Allindira; Landuma, Suarni; Purwanto, Agus

2014-02-24

The Fabrication of dye sensitized solar cell (DSSC) using Annato seeds has been conducted in this study. Annato seeds (Bixa orellana Linn) used as a sensitizer for dye sensitized solar cell. The experimental parameter was concentration of natural dye. Annato seeds was extracted using etanol solution and the concentration was controlled by varying mass of Annato seeds. A semiconductor TiO{sub 2} was prepared by a screen printing method for coating glass use paste of TiO{sub 2}. Construction DSSC used layered systems (sandwich) consists of working electrode (TiO{sub 2} semiconductor-dye) and counter electrode (platina). Both are placed on conductive glass andmore » electrolytes that occur electrons cycle. The characterization of thin layer of TiO{sub 2} was conducted using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscpy) analysis showed the surface morphology of TiO{sub 2} thin layer and the cross section of a thin layer of TiO{sub 2} with a thickness of 15–19 μm. Characterization of natural dye extract was determined using UV-Vis spectrometry analysis shows the wavelength range annato seeds is 328–515 nm, and the voltage (V{sub oc}) and electric current (I{sub sc}) resulted in keithley test for 30 gram, 40 gram, and 50 gram were 0,4000 V; 0,4251 V; 0,4502 V and 0,000074 A; 0,000458 A; 0,000857 A, respectively. The efficiencies of the fabricated solar cells using annato seeds as senstizer for each varying mass are 0,00799%, 0,01237%, and 0,05696%.« less

Gold Nanohole Array with Sub-1 nm Roughness by Annealing for Sensitivity Enhancement of Extraordinary Optical Transmission Biosensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Jian; Irannejad, Mehrdad; Yavuz, Mustafa; Cui, Bo

2015-05-01

Nanofabrication technology plays an important role in the performance of surface plasmonic devices such as extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) sensor. In this work, a double liftoff process was developed to fabricate a series of nanohole arrays of a hole diameter between 150 and 235 nm and a period of 500 nm in a 100-nm-thick gold film on a silica substrate. To improve the surface quality of the gold film, thermal annealing was conducted, by which an ultra-smooth gold film with root-mean-square (RMS) roughness of sub-1 nm was achieved, accompanied with a hole diameter shrinkage. The surface sensitivity of the nanohole arrays was measured using a monolayer of 16-mercaptohexadecanoic acid (16-MHA) molecule, and the surface sensitivity was increased by 2.5 to 3 times upon annealing the extraordinary optical transmission (EOT) sensor.

Structure determination of a multilayer with an island-like overlayer using hard x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

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

Isomura, N., E-mail: isomura@mosk.tytlabs.co.jp; Kataoka, K.; Horibuchi, K.

We use hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) to obtain the surface structure of a multilayer Au/SiO{sub 2}/Si substrate sample with an island-like overlayer. Photoelectron intensities are measured as a function of incident photon energy (PE) and take-off angle (TOA, measured from the sample surface). The Au layer coverage and Au and SiO{sub 2} layer thicknesses are obtained by the PE dependence, and are used for the following TOA analysis. The Au island lateral width in the cross section is obtained by the TOA dependence, including information about surface roughness, in consideration of the island shadowing at small TOAs. In bothmore » cases, curve-fitting analysis is conducted. The surface structure, which consists of layer thicknesses, overlayer coverage and island width, is determined nondestructively by a combination of PE and TOA dependent HAXPES measurements.« less

Stagnation region gas film cooling: Effects of dimensionless coolant temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bonnice, M. A.; Lecuyer, M. R.

1983-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to mode the film cooling performance for a turbine vane leading edge using the stagnation region of a cylinder in cross flow. Experiments were conducted with a single row of spanwise angled (25 deg) coolant holes for a range of the coolant blowing ratio and dimensionless coolant temperature with free stream-to-wall temperature ratio approximately 1.7 and Re sub D = 90000. the cylindrical test surface was instrumented with miniature heat flux gages and wall thermocouples to determine the percentage reduction in the Stanton number as a function of the distance downstream from injection (x/d sub 0) and the location between adjacent holes (z/S). Data from local heat flux measurements are presented for injection from a single row located at 5 deg, 22.9 deg, 40.8 deg, from stagnation using a hole spacing ratio of S/d = 5. The film coolant was injected with T sub c T sub w with a dimensionless coolant temperature in the range 1.18 or equal to theta sub c or equal to 1.56. The data for local Stanton Number Reduction (SNR) showed a significant increase in SNR as theta sub c was increased above 1.0.

Characterizing the Small Scale Structure in Clusters of Galaxies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Forman, William R.

2001-01-01

We studied galaxy clusters Abell 119, Abell 754, and Abell 1750, using data from the ASCA and ROSAT satellites. In addition, we completed the paper "Merging Binary Clusters". In this paper we study three prominent bi-modal X-ray clusters: A3528, A1750 and A3395. Since the sub-clusters in these systems have projected separations of 0.93, 1.00 and 0.67 Mpc respectively, we examine their X-ray and optical observations to investigate the dynamics and possible merging of these sub-clusters. Using data taken with ROSAT and ASCA, we analyze the temperature and surface brightness distributions. We also analyze the velocity distributions of the three clusters using new measurements supplemented with previously published data. We examined both the overall cluster properties as well as the two sub-cluster elements in each. These results were then applied to the determination of the overall cluster masses, that demonstrate excellent consistency between the various methods used. While the characteristic parameters of the sub-clusters are typical of isolated objects, our temperature results for the regions between the two sub-clusters clearly confirm the presence of merger activity that is suggested by the surface brightness distributions. These three clusters represent a progression of equal-sized sub-cluster mergers, starting from initial contact to immediately before first core passage.

Ice chemistry on outer solar system bodies: Carboxylic acids, nitriles, and urea detected in refractory residues produced from the UV photolysis of N{sub 2}:CH{sub 4}:CO-containing ices

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

Materese, Christopher K.; Cruikshank, Dale P.; Sandford, Scott A.

Radiation processing of the surface ices of outer solar system bodies may result in the production of new chemical species even at low temperatures. Many of the smaller, more volatile molecules that are likely produced by the photolysis of these ices have been well characterized by laboratory experiments. However, the more complex refractory material formed in these experiments remains largely uncharacterized. In this work, we present a series of laboratory experiments in which low-temperature (15-20 K) N{sub 2}:CH{sub 4}:CO ices in relative proportions 100:1:1 are subjected to UV irradiation, and the resulting materials are studied with a variety of analyticalmore » techniques including infrared spectroscopy, X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectroscopy, gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry, and high-resolution mass spectroscopy. Despite the simplicity of the reactants, these experiments result in the production of a highly complex mixture of molecules from relatively low-mass volatiles (tens of daltons) to high-mass refractory materials (hundreds of daltons). These products include various carboxylic acids, nitriles, and urea, which are also expected to be present on the surface of outer solar system bodies, including Pluto and other transneptunian objects. If these compounds occur in sufficient concentrations in the ices of outer solar system bodies, their characteristic bands may be detectable in the near-infrared spectra of these objects.« less

Measurement of evapotranspiration with combined reflective and thermal infrared radiance observations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hope, Allen S.

1993-01-01

The broad goal of the research summarized in this report was 'To facilitate the evaluation of regional evapotranspiration (ET) through the combined use of solar reflective and thermal infrared radiance observations.' The specific objectives stated by Goward and Hope (1986) were to: (1) investigate the nature of the relationship between surface temperature (T(sub S)) and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and develop an understanding of this relationship in terms of energy exchange processes, particularly latent flux heat (LE); (2) develop procedures to estimate large area LE using combined T(sub S) and NDVI observations obtained from AVHRR data; and (3) determine whether measurements derived from satellite observations relate directly to measurements made at the surface or from aircraft platforms. Both empirical and modeling studies were used to develop an understanding of the T(sub S)-NDVI relationship. Most of the modeling was based on the Tergra model as originally proposed by Goward. This model, and modified versions developed in this project, simulates the flows of water and energy in the soil-plant-atmosphere system using meteorological, soil and vegetation inputs. Model outputs are the diurnal course of soil moisture, T(sub S), LE and the other individual components of the surface energy balance.

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

Sabah, Fayroz A., E-mail: fayroz-arif@yahoo.com; Department of Electrical Engineering, College of Engineering, Al-Mustansiriya University, Baghdad; Ahmed, Naser M., E-mail: naser@usm.my

The copper sulphide (CuS) thin films were grown with good adhesion by spray pyrolysis deposition (SPD) on Ti, ITO and glass substrates at 200 °C. The distance between nozzle and substrate is 30 cm. The composition was prepared by mixing copper chloride CuCl{sub 2}.2H{sub 2}O as a source of Cu{sup 2+} and sodium thiosulfate Na{sub 2}S{sub 2}O{sub 3}.5H{sub 2}O as a source of and S{sup 2−}. Two concentrations (0.2 and 0.4 M) were used for each CuCl{sub 2} and Na{sub 2}S{sub 2}O{sub 3} to be prepared and then sprayed (20 ml). The process was started by spraying the solution formore » 3 seconds and after 10 seconds the cycle was repeated until the solution was sprayed completely on the hot substrates. The structural characteristics were studied using X-ray diffraction; they showed covellite CuS hexagonal crystal structure for 0.2 M concentration, and covellite CuS hexagonal crystal structure with two small peaks of chalcocite Cu{sub 2}S hexagonal crystal structure for 0.4 M concentration. Also the surface and electrical characteristics were investigated using Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM) and current source device, respectively. The surface study for the CuS thin films showed nanorods to be established for 0.2 M concentration and mix of nanorods and nanoplates for 0.4 M concentration. The electrical study showed ohmic behavior and low resistivity for these films. Hall Effect was measured for these thin films, it showed that all samples of CuS are p- type thin films and ensured that the resistivity for thin films of 0.2 M concentration was lower than that of 0.4 M concentration; and for the two concentrations CuS thin film deposited on ITO had the lowest resistivity. This leads to the result that the conductivity was high for CuS thin film deposited on ITO substrate, and the conductivity of the three thin films of 0.2 M concentration was higher than that of 0.4 M concentration.« less

Porous polymeric materials for hydrogen storage

DOEpatents

Yu, Luping [Hoffman Estates, IL; Liu, Di-Jia [Naperville, IL; Yuan, Shengwen [Chicago, IL; Yang, Junbing [Westmont, IL

2011-12-13

Porous polymers, tribenzohexazatriphenylene, poly-9,9'-spirobifluorene, poly-tetraphenyl methane and their derivatives for storage of H.sub.2 prepared through a chemical synthesis method. The porous polymers have high specific surface area and narrow pore size distribution. Hydrogen uptake measurements conducted for these polymers determined a higher hydrogen storage capacity at the ambient temperature over that of the benchmark materials. The method of preparing such polymers, includes oxidatively activating solids by CO.sub.2/steam oxidation and supercritical water treatment.

Porous polymeric materials for hydrogen storage

DOEpatents

Yu, Luping; Liu, Di-Jia; Yuan, Shengwen; Yang, Junbing

2013-04-02

A porous polymer, poly-9,9'-spirobifluorene and its derivatives for storage of H.sub.2 are prepared through a chemical synthesis method. The porous polymers have high specific surface area and narrow pore size distribution. Hydrogen uptake measurements conducted for these polymers determined a higher hydrogen storage capacity at the ambient temperature over that of the benchmark materials. The method of preparing such polymers, includes oxidatively activating solids by CO.sub.2/steam oxidation and supercritical water treatment.

Effect of dielectric stoichiometry and interface chemical state on band alignment between tantalum oxide and platinum

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

Lebedinskii, Yu. Yu.; National Research Nuclear University MEPhI; Chernikova, A. G.

2015-10-05

The tantalum oxide–platinum interface electronic properties determined by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are found to depend on the dielectric stoichiometry and platinum chemical state. We demonstrate the slow charging of the tantalum oxide in cases of Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}/Pt and Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5−y}/Pt interfaces under the X-ray irradiation. This behavior is proposed to be related to the charge accumulation at oxygen vacancies induced traps. Based on the proposed methodology, we define the intrinsic conductive band offset (CBO) ∼1.3 eV (both for Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}/Pt and Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5−y}/Pt) and CBO after the full saturation of the traps charging ∼0.5 eV, while the lastmore » one defines the energy position of charged traps below the bottom of conduction band. We demonstrate also the pining at the both Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}/Pt and Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5−y}/Pt interfaces even in the “intrinsic” state, apparently induced by the presence of additional interfacial states. No shifts of Ta4f line and band alignment in over stoichiometric Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5+x}/Pt structure during X-ray irradiation, as well as the absence of pinning, resulting in increase of CBO up to 2.3 eV are found. This behavior is related to the PtO{sub 2} interfacing layer formation at Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5+x}/Pt, blocking the charging of the surface states and associated dipole formation.« less

Solar System Observations with Spitzer Space Telescope: Preliminary Results

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cruikshank, Dale P.

2005-01-01

The programs of observations of Solar System bodies conducted in the first year of the operation of the Spitzer Space Telescope as part of the Guaranteed Observing Time allocations are described. Initial results include the determination of the albedos of a number of Kuiper Belt objects and Centaurs from observations of their flux densities at 24 and 70 microns, and the detection of emission bands in the spectra of several distant asteroids (Trojans) around 10 and 25 microns. The 10 Kuiper Belt objects observed to date have albedos in the range 0.08 - 0.15, significantly higher than the earlier estimated 0.04. An additional KBO [(55565) 2002 AW(sub l97)] has an albedo of 0.17 plus or minus 0.03. The emission bands in the asteroid spectra are indicative of silicates, but specific minerals have not yet been identified. The Centaur/comet 29P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 has a nucleus surface albedo of 0.025 plus or minus 0.01, and its dust production rate was calculated from the properties of the coma. Several other investigations are in progress as the incoming data are processed and analyzed.

Dielectric property of NiTiO{sub 3} doped substituted ortho-chloropolyaniline composites

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

Lakshmi, Mohana; Faisal, Muhammad; Roy, Aashish S.

2013-11-15

Ortho-chloropolyaniline (OCP)-NiTiO{sub 3} composites have been synthesized via in-situ polymerization of ortho-chloroaniline with various weight percentages of NiTiO{sub 3.} Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopic studies of Ortho-chloropolyaniline and its composites indicated the formation of composites as a result of Vander Waal's interaction between OCP and NiTiO{sub 3} particles. Surface morphology of OCP and OCP-NiTiO{sub 3} composites were studied using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The SEM micrographs indicated a modified morphology after the composite formation. Dielectric properties and electric modulus of OCP and OCP-NiTiO{sub 3} composites have been investigated in the frequency range of 50 Hz – 5 MHz. It has beenmore » noticed that electrical resistance decreases with increase in weight percentage of NiTiO{sub 3} particles in polymer matrix as well as with applied frequency. The display of semicircular arcs in Cole-Cole plots indicates the formation of series resistor and capacitor in network causing a decrease in the relaxation time and as a result conductivity enhances in these composites. The facile and cost effective synthesis process and excellent dielectric and conductivity response of these materials makes them promising materials for practical applications.« less

Dielectric property of NiTiO{sub 3} doped substituted ortho-chloropolyaniline composites

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

Lakshmi, Mohana; Faisal, Muhammad; Roy, Aashish S.

Ortho-chloropolyaniline (OCP)-NiTiO{sub 3} composites have been synthesized via in-situ polymerization of ortho-chloroaniline with various weight percentages of NiTiO{sub 3.} Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopic studies of Ortho-chloropolyaniline and its composites indicated the formation of composites as a result of Vander Waal's interaction between OCP and NiTiO{sub 3} particles. Surface morphology of OCP and OCP-NiTiO{sub 3} composites were studied using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). The SEM micrographs indicated a modified morphology after the composite formation. Dielectric properties and electric modulus of OCP and OCP-NiTiO{sub 3} composites have been investigated in the frequency range of 50 Hz – 5 MHz. It has beenmore » noticed that electrical resistance decreases with increase in weight percentage of NiTiO{sub 3} particles in polymer matrix as well as with applied frequency. The display of semicircular arcs in Cole-Cole plots indicates the formation of series resistor and capacitor in network causing a decrease in the relaxation time and as a result conductivity enhances in these composites. The facile and cost effective synthesis process and excellent dielectric and conductivity response of these materials makes them promising materials for practical applications.« less

Effect of annealing temperature on structural, morphological and electrical properties of nanoparticles TiO{sub 2} thin films by sol-gel method

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

Muaz, A. K. M.; Hashim, U., E-mail: uda@unimap.edu.my; Arshad, M. K. Md.

2016-07-06

In this paper, the sol-gel method is used to prepare nanoparticles titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) thin films at different annealing temperature. The prepared sol was deposited on the p-SiO{sub 2} substrates by spin coating technique under room temperature. The nanoparticles TiO{sub 2} solution was synthesized using Ti{OCH(CH_3)_2}{sub 4} as a precursor with an methanol solution at a molar ratio 1:10. The prepared TiO{sub 2} sols will further validate through structural, morphological and electrical properties. From the X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, as-deposited films was found to be amorphous in nature and tend to transform into tetragonal anatase and rutile phase asmore » the films annealed at 573 and 773 K, respectively. The diversification of the surface roughness was characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM) indicated the roughness and thickness very dependent on the annealing temperature. The two-point probe electrical resistance and conductance of nanoparticles TiO{sub 2} thin films were determined by the DC current-voltage (IV) analysis. From the I-V measurement, the electrical conductance increased as the films annealed at higher temperature.« less

DEUTERIUM BURNING IN MASSIVE GIANT PLANETS AND LOW-MASS BROWN DWARFS FORMED BY CORE-NUCLEATED ACCRETION

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

Bodenheimer, Peter; D'Angelo, Gennaro; Lissauer, Jack J.

Using detailed numerical simulations, we study the formation of bodies near the deuterium-burning limit according to the core-nucleated giant planet accretion scenario. The objects, with heavy-element cores in the range 5-30 M{sub Circled-Plus }, are assumed to accrete gas up to final masses of 10-15 Jupiter masses (M{sub Jup}). After the formation process, which lasts 1-5 Myr and which ends with a ''cold-start'', low-entropy configuration, the bodies evolve at constant mass up to an age of several Gyr. Deuterium burning via proton capture is included in the calculation, and we determined the mass, M{sub 50}, above which more than 50%more » of the initial deuterium is burned. This often-quoted borderline between giant planets and brown dwarfs is found to depend only slightly on parameters, such as core mass, stellar mass, formation location, solid surface density in the protoplanetary disk, disk viscosity, and dust opacity. The values for M{sub 50} fall in the range 11.6-13.6 M{sub Jup}, in agreement with previous determinations that do not take the formation process into account. For a given opacity law during the formation process, objects with higher core masses form more quickly. The result is higher entropy in the envelope at the completion of accretion, yielding lower values of M{sub 50}. For masses above M{sub 50}, during the deuterium-burning phase, objects expand and increase in luminosity by one to three orders of magnitude. Evolutionary tracks in the luminosity versus time diagram are compared with the observed position of the companion to Beta Pictoris.« less

Soap bubbles in analytical chemistry. Conductometric determination of sub-parts per million levels of sulfur dioxide with a soap bubble.

PubMed

Kanyanee, Tinakorn; Borst, Walter L; Jakmunee, Jaroon; Grudpan, Kate; Li, Jianzhong; Dasgupta, Purnendu K

2006-04-15

Soap bubbles provide a fascinating tool that is little used analytically. With a very low liquid volume to surface area ratio, a soap bubble can potentially provide a very useful interface for preconcentration where mass transfer to an interfacial surface is important. Here we use an automated system to create bubbles of uniform size and film thickness. We utilize purified Triton-X 100, a nonionic surfactant, to make soap bubbles. We use such bubbles as a gas-sampling interface. Incorporating hydrogen peroxide into the bubble provides a system where electrical conductance increases as the bubble is exposed to low concentrations of sulfur dioxide gas. We theoretically derive the conductance of a hollow conducting spherical thin film with spherical cap electrodes. We measure the film thickness by incorporating a dye in the bubble making solution and laser transmission photometry and find that it agrees well with the geometrically computed thickness. With the conductance of the bubble-making soap solution being measured by conventional methods, we show that the measured values of the bubble conductance with known bubble and electrode dimensions closely correspond to the theoretically computed value. Finally, we demonstrate that sub-ppm levels of SO(2) can readily be detected by the conductivity change of a hydrogen peroxide-doped soap bubble, measured in situ, when the gas flows around the bubble.

THE DISCOVERY OF SEVEN EXTREMELY LOW SURFACE BRIGHTNESS GALAXIES IN THE FIELD OF THE NEARBY SPIRAL GALAXY M101

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

Merritt, Allison; Van Dokkum, Pieter; Abraham, Roberto, E-mail: allison.merritt@yale.edu

2014-06-01

Dwarf satellite galaxies are a key probe of dark matter and of galaxy formation on small scales and of the dark matter halo masses of their central galaxies. They have very low surface brightness, which makes it difficult to identify and study them outside of the Local Group. We used a low surface brightness-optimized telescope, the Dragonfly Telephoto Array, to search for dwarf galaxies in the field of the massive spiral galaxy M101. We identify seven large, low surface brightness objects in this field, with effective radii of 10-30 arcseconds and central surface brightnesses of μ {sub g} ∼ 25.5-27.5 magmore » arcsec{sup –2}. Given their large apparent sizes and low surface brightnesses, these objects would likely be missed by standard galaxy searches in deep fields. Assuming the galaxies are dwarf satellites of M101, their absolute magnitudes are in the range –11.6 ≲ M{sub V} ≲ –9.3 and their effective radii are 350 pc-1.3 kpc. Their radial surface brightness profiles are well fit by Sersic profiles with a very low Sersic index (n ∼ 0.3-0.7). The properties of the sample are similar to those of well-studied dwarf galaxies in the Local Group, such as Sextans I and Phoenix. Distance measurements are required to determine whether these galaxies are in fact associated with M101 or are in its foreground or background.« less

Detection of Buried Objects by Means of a SAP Technique: Comparing MUSIC- and SVR-Based Approaches

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meschino, S.; Pajewski, L.; Pastorino, M.; Randazzo, A.; Schettini, G.

2012-04-01

This work is focused on the application of a Sub-Array Processing (SAP) technique to the detection of metallic cylindrical objects embedded in a dielectric half-space. The identification of buried cables, pipes, conduits, and other cylindrical utilities, is an important problem that has been extensively studied in the last years. Most commonly used approaches are based on the use of electromagnetic sensing: a set of antennas illuminates the ground and the collected echo is analyzed in order to extract information about the scenario and to localize the sought objects [1]. In a SAP approach, algorithms for the estimation of Directions of Arrival (DOAs) are employed [2]: they assume that the sources (in this paper, currents induced on buried targets) are in the far-field region of the receiving array, so that the received wavefront can be considered as planar, and the main angular direction of the field can be estimated. However, in electromagnetic sensing of buried objects, the scatterers are usually quite near to the antennas. Nevertheless, by dividing the whole receiving array in a suitable number of sub-arrays, and by finding a dominant DOA for each one, it is possible to localize objects that are in the far-field of the sub-array, although being in the near-field of the array. The DOAs found by the sub-arrays can be triangulated, obtaining a set of crossings with intersections condensed around object locations. In this work, the performances of two different DOA algorithms are compared. In particular, a MUltiple SIgnal Classification (MUSIC)-type method [3] and Support Vector Regression (SVR) based approach [4] are employed. The results of a Cylindrical-Wave Approach forward solver are used as input data of the detection procedure [5]. To process the crossing pattern, the region of interest is divided in small windows, and a Poisson model is adopted for the statistical distribution of intersections in the windows. Hypothesis testing procedures are used (imposing a suitable threshold from a desired false-alarm rate), to ascribe each window to the ground or to the sought objects. Numerical results are presented, for a test scenario with a circular-section cylinder in a dielectric half-space. Different values of the ground permittivity, target size, and its position with respect to the receiving array, are considered. Preliminary results on the application of MUSIC and SVR to multiple-object localization are reported. [1] H. Jol, Ground Penetrating Radar: Theory and Applications, Elsevier, Amsterdam, NL, 2009. [2] Gross F.B., Smart Antennas for Wireless Communications, McGraw-Hill, New York 2005. [3] S. Meschino, L. Pajewski, G. Schettini, "Use of a Sub-Array Statistical Approach for the Detection of a Buried Object", Near Surface Geophysics, vol. 8(5), pp. 365-375, 2010. [4] M. Pastorino, A. Randazzo, "A Smart Antenna System for Direction of Arrival Estimation based on a Support Vector Regression," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. 53(7), pp. 2161-2168, 2005. [5] M. Di Vico, F. Frezza, L. Pajewski, G. Schettini, "Scattering by a Finite Set of Perfectly Conducting Cylinders Buried in a Dielectric Half-Space: a Spectral-Domain Solution," IEEE Trans. Antennas Propagat., vol. 53(2), pp. 719-727, 2005.

Optimization of a GO2/GH2 Impinging Injector Element

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, P. Kevin; Shyy, Wei; Vaidyanathan, Rajkumar

2001-01-01

An injector optimization methodology, method i, is used to investigate optimal design points for a gaseous oxygen/gaseous hydrogen (GO2/GH2) impinging injector element. The unlike impinging element, a fuel-oxidizer- fuel (F-O-F) triplet, is optimized in terms of design variables such as fuel pressure drop, (Delta)P(sub f), oxidizer pressure drop, (Delta)P(sub o), combustor length, L(sub comb), and impingement half-angle, alpha, for a given mixture ratio and chamber pressure. Dependent variables such as energy release efficiency, ERE, wall heat flux, Q(sub w), injector heat flux, Q(sub inj), relative combustor weight, W(sub rel), and relative injector cost, C(sub rel), are calculated and then correlated with the design variables. An empirical design methodology is used to generate these responses for 163 combinations of input variables. Method i is then used to generate response surfaces for each dependent variable. Desirability functions based on dependent variable constraints are created and used to facilitate development of composite response surfaces representing some, or all, of the five dependent variables in terms of the input variables. Three examples illustrating the utility and flexibility of method i are discussed in detail. First, joint response surfaces are constructed by sequentially adding dependent variables. Optimum designs are identified after addition of each variable and the effect each variable has on the design is shown. This stepwise demonstration also highlights the importance of including variables such as weight and cost early in the design process. Secondly, using the composite response surface which includes all five dependent variables, unequal weights are assigned to emphasize certain variables relative to others. Here, method i is used to enable objective trade studies on design issues such as component life and thrust to weight ratio. Finally, specific variable weights are further increased to illustrate the high marginal cost of realizing the last increment of injector performance and thruster weight.

Electron temperature and density probe for small aeronomy satellites

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

Oyama, K.-I.; Institute of Space and Plasma Sciences, National Cheng Kung University, Tainan, Taiwan; International Center for Space Weather Study and education, Kyushu University, Fukuoka

2015-08-15

A compact and low power consumption instrument for measuring the electron density and temperature in the ionosphere has been developed by modifying the previously developed Electron Temperature Probe (ETP). A circuit block which controls frequency of the sinusoidal signal is added to the ETP so that the instrument can measure both T{sub e} in low frequency mode and N{sub e} in high frequency mode from the floating potential shift of the electrode. The floating potential shift shows a minimum at the upper hybrid resonance frequency (f{sub UHR}). The instrument which is named “TeNeP” can be used for tiny satellites whichmore » do not have enough conductive surface area for conventional DC Langmuir probe measurements. The instrument also eliminates the serious problems associated with the contamination of satellite surface as well as the sensor electrode.« less

Correlating Humidity-Dependent Ionically Conductive Surface Area with Transport Phenomena in Proton-Exchange Membranes

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

He, Qinggang; Kusoglu, Ahmet; Lucas, Ivan T.

2011-08-01

The objective of this effort was to correlate the local surface ionic conductance of a Nafion? 212 proton-exchange membrane with its bulk and interfacial transport properties as a function of water content. Both macroscopic and microscopic proton conductivities were investigated at different relative humidity levels, using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and current-sensing atomic force microscopy (CSAFM). We were able to identify small ion-conducting domains that grew with humidity at the surface of the membrane. Numerical analysis of the surface ionic conductance images recorded at various relative humidity levels helped determine the fractional area of ion-conducting active sites. A simple square-root relationshipmore » between the fractional conducting area and observed interfacial mass-transport resistance was established. Furthermore, the relationship between the bulk ionic conductivity and surface ionic conductance pattern of the Nafion? membrane was examined.« less

Liquid crystalline polymers in good nematic solvents: Free chains, mushrooms, and brushes

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

Williams, D.R.M.; Halperin, A.

1993-08-02

The swelling of main chain liquid crystalline polymers (LCPs) in good nematic solvents is theoretically studied, focusing on brushes of terminally anchored, grafted LCPs. The analysis is concerned with long LCPs, of length L, with n[sub 0] >> 1 hairpin defects. The extension behavior of the major axis, R[parallel], of these ellipsoidal objects gives rise to an Ising elasticity with a free energy penalty of F[sub el](R[parallel])/kT [approx] n[sub 0] [minus] n[sub 0](1 [minus] R[parallel][sup 2]/L[sup 2])[sup 1/2]. The theory of the extension behavior enables the formulation of a Flory type theory of swelling of isolated LCPs yielding R[parallel] [approx]more » exp(2U[sub h]/5kT)N[sup 3/5] and R [perpendicular] [approx] exp([minus]U[sub h]/10kT)N[sup 3/5], with N the degree of polymerization and U[sub h] the hairpin energy. It also allows the generalization of the Alexander model for polymer brushes to the case of grafted LCPs. The behavior of LCP brushes depends on the alignment imposed by the grafting surface and the liquid crystalline solvent. A tilting phase transition is predicted as the grafting density is increased for a surface imposing homogeneous, parallel anchoring. A related transition is expected upon compression of a brush subject to homeotropic, perpendicular alignment. The effect of magnetic or electric fields on these phase transitions is also studied. The critical magnetic/electric field for the Frederiks transition can be lowered to arbitrarily small values by using surfaces coated by brushes of appropriate density.« less

Surface-adaptable all-metal micro-four-point probe with unique configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, J. K.; Choi, Y. S.; Lee, D. W.

2015-07-01

In this paper, we propose a surface-adaptable all-metal micro-four-point probe (μ4PP) with a unique configuration. The μ4PP consists of four independent metallic sub-cantilevers with sharp Cu tips, and an SU-8 body structure to support the sub-cantilevers. The tip height is approximately 15 μm, and the tips are fabricated by anisotropic wet-etching of silicon followed by Cu electroplating. Each metallic cantilever connected to the SU-8 body structure acts as a flexible spring, so that the conducting tip can make gentle, non-destructive contact with fragile surfaces. To enhance the adhesion between the metallic sub-cantilevers and the SU-8 body, mushroom-shaped Cu structures were fabricated using an under-baked and under-exposed photolithography process. Various μ4PPs were designed and fabricated to verify their diverse range of applications, and preliminary experiments were performed using these fabricated μ4PPs. The resultant flexibility and reliability were experimentally confirmed on several samples, such as a polymer cantilever, a graphene flake, and curved metallic surfaces. We also expect that the proposed μ4PP will be suitable for measuring the anisotropic characteristics of crystal materials or the Hall effect in semiconductors.

Passivation of phosphorus diffused silicon surfaces with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}: Influence of surface doping concentration and thermal activation treatments

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

Richter, Armin, E-mail: armin.richter@ise.fraunhofer.de; Benick, Jan; Kimmerle, Achim

2014-12-28

Thin layers of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} are well known for the excellent passivation of p-type c-Si surfaces including highly doped p{sup +} emitters, due to a high density of fixed negative charges. Recent results indicate that Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} can also provide a good passivation of certain phosphorus-diffused n{sup +} c-Si surfaces. In this work, we studied the recombination at Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} passivated n{sup +} surfaces theoretically with device simulations and experimentally for Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} deposited with atomic layer deposition. The simulation results indicate that there is a certain surface doping concentration, where the recombination is maximal duemore » to depletion or weak inversion of the charge carriers at the c-Si/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} interface. This pronounced maximum was also observed experimentally for n{sup +} surfaces passivated either with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} single layers or stacks of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} capped by SiN{sub x}, when activated with a low temperature anneal (425 °C). In contrast, for Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SiN{sub x} stacks activated with a short high-temperature firing process (800 °C) a significant lower surface recombination was observed for most n{sup +} diffusion profiles without such a pronounced maximum. Based on experimentally determined interface properties and simulation results, we attribute this superior passivation quality after firing to a better chemical surface passivation, quantified by a lower interface defect density, in combination with a lower density of negative fixed charges. These experimental results reveal that Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SiN{sub x} stacks can provide not only excellent passivation on p{sup +} surfaces but also on n{sup +} surfaces for a wide range of surface doping concentrations when activated with short high-temperature treatments.« less

Surface cleaning for enhanced adhesion to packaging surfaces: Effect of oxygen and ammonia plasma

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

Gaddam, Sneha; Dong, Bin; Driver, Marcus

2015-03-15

The effects of direct plasma chemistries on carbon removal from silicon nitride (SiN{sub x}) and oxynitride (SiO{sub x}N{sub y}) surfaces have been studied by in-situ x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and ex-situ contact angle measurements. The data indicate that O{sub 2} and NH{sub 3} capacitively coupled plasmas are effective at removing adventitious carbon from silicon nitride (SiN{sub x}) and Si oxynitride (SiO{sub x}N{sub y}) surfaces. O{sub 2} plasma treatment results in the formation of a silica overlayer. In contrast, the exposure to NH{sub 3} plasma results in negligible additional oxidation of the SiN{sub x} or SiO{sub x}N{sub y} surface. Ex-situ contactmore » angle measurements show that SiN{sub x} and SiO{sub x}N{sub y} surfaces exposed to oxygen plasma are initially more hydrophilic than surfaces exposed to NH{sub 3} plasma, indicating that the O{sub 2} plasma-induced SiO{sub 2} overlayer is highly reactive toward ambient. At longer ambient exposures (≳10 h), however, surfaces treated by either O{sub 2} or NH{sub 3} plasma exhibit similar steady state contact angles, correlated with rapid uptake of adventitious carbon, as determined by XPS. Surface passivation by exposure to molecular hydrogen prior to ambient exposure significantly retards the increase in contact angle upon exposure to ambient. The results suggest a practical route to enhancing the time available for effective bonding to surfaces in microelectronics packaging applications.« less

A subdivision-based parametric deformable model for surface extraction and statistical shape modeling of the knee cartilages

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fripp, Jurgen; Crozier, Stuart; Warfield, Simon K.; Ourselin, Sébastien

2006-03-01

Subdivision surfaces and parameterization are desirable for many algorithms that are commonly used in Medical Image Analysis. However, extracting an accurate surface and parameterization can be difficult for many anatomical objects of interest, due to noisy segmentations and the inherent variability of the object. The thin cartilages of the knee are an example of this, especially after damage is incurred from injuries or conditions like osteoarthritis. As a result, the cartilages can have different topologies or exist in multiple pieces. In this paper we present a topology preserving (genus 0) subdivision-based parametric deformable model that is used to extract the surfaces of the patella and tibial cartilages in the knee. These surfaces have minimal thickness in areas without cartilage. The algorithm inherently incorporates several desirable properties, including: shape based interpolation, sub-division remeshing and parameterization. To illustrate the usefulness of this approach, the surfaces and parameterizations of the patella cartilage are used to generate a 3D statistical shape model.

Enhanced endothelial cell density on NiTi surfaces with sub-micron to nanometer roughness

PubMed Central

Samaroo, Harry D; Lu, Jing; Webster, Thomas J

2008-01-01

The shape memory effect and superelastic properties of NiTi (or Nitinol, a nickel-titanium alloy) have already attracted much attention for various biomedical applications (such as vascular stents, orthodontic wires, orthopedic implants, etc). However, for vascular stents, conventional approaches have required coating NiTi with anti-thrombogenic or anti-inflammatory drug-eluting polymers which as of late have proven problematic for healing atherosclerotic blood vessels. Instead of focusing on the use of drug-eluting anti-thrombogenic or anti-inflammatory proteins, this study focused on promoting the formation of a natural anti-thrombogenic and anti-inflammatory surface on metallic stents: the endothelium. In this study, we synthesized various NiTi substrates with different micron to nanometer surface roughness by using dissimilar dimensions of constituent NiTi powder. Endothelial cell adhesion on these compacts was compared with conventional commercially pure (cp) titanium (Ti) samples. The results after 5 hrs showed that endothelial cells adhered much better on fine grain (<60 μm) compared with coarse grain NiTi compacts (<100 μm). Coarse grain NiTi compacts and conventional Ti promoted similar levels of endothelial cell adhesion. In addition, cells proliferated more after 5 days on NiTi with greater sub-micron and nanoscale surface roughness compared with coarse grain NiTi. In this manner, this study emphasized the positive pole that NiTi with sub-micron to nanometer surface features can play in promoting a natural anti-thrombogenic and anti-inflammatory surface (the endothelium) on a vascular stent and, thus, suggests that more studies should be conducted on NiTi with sub-micron to nanometer surface features. PMID:18488418

Connectionist model-based stereo vision for telerobotics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoff, William; Mathis, Donald

1989-01-01

Autonomous stereo vision for range measurement could greatly enhance the performance of telerobotic systems. Stereo vision could be a key component for autonomous object recognition and localization, thus enabling the system to perform low-level tasks, and allowing a human operator to perform a supervisory role. The central difficulty in stereo vision is the ambiguity in matching corresponding points in the left and right images. However, if one has a priori knowledge of the characteristics of the objects in the scene, as is often the case in telerobotics, a model-based approach can be taken. Researchers describe how matching ambiguities can be resolved by ensuring that the resulting three-dimensional points are consistent with surface models of the expected objects. A four-layer neural network hierarchy is used in which surface models of increasing complexity are represented in successive layers. These models are represented using a connectionist scheme called parameter networks, in which a parametrized object (for example, a planar patch p=f(h,m sub x, m sub y) is represented by a collection of processing units, each of which corresponds to a distinct combination of parameter values. The activity level of each unit in the parameter network can be thought of as representing the confidence with which the hypothesis represented by that unit is believed. Weights in the network are set so as to implement gradient descent in an energy function.

Structured thermal surface for radiative camouflage.

PubMed

Li, Ying; Bai, Xue; Yang, Tianzhi; Luo, Hailu; Qiu, Cheng-Wei

2018-01-18

Thermal camouflage has been successful in the conductive regime, where thermal metamaterials embedded in a conductive system can manipulate heat conduction inside the bulk. Most reported approaches are background-dependent and not applicable to radiative heat emitted from the surface of the system. A coating with engineered emissivity is one option for radiative camouflage, but only when the background has uniform temperature. Here, we propose a strategy for radiative camouflage of external objects on a given background using a structured thermal surface. The device is non-invasive and restores arbitrary background temperature distributions on its top. For many practical candidates of the background material with similar emissivity as the device, the object can thereby be radiatively concealed without a priori knowledge of the host conductivity and temperature. We expect this strategy to meet the demands of anti-detection and thermal radiation manipulation in complex unknown environments and to inspire developments in phononic and photonic thermotronics.

Habitat Inspection Scanner, Bio-Structure Scanner, and In Situ Sub-Surface Composition Sensor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

VanSteenberg, Michael

2004-01-01

The extension of dielectric and inductive spectroscopy into in situ observations represents a significant exploration-enabling tool. This technology can be widely applied from microscopic to macroscopic. Dielectrometry and inductometry can measure sub-surface composition and its distribution. The primary environment that we cannot easily explored is the sub-surface of solid bodies. Weather as part of our equipment that we bring with us, or the locations we are exploring. These fundamental questions lie at the core of the exploration Initiative. To answer them we must use a whole host of complimentary tools including those that allow us to practically examine the sub-surface environment. A nondestructive approach offers significant advantages for both the initial identification of likely samples but also the monitoring of ecosystems and crew health. These include materials characterization, nondestructive inspection, and process quality control, damage monitoring, and hidden object detection and identification. The identification of natural resources such as water on the Moon or Mars is of great importance to the utilization of local resource in the support of human exploration crews. On the macroscopic scale, the understanding of what resources are available and how they are distributed is of primary importance to their productive utilization. Even if initial explorations do not require the use of local resources to succeed, eventual settlement and commercial development will. The routine examination of the structural integrity (micro cracks, leaks) of hi.inafi habitats in harsh envkmments ww!d also be enabled.

Segregation at the surfaces of CuxPd1-x alloys in the presence of adsorbed S

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

Miller, James B.; Priyadarshini, Deepika; Gellman, Andrew J.

2012-10-01

The influence of adsorbed S on surface segregation in Cu{sub x}Pd{sub 1 - x} alloys (S/Cu{sub x}Pd{sub 1 - x)} was characterized over a wide range of bulk alloy compositions (x = 0.05 to 0.95) using high-throughput Composition Spread Alloy Film (CSAF) sample libraries. Top-surface and near-surface compositions of the CSAFs were measured as functions of bulk Cu composition, x, and temperature using spatially resolved low energy ion scattering spectroscopy (LEISS) and X-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS). Preferential segregation of Cu to the top-surface of the S/Cu{sub x}Pd{sub 1 - x} CSAF was observed at all bulk compositions, x, but themore » extent of Cu segregation to the S/Cu{sub x}Pd{sub 1 - x} surface was lower than the Cu segregation to the surface of a clean Cu{sub x}Pd{sub 1 - x} CSAF, clear evidence of an S-induced “segregation reversal.” The Langmuir–McLean formulation of the Gibbs isotherm was used to estimate the enthalpy and entropy of Cu segregation to the top-surface, ΔH{sub seg}(x) and ΔS{sub seg}(x), at saturation sulfur coverages. While Cu segregation to the top-surface of the clean Cu{sub x}Pd{sub 1 - x} is exothermic (ΔH{sub seg} < 0) for all bulk Cu compositions, it is endothermic (ΔH{sub seg} > 0) for S/Cu{sub x}Pd{sub 1 - x}. Segregation to the S/Cu{sub x}Pd{sub 1 - x} surface is driven by entropy. Changes in segregation patterns that occur upon adsorption of S onto Cu{sub x}Pd{sub 1 - x} appear to be related to formation of energetically favored Pd{single bond}S bonds at the surface, which counterbalance the enthalpic driving forces for Cu segregation to the clean surface.« less

Infrared Study of CO2 Sorption over ?Molecular Basket? Sorbent Consisting of Polyethylenimine-Modified Mesoporous Molecular Sieve

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

Overbury, Steven; Wang, Xiaoxing; Clark, Jason

2009-01-01

An infrared study has been conducted on CO{sub 2} sorption into nanoporous CO{sub 2} 'molecular basket' sorbents prepared by loading polyethylenimine (PEI) into mesoporous molecular sieve SBA-15. IR results from DRIFTS showed that a part of loaded PEI is anchored on the surface of SBA-15 through the interaction between amine groups and isolated surface silanol groups. Raising the temperature from 25 to 75 C increased the molecular flexibility of PEI loaded in the mesopore channels, which may partly contribute to the increase of CO{sub 2} sorption capacity at higher temperatures. CO{sub 2} sorption/desorption behavior studied by in situ transmission FTIRmore » showed that CO{sub 2} is sorbed on amine sites through the formation of alkylammonium carbamates and absorbed into the multiple layers of PEI located in mesopores of SBA-15. A new observation by in situ IR is that two broad IR bands emerged at 2450 and 2160 cm{sup -1} with CO{sub 2} flowing over PEI(50)/SBA-15, which could be attributed to chemically sorbed CO{sub 2} species on PEI molecules inside the mesopores of SBA-15. The intensities of these two bands also increased with increasing CO{sub 2} exposure time and with raising CO{sub 2} sorption temperature. By comparison of the CO{sub 2} sorption rate at 25 and 75 C in terms of differential IR intensities, it was found that CO{sub 2} sorption over molecular basket sorbent includes two rate regimes which suggest two distinct steps: rapid sorption on exposed outer surface layers of PEI (controlled by sorption affinity or thermodynamics) and the diffusion and sorption inside the bulk of multiple layers of PEI (controlled by diffusion). The sorption of CO{sub 2} is reversible at 75 C. Comparative IR examination of the CO{sub 2} sorption/desorption spectra on dry and prewetted PEI/SBA-15 sorbent revealed that presorbed water does not significantly affect the CO{sub 2}-amine interaction patterns.« less

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

Wu, Qing-Song; Feng, Yan; Zhang, Guo-Ying, E-mail: gyzhangtj@yahoo.cn

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} heterostructures were facilely fabricated by an impregnation method. • The Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} matrix was modified by α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles of 10–20 nm on the surface. • The visible-light absorption region of the composite was effectively red-shifted. • The composite exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity to RhB below Fe-0.4%. • The band gap coupling effect between α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} was interpreted. - Abstract: α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} modified Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} mesostructures were facilely prepared by an impregnation method. The characterizations of phase structure, morphology, microstructure, UV–vismore » absorption, photoluminescence, BET and solar simulated photocatalytic behavior were systematically conducted. The Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} heterostructure with a Fe mass percentage in 0.05–0.2% presented obviously enhanced photocatalytic activity for the degradation of Rhodamine B than pristine Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}. In particular, the apparent reaction rate constant with Fe-0.1% was 2.24-folds of that of pure Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}. UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra showed that the modification of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} broadened the visible light absorption of Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}. The decreased photoluminescence indicated an effective suppression of the recombination of electron–hole pairs at Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} interface. The band-gap coupling effect between Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6} was interpreted via comparison of relative valence and conductance potentials, which confirmed an irreversible flow of electrons and holes in the interface of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Bi{sub 2}WO{sub 6}. Moreover, the composite showed excellent circulation stability, suggesting potential application in dealing with environmental pollutions.« less

Optical and electronic properties of sub-surface conducting layers in diamond created by MeV B-implantation at elevated temperatures

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

Willems van Beveren, L. H., E-mail: laurensw@unimelb.edu.au; Bowers, H.; Ganesan, K.

2016-06-14

Boron implantation with in-situ dynamic annealing is used to produce highly conductive sub-surface layers in type IIa (100) diamond plates for the search of a superconducting phase transition. Here, we demonstrate that high-fluence MeV ion-implantation, at elevated temperatures avoids graphitization and can be used to achieve doping densities of 6 at. %. In order to quantify the diamond crystal damage associated with implantation Raman spectroscopy was performed, demonstrating high temperature annealing recovers the lattice. Additionally, low-temperature electronic transport measurements show evidence of charge carrier densities close to the metal-insulator-transition. After electronic characterization, secondary ion mass spectrometry was performed to mapmore » out the ion profile of the implanted plates. The analysis shows close agreement with the simulated ion-profile assuming scaling factors that take into account an average change in diamond density due to device fabrication. Finally, the data show that boron diffusion is negligible during the high temperature annealing process.« less

By-controlled convection and field-aligned currents near midnight auroral oval for northward interplanetary magnetic field

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Taguchi, S.; Sugiura, M.; Iyemori, T.; Winningham, J. D.; Slavin, J. A.

1994-01-01

Using the Dynamics Explorer (DE) 2 magnetic and electric field and plasma data, B(sub y)- controlled convection and field-aligned currents in the midnight sector for northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) are examined. The results of an analysis of the electric field data show that when IMF is stable and when its magnitude is large, a coherent B(sub y)-controlled convection exists near the midnight auroral oval in the ionosphere having adequate conductivities. When B(sub y) is negative, the convection consists of a westward (eastward) plasma flow at the lower latitudes and an eastward (westward) plasma flow at the higher latitudes in the midnight sector in the northern (southern) ionosphere. When B(sub y) is positive, the flow directions are reversed. The distribution of the field-aligned currents associated with the B(sub y)-controlled convection, in most cases, shows a three-sheet structure. In accordance with the convection the directions of the three sheets are dependent on the sign of B(sub y). The location of disappearance of the precipitating intense electrons having energies of a few keV is close to the convection reversal surface. However, the more detailed relationship between the electron precipitation boundary and the convection reversal surface depends on the case. In some cases the precipitating electrons extend beyond the convection reversal surface, and in others the poleward boundary terminates at a latitude lower than the reversal surface. Previous studies suggest that the poleward boundary of the electrons having energies of a few keV is not necessarily coincident with an open/closed bounary. Thus the open/closed boundary may be at a latitude higher than the poleward boundary of the electron precipitation, or it may be at a latitude lower than the poleward boundary of the electron precipitation. We discuss relationships between the open/closed boundary and the convection reversal surface. When as a possible choice we adopt a view that the open/closed boundary agrees with the convection reversal surface, we can explain qualitatively the configuration of the B(sub y)-controlled convection on the open and close field line regions by proposing a mapping modified in accordance with IMF B(sub y).

Device research task (processing and high-efficiency solar cells)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1986-01-01

This task has been expanded since the last 25th Project Integration Meeting (PIM) to include process research in addition to device research. The objective of this task is to assist the Flat-plate Solar Array (FSA) Project in meeting its near- and long-term goals by identifying and implementing research in the areas of device physics, device structures, measurement techniques, material-device interactions, and cell processing. The research efforts of this task are described and reflect the deversity of device research being conducted. All of the contracts being reported are either completed or near completion and culminate the device research efforts of the FSA Project. Optimazation methods and silicon solar cell numerical models, carrier transport and recombination parameters in heavily doped silicon, development and analysis of silicon solar cells of near 20% efficiency, and SiN sub x passivation of silicon surfaces are discussed.

Design and analysis of seals for extended service life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bower, Mark V.

1992-01-01

Space Station Freedom is being developed for a service life of up to thirty years. As a consequence, the design requirements for the seals to be used are unprecedented. Full scale testing to assure the selected seals can satisfy the design requirements are not feasible. As an alternative, a sub-scale test program has been developed by MSFC to calibrate the analysis tools to be used to certify the proposed design. This research has been conducted in support of the MSFC Integrated Seal Test Program. The ultimate objective of this research is to correlate analysis and test results to qualify the analytical tools, which in turn, are to be used to qualify the flight hardware. This research is totally focused on O-rings that are compressed by perpendicular clamping forces. In this type of seal the O-ring is clamped between the sealing surfaces by loads perpendicular to the circular cross section.

Field emission from bias-grown diamond thin films in a microwave plasma

DOEpatents

Gruen, Dieter M.; Krauss, Alan R.; Ding, Ming Q.; Auciello, Orlando

2002-01-01

A method of producing diamond or diamond like films in which a negative bias is established on a substrate with an electrically conductive surface in a microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition system. The atmosphere that is subjected to microwave energy includes a source of carbon, nitrogen and hydrogen. The negative bias is maintained on the substrate through both the nucleation and growth phase of the film until the film is continuous. Biases between -100V and -200 are preferred. Carbon sources may be one or more of CH.sub.4, C.sub.2 H.sub.2 other hydrocarbons and fullerenes.

Production of Sulfur Allotropes in Electron Irradiated Jupiter Trojans Ice Analogs

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

Mahjoub, Ahmed; Poston, Michael J.; Blacksberg, Jo

In this paper, we investigate sulfur chemistry in laboratory analogs of Jupiter Trojans and Kuiper Belt Objects (KBOs). Electron irradiation experiments of CH{sub 3}OH–NH{sub 3}–H{sub 2}O and H{sub 2}S–CH{sub 3}OH–NH{sub 3}–H{sub 2}O ices were conducted to better understand the chemical differences between primordial planetesimals inside and outside the sublimation line of H{sub 2}S. The main goal of this work is to test the chemical plausibility of the hypothesis correlating the color bimodality in Jupiter Trojans with sulfur chemistry in the incipient solar system. Temperature programmed desorption (TPD) of the irradiated mixtures allows the detection of small sulfur allotropes (S{sub 3}more » and S{sub 4}) after the irradiation of H{sub 2}S containing ice mixtures. These small, red polymers are metastable and could polymerize further under thermal processing and irradiation, producing larger sulfur polymers (mainly S{sub 8}) that are spectroscopically neutral at wavelengths above 500 nm. This transformation may affect the spectral reflectance of Jupiter Trojans in a different way compared to KBOs, thereby providing a useful framework for possibly differentiating and determining the formation and history of small bodies. Along with allotropes, we report the production of organo-sulfur molecules. Sulfur molecules produced in our experiment have been recently detected by Rosetta in the coma of 67P/Churyumov–Gerasimenko. The very weak absorption of sulfur polymers in the infrared range hampers their identification on Trojans and KBOs, but these allotropes strongly absorb light at UV and Visible wavelengths. This suggests that high signal-to-noise ratio UV–Vis spectra of these objects could provide new constraints on their presence.« less

Process-based approach for the detection of CO2 injectate leakage

DOEpatents

Romanak, Katherine; Bennett, Philip C.

2017-11-14

The present invention includes a method for distinguishing between a natural source of deep gas and gas leaking from a CO.sub.2 storage reservoir at a near surface formation comprising: obtaining one or more surface or near surface geological samples; measuring a CO.sub.2, an O.sub.2, a CH.sub.4, and an N.sub.2 level from the surface or near surface geological sample; determining the water vapor content at or above the surface or near surface geological samples; normalizing the gas mixture of the CO.sub.2, the O.sub.2, the CH.sub.4, the N.sub.2 and the water vapor content to 100% by volume or 1 atmospheric total pressure; determining: a ratio of CO.sub.2 versus N.sub.2; and a ratio of CO.sub.2 to N.sub.2, wherein if the ratio is greater than that produced by a natural source of deep gas CO.sub.2 or deep gas methane oxidizing to CO.sub.2, the ratio is indicative of gas leaking from a CO.sub.2 storage reservoir.

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

Nguyen, Duc; Girolami, Gregory S.; Beckman Institute, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801

Direct visualization of the dynamics of structural glasses and amorphous solids on the sub-nanometer scale provides rich information unavailable from bulk or conventional single molecule techniques. We study the surface of hafnium diboride, a conductive ultrahigh temperature ceramic material that can be grown in amorphous films. Our scanning tunneling movies have a second-to-hour dynamic range and single-point current measurements extend that to the millisecond-to-minute time scale. On the a-HfB{sub 2} glass surface, two-state hopping of 1–2 nm diameter cooperatively rearranging regions or “clusters” occurs from sub-milliseconds to hours. We characterize individual clusters in detail through high-resolution (<0.5 nm) imaging, scanning tunnelingmore » spectroscopy and voltage modulation, ruling out individual atoms, diffusing adsorbates, or pinned charges as the origin of the observed two-state hopping. Smaller clusters are more likely to hop, larger ones are more likely to be immobile. HfB{sub 2} has a very high bulk glass transition temperature T{sub g}, and we observe no three-state hopping or sequential two-state hopping previously seen on lower T{sub g} glass surfaces. The electronic density of states of clusters does not change when they hop up or down, allowing us to calibrate an accurate relative z-axis scale. By directly measuring and histogramming single cluster vertical displacements, we can reconstruct the local free energy landscape of individual clusters, complete with activation barrier height, a reaction coordinate in nanometers, and the shape of the free energy landscape basins between which hopping occurs. The experimental images are consistent with the compact shape of α-relaxors predicted by random first order transition theory, whereas the rapid hopping rate, even taking less confined motion at the surface into account, is consistent with β-relaxations. We make a proposal of how “mixed” features can show up in surface dynamics of glasses.« less

Development of new metal-oxide thin film gas sensors by conductivity and workfunction correlations

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

Doll, T.; Mutschall, D.; Winter, R.

1996-12-31

Commercially available semiconducting gas sensors usually are based on tin dioxide, although there is a wide variety of metal oxides with capabilities for gas sensing. This derives from restrictions to predict the gas sensitivity under real conditions from clean surface measurements or sensitivity deviations due to different preparation techniques. Hence tedious sample variation and testing is required. It is known that beside pure conductivity studies, combined methods provide a better distinction between preparation-dependent and general chemical effects. For samples with a polycrystalline grain size smaller than the Debye length of the material the correlation of workfunction responses A{Delta}{Phi} to conductivitymore » measurements with the relation {Delta}{Phi} {approximately} log G is one powerful combination. In the present paper, this comparison is shown for nickel oxide layers prepared in two different ways: Reactive sputtering, which leads to partly polycrystalline layers of grain sizes of about 5 to 15 nm according to, and amorphous nickel oxide prepared by ozone enhanced molecular beam epitaxy. The work function and conductivity responses to H{sub 2}, NH{sub 3}, NO{sub 2}, SO{sub 2}, CO and Cl{sub 2} in synthetic air show a very similar sensitivity for the amorphous and the polycrystalline nickeloxides which indicates that the above mentioned correlation range includes amorphous states, too.« less

Theoretical effect of modifications to the upper surface of two NACA airfoils using smooth polynomial additional thickness distributions which emphasize leading edge profile and which vary quadratically at the trailing edge. [using flow equations and a CDC 7600 computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Merz, A. W.; Hague, D. S.

1975-01-01

An investigation was conducted on a CDC 7600 digital computer to determine the effects of additional thickness distributions to the upper surface of the NACA 64-206 and 64 sub 1 - 212 airfoils. The additional thickness distribution had the form of a continuous mathematical function which disappears at both the leading edge and the trailing edge. The function behaves as a polynomial of order epsilon sub 1 at the leading edge, and a polynomial of order epsilon sub 2 at the trailing edge. Epsilon sub 2 is a constant and epsilon sub 1 is varied over a range of practical interest. The magnitude of the additional thickness, y, is a second input parameter, and the effect of varying epsilon sub 1 and y on the aerodynamic performance of the airfoil was investigated. Results were obtained at a Mach number of 0.2 with an angle-of-attack of 6 degrees on the basic airfoils, and all calculations employ the full potential flow equations for two dimensional flow. The relaxation method of Jameson was employed for solution of the potential flow equations.

Polaron-electron assisted giant dielectric dispersion in SrZrO{sub 3} high-k dielectric

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

Borkar, Hitesh; Barvat, Arun; Pal, Prabir

2016-06-07

The SrZrO{sub 3} is a well known high-k dielectric constant (∼22) and high optical bandgap (∼5.8 eV) material and one of the potential candidates for future generation nanoelectronic logic elements (8 nm node technology) beyond silicon. Its dielectric behavior is fairly robust and frequency independent till 470 K; however, it suffers a strong small-polaron based electronic phase transition (T{sub e}) linking 650 to 750 K. The impedance spectroscopy measurements revealed the presence of conducting grains and grain boundaries at elevated temperature which provide energetic mobile charge carriers with activation energy in the range of 0.7 to 1.2 eV supporting the oxygen ions and proton conduction.more » X-ray photoemission spectroscopy measurements suggest the presence of weak non-stoichiometric O{sup 2−} anions and hydroxyl species bound to different sites at the surface and bulk. These thermally activated charge carriers at elevated temperature significantly contribute to the polaronic based dielectric anomaly and conductivity. Our dielectric anomaly supports pseudo phase transition due to high degree of change in ZrO{sub 6} octahedral angle in the temperature range of 650–750 K, where electron density and phonon vibration affect the dielectric and conductivity properties.« less

KASCADE2017 - An experimental study of thermal circulations and turbulence in complex terrain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pardyjak, Eric; Dupuy, Florian; Durand, Pierre; Gunawardena, Nipun; Hedde, Thierry; Rubin, Pierre

2017-04-01

The KASCADE (KAtabatic winds and Stability over CAdarache for Dispersion of Effluents) 2017 experiment was conducted during winter 2017 with the overarching objective of improving prediction of dispersion in complex terrain during stable atmospheric conditions. The experiment builds on knowledge gathered during the first KASCADE experiment conducted in 2013 (Duine et al., 2016), which provided detailed observations of the vertical structure of the atmosphere during stable conditions. In spite of this improved understanding, considerable uncertainty remains regarding the near-surface horizontal spatial and temporal variability of winds and thermodynamic variables. For this specific campaign, the general aim has been to use a large number of sensors to improve our understanding of the spatial and temporal development, evolution and breakdown of topographically driven flows. KASCADE 2017 consisted of continuous observations, which were broadened during ten Intensive Observation Periods (IOPs) conducted in the Cadarache Valley located in south-eastern France from January through March 2017. The Cadarache Valley is a relatively small valley (6 km x 1 km) with modest slopes and elevation differences between the valley floor and nearby peaks ( 100 m). The valley is embedded in the larger Durance Valley drainage system leading to multi-scale flow interactions. During the winter, winds are light and stably stratified leading to thermal circulations as well as complex near-surface atmospheric layering that impacts dispersion of contaminants. The continuously operating instrumentation deployed included mean near surface (2-m) and sub-surface observations from 12 low-cost Local Energy-budget Measurement Stations (LEMS), four sonic anemometer masts, one full surface flux station, sodar measurements at two locations, wind and temperature measurements from a tall 110 m tower, and two additional met stations. During IOPs, additional deployments included a low-cost tethered balloon temperature profiler as well as regular (every 3 hours) radiosoundings (including recoverable and reusable probes). The presentation will provide an overview of the experiment and several interesting "first-results." First results will include data characterizing highly-regular nocturnal horizontal wind meandering and associated turbulence statistics. In addition, we present data on the development of strong near surface stable stratification hours before sunset.

Semiconductor structures having electrically insulating and conducting portions formed from an AlSb-alloy layer

DOEpatents

Spahn, O.B.; Lear, K.L.

1998-03-10

The semiconductor structure comprises a plurality of semiconductor layers formed on a substrate including at least one layer of a III-V compound semiconductor alloy comprising aluminum (Al) and antimony (Sb), with at least a part of the AlSb-alloy layer being chemically converted by an oxidation process to form superposed electrically insulating and electrically conducting portions. The electrically insulating portion formed from the AlSb-alloy layer comprises an oxide of aluminum (e.g., Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}), while the electrically conducting portion comprises Sb. A lateral oxidation process allows formation of the superposed insulating and conducting portions below monocrystalline semiconductor layers for forming many different types of semiconductor structures having particular utility for optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes, edge-emitting lasers, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, photodetectors and optical modulators (waveguide and surface normal), and for electronic devices such as heterojunction bipolar transistors, field-effect transistors and quantum-effect devices. The invention is expected to be particularly useful for forming light-emitting devices for use in the 1.3--1.6 {mu}m wavelength range, with the AlSb-alloy layer acting to define an active region of the device and to effectively channel an electrical current therein for efficient light generation. 10 figs.

Semiconductor structures having electrically insulating and conducting portions formed from an AlSb-alloy layer

DOEpatents

Spahn, Olga B.; Lear, Kevin L.

1998-01-01

A semiconductor structure. The semiconductor structure comprises a plurality of semiconductor layers formed on a substrate including at least one layer of a III-V compound semiconductor alloy comprising aluminum (Al) and antimony (Sb), with at least a part of the AlSb-alloy layer being chemically converted by an oxidation process to form superposed electrically insulating and electrically conducting portions. The electrically insulating portion formed from the AlSb-alloy layer comprises an oxide of aluminum (e.g. Al.sub.2 O.sub.3), while the electrically conducting portion comprises Sb. A lateral oxidation process allows formation of the superposed insulating and conducting portions below monocrystalline semiconductor layers for forming many different types of semiconductor structures having particular utility for optoelectronic devices such as light-emitting diodes, edge-emitting lasers, vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers, photodetectors and optical modulators (waveguide and surface normal), and for electronic devices such as heterojunction bipolar transistors, field-effect transistors and quantum-effect devices. The invention is expected to be particularly useful for forming light-emitting devices for use in the 1.3-1.6 .mu.m wavelength range, with the AlSb-alloy layer acting to define an active region of the device and to effectively channel an electrical current therein for efficient light generation.

The CEOS constellation for land surface imaging

USGS Publications Warehouse

Bailey, G.B.; Berger, Marsha; Jeanjean, H.; Gallo, K.P.

2007-01-01

A constellation of satellites that routinely and frequently images the Earth's land surface in consistently calibrated wavelengths from the visible through the microwave and in spatial detail that ranges from sub-meter to hundreds of meters would offer enormous potential benefits to society. A well-designed and effectively operated land surface imaging satellite constellation could have great positive impact not only on the quality of life for citizens of all nations, but also on mankind's very ability to sustain life as we know it on this planet long into the future. The primary objective of the Committee on Earth Observation Satellites (CEOS) Land Surface Imaging (LSI) Constellation is to define standards (or guidelines) that describe optimal future LSI Constellation capabilities, characteristics, and practices. Standards defined for a LSI Constellation will be based on a thorough understanding of user requirements, and they will address at least three fundamental areas of the systems comprising a Land Surface Imaging Constellation: the space segments, the ground segments, and relevant policies and plans. Studies conducted by the LSI Constellation Study Team also will address current and shorter-term problems and issues facing the land remote sensing community today, such as seeking ways to work more cooperatively in the operation of existing land surface imaging systems and helping to accomplish tangible benefits to society through application of land surface image data acquired by existing systems. 2007 LSI Constellation studies are designed to establish initial international agreements, develop preliminary standards for a mid-resolution land surface imaging constellation, and contribute data to a global forest assessment.

Chameleon scalar fields in relativistic gravitational backgrounds

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

Tsujikawa, Shinji; Tamaki, Takashi; Tavakol, Reza, E-mail: shinji@rs.kagu.tus.ac.jp, E-mail: tamaki@gravity.phys.waseda.ac.jp, E-mail: r.tavakol@qmul.ac.uk

2009-05-15

We study the field profile of a scalar field {phi} that couples to a matter fluid (dubbed a chameleon field) in the relativistic gravitational background of a spherically symmetric spacetime. Employing a linear expansion in terms of the gravitational potential {Phi}{sub c} at the surface of a compact object with a constant density, we derive the thin-shell field profile both inside and outside the object, as well as the resulting effective coupling with matter, analytically. We also carry out numerical simulations for the class of inverse power-law potentials V({phi}) = M{sup 4+n}{phi}{sup -n} by employing the information provided by ourmore » analytical solutions to set the boundary conditions around the centre of the object and show that thin-shell solutions in fact exist if the gravitational potential {Phi}{sub c} is smaller than 0.3, which marginally covers the case of neutron stars. Thus the chameleon mechanism is present in the relativistic gravitational backgrounds, capable of reducing the effective coupling. Since thin-shell solutions are sensitive to the choice of boundary conditions, our analytic field profile is very helpful to provide appropriate boundary conditions for {Phi}{sub c}{approx}« less

Candida antifungal drug resistance in sub-Saharan African populations: A systematic review

PubMed Central

Africa, Charlene Wilma Joyce; Abrantes, Pedro Miguel dos Santos

2017-01-01

Background: Candida infections are responsible for increased morbidity and mortality rates in at-risk patients, especially in developing countries where there is limited access to antifungal drugs and a high burden of HIV co-infection.  Objectives: This study aimed to identify antifungal drug resistance patterns within the subcontinent of Africa.  Methods: A literature search was conducted on published studies that employed antifungal susceptibility testing on clinical Candida isolates from sub-Saharan African countries using Pubmed and Google Scholar.  Results: A total of 21 studies from 8 countries constituted this review. Only studies conducted in sub-Saharan Africa and employing antifungal drug susceptibility testing were included. Regional differences in Candida species prevalence and resistance patterns were identified.  Discussion: The outcomes of this review highlight the need for a revision of antifungal therapy guidelines in regions most affected by Candida drug resistance.  Better controls in antimicrobial drug distribution and the implementation of regional antimicrobial susceptibility surveillance programmes are required in order to reduce the high Candida drug resistance levels seen to be emerging in sub-Saharan Africa. PMID:28154753

Design of low surface roughness-low residual stress-high optoelectronic merit a-IZO thin films for flexible OLEDs

DOE PAGES

Kumar, Naveen; Wilkinson, Taylor M.; Packard, Corinne E.; ...

2016-06-08

The development of efficient and reliable large-area flexible optoelectronic devices demands low surface roughness-low residual stress-high optoelectronic merit transparent conducting oxide (TCO) thin films. Here, we correlate surface roughness-residual stress-optoelectronic properties of sputtered amorphous indium zinc oxide (a-IZO) thin films using a statistical design of experiment (DOE) approach and find a common growth space to achieve a smooth surface in a stress-free and high optoelectronic merit a-IZO thin film. The sputtering power, growth pressure, oxygen partial pressure, and RF/(RF+DC) are varied in a two-level system with a full factorial design, and results are used to deconvolve the complex growth space,more » identifying significant control growth parameters and their possible interactions. The surface roughness of a-IZO thin film varies over 0.19 nm to 3.97 nm, which is not in line with the general assumption of low surface roughness in a-IZO thin films. The initial regression model and analysis of variance reveal no single optimum growth sub-space to achieve low surface roughness (=0.5 nm), low residual stress (-1 to 0 GPa), and industrially acceptable electrical conductivity (>1000 S/cm) for a-IZO thin films. The extrapolation of growth parameters in light of the current results and previous knowledge leads to a new sub-space, resulting in a low residual stress of -0.52 +/- 0.04 GPa, a low surface roughness of 0.55 +/- 0.03 nm, and moderate electrical conductivity of 1962 +/- 3.84 S/cm in a-IZO thin films. Lastly, these results demonstrate the utility of the DOE approach to multi-parameter optimization, which provides an important tool for the development of flexible TCOs for the next-generation flexible organic light emitting diodes applications.« less

Design of low surface roughness-low residual stress-high optoelectronic merit a-IZO thin films for flexible OLEDs

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

Kumar, Naveen; Kumar, Mukesh, E-mail: mkumar@iitrpr.ac.in, E-mail: cpackard@mines.edu; Wilkinson, Taylor M.

2016-06-14

The development of efficient and reliable large-area flexible optoelectronic devices demands low surface roughness-low residual stress-high optoelectronic merit transparent conducting oxide (TCO) thin films. Here, we correlate surface roughness-residual stress-optoelectronic properties of sputtered amorphous indium zinc oxide (a-IZO) thin films using a statistical design of experiment (DOE) approach and find a common growth space to achieve a smooth surface in a stress-free and high optoelectronic merit a-IZO thin film. The sputtering power, growth pressure, oxygen partial pressure, and RF/(RF+DC) are varied in a two-level system with a full factorial design, and results are used to deconvolve the complex growth space,more » identifying significant control growth parameters and their possible interactions. The surface roughness of a-IZO thin film varies over 0.19 nm to 3.97 nm, which is not in line with the general assumption of low surface roughness in a-IZO thin films. The initial regression model and analysis of variance reveal no single optimum growth sub-space to achieve low surface roughness (≤0.5 nm), low residual stress (−1 to 0 GPa), and industrially acceptable electrical conductivity (>1000 S/cm) for a-IZO thin films. The extrapolation of growth parameters in light of the current results and previous knowledge leads to a new sub-space, resulting in a low residual stress of −0.52±0.04 GPa, a low surface roughness of 0.55±0.03 nm, and moderate electrical conductivity of 1962±3.84 S/cm in a-IZO thin films. These results demonstrate the utility of the DOE approach to multi-parameter optimization, which provides an important tool for the development of flexible TCOs for the next-generation flexible organic light emitting diodes applications.« less

Electrical conduction mechanism of LaNi{sub x}Me{sub 1−x}O{sub 3−δ} (Me = Fe, Mn)

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

Niwa, Eiki, E-mail: e-niwa@phys.chs.nihon-u.ac.jp; Department of Integrated Sciences in Physics and Biology, College of Humanities and Sciences, Nihon University, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 156-8550; Maeda, Hiroki

Graphical abstract: Compositional dependence of (a) electrical conductivity and (b) E{sub a} for hopping conduction of LaNi{sub x}Me{sub 1−x}O{sub 3} (Me = Fe, Mn). - Highlights: • Electrical conduction mechanism of LaNi{sub x}Me{sub 1−x}O{sub 3} (Me = Fe, Mn) was investigated. • Hopping conduction model could be applied for conductivity of both specimens. • The difference of E{sub a} due to that of energy level of Fe and Mn was observed. • Hole concentration estimated by iodimetry increases with increasing Ni content. - Abstract: Electrical conduction mechanism of LaNi{sub x}Fe{sub 1−x}O{sub 3−δ} and LaNi{sub x}Mn{sub 1−x}O{sub 3+δ} expected as Sr-freemore » new cathode material for solid oxide fuel cells was analyzed. Electrical conduction behaviors of both specimens could be well fitted by small polaron hopping conduction model. The electrical conductivity of LaNi{sub x}Fe{sub 1−x}O{sub 3−δ} increased with increasing Ni content, showing agreement with decrease of activation energy for hopping conduction. The decrease of electrical conductivity and increase of activation energy of LaNi{sub x}Mn{sub 1−x}O{sub 3+δ} were observed with increasing Ni content for 0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.4. Further Ni substitution increased electrical conductivity and decreased activation energy for 0.4 ≤ x ≤ 0.6. It was revealed using iodometry that the difference of hole carrier density between LaNi{sub x}Fe{sub 1−x}O{sub 3−δ} and LaNi{sub x}Mn{sub 1−x}O{sub 3+δ} was small. It was suspected that the origin of the difference of electrical conduction behavior of LaNi{sub x}Fe{sub 1−x}O{sub 3−δ} and LaNi{sub x}Mn{sub 1-x}O{sub 3+δ} was difference of energy level of e{sub g} band composed of Fe 3d or Mn 3d orbitals and their overlapping quantity with O 2p and Ni 3d band.« less

Nano-Localized Thermal Analysis and Mapping of Surface and Sub-Surface Thermal Properties Using Scanning Thermal Microscopy (SThM).

PubMed

Pereira, Maria J; Amaral, Joao S; Silva, Nuno J O; Amaral, Vitor S

2016-12-01

Determining and acting on thermo-physical properties at the nanoscale is essential for understanding/managing heat distribution in micro/nanostructured materials and miniaturized devices. Adequate thermal nano-characterization techniques are required to address thermal issues compromising device performance. Scanning thermal microscopy (SThM) is a probing and acting technique based on atomic force microscopy using a nano-probe designed to act as a thermometer and resistive heater, achieving high spatial resolution. Enabling direct observation and mapping of thermal properties such as thermal conductivity, SThM is becoming a powerful tool with a critical role in several fields, from material science to device thermal management. We present an overview of the different thermal probes, followed by the contribution of SThM in three currently significant research topics. First, in thermal conductivity contrast studies of graphene monolayers deposited on different substrates, SThM proves itself a reliable technique to clarify the intriguing thermal properties of graphene, which is considered an important contributor to improve the performance of downscaled devices and materials. Second, SThM's ability to perform sub-surface imaging is highlighted by thermal conductivity contrast analysis of polymeric composites. Finally, an approach to induce and study local structural transitions in ferromagnetic shape memory alloy Ni-Mn-Ga thin films using localized nano-thermal analysis is presented.

Chemical analysis of solids with sub-nm depth resolution by using a miniature LIMS system designed for in situ space research

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Riedo, Andreas; Grimaudo, Valentine; Moreno-García, Pavel; Brigitte Neuland, Maike; Tulej, Marek; Broekmann, Peter; Wurz, Peter

2015-04-01

Sensitive elemental and isotope analysis of solid samples are of considerable interest in nowadays in situ space research. For context in situ analysis, high spatial resolution is also of substantial importance. While the measurements conducted with high lateral resolution can provide compositional details of the surface of highly heterogeneous materials, depth profiling measurements yield information on compositional details of surface and subsurface. The mass spectrometric analysis with the vertical resolution at sub-µm levels is of special consideration and can deliver important information on processes, which may have modified the surface. Information on space weathering effects can be readily determined when the sample composition of the surface and sub-surface is studied with high vertical resolution. In this contribution we will present vertical depth resolution measurements conducted by our sensitive miniature laser ablation ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometer (160mm x Ø 60mm) designed for in situ space research [1-3]. The mass spectrometer is equipped with a fs-laser system (~190fs pulse width, λ = 775nm), which is used for ablation and ionization of the sample material [2]. Laser radiation is focussed on the target material to a spot size of about 10-20 µm in diameter. Mass spectrometric measurements are conducted with a mass resolution (m/Δm) of about 400-500 (at 56Fe mass peak) and with a superior dynamic range of more than eight orders of magnitude. The depth profiling performance studies were conducted on 10µm thick Cu films that were deposited by an additive-assisted electrochemical procedure on Si-wafers. The presented measurement study will show that the current instrument prototype is able to conduct quantitative chemical (elemental and isotope) analysis of solids with a vertical resolution at sub-nm level. Contaminants, incorporated by using additives (polymers containing e.g. C, N, O, S) and with layer thickness of a few nanometres, can be fully resolved [1]. The current measurement performance, including the sensitivity and the high vertical depth resolution, opens new perspectives for future applications in the laboratory, e.g. measurements of Genesis samples, and new measurement capabilities for in situ space research. References 1)V. Grimaudo, P. Moreno-García, M.B. Neuland, M. Tulej, P. Broekmann, P. Wurz and A. Riedo, "High-resolution chemical depth profiling of solid material using a miniature laser ablation/ionization mass spectrometer", Anal. Chem., 2015, submitted. 2)A. Riedo, M. Neuland, S. Meyer, M. Tulej, and P. Wurz, "Coupling of LMS with a fs-laser ablation ion source: elemental and isotope composition measurements", J. Anal. At. Spectrom., 2013, 28, 1256. 3)Tulej et al. CAMAM: A Miniature Laser Ablation Ionisation Mass Spectrometer and Microscope-Camera System for In Situ Investigation of the Composition and Morphology of Extraterrestrial Materials, Geostand. Geoanal. Res., 2014, doi: 10.1111/j.1751-908X.2014.00302.x

Non Destructive Test Dye Penetrant and Ultrasonic on Welding SMAW Butt Joint with Acceptance Criteria ASME Standard

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Endramawan, T.; Sifa, A.

2018-02-01

The purpose of this research is to know the type of discontinuity of SMAW welding result and to determine acceptance criteria based on American Society of Mechanical Engineer (ASME) standard. Material used is mild steel 98,71% Fe and 0,212% C with hardness 230 VHN with specimen diameter 20 cm and thickness 1.2 cm which is welded use SMAW butt joint with electrode for rooting LB 52U diameter 2.6 mm, current 70 Ampere and voltage 380 volt, filler used LB 5218 electrode diameter 3.2 mm with current 80 Ampere and 380 volt. The method used to analyze the welded with non destructive test dye penetrant (PT) method to see indication on the surface of the object and Ultrasonic (UT) to see indication on the sub and inner the surface of the object, the result is discontinuity recorded and analyzed and then the discontinuity is determine acceptance criteria based on the American Society of Mechanical Engineer (ASME) standards. The result show the discontinuity of porosity on the surface of the welded and inclusion on sub material used ultrasonic test, all indication on dye penetrant or ultrasonic test if there were rejected of result of welded that there must be gouging on part which rejected and then re-welding.

Sub-pixel accuracy thickness calculation of poultry fillets from scattered laser profiles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jing, Hansong; Chen, Xin; Tao, Yang; Zhu, Bin; Jin, Fenghua

2005-11-01

A laser range imaging system based on the triangulation method was designed and implemented for online high-resolution thickness calculation of poultry fillets. A laser pattern was projected onto the surface of the chicken fillet for calculation of the thickness of the meat. Because chicken fillets are relatively loosely-structured material, a laser light easily penetrates the meat, and scattering occurs both at and under the surface. When laser light is scattered under the surface it is reflected back and further blurs the laser line sharpness. To accurately calculate the thickness of the object, the light transportation has to be considered. In the system, the Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function (BSSRDF) was used to model the light transportation and the light pattern reflected into the cameras. BSSRDF gives the reflectance of a target as a function of illumination geometry and viewing geometry. Based on this function, an empirical method has been developed and it has been proven that this method can be used to accurately calculate the thickness of the object from a scattered laser profile. The laser range system is designed as a sub-system that complements the X-ray bone inspection system for non-invasive detection of hazardous materials in boneless poultry meat with irregular thickness.

Full-frame, high-speed 3D shape and deformation measurements using stereo-digital image correlation and a single color high-speed camera

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yu, Liping; Pan, Bing

2017-08-01

Full-frame, high-speed 3D shape and deformation measurement using stereo-digital image correlation (stereo-DIC) technique and a single high-speed color camera is proposed. With the aid of a skillfully designed pseudo stereo-imaging apparatus, color images of a test object surface, composed of blue and red channel images from two different optical paths, are recorded by a high-speed color CMOS camera. The recorded color images can be separated into red and blue channel sub-images using a simple but effective color crosstalk correction method. These separated blue and red channel sub-images are processed by regular stereo-DIC method to retrieve full-field 3D shape and deformation on the test object surface. Compared with existing two-camera high-speed stereo-DIC or four-mirror-adapter-assisted singe-camera high-speed stereo-DIC, the proposed single-camera high-speed stereo-DIC technique offers prominent advantages of full-frame measurements using a single high-speed camera but without sacrificing its spatial resolution. Two real experiments, including shape measurement of a curved surface and vibration measurement of a Chinese double-side drum, demonstrated the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed technique.

Advanced reservoir characterization and evaluation of CO{sub 2} gravity drainage in the naturally fractured Spraberry Trend Area, Class III

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

Heckman, Tracy; Schechter, David S.

2000-04-11

The overall goal of this project was to assess the economic feasibility of CO{sub 2} flooding the naturally fractured Spraberry Trend Area in West Texas. This objective was accomplished by conducting research in four areas: (1) extensive characterization of the reservoirs, (2) experimental studies of crude oil/brine/rock (COBR) interaction in the reservoirs, (3) analytical and numerical simulation of Spraberry reservoirs, and, (4) experimental investigations on CO{sub 2} gravity drainage in Spraberry whole cores. This report provides results of the fourth year of the five-year project for each of the four areas including a status report of field activities leading upmore » to injection of CO{sub 2}.« less

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

Not Available

The objective of the first year of this study was the investigation of two new classes of complex sulfide materials of potential value for ambient and high temperature, high energy rechargeable batteries with lithium anodes. The two new classes were the sulfospinels and simple and mixed layered disulfides of transitional metals of groups IVB and VB. In addition, three simple sulfides, CoS, CoS/sub 2/ and FeS/sub 2/ were also investigated. Studies of the synthesis methods have resulted in the development of the two-zone quartz furnace capable of firing temperatures up to 1000/sup 0/C with controllable sulfur vapor pressures. Optimum synthesismore » methods for preparation of TiS/sub 2/ and substituted disulfides of the type M/sub x/Ti/sub 1-x/S/sub 2/ (M = Co, Cr, Mo, V) as well as for sulfospinels have been established. In the area of mixed disulfides, compounds with 5 mole % molybdenum and 25 mole % chromium or vanadium were found to be superior in electrochemical cell performance to TiS/sub 2/. The higher electrical conductivity of these compounds compared to that of TiS/sub 2/ is the probable reason. The preparation of the Co-substituted disulfide was not successful and resulted in a sulfospinel structure of CoTi/sub 2/S/sub 4/. Among the sulfospinels studied CoCo/sub 2/S/sub 4/ = (Co/sub 3/S/sub 4/) and CoFe/sub 2/S/sub 4/, high capacity densities up to 605 mAH/g have been found with the former showing more electrochemical reversibility. The initial findings in organic electrolyte cells have been confirmed in high temperature tests conducted at Argonne National Laboratory in molten salt cell tests. The simple sulfides have been found to perform in organic electrolyte cells with CoS/sub 2/ showing lower polarization than FeS/sub 2/ or CoS.« less

Process for analyzing CO.sub.2 in seawater

DOEpatents

Atwater, James E.; Akse, James R.; DeHart, Jeffrey

1997-01-01

The process of this invention comprises providing a membrane for separating CO.sub.2 into a first CO.sub.2 sample phase and a second CO.sub.2 analyte phase. CO.sub.2 is then transported through the membrane thereby separating the CO.sub.2 with the membrane into a first CO.sub.2 sample phase and a second CO.sub.2 analyte liquid phase including an ionized, conductive, dissociated CO.sub.2 species. Next, the concentration of the ionized, conductive, dissociated CO.sub.2 species in the second CO.sub.2 analyte liquid phase is chemically amplified using a water-soluble chemical reagent which reversibly reacts with undissociated CO.sub.2 to produce conductivity changes therein corresponding to fluctuations in the partial pressure of CO.sub.2 in the first CO.sub.2 sample phase. Finally, the chemically amplified, ionized, conductive, dissociated CO.sub.2 species is introduced to a conductivity measuring instrument. Conductivity changes in the chemically amplified, ionized, conductive, dissociated CO.sub.2 species are detected using the conductivity measuring instrument.

Surface Water and Energy Budgets for Sub-Saharan Africa in GFDL Coupled Climate Model

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tian, D.; Wood, E. F.; Vecchi, G. A.; Jia, L.; Pan, M.

2015-12-01

This study compare surface water and energy budget variables from the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) FLOR models with the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Climate Forecast System Reanalysis (CFSR), Princeton University Global Meteorological Forcing Dataset (PGF), and PGF-driven Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model outputs, as well as available observations over the sub-Saharan Africa. The comparison was made for four configurations of the FLOR models that included FLOR phase 1 (FLOR-p1) and phase 2 (FLOR-p2) and two phases of flux adjusted versions (FLOR-FA-p1 and FLOR-FA-p2). Compared to p1, simulated atmospheric states in p2 were nudged to the Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications (MERRA) reanalysis. The seasonal cycle and annual mean of major surface water (precipitation, evapotranspiration, runoff, and change of storage) and energy variables (sensible heat, ground heat, latent heat, net solar radiation, net longwave radiation, and skin temperature) over a 34-yr period during 1981-2014 were compared in different regions in sub-Saharan Africa (West Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa). In addition to evaluating the means in three sub-regions, empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) analyses were conducted to compare both spatial and temporal characteristics of water and energy budget variables from four versions of GFDL FLOR, NCEP CFSR, PGF, and VIC outputs. This presentation will show how well each coupled climate model represented land surface physics and reproduced spatiotemporal characteristics of surface water and energy budget variables. We discuss what caused differences in surface water and energy budgets in land surface components of coupled climate model, climate reanalysis, and reanalysis driven land surface model. The comparisons will reveal whether flux adjustment and nudging would improve depiction of the surface water and energy budgets in coupled climate models.

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

Ünal, Hatice; Mete, Ersen, E-mail: emete@balikesir.edu.tr; Gunceler, Deniz

The adsorption of two different organic molecules cyanidin glucoside (C{sub 21}O{sub 11}H{sub 20}) and TA-St-CA on anatase (101) and (001) nanowires has been investigated using the standard and the range separated hybrid density functional theory calculations. The electronic structures and optical spectra of resulting dye–nanowire combined systems show distinct features for these types of photochromophores. The lowest unoccupied molecular orbital of the natural dye cyanidin glucoside is located below the conduction band of the semiconductor while, in the case of TA-St-CA, it resonates with the states inside the conduction band. The wide-bandgap anatase nanowires can be functionalized for solar cellsmore » through electron-hole generation and subsequent charge injection by these dye sensitizers. The intermolecular charge transfer character of Donor-π-Acceptor type dye TA-St-CA is substantially modified by its adsorption on TiO{sub 2} surfaces. Cyanidin glucoside exhibits relatively stronger anchoring on the nanowires through its hydroxyl groups. The atomic structures of dye–nanowire systems re-optimized with the inclusion of nonlinear solvation effects showed that the binding strengths of both dyes remain moderate even in ionic solutions.« less

Why does preferential diffusion strongly affect premixed turbulent combustion?

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuznetsov, Vadim R.

1993-01-01

Combustion of premixed reactants in a turbulent flow is a classical but unresolved problem. The key problem is to explain the following data: the maximal turbulent and laminar burning velocities u(sub t) and u(sub L) occur at different equivalence ratios Phi. It is known that the equivalence ratio varies along a curved flame if molecular diffusivity D(sub fuel) does not equal D(sub oxygen). However, the mean flame radius of curvature is much larger than the laminar flame thickness delta-L. Therefore, significant influence of preferential diffusion should occur only if the flame propagation speed varies with flame curvature. This conclusion agrees with Zel'dovich's long-standing idea about the important role of leading points of a flame. The main objective of this paper is to prove Zel'dovich's hypothesis. An equation for the mean flame surface area density (MFSAD) is employed for this purpose. The second objective of this paper is to suggest a different approach to the derivation of the equation for MFSAD. It is based on the pdf equation for the reaction progress variable C and the relation between the pdf and MFSAD. This treatment suggests an entirely different closure assumption.

Fabricating Ohmic contact on Nb-doped SrTiO{sub 3} surface in nanoscale

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

Wang, Yuhang; National Key Laboratory of Shock Wave and Detonation Physics, Institute of Fluid Physics, Chinese Academy of Engineering Physics, Mianyang, Sichuan 621999; Shi, Xiaolan

2016-05-09

Fabricating reliable nano-Ohmic contact on wide gap semiconductors is an important yet difficult step in oxide nanoelectronics. We fabricated Ohmic contact on the n-type wide gap oxide Nb-doped SrTiO{sub 3} in nanoscale by mechanically scratching the surface using an atomic force microscopy tip. Although contacted to high work function metal, the scratched area exhibits nearly linear IV behavior with low contact resistance, which maintains for hours in vacuum. In contrast, the unscratched area shows Fowler–Nordheim tunneling dominated Schottky rectifying behavior with high contact resistance. It was found that the Ohmic conductivity in the scratched area was drastically suppressed by oxygenmore » gas indicating the oxygen vacancy origin of the Ohmic behavior. The surface oxygen vacancy induced barrier width reduction was proposed to explain the phenomena. The nanoscale approach is also applicable to macroscopic devices and has potential application in all-oxide devices.« less

On the effect of pressure, oxygen concentration, air flow and gravity on simulated pool fires

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Torero, J. L.; Most, J. M.; Joulain, P.

1995-01-01

The initial development of a fire is characterized by the establishment of a diffusion flame over the surface of a the condensed fuel and is particularly influenced by gravity, with most of the gaseous flow induced by natural convection. Low initial momentum of the fuel vapor, strong buoyant flows induced by the hot post-combustion gases and consequently low values of the Froude number (inertia-gravity forces ratio) are typical of this kind of scenario. An experimental study is conducted by using a porous burner to simulate the burning of a horizontal combustible surface. Ethane is used as fuel and different mixtures of oxygen and nitrogen as oxidizer. The magnitude of the fuel injection velocities is restricted to values that will keep the Froude number on the order of 10-5, when calculated at normal gravity and pressure, which are characteristic of condensed fuel burning. Two different burners are used, a circular burner (62 mm diameter) placed inside a cylindrical chamber (0.3 m diameter and 1.0 m height) and a rectangular burner (50 mm wide by 200 mm long) placed in a wind tunnel (350 mm long) of rectangular cross section (120 mm wide and 90 mm height). The first burner is used to study the effect of pressure and gravity in the absence of a forced flow parallel to the surface. The second burner is used to study the effect of a forced flow parallel to the burner surface as well as the effect of oxygen concentration in the oxidizer flow. In this case experiments are also conducted at different gravity levels (micro-gravity, 0.2 g(sub 0), g(sub 0) and 1.8 g(sub 0)) to quantify the relative importance of buoyancy.

Airspace Technology Demonstration 2 (ATD-2) Phase 1 Concept of Use (ConUse)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jung, Yoon; Engelland, Shawn; Capps, Richard; Coppenbarger, Rich; Hooey, Becky; Sharma, Shivanjli; Stevens, Lindsay; Verma, Savita; Lohr, Gary; Chevalley, Eric;

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) responses for sub-surface salt contamination and solid waste: modeling and controlled lysimeter studies.

PubMed

Wijewardana, Y N S; Shilpadi, A T; Mowjood, M I M; Kawamoto, K; Galagedara, L W

2017-02-01

The assessment of polluted areas and municipal solid waste (MSW) sites using non-destructive geophysical methods is timely and much needed in the field of environmental monitoring and management. The objectives of this study are (i) to evaluate the ground-penetrating radar (GPR) wave responses as a result of different electrical conductivity (EC) in groundwater and (ii) to conduct MSW stratification using a controlled lysimeter and modeling approach. A GPR wave simulation was carried out using GprMax2D software, and the field test was done on two lysimeters that were filled with sand (Lysimeter-1) and MSW (Lysimeter-2). A Pulse EKKO-Pro GPR system with 200- and 500-MHz center frequency antennae was used to collect GPR field data. Amplitudes of GPR-reflected waves (sub-surface reflectors and water table) were studied under different EC levels injected to the water table. Modeling results revealed that the signal strength of the reflected wave decreases with increasing EC levels and the disappearance of the subsurface reflection and wave amplitude reaching zero at higher EC levels (when EC >0.28 S/m). Further, when the EC level was high, the plume thickness did not have a significant effect on the amplitude of the reflected wave. However, it was also found that reflected signal strength decreases with increasing plume thickness at a given EC level. 2D GPR profile images under wet conditions showed stratification of the waste layers and relative thickness, but it was difficult to resolve the waste layers under dry conditions. These results show that the GPR as a non-destructive method with a relatively larger sample volume can be used to identify highly polluted areas with inorganic contaminants in groundwater and waste stratification. The current methods of MSW dumpsite investigation are tedious, destructive, time consuming, costly, and provide only point-scale measurements. However, further research is needed to verify the results under heterogeneous aquifer conditions and complex dumpsite conditions.

Oxidation of coal and coal pyrite mechanisms and influence on surface characteristics. Technical progress report, December 31, 1993

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

Doyle, F.M.

1993-12-31

The objective of this research is to develop a mechanistic understanding of the oxidation of coal and coal pyrite, and to correlate the intrinsic physical and chemical properties of these minerals, along with changes resulting from oxidation, with those surface properties that influence the behavior in physical cleaning processes. The results will provide fundamental insight into oxidation, in term of the bulk and surface chemistry, the microstructure, and the semiconductor properties of the pyrite. During the thirteenth quarter, wet oxidation tests were done on coal samples from the Pennsylvania State Coal Bank. As-received and oxidized coal samples were studied bymore » Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform (DRIFT) spectroscopy to detect functional groups that might be responsible for changing the hydrophobicity of coal samples. Coal samples from the Pennsylvania State Coal Bank were oxidized for 5 hours at room temperature using 10% H{sub 2}O{sub 2} at pH 1.0, 1.0 M HNO{sub 3} or 0.05 M Fe{sub 2}(SO{sub 4}){sub 3} at pH 1.0. Details of the experimental procedure used in the wet oxidation tests were provided in our September 30, 1993 report, along with results of ion-exchange analysis and film flotation tests on as-received and oxidized coal samples. Table II shows the weight percentage of carboxylic and phenolic group oxygen generated by oxidation with different treatments, as determined by ion-exchange. DRIFT spectroscopic analysis was done on as-received and oxidized samples to identify different functionalities directly, to supplement the information on carboxylic and phenolic groups obtained indirectly by ion-exchange methods. The procedure for DRIFT analysis was reported in our June 30, 1993 report.« less

Anisotropic electrical and thermal conductivity in Bi{sub 2}AE{sub 2}Co{sub 2}O{sub 8+δ} [AE = Ca, Sr{sub 1−x}Ba{sub x} (x = 0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75, 1.0)] single crystals

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

Dong, Song-Tao; Institute of Material Science and Engineering, Jiangsu University of Science and Technology, Zhenjiang 212003; Zhang, Bin-Bin

Bi{sub 2}AE{sub 2}Co{sub 2}O{sub 8+δ} (AE represents alkaline earth), constructed by stacking of rock-salt Bi{sub 2}AE{sub 2}O{sub 4} and triangle CoO{sub 2} layers alternatively along c-axis, is one of promising thermoelectric oxides. The most impressive feature of Bi{sub 2}AE{sub 2}Co{sub 2}O{sub 8+δ}, as reported previously, is their electrical conductivity mainly lying along CoO{sub 2} plane, adjusting Bi{sub 2}AE{sub 2}O{sub 4} layer simultaneously manipulates both thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity. It in turn optimizes thermoelectric performance of these materials. In this work, we characterize the anisotropic thermal and electrical conductivity along both ab-plane and c-direction of Bi{sub 2}AE{sub 2}Co{sub 2}O{sub 8+δ}more » (AE = Ca, Sr, Ba, Sr{sub 1−x}Ba{sub x}) single crystals. The results substantiate that isovalence replacement in Bi{sub 2}AE{sub 2}Co{sub 2}O{sub 8+δ} remarkably modifies their electrical property along ab-plane; while their thermal conductivity along ab-plane only has a slightly difference. At the same time, both the electrical conductivity and thermal conductivity along c-axis of these materials also have dramatic changes. Certainly, the electrical resistance along c-axis is too high to be used as thermoelectric applications. These results suggest that adjusting nano-block Bi{sub 2}AE{sub 2}O{sub 4} layer in Bi{sub 2}AE{sub 2}Co{sub 2}O{sub 8+δ} cannot modify the thermal conductivity along high electrical conductivity plane (ab-plane here). The evolution of electrical property is discussed by Anderson localization and electron-electron interaction U. And the modification of thermal conductivity along c-axis is attributed to the microstructure difference. This work sheds more light on the manipulation of the thermal and electrical conductivity in the layered thermoelectric materials.« less

Parameterization of sparse vegetation in thermal images of natural ground landscapes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Agassi, Eyal; Ben-Yosef, Nissim

1997-10-01

The radiant statistics of thermal images of desert terrain scenes and their temporal behavior have been fully understood and well modeled. Unlike desert scenes, most natural terrestrial landscapes contain vegetative objects. A plant is a living object that regulates its temperature through evapotranspiration of leaf stomata, and plant interaction with the outside world is influenced by its physiological processes. Therefore, the heat balance equation for a vegetative object differs from that for an inorganic surface element. Despite this difficulty, plants can be incorporated into the desert surface model when an effective heat conduction parameter is associated with vegetation. Due to evapotranspiration, the effective heat conduction of plants during daytime is much higher than at night. As a result, plants (mainly trees and bushes) are usually the coldest objects in the scene in the daytime while they are not necessarily the warmest objects at night. The parameterization of vegetative objects in terms of effective heat conduction enables the extension of the desert terrain model for scenes with sparse vegetation and the estimation of their radiant statistics and their diurnal behavior. The effective heat conduction image can serve as a tool for vegetation type classification and assessment of the dominant physical process that determinate thermal image properties.

A Meteorological (humidity, temperature, aerosols)) mobile dial system: Concepts and design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Cahen, C.; Lesne, J. L.; Benard, J.; Ponsardin, P.

1986-01-01

Since 1982 a program was conducted to develop a mobile meteorological (humidity, temperature, aerosols) Differential Absorption Lidar (DIAL) devoted to the studies of the nuclear power plant atmospheric surroundings. The measurement objectives are defined according to the user needs and the lidar feasibility. The concepts and design adopted to meet both the requirement and the measurement objectives are described. Each sub-system is addressed sequentially: transmitting system, receiving system, detection system, and post detection.

Effect of synthesis conditions on the nanopowder properties of Ce{sub 0.9}Zr{sub 0.1}O{sub 2}

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

Zimicz, M.G.; Fabregas, I.O.; Lamas, D.G.

Graphical abstract: . The synthesis of nanocrystalline Ce{sub 0.9}Zr{sub 0.1}O{sub 2} powders via the gel-combustion method, using different fuels, and following either stoichiometric or non-stoichiometric pH-controlled routes is investigated. Research highlights: {yields} All samples exhibited the fluorite-type crystal structure, nanometric average crystallite size and negligible carbon content. {yields} Synthesis conditions strongly affect the average crystallite size, the degree of agglomeration, the specific surface area and the pore volume. {yields} Our results indicate that, by controlling the synthesis conditions it is possible to obtain solids with custom-made morphological properties. -- Abstract: In this work, the synthesis of nanocrystalline Ce{sub 0.9}Zr{sub 0.1}O{submore » 2} powders via the gel-combustion method, using different fuels, and following either stoichiometric or non-stoichiometric pH-controlled routes is investigated. The objective is to evaluate the effect of synthesis conditions on the textural and morphological properties, and the crystal structure of the synthesized materials. The solids were characterized by nitrogen physisorption, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-ray powder diffraction (XPD), and Carbon-Hydrogen-Nitrogen Elemental Analysis (CHN). All the powders exhibited nanometric crystallite size, fluorite-type structure and negligible carbon content. Synthesis conditions strongly affect the average crystallite size, the degree of agglomeration, the specific surface area and the pore volume. Our results indicate that, by controlling the synthesis conditions it is possible to obtain solids with custom-made morphological properties.« less

Strong localization induced anomalous temperature dependence exciton emission above 300 K from SnO{sub 2} quantum dots

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

Pan, S. S., E-mail: sspan@issp.ac.cn, E-mail: ghli@issp.ac.cn; Li, F. D.; Liu, Q. W.

2015-05-07

SnO{sub 2} quantum dots (QDs) are potential materials for deep ultraviolet (DUV) light emitting devices. In this study, we report the temperature and excitation power-dependent exciton luminescence from SnO{sub 2} QDs. The exciton emission exhibits anomalous blue shift, accompanied with band width reduction with increasing temperature and excitation power above 300 K. The anomalous temperature dependences of the peak energy and band width are well interpreted by the strongly localized carrier thermal hopping process and Gaussian shape of band tails states, respectively. The localized wells and band tails at conduction minimum are considered to be induced by the surface oxygen defectsmore » and local potential fluctuation in SnO{sub 2} QDs.« less

Improved Mg-based alloys for hydrogen storage

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

Sapru, K.; Ming, L.; Stetson, N.T.

1998-08-01

The overall objective of this on-going work is to develop low temperature alloys capable of reversibly storing at least 3 wt.% hydrogen, allowing greater than for 2 wt.% at the system level which is required by most applications. Surface modification of Mg can be used to improve its H-sorption kinetics. The authors show here that the same Mg-transition metal-based multi-component alloy when prepared by melt-spinning results in a more homogeneous materials with a higher plateau pressure as compared to preparing the material by mechanical grinding. They have also shown that mechanically alloyed Mg{sub 50}Al{sub 45}Zn{sub 5} results in a samplemore » having a higher plateau pressure.« less

Surface phase of TiO{sub 2} modified with La{sub 2}O{sub 3} and its effect on the photocatalytic H{sub 2} evolution

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

Zhang, Yangyang; Zhang, Jing, E-mail: jingzhang_dicp@live.cn; Xu, Qian

2014-05-01

Graphical abstract: The La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2}-900 °C (or La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti(OH){sub 4}-900 °C), with surface anatase phase, show the similar photocatalytic activity. The presence of the surface anatase phase is important for high photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} modified with La{sub 2}O{sub 3} (La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti(OH){sub 4}-900 °C or La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti(OH){sub 4}-900 °C){sub .} - Highlights: • Loading La{sub 2}O{sub 3} on anatase TiO{sub 2} is an effective method for stabilizing the anatase phases both in the surface and in the bulk region. • The high crystallinity of the surface anatase phase is important for high photocatalytic activitymore » of TiO{sub 2} modified with La{sub 2}O{sub 3.} - Abstract: TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles modified with La{sub 2}O{sub 3} were prepared by an impregnation method using anatase TiO{sub 2} support (La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2}) or amorphous Ti(OH){sub 4} support (La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti(OH){sub 4}). The bulk and surface crystalline phases of La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} (or La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti(OH){sub 4}) have been characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and UV Raman spectroscopy. Besides, morphology and particle size of La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} and La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti(OH){sub 4} samples have been determined by TEM (transmission electron microscope) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET), respectively. It is found that the phase transformation and increase of the particle size of TiO{sub 2} can be more effectively inhibited in the La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} than in the La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti(OH){sub 4}. Photocatalytic experiments indicated that the La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/TiO{sub 2} (or La{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Ti(OH){sub 4}) samples with surface anatase phase have the similar overall photocatalytic activities. Moreover, it is found that the high crystallinity of surface anatase phase is benefit for the high photocatalytic activity of TiO{sub 2} modified with La{sub 2}O{sub 3}.« less

Process for analyzing CO[sub 2] in air and in water

DOEpatents

Atwater, J.E.; Akse, J.R.; DeHart, J.

1999-06-08

The process of this invention comprises providing a membrane for separating CO[sub 2] into a first CO[sub 2] sample phase and a second CO[sub 2] analyte phase. CO[sub 2] is then transported through the membrane thereby separating the CO[sub 2] with the membrane into a first CO[sub 2] sample phase and a second CO[sub 2] analyte liquid phase including an ionized, conductive, dissociated CO[sub 2] species. Next, the concentration of the ionized, conductive, dissociated CO[sub 2] species in the second CO[sub 2] analyte liquid phase is chemically amplified using a water-soluble chemical reagent which reversibly reacts with undissociated CO[sub 2] to produce conductivity changes therein corresponding to fluctuations in the partial pressure of CO[sub 2] in the first CO[sub 2] sample phase. Finally, the chemically amplified, ionized, conductive, dissociated CO[sub 2] species is introduced to a conductivity measuring instrument. Conductivity changes in the chemically amplified, ionized, conductive, dissociated CO[sub 2] species are detected using the conductivity measuring instrument. 43 figs.

Process for analyzing CO.sub.2 in air and in water

DOEpatents

Atwater, James E.; Akse, James R.; DeHart, Jeffrey

1999-01-01

The process of this invention comprises providing a membrane for separating CO.sub.2 into a first CO.sub.2 sample phase and a second CO.sub.2 analyte phase. CO.sub.2 is then transported through the membrane thereby separating the CO.sub.2 with the membrane into a first CO.sub.2 sample phase and a second CO.sub.2 analyte liquid phase including an ionized, conductive, dissociated CO.sub.2 species. Next, the concentration of the ionized, conductive, dissociated CO.sub.2 species in the second CO.sub.2 analyte liquid phase is chemically amplified using a water-soluble chemical reagent which reversibly reacts with undissociated CO.sub.2 to produce conductivity changes therein corresponding to fluctuations in the partial pressure of CO.sub.2 in the first CO.sub.2 sample phase. Finally, the chemically amplified, ionized, conductive, dissociated CO.sub.2 species is introduced to a conductivity measuring instrument. Conductivity changes in the chemically amplified, ionized, conductive, dissociated CO.sub.2 species are detected using the conductivity measuring instrument.

Process for analyzing CO{sub 2} in seawater

DOEpatents

Atwater, J.E.; Akse, J.R.; DeHart, J.

1997-07-01

The process of this invention comprises providing a membrane for separating CO{sub 2} into a first CO{sub 2} sample phase and a second CO{sub 2} analyte phase. CO{sub 2} is then transported through the membrane thereby separating the CO{sub 2} with the membrane into a first CO{sub 2} sample phase and a second CO{sub 2} analyte liquid phase including an ionized, conductive, dissociated CO{sub 2} species. Next, the concentration of the ionized, conductive, dissociated CO{sub 2} species in the second CO{sub 2} analyte liquid phase is chemically amplified using a water-soluble chemical reagent which reversibly reacts with undissociated CO{sub 2} to produce conductivity changes therein corresponding to fluctuations in the partial pressure of CO{sub 2} in the first CO{sub 2} sample phase. Finally, the chemically amplified, ionized, conductive, dissociated CO{sub 2} species is introduced to a conductivity measuring instrument. Conductivity changes in the chemically amplified, ionized, conductive, dissociated CO{sub 2} species are detected using the conductivity measuring instrument. 43 figs.

Low damage electrical modification of 4H-SiC via ultrafast laser irradiation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Minhyung; Cahyadi, Rico; Wendorf, Joseph; Bowen, Willie; Torralva, Ben; Yalisove, Steven; Phillips, Jamie

2018-04-01

The electrical properties of 4H-SiC under ultrafast laser irradiation in the low fluence regime (<0.50 J/cm2) are presented. The appearance of high spatial frequency laser induced periodic surface structures is observed at a fluence near 0.25 J/cm2 and above, with variability in environments like in air, nitrogen, and a vacuum. In addition to the formation of periodic surface structures, ultrafast laser irradiation results in possible surface oxidation and amorphization of the material. Lateral conductance exhibits orders of magnitude increase, which is attributed to either surface conduction or modification of electrical contact properties, depending on the initial material conductivity. Schottky barrier formation on ultrafast laser irradiated 4H-SiC shows an increase in the barrier height, an increase in the ideality factor, and sub-bandgap photovoltaic responses, suggesting the formation of photo-active point defects. The results suggest that the ultrafast laser irradiation technique provides a means of engineering spatially localized structural and electronic modification of wide bandgap materials such as 4H-SiC with relatively low surface damage via low temperature processing.

Apparatus and method for maintaining low temperatures about an object at a remote location

DOEpatents

Steyert, Jr., William A.; Overton, Jr., William C.

1982-01-01

The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for maintaining a body at cryogenic temperatures at a remote location such as down a borehole for an extended period of time. A housing contains a body comprising a material having a high specific heat at cryogenic temperatures such as between about 2 and 15 K. The body contains an orifice for containing an instrument or instruments operable at superconducting temperatures. The apparatus is precooled at the surface and lowered into a borehole to a desired depth, such as 2 to 3 miles. The instruments are operated, and the apparatus withdrawn, the material of the body maintaining the very low temperatures at which the instrument(s) operate for a sufficient period of time at the remote or downhole location. The material may comprise a rare earth compound, such as Gd.sub.2 O.sub.3, Gd.sub.2 Se.sub.3, Gd.sub.2 O.sub.2 S or GdAlO.sub.3. Monoclinic and C-phase gadolinium oxides work well. A low temperature is maintainable at a remote location for several hours.

Apparatus and method for maintaining low temperatures about an object at a remote location. [Patent application

DOEpatents

Steyert, W.A. Jr.; Overton, W.C. Jr.

1980-10-29

The disclosure is directed to an apparatus and method for maintaining a body at cryogenic temperatures at a remote location such as down a borehole for an extended period of time. A housing contains a body comprising a material having a high specific heat at cryogenic temperatures such as between about 2 and 15 K. The body contains an orifice for containing an instrument or instruments operable at superconducting temperatures. The apparatus is precooled at the surface and lowered into a borehole to a desired depth, such as 2 to 3 miles. The instruments are operated, and the apparatus withdrawn, the material of the body maintaining the very low temperatures at which the instrument(s) operate for a sufficient period of time at the remote or downhole location. The material may comprise a rare earth compound, such as Gd/sub 2/O/sub 3/, Gd/sub 2/Se/sub 3/, Gd/sub 2/O/sub 2/S or GdAlO/sub 3/. Monoclinic and C-phase gadolinium oxides work well. A low temperature is maintainable at a remote location for several hours.

Effect of precursor concentration on the electrical properties of LiFePO{sub 4} prepared by solvothermal method

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

Rabbani, Ahmad Yasin; Fakhri, Hafizh A.; Arifin, Muhammad

2016-02-08

Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO{sub 4}) is frequently used for Li-ion battery cathode. LiFePO{sub 4} has the high specific capacity at 170 mAhg{sup −1}, stable voltage at 3.45 V, stable structure, cheap, and low toxicity. The objective of this research is investigating the effect of precursor concentration on the electrical properties of LiFePO{sub 4} prepared by solvothermal method. LiOH, FeSO{sub 4}, H{sub 3}PO{sub 4}, and citric acid were used as the precursors. The LiOH concentration was varied from 0.3 M to 1.8 M. The Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) measurement identified the Fe-O, O-P-O, and P-O bonds which corresponding to LiFePO{sub 4}.more » The result of 4-point probe measurement shows that, among the prepared samples, the sample from the precursor concentration of 1.8 M has the highest electrical conductivity.« less

Effects of trace elements on the crystal field parameters of Nd ions at the surface of Nd{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B grains

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

Toga, Yuta; Suzuki, Tsuneaki; Sakuma, Akimasa, E-mail: sakuma@solid.apph.tohoku.ac.jp

2015-06-14

Using first-principles calculations, we investigate the positional dependence of trace elements such as O and Cu on the crystal field parameter A{sub 2}{sup 0}, proportional to the magnetic anisotropy constant K{sub u} of Nd ions placed at the surface of Nd{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B grains. The results suggest the possibility that the A{sub 2}{sup 0} parameter of Nd ions at the (001) surface of Nd{sub 2}Fe{sub 14}B grains exhibits a negative value when the O or Cu atom is located near the surface, closer than its equilibrium position. At the (110) surface, however, O atoms located at the equilibrium position providemore » a negative A{sub 2}{sup 0}, while for Cu additions A{sub 2}{sup 0} remains positive regardless of Cu's position. Thus, Cu atoms are expected to maintain a positive local K{sub u} of surface Nd ions more frequently than O atoms when they approach the grain surfaces in the Nd-Fe-B grains.« less

Tungsten coating for improved wear resistance and reliability of microelectromechanical devices

DOEpatents

Fleming, James G.; Mani, Seethambal S.; Sniegowski, Jeffry J.; Blewer, Robert S.

2001-01-01

A process is disclosed whereby a 5-50-nanometer-thick conformal tungsten coating can be formed over exposed semiconductor surfaces (e.g. silicon, germanium or silicon carbide) within a microelectromechanical (MEM) device for improved wear resistance and reliability. The tungsten coating is formed after cleaning the semiconductor surfaces to remove any organic material and oxide film from the surface. A final in situ cleaning step is performed by heating a substrate containing the MEM device to a temperature in the range of 200-600 .degree. C. in the presence of gaseous nitrogen trifluoride (NF.sub.3). The tungsten coating can then be formed by a chemical reaction between the semiconductor surfaces and tungsten hexafluoride (WF.sub.6) at an elevated temperature, preferably about 450.degree. C. The tungsten deposition process is self-limiting and covers all exposed semiconductor surfaces including surfaces in close contact. The present invention can be applied to many different types of MEM devices including microrelays, micromirrors and microengines. Additionally, the tungsten wear-resistant coating of the present invention can be used to enhance the hardness, wear resistance, electrical conductivity, optical reflectivity and chemical inertness of one or more semiconductor surfaces within a MEM device.

Acoustic Receptivity of a Blasius Boundary Layer with 2-D and Oblique Surface Waviness

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

King, Rudolph A.; Breuer, Kenneth S.

2000-01-01

An experimental investigation was conducted to examine acoustic receptivity and subsequent boundary-layer instability evolution for a Blasius boundary layer formed on a flat plate in the presence of two-dimensional (2-D) and oblique (3-D) surface waviness. The effect of the non-localized surface roughness geometry and acoustic wave amplitude on the receptivity process was explored. The surface roughness had a well defined wavenumber spectrum with fundamental wavenumber k (sub w). A planar downstream traveling acoustic wave was created to temporally excite the flow near the resonance frequency of an unstable eigenmode corresponding to k (sub ts) = k (sub w). The range of acoustic forcing levels, epsilon, and roughness heights, DELTA h, examined resulted in a linear dependence of receptivity coefficients; however, the larger values of the forcing combination epsilon dot DELTA h resulted in subsequent nonlinear development of the Tollmien-Schlichting (T-S) wave. This study provided the first experimental evidence of a marked increase in the receptivity coefficient with increasing obliqueness of the surface waviness in excellent agreement with theory. Detuning of the 2-D and oblique disturbances was investigated by varying the streamwise wall-roughness wavenumber a,, and measuring the T-S response. For the configuration where laminar-to-turbulent breakdown occurred, the breakdown process was found to be dominated by energy at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies, indicative of K-type breakdown.

Surface passivation of p-type Ge substrate with high-quality GeN{sub x} layer formed by electron-cyclotron-resonance plasma nitridation at low temperature

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

Fukuda, Yukio; Otani, Yohei; Okamoto, Hiroshi

2011-09-26

We have investigated the effects of the formation temperature and postmetallization annealing (PMA) on the interface properties of GeN{sub x}/p-Ge fabricated by the plasma nitridation of Ge substrates using an electron-cyclotron-resonance-generated nitrogen plasma. The nitridation temperature is found to be a critical parameter in improving the finally obtained GeN{sub x}/Ge interface properties. The GeN{sub x}/Ge formed at room temperature and treated by PMA at 400 deg. C exhibits the best interface properties with an interface trap density of 1 x 10{sup 11 }cm{sup -2 }eV{sup -1}. The GeN{sub x}/Ge interface is unpinned and the Fermi level at the Ge surfacemore » can move from the valence band edge to the conduction band edge.« less

CONSTRAINTS ON THE NEUTRON STAR AND INNER ACCRETION FLOW IN SERPENS X-1 USING NuSTAR

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

Miller, J. M.; Parker, M. L.; Fabian, A. C.

2013-12-10

We report on an observation of the neutron star low-mass X-ray binary Serpens X-1, made with NuSTAR. The extraordinary sensitivity afforded by NuSTAR facilitated the detection of a clear, robust, relativistic Fe K emission line from the inner disk. A relativistic profile is required over a single Gaussian line from any charge state of Fe at the 5σ level of confidence, and any two Gaussians of equal width at the same confidence. The Compton back-scattering ''hump'' peaking in the 10-20 keV band is detected for the first time in a neutron star X-ray binary. Fits with relativistically blurred disk reflection modelsmore » suggest that the disk likely extends close to the innermost stable circular orbit (ISCO) or stellar surface. The best-fit blurred reflection models constrain the gravitational redshift from the stellar surface to be z {sub NS} ≥ 0.16. The data are broadly compatible with the disk extending to the ISCO; in that case, z {sub NS} ≥ 0.22 and R {sub NS} ≤ 12.6 km (assuming M {sub NS} = 1.4 M {sub ☉} and a = 0, where a = cJ/GM {sup 2}). If the star is as large or larger than its ISCO, or if the effective reflecting disk leaks across the ISCO to the surface, the redshift constraints become measurements. We discuss our results in the context of efforts to measure fundamental properties of neutron stars, and models for accretion onto compact objects.« less

Phosphate glass useful in high power lasers

DOEpatents

Hayden, J.S.; Sapak, D.L.; Ward, J.M.

1990-05-29

A low- or no-silica phosphate glass useful as a laser medium and having a high thermal conductivity, K[sub 90 C] > 0.8 W/mK, and a low coefficient of thermal expansion, [alpha][sub 20--40 C] < 80[times]10[sup [minus]7]/C, consists essentially of (on a batch composition basis Mole %): P[sub 2]O[sub 5], 45-70; Li[sub 2]O, 15-35; Na[sub 2]O, 0-10; Al[sub 2]O[sub 3], 10-15; Nd[sub 2]O[sub 3], 0.01-6; La[sub 2]O[sub 3], 0-6; SiO[sub 2], 0-8; B[sub 2]O[sub 3], 0-8; MgO, 0-18; CaO, 0-15; SrO, 0-9; BaO, 0-9; ZnO, 0-15; the amounts of Li[sub 2]O and Na[sub 2]O providing an average alkali metal ionic radius sufficiently low whereby said glass has K[sub 90 C] > 0.8 W/mK and [alpha][sub 20--40 C] < 80[times]10[sup [minus]7]/C, and wherein, when the batch composition is melted in contact with a silica-containing surface, the final glass composition contains at most about 3.5 mole % of additional silica derived from such contact during melting. The Nd[sub 2]O[sub 3] can be replaced by other lasing species. 3 figs.

Method of forming a leak proof plasma sprayed interconnection layer on an electrode of an electrochemical cell

DOEpatents

Kuo, Lewis J. H.; Vora, Shailesh D.

1995-01-01

A dense, substantially gas-tight, electrically conductive interconnection layer is formed on an electrode structure of an electrochemical cell by: (A) providing an electrode structure; (B) forming on a selected portion of the electrode surface, an interconnection layer having the general formula La.sub.1-x M.sub.x Cr.sub.1-y N.sub.y O.sub.3, where M is a dopant selected from the group of Ca, Sr, Ba, and mixtures thereof, and where N is a dopant selected from the group of Mg, Co, Ni, Al, and mixtures thereof, and where x and y are each independently about 0.075-0.25, by thermally spraying, preferably plasma arc spraying, a flux added interconnection spray powder, preferably agglomerated, the flux added powder comprising flux particles, preferably including dopant, preferably (CaO).sub.12. (Al.sub.2 O.sub.3).sub.7 flux particles including Ca and Al dopant, and LaCrO.sub.3 interconnection particles, preferably undoped LaCrO.sub.3, to form a dense and substantially gas-tight interconnection material bonded to the electrode structure by a single plasma spraying step; and, (C) heat treating the interconnection layer at from about 1200.degree. to 1350.degree. C. to further densify and heal the micro-cracks and macro-cracks of the thermally sprayed interconnection layer. The result is a substantially gas-tight, highly doped, electrically conductive interconnection material bonded to the electrode structure. The electrode structure can be an air electrode, and a solid electrolyte layer can be applied to the unselected portion of the air electrode, and further a fuel electrode can be applied to the solid electrolyte, to form an electrochemical cell for generation of electrical power.

Method of forming a leak proof plasma sprayed interconnection layer on an electrode of an electrochemical cell

DOEpatents

Kuo, L.J.H.; Vora, S.D.

1995-02-21

A dense, substantially gas-tight, electrically conductive interconnection layer is formed on an electrode structure of an electrochemical cell by: (A) providing an electrode structure; (B) forming on a selected portion of the electrode surface, an interconnection layer having the general formula La{sub 1{minus}x}M{sub x}Cr{sub 1{minus}y}N{sub y}O{sub 3}, where M is a dopant selected from the group of Ca, Sr, Ba, and mixtures thereof, and where N is a dopant selected from the group of Mg, Co, Ni, Al, and mixtures thereof, and where x and y are each independently about 0.075--0.25, by thermally spraying, preferably plasma arc spraying, a flux added interconnection spray powder, preferably agglomerated, the flux added powder comprising flux particles, preferably including dopant, preferably (CaO){sub 12}(Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}){sub 7} flux particles including Ca and Al dopant, and LaCrO{sub 3} interconnection particles, preferably undoped LaCrO{sub 3}, to form a dense and substantially gas-tight interconnection material bonded to the electrode structure by a single plasma spraying step; and (C) heat treating the interconnection layer at from about 1,200 to 1,350 C to further densify and heal the micro-cracks and macro-cracks of the thermally sprayed interconnection layer. The result is a substantially gas-tight, highly doped, electrically conductive interconnection material bonded to the electrode structure. The electrode structure can be an air electrode, and a solid electrolyte layer can be applied to the unselected portion of the air electrode, and further a fuel electrode can be applied to the solid electrolyte, to form an electrochemical cell for generation of electrical power. 4 figs.

Anti-adhesive characteristics of CHF{sub 3}/O{sub 2} and C{sub 4}F{sub 8}/O{sub 2} plasma-modified silicon molds for nanoimprint lithography

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

Lee, Jaemin; Lee, Junmyung; Lee, Hyun Woo

The anti-adhesive characteristics of a plasma-modified silicon mold surface for nanoimprint lithography are presented. Both CHF{sub 3}/O{sub 2} and C{sub 4}F{sub 8}/O{sub 2} plasma were used to form an anti-adhesive layer on silicon mold surfaces. The gas mixing ratios of CHF{sub 3}/O{sub 2} and C{sub 4}F{sub 8}/O{sub 2} were experimentally changed between 0% and 80% to optimize the plasma conditions to obtain a low surface energy of the silicon mold. The plasma characteristics were examined by optical emission spectroscopy (OES). In order to investigate the changes in surface energy and surface chemistry of the anti-adhesive layer during repeated demolding cycles,more » contact angle measurements and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were performed on the plasma-modified silicon mold surface. Simultaneously, the surface morphology of the demolded resists was evaluated by field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) in order to examine the effect of the anti-adhesive layers on the duplicated patterns of the resists. It was observed that the anti-adhesive layer formed by CHF{sub 3}/O{sub 2} plasma treatment was worn out more easily during repeated demolding cycles than the film formed by C{sub 4}F{sub 8}/O{sub 2} plasma treatment, because CHF{sub 3}/O{sub 2} gas plasma formed a thinner plasma-polymerized film over the same plasma treatment time.« less

Exploiting Satellite Remote-Sensing Data in Fine Particulate Matter Characterization for Serving the Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (EPHTN): The HELIX-Atlanta Experience and NPOESS Implications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Al-Hamdan, Mohammad Z.; Crosson, William L.; Limaye, Ashutosh S.; Rickman, Douglas L.; Quattrochi, Dale A.; Estes, Maurice G.; Qualters, Judith R.; Sinclair, Amber H.; Tolsma, Dennis D.; Adeniyi, Kafayat A.

2008-01-01

As part of the U.S. National Environmental Public Health Tracking Network (EPHTN), the National Center for Environmental Health (NCEH) at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) led a project in collaboration with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Marshall Space Flight Center (MSFC) called Health and Environment Linked for Information Exchange (HELIX-Atlanta). Under HELIX-Atlanta, pilot projects were conducted to develop methods to better characterize exposure; link health and environmental datasets; and analyze spatial/temporal relationships. This paper describes and demonstrates different techniques for surfacing daily environmental hazards data of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter less than or equal to 2.5 micrometers (PM(sub 2.5) for the purpose of integrating respiratory health and environmental data for the CDC's pilot study of HELIX-Atlanta. It describes a methodology for estimating ground-level continuous PM(sub 2.5) concentrations using spatial surfacing techniques and leveraging NASA Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MODIS) data to complement the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) ground observation data. The study used measurements of ambient PM(sub 2.5) from the EPA database for the year 2003 as well as PM(sub 2.5) estimates derived from NASA's MODIS data. Hazard data have been processed to derive the surrogate exposure PM(sub 2.5) estimates. The paper has shown that merging MODIS remote sensing data with surface observations of PM(sub 2.5), may provide a more complete daily representation of PM(sub 2.5), than either data set alone would allow, and can reduce the errors in the PM(sub 2.5) estimated surfaces. Future work in this area should focus on combining MODIS column measurements with profile information provided by satellites like the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). The Visible Infrared Imager/Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the Aerosol Polarimeter Sensor (APS) NPOESS sensors will provide first-order information on aerosol particle size and are anticipated to provide information on aerosol products at higher resolution and accuracy than MODIS. Use of the NPOESS remote sensing data should result in more robust remotely sensed data that can be coupled with the methods discussed in this paper to generate surface concentrations of PM(2.5) for linkage with health data in Environmental Public Health Tracking.

Crystal growth of Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} and noble cleaved (0001) surface properties

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

Atuchin, V.V., E-mail: atuchin@thermo.isp.nsc.ru; Functional Electronics Laboratory, Tomsk State University, Tomsk 634050; Golyashov, V.A.

2016-04-15

A high quality Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} crystal has been grown by Bridgman method with the use of rotating heat field. The phase purity and bulk structural quality of the crystal have been verified by XRD analysis and rocking curve observation. The atomically smooth Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}(0001) surface with an excellent crystallographic quality is formed by cleavage in the air. The chemical and microstructural properties of the surface have been evaluated with RHEED, AFM, STM, SE and XPS. The Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}(0001) cleaved surface is formed by atomically smooth terraces with the height of the elemental step of ~1.04±0.1 nm, asmore » estimated by AFM. There is no surface oxidation process detected over a month keeping in the air at normal conditions, as shown by comparative core level photoelectron spectroscopy. - Graphical abstract: A high quality Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} crystal has been grown by Bridgman method with the use of rotating heat field and the Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}(0001) cleaved surface has been evaluated with RHEED, AFM, STM, SE and XPS. - Highlights: • High-quality Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} crystal of 10 mm in diameter and 50 mm long have been grown. • The high-purity cleaved Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}(0001) surface has been evaluated by RHEED, AFM, STM and XPS methods. • The Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} surface covered by atomically smooth (0001) terraces is chemically stable for a long time.« less

Increase globe artichoke cropping sustainability using sub-surface drip-irrigation systems in a Mediterranean coastal area for reducing groundwater withdrawal

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mantino, Alberto; Marchina, Chiara; Bonari, Enrico; Fabbrizzi, Alessandro; Rossetto, Rudy

2017-04-01

During the last decades in coastal areas of the Mediterranean basin, human growth posed severe stresses on freshwater resources due to increasing demand by agricultural, industrial and civil activities, in particular on groundwater. This in turn led to worsening of water quality, loss/reduction of wetlands, up to soil salinization and abandonment of agricultural areas. Within the EU LIFE REWAT project a number of demonstration measures will take place in the lower Cornia valley (Livorno, Italy), both structural (pilot) and non-structural (education, dissemination and capacity building), aiming at achieving sustainable and participated water management. In particular, the five demonstration actions are related to: (1) set up of a managed aquifer recharge facility, (2) restoration of a Cornia river reach, (3) water saving in the civil water supply sector, (4) water saving in agriculture, (5) reuse of treated wastewater for irrigation purposes. Thus, the REWAT project general objective is to develop a new model of governance for sustainable development of the lower Cornia valley based on the water asset at its core. As per water use in agriculture, the lower Cornia valley is well known for the horticultural production. In this regard, globe artichoke (Cynara cardunculus L. var. scolymus L. (Fiori)) crops, a perennial cool-season vegetable, cover a surface of about 600 ha. In order to increase stability and productivity of the crop, about 2000 - 4000 m3 ha-1 yr-1 of irrigation water is required. Recent studies demonstrated that yield of different crops increases using Sub-surface Drip-Irrigation (SDI) system under high frequency irrigation management enhancing water use efficiency. In the SDI systems, the irrigation water is delivered to the plant root zone, below the soil surface by buried plastic tubes containing embedded emitters located at regular spacing. Within the LIFE REWAT, the specific objectives of the pilot on irrigation efficiency is to (i) demonstrate the suitability of SDI for globe artichoke cultivation, reducing the water consumption, while maintaining (or even increasing) crop production and (ii) assess the crop water use efficiency respect to surface drip-irrigation. The field test is located in Venturina (Italy) and it covers a surface of 4 ha. The soil is characterized by sandy-loam texture, 1.72% of organic matter at 7.81 pH. Groundwater is the main source of supply for irrigation. By the chemical point of view, a monitoring campaign in spring 2016 showed a neutral pH of 7.2, electrical conductivity of 1363 μS/cm, 373 and 243 mg/l of total sulphate and carbonate, respectively, thus demonstrating the suitability of groundwater for SDI application. The SDI system was implemented at the beginning of September 2016. The sub-surface buried pipelines, were placed at 0.25 m depth, with emitters spaced 0.5 m. The distance between pipelines was 1.5 m, according to globe artichoke layout (1.5 m between rows, 1 m in-row spacing). Surface-buried tubes were placed in an area about 0.75 ha wide for the comparison with SDI. Artichoke var. Terom were transplanted after the SDI operation test. In the next 3 years, both crop productivity and water use will be assessed. Results will be presented and discussed with the whole farmer's community. Acknowledgement This paper is presented within the framework of the project LIFE REWAT, which has received funding from the LIFE Programme of the European Union Grant Agreement LIFE14 ENV/IT/001290.

Measurement of Effective Canopy Temperature: The Missing Link to Modeling Transpiration in Controlled Environments

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Monje, O. A.; McCormack, Ann; Bugbee, Bruce; Jones, Harry W., Jr. (Technical Monitor)

1994-01-01

The objectives were to apply energy balance principles to plant canopies, and to determine which parameters are essential for predicting plant canopy transpiration (E) in controlled environments. Transpiration was accurately measured in a gas-exchange system. Absorbed radiation (R(sub abs)) by the canopy was measured with a net radiometer and calculated from short and long-wave radiation components. Average canopy foliar temperature T(sub L) can be measured with an infrared radiometer, but since T(sub L) is seldom uniform, a weighed average measurement of T(sub L) must be made. The effective canopy temperature T(sub C) is that temperature that balances the energy flux between absorbed radiation and latent heat L(sub E) and sensible heat (H) fluxes. TC should exactly equal air temperature T(sub A) when L(sub E) equals R(sub abs). When unnecessary thermal radiation from the lighting system is removed by a water filter, the magnitude of L(sub E) from transpiration approaches Rabs and T(sub C) is close to T(sub A). Unlike field models, we included the energy used in photosynthesis and found that up to 10% of Rabs was used in photosynthesis. We calculated aerodynamic conductance for H from measurements of wind speed and canopy height using the wind profile equation. Canopy aerodynamic conductance ranged from.03 to.04 m/s for wind speeds from.6 to 1 m/s; thus a 0.1 C canopy to air temperature difference results in a sensible heat flux of about 4 W/sq m, which is only 1% of R(sub abs). We examined the ability of wide angle infrared transducers to accurately integrate T(sub L) from the top to the bottom of the canopy. We measured evaporation from the hydroponic media to be approximately 1 micro mol/sq m s or 10% of R(sub abs). This result indicates that separating evaporation from transpiration is more important than exact measurement of canopy temperature.

Antarctic lakes (above and beneath the ice sheet): Analogues for Mars

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rice, J. W., Jr.

1992-01-01

The perennial ice covered lakes of the Antarctic are considered to be excellent analogues to lakes that once existed on Mars. Field studies of ice covered lakes, paleolakes, and polar beaches were conducted in the Bunger Hills Oasis, Eastern Antarctica. These studies are extended to the Dry Valleys, Western Antarctica, and the Arctic. Important distinctions were made between ice covered and non-ice covered bodies of water in terms of the geomorphic signatures produced. The most notable landforms produced by ice covered lakes are ice shoved ridges. These features form discrete segmented ramparts of boulders and sediments pushed up along the shores of lakes and/or seas. Sub-ice lakes have been discovered under the Antarctic ice sheet using radio echo sounding. These lakes occur in regions of low surface slope, low surface accumulations, and low ice velocity, and occupy bedrock hollows. The presence of sub-ice lakes below the Martian polar caps is possible. The discovery of the Antarctic sub-ice lakes raises possibilities concerning Martian lakes and exobiology.

Process-based approach for the detection of deep gas invading the surface

DOEpatents

Romanak, Katherine; Bennett, Philip C.

2017-05-09

The present invention includes a method for determining the level of deep gas in a near surface formation that includes: measuring CO.sub.2, O.sub.2, CH.sub.4, and N.sub.2 levels in percent by volume from one or more surface or near surface geological samples; adding the water vapor content to the measured CO.sub.2, O.sub.2, CH.sub.4, and N.sub.2 levels in percent by volume; normalizing the gas mixture to 100% by volume or 1 atmospheric total pressure; and determining the ratios of: O.sub.2 versus CO.sub.2 to distinguish in-situ vadose zone CO.sub.2 from exogenous deep leakage CO.sub.2; CO.sub.2 versus N.sub.2 to distinguish whether CO.sub.2 is being removed from the near surface formation or CO.sub.2 is added from an exogenous deep leakage input; or CO.sub.2 versus N.sub.2/O.sub.2 to determine the degree of oxygen influx, consumption, or both; wherein the ratios are indicative of natural in situ CO.sub.2 or CO.sub.2 from the exogenous deep leakage input.

Assessment of Techniques for Measuring Tropospheric H Sub x O Sub y

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hoell, J. M. (Editor)

1984-01-01

In its continuing efforts to direct its applications programs towards relevant national needs, NASA is conducting the Tropospheric Chemistry Program, the long-range objective of which is to apply NASA's space technology to assess and predict human impact on the troposphere, particularly on the regional to global scale. One area of required research is instrumentation development, which is aimed at improving the capability to measure important trace gases and aerosols which are key species in the major atmospheric biogeochemical cycles. To focus on specific needs, the Instrumentation Worksphop for H(x)O(y) Tropospheric Species was conducted in August 1982. The workshop discussed current measurement needs and instrument capabilities for H(x)O(y) species, including OH, HO2, and H2O2. The workshop activities and conclusions are documented.

Uranium mineralization in the Wilson Creek and Cranberry Gneisses and the Grandfather Mountain Formation, North Carolina and Tennessee. National Uranium Resource Evaluation

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

Wagener, H.D.; McHone, J.G.

1982-10-01

Detailed petrologic investigations were conducted at 74 anomalies that have surface radioactivities of 5 to 300 times background in the Grandfather Mountain region of North Carolina and Tennessee. One or more specimens of radioactive rock and one specimen of nonanomalous (barren) rock were taken for chemical analysis from each of the 74 sites. The specimens were analyzed fluorometrically for uranium (U/sub 3/O/sub 8/) and for 29 other elements by emission spectroscopy. Of the radioactive specimens, 23 contained less than 100 ppM U/sub 3/O/sub 8/ and were either depleted in uranium because of leaching or were rich in thorium; 25 containedmore » more than 500 ppM U/sub 3/O/sub 8/, with a maximum of 33,000 ppM. Specimens collected as barren contained up to 65 ppM U/sub 3/O/sub 8/. The more uraniferous rocks of the region tend to contain the larger concentrations of trace amounts of base metals.« less

Development of Numerical Codes for Modeling Electromagnetic Behavior at High Frequencies Near Large Objects

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Joshi, R. P.; Deshpande, M. D. (Technical Monitor)

2003-01-01

A study into the problem of determining electromagnetic solutions at high frequencies for problems involving complex geometries, large sizes and multiple sources (e.g. antennas) has been initiated. Typical applications include the behavior of antennas (and radiators) installed on complex conducting structures (e.g. ships, aircrafts, etc..) with strong interactions between antennas, the radiation patterns, and electromagnetic signals is of great interest for electromagnetic compatibility control. This includes the overall performance evaluation and control of all on-board radiating systems, electromagnetic interference, and personnel radiation hazards. Electromagnetic computational capability exists at NASA LaRC, and many of the codes developed are based on the Moment Method (MM). However, the MM is computationally intensive, and this places a limit on the size of objects and structures that can be modeled. Here, two approaches are proposed: (i) a current-based hybrid scheme that combines the MM with Physical optics, and (ii) an Alternating Direction Implicit-Finite Difference Time Domain (ADI-FDTD) method. The essence of a hybrid technique is to split the overall scattering surface(s) into two regions: (a) a MM zone (MMZ) which can be used over any part of the given geometry, but is most essential over irregular and "non-smooth" geometries, and (b) a PO sub-region (POSR). Currents induced on the scattering and reflecting surfaces can then be computed in two ways depending on whether the region belonged to the MMZ or was part of the POSR. For the MMZ, the current calculations proceed in terms of basis functions with undetermined coefficients (as in the usual MM method), and the answer obtained by solving a system of linear equations. Over the POSR, conduction is obtained as a superposition of two contributions: (i) currents due to the incident magnetic field, and (ii) currents produced by the mutual induction from conduction within the MMZ. This effectively leads to a reduction in the size of linear equations from N to N - Npo with N being the total number of segments for the entire surface and Npo the number of segments over the POSR. The scheme would be appropriate for relatively large, flat surfaces, and at high frequencies. The ADI-FDTD scheme provides for both transient and steady state analyses. The restrictive Courant-Friedrich-Levy (CFL) condition on the time-step is removed, and so large time steps can be chosen even though the spatial grids are small. This report includes the problem definition, a detailed discussion of both the numerical techniques, and numerical implementations for simple surface geometries. Numerical solutions have been derived for a few simple situations.

TRIGGERING SUBLIMATION-DRIVEN ACTIVITY OF MAIN BELT COMETS

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

Haghighipour, N.; Maindl, T. I.; Dvorak, R.

2016-10-10

It has been suggested that the comet-like activity of main belt comets (MBCs) is due to the sublimation of sub-surface water–ice that has been exposed as a result of their surfaces being impacted by meter-sized bodies. We have examined the viability of this scenario by simulating impacts between meter-sized and kilometer-sized objects using a smooth particle hydrodynamics approach. Simulations have been carried out for different values of the impact velocity and impact angle, as well as different target material and water-mass fractions. Results indicate that for the range of impact velocities corresponding to those in the asteroid belt, the depthmore » of an impact crater is slightly larger than 10 m, suggesting that if the activation of MBCs is due to the sublimation of sub-surface water–ice, this ice has to exist no deeper than a few meters from the surface. Results also show that ice exposure occurs in the bottom and on the interior surface of impact craters, as well as on the surface of the target where some of the ejected icy inclusions are re-accreted. While our results demonstrate that the impact scenario is indeed a viable mechanism to expose ice and trigger the activity of MBCs, they also indicate that the activity of the current MBCs is likely due to ice sublimation from multiple impact sites and/or the water contents of these objects (and other asteroids in the outer asteroid belt) is larger than the 5% that is traditionally considered in models of terrestrial planet formation, providing more ice for sublimation. We present the details of our simulations and discuss their results and implications.« less

Effect of adatom deposition on surface magnetism and exchange coupling parameter in (0001) SmCo{sub 5} slabs

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

Selva Chandrasekaran, S.; Murugan, P., E-mail: murugan@cecri.res.in; Saravanan, P.

2015-04-07

First principles calculations are performed on 3d-transition metal atom deposited (0001) surface of SmCo{sub 5} to understand the magnetic properties and the improvement of Curie temperature (T{sub c}). Various atomic sites are examined to identify the energetically feasible adsorption of adatom and it is found that the void site of Co-rich (0001) SmCo{sub 5} surface is the most favourable one to deposit. The surface magnetic moments of various adatom deposited SmCo{sub 5} surfaces are larger than the clean surface except for Cu and Zn. Eventually, the surface exchange coupling of clean and adatom deposited surface is found to increase formore » Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu deposited surfaces and this improvement results in the increase in T{sub c} of SmCo{sub 5} slab.« less

Atomic layer deposition of sub-10 nm high-K gate dielectrics on top-gated MoS2 transistors without surface functionalization

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lin, Yu-Shu; Cheng, Po-Hsien; Huang, Kuei-Wen; Lin, Hsin-Chih; Chen, Miin-Jang

2018-06-01

Sub-10 nm high-K gate dielectrics are of critical importance in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) transistors. However, the chemical inertness of TMDs gives rise to a lot of pinholes in gate dielectrics, resulting in large gate leakage current. In this study, sub-10 nm, uniform and pinhole-free Al2O3 high-K gate dielectrics on MoS2 were achieved by atomic layer deposition without surface functionalization, in which an ultrathin Al2O3 layer prepared with a short purge time at a low temperature of 80 °C offers the nucleation cites for the deposition of the overlaying oxide at a higher temperature. Conductive atomic force microscopy reveals the significant suppression of gate leakage current in the sub-10 nm Al2O3 gate dielectrics with the low-temperature nucleation layer. Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies indicate that no oxidation occurred during the deposition of the low-temperature Al2O3 nucleation layer on MoS2. With the high-quality sub-10 nm Al2O3 high-K gate dielectrics, low hysteresis and subthreshold swing were demonstrated on the normally-off top-gated MoS2 transistors.

Impact of water vapour and carbon dioxide on surface composition of C{sub 3}A polymorphs studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

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

Dubina, E.; Plank, J.; Black, L., E-mail: l.black@leeds.ac.uk

2015-07-15

The surface specific analytical method, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), has been used to study the effects of water vapour and CO{sub 2} on the cubic and orthorhombic polymorphs of C{sub 3}A. Significant differences between the two polymorphs were observed in the XPS spectra. Upon exposure to water vapour, both polymorphs produced C{sub 4}AH{sub 13} on their surfaces. Additionally, the sodium-doped o-C{sub 3}A developed NaOH and traces of C{sub 3}AH{sub 6} on its surface. Subsequent carbonation yielded mono carboaluminate on both polymorphs. Large amounts of Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3} also formed on the surface of o-C{sub 3}A as a result of carbonationmore » of NaOH. Furthermore, the extent of carbonation was much more pronounced for o-C{sub 3}A{sub o} than for c-C{sub 3}A.« less

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

Thompson, Christopher J., E-mail: chris.thompson@pnnl.gov; Martin, Paul F.; Chen, Jeffrey

A fully automated titration system with infrared detection was developed for investigating interfacial chemistry at high pressures. The apparatus consists of a high-pressure fluid generation and delivery system coupled to a high-pressure cell with infrared optics. A manifold of electronically actuated valves is used to direct pressurized fluids into the cell. Precise reagent additions to the pressurized cell are made with calibrated tubing loops that are filled with reagent and placed in-line with the cell and a syringe pump. The cell's infrared optics facilitate both transmission and attenuated total reflection (ATR) measurements to monitor bulk-fluid composition and solid-surface phenomena suchmore » as adsorption, desorption, complexation, dissolution, and precipitation. Switching between the two measurement modes is accomplished with moveable mirrors that direct the light path of a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer into the cell along transmission or ATR light paths. The versatility of the high-pressure IR titration system was demonstrated with three case studies. First, we titrated water into supercritical CO{sub 2} (scCO{sub 2}) to generate an infrared calibration curve and determine the solubility of water in CO{sub 2} at 50 °C and 90 bar. Next, we characterized the partitioning of water between a montmorillonite clay and scCO{sub 2} at 50 °C and 90 bar. Transmission-mode spectra were used to quantify changes in the clay's sorbed water concentration as a function of scCO{sub 2} hydration, and ATR measurements provided insights into competitive residency of water and CO{sub 2} on the clay surface and in the interlayer. Finally, we demonstrated how time-dependent studies can be conducted with the system by monitoring the carbonation reaction of forsterite (Mg{sub 2}SiO{sub 4}) in water-bearing scCO{sub 2} at 50 °C and 90 bar. Immediately after water dissolved in the scCO{sub 2}, a thin film of adsorbed water formed on the mineral surface, and the film thickness increased with time as the forsterite began to dissolve. However, after approximately 2.5 h, the trend reversed, and a carbonate precipitate began to form on the forsterite surface, exposing dramatic chemical changes in the thin-water film. Collectively, these applications illustrate how the high-pressure IR titration system can provide molecular-level information about the interactions between variably wet scCO{sub 2} and minerals relevant to underground storage of CO{sub 2} (geologic carbon sequestration). The apparatus could also be utilized to study high-pressure interfacial chemistry in other areas such as catalysis, polymerization, food processing, and oil and gas recovery.« less

Hyperspectral Sensor Data Capability for Retrieving Complex Urban Land Cover in Comparison with Multispectral Data: Venice City Case Study (Italy)

PubMed Central

Cavalli, Rosa Maria; Fusilli, Lorenzo; Pascucci, Simone; Pignatti, Stefano; Santini, Federico

2008-01-01

This study aims at comparing the capability of different sensors to detect land cover materials within an historical urban center. The main objective is to evaluate the added value of hyperspectral sensors in mapping a complex urban context. In this study we used: (a) the ALI and Hyperion satellite data, (b) the LANDSAT ETM+ satellite data, (c) MIVIS airborne data and (d) the high spatial resolution IKONOS imagery as reference. The Venice city center shows a complex urban land cover and therefore was chosen for testing the spectral and spatial characteristics of different sensors in mapping the urban tissue. For this purpose, an object-oriented approach and different common classification methods were used. Moreover, spectra of the main anthropogenic surfaces (i.e. roofing and paving materials) were collected during the field campaigns conducted on the study area. They were exploited for applying band-depth and sub-pixel analyses to subsets of Hyperion and MIVIS hyperspectral imagery. The results show that satellite data with a 30m spatial resolution (ALI, LANDSAT ETM+ and HYPERION) are able to identify only the main urban land cover materials. PMID:27879879

Optimization of stabilized leachate treatment using ozone/persulfate in the advanced oxidation process

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

Abu Amr, Salem S.; Aziz, Hamidi Abdul, E-mail: cehamidi@eng.usm.my; Adlan, Mohd Nordin

Highlights: ► Ozone and persulfate reagent (O{sub 3}/S{sub 2}O{sub 8}{sup 2-}) was used to treat stabilized leachate. ► Central composite design (CCD) with response surface methodology (RSM) was applied. ► Operating variables including ozone and persulfate dosage, pH variance, and reaction time. ► Optimum removal of COD, color, and NH{sub 3}–N was 72%, 96%, and 76%, respectively. ► A good value of ozone consumption (OC) obtained with 0.60 (kg O{sub 3}/kg COD). - Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the performance of employing persulfate reagent in the advanced oxidation of ozone to treat stabilized landfill leachate inmore » an ozone reactor. A central composite design (CCD) with response surface methodology (RSM) was applied to evaluate the relationships between operating variables, such as ozone and persulfate dosages, pH, and reaction time, to identify the optimum operating conditions. Quadratic models for the following four responses proved to be significant with very low probabilities (<0.0001): COD, color, NH{sub 3}–N, and ozone consumption (OC). The obtained optimum conditions included a reaction time of 210 min, 30 g/m{sup 3} ozone, 1 g/1 g COD{sub 0}/S{sub 2}O{sub 8}{sup 2-} ratio, and pH 10. The experimental results were corresponded well with predicted models (COD, color, and NH{sub 3}–N removal rates of 72%, 96%, and 76%, respectively, and 0.60 (kg O{sub 3}/kg COD OC). The results obtained in the stabilized leachate treatment were compared with those from other treatment processes, such as ozone only and persulfate S{sub 2}O{sub 8}{sup 2-} only, to evaluate its effectiveness. The combined method (i.e., O{sub 3}/S{sub 2}O{sub 8}{sup 2-}) achieved higher removal efficiencies for COD, color, and NH{sub 3}–N compared with other studied applications. Furthermore, the new method is more efficient than ozone/Fenton in advanced oxidation process in the treatment of the same studied leachate.« less

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

Bacciotti, F.; Randich, S.; Whelan, E. T.

We present the first pilot study of jets from young stars conducted with X-shooter, on the ESO/Very Large Telescope. As it offers simultaneous, high-quality spectra in the range 300-2500 nm, X-shooter is uniquely important for spectral diagnostics in jet studies. We chose to probe the accretion/ejection mechanisms at low stellar masses examining two targets with well-resolved continuous jets lying on the plane of the sky: ESO-HA 574 in Chameleon I and Par-Lup3-4 in Lupus III. The mass of the latter is close to the sub-stellar boundary (M{sub *} = 0.13 M{sub sun}). A large number of emission lines probing regionsmore » of different excitation are identified, position-velocity diagrams are presented, and mass outflow/accretion rates are estimated. Comparison between the two objects is striking. ESO-HA 574 is a weakly accreting star for which we estimate a mass accretion rate of log ( M-dot{sub acc}) = -10.8{+-}0.5 (in M{sub sun} yr{sup -1}), yet it drives a powerful jet with M-dot{sub out} {approx} 1.5-2.7 x 10{sup -9} M{sub sun} yr{sup -1}. These values can be reconciled with a magneto-centrifugal jet acceleration mechanism assuming that the presence of the edge-on disk severely depresses the luminosity of the accretion tracers. In comparison, Par-Lup3-4, with stronger mass accretion ( log ( M-dot{sub acc}) = -9.1{+-}0.4 M{sub sun} yr{sup -1}), drives a low-excitation jet with about M-dot{sub out} {approx} 3.2 x 10{sup -10} M{sub sun} yr{sup -1} in both lobes. Despite the low stellar mass, M-dot{sub out}/ M-dot{sub acc} for Par-Lup3-4 is at the upper limit of the range usually measured for young objects, but still compatible with a steady magneto-centrifugal wind scenario if all uncertainties are considered.« less

Effect of annealing on the sub-bandgap, defects and trapping states of ZnO nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wahyuono, Ruri Agung; Hermann-Westendorf, Felix; Dellith, Andrea; Schmidt, Christa; Dellith, Jan; Plentz, Jonathan; Schulz, Martin; Presselt, Martin; Seyring, Martin; Rettenmeyer, Markus; Dietzek, Benjamin

2017-02-01

Annealing treatment was applied to different mesoporous ZnO nanostructures prepared by wet chemical synthesis, i.e. nanoflowers (NFs), spherical aggregates (SPs), and nanorods (NRs). The sub-bandgap, defect properties as well as the trapping state characteristics after annealing were characterized spectroscopically, including ultrasensitive photothermal deflection spectroscopy (PDS), photoluminescence and photo-electrochemical methods. The comprehensive experimental analysis reveals that annealing alters both the bandgap and the sub-bandgap. The defect concentration and the density of surface traps in the ZnO nanostructures are suppressed upon annealing as deduced from photoluminescence and open-circuit voltage decay analysis. The photo-electrochemical investigations reveal that the surface traps dominate the near conduction band edge of ZnO and, hence, lead to high recombination rates when used in DSSCs. The density of bulk traps in ZnO SPs is higher than that in ZnO NFs and ZnO NRs and promote lower recombination loss between photoinjected electrons with the electrolyte-oxidized species on the surface. The highest power conversion efficiency of ZnO NFs-, ZnO SPs-, and ZnO NRs-based DSSC obtained in our system is 2.0, 4.5, and 1.8%, respectively.

Preparation of LiFePO{sub 4} with inverse opal structure and its satisfactory electrochemical properties

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

Lu Junbiao; Tang Zilong; Zhang Zhongtai

Phase pure, well-crystallized and homogeneous LiFePO{sub 4} powder with inverse opal structure was obtained by calcining the precursors of Li{sup +}, Fe{sup 2+} and PO{sub 4} {sup 3-} in the presence of organic template of poly(styrene-methyl methacrylate-acrylic acid) latex micro-spheres under nitrogen atmosphere. The resultant products were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), chemical titration, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Land 2001A electrochemical measurement system. Results indicated that after the decomposition of organic template, inverse opal structure and conductive carbon were left in the resultant products. With the large specific surface areamore » resulting from inverse opal structure and with the conductive carbon, the products delivered satisfactory capacity and superior rate capability at room temperature, i.e., over 100 mAh/g at the high current density of 5.9C.« less

Formation of conductive copper lines by femtosecond laser irradiation of copper nitride film on plastic substrates

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

Xu, Xiaodong; Yuan, Ningyi, E-mail: nyyuan@cczu.edu.cn; Center for Low-Dimensional Materials, Micro-Nano Devices and Systems, Changzhou University, Changzhou 213164, Jiangsu

2015-05-15

In this paper, we report a simple method to form conductive copper lines by scanning a single-beam femtosecond pulse laser on a plastic substrate covered with copper nitride (Cu{sub 3}N) film. The Cu{sub 3}N films were prepared by DC magnetron sputtering in the presence of an Ar + N{sub 2} atmosphere at 100 °C. The influence of the laser power and scanning speed on the formed copper line width, surface features, and morphology was analyzed by means of optical microscopy, X-ray diffraction, non-contact 3D profilometer, and scanning electron microscopy. The experimental results demonstrate that low laser power and low scanningmore » speed favor the formation of uniform and flat Cu lines. After process optimization, copper lines with a width less than 5 μm were obtained, which provides an attractive application prospect in the field of flexible electronic devices.« less

Environmental sulfur dioxide: toxicity toward the alveolar macrophage

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

Butenhoff, J.L.

This study was designed to determine if SO/sub 2/ and/or its associated ions in solution (H/sub 3/O/sup +/, HSO/sub 3//sup -/, SO/sub 3//sup =/ and SO/sub 4//sup =/) are cytotoxic to rat PAM cells in primary culture. The indices of cytotoxicity which were evaluated included cell viability uptake of particles and viable bacteria, inhibition of antioxidant enzymes, cell surface morphology and oxygen utilization. For determining effects on cell viability, function and morphology, exposures were conducted for 20 hours at either 30 or 37 deg. C in Leighton culture tubes of polystyrene petri dishes. In both instances, cells were attached tomore » glass. Cell viability dose-response curves were obtained with H/sub 3/O/sup +/ (HCl and H/sub 2/SO/sub 4/), SO/sub 2/ (dissolved gas), HSO/sub 3//sup -/, SO/sub 3//sup =/ and SO/sub 4//sup =/. Buffer strength and pH were varied to determine the effect of these various molecular species on viability. Sulfur dioxide gas exhibited a weak protentiating effect on H/sub 3/O/sup +/ toxicity below pH 6.4. Significant viability loss did not occur above pH 6.4. Particle uptake was diminished significantly at sulfite concentration greater than or equal to 500 uM, pH 7.2. Sulfite was found to be a potent competitive inhibitor of GSH-peroxidase in vitro. A slight yet significant change in cell morphology occurred at sulfite concentrations of 200 uM and 4000 uM and pH 7.2. There was a significant difference in O/sub 2/ utilization between control and 4000 uM exposed cells, indicating a potential diminution in cell-surface mediated respiratory stimulation. Based on these studies, sulfur dioxide gas exposure may have an effect on alveolar macrophage function depending on the ambient concentration of the gas and its accumulation in the airspaces of the lung.« less

Improved silicon nitride for advanced heat engines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yeh, H. C.; Wimmer, J. M.; Huang, H. H.; Rorabaugh, M. E.; Schienle, J.; Styhr, K. H.

1985-01-01

The AiResearch Casting Company baseline silicon nitride (92 percent GTE SN-502 Si sub 3 N sub 4 plus 6 percent Y sub 2 O sub 3 plus 2 percent Al sub 2 O sub 3) was characterized with methods that included chemical analysis, oxygen content determination, electrophoresis, particle size distribution analysis, surface area determination, and analysis of the degree of agglomeration and maximum particle size of elutriated powder. Test bars were injection molded and processed through sintering at 0.68 MPa (100 psi) of nitrogen. The as-sintered test bars were evaluated by X-ray phase analysis, room and elevated temperature modulus of rupture strength, Weibull modulus, stress rupture, strength after oxidation, fracture origins, microstructure, and density from quantities of samples sufficiently large to generate statistically valid results. A series of small test matrices were conducted to study the effects and interactions of processing parameters which included raw materials, binder systems, binder removal cycles, injection molding temperatures, particle size distribution, sintering additives, and sintering cycle parameters.

Effect of potassium doping on electronic structure and thermoelectric properties of topological crystalline insulator

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

Roychowdhury, Subhajit; Biswas, Kanishka, E-mail: kanishka@jncasr.ac.in; Sandhya Shenoy, U.

2016-05-09

Topological crystalline insulator (TCI), Pb{sub 0.6}Sn{sub 0.4}Te, exhibits metallic surface states protected by crystal mirror symmetry with negligibly small band gap. Enhancement of its thermoelectric performances needs tuning of its electronic structure particularly through engineering of its band gap. While physical perturbations tune the electronic structure of TCI by breaking of the crystal mirror symmetry, chemical means such as doping have been more attractive recently as they result in better thermoelectric performance in TCIs. Here, we demonstrate that K doping in TCI, Pb{sub 0.6}Sn{sub 0.4}Te, breaks the crystal mirror symmetry locally and widens electronic band gap, which is confirmed bymore » direct electronic absorption spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations. K doping in Pb{sub 0.6}Sn{sub 0.4}Te increases p-type carrier concentration and suppresses the bipolar conduction via widening a band gap, which collectively boosts the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT) to 1 at 708 K.« less

Photodetector with enhanced light absorption

DOEpatents

Kane, James

1985-01-01

A photodetector including a light transmissive electrically conducting layer having a textured surface with a semiconductor body thereon. This layer traps incident light thereby enhancing the absorption of light by the semiconductor body. A photodetector comprising a textured light transmissive electrically conducting layer of SnO.sub.2 and a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon has a conversion efficiency about fifty percent greater than that of comparative cells. The invention also includes a method of fabricating the photodetector of the invention.

Simultaneously Discovering and Localizing Common Objects in Wild Images.

PubMed

Wang, Zhenzhen; Yuan, Junsong

2018-09-01

Motivated by the recent success of supervised and weakly supervised common object discovery, in this paper, we move forward one step further to tackle common object discovery in a fully unsupervised way. Generally, object co-localization aims at simultaneously localizing objects of the same class across a group of images. Traditional object localization/detection usually trains specific object detectors which require bounding box annotations of object instances, or at least image-level labels to indicate the presence/absence of objects in an image. Given a collection of images without any annotations, our proposed fully unsupervised method is to simultaneously discover images that contain common objects and also localize common objects in corresponding images. Without requiring to know the total number of common objects, we formulate this unsupervised object discovery as a sub-graph mining problem from a weighted graph of object proposals, where nodes correspond to object proposals, and edges represent the similarities between neighbouring proposals. The positive images and common objects are jointly discovered by finding sub-graphs of strongly connected nodes, with each sub-graph capturing one object pattern. The optimization problem can be efficiently solved by our proposed maximal-flow-based algorithm. Instead of assuming that each image contains only one common object, our proposed solution can better address wild images where each image may contain multiple common objects or even no common object. Moreover, our proposed method can be easily tailored to the task of image retrieval in which the nodes correspond to the similarity between query and reference images. Extensive experiments on PASCAL VOC 2007 and Object Discovery data sets demonstrate that even without any supervision, our approach can discover/localize common objects of various classes in the presence of scale, view point, appearance variation, and partial occlusions. We also conduct broad experiments on image retrieval benchmarks, Holidays and Oxford5k data sets, to show that our proposed method, which considers both the similarity between query and reference images and also similarities among reference images, can help to improve the retrieval results significantly.

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

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

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

2014-11-15

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

Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16}: Single crystal growth, electronic structure and piezoelectric properties

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

Khyzhun, O.Y., E-mail: khyzhun@ipms.kiev.ua; Piasecki, M.; Kityk, I.V.

Single crystal of the ternary halide Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} was grown using Bridgman-Stockbarger method. For the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} crystal, we have measured X-ray photoelectron spectra for both pristine and Ar{sup +} ion-bombarded surfaces and additionally investigated photoinduced piezoelectricity. Our data indicate that the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} single crystal surface is very sensitive with respect to Ar{sup +} ion-bombardment. In particular, Ar{sup +} ion-bombardment with energy of 3.0 keV over 5 min at an ion current density of 14 μA/cm{sup 2} causes significant changes of the elemental stoichiometry of the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} surface resulting inmore » an abrupt decrease of the mercury content in the top surface layers of the studied single crystal. As a result of the treatment, the mercury content becomes nil in the top surface layers. In addition, the present XPS measurements allow for concluding about very low hygroscopicity of the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} single crystal surface. The property is extremely important for the crystal handling in optoelectronic or nano-electronic devices working at ambient conditions. The photoinduced piezoelectricity has been explored for Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} depending on nitrogen (λ=371 nm) laser power density and temperature. - Graphical abstract: As-grown single crystal boule of Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16}; dependence of the effective piezoelecric coefficient d{sub 33} versus the photoinducing nitrogen laser power density, I, at different temperatures, T; and packing of the polyhedra of halide atoms around Hg atoms in the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} structure. - Highlights: • High-quality Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} single crystal has been grown by Bridgman-Stockbarger method. • Electronic structure of Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} is studied by the XPS method. • Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} single crystal surface is sensitive with respect to Ar{sup +} ion-bombardment. • Very low hygroscopicity is characteristic of the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} surface. • Photoinduced piezoelectricity is studied for the Tl{sub 10}Hg{sub 3}Cl{sub 16} compound.« less

Heat Transfer in Complex Fluids

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

Mehrdad Massoudi

Amongst the most important constitutive relations in Mechanics, when characterizing the behavior of complex materials, one can identify the stress tensor T, the heat flux vector q (related to heat conduction) and the radiant heating (related to the radiation term in the energy equation). Of course, the expression 'complex materials' is not new. In fact, at least since the publication of the paper by Rivlin & Ericksen (1955), who discussed fluids of complexity (Truesdell & Noll, 1992), to the recently published books (Deshpande et al., 2010), the term complex fluids refers in general to fluid-like materials whose response, namely themore » stress tensor, is 'non-linear' in some fashion. This non-linearity can manifest itself in variety of forms such as memory effects, yield stress, creep or relaxation, normal-stress differences, etc. The emphasis in this chapter, while focusing on the constitutive modeling of complex fluids, is on granular materials (such as coal) and non-linear fluids (such as coal-slurries). One of the main areas of interest in energy related processes, such as power plants, atomization, alternative fuels, etc., is the use of slurries, specifically coal-water or coal-oil slurries, as the primary fuel. Some studies indicate that the viscosity of coal-water mixtures depends not only on the volume fraction of solids, and the mean size and the size distribution of the coal, but also on the shear rate, since the slurry behaves as shear-rate dependent fluid. There are also studies which indicate that preheating the fuel results in better performance, and as a result of such heating, the viscosity changes. Constitutive modeling of these non-linear fluids, commonly referred to as non-Newtonian fluids, has received much attention. Most of the naturally occurring and synthetic fluids are non-linear fluids, for example, polymer melts, suspensions, blood, coal-water slurries, drilling fluids, mud, etc. It should be noted that sometimes these fluids show Newtonian (linear) behavior for a given range of parameters or geometries; there are many empirical or semi-empirical constitutive equations suggested for these fluids. There have also been many non-linear constitutive relations which have been derived based on the techniques of continuum mechanics. The non-linearities oftentimes appear due to higher gradient terms or time derivatives. When thermal and or chemical effects are also important, the (coupled) momentum and energy equations can give rise to a variety of interesting problems, such as instability, for example the phenomenon of double-diffusive convection in a fluid layer. In Conclusion, we have studied the flow of a compressible (density gradient type) non-linear fluid down an inclined plane, subject to radiation boundary condition. The heat transfer is also considered where a source term, similar to the Arrhenius type reaction, is included. The non-dimensional forms of the equations are solved numerically and the competing effects of conduction, dissipation, heat generation and radiation are discussed. It is observed that the velocity increases rapidly in the region near the inclined surface and is slower in the region near the free surface. Since R{sub 7} is a measure of the heat generation due to chemical reaction, when the reaction is frozen (R{sub 7}=0.0) the temperature distributions would depend only on R{sub 1}, and R{sub 2}, representing the effects of the pressure force developed in the material due to the distribution, R{sub 3} and R{sub 4} viscous dissipation, R{sub 5} the normal stress coefficient, R{sub 6} the measure of the emissivity of the particles to the thermal conductivity, etc. When the flow is not frozen (RP{sub 7} > 0) the temperature inside the flow domain is much higher than those at the inclined and free surfaces. As a result, heat is transferred away from the flow toward both the inclined surface and the free surface with a rate that increases as R{sub 7} increases. For a given temperature, an increase in {zeta} implies that the activation energy is smaller and thus, the reaction rate is increased leading to an increase in the heat of the reaction. As a result the flow is chemically heated and its temperature increase. The results shown here indicate that for all values of {zeta} used the chemical effects are significant and the temperature is always higher than both the surface temperature and the free surface temperature. The heat transfer is always from the flow toward both the inclined surface and the free stream. It is also noticed that for all values of m chosen in this study, the temperature is higher than the surface and the free stream temperature. The heat transfer at the inclined surface and at the free stream increase slowly for negative values of m to about m=0.5, but it begins to significantly increase for m greater than 0.5.« less

Enhancing the magnetic anisotropy of maghemite nanoparticles via the surface coordination of molecular complexes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Prado, Yoann; Daffé, Niéli; Michel, Aude; Georgelin, Thomas; Yaacoub, Nader; Grenèche, Jean-Marc; Choueikani, Fadi; Otero, Edwige; Ohresser, Philippe; Arrio, Marie-Anne; Cartier-Dit-Moulin, Christophe; Sainctavit, Philippe; Fleury, Benoit; Dupuis, Vincent; Lisnard, Laurent; Fresnais, Jérôme

2015-12-01

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles are promising objects for data storage or medical applications. In the smallest--and more attractive--systems, the properties are governed by the magnetic anisotropy. Here we report a molecule-based synthetic strategy to enhance this anisotropy in sub-10-nm nanoparticles. It consists of the fabrication of composite materials where anisotropic molecular complexes are coordinated to the surface of the nanoparticles. Reacting 5 nm γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with the [CoII(TPMA)Cl2] complex (TPMA: tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) leads to the desired composite materials and the characterization of the functionalized nanoparticles evidences the successful coordination--without nanoparticle aggregation and without complex dissociation--of the molecular complexes to the nanoparticles surface. Magnetic measurements indicate the significant enhancement of the anisotropy in the final objects. Indeed, the functionalized nanoparticles show a threefold increase of the blocking temperature and a coercive field increased by one order of magnitude.

Identification of Surface and Near Surface Defects and Damage Evaluation by Laser Speckle Techniques

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gowda, Chandrakanth H.

2001-01-01

As a part of the grant activity, a laboratory was established within the Department of Electrical Engineering for the study for measurements of surface defects and damage evaluation. This facility has been utilized for implementing several algorithms for accurate measurements of defects. Experiments were conducted using simulated images and multiple images were fused to achieve accurate measurements. During the nine months of the grants when the principal investigator was transferred in my name, experiments were conducted using simulated synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. This proved useful when several algorithms were used on images of smooth objects with minor deformalities. Given the time constraint, the derived algorithms could not be applied to actual images of smooth objects with minor abnormalities.

Dielectric properties and electrical conductivity of the hybrid organic-inorganic polyvanadates (H{sub 3}N(CH{sub 2}){sub 4}NH{sub 3})[V{sub 6}O{sub 14}

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

Nefzi, H.; Sediri, F., E-mail: faouzi.sediri@ipeit.rnu.tn; Faculte des Sciences de Tunis, Universite Tunis El Manar, 2092 El Manar, BP 94 CEDEX 1068, Cite Rommana Tunis

2012-06-15

Plate-like crystals of the polyvanadate (H{sub 3}N(CH{sub 2}){sub 4}NH{sub 3})[V{sub 6}O{sub 14}] have been synthesized via an hydrothermal treatment. X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscope, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, electron spin resonance and complex impedance spectroscopy were used to analyze the hybrid material. The frequency dependence of AC conductivity at different temperatures indicates that the CBH model is the probable mechanism for the AC conduction behavior. The conductivity was measured by complex impedance spectroscopy which is equal to 31.10{sup -3} {Omega}{sup -1} m{sup -1} at 443 K. The Arrhenius diagram is not linear, it presents a rupture situated at 357more » K and the activation energies' average values are 0.22 eV and 0.14 eV, deduced from the Arrhenius relation. - Graphical abstract: At high temperature {epsilon} Double-Prime increases more rapidly which is due to the increasing conduction loss which rises with the increment in the DC conductivity. Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer Rectangular plate-like crystals (H{sub 3}N(CH{sub 2}){sub 4}NH{sub 3})[V{sub 6}O{sub 14}] were synthesized. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer frequency and temperature dependence of AC conductivity indicate CBH model. Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer The temperature dependence of DC conductivity exhibits two conduction mechanisms.« less

Spectroscopy of scattered light for the characterization of micro and nanoscale objects in biology and medicine.

PubMed

Turzhitsky, Vladimir; Qiu, Le; Itzkan, Irving; Novikov, Andrei A; Kotelev, Mikhail S; Getmanskiy, Michael; Vinokurov, Vladimir A; Muradov, Alexander V; Perelman, Lev T

2014-01-01

The biomedical uses for the spectroscopy of scattered light by micro and nanoscale objects can broadly be classified into two areas. The first, often called light scattering spectroscopy (LSS), deals with light scattered by dielectric particles, such as cellular and sub-cellular organelles, and is employed to measure their size or other physical characteristics. Examples include the use of LSS to measure the size distributions of nuclei or mitochondria. The native contrast that is achieved with LSS can serve as a non-invasive diagnostic and scientific tool. The other area for the use of the spectroscopy of scattered light in biology and medicine involves using conducting metal nanoparticles to obtain either contrast or electric field enhancement through the effect of the surface plasmon resonance (SPR). Gold and silver metal nanoparticles are non-toxic, they do not photobleach, are relatively inexpensive, are wavelength-tunable, and can be labeled with antibodies. This makes them very promising candidates for spectrally encoded molecular imaging. Metal nanoparticles can also serve as electric field enhancers of Raman signals. Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a powerful method for detecting and identifying molecules down to single molecule concentrations. In this review, we will concentrate on the common physical principles, which allow one to understand these apparently different areas using similar physical and mathematical approaches. We will also describe the major advancements in each of these areas, as well as some of the exciting recent developments.

CO{sub 2} Emission Calculations and Trends

DOE R&D Accomplishments Database

Boden, T. A.; Marland, G.; Andres, R. J.

1995-06-01

Evidence that the atmospheric CO{sub 2}concentration has risen during the past several decades is irrefutable. Most of the observed increase in atmospheric CO{sub 2} is believed to result from CO{sub 2} releases from fossil-fuel burning. The United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change (FCCC), signed in Rio de Janeiro in June 1992, reflects global concern over the increasing CO{sub 2} concentration and its potential impact on climate. One of the convention`s stated objectives was the stabilization of greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Specifically, the FCCC asked all 154 signing countries to conduct an inventory of their current greenhouse gas emissions, and it set nonbinding targets for some countries to control emissions by stabilizing them at 1990 levels by the year 2000. Given the importance of CO{sub 2} as a greenhouse gas, the relationship between CO{sub 2} emissions and increases in atmospheric CO{sub 2} levels, and the potential impacts of a greenhouse gas-induced climate change; it is important that comprehensive CO{sub 2} emissions records be compiled, maintained, updated, and documented.

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

Bouziane, M.; Taibi, M., E-mail: taibiens@yahoo.fr; Boukhari, A.

Electrical properties of Pb{sub 2}Na{sub 0.8}Eu{sub 0.2}Nb{sub 4.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 15} tungsten bronze compound were investigated. Ferroelectric phase transition of diffuse type is observed at 395 °C. Conductivity study as a function of temperature (RT-600 °C) and at three different frequencies (10, 100 and 1000 kHz) suggests the existence of dominant ionic conduction. The rise of ac conductivity on increasing temperature supports the NTCR (negative temperature coefficient of resistance) behaviour of the material. The activation energies have been evaluated from ac conductivity using Arrhenius equation and discussed. Different conduction mechanisms were identified. For comparison, the conducting properties of Pb{sub 2}Na{sub 0.8}R{submore » 0.2}Nb{sub 4.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 15} (R=Dy, Nd, La) were also investigated. - Graphical abstract: Thermal evolution of lnσ{sub ac} of Pb{sub 2}Na{sub 0.8}Eu{sub 0.2}Nb{sub 4.8}Fe{sub 0.2}O{sub 15} at selected frequencies. Display Omitted - Highlights: • We found that TB compounds exhibit a diffuse type of first- order transition. • A negative temperature coefficient of resistance (NTCR) behaviour is observed. • Three conduction mechanisms were identified: n-and/or p-type at low temperatures. • The conduction mechanism in the studied compounds is very complex.« less

The Great Exoplanet Eclipse: Spitzer Observations of the Benchmark Sub-Saturn-Mass Planet KELT-11b

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Colon, Knicole; Beatty, Thomas; Line, Michael; Kreidberg, Laura; Lopez, Eric; Stassun, Keivan; Rodriguez, Joseph; Pepper, Joshua; James, David

2017-10-01

KELT-11b is a unique sub-Saturn-mass planet with a super-Jupiter radius that is in orbit around a bright, metal-rich, sub-giant star. We propose to observe a single eclipse of KELT-11b with Spitzer in IRAC Channel 2, which will allow us to precisely constrain the orbital eccentricity of the planet, study atmospheric circulation in an as yet unexplored regime of planetary surface gravity and temperature, and perform comparative science with other exoplanets in order to explore the correlation between surface gravity and thermal structure. Spitzer is the only active facility capable of providing the high precision, continuous infrared eclipse photometry of KELT-11b that is required to reach these objectives. The Spitzer infrared eclipse combined with near-infrared transmission spectroscopy that we will obtain with WFC3 on the Hubble Space Telescope will ultimately enable a detailed investigation of the atmospheric properties of KELT-11b and will provide a benchmark for planning thermal observations of exoplanets with the James Webb Space Telescope.

Depth distribution of benthic dinoflagellates in the Caribbean Sea

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Boisnoir, Aurélie; Pascal, Pierre-Yves; Cordonnier, Sébastien; Lemée, Rodolophe

2018-05-01

Monitoring of benthic dinoflagellates is usually conducted between sub-surface and 5 m depth, where these organisms are supposed to be in highest abundances. However, only few studies have focused on the small-scale depth distribution of benthic dinoflagellates. In the present study, abundances of dinoflagellates were evaluated on an invasive macrophyte Halophila stipulacea in two coastal sites in Guadeloupe (Caribbean Sea) along a depth gradient from sub-surface to 3 m at Gosier and until 20 m at Rivière Sens during the tropical wet and dry seasons. Species of genus Ostreopsis and Prorocentrum were the most abundant. Depth did not influence total dinoflagellate abundance but several genera showed particular depth-distribution preferences. The highest abundances of Ostreopsis and Gambierdiscus species were estimated preferentially in surface waters, whereas Coolia spp. were found in the same proportions but in deeper waters. Halophila stipulacea biomass was positively correlated with Ostreopsis spp. abundance. Our study suggests that sampling of benthic dinoflagellates should be conducted at different water depths taking into account the presence of the macroalgal substrate as well. In the Caribbean area, special attention should be addressed to the presence of H. stipulacea which tends to homogenize the marine landscape and represents a substrate for hosting dinoflagellate growth.

Microoptical compound lens

DOEpatents

Sweatt, William C.; Gill, David D.

2007-10-23

An apposition microoptical compound lens comprises a plurality of lenslets arrayed around a segment of a hollow, three-dimensional optical shell. The lenslets collect light from an object and focus the light rays onto the concentric, curved front surface of a coherent fiber bundle. The fiber bundle transports the light rays to a planar detector, forming a plurality of sub-images that can be reconstructed as a full image. The microoptical compound lens can have a small size (millimeters), wide field of view (up to 180.degree.), and adequate resolution for object recognition and tracking.

The Effects of Surface Reconstruction and Electron-Positron Correlation on the Annihilation Characteristics of Positrons Trapped at Semiconductor Surfaces

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

Fazleev, N. G.; Department of Physics, Kazan State University, Kazan 420008; Jung, E.

2009-03-10

Experimental positron annihilation induced Auger electron spectroscopy (PAES) data from Ge(100) and Ge(111) surfaces display several strong Auger peaks corresponding to M{sub 4,5}N{sub 1}N{sub 2,3}, M{sub 2,3}M{sub 4,5}M{sub 4,5}, M{sub 2,3}M{sub 4,5}V, and M{sub 1}M{sub 4,5}M{sub 4,5} Auger transitions. The integrated peak intensities of Auger transitions have been used to obtain experimental annihilation probabilities for the Ge 3d and 3p core electrons. The experimental data were analyzed by performing theoretical studies of the effects of surface reconstructions and electron-positron correlations on image potential induced surface states and annihilation characteristics of positrons trapped at the reconstructed Ge(100) and Ge(111) surfaces. Calculationsmore » of positron surface states and annihilation characteristics have been performed for Ge(100) surface with (2x1), (2x2), and (4x2) reconstructions, and for Ge(111) surface with c(2x8) reconstruction. Estimates of the positron binding energy and annihilation characteristics reveal their sensitivity to the specific atomic structure of the topmost layers of the semiconductor and to the approximations used to describe electron-positron correlations. The results of these theoretical studies are compared with the ones obtained for the reconstructed Si(100)-(2x1) and Si(111)-(7x7) surfaces.« less

Admittance–voltage profiling of Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N/GaN heterostructures: Frequency dependence of capacitance and conductance

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

Köhler, K.; Pletschen, W.; Godejohann, B.

2015-11-28

Admittance–voltage profiling of Al{sub x}Ga{sub 1−x}N/GaN heterostructures was used to determine the frequency dependent capacitance and conductance of FET devices in the frequency range from 50 Hz to 1 MHz. The nominally undoped low pressure metal-organic vapor-phase epitaxy structures were grown with an Al-content of 30%. An additional 1 nm thick AlN interlayer was placed in one structure before the Al{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}N layer growth. For frequencies below 10{sup 8} Hz it is convenient to use equivalent circuits to represent electric or dielectric properties of a material, a method widely used, for example, in impedance spectroscopy. We want to emphasize the relation betweenmore » frequency dependent admittance–voltage profiling and the corresponding equivalent circuits to the complex dielectric function. Debye and Drude models are used for the description of the frequency dependent admittance profiles in a range of depletion onset of the two-dimensional electron gas. Capacitance- and conductance-frequency profiles are fitted in the entire measured range by combining both models. Based on our results, we see contributions to the two-dimensional electron gas for our samples from surface states (80%) as well as from background doping in the Al{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}N barriers (20%). The specific resistance of the layers below the gate is above 10{sup 5} Ω cm for both samples and increases with increasing negative bias, i.e., the layers below the gate are essentially depleted. We propose that the resistance due to free charge carriers, determined by the Drude model, is located between gate and drain and, because of the AlN interlayer, the resistance is lowered by a factor of about 30 if compared to the sample without an AlN layer.« less

Nonimaging Optical Illumination System

DOEpatents

Winston, Roland

1994-02-22

A nonimaging illumination or concentration optical device. An optical device is provided having a light source, a light reflecting surface with an opening and positioned partially around the light source which is opposite the opening of the light reflecting surface. The light reflecting surface is disposed to produce a substantially uniform intensity output with the reflecting surface defined in terms of a radius vector R.sub.i in conjunction with an angle .phi..sub.i between R.sub.i, a direction from the source and an angle .theta..sub.i between direct forward illumination and the light ray reflected once from the reflecting surface. R.sub.i varies as the exponential of tan (.phi..sub.i -.theta..sub.i)/2 integrated over .phi..sub.i.

Influence of temperature and frequency on ionic conductivity of Li{sub 3}PO{sub 4}–Pb{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}–BiPO{sub 4} phosphate glasses

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

El Moudane, M., E-mail: m.elmoudane@gmail.com; El Maniani, M.; Sabbar, A.

2015-12-15

Highlights: • Results of ionic conductivities of Li{sub 3}PO{sub 4}–Pb{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}–BiPO{sub 4} phosphate glasses. • Determination of glass transition temperature using DSC method. • Study of temperature and frequency on ionic conductivity of Li{sub 3}PO{sub 4}–Pb{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}–BiPO{sub 4} phosphate glasses. - Abstract: Lithium–Lead–Bismuth phosphates glasses having, a composition 30Li{sub 3}PO{sub 4}–(70 − x)Pb{sub 3}(PO{sub 4}){sub 2}–xBiPO{sub 4} (45 ≤ x ≤ 60 mol%) were prepared by using the melt quenching method 1000 °C. The thermal stability of theses glasses increases with the substitution of Bi{sub 2}O{sub 3} with PbO. The ionic conductivity of all compositions havemore » been measured over a wide temperature (200–500 °C) and frequency range (1–106 Hz). The ionic conductivity data below and above T{sub g} follows Arrhenius and Vogel–Tamman–Fulcher (VTF) relationship, respectively. The activation energies are estimated and discussed. The dependence in frequency of AC conductivity is found to obey Jonscher’s relation.« less

Investigating the role of the land surface in explaining the interannual variation of the net radiation balance over the Western Sahara and sub-Sahara

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Smith, Eric A.; Nicholson, Sharon

1987-01-01

The status of the data sets is discussed. Progress was made in both data analysis and modeling areas. The atmospheric and land surface contributions to the net radiation budget over the Sahara-Sahel region is being decoupled. The interannual variability of these two processes was investigated and this variability related to seasonal rainfall fluctuations. A modified Barnes objective analysis scheme was developed which uses an eliptic scan pattern and a 3-pass iteration of the difference fields.

Relating sub-surface ice features to physiological stress in a climate sensitive mammal, the American pika (Ochotona princeps).

PubMed

Wilkening, Jennifer L; Ray, Chris; Varner, Johanna

2015-01-01

The American pika (Ochotona princeps) is considered a sentinel species for detecting ecological effects of climate change. Pikas are declining within a large portion of their range, and ongoing research suggests loss of sub-surface ice as a mechanism. However, no studies have demonstrated physiological responses of pikas to sub-surface ice features. Here we present the first analysis of physiological stress in pikas living in and adjacent to habitats underlain by ice. Fresh fecal samples were collected non-invasively from two adjacent sites in the Rocky Mountains (one with sub-surface ice and one without) and analyzed for glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM). We also measured sub-surface microclimates in each habitat. Results indicate lower GCM concentration in sites with sub-surface ice, suggesting that pikas are less stressed in favorable microclimates resulting from sub-surface ice features. GCM response was well predicted by habitat characteristics associated with sub-surface ice features, such as lower mean summer temperatures. These results suggest that pikas inhabiting areas without sub-surface ice features are experiencing higher levels of physiological stress and may be more susceptible to changing climates. Although post-deposition environmental effects can confound analyses based on fecal GCM, we found no evidence for such effects in this study. Sub-surface ice features are key to water cycling and storage and will likely represent an increasingly important component of water resources in a warming climate. Fecal samples collected from additional watersheds as part of current pika monitoring programs could be used to further characterize relationships between pika stress and sub-surface ice features.

Object-Location-Aware Hashing for Multi-Label Image Retrieval via Automatic Mask Learning.

PubMed

Huang, Chang-Qin; Yang, Shang-Ming; Pan, Yan; Lai, Han-Jiang

2018-09-01

Learning-based hashing is a leading approach of approximate nearest neighbor search for large-scale image retrieval. In this paper, we develop a deep supervised hashing method for multi-label image retrieval, in which we propose to learn a binary "mask" map that can identify the approximate locations of objects in an image, so that we use this binary "mask" map to obtain length-limited hash codes which mainly focus on an image's objects but ignore the background. The proposed deep architecture consists of four parts: 1) a convolutional sub-network to generate effective image features; 2) a binary "mask" sub-network to identify image objects' approximate locations; 3) a weighted average pooling operation based on the binary "mask" to obtain feature representations and hash codes that pay most attention to foreground objects but ignore the background; and 4) the combination of a triplet ranking loss designed to preserve relative similarities among images and a cross entropy loss defined on image labels. We conduct comprehensive evaluations on four multi-label image data sets. The results indicate that the proposed hashing method achieves superior performance gains over the state-of-the-art supervised or unsupervised hashing baselines.

Impacts of enhanced fertilizer applications on tropospheric ozone and crop damage over sub-Saharan Africa

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Huang, Yaoxian; Hickman, Jonathan E.; Wu, Shiliang

2018-05-01

Fertilizer-induced nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions in sub-Saharan Africa are expected to increase substantially in the coming decades, driven by increasing application of fertilizers to increase crop yields in an effort to attain food security across the continent. In many parts of sub-Saharan Africa, surface ozone (O3) is sensitive to increasing atmospheric concentrations of NOx. In this study, we employ the GEOS-Chem chemical transport model to conduct a preliminary investigation of the impacts on O3 air quality and the consequential crop damage associated with increasing fertilizer-induced NOx emissions in sub-Saharan Africa. Our simulation results, constrained by field NO flux measurements for the years 2011 and 2012 in response to a variety of fertilizer application rates in western Kenya, show that the enhancements in NO flux with fertilizer application rate of 150 kg N ha-1 can increase surface NOx and O3 concentrations by up to 0.36 and 2.8 ppbv respectively during the growing season. At the same time, accumulated O3 exposure during the crop growing season (expressed as AOT40 values) could increase by up to 496 ppb h, leading to crop yield decline of about 0.8% for O3-sensitive crops. Our results suggest that, when accounting for the consequential impacts on surface O3 air quality and crop damage over sub-Saharan Africa, agricultural intensification is possible without substantial impacts on crop productivity because the relatively small decline of crop yield resulting from O3 damage appears unlikely to outweigh the gain in crop yield from fertilization.

Assessment of 17{alpha}-ethinylestradiol effects and underlying mechanisms in a continuous, multigeneration exposure of the Chinese rare minnow (Gobiocypris rarus)

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

Zha Jinmiao; Sun Liwei; Zhou Yiqi

17{alpha}-Ethinylestradiol (EE{sub 2}) is a synthetic estrogen used primarily in birth control pills and in hormone replacement therapy. Owing to its occurrence in surface waters at concentrations frequently greater than 1 ng/l and its projected future use, EE{sub 2} is expected to pose a significant risk to aquatic organisms. This study was conducted to obtain long-term exposure data necessary for the establishment of water quality criteria and to investigate mechanisms associated with toxic effects. In a multigeneration experiment, Chinese rare minnows (Gobiocypris rarus) were constantly exposed to environmentally relevant concentrations of the synthetic estrogen EE{sub 2}. Mortality, deformities, reproductive parameters,more » plasma vitellogenin and histopathology were assessed. The results showed that, in the F{sub 0} generation, all endpoints were significantly affected at concentrations higher than 0.2 ng/l EE{sub 2}. No F{sub 1} phenotypic males developed to maturity at 0.2 ng/l and, when adult females of this exposure group were crossed with unexposed males, no F{sub 2} fertile eggs were produced. Kidney histopathology and ultrastructure suggest anomalies possibly associated with increased vitellogenin accumulation. We concluded that the reproduction of the F{sub 1} minnows was completely inhibited at the lowest concentration tested, 0.2 ng/l EE{sub 2}, a concentration frequently detected in surface waters. Growth effects may be related to increased energy requirements including the energy used in VTG synthesis. Reproductive effects are presumably associated with male feminization and the occurrence of testis-ova in males; however, ovarian degeneration observed in females may also have contributed to reproductive failure.« less

Highly conducting divalent Mg{sup 2+} cation solid electrolytes with well-ordered three-dimensional network structure

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

Tamura, Shinji; Yamane, Megumi; Hoshino, Yasunori

2016-03-15

A three-dimensionally well-ordered NASICON-type Mg{sup 2+} cation conductor, (Mg{sub x}Hf{sub 1−x}){sub 4/(4−2x)}Nb(PO{sub 4}){sub 3}, was firstly developed by partial substitution of lower valent Mg{sup 2+} cation onto the Hf{sup 4+} sites in a HfNb(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} solid to realize high Mg{sup 2+} cation conductivity even at moderate temperatures. Due to the formation of well-ordered NASICON-type structure, both the high Mg{sup 2+} cation conductivity below 450 °C and the low activation energy for Mg{sup 2+} cation migration was successfully realized for the (Mg{sub 0.1}Hf{sub 0.9}){sub 4/3.8}Nb(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} solid. Pure Mg{sup 2+} cation conduction in the NASICON-type (Mg{sub 0.1}Hf{sub 0.9}){sub 4/3.8}Nb(PO{submore » 4}){sub 3} solid was directly and quantitatively demonstrated by means of two kinds of dc electrolysis. - Graphical abstract: Image of the Mg{sup 2+} cation conduction in NASICON-type (Mg{sub 0.1}Hf{sub 0.9}){sub 4/3.8}Nb(PO{sub 4}){sub 3} and its Mg{sup 2+} conductivity. - Highlights: • We develop a three-dimensionally well-ordered NASICON-type Mg{sup 2+} cation conductor. • A high magnesium cation conductivity is realized even at moderate temperatures. • Divalent magnesium cation conduction is demonstrated directly and quantitatively.« less

Development of an all-metal thick film cost effective metallization system for solar cells

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ross, B.

1981-01-01

The objectives of the investigation were to provide all-metal screenable pastes using economical base metals, suitable for application to low-to-high conductivity silicon of either conductivity type and possibly to aluminum surfaces. Experiments were conducted with variations in paste parameters, firing conditions, including gas ambients, furnace furniture, silicon surface and others. A liquid medium, intended to provide transport during the carbon fluoride decomposition was incorporated in the paste with promising results.

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

Li, Chen; Metzler, Dominik; Oehrlein, Gottlieb S., E-mail: oehrlein@umd.edu

Angstrom-level plasma etching precision is required for semiconductor manufacturing of sub-10 nm critical dimension features. Atomic layer etching (ALE), achieved by a series of self-limited cycles, can precisely control etching depths by limiting the amount of chemical reactant available at the surface. Recently, SiO{sub 2} ALE has been achieved by deposition of a thin (several Angstroms) reactive fluorocarbon (FC) layer on the material surface using controlled FC precursor flow and subsequent low energy Ar{sup +} ion bombardment in a cyclic fashion. Low energy ion bombardment is used to remove the FC layer along with a limited amount of SiO{sub 2} frommore » the surface. In the present article, the authors describe controlled etching of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} and SiO{sub 2} layers of one to several Angstroms using this cyclic ALE approach. Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} etching and etching selectivity of SiO{sub 2} over Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} were studied and evaluated with regard to the dependence on maximum ion energy, etching step length (ESL), FC surface coverage, and precursor selection. Surface chemistries of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} were investigated by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) after vacuum transfer at each stage of the ALE process. Since Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} has a lower physical sputtering energy threshold than SiO{sub 2}, Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} physical sputtering can take place after removal of chemical etchant at the end of each cycle for relatively high ion energies. Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} to SiO{sub 2} ALE etching selectivity was observed for these FC depleted conditions. By optimization of the ALE process parameters, e.g., low ion energies, short ESLs, and/or high FC film deposition per cycle, highly selective SiO{sub 2} to Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} etching can be achieved for FC accumulation conditions, where FC can be selectively accumulated on Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} surfaces. This highly selective etching is explained by a lower carbon consumption of Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} as compared to SiO{sub 2}. The comparison of C{sub 4}F{sub 8} and CHF{sub 3} only showed a difference in etching selectivity for FC depleted conditions. For FC accumulation conditions, precursor chemistry has a weak impact on etching selectivity. Surface chemistry analysis shows that surface fluorination and FC reduction take place during a single ALE cycle for FC depleted conditions. A fluorine rich carbon layer was observed on the Si{sub 3}N{sub 4} surface after ALE processes for which FC accumulation takes place. The angle resolved-XPS thickness calculations confirmed the results of the ellipsometry measurements in all cases.« less

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

King, Sean W., E-mail: sean.king@intel.com; Davis, Robert F.; Carter, Richard J.

The desorption kinetics of molecular hydrogen (H{sub 2}) from silicon (001) surfaces exposed to aqueous hydrogen fluoride and remote hydrogen plasmas were examined using temperature programmed desorption. Multiple H{sub 2} desorption states were observed and attributed to surface monohydride (SiH), di/trihydride (SiH{sub 2/3}), and hydroxide (SiOH) species, subsurface hydrogen trapped at defects, and hydrogen evolved during the desorption of surface oxides. The observed surface hydride species were dependent on the surface temperature during hydrogen plasma exposure with mono, di, and trihydride species being observed after low temperature exposure (150 °C), while predominantly monohydride species were observed after higher temperature exposure (450 °C).more » The ratio of surface versus subsurface H{sub 2} desorption was also found to be dependent on the substrate temperature with 150 °C remote hydrogen plasma exposure generally leading to more H{sub 2} evolved from subsurface states and 450 °C exposure leading to more H{sub 2} desorption from surface SiH{sub x} species. Additional surface desorption states were observed, which were attributed to H{sub 2} desorption from Si (111) facets formed as a result of surface etching by the remote hydrogen plasma or aqueous hydrogen fluoride treatment. The kinetics of surface H{sub 2} desorption were found to be in excellent agreement with prior investigations of silicon surfaces exposed to thermally generated atomic hydrogen.« less

ACETYLENE ON TITAN’S SURFACE

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

Singh, S.; McCord, T. B.; Combe, J-Ph.

2016-09-01

Titan’s atmosphere is opaque in the near-infrared due to gaseous absorptions, mainly by methane, and scattering by aerosols, except in a few “transparency windows.” Thus, the composition of Titan’s surface remains difficult to access from space and is still poorly constrained. Photochemical models suggest that most of the organic compounds formed in the atmosphere are heavy enough to condense and build up at the surface in liquid and solid states over geological timescales. Acetylene (C{sub 2}H{sub 2}) net production in the atmosphere is predicted to be larger than any other compound and C{sub 2}H{sub 2} has been speculated to existmore » on the surface of Titan. C{sub 2}H{sub 2} was detected as a trace gas sublimated/evaporated from the surface using the Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer after the landing of the Huygens probe. Here we show evidence of C{sub 2}H{sub 2} on the surface of Titan by detecting absorption bands at 1.55 and 4.93 μ m using the Cassini Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer at three different equatorial areas—Tui Regio, eastern Shangri La, and Fensal–Aztlan/Quivira. We found that C{sub 2}H{sub 2} is preferentially detected in low-albedo areas, such as sand dunes and near the Huygens landing site. The specific location of the C{sub 2}H{sub 2} detections suggests that C{sub 2}H{sub 2} is mobilized by surface processes, such as surface weathering by liquids through dissolution/evaporation processes.« less

Impact of GaN cap on charges in Al₂O₃/(GaN/)AlGaN/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor heterostructures analyzed by means of capacitance measurements and simulations

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

Ťapajna, M., E-mail: milan.tapajna@savba.sk; Jurkovič, M.; Válik, L.

2014-09-14

Oxide/semiconductor interface trap density (D{sub it}) and net charge of Al₂O₃/(GaN)/AlGaN/GaN metal-oxide-semiconductor high-electron mobility transistor (MOS-HEMT) structures with and without GaN cap were comparatively analyzed using comprehensive capacitance measurements and simulations. D{sub it} distribution was determined in full band gap of the barrier using combination of three complementary capacitance techniques. A remarkably higher D{sub it} (∼5–8 × 10¹²eV⁻¹ cm⁻²) was found at trap energies ranging from E C-0.5 to 1 eV for structure with GaN cap compared to that (D{sub it} ∼ 2–3 × 10¹²eV⁻¹ cm⁻²) where the GaN cap was selectively etched away. D{sub it} distributions were then used for simulation of capacitance-voltage characteristics. A good agreement betweenmore » experimental and simulated capacitance-voltage characteristics affected by interface traps suggests (i) that very high D{sub it} (>10¹³eV⁻¹ cm⁻²) close to the barrier conduction band edge hampers accumulation of free electron in the barrier layer and (ii) the higher D{sub it} centered about E C-0.6 eV can solely account for the increased C-V hysteresis observed for MOS-HEMT structure with GaN cap. Analysis of the threshold voltage dependence on Al₂O₃ thickness for both MOS-HEMT structures suggests that (i) positive charge, which compensates the surface polarization, is not necessarily formed during the growth of III-N heterostructure, and (ii) its density is similar to the total surface polarization charge of the GaN/AlGaN barrier, rather than surface polarization of the top GaN layer only. Some constraints for the positive surface compensating charge are discussed.« less

Direct formation of (CH sub 3 ) sub 2 HSiCl from silicon and CH sub 3 Cl

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

Magrini, K.A.; Falconer, J.L.; Koel, B.E.

1989-07-13

A Cu-catalyzed reaction procedure was found for the selective formation of dimethylchlorosilane ((CH{sub 3}){sub 2}HSiCl) from the direct reaction of CH{sub 3}Cl with solid Si. The new procedure is a two-step process. A Cu/Si sample is prepared by evaporating Cu onto clean polycrystalline Si under ultrahigh vacuum, and the Cu/Si surface is first activated by exposure to 10% HSiCl{sub 3}/CH{sub 3}Cl at 598 K. After the HSiCl{sub 3}CH{sub 3}Cl mixture is evacuated from the reactor, the activated Cu/Si surface is reacted in fresh CH{sub 3}Cl. For low surface concentrations of Cu, the partially hydrogenated silane, (CH{sub 3}){sub 2}HSiCl, is selectivelymore » produced. Trichlorosilane was also found to activate polycrystalline Si (in the absence of Cu) for production of highly chlorinated methylchlorosilanes at a much higher rate than on the Cu/Si surface but with poor selectively to (CH{sub 3}){sub 2}HSiCl. All reactions are carried out at atmospheric pressure in a reactor that is attached to an ultrahigh-vacuum chamber. This allows surface analysis of Auger electron spectroscopy, which detected SiCl{sub x} on reacted surfaces. These SiCl{sub x} sites, which appear necessary for methylchlorosilane formation, are apparently formed during activation by HSiCl{sub 3}.« less

Effect of atomic layer deposition temperature on current conduction in Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films formed using H{sub 2}O oxidant

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

Hiraiwa, Atsushi, E-mail: hiraiwa@aoni.waseda.jp, E-mail: qs4a-hriw@asahi-net.or.jp; Matsumura, Daisuke; Kawarada, Hiroshi, E-mail: kawarada@waseda.jp

To develop high-performance, high-reliability gate insulation and surface passivation technologies for wide-bandgap semiconductor devices, the effect of atomic layer deposition (ALD) temperature on current conduction in Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films is investigated based on the recently proposed space-charge-controlled field emission model. Leakage current measurement shows that Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} metal-insulator-semiconductor capacitors formed on the Si substrates underperform thermally grown SiO{sub 2} capacitors at the same average field. However, using equivalent oxide field as a more practical measure, the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} capacitors are found to outperform the SiO{sub 2} capacitors in the cases where the capacitors are negatively biased andmore » the gate material is adequately selected to reduce virtual dipoles at the gate/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} interface. The Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} electron affinity increases with the increasing ALD temperature, but the gate-side virtual dipoles are not affected. Therefore, the leakage current of negatively biased Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} capacitors is approximately independent of the ALD temperature because of the compensation of the opposite effects of increased electron affinity and permittivity in Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}. By contrast, the substrate-side sheet of charge increases with increasing ALD temperature above 210 °C and hence enhances the current of positively biased Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} capacitors more significantly at high temperatures. Additionally, an anomalous oscillatory shift of the current-voltage characteristics with ALD temperature was observed in positively biased capacitors formed by low-temperature (≤210 °C) ALD. This shift is caused by dipoles at the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/underlying SiO{sub 2} interface. Although they have a minimal positive-bias leakage current, the low-temperature-grown Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films cause the so-called blisters problem when heated above 400 °C. Therefore, because of the absence of blistering, a 450 °C ALD process is presently the most promising technology for growing high-reliability Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films.« less

Phenolics occurrence in surface water of the Dniester river basin (West Ukraine): natural background and industrial pollution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sprynskyy, M.; Lebedynets, M.; Namieśnik, J.; Buszewski, B.

2007-09-01

Phenolics’ occurrence in surface water of the Dniester river basin (West Ukraine) with the definition of the natural background is studied. The main attention is given to the Upper Dniester basin and its tributary Stryj as the parts of the Sub-Carpathian oil- and gas province with the numerous objects of oil industry. The total amount of phenolics in water is studied. Phenolics’ concentrations from the first micrograms to the first milligrams per litre have been found in the surface water of the region. The natural background is defined as 0.012 mg l-1 for the areas out of the industrial influence. The anthropogenic part of phenolics is caused mainly by oil industry. The oil-producing objects provide the main phenolics’ releases in the region, due to the low protection level of mechanical facilities as well as to breach of technological norms on the oil-extracting objects. A man-made pollution of the basin water has a regional character and the natural self-purification processes seem to be insufficient for its neutralisation on the plains in particular.

Method for making a photodetector with enhanced light absorption

DOEpatents

Kane, James

1987-05-05

A photodetector including a light transmissive electrically conducting layer having a textured surface with a semiconductor body thereon. This layer traps incident light thereby enhancing the absorption of light by the semiconductor body. A photodetector comprising a textured light transmissive electrically conducting layer of SnO.sub.2 and a body of hydrogenated amorphous silicon has a conversion efficiency about fifty percent greater than that of comparative cells. The invention also includes a method of fabricating the photodetector of the invention.

The Marskhod Egyptian Drill Project

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shaltout, M. A. M.

We describe a possible participation of Egypt in a future Mars rover Mission. It was suggested that Egypt participate through involvement in the design, building and testing of a drill to obtain sub-surface samples. The Space Research Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IKI), formally invited the Egyptian Ministry of Scientific Research to study the concept for potential use on the Russian Mars 2001 Mission. As one of the objectives of the Marskhod mission was the analysis of sub-surface samples, a drilling mechanism in the payload would be essential. The Egyptian expertise in drill development is associated with the archaeological exploration of the Pyramids. A sophisticated drilling system perforated limestone to a depth of 2 m without the use of lubricants or cooling fluids that might have contaminated the Pit's environment. This experience could have been applied to a drill development Mars 2001 mission, which was unfortunately canceled due to economic problems.

Bulk and surface half-metallicity: The case of D0{sub 3}-type Mn{sub 3}Ge

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

Liu, Hao; Gao, G. Y., E-mail: guoying-gao@mail.hust.edu.cn; Hu, Lei

2014-01-21

Motivated by the experimental realization of D0{sub 22}-type Mn{sub 3}Ge (001) films [Kurt et al. Appl. Phys. Lett. 101, 132410 (2012)] and the structural stability of D0{sub 3}-type Heusler alloy Mn{sub 3}Ge [Zhang et al. J. Phys.: Condens. Matter 25, 206006 (2013)], we use the first-principles calculations based on the full potential linearized augmented plane-wave method to investigate the electronic and magnetic properties of D0{sub 3}-type Heusler alloy Mn{sub 3}Ge and its (001) surface. We show that bulk D0{sub 3}-Mn{sub 3}Ge is a half-metallic ferromagnet with the minority-spin energy gap of 0.52 eV and the magnetic moment of 1.00 μ{sub B} permore » formula unit. The bulk half-metallicity is preserved at the pure Mn-terminated (001) surface due to the large exchange split, but the MnGe-terminated (001) surface destroys the bulk half-metallicity. We also reveal that the surface stabilities are comparable between the D0{sub 3}-Mn{sub 3}Ge (001) and the experimental D0{sub 22}-Mn{sub 3}Ge (001), which indicates the feasibility to grow the Mn{sub 3}Ge (001) films with D0{sub 3} phase other than D0{sub 22} one. The surface half-metallicity and stability make D0{sub 3}-Mn{sub 3}Ge a promising candidate for spintronic applications.« less

Supercritical water oxidation of landfill leachate

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

Wang Shuzhong, E-mail: s_z_wang@yahoo.cn; Guo Yang; Chen Chongming

2011-09-15

Highlights: > Thermal analysis of NH{sub 3} in supercritical water oxidation reaction. > Research on the catalytic reaction of landfill leachate by using response surface method. > Kinetic research of supercritical water oxidation of NH{sub 3} with and without MnO{sub 2} catalyst. - Abstract: In this paper, ammonia as an important ingredient in landfill leachate was mainly studied. Based on Peng-Robinson formulations and Gibbs free energy minimization method, the estimation of equilibrium composition and thermodynamic analysis for supercritical water oxidation of ammonia (SCWO) was made. As equilibrium is reached, ammonia could be totally oxidized in SCW. N{sub 2} is themore » main product, and the formation of NO{sub 2} and NO could be neglected. The investigation on SCWO of landfill leachate was conducted in a batch reactor at temperature of 380-500 deg. C, reaction time of 50-300 s and pressure of 25 MPa. The effect of reaction parameters such as oxidant equivalent ratio, reaction time and temperature were investigated. The results showed that COD and NH{sub 3} conversion improved as temperature, reaction time and oxygen excess increased. Compared to organics, NH{sub 3} is a refractory compound in supercritical water. The conversion of COD and NH{sub 3} were higher in the presence of MnO{sub 2} than that without catalyst. The interaction between reaction temperature and time was analyzed by using response surface method (RSM) and the results showed that its influence on the NH{sub 3} conversion was relatively insignificant in the case without catalyst. A global power-law rate expression was regressed from experimental data to estimate the reaction rate of NH{sub 3}. The activation energy with and without catalyst for NH{sub 3} oxidation were 107.07 {+-} 8.57 kJ/mol and 83.22 {+-} 15.62 kJ/mol, respectively.« less

Dependence of Lunar Surface Charging on Solar Wind Plasma Conditions and Solar Irradiation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Stubbs, T. J.; Farrell, W. M.; Halekas, J. S.; Burchill, J. K.; Collier, M. R.; Zimmerman, M. I.; Vondrak, R. R.; Delory, G. T.; Pfaff, R. F.

2014-01-01

The surface of the Moon is electrically charged by exposure to solar radiation on its dayside, as well as by the continuous flux of charged particles from the various plasma environments that surround it. An electric potential develops between the lunar surface and ambient plasma, which manifests itself in a near-surface plasma sheath with a scale height of order the Debye length. This study investigates surface charging on the lunar dayside and near-terminator regions in the solar wind, for which the dominant current sources are usually from the pohotoemission of electrons, J(sub p), and the collection of plasma electrons J(sub e) and ions J(sub i). These currents are dependent on the following six parameters: plasma concentration n(sub 0), electron temperature T(sub e), ion temperature T(sub i), bulk flow velocity V, photoemission current at normal incidence J(sub P0), and photo electron temperature T(sub p). Using a numerical model, derived from a set of eleven basic assumptions, the influence of these six parameters on surface charging - characterized by the equilibrium surface potential, Debye length, and surface electric field - is investigated as a function of solar zenith angle. Overall, T(sub e) is the most important parameter, especially near the terminator, while J(sub P0) and T(sub p) dominate over most of the dayside.

Structural characterization and electrical conductivity of the Ca{sub 0.01}La{sub 0.99−x}Sm{sub x}NbO{sub 4−δ} solid series

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

Cao, Yong; Duan, Nanqi; Yan, Dong, E-mail: yand@hust.edu.cn

Ca{sub 0.01}La{sub 0.99−x}Sm{sub x}NbO{sub 4−δ} (x=0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 0.99) is prepared by using a solid reaction route, and single phase is achieved. Structural and phase transformation of Ca{sub 0.01}La{sub 0.99−x}Sm{sub x}NbO{sub 4−δ} have been characterized by high temperature X-ray diffraction. The lattice parameters a, b, c decrease and γ increases with increasing x, at both room and high temperature. The phase transformation temperature increases linearly with increasing x for Ca{sub 0.01}La{sub 0.99−x}Sm{sub x}NbO{sub 4−δ}. The electrical conductivity of Ca{sub 0.01}La{sub 0.99−x}Sm{sub x}NbO{sub 4−δ} is measured in wet air. A clear relationship between the structural, phase transformation andmore » electrical conductivity of Ca{sub 0.01}La{sub 0.99−x}Sm{sub x}NbO{sub 4−δ} is built, which will provide a guideline to tailor the electrical conductivity. - Graphical abstract: Structural and phase transformation of Ca{sub 0.01}La{sub 0.99−x}Sm{sub x}NbO{sub 4−δ} have been characterized by high temperature X-ray diffraction, as well as the conductivity of Ca{sub 0.01}La{sub 0.99−x}Sm{sub x}NbO{sub 4−δ} in wet air. A clear relationship between the structural, phase transformation and electrical conductivity of Ca{sub 0.01}La{sub 0.99−x}Sm{sub x}NbO{sub 4−δ} is built. - Highlights: • Ca{sub 0.01}La{sub 0.99−x}Sm{sub x}NbO{sub 4−δ} with various Sm contents was prepared. • Structure, phase transformation and electrical conductivity of Ca{sub 0.01}La{sub 0.99−x}Sm{sub x}NbO{sub 4−δ} were characterized. • A relationship between the structure, phase transformation and electrical conductivity was well established.« less

Image Guidance in External Beam Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation: Comparison of Surrogates for the Lumpectomy Cavity

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

Hasan, Yasmin; Kim, Leonard; Martinez, Alvaro

Purpose: To compare localization of the lumpectomy cavity by using breast surface matching vs. clips for image-guided external beam accelerated partial breast irradiation. Methods and Materials: Twenty-seven patients with breast cancer with two computed tomography (CT) scans each had three CT registrations performed: (1) to bony anatomy, (2) to the center of mass (COM) of surgical clips, and (3) to the breast surface. The cavity COM was defined in both the initial and second CT scans after each type of registration, and distances between COMs ({delta}COM{sub Bone}, {delta}COM{sub Clips}, and {delta}COM{sub Surface}) were determined. Smaller {delta}COMs were interpreted as bettermore » localizations. Correlation coefficients were calculated for {delta}COM vs. several variables. Results: The {delta}COM{sub Bone} (mean, 7 {+-} 2 [SD] mm) increased with breast volume (r = 0.4; p = 0.02) and distance from the chest wall (r = 0.5; p = 0.003). Relative to bony registration, clip registration provided better localization ({delta}COM{sub Clips} < {delta}COM{sub Bone}) in 25 of 27 cases. Breast surface matching improved cavity localization ({delta}COM{sub Surface} < {delta}COM{sub Bone}) in 19 of 27 cases. Mean improvements ({delta}COM{sub Bone} - {delta}COM{sub ClipsorSurface}) were 4 {+-} 3 and 2 {+-} 4 mm, respectively. In terms of percentage of improvement ([{delta}COM{sub Bone} - {delta}COM{sub ClipsorSurface}]/{delta}COM{sub Bone}), only surface matching showed a correlation with breast volume. Clip localization outperformed surface registration for cavities located superior to the breast COM. Conclusions: Use of either breast surface or surgical clips as surrogates for the cavity results in improved localization in most patients compared with bony registration and may allow smaller planning target volume margins for external beam accelerated partial breast irradiation. Compared with surface registration, clip registration may be less sensitive to anatomic characteristics and therefore more broadly applicable.« less

Multicycle rapid thermal annealing optimization of Mg-implanted GaN: Evolution of surface, optical, and structural properties

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

Greenlee, Jordan D., E-mail: jordan.greenlee.ctr@nrl.navy.mil; Feigelson, Boris N.; Anderson, Travis J.

2014-08-14

The first step of a multi-cycle rapid thermal annealing process was systematically studied. The surface, structure, and optical properties of Mg implanted GaN thin films annealed at temperatures ranging from 900 to 1200 °C were investigated by Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, UV-visible spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and Nomarski microscopy. The GaN thin films are capped with two layers of in-situ metal organic chemical vapor deposition -grown AlN and annealed in 24 bar of N{sub 2} overpressure to avoid GaN decomposition. The crystal quality of the GaN improves with increasing annealing temperature as confirmed by UV-visible spectroscopy and the full widths at halfmore » maximums of the E{sub 2} and A{sub 1} (LO) Raman modes. The crystal quality of films annealed above 1100 °C exceeds the quality of the as-grown films. At 1200 °C, Mg is optically activated, which is determined by photoluminescence measurements. However, at 1200 °C, the GaN begins to decompose as evidenced by pit formation on the surface of the samples. Therefore, it was determined that the optimal temperature for the first step in a multi-cycle rapid thermal anneal process should be conducted at 1150 °C due to crystal quality and surface morphology considerations.« less

Imaging of electrical response of NiO x under controlled environment with sub-25-nm resolution

DOE PAGES

Jacobs, Christopher B.; Ievlev, Anton V.; Collins, Liam F.; ...

2016-07-19

The spatially resolved electrical response of rf-sputtered polycrystalline NiO x films composed of 40 nm crystallites was investigated under different relative humidity levels (RH). The topological and electrical properties (surface potential and resistance) were characterized using Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) and conductive scanning probe microscopy at 0%, 50%, and 80% relative humidity with sub 25nm resolution. The surface potential of NiO x decreased by about 180 mV and resistance decreased in a nonlinear fashion by about 2 G when relative humidity was increased from 0% to 80%. The dimensionality of surface features obtained through autocorrelation analysis of topological, surfacemore » potential and resistance maps increased linearly with increased relative humidity as water was adsorbed onto the film surface. Spatially resolved surface potential and resistance of the NiO x films were found to be heterogeneous, with distinct features that grew in size from about 60 nm to 175 nm between 0% and 80% RH levels, respectively. Here, we find that the changes in the heterogeneous character of the NiO films are consistent through the topological, surface potential, and resistance measurements, suggesting that the nanoscale surface potential and resistance properties converge with the mesoscale properties as water is adsorbed onto the NiO x film.« less

Catastrophic failure of contaminated fused silica optics at 355 nm

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

Genin, F. Y., LLNL

1996-12-03

For years, contamination has been known to degrade the performance of optics and to sometimes initiate laser-induced damage to initiate. This study has W to quantify these effects for fused silica windows used at 355 mm Contamination particles (Al, Cu, TiO{sub 2} and ZrO{sub 2}) were artificially deposited onto the surface and damage tests were conducted with a 3 ns NdYAG laser. The damage morphology was characterized by Nomarski optical microscopy. The results showed that the damage morphology for input and output surface contamination is different. For input surface contamination, both input and output surfaces can damage. In particular, themore » particle can induce pitting or drilling of the surface where the beam exits. Such damage usually grows catastrophically. Output surface contamination is usually ablated away on the shot but can also induce catastrophic damage. Plasmas are observed during illumination and seem to play an important role in the damage mechanism. The relationship between fluence and contamination size for which catastrophic damage occurred was plotted for different contamination materials. The results show that particles even as small as 10 {micro}m can substantially decrease the damage threshold of the window and that metallic particles on the input surface have a more negative effect than oxide particles.« less

Relating Sub-Surface Ice Features to Physiological Stress in a Climate Sensitive Mammal, the American Pika (Ochotona princeps)

PubMed Central

Wilkening, Jennifer L.; Ray, Chris; Varner, Johanna

2015-01-01

The American pika (Ochotona princeps) is considered a sentinel species for detecting ecological effects of climate change. Pikas are declining within a large portion of their range, and ongoing research suggests loss of sub-surface ice as a mechanism. However, no studies have demonstrated physiological responses of pikas to sub-surface ice features. Here we present the first analysis of physiological stress in pikas living in and adjacent to habitats underlain by ice. Fresh fecal samples were collected non-invasively from two adjacent sites in the Rocky Mountains (one with sub-surface ice and one without) and analyzed for glucocorticoid metabolites (GCM). We also measured sub-surface microclimates in each habitat. Results indicate lower GCM concentration in sites with sub-surface ice, suggesting that pikas are less stressed in favorable microclimates resulting from sub-surface ice features. GCM response was well predicted by habitat characteristics associated with sub-surface ice features, such as lower mean summer temperatures. These results suggest that pikas inhabiting areas without sub-surface ice features are experiencing higher levels of physiological stress and may be more susceptible to changing climates. Although post-deposition environmental effects can confound analyses based on fecal GCM, we found no evidence for such effects in this study. Sub-surface ice features are key to water cycling and storage and will likely represent an increasingly important component of water resources in a warming climate. Fecal samples collected from additional watersheds as part of current pika monitoring programs could be used to further characterize relationships between pika stress and sub-surface ice features. PMID:25803587

Freeboard reactions in fluidized coal combustion

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

Walsh, P.M.; Dutta, A.; Beer, J.M.

1984-05-11

The objective of this study was to determine the contribution of freeboard combustion to overall fixed carbon conversion during atmospheric pressure fluidized bed combustion of Kentucky No. 9 high volatile bituminous coal. The progress of the O/sub 2//char reaction in the freeboard was inferred from O/sub 2/ profiles determined by gas sampling. The rates of O/sub 2/ consumption were in good agreement with the O/sub 2//char rate expression of Sergeant and Smith (1973), except at the lowest temperature investigated (964 K). The discrepancy in this case might be due to catalysis of the O/sub 2//char reaction by lime, since thismore » was the first run of the series. Extrapolation of the O/sub 2/ profile to the bed surface using the rate expression of Sergeant and Smith showed that approximately all of the fixed carbon conversion could be accounted for by freeboard combustion. A simple model is proposed in which devolatilization, fragmentation, attrition, and volatile combustion are limited to the bed; with combustion of the finely ground char occurring only in the freeboard. This model predicts O/sub 2/ at the combustor outlet within 60% of the measured values, except in the low temperature/high lime case.« less

THE EXTREMELY RED, YOUNG L DWARF PSO J318.5338–22.8603: A FREE-FLOATING PLANETARY-MASS ANALOG TO DIRECTLY IMAGED YOUNG GAS-GIANT PLANETS

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

Liu, Michael C.; Magnier, Eugene A.; Kotson, Michael C.

2013-11-10

We have discovered using Pan-STARRS1 an extremely red late-L dwarf, which has (J – K){sub MKO} = 2.78 and (J – K){sub 2MASS} = 2.84, making it the reddest known field dwarf and second only to 2MASS J1207–39b among substellar companions. Near-IR spectroscopy shows a spectral type of L7 ± 1 and reveals a triangular H-band continuum and weak alkali (K I and Na I) lines, hallmarks of low surface gravity. Near-IR astrometry from the Hawaii Infrared Parallax Program gives a distance of 24.6 ± 1.4 pc and indicates a much fainter J-band absolute magnitude than field L dwarfs. Themore » position and kinematics of PSO J318.5–22 point to membership in the β Pic moving group. Evolutionary models give a temperature of 1160{sup +30}{sub -40} K and a mass of 6.5{sup +1.3}{sub -1.0} M {sub Jup}, making PSO J318.5–22 one of the lowest mass free-floating objects in the solar neighborhood. This object adds to the growing list of low-gravity field L dwarfs and is the first to be strongly deficient in methane relative to its estimated temperature. Comparing their spectra suggests that young L dwarfs with similar ages and temperatures can have different spectral signatures of youth. For the two objects with well constrained ages (PSO J318.5–22 and 2MASS J0355+11), we find their temperatures are ≈400 K cooler than field objects of similar spectral type but their luminosities are similar, i.e., these young L dwarfs are very red and unusually cool but not 'underluminous'. Altogether, PSO J318.5–22 is the first free-floating object with the colors, magnitudes, spectrum, luminosity, and mass that overlap the young dusty planets around HR 8799 and 2MASS J1207–39.« less

Catalysis study for space shuttle vehicle thermal protection systems. [for vehicle surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Breen, J.; Rosner, D. E.; Delgass, W. N.; Nordine, P. C.; Cibrian, R.; Krishnan, N. G.

1973-01-01

Experimental results on the problem of reducing aerodynamic heating on space shuttle orbiter surfaces are presented. Data include: (1) development of a laboratory flow reactor technique for measuring gamma sub O and gamma sub N on candidate materials at surfaces, T sub w, in the nominal range 1000 to 2000, (2) measurements of gamma sub O and gamma sub N above 1000 K for both the glass coating of a reusable surface insulation material and the siliconized surface of a reinforced pyrolyzed plastic material, (3) measurement of the ablation behavior of the coated RPP material at T sub w is greater than or equal to 2150 K, (4) X-ray photoelectron spectral studies of the chemical constituents on these surfaces before and after dissociated gas exposure, (5) scanning electron micrograph examination of as-received and reacted specimens, and (6) development and exploitation of a method of predicting the aerodynamic heating consquences of these gamma sub O(T sub w) and gamma sub N(T sub w) measurements for critical locations on a radiation cooled orbiter vehicle.

Electrochemical deposition onto self-assembled monolayers: new insights into micro- and nanofabrication.

PubMed

Schilardi, Patricia L; Dip, Patricio; dos Santos Claro, Paula C; Benítez, Guillermo A; Fonticelli, Mariano H; Azzaroni, Omar; Salvarezza, Roberto C

2005-12-16

Pattern transfer with high resolution is a frontier topic in the emerging field of nanotechnologies. Electrochemical molding is a possible route for nanopatterning metal, alloys and oxide surfaces with high resolution in a simple and inexpensive way. This method involves electrodeposition onto a conducting master covered by a self-assembled alkanethiolate monolayer (SAMs). This molecular film enables direct surface-relief pattern transfer from the conducting master to the inner face of the electrodeposit, and also allows an easy release of the electrodeposited film due their excellent anti-adherent properties. Replicas of the original conductive master can be also obtained by a simple two-step procedure. SAM quality and stability under electrodeposition conditions combined with the formation of smooth electrodeposits are crucial to obtain high-quality pattern transfer with sub-50 nm resolution.

Numerical Simulation of Illumination and Thermal Conditions at the Lunar Poles Using LOLA DTMs

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Glaser, P.; Glaser, D.; Oberst, J.; Neumann, G. A.; Mazarico, E.; Siegler, M. A.

2017-01-01

We are interested in illumination conditions and the temperature distribution within the upper two meters of regolith near the lunar poles. Here, areas exist receiving almost constant illumination near areas in permanent shadow, which were identified as potential exploration sites for future missions. For our study a numerical simulation of the illumination and thermal environment for lunar near-polar regions is needed. Our study is based on high-resolution, twenty meters per pixel and 400 x 400 km large polar Digital Terrain Models (DTMs), which were derived from Lunar Orbiter Laser Altimeter (LOLA) data. Illumination conditions were simulated by synthetically illuminating the LOLA DTMs using the horizon method considering the Sun as an extended source. We model polar illumination for the central 50 x 50 km subset and use it as an input at each time-step (2 h) to evaluate the heating of the lunar surface and subsequent conduction in the sub-surface. At surface level we balance the incoming insolation with the subsurface conduction and radiation into space, whereas in the sub-surface we consider conduction with an additional constant radiogenic heat source at the bottom of our two-meter layer. Density is modeled as depth-dependent, the specific heat parameter as temperature-dependent and the thermal conductivity as depth- and temperature-dependent. We implemented a fully implicit finite-volume method in space and backward Euler scheme in time to solve the one-dimensional heat equation at each pixel in our 50 x 50 km DTM. Due to the non-linear dependencies of the parameters mentioned above, Newton's method is employed as the non-linear solver together with the Gauss-Seidel method as the iterative linear solver in each Newton iteration. The software is written in OpenCL and runs in parallel on the GPU cores, which allows for fast computation of large areas and long time scales.

Influence of deposition temperature of thermal ALD deposited Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films on silicon surface passivation

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

Batra, Neha; Panigrahi, Jagannath; Singh, Rajbir

2015-06-15

The effect of deposition temperature (T{sub dep}) and subsequent annealing time (t{sub anl}) of atomic layer deposited aluminum oxide (Al{sub 2}O3) films on silicon surface passivation (in terms of surface recombination velocity, SRV) is investigated. The pristine samples (as-deposited) show presence of positive fixed charges, Q{sub F}. The interface defect density (D{sub it}) decreases with increase in T{sub dep} which further decreases with t{sub anl} up to 100s. An effective surface passivation (SRV<8 cm/s) is realized for T{sub dep} ≥ 200 °C. The present investigation suggests that low thermal budget processing provides the same quality of passivation as realized bymore » high thermal budget process (t{sub anl} between 10 to 30 min)« less

Plasma plume effects on the conductivity of amorphous-LaAlO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} interfaces grown by pulsed laser deposition in O{sub 2} and Ar

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

Sambri, A.; Amoruso, S.; Bruzzese, R.

2012-06-04

Amorphous-LaAlO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} interfaces exhibit metallic conductivity similar to those found for the extensively studied crystalline-LaAlO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} interfaces. Here, we investigate the conductivity of the amorphous-LaAlO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} interfaces grown in different pressures of O{sub 2} and Ar background gases. During the deposition, the LaAlO{sub 3} ablation plume is also studied, in situ, by fast photography and space-resolved optical emission spectroscopy. An interesting correlation between interfacial conductivity and kinetic energy of the Al atoms in the plume is observed: to assure conducting interfaces of amorphous-LaAlO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3}, the kinetic energy of Al should be higher than 1 eV. Ourmore » findings add further insights on mechanisms leading to interfacial conductivity in SrTiO{sub 3}-based oxide heterostructures.« less

Accurate determination of surface reference data in digital photographs in ice-free surfaces of Maritime Antarctica.

PubMed

Pina, Pedro; Vieira, Gonçalo; Bandeira, Lourenço; Mora, Carla

2016-12-15

The ice-free areas of Maritime Antarctica show complex mosaics of surface covers, with wide patches of diverse bare soils and rock, together with various vegetation communities dominated by lichens and mosses. The microscale variability is difficult to characterize and quantify, but is essential for ground-truthing and for defining classifiers for large areas using, for example high resolution satellite imagery, or even ultra-high resolution unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) imagery. The main objective of this paper is to verify the ability and robustness of an automated approach to discriminate the variety of surface types in digital photographs acquired at ground level in ice-free regions of Maritime Antarctica. The proposed method is based on an object-based classification procedure built in two main steps: first, on the automated delineation of homogeneous regions (the objects) of the images through the watershed transform with adequate filtering to avoid an over-segmentation, and second, on labelling each identified object with a supervised decision classifier trained with samples of representative objects of ice-free surface types (bare rock, bare soil, moss and lichen formations). The method is evaluated with images acquired in summer campaigns in Fildes and Barton peninsulas (King George Island, South Shetlands). The best performances for the datasets of the two peninsulas are achieved with a SVM classifier with overall accuracies of about 92% and kappa values around 0.89. The excellent performances allow validating the adequacy of the approach for obtaining accurate surface reference data at the complete pixel scale (sub-metric) of current very high resolution (VHR) satellite images, instead of a common single point sampling. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Occupational Respiratory Diseases of Miners from Two Gold Mines in Ghana

PubMed Central

Ayaaba, Esther; Li, Yan; Yuan, Jiali; Ni, Chunhui

2017-01-01

Objective: This study investigated respiratory disorders among gold miners in Ghana, a sub-Saharan African country. Material and Methods: A cross-sectional exploratory design that employed quantitative methods was conducted among 1001 male workers from the Obuasi and Tarkwa mines from December 2015 to April 2016. A total of 1001 workers, consisting of 505 and 496 underground and surface miners, respectively, were involved. The cross-sectional descriptive design was used because data was collected from participants of different experiences by selected participants at a time. Results: The study found significant association between age, educational background, marital status and drinking alcohol on respiratory disorders. The prevalence of asthma, pneumonia, bronchitis and emphysema were respectively 47.55%, 14.29%, 9.69% and 5.10%. Coughing was the most cited respiratory symptom (35.4%). Conclusions: The study documents important evidence on the level of respiratory disorders among miners in Ghana. Instituting appropriate health education interventions and improving the working environment is critical to improving the overall health and preventing respiratory disorders among miners. PMID:28327542

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

Zhu, Jia, E-mail: jia-zhu@jxnu.edu.cn, E-mail: zhangyf@fzu.edu.cn; Zhang, Hui; Tong, Yawen

The structures and electronic properties of bimetallic oxide CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} clusters supported on the perfect and defective MgO(001) surfaces with three different color centers, F{sub S}{sup 0}, F{sub S}{sup +}, and F{sub S}{sup 2+} centers, respectively, have been investigated by density functional theory calculations. Our results show that the configurations, adsorption energies, charge transfers, and bonding modes of dispersed CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} clusters are sensitive to the charge states of the F{sub S} centers. Compared with the gas-phase configuration, the CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} clusters supported on the defective surfaces are distorted dramatically, which exhibit different chain structures. On themore » perfect MgO surface, the depositions of clusters do not involve obvious charge transfer, while the situation is quite different on the defective MgO(001) surfaces in which significant electron transfer occurs from the surface to the cluster. Interestingly, this effect becomes more remarkable for electron-rich oxygen vacancies (F{sub S}{sup 0} center) than that for electron-poor oxygen vacancies (F{sub S}{sup +} and F{sub S}{sup 2+} centers). Furthermore, our work reveals a progressive Brønsted acid sites where spin density preferentially localized around the Cr atoms not the W atoms for all kinds of F{sub S}-centers, indicating the better catalytic activities can be expected for CrW{sub 2}O{sub 9} cluster on defective MgO(001) surfaces with respect to the W{sub 3}O{sub 9} cluster.« less

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

Stuart Adler; L. Dunyushkina; S. Huff

The goal of this project was to develop an improved understanding of factors governing performance and degradation of mixed-conducting SOFC cathodes. Two new diagnostic tools were developed to help achieve this goal: (1) microelectrode half-cells for improved isolation of cathode impedance on thin electrolytes, and (2) nonlinear electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (NLEIS), a variant of traditional impedance that allows workers to probe nonlinear rates as a function of frequency. After reporting on the development and efficacy of these tools, this document reports on the use of these and other tools to better understand performance and degradation of cathodes based on themore » mixed conductor La{sub 1-x}Sr{sub x}CoO{sub 3-{delta}} (LSC) on gadolinia or samaria-doped ceria (GDC or SDC). We describe the use of NLEIS to measure O{sub 2} exchange on thin-film LSC electrodes, and show that O{sub 2} exchange is most likely governed by dissociative adsorption. We also describe parametric studies of porous LSC electrodes using impedance and NLEIS. Our results suggest that O{sub 2} exchange and ion transport co-limit performance under most relevant conditions, but it is O{sub 2} exchange that is most sensitive to processing, and subject to the greatest degradation and sample-to-sample variation. We recommend further work that focuses on electrodes of well-defined or characterized geometry, and probes the details of surface structure, composition, and impurities. Parallel work on primarily electronic conductors (LSM) would also be of benefit to developers, and to improved understanding of surface vs. bulk diffusion.« less

Synthesis and characterization of mixed monolayer protected gold nanorods and their Raman activities

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

Mlambo, Mbuso; Nanotechnology Innovation Centre, Advanced Materials Division, Mintek, Private Bag X3015, Randburg 2125; Mdluli, Phumlani S.

2013-10-15

Graphical abstract: Gold nanorods surface functionalization. - Highlights: • Mixed monolayer protected gold nanorods. • Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy. • HS-(CH{sub 2}){sub 11}-NHCO-coumarin as a Raman active compound. - Abstract: The cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) gold nanorods (AuNRs) were prepared by seed-mediated route followed by the addition of a Raman active compound (HS-(CH{sub 2}){sub 11}-NHCO-coumarin) on the gold nanorods surfaces. Different stoichiometric mixtures of HS-(CH{sub 2}){sub 11}-NHCO-coumarin and HS-PEG-(CH{sub 2}){sub 11}COOH were evaluated for their Raman activities. The lowest stoichiometric ratio HS-(CH{sub 2}){sub 11}-NHCO-coumarin adsorbed on gold nanorods surface was detected and enhanced by Raman spectroscopy. The produced mixed monolayer protectedmore » gold nanorods were characterized by UV-vis spectrometer for optical properties, transmission electron microscope (TEM) for structural properties (shape and aspect ratio) and their zeta potentials (charges) were obtained from ZetaSizer to determine the stability of the produced mixed monolayer protected gold nanorods. The Raman results showed a surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) enhancement at the lowest stoichiometric ratio of 1% HS-(CH{sub 2}){sub 11}-NHCO-coumarin compared to high ratio of 50% HS-(CH{sub 2}){sub 11}-NHCO-coumarin on the surface of gold nanorods.« less

An Optimization-Based Approach to Injector Element Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Tucker, P. Kevin; Shyy, Wei; Vaidyanathan, Rajkumar; Turner, Jim (Technical Monitor)

2000-01-01

An injector optimization methodology, method i, is used to investigate optimal design points for gaseous oxygen/gaseous hydrogen (GO2/GH2) injector elements. A swirl coaxial element and an unlike impinging element (a fuel-oxidizer-fuel triplet) are used to facilitate the study. The elements are optimized in terms of design variables such as fuel pressure drop, APf, oxidizer pressure drop, deltaP(sub f), combustor length, L(sub comb), and full cone swirl angle, theta, (for the swirl element) or impingement half-angle, alpha, (for the impinging element) at a given mixture ratio and chamber pressure. Dependent variables such as energy release efficiency, ERE, wall heat flux, Q(sub w), injector heat flux, Q(sub inj), relative combustor weight, W(sub rel), and relative injector cost, C(sub rel), are calculated and then correlated with the design variables. An empirical design methodology is used to generate these responses for both element types. Method i is then used to generate response surfaces for each dependent variable for both types of elements. Desirability functions based on dependent variable constraints are created and used to facilitate development of composite response surfaces representing the five dependent variables in terms of the input variables. Three examples illustrating the utility and flexibility of method i are discussed in detail for each element type. First, joint response surfaces are constructed by sequentially adding dependent variables. Optimum designs are identified after addition of each variable and the effect each variable has on the element design is illustrated. This stepwise demonstration also highlights the importance of including variables such as weight and cost early in the design process. Secondly, using the composite response surface that includes all five dependent variables, unequal weights are assigned to emphasize certain variables relative to others. Here, method i is used to enable objective trade studies on design issues such as component life and thrust to weight ratio. Finally, combining results from both elements to simulate a trade study, thrust-to-weight trends are illustrated and examined in detail.

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

Ferreyra, C.; Departamento de Física, Facultad Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires; Guller, F.

The presence of 2D electron gases at surfaces or interfaces in oxide thin films remains a hot topic in condensed matter physics. In particular, BaBiO{sub 3} appears as a very interesting system as it was theoretically proposed that its (001) surface should become metallic if a Bi-termination is achieved (Vildosola et al., PRL 110, 206805 (2013)). Here we report on the preparation by pulsed laser deposition and characterization of BaBiO{sub 3} thin films on silicon. We show that the texture of the films can be tuned by controlling the growth conditions, being possible to stabilize strongly (100)-textured films. We findmore » significant differences on the spectroscopic and transport properties between (100)-textured and non-textured films. We rationalize these experimental results by performing first principles calculations, which indicate the existence of electron doping at the (100) surface. This stabilizes Bi ions in a 3+ state, shortens Bi-O bonds and reduces the electronic band gap, increasing the surface conductivity. Our results emphasize the importance of surface effects on the electronic properties of perovskites, and provide strategies to design novel oxide heterostructures with potential interface-related 2D electron gases.« less

Local surface curvature analysis based on reflection estimation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Qinglin; Laligant, Olivier; Fauvet, Eric; Zakharova, Anastasia

2015-07-01

In this paper, we propose a novel reflection based method to estimate the local orientation of a specular surface. For a calibrated scene with a fixed light band, the band is reflected by the surface to the image plane of a camera. Then the local geometry between the surface and reflected band is estimated. Firstly, in order to find the relationship relying the object position, the object surface orientation and the band reflection, we study the fundamental theory of the geometry between a specular mirror surface and a band source. Then we extend our approach to the spherical surface with arbitrary curvature. Experiments are conducted with mirror surface and spherical surface. Results show that our method is able to obtain the local surface orientation merely by measuring the displacement and the form of the reflection.

Fecal coliforms on environmental surfaces in two day care centers.

PubMed Central

Weniger, B G; Ruttenber, A J; Goodman, R A; Juranek, D D; Wahlquist, S P; Smith, J D

1983-01-01

A survey of environmental surfaces in two Atlanta area day care centers was conducted to determine the prevalence of fecal coliform bacteria, considered a marker for the presence of fecal contamination which might contain pathogenic parasites, bacteria, or viruses. Fecal coliforms were found in 17 (4.3%) of 398 representative samples of building surfaces, furniture, and other objects. These surfaces may be involved in the chain of transmission of enteric diseases among children. Therefore, disinfection of inanimate objects, in addition to good handwashing, may be important in controlling the spread of enteric diseases in day care centers. PMID:6830225

Studies on in-vessel debris coolability in ALPHA program

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

Maruyama, Yu; Yamano, Norihiro; Moriyama, Kiyofumi

1997-02-01

In-vessel debris coolability experiments have been performed in ALPHA Program at JAERI. Aluminum oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) produced by a thermite reaction was applied as a debris simulant. Two scoping experiments using approximately 30 kg or 50 kg of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} were conducted. In addition to post-test observations, temperature histories of the debris simulant and the lower head experimental vessel were evaluated. Rapid temperature reduction observed on the outer surface of the experimental vessel may imply that water penetration into a gap between the solidified debris and the experimental vessel occurred resulting in an effective cooling of once heatedmore » vessel wall. Preliminary measurement of a gap width was made with an ultrasonic device. Signals to show the existence of gaps, ranging from 0.7 mm to 1.4 mm, were detected at several locations.« less

High conducting oxide--sulfide composite lithium superionic conductor

DOEpatents

Liang, Chengdu; Rangasamy, Ezhiylmurugan; Dudney, Nancy J.; Keum, Jong Kahk; Rondinone, Adam Justin

2017-01-17

A solid electrolyte for a lithium-sulfur battery includes particles of a lithium ion conducting oxide composition embedded within a lithium ion conducting sulfide composition. The lithium ion conducting oxide composition can be Li.sub.7La.sub.3Zr.sub.2O.sub.12 (LLZO). The lithium ion conducting sulfide composition can be .beta.-Li.sub.3PS.sub.4 (LPS). A lithium ion battery and a method of making a solid electrolyte for a lithium ion battery are also disclosed.

Whole blood pathogen reduction technology and blood safety in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review with regional discussion

PubMed Central

Agbor, Gabriel; Asongalem, Emmanuel; Tagny, Claude; Asonganyi, Tazoacha

2016-01-01

Background Despite vast improvements in transfusion services in sub-Saharan Africa over the last decade, there remain serious concerns on the safety and adequacy of the blood supply across the region. Objective This review paper ascertains the role of pathogen reduction technology (PRT) in improving blood safety and supply adequacy in the region. Method The state of blood safety in sub-Saharan Africa was reviewed. Meetings, seminars and correspondence were undertaken with key clinicians, scientists and professional bodies in the region, including the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Africa, to examine the suitability of PRT for improving the safety of whole blood transfusion, a prevalent transfusion format in the region. Results Existing literature suggests that combining PRT with current blood safety measures (such as serology) would improve the safety and adequacy of the blood supply for transfusions in sub-Saharan Africa. This was echoed by the findings of the stakeholder meetings. Conclusion Following a detailed appraisal of two leading PRT systems, the Mirasol® PRT System and the Cerus S-303 System, we suggest that companies conduct comprehensive toxicological evaluation of the agents used for PRT and publish this in the scientific literature. We also recommend that the safety and efficacy of these technologies should be established in a randomised clinical trial conducted in sub-Saharan Africa. PMID:28879109

Translocation of double strand DNA into a biological nanopore

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chatkaew, Sunita; Mlayeh, Lamia; Leonetti, Marc; Homble, Fabrice

2009-03-01

Translocation of double strand DNA across a unique mitochondrial biological nanopore (VDAC) is observed by an electrophysiological method. Characteristics of opened and sub-conductance states of VDAC are studied. When the applied electric potential is beyond ± 20 mV, VDAC transits to a sub-conductance state. Plasmids (circular double strand DNA) with a diameter greater than that of the channel shows the current reduction into the channel during the interaction but the state with zero-current is not observed. On the contrary, the interaction of linear double strand DNA with the channel shows the current reduction along with the zero-current state. These show the passages of linear double strand DNA across the channel and the electrostatic effect due to the surface charges of double strand DNA and channel for circular and linear double strand DNA.

Subsonic flow investigations on a cranked wing designed for high maneuverability

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, D. M.

1986-01-01

The characteristic pitching moment nonlinearity of cranked wings limits their usable lift coefficient well below C sub L max. The potential of several aerodynamic devices, viz., fences, pylon vortex generators (PVG), mid-span strakes and cavity flaps, in delaying the pitch up onset on a 70/50 deg cranked wing was explored in low speed tunnel tests. Upper surface pressure measurements and low visualizations were conducted on a semi-span wing model to observe the vortex flow development with increasing angle of attack, and then to assess the effectiveness of the devices in controlling the collapse of vortex lift over the wing panel outboard of the crank. Force tests on a full span wing and body model were also conducted to assess the fence and PVG in improving the usable C sub L.

Lateral conduction infrared photodetector

DOEpatents

Kim, Jin K [Albuquerque, NM; Carroll, Malcolm S [Albuquerque, NM

2011-09-20

A photodetector for detecting infrared light in a wavelength range of 3-25 .mu.m is disclosed. The photodetector has a mesa structure formed from semiconductor layers which include a type-II superlattice formed of alternating layers of InAs and In.sub.xGa.sub.1-xSb with 0.ltoreq.x.ltoreq.0.5. Impurity doped regions are formed on sidewalls of the mesa structure to provide for a lateral conduction of photo-generated carriers which can provide an increased carrier mobility and a reduced surface recombination. An optional bias electrode can be used in the photodetector to control and vary a cut-off wavelength or a depletion width therein. The photodetector can be formed as a single-color or multi-color device, and can also be used to form a focal plane array which is compatible with conventional read-out integrated circuits.

Experiments in anodic film effects during electrorefining of scrap U-10Mo fuels in support of modeling efforts

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

Van Kleeck, M.; Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439; Willit, J.

A monolithic uranium molybdenum alloy clad in zirconium has been proposed as a low enriched uranium (LEU) fuel option for research and test reactors, as part of the Reduced Enrichment for Research and Test Reactors program. Scrap from the fuel's manufacture will contain a significant portion of recoverable LEU. Pyroprocessing has been identified as an option to perform this recovery. A model of a pyroprocessing recovery procedure has been developed to assist in refining the LEU recovery process and designing the facility. Corrosion theory and a two mechanism transport model were implemented on a Mat-Lab platform to perform the modeling.more » In developing this model, improved anodic behavior prediction became necessary since a dense uranium-rich salt film was observed at the anode surface during electrorefining experiments. Experiments were conducted on uranium metal to determine the film's character and the conditions under which it forms. The electro-refiner salt used in all the experiments was eutectic LiCl/KCl containing UCl{sub 3}. The anodic film material was analyzed with ICP-OES to determine its composition. Both cyclic voltammetry and potentiodynamic scans were conducted at operating temperatures between 475 and 575 C. degrees to interrogate the electrochemical behavior of the uranium. The results show that an anodic film was produced on the uranium electrode. The film initially passivated the surface of the uranium on the working electrode. At high over potentials after a trans-passive region, the current observed was nearly equal to the current observed at the initial active level. Analytical results support the presence of K{sub 2}UCl{sub 6} at the uranium surface, within the error of the analytical method.« less

Bibliometric trends of health economic evaluation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

PubMed

Hernandez-Villafuerte, Karla; Li, Ryan; Hofman, Karen J

2016-08-24

Collaboration between Sub-Saharan African researchers is important for the generation and transfer of health technology assessment (HTA) evidence, in order to support priority-setting in health. The objective of this analysis was to evaluate collaboration patterns between countries. We conducted a rapid evidence assessment that included a random sample of health economic evaluations carried out in 20 countries (Angola, Botswana, Congo, Lesotho, Madagascar, Malawi, Mauritius, Mozambique, Namibia, Seychelles, South Africa, Swaziland, Tanzania, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Ghana, Kenya, Nigeria, Ethiopia, Uganda). We conducted bibliometric network analysis based on all first authors with a Sub-Saharan African academic affiliation and their co-authored publications ("network-articles"). Then we produced a connection map of collaboration patterns among Sub-Saharan African researchers, reflecting the number of network-articles and the country of affiliation of the main co-authors. The sample of 119 economic evaluations mostly related to treatments of communicable diseases, in particular HIV/AIDS (42/119, 35.29 %) and malaria (26/119, 21.85 %). The 39 first authors from Sub-Saharan African institutions together co-authored 729 network-articles. The network analysis showed weak collaboration between health economic researchers in Sub-Saharan Africa, with researchers being more likely to collaborate with Europe and North America than with other African countries. South Africa stood out as producing the highest number of health economic evaluations and collaborations. The development and evaluation of HTA research networks in Sub-Saharan Africa should be supported, with South Africa central to any such efforts. Organizations and institutions from high income countries interested in supporting priority setting in Sub-Saharan Africa should include promoting collaboration as part of their agendas, in order to take advantage of the potential transferability of results and methods of the available health economic analyses in Africa and internationally.

Epitaxial growth of mixed conducting layered Ruddlesden–Popper La{sub n+1}Ni{sub n}O{sub 3n+1} (n = 1, 2 and 3) phases by pulsed laser deposition

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

Wu, Kuan-Ting; Soh, Yeong-Ah; Skinner, Stephen J., E-mail: s.skinner@imperial.ac.uk

2013-10-15

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • High quality epitaxial thin films of layered Ruddlesden–Popper nickelates were prepared. • For the first time this has been achieved by the PLD process. • n = 1, 2 and 3 films were successfully deposited on SrTiO{sub 3} and NdGaO{sub 3} substrates. • c-Axis oriented films were confirmed by XRD analysis. • In-plane and out-of-plane strain effects on lattice are discussed. - Abstract: Layered Ruddlesden–Popper phases of composition La{sub n+1}Ni{sub n}O{sub 3n+1} (n = 1, 2 and 3) have been epitaxially grown on SrTiO{sub 3} (0 0 1) or NdGaO{sub 3} (1 1 0) singlemore » crystal substrates using the pulsed laser deposition technique. X-ray diffraction analyses (θ/2θ, rocking curves, and φ-scans) and atomic force microscopy confirms the high-quality growth of the series of films with low surface roughness values (less than 1 nm). In particular, epitaxial growth of the higher order phases (n = 2 and 3) of lanthanum nickelate have been demonstrated for the first time.« less

Characterization of Si (sub X)Ge (sub 1-x)/Si Heterostructures for Device Applications Using Spectroscopic Ellipsometry

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sieg, R. M.; Alterovitz, S. A.; Croke, E. T.; Harrell, M. J.; Tanner, M.; Wang, K. L.; Mena, R. A.; Young, P. G.

1993-01-01

Spectroscopic ellipsometry (SE) characterization of several complex Si (sub X)Ge (sub 1-x)/Si heterostructures prepared for device fabrication, including structures for heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBT), p-type and n-type heterostructure modulation doped field effect transistors, has been performed. We have shown that SE can simultaneously determine all active layer thicknesses, Si (sub X)Ge (sub 1-x) compositions, and the oxide overlayer thickness, with only a general knowledge of the structure topology needed a priori. The characterization of HBT material included the SE analysis of a Si (sub X)Ge (sub 1-x) layer deeply buried (600 nanometers) under the silicon emitter and cap layers. In the SE analysis of n-type heterostructures, we examined for the first time a silicon layer under tensile strain. We found that an excellent fit can be obtained using optical constants of unstrained silicon to represent the strained silicon conduction layer. We also used SE to measure lateral sample homogeneity, providing quantitative identification of the inhomogeneous layer. Surface overlayers resulting from prior sample processing were also detected and measured quantitatively. These results should allow SE to be used extensively as a non-destructive means of characterizing Si (sub X)Ge (sub 1-x)/Si heterostructures prior to device fabrication and testing.

NEWTON - NEW portable multi-sensor scienTific instrument for non-invasive ON-site characterization of rock from planetary surface and sub-surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Díaz-Michelena, M.; de Frutos, J.; Ordóñez, A. A.; Rivero, M. A.; Mesa, J. L.; González, L.; Lavín, C.; Aroca, C.; Sanz, M.; Maicas, M.; Prieto, J. L.; Cobos, P.; Pérez, M.; Kilian, R.; Baeza, O.; Langlais, B.; Thébault, E.; Grösser, J.; Pappusch, M.

2017-09-01

In space instrumentation, there is currently no instrument dedicated to susceptibly or complete magnetization measurements of rocks. Magnetic field instrument suites are generally vector (or scalar) magnetometers, which locally measure the magnetic field. When mounted on board rovers, the electromagnetic perturbations associated with motors and other elements make it difficult to reap the benefits from the inclusion of such instruments. However, magnetic characterization is essential to understand key aspects of the present and past history of planetary objects. The work presented here overcomes the limitations currently existing in space instrumentation by developing a new portable and compact multi-sensor instrument for ground breaking high-resolution magnetic characterization of planetary surfaces and sub-surfaces. This new technology introduces for the first time magnetic susceptometry (real and imaginary parts) as a complement to existing compact vector magnetometers for planetary exploration. This work aims to solve the limitations currently existing in space instrumentation by means of providing a new portable and compact multi-sensor instrument for use in space, science and planetary exploration to solve some of the open questions on the crustal and more generally planetary evolution within the Solar System.

The physical mechanism on the threshold voltage temperature stability improvement for GaN HEMTs with pre-fluorination argon treatment

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

Wang, Yun-Hsiang; A*STAR Institute of Microelectronics, Singapore 117685; Liang, Yung C., E-mail: chii@nus.edu.sg

2016-06-06

In this paper, a normally-off AlGaN/GaN MIS-HEMT with improved threshold voltage (V{sub TH}) thermal stability is reported with investigations on its physical mechanism. The normally-off operation of the device is achieved from novel short argon plasma treatment (APT) prior to the fluorine plasma treatment (FPT) on Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} gate dielectrics. For the MIS-HEMT with FPT only, its V{sub TH} drops from 4.2 V at room temperature to 0.5 V at 200 °C. Alternatively, for the device with APT-then-FPT process, its V{sub TH} can retain at 2.5 V at 200 °C due to the increased amount of deep-level traps that do not emit electrons atmore » 200 °C. This thermally stable V{sub TH} makes this device suitable for high power applications. The depth profile of the F atoms in Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, measured by the secondary ion mass spectroscopy, reveals a significant increase in the F concentration when APT is conducted prior to FPT. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis on the plasma-treated Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} surfaces observes higher composition of Al-F bonds if APT was applied before FPT. The enhanced breaking of Al-O bonds due to Ar bombardment assisted in the increased incorporation of F radicals at the surface during the subsequent FPT process. The Schrödinger equation of Al{sub 2}O{sub x}F{sub y} cells, with the same Al-F compositions as obtained from XPS, was solved by Gaussian 09 molecular simulations to extract electron state distribution as a function of energy. The simulation results show creation of the deeper trap states in the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} bandgap when APT is used before FPT. Finally, the trap distribution extracted from the simulations is verified by the gate-stress experimental characterization to confirm the physical mechanism described.« less

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

Rongle Zhang; Jie Chang; Yuanyuan Xu

A new kinetic model of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) is proposed to describe the non-Anderson-Schulz-Flory (ASF) product distribution. The model is based on the double-polymerization monomers hypothesis, in which the surface C{sub 2}{asterisk} species acts as a chain-growth monomer in the light-product range, while C{sub 1}{asterisk} species acts as a chain-growth monomer in the heavy-product range. The detailed kinetic model in the Langmuir-Hinshelwood-Hougen-Watson type based on the elementary reactions is derived for FTS and the water-gas-shift reaction. Kinetic model candidates are evaluated by minimization of multiresponse objective functions with a genetic algorithm approach. The model of hydrocarbon product distribution ismore » consistent with experimental data (

Electrical conductivity in Langmuir-Blodgett films of n-alkyl cyanobiphenyls using current sensing atomic force microscope

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

Gayathri, H. N.; Suresh, K. A., E-mail: suresh@cnsms.res.in

2015-06-28

We report our studies on the nanoscale electrical conductivity in monolayers of n-alkyl cyanobiphenyl materials deposited on solid surface. Initially, the 8CB, 9CB, and 10CB monolayer films were prepared by the Langmuir technique at air-water interface and characterized by surface manometry and Brewster angle microscopy. The monolayer films were transferred on to solid substrates by the Langmuir-Blodgett (L-B) technique. The 8CB, 9CB, and 10CB monolayer L-B films were deposited on freshly cleaved mica and studied by atomic force microscope (AFM), thereby measuring the film thickness as ∼1.5 nm. The electrical conductivity measurements were carried out on 9CB and 10CB monolayer L-Bmore » films deposited onto highly ordered pyrolytic graphite using current sensing AFM. The nanoscale current-voltage (I-V) measurements show a non-linear variation. The nature of the curve indicates electron tunneling to be the mechanism for electrical conduction. Furthermore, analysis of the I-V curve reveals a transition in the electron conduction mechanism from direct tunneling to injection tunneling. From the transition voltage, we have estimated the values of barrier height for 9CB and 10CB to be 0.71 eV and 0.37 eV, respectively. For both 9CB and 10CB, the effective mass of electron was calculated to be 0.021 m{sub e} and 0.065 m{sub e}, respectively. These parameters are important in the design of molecular electronic devices.« less

An investigation on the effect of second-order additional thickness distributions to the upper surface of an NACA 64 sub 1-212 airfoil. [using flow equations and a CDC 7600 digital computer

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hague, D. S.; Merz, A. W.

1975-01-01

An investigation was conducted on a CDC 7600 digital computer to determine the effects of additional thickness distributions to the upper surface of an NACA 64 sub 1 - 212 airfoil. Additional thickness distributions employed were in the form of two second-order polynomial arcs which have a specified thickness at a given chordwise location. The forward arc disappears at the airfoil leading edge, the aft arc disappears at the airfoil trailing edge. At the juncture of the two arcs, x = x, continuity of slope is maintained. The effect of varying the maximum additional thickness and its chordwise location on airfoil lift coefficient, pitching moment, and pressure distribution was investigated. Results were obtained at a Mach number of 0.2 with an angle-of-attack of 6 degrees on the basic NACA 64 sub 1 - 212 airfoil, and all calculations employ the full potential flow equations for two dimensional flow. The relaxation method of Jameson was employed for solution of the potential flow equations.

IN SITU MEASUREMENTS OF THE SIZE AND DENSITY OF TITAN AEROSOL ANALOGS

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

Hoerst, S. M.; Tolbert, M. A, E-mail: sarah.horst@colorado.edu

2013-06-10

The organic haze produced from complex CH{sub 4}/N{sub 2} chemistry in the atmosphere of Titan plays an important role in processes that occur in the atmosphere and on its surface. The haze particles act as condensation nuclei and are therefore involved in Titan's methane hydrological cycle. They also may behave like sediment on Titan's surface and participate in both fluvial and aeolian processes. Models that seek to understand these processes require information about the physical properties of the particles including their size and density. Although measurements obtained by Cassini-Huygens have placed constraints on the size of the haze particles, theirmore » densities remain unknown. We have conducted a series of Titan atmosphere simulation experiments and measured the size, number density, and particle density of Titan aerosol analogs, or tholins, for CH{sub 4} concentrations from 0.01% to 10% using two different energy sources, spark discharge and UV. We find that the densities currently in use by many Titan models are higher than the measured densities of our tholins.« less

NASA Tech Briefs, August 2012

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

2012-01-01

Topics covered include: Mars Science Laboratory Drill; Ultra-Compact Motor Controller; A Reversible Thermally Driven Pump for Use in a Sub-Kelvin Magnetic Refrigerator; Shape Memory Composite Hybrid Hinge; Binding Causes of Printed Wiring Assemblies with Card-Loks; Coring Sample Acquisition Tool; Joining and Assembly of Bulk Metallic Glass Composites Through Capacitive Discharge; 670-GHz Schottky Diode-Based Subharmonic Mixer with CPW Circuits and 70-GHz IF; Self-Nulling Lock-in Detection Electronics for Capacitance Probe Electrometer; Discontinuous Mode Power Supply; Optimal Dynamic Sub-Threshold Technique for Extreme Low Power Consumption for VLSI; Hardware for Accelerating N-Modular Redundant Systems for High-Reliability Computing; Blocking Filters with Enhanced Throughput for X-Ray Microcalorimetry; High-Thermal-Conductivity Fabrics; Imidazolium-Based Polymeric Materials as Alkaline Anion-Exchange Fuel Cell Membranes; Electrospun Nanofiber Coating of Fiber Materials: A Composite Toughening Approach; Experimental Modeling of Sterilization Effects for Atmospheric Entry Heating on Microorganisms; Saliva Preservative for Diagnostic Purposes; Hands-Free Transcranial Color Doppler Probe; Aerosol and Surface Parameter Retrievals for a Multi-Angle, Multiband Spectrometer LogScope; TraceContract; AIRS Maps from Space Processing Software; POSTMAN: Point of Sail Tacking for Maritime Autonomous Navigation; Space Operations Learning Center; OVERSMART Reporting Tool for Flow Computations Over Large Grid Systems; Large Eddy Simulation (LES) of Particle-Laden Temporal Mixing Layers; Projection of Stabilized Aerial Imagery Onto Digital Elevation Maps for Geo-Rectified and Jitter-Free Viewing; Iterative Transform Phase Diversity: An Image-Based Object and Wavefront Recovery; 3D Drop Size Distribution Extrapolation Algorithm Using a Single Disdrometer; Social Networking Adapted for Distributed Scientific Collaboration; General Methodology for Designing Spacecraft Trajectories; Hemispherical Field-of-View Above-Water Surface Imager for Submarines; and Quantum-Well Infrared Photodetector (QWIP) Focal Plane Assembly.

First Detection of Methanol in a Class O Protostellar Disk

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Velusamy, T.; Langer, William D.; Goldsmith, Paul F.

2000-01-01

We report the detection of emission from methanol in a compact source coincident with the position of the L1157 infrared source, which we attribute to molecules in the disk surrounding this young, Class O protostellar object. In addition, we identify a spectral feature in the outflow corresponding to an ethanol transition. Using the Caltech Owens Valley Millimeter Array with a synthesized beam size of 2", we detect spatially unresolved methanol in the 2(sub k) - 1(sub k) transitions at 3mm, which is coincident in position with the peak of the continuum emission. The gas phase methanol could be located in the central region (< 100 AU radius) of a flat disk, or in an extended heated surface layer (approx. 200 AU radius) of a flared disk. The fractional abundance of methanol X(CH3OH) is approx. 2 x l0(exp -8) in the flat disk model, and 3 x l0(exp -7) for the flared disk. The fractional abundance is small in the disk as a whole, but considerably larger in the warm portions. This difference indicates that substantial chemical processing probably takes place in the disk via depletion and desorption. The methanol desorbed from the grains in the warm surface layers returns to the icy grain mantles in the cooler interior of the disk, where it is available to become part of the composition of solar system-like bodies, such as comets, formed in the outer circumstellar region. This first millimeter-wavelength detection of a complex organic molecule in a young protostellar disk has implications for disk structure and chemical evolution and for potential use as a temperature probe. The research of TV and WL was conducted at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology with support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Characterization of erosion of metallic materials under cavitation attack in a mineral oil

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rao, B. C. S.; Buckley, D. H.

1985-01-01

Cavitation erosion and erosion rates of eight metallic materials representing three crystal structures were studied. The erosion experiments were conducted with a 20-kHz ultrasonic magnetostrictive oscillator in a viscous mineral oil. The erosion rates of the metals with an fcc matrix were 10 to 100 times higher than that of an hop-matrix titanium alloy. The erosion rates of iron and molybdenum, with bcc matrices, were higher than that of the titanium alloy but lower than those of those of the fcc materials. Studies with scanning electron microscopy indicated that the cavitation pits were initially formed at the grain boundaries and precipitates and that the pits formed at the junction of grain boundaries grew faster than the others. Transcrystalline craters formed by cavitation attack over the surface of grains and roughened the surfaces by multiple slip and twinning. Surface roughness measurements showed that the pits that formed over the grain boundaries deepened faster than pits. Computer analysis revealed that a geometric expression describes the nondimensional erosion curves during the time period 0.5 t (sub 0) t 2.5 t (sub 0), where t (sub 0) is the incubation period. The fcc metals had very short incubation periods; the titanium alloy had the longest incubation period.

Suppression of Dynamic Stall by Steady and Pulsed Upper-Surface Blowing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Weaver, D.; McAlister, K. W.; Tso, J.

1996-01-01

The Boeing-Vertol VR-7 airfoil was experimentally studied with steady and pulsed upper-surface blowing for sinusoidal pitching oscillations described by alpha = alpha(sub m) + 10 deg sin(omega t). The tests were conducted in the U.S. Army Aeroflightdynamics Directorate's Water Tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center. The experiment was performed at a Reynolds number of 100,000. Pitch oscillations with alpha(sub m) = 10 deg and 15 deg and with reduced frequencies ranging from k = 0.005 to 0.15 were examined. Blowing conditions ranged from C(sub mu) = 0.03 to 0.66 and F(+) = 0 to 3. Unsteady lift, drag, and pitching-moment loads were measured, and fluorescent-dye flow visualizations were obtained. Steady, upper-surface blowing was found to be capable of trapping a separation bubble near the leading edge during a portion of the airfoil's upward rotation. When this occurred, the lift was increased significantly and stall was averted. In all cases, steady blowing reduced the hysteresis amplitudes present in the loads and produced a large thrust force. The benefits of steady blowing diminished as the reduced frequency and mean angle of oscillation increased. Pulsed blowing showed only marginal benefits for the conditions tested. The greatest gains from pulsed blowing were achieved at F(+) = 0.9.

The sdA problem - II. Photometric and spectroscopic follow-up

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pelisoli, Ingrid; Kepler, S. O.; Koester, D.; Castanheira, B. G.; Romero, A. D.; Fraga, L.

2018-07-01

The spectral classification `subdwarf A' (sdA) is given to stars showing H-rich spectra and sub-main-sequence surface gravities, but effective temperature lower than the zero-age horizontal branch. Their evolutionary origin is an enigma. In this work, we discuss the results of follow-up observations of selected sdAs. We obtained time-resolved spectroscopy for 24 objects and time-series photometry for another 19 objects. For two targets, we report both spectroscopy and photometry observations. We confirm seven objects to be new extremely low-mass white dwarfs (ELMs), one of which is a known eclipsing star. We also find the eighth member of the pulsating ELM class.

Deposition temperature dependence of material and Si surface passivation properties of O{sub 3}-based atomic layer deposited Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-based films and stacks

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

Bordihn, Stefan, E-mail: s.bordihn2@q-cells.com; Mertens, Verena; Müller, Jörg W.

2014-01-15

The material composition and the Si surface passivation of aluminum oxide (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) films prepared by atomic layer deposition using Al(CH{sub 3}){sub 3} and O{sub 3} as precursors were investigated for deposition temperatures (T{sub Dep}) between 200 °C and 500 °C. The growth per cycle decreased with increasing deposition temperature due to a lower Al deposition rate. In contrast the material composition was hardly affected except for the hydrogen concentration, which decreased from [H] = 3 at. % at 200 °C to [H] < 0.5 at. % at 400 °C and 500 °C. The surface passivation performance was investigated after annealing at 300 °C–450 °C and also after firing stepsmore » in the typical temperature range of 800 °C–925 °C. A similar high level of the surface passivation performance, i.e., surface recombination velocity values <10 cm/s, was obtained after annealing and firing. Investigations of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SiN{sub x} stacks complemented the work and revealed similar levels of surface passivation as single-layer Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} films, both for the chemical and field-effect passivation. The fixed charge density in the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/SiN{sub x} stacks, reflecting the field-effect passivation, was reduced by one order of magnitude from 3·10{sup 12} cm{sup −2} to 3·10{sup 11} cm{sup −2} when T{sub Dep} was increased from 300 °C to 500 °C. The level of the chemical passivation changed as well, but the total level of the surface passivation was hardly affected by the value of T{sub Dep}. When firing films prepared at of low T{sub Dep}, blistering of the films occurred and this strongly reduced the surface passivation. These results presented in this work demonstrate that a high level of surface passivation can be achieved for Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}-based films and stacks over a wide range of conditions when the combination of deposition temperature and annealing or firing temperature is carefully chosen.« less

Detection of Subsurface Defects in Levees in Correlation to Weather Conditions Utilizing Ground Penetrating Radar

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Martinez, I. A.; Eisenmann, D.

2012-12-01

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) has been used for many years in successful subsurface detection of conductive and non-conductive objects in all types of material including different soils and concrete. Typical defect detection is based on subjective examination of processed scans using data collection and analysis software to acquire and analyze the data, often requiring a developed expertise or an awareness of how a GPR works while collecting data. Processing programs, such as GSSI's RADAN analysis software are then used to validate the collected information. Iowa State University's Center for Nondestructive Evaluation (CNDE) has built a test site, resembling a typical levee used near rivers, which contains known sub-surface targets of varying size, depth, and conductivity. Scientist at CNDE have developed software with the enhanced capabilities, to decipher a hyperbola's magnitude and amplitude for GPR signal processing. With this enhanced capability, the signal processing and defect detection capabilities for GPR have the potential to be greatly enhanced. This study will examine the effects of test parameters, antenna frequency (400MHz), data manipulation methods (which include data filters and restricting the range of depth in which the chosen antenna's signal can reach), and real-world conditions using this test site (such as varying weather conditions) , with the goal of improving GPR tests sensitivity for differing soil conditions.

SPECTROSCOPIC INVESTIGATION OF (NH4)2S TREATED GaSeTe FOR RADIATION DETECTOR APPLICATIONS

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

Nelson, A; Laurence, T; Conway, A

2009-08-04

The surface of the layered III-VI chalcogenide semiconductor GaSeTe was treated with (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S at 60 C to modify the surface chemistry and determine the effect on transport properties. Room temperature photoluminescence (PL) measurements were used to assess the effect of the (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S treatment on surface defect states. Evaluation of the subsequent surface chemistry was performed with high-resolution core-level photoemission measurements. Metal overlayers were deposited on the (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S treated surfaces and the I-V characteristics were measured. The measurements were correlated to understand the effect of (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S modification of the interfacial electronic structure withmore » the goal of optimizing the metal/GaSeTe interface for radiation detector devices.« less

Electrical and thermal transport properties of layered Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{sub 2}Se{sub 2}

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

Xiao, Yu; Pei, Yanling; Chang, Cheng

Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{sub 2}Se{sub 2} possesses a low thermal conductivity and high electrical conductivity at room temperature, which was considered as a potential thermoelectric material. In this work, we have investigated the electrical and thermal transport properties of Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{sub 2}Se{sub 2} system in the temperature range from 300 K to 873 K. We found that the total thermal conductivity decreases from ~1.8 W m{sup −1} K{sup −1} to ~0.9 W m{sup −1} K{sup −1}, and the electrical conductivity decreases from ~850 S/cm to ~163 S/cm in the measured temperature range. To investigate how potential of Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{submore » 2}Se{sub 2} system, we prepared the heavily Iodine doped samples to counter-dope intrinsically high carrier concentration and improve the electrical transport properties. Interestingly, the Seebeck coefficient could be enhanced to ~+80 μV/K at 873 K, meanwhile, we found that a low thermal conductivity of ~0.7 W m{sup −1} K{sup −1} could be achieved. The intrinsically low thermal conductivity in this system is related to the low elastic properties, such as Young's modulus of 70–72 GPa, and Grüneisen parameters of 1.55–1.71. The low thermal conductivity makes Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{sub 2}Se{sub 2} system to be a potential thermoelectric material, the ZT value ~0.06 at 873 K was obtained, a higher performance is expected by optimizing electrical transport properties through selecting suitable dopants, modifying band structures or by further reducing thermal conductivity through nanostructuring etc. - Highlights: • The total thermal conductivity decreases from 1.8 to 0.9 Wm{sup –1}K{sup –1} at 300–873K. • The electrical conductivity decreased from 850 to 163 S/cm at 300–873K. • The Seebeck coefficients were enhanced through heavily Iodine doping. • The ZT ~0.06 at 873K suggests that Bi{sub 2}YO{sub 4}Cu{sub 2}Se{sub 2} systems are potential thermoelectrical materials.« less

CO adsorption on small Au{sub n} (n = 1–4) structures supported on hematite. II. Adsorption on the O-rich termination of α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) surface

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

Pabisiak, Tomasz; Kiejna, Adam, E-mail: kiejna@ifd.uni.wroc.pl; Winiarski, Maciej J.

2016-01-28

The adsorption of small Au{sub n} (n = 1–4) nanostructures on oxygen terminated α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) surface was investigated using density functional theory in the generalized gradient approximation of Perdew-Burke-Ernzerhof (PBE) form with Hubbard correction U, accounting for strong electron correlations (PBE+U). The structural, energetic, and electronic properties were examined for two classes of the adsorbed Au{sub n} nanostructures with vertical and flattened configurations. Similarly to the Fe-terminated α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) surface considered in Part I, the flattened configurations were found energetically more favored than vertical ones. The binding of Au{sub n} to the O-terminated surface is much stronger thanmore » to the Fe-termination. The adsorption bonding energy of Au{sub n} and the work function of the Au{sub n}/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) systems decrease with the increased number of Au atoms in a structure. All of the adsorbed Au{sub n} structures are positively charged. The bonding of CO molecules to the Au{sub n} structures is distinctly stronger than on the Fe-terminated surface; however, it is weaker than the binding to the bare O-terminated surface. The CO molecule binds to the Au{sub n}/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) system through a peripheral Au atom partly detached from the Au{sub n} structure. The results of this work indicate that the most energetically favored sites for adsorption of a CO molecule on the Au{sub n}/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) systems are atoms in the Au{sup 0.5+} oxidation state.« less

Annealing effect on the photoluminescence properties of ZnO nanorod array prepared by a PLD-assistant wet chemical method

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

Wei Sufeng; Lian Jianshe; Wu Hua, E-mail: weisufeng@gmail.com

2010-11-15

Well-aligned ZnO nanorod arrays were synthesized by a wet chemical method on the glass substrate with ZnO thin film as seed layer prepared by pulsed laser deposition. The effect of annealing temperature on the luminescence characteristics was investigated. As the annealing temperature increased, the photoluminescence properties show a general enhancing tendency. The nanorod array with high ultraviolet emission and negligible visible light emission (designated by the photoluminescence intensity ratio of ultraviolet to visible emission of 66.4) is obtained by annealing the sample at 700 deg. C for 1 h. Based on the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and photoluminescence spectra,more » the mechanisms of visible emission were discussed. - Research Highlights: {yields} ZnO nanorod array with good crystallography, low defects concentration and good optical property was obtained after annealed at 700 deg. C for 1 h. {yields} The transition from the conduction band to the O{sub i} level may be responsible for the yellow-green emission. {yields} The yellow emission may originate from the presence of Zn(OH){sub 2} on the surface or the band transition from conduction band to V{sub o}Zn{sub i} level. {yields} The transition from the Zn{sub i} level to the level should produce an orange emission or an orange-red emission.« less

Bandgap modulation in photoexcited topological insulator Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} via atomic displacements

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

Hada, Masaki, E-mail: hadamasaki@okayama-u.ac.jp; Materials and Structures Laboratory, Tokyo Institute of Technology, Yokohama 226-8503; PRESTO, Japan Science and Technology Agency, Kawaguchi 332-0012

2016-07-14

The atomic and electronic dynamics in the topological insulator (TI) Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} under strong photoexcitation were characterized with time-resolved electron diffraction and time-resolved mid-infrared spectroscopy. Three-dimensional TIs characterized as bulk insulators with an electronic conduction surface band have shown a variety of exotic responses in terms of electronic transport when observed under conditions of applied pressure, magnetic field, or circularly polarized light. However, the atomic motions and their correlation between electronic systems in TIs under strong photoexcitation have not been explored. The artificial and transient modification of the electronic structures in TIs via photoinduced atomic motions represents a novelmore » mechanism for providing a comparable level of bandgap control. The results of time-domain crystallography indicate that photoexcitation induces two-step atomic motions: first bismuth and then tellurium center-symmetric displacements. These atomic motions in Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} trigger 10% bulk bandgap narrowing, which is consistent with the time-resolved mid-infrared spectroscopy results.« less

Atmospheric heating of meteorites: Results from nuclear track studies

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jha, R.

1984-01-01

A quantitative model to estimate the degree of annealing of nuclear tracks in mineral grains subjected to a variable temperature history was proposed. This model is applied to study the track annealing records in different meteorites resulting from their atmospheric heating. Scale lengths were measured of complete and partial track annealing, delta X sub 1 and delta X sub 2, respectively. In mineral grain close to fusion crust in about a dozen meteorites. Values of delta X sub 1 and delta X sub 2 depend on extent and duration of heating during atmospheric transit and hence on meteorite entry parameters. To estimate track annealing, the temperature history during atmospheric heating at different distances from the crusted surface of the meteorite is obtained by solving heat conduction equation in conjunction with meteorite entry model, and use of the annealing model to evaluate the degree of annealing of tracks. It is shown that the measured values of delta X sub 1 and delta X sub 2 in three of the meteorites studied are consistent with values using preatmospheric mass, entry velocity and entry angle of these meteorites.

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

Wang, Ying; Qi, Long; Wu, Yihong, E-mail: elewuyh@nus.edu.sg

Few-layer MoS{sub 2} field-effect transistors often show an n-type conduction behavior due to the presence of high-density sulfur vacancies. Here, we investigated the possibility of surface defect passivation of MoS{sub 2} by sulfur treatment in (NH{sub 4}){sub 2}S solution or coating with an ultrathin layer of selenium or tellurium. It was found that all three elements investigated are able to induce a p-doping effect through suppressing the residual electron concentration by an amount exceeding 0.5 × 10{sup 12 }cm{sup −2} in few-layer MoS{sub 2}. Among them, the sulfur-treatment exhibits the most superior thermal stability that survives thermal annealing at temperatures ≥120 °C for atmore » least 10 h. Tellurium exhibits the strongest p-doping effect due to electron trapping by physisorption-induced gap states near the valence band edge. On the other hand, selenium is highly volatile on MoS{sub 2}; it evaporates and desorbs easily due to Joule heating during electrical measurements in vacuum. The results of first-principles calculations support the experimental observations.« less

Electric conductivity analysis and dielectric relaxation behavior of the hybrid polyvanadate (H{sub 3}N(CH{sub 2}){sub 3}NH{sub 3})[V{sub 4}O{sub 10}

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

Nefzi, H.; Sediri, F., E-mail: faouzi.sediri@ipeit.rnu.tn; Faculté des Sciences de Tunis, Université Tunis El Manar, 2092 El Manar, Tunis

2013-05-15

Highlights: ► Plate-like crystals (H{sub 3}N(CH{sub 2}){sub 3}NH{sub 3})[V{sub 4}O{sub 10}] were synthesized. ► Frequency and temperature dependence of AC conductivity indicate CBH model. ► The temperature dependence of DC conductivity exhibits two conduction mechanisms. - Abstract: Layered hybrid compound (H{sub 3}N(CH{sub 2}){sub 3}NH{sub 3})[V{sub 4}O{sub 10}] has been synthesized via hydrothermal method. Techniques X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and impedance spectroscopy have been used to characterize the hybrid material. Electrical and dielectric properties dependence on both temperature and frequency of the compound have been reported. The direct current conductivity process is thermally activated andmore » it is found to be 12.67 × 10{sup −4} Ω{sup −1} m{sup −1} at 523 K. The spectra follow the Arrhenius law with two activation energy 0.25 eV for T < 455 K and 0.5 eV for T > 455 K.« less

Point-contact tunneling in monophasic and polyphasic Y-Ba-Cu-O samples: Experiment and model

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

Gonnelli, R.S.; Andreone, D.; Lacquaniti, V.

1989-02-01

Tunneling experiments using large-area point-contact structures have been performed on several monophasic polycrystalline Ba/sub 2/Cu/sub 3/O/sub 7-//sub delta/ samples and on polyphasic samples containing, mixed with the previous superconducting phase, also about 11% of the so-called green phase (BaY/sub 2/CuO/sub 5/). Both niobium and Y-Ba-Cu-O tips were used as counterelectrodes and measurements were made at 4.2 and 77 K. Results obtained at different experimental conditions show great reproducibility indicating the presence of the gap voltage at about 20 mV in the dynamic resistance curves. A phenomenological model was then developed to interpret in a quantitative way our data by meansmore » of a decomposition of the experimental conductance into a background component and a superconducting-tunneling component. The former results essentially in a parabolic contribution versus the bias voltage typical of a tunneling between normallike junction electrodes while the latter component is smeared out in voltage by a large amount of broadening. Using the model in a least-squares fit of the experimental data of Nb/Y-Ba-Cu-O junctions, values V/sub G/ = 21.3 +- 0.8 mV and V/sub G/ = 22.0 +- 0.6 mV for the voltage gaps at 4.2 K of monophasic and polyphasic materials, respectively, have been determined. These results have been well confirmed by measurements on Y-Ba-Cu-O/Y-Ba-Cu-O junctions while, at 77 K, there are no indications of a superconducting tunneling. We obtained also the parameters of the background conductance, which indicates the presence of a nonsuperconducting layer at the surface of the material.« less

LITERATURE REVIEW ON THE SORPTION OF PLUTONIUM, URANIUM, NEPTUNIUM, AMERICIUM AND TECHNETIUM TO CORROSION PRODUCTS ON WASTE TANK LINERS

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

Li, D.; Kaplan, D.

2012-02-29

The Savannah River Site (SRS) has conducted performance assessment (PA) calculations to determine the risk associated with closing liquid waste tanks. The PA estimates the risk associated with a number of scenarios, making various assumptions. Throughout all of these scenarios, it is assumed that the carbon-steel tank liners holding the liquid waste do not sorb the radionuclides. Tank liners have been shown to form corrosion products, such as Fe-oxyhydroxides (Wiersma and Subramanian 2002). Many corrosion products, including Fe-oxyhydroxides, at the high pH values of tank effluent, take on a very strong negative charge. Given that many radionuclides may have netmore » positive charges, either as free ions or complexed species, it is expected that many radionuclides will sorb to corrosion products associated with tank liners. The objective of this report was to conduct a literature review to investigate whether Pu, U, Np, Am and Tc would sorb to corrosion products on tank liners after they were filled with reducing grout (cementitious material containing slag to promote reducing conditions). The approach was to evaluate radionuclides sorption literature with iron oxyhydroxide phases, such as hematite ({alpha}-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}), magnetite (Fe{sub 3}O{sub 4}), goethite ({alpha}-FeOOH) and ferrihydrite (Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} {center_dot} 0.5H{sub 2}O). The primary interest was the sorption behavior under tank closure conditions where the tanks will be filled with reducing cementitious materials. Because there were no laboratory studies conducted using site specific experimental conditions, (e.g., high pH and HLW tank aqueous and solid phase chemical conditions), it was necessary to extend the literature review to lower pH studies and noncementitious conditions. Consequently, this report relied on existing lower pH trends, existing geochemical modeling, and experimental spectroscopic evidence conducted at lower pH levels. The scope did not include evaluating the appropriateness of K{sub d} values for the Fe-oxyhydroxides, but instead to evaluate whether it is a conservative assumption to exclude this sorption process of radionuclides onto tank liner corrosion products in the PA model. This may identify another source for PA conservatism since the modeling did not consider any sorption by the tank liner.« less

Mapping subtrappean sediments and delineating structure with the aid of heliborne time domain electromagnetics: Case study from Kaladgi Basin, Karnataka

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sridhar, M.; Markandeyulu, A.; Chaturvedi, A. K.

2017-01-01

Mapping of subtrappean sediments is a complex geological problem attempted by many interpreters applying different geophysical techniques. Variations in thickness and resistivity of traps and underlying sediments, respectively, results in considerable uncertainty in the interpretation of geophysical data. It is proposed that the transient electromagnetic technique is an effective geophysical tool for delineation of the sub-trappean sediments, due to marked resistivity contrast between the Deccan trap, and underlying sediments and/or basement. The northern margin of the Kaladgi basin is covered under trap. A heliborne time domain electromagnetic survey was conducted to demarcate the basin extent and map the sub-trappean sediments. Conductivity depth transformations were used to map the interface between conductive trap and resistive 'basement'. Two resistivity contrast boundaries are picked: the first corresponds to the bottom of the shallow conductive unit interpreted as the base of the Deccan Volcanics and the second - picked at the base of a deeper subsurface conductive zone - is interpreted as the weathered paleo-surface of the crystalline basement. This second boundary can only be seen in areas where the volcanics are thin or absent, suggesting that the volcanics are masking the EM signal preventing deeper penetration. An interesting feature, which shows prominently in the EM data but less clearly imaged in the magnetic data, is observed in the vicinity of Mudhol. The surface geology interpreted from satellite imagery show Deccan trap cover around Mudhol. Modelling of TDEM data suggest the presence of synclinal basin structure. The depth of penetration of the heliborne TDEM data is estimated to be approximately 350 m for the study area. This suggests that heliborne TDEM could penetrate significant thicknesses of conductive Deccan trap cover to delineate structure below in the Bagalkot Group.

Additional burden of asymptomatic and sub-patent malaria infections during low transmission season in forested tribal villages in Chhattisgarh, India.

PubMed

Chourasia, Mehul Kumar; Raghavendra, Kamaraju; Bhatt, Rajendra M; Swain, Dipak Kumar; Meshram, Hemraj M; Meshram, Jayant K; Suman, Shrity; Dubey, Vinita; Singh, Gyanendra; Prasad, Kona Madhavinadha; Kleinschmidt, Immo

2017-08-08

The burden of sub-patent malaria is difficult to recognize in low endemic areas due to limitation of diagnostic tools, and techniques. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR), a molecular based technique, is one of the key methods for detection of low parasite density infections. The study objective was to assess the additional burden of asymptomatic and sub-patent malaria infection among tribal populations inhabiting three endemic villages in Keshkal sub-district, Chhattisgarh, India. A cross-sectional survey was conducted in March-June 2016, during the low transmission season, to measure and compare prevalence of malaria infection using three diagnostics: rapid diagnostic test, microscopy and nested-PCR. Out of 437 individuals enrolled in the study, 103 (23.6%) were malaria positive by PCR and/or microscopy of whom 89.3% were Plasmodium falciparum cases, 77.7% were afebrile and 35.9% had sub-patent infections. A substantial number of asymptomatic and sub-patent malaria infections were identified in the survey. Hence, strategies for identifying and reducing the hidden burden of asymptomatic and sub-patent infections should focus on forest rural tribal areas using more sensitive molecular diagnostic methods to curtail malaria transmission.

Development and photoelectric properties of In/p-Ag{sub 3}AsS{sub 3} surface-barrier structures

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

Rud', V. Yu., E-mail: rudvas@spbstu.ru; Rud', Yu. V.; Terukov, E. I.

2010-08-15

Homogeneous p-Ag{sub 3}AsS{sub 3} bulk single crystals with rhombic structure have been grown by planar crystallization from melts with atomic composition corresponding to this ternary compound. Photosensitive surface-barrier structures based on the interface between the surface of these crystals and thin films of pure indium are fabricated for the first time. The photosensitivity of fabricated structures is studied in natural and linearly polarized light. Photosensitivity spectra of In/p-Ag{sub 3}AsS{sub 3} structures are measured for the first time and used to determine the nature and energy of interband transitions in p-Ag{sub 3}AsS{sub 3} crystals. The phenomenon of natural photopleochroism is studiedmore » for surface-barrier structures grown on oriented p-Ag{sub 3}AsS{sub 3} single crystals. It is concluded that Ag{sub 3}AsS{sub 3} single crystals can be used in photoconverters of natural and linearly polarized light.« less

Electron beam charging of insulators: A self-consistent flight-drift model

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

Touzin, M.; Goeuriot, D.; Guerret-Piecourt, C.

2006-06-01

Electron beam irradiation and the self-consistent charge transport in bulk insulating samples are described by means of a new flight-drift model and an iterative computer simulation. Ballistic secondary electron and hole transport is followed by electron and hole drifts, their possible recombination and/or trapping in shallow and deep traps. The trap capture cross sections are the Poole-Frenkel-type temperature and field dependent. As a main result the spatial distributions of currents j(x,t), charges {rho}(x,t), the field F(x,t), and the potential slope V(x,t) are obtained in a self-consistent procedure as well as the time-dependent secondary electron emission rate {sigma}(t) and the surfacemore » potential V{sub 0}(t). For bulk insulating samples the time-dependent distributions approach the final stationary state with j(x,t)=const=0 and {sigma}=1. Especially for low electron beam energies E{sub 0}<4 keV the incorporation of mainly positive charges can be controlled by the potential V{sub G} of a vacuum grid in front of the target surface. For high beam energies E{sub 0}=10, 20, and 30 keV high negative surface potentials V{sub 0}=-4, -14, and -24 kV are obtained, respectively. Besides open nonconductive samples also positive ion-covered samples and targets with a conducting and grounded layer (metal or carbon) on the surface have been considered as used in environmental scanning electron microscopy and common SEM in order to prevent charging. Indeed, the potential distributions V(x) are considerably small in magnitude and do not affect the incident electron beam neither by retarding field effects in front of the surface nor within the bulk insulating sample. Thus the spatial scattering and excitation distributions are almost not affected.« less

Modelling of EISS GPR's electrical and magnetic antennas for ExoMars mission

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Biancheri-Astier, M.; Ciarletti, V.; Reineix, A.; Corbel, C.; Dolon, F.; Simon, Y.; Caudoux, C.; Lapauw, L.; Berthelier, Jj.; Ney, R.

2009-04-01

Despite several past and present missions to Mars, very little information is available on its subsurface. One of the scientific objectives of the European ExoMars mission (ESA) is to characterize the water / geochemical environment as a function of depth and investigate the planet subsurface to better understand the evolution and habitability of the planet. The electromagnetic survey of subsurface will provide a nondestructive way to probe the subsurface and look for potential deep liquid water reservoirs. The LATMOS (ex CETP) is currently developing a ground penetrating radar (GPR) called EISS "Electromagnetic Investigation of the Sub Surface", which is a enhanced version of the TAPIR "Terrestrial and Planetary Imaging Radar", developed in the frame of the Netlander mission cancelled in 2004. The GPR main objective is to perform sounding of the sub-surface down to kilometric depth. EISS is an impulse GPR operating, from the Martian surface, at HF frequencies (~ 2-4MHz) with a wide bandwidth (100kHz-5MHz). EISS can operate in four modes: impedance measurement, mono and bi-static survey, passive mode. The EISS innovative concept is based on the use of the fixed station (Lander) and mobile rover to conduct subsurface surveys of the area visited by the Rover. The work at HF frequencies, EISS uses a half-wave resistively loaded dipole electrical antenna i.e. two monopoles 35 meters long each to transmit (and also receive in mono-static mode) the signal. The resistive profile of the antenna follows a Wu-King profile which is optimized to transmit the pulse without noticeable distortion and avoid ringing. The two monopoles will be deployed in roughly opposite directions on the surface of Mars. The exact value of the direction of deployment for each monopole will be chosen in order to minimize the contact with the Lander structure, avoid obstacles and the solar panels still ensuring a good coverage of the whole area. In bi-static mode, the signal is received with a small magnetic sensor accommodated on the Rover. As a consequence, since the direction that the rover will follow after its egress will not be know until the Lander is on Mars, it is essential to chose a configuration that will result in a radiation pattern compatible with bi-static measurements whatever the direction of the rover is (within a distance of 1 kilometer). Studies based on electromagnetic simulations have been performed to check the impact of the angle between the two monopoles on the radiation pattern. Study of EISS performances is ongoing using numerical modeling and experimental verifications. We use numerical simulation (FDTD code), analytical models and data processing algorithms to determine the performances of each operating mode and to prepare data interpretation. The subsurface survey requires knowledge of the permittivity of the studied sub-surface layers to convert the measured propagation delay into distance. Access to electrical characteristics of ground without return samples and in situ analysis is unusual in space missions and aroused great interest. Results will be presented about different ways EISS can provide estimation of the electrical properties of the shallow subsurface. Simulations that highlight the impact of the chosen resistive profile and of the angle between the two deployed monopoles will be shown. The presentation will mainly be focused on the bi-static mode that greatly improves the 3D representation of subsurface structure and on the associated instrumental requirements such as the perfect synchronization of the two part of the instrument. A method to retrieve the direction of arrival for each detected echo will be presented that allows a more accurate sub-surface mapping. Only the three magnetic field components are required to implement it, which makes the EISS configuration particularly interesting. This method is based on the orthogonality between the propagation vector and the polarization plane.

Coupled reservoir-geomechanical analysis of CO2 injection and ground deformations at In Salah, Algeria

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

Rutqvist, J.; Vasco, D.W.; Myer, L.

2009-11-01

In Salah Gas Project in Algeria has been injecting 0.5-1 million tonnes CO{sub 2} per year over the past five years into a water-filled strata at a depth of about 1,800 to 1,900 m. Unlike most CO{sub 2} storage sites, the permeability of the storage formation is relatively low and comparatively thin with a thickness of about 20 m. To ensure adequate CO{sub 2} flow-rates across the low-permeability sand-face, the In Salah Gas Project decided to use long-reach (about 1 to 1.5 km) horizontal injection wells. In an ongoing research project we use field data and coupled reservoir-geomechanical numerical modelingmore » to assess the effectiveness of this approach and to investigate monitoring techniques to evaluate the performance of a CO{sub 2}-injection operation in relatively low permeability formations. Among the field data used are ground surface deformations evaluated from recently acquired satellite-based inferrometry (InSAR). The InSAR data shows a surface uplift on the order of 5 mm per year above active CO{sub 2} injection wells and the uplift pattern extends several km from the injection wells. In this paper we use the observed surface uplift to constrain our coupled reservoir-geomechanical model and conduct sensitivity studies to investigate potential causes and mechanisms of the observed uplift. The results of our analysis indicates that most of the observed uplift magnitude can be explained by pressure-induced, poro-elastic expansion of the 20 m thick injection zone, but there could also be a significant contribution from pressure-induced deformations within a 100 m thick zone of shaly sands immediately above the injection zone.« less

Photoelectrochemical Hydrogen Production

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

Hu, Jian

The objectives of this project, covering two phases and an additional extension phase, were the development of thin film-based hybrid photovoltaic (PV)/photoelectrochemical (PEC) devices for solar-powered water splitting. The hybrid device, comprising a low-cost photoactive material integrated with amorphous silicon (a-Si:H or a-Si in short)-based solar cells as a driver, should be able to produce hydrogen with a 5% solar-to-hydrogen conversion efficiency (STH) and be durable for at least 500 hours. Three thin film material classes were studied and developed under this program: silicon-based compounds, copper chalcopyrite-based compounds, and metal oxides. With the silicon-based compounds, more specifically the amorphous siliconmore » carbide (a-SiC), we achieved a STH efficiency of 3.7% when the photoelectrode was coupled to an a-Si tandem solar cell, and a STH efficiency of 6.1% when using a crystalline Si PV driver. The hybrid PV/a-SiC device tested under a current bias of -3~4 mA/cm{sup 2}, exhibited a durability of up to ~800 hours in 0.25 M H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} electrolyte. Other than the PV driver, the most critical element affecting the photocurrent (and hence the STH efficiency) of the hybrid PV/a-SiC device was the surface energetics at the a-SiC/electrolyte interface. Without surface modification, the photocurrent of the hybrid PEC device was ~1 mA/cm{sup 2} or lower due to a surface barrier that limits the extraction of photogenerated carriers. We conducted an extensive search for suitable surface modification techniques/materials, of which the deposition of low work function metal nanoparticles was the most successful. Metal nanoparticles of ruthenium (Ru), tungsten (W) or titanium (Ti) led to an anodic shift in the onset potential. We have also been able to develop hybrid devices of various configurations in a monolithic fashion and optimized the current matching via altering the energy bandgap and thickness of each constituent cell. As a result, the short-circuit photocurrent density of the hybrid device (measured in a 2-electrode configuration) increased significantly without assistance of any external bias, i.e. from ≤1 mA/cm{sup 2} to ~5 mA/cm{sup 2}. With the copper chalcopyrite compounds, we have achieved a STH efficiency of 3.7% in a coplanar configuration with 3 a-Si solar cells and one CuGaSe{sub 2} photocathode. This material class exhibited good durability at a photocurrent density level of -4 mA/cm{sup 2} (“5% STH” equivalent) at a fixed potential (-0.45 VRHE). A poor band-edge alignment with the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) potential was identified as the main limitation for high STH efficiency. Three new pathways have been identified to solve this issue. First, PV driver with bandgap lower than that of amorphous silicon were investigated. Crystalline silicon was identified as possible bottom cell. Mechanical stacks made with one Si solar cell and one CuGaSe{sub 2} photocathode were built. A 400 mV anodic shift was observed with the Si cell, leading to photocurrent density of -5 mA/cm{sup 2} at 0VRHE (compared to 0 mA/cm{sup 2} at the same potential without PV driver). We also investigated the use of p-n junctions to shift CuGaSe{sub 2} flatband potential anodically. Reactively sputtered zinc oxy-sulfide thin films was evaluated as n-type buffer and deposited on CuGaSe{sub 2}. Ruthenium nanoparticles were then added as HER catalyst. A 250 mV anodic shift was observed with the p-n junction, leading to photocurrent density at 0VRHE of -1.5 mA/cm{sup 2}. Combining this device with a Si solar cell in a mechanical stack configuration shifted the onset potential further (+400 mV anodically), leading to photocurrent density of -7 mA/cm{sup 2} at 0VRHE. Finally, we developed wide bandgap copper chalcopyrite thin film materials. We demonstrated that Se can be substituted with S using a simple annealing step. Photocurrent densities in the 5-6 mA/cm{sub 2} range were obtained with red 2.0eV CuInGaS{sub 2} photocathodes. With the metal oxide compounds, we have demonstrated that a WO{sub 3}-based hybrid photoelectrode was feasible. Specifically, we showed that WO{sub 3} paired with an a-Si tandem solar cell can generate short circuit photocurrent density of 2.5 mA/cm{sup 2}, equivalent to STH efficiency of 3.1%. Long-term durability tests demonstrated WO{sub 3} ability to split water over extended periods, for up to 600 hours at current density levels of 2.0-2.5 mA/cm{sup 2}. Efforts have been done to decrease WO{sub 3} bandgap using foreign elements incorporation. We did not manage to reduce the bandgap of WO{sub 3} with this method. However, more promising results have been achieved with bilayered systems, where only the top part of WO{sub 3} films was modified. Also, we have demonstrated that alloying WO{sub 3} with CuO can form 2.2eV bandgap CuWO{sub 4}. Incorporating conductive carbon nanotubes in CuWO{sub 4} reduced its intrinsic bulk resistance. Saturation photocurrent densities in the 0.4-0.5 mA/cm{sub 2} range were achieved. Recently, in collaboration with University of Texas at Arlington, we have identified new quaternary metal oxides with CuWO{sub 4} as primary material host. Our experimental work on ceramics confirmed the theoretical calculations that crowned bismuth as a possible candidate to improve CuWO{sub 4} water splitting efficiency.« less

Toxicities of crude oils and oil-dispersant mixtures to juvenile rabbitfish, Siganus rivulatus

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

Eisler, R.; Kissil, G.W.

1975-01-01

Toxicities were determined for two crude oils, one from the Persian Gulf (Iran) and one from the Sinai Peninsula (Gulf of Suez), to rabbitfish, Siganus rivulatus, an economically important species of teleost from the Red Sea. Also tested for toxicity were ST 5, a chemical oil dispersant, and oil-ST 5 mixtures in the ratio 10:1 vol/vol. Static tests conducted in small (3-liter) jars at 41 /sup 0///sub 00/ salinity and 23/sup 0/C produced LC/sub 50/ (168 h) values of 0.74 ml/liter for Iranian crude, 14.5 ml/liter for Sinai crude, and 0.010 ml/liter for ST 5; LC/sub 50/ values for oil-STmore » 5 mixtures reflected biocidal properties of ST 5 alone. Iranian oil became less toxic with increasing time in seawater over a period of 168 hours; the reverse was observed for Sinai crude. ST 5 exhibited a dramatic reduction in lethality after 2 hours in the assay medium. The most toxic component tested of Iranian crude was the lowest-boiling fraction; with Sinai crude it was the highest-boiling fraction; with ST 5 the volatile surfactant component accounted for almost all deaths. Liver enlargement in rabbitfish was linked with exposure to comparatively high concentrations of crude oil. High sublethal levels of ST 5 caused reductions in blood hematocrit. Rabbitfish survival at a given petrochemical concentration was highest at intermediate salinities of 30-50 /sup 0///sub 00/ in the salinity range tested of 20 to 60 /sup 0///sub 00/. Rabbitfish were more resistant to crudes and oil-dispersant mixtures in continuous flow bioassays conducted in large tanks than in static jar bioassays. Tank tests also suggested that mortalities were higher among toxicant-stressed fish confined 0.2 to 1.0 meters from the surface than among fish held 1.0 to 1.8 m from the surface. (auth)« less

Friction, Wear, and Surface Damage of Metals as Affected by Solid Surface Films

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bisson, Edmond E; Johnson, Robert L; Swikert, Max A; Godfrey, Douglas

1956-01-01

As predicted by friction theory, experiments showed that friction and surface damage of metals can be reduced by solid surface films. The ability of materials to form surface films that prevent welding was a very important factor in wear of dry and boundary lubricated surfaces. Films of graphitic carbon on cast irons, nio on nickel alloys, and feo and fe sub 3 o sub 4 on ferrous materials were found to be beneficial. Abrasive films such as fe sub 2 o sub 3 or moo sub 3 were definitely detrimental. It appears that the importance of oxide films to friction and wear processes has not been fully appreciated.

Aliased tidal errors in TOPEX/POSEIDON sea surface height data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Schlax, Michael G.; Chelton, Dudley B.

1994-01-01

Alias periods and wavelengths for the M(sub 2, S(sub 2), N(sub 2), K(sub 1), O(sub 1), and P(sub 1) tidal constituents are calculated for TOPEX/POSEIDON. Alias wavelenghts calculated in previous studies are shown to be in error, and a correct method is presented. With the exception of the K(sub 1) constituent, all of these tidal aliases for TOPEX/POSEIDON have periods shorter than 90 days and are likely to be confounded with long-period sea surface height signals associated with real ocean processes. In particular, the correspondence between the periods and wavelengths of the M(sub 2) alias and annual baroclinic Rossby waves that plagued Geosat sea surface height data is avoided. The potential for aliasing residual tidal errors in smoothed estimates of sea surface height is calculated for the six tidal constituents. The potential for aliasing the lunar tidal constituents M(sub 2), N(sub 2) and O(sub 1) fluctuates with latitude and is different for estimates made at the crossovers of ascending and descending ground tracks than for estimates at points midway between crossovers. The potential for aliasing the solar tidal constituents S(sub 2), K(sub 1) and P(sub 1) varies smoothly with latitude. S(sub 2) is strongly aliased for latitudes within 50 degress of the equator, while K(sub 1) and P(sub 1) are only weakly aliased in that range. A weighted least squares method for estimating and removing residual tidal errors from TOPEX/POSEIDON sea surface height data is presented. A clear understanding of the nature of aliased tidal error in TOPEX/POSEIDON data aids the unambiguous identification of real propagating sea surface height signals. Unequivocal evidence of annual period, westward propagating waves in the North Atlantic is presented.

Boosting surface charge-transfer doping efficiency and robustness of diamond with WO3 and ReO3

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tordjman, Moshe; Weinfeld, Kamira; Kalish, Rafi

2017-09-01

An advanced charge-transfer yield is demonstrated by employing single monolayers of transition-metal oxides—tungsten trioxide (WO3) and rhenium trioxide (ReO3)—deposited on the hydrogenated diamond surface, resulting in improved p-type sheet conductivity and thermal stability. Surface conductivities, as determined by Hall effect measurements as a function of temperature for WO3, yield a record sheet hole carrier concentration value of up to 2.52 × 1014 cm-2 at room temperature for only a few monolayers of coverage. Transfer doping with ReO3 exhibits a consistent narrow sheet carrier concentration value of around 3 × 1013 cm-2, exhibiting a thermal stability of up to 450 °C. This enhanced conductivity and temperature robustness exceed those reported for previously exposed surface electron acceptor materials used so far on a diamond surface. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements of the C1s core level shift as a function of WO3 and ReO3 layer thicknesses are used to determine the respective increase in surface band bending of the accumulation layers, leading to a different sub-surface two-dimensional hole gas formation efficiency in both cases. This substantial difference in charge-exchange efficiency is unexpected since both surface acceptors have very close work functions. Consequently, these results lead us to consider additional factors influencing the transfer doping mechanism. Transfer doping with WO3 reveals the highest yet reported transfer doping efficiency per minimal surface acceptor coverage. This improved surface conductivity performance and thermal stability will promote the realization of 2D diamond-based electronic devices facing process fabrication challenges.

Surface chemistry of InP ridge structures etched in Cl{sub 2}-based plasma analyzed with angular XPS

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

Bouchoule, Sophie, E-mail: sophie.bouchoule@lpn.cnrs.fr; Cambril, Edmond; Guilet, Stephane

2015-09-15

Two x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy configurations are proposed to analyze the surface chemistry of micron-scale InP ridge structures etched in chlorine-based inductively coupled plasma (ICP). Either a classical or a grazing configuration allows to retrieve information about the surface chemistry of the bottom surface and sidewalls of the etched features. The procedure is used to study the stoichiometry of the etched surface as a function of ridge aspect ratio for Cl{sub 2}/Ar and Cl{sub 2}/H{sub 2} plasma chemistries. The results show that the bottom surface and the etched sidewalls are P-rich, and indicate that the P-enrichment mechanism is rather chemically driven.more » Results also evidence that adding H{sub 2} to Cl{sub 2} does not necessarily leads to a more balanced surface stoichiometry. This is in contrast with recent experimental results obtained with the HBr ICP chemistry for which fairly stoichiometric surfaces have been obtained.« less

Surface spins enhanced magnetoelectric coefficient and impedance spectroscopy of BaFe{sub 0.01}Ti{sub 0.99}O{sub 3} and BaFe{sub 0.015}Ti{sub 0.985}O{sub 3} nanorods

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

Verma, Kuldeep Chand, E-mail: kuldeep0309@yahoo.co.in; Akal School of Physics, Eternal University, Baru Sahib, Himachal Pradesh 173101; Tripathi, S.K.

2015-08-15

Highlights: • Multiferroic Fe-doped BaTiO{sub 3} nanorods. • Sol–gel. • Magnetoelectric coefficient. • Transmission electron microscopy. • Cole–Cole plots. - Abstract: Multiferroic BaFe{sub 0.01}Ti{sub 0.99}O{sub 3} (BFT1) and BaFe{sub 0.015}Ti{sub 0.985}O{sub 3} (BFT15) nanorods were prepared by a sol–gel synthesis and annealed at 700 °C/2 h. The tetragonal phase and nano dimensions of BFT samples are identified by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The enhancement in ferroelectricity depends upon low porosity, tetragonal phase, space charge field, larger surface area and oriented growth. The ferromagnetism depends upon partially filled inner shells, surface spins and oxygen vacancies. The magnetoelectric coefficient ismore » explained on the basis of surface spins, short-range interactions near surface boundary, compressive stress and twin structure contributed by nano grains which can reside stress near grain boundaries. The frequency dependent real (Z′) and imaginary (Z″) parts of impedance spectra are confirmed by the variations that observed in dielectric properties. The values of resistance of grain boundaries, R{sub gb} is higher than grains, R{sub g} indicating that the effect of grain boundaries is dominant in BFT nanorods.« less

Thermographic observation of heat transport in solid foams

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Netzelmann, U.; Abuhamad, M.; Walle, G.

2005-06-01

Heat transport in solid foams was studied by flash lamp heated dynamic thermography. For polyurethane foams, a movement of the peak temperature from the heated surface into the depth could be observed. This could be modelled by assuming a Beer optical absorber with non-adiabatic boundary. For large open pores, individual temperature-time curves were observed in the thermographic image. There is evidence for non-conductive heat transfer in the bulk of mixed-cell foams. In SiSiC ceramic foams, indications for sub-surface defects were detected.

High surface area graphene-supported metal chalcogenide assembly

DOEpatents

Worsley, Marcus A.; Kuntz, Joshua; Orme, Christine A.

2016-04-19

A composition comprising at least one graphene-supported assembly, which comprises a three-dimensional network of graphene sheets crosslinked by covalent carbon bonds, and at least one metal chalcogenide compound disposed on said graphene sheets, wherein the chalcogen of said metal chalcogenide compound is selected from S, Se and Te. Also disclosed are methods for making and using the graphene-supported assembly, including graphene-supported MoS.sub.2. Monoliths with high surface area and conductivity can be achieved. Lower operating temperatures in some applications can be achieved. Pore size and volume can be tuned.

Sub-nA spatially resolved conductivity profiling of surface and interface defects in ceria films

DOE PAGES

Farrow, Tim; Yang, Nan; Doria, Sandra; ...

2015-03-17

Spatial variability of conductivity in ceria is explored using scanning probe microscopy with galvanostatic control. Ionically blocking electrodes are used to probe the conductivity under opposite polarities to reveal possible differences in the defect structure across a thin film of CeO2. Data suggest the existence of a large spatial inhomogeneity that could give rise to constant phase elements during standard electrochemical characterization, potentially affecting the overall conductivity of films on the macroscale. The approach discussed here can also be utilized for other mixed ionic electronic conductor systems including memristors and electroresistors, as well as physical systems such as ferroelectric tunnelingmore » barriers« less

The possibly important role played by Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} during the activation of GaN photocathode

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

Fu, Xiaoqian, E-mail: ise-fuxq@ujn.edu.cn, E-mail: 214808748@qq.com; Institute of Electronic Engineering and Optoelectronic Technology, Nanjing University of Science and Technology, Nanjing 210094; Wang, Honggang

2015-08-14

Three different chemical solutions are used to remove the possible contamination on GaN surface, while Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} is still found at the surface. After thermal annealing at 710 °C in the ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chamber and activated with Cs/O, all the GaN samples are successfully activated to the effective negative electron affinity (NEA) photocathodes. Among all samples, the GaN sample with the highest content of Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} after chemical cleaning obtains the highest quantum efficiency. By analyzing the property of Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}, the surface processing results, and electron affinity variations during Cs and Cs/O{sub 2} deposition on GaNmore » of other groups, it is suggested that before the adsorption of Cs, Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3} is not completely removed from GaN surface in our samples, which will combine with Cs and lead to a large decrease in electron affinity. Furthermore, the effective NEA is formed for GaN photocathode, along with the surface downward band bending. Based on this assumption, a new dipole model Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}-Cs is suggested, and the experimental effects are explained and discussed.« less

Study on the adsorption properties of O{sub 3}, SO{sub 2}, and SO{sub 3} on B-doped graphene using DFT calculations

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

Rad, Ali Shokuhi, E-mail: a.shokuhi@gmail.com; Shabestari, Sahand Sadeghi; Mohseni, Soheil

2016-05-15

We investigated the structure, adsorption, electronic states, and charge transfer of O{sub 3}, SO{sub 2} and SO{sub 3} molecules on the surface of a B-doped graphene using density functional theory (DFT). We found weak physisorption of SO{sub 2} (−10.9 kJ/mole, using B3LYP-D) and SO{sub 3} (−15.7 kJ/mole, using B3LYP-D) on the surface of B-doped graphene while there is strong chemisorption for O{sub 3} (−96.3 kJ/mole, using B3LYP-D ) on this surface. Our results suggest the potential of B-doped graphene as a selective sensor/adsorbent for O{sub 3} molecule. We noticed some change in hybridizing of boron from sp{sup 2} to sp{supmore » 3} upon adsorption of O{sub 3} which cases transformation of the adsorbent from 2D to 3D. - Graphical abstract: The electronic property of B-doped graphene is responsible to highly adsorption of O{sub 3} molecules while the adsorption of SO{sub 2} and SO{sub 3} molecules on this surface exhibits only a weak interaction. - Highlights: • B-doped graphene clearly is n-type semiconductor. • High negatively charge of C-atoms neighboring the boron dopant. • Chemisorption of O{sub 3} and physisorption of SO{sub 2} and SO{sub 3} on the surface of B-doped graphene.« less

Higher modulus compositions incorporating particulate rubber

DOEpatents

Bauman, Bernard D.; Williams, Mark A.

1999-01-01

A plastic article having a number of surfaces with at least one surface being modified by contacting that surface with a reactive gas atmosphere containing F.sub.2, Cl.sub.2, O.sub.2, Ozone, SO.sub.3, oxidative acids, or mixtures thereof, at a temperature and gas partial pressure sufficient to increase the surface energy of the at least one surface being modified to at least 40 dynes/cm at a temperature of 20.degree. C., to enhance bonding of non-slip polymer coatings to the modified surface, to which coatings elastomeric or rigid particles may be admixed for imparting a surface profile and increasing the coefficient of friction between the coated surface and the counter-surface.

Desorption and sublimation kinetics for fluorinated aluminum nitride surfaces

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

King, Sean W., E-mail: sean.king@intel.com; Davis, Robert F.; Nemanich, Robert J.

2014-09-01

The adsorption and desorption of halogen and other gaseous species from surfaces is a key fundamental process for both wet chemical and dry plasma etch and clean processes utilized in nanoelectronic fabrication processes. Therefore, to increase the fundamental understanding of these processes with regard to aluminum nitride (AlN) surfaces, temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) have been utilized to investigate the desorption kinetics of water (H{sub 2}O), fluorine (F{sub 2}), hydrogen (H{sub 2}), hydrogen fluoride (HF), and other related species from aluminum nitride thin film surfaces treated with an aqueous solution of buffered hydrogen fluoride (BHF) dilutedmore » in methanol (CH{sub 3}OH). Pre-TPD XPS measurements of the CH{sub 3}OH:BHF treated AlN surfaces showed the presence of a variety of Al-F, N-F, Al-O, Al-OH, C-H, and C-O surfaces species in addition to Al-N bonding from the AlN thin film. The primary species observed desorbing from these same surfaces during TPD measurements included H{sub 2}, H{sub 2}O, HF, F{sub 2}, and CH{sub 3}OH with some evidence for nitrogen (N{sub 2}) and ammonia (NH{sub 3}) desorption as well. For H{sub 2}O, two desorption peaks with second order kinetics were observed at 195 and 460 °C with activation energies (E{sub d}) of 51 ± 3 and 87 ± 5 kJ/mol, respectively. Desorption of HF similarly exhibited second order kinetics with a peak temperature of 475 °C and E{sub d} of 110 ± 5 kJ/mol. The TPD spectra for F{sub 2} exhibited two peaks at 485 and 585 °C with second order kinetics and E{sub d} of 62 ± 3 and 270 ± 10 kJ/mol, respectively. These values are in excellent agreement with previous E{sub d} measurements for desorption of H{sub 2}O from SiO{sub 2} and AlF{sub x} from AlN surfaces, respectively. The F{sub 2} desorption is therefore attributed to fragmentation of AlF{sub x} species in the mass spectrometer ionizer. H{sub 2} desorption exhibited an additional high temperature peak at 910 °C with E{sub d} = 370 ± 10 kJ/mol that is consistent with both the dehydrogenation of surface AlOH species and H{sub 2} assisted sublimation of AlN. Similarly, N{sub 2} exhibited a similar higher temperature desorption peak with E{sub d} = 535 ± 40 kJ/mol that is consistent with the activation energy for direct sublimation of AlN.« less

Solvothermal synthesis of graphene-Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} composite and the degradation activity under visible light

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

Tao, Wenguang; Chang, Jiuli; Wu, Dapeng

2013-02-15

Graphical abstract: Display Omitted Highlights: ► Graphene-Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} composites were synthesized through a facile solvothermal method. ► Hydroxyl radicals are the main species responsible for the photodegradation activity. ► Graphene-Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} demonstrated dramatically improved visible light degradation activity. -- Abstract: Novel graphene-Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} (G-Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3}) composites were synthesized via a facile solvothermal method with graphene oxide (GO), SbCl{sub 3} and thiourea as the reactants. GO played an important role in controlling the size and the distribution of the formed Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} nanoparticles on the graphene sheets with different density. Due to the negative surface charge,more » smaller Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} particles size and efficient electrons transfer from Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} to graphene, the composites demonstrated improved photodegradation activity on rhodamine B (RhB). Among these composites, the product G-Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} 0.1, which was synthesized with the GO concentration of 0.1 mg/mL, exhibited the highest photodegradation activity owing to the considerable density of Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} nanoparticles onto graphene sheet free of aggregation. Hydroxyl radicals (·OH) derived from conduction band (CB) electrons of Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} is suggested to be responsible for the photodegradation of RhB. The high visible light degradation activity and the satisfactory cycling stability made the as-prepared G-Sb{sub 2}S{sub 3} 0.1 an applicable photocatalyst.« less

Operation of the GaSb p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors fabricated on (111)A surfaces

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

Nishi, K., E-mail: nishi@mosfet.t.u-tokyo.ac.jp; Takenaka, M.; Takagi, S.

2014-12-08

We demonstrate the operation of GaSb p-channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors (p-MOSFETs) on (111)A surfaces with Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} gate dielectrics formed by atomic-layer deposition at 150 °C. The p-MOSFETs on (111)A surfaces exhibit higher drain current and lower subthreshold swing than those on (100) surfaces. We find that the interface-state density (D{sub it}) values at the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/GaSb MOS interfaces on the (111)A surfaces are lower than those on the (100) surfaces, which can lead to performance enhancement of the GaSb p-MOSFETs on (111)A surfaces. The mobility of the GaSb p-MOSFETs on (111)A surfaces is 80% higher than that onmore » (100) surfaces.« less

Environmental Monitoring of Microbe Metabolic Transformation

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bebout, Brad (Inventor); Fleming, Erich (Inventor); Piccini, Matthew (Inventor); Beasley, Christopher (Inventor); Bebout, Leslie (Inventor)

2013-01-01

Mobile system and method for monitoring environmental parameters involved in growth or metabolic transformation of algae in a liquid. Each of one or more mobile apparati, suspended or partly or wholly submerged in the liquid, includes at least first and second environmental sensors that sense and transmit distinct first and second environmental, growth or transformation parameter values, such as liquid temperature, temperature of gas adjacent to and above the exposed surface, liquid pH, liquid salinity, liquid turbidity, O.sub.2 dissolved in the liquid, CO.sub.2 contained in the liquid, oxidization and reduction potential of the liquid, nutrient concentrations in the liquid, nitrate concentration in the liquid, ammonium concentration in the liquid, bicarbonate concentration in the liquid, phosphate concentration in the liquid, light intensity at the liquid surface, electrical conductivity of the liquid, and a parameter.alpha.(alga) associated with growth stage of the alga, using PAM fluorometry or other suitable parameter measurements.

Resistivity scaling and electron relaxation times in metallic nanowires

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

Moors, Kristof, E-mail: kristof@itf.fys.kuleuven.be; Imec, Kapeldreef 75, B-3001 Leuven; Sorée, Bart

2014-08-14

We study the resistivity scaling in nanometer-sized metallic wires due to surface roughness and grain-boundaries, currently the main cause of electron scattering in nanoscaled interconnects. The resistivity has been obtained with the Boltzmann transport equation, adopting the relaxation time approximation of the distribution function and the effective mass approximation for the conducting electrons. The relaxation times are calculated exactly, using Fermi's golden rule, resulting in a correct relaxation time for every sub-band state contributing to the transport. In general, the relaxation time strongly depends on the sub-band state, something that remained unclear with the methods of previous work. The resistivitymore » scaling is obtained for different roughness and grain-boundary properties, showing large differences in scaling behavior and relaxation times. Our model clearly indicates that the resistivity is dominated by grain-boundary scattering, easily surpassing the surface roughness contribution by a factor of 10.« less

Algorithms and applications of aberration correction and American standard-based digital evaluation in surface defects evaluating system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Fan; Cao, Pin; Yang, Yongying; Li, Chen; Chai, Huiting; Zhang, Yihui; Xiong, Haoliang; Xu, Wenlin; Yan, Kai; Zhou, Lin; Liu, Dong; Bai, Jian; Shen, Yibing

2016-11-01

The inspection of surface defects is one of significant sections of optical surface quality evaluation. Based on microscopic scattering dark-field imaging, sub-aperture scanning and stitching, the Surface Defects Evaluating System (SDES) can acquire full-aperture image of defects on optical elements surface and then extract geometric size and position information of defects with image processing such as feature recognization. However, optical distortion existing in the SDES badly affects the inspection precision of surface defects. In this paper, a distortion correction algorithm based on standard lattice pattern is proposed. Feature extraction, polynomial fitting and bilinear interpolation techniques in combination with adjacent sub-aperture stitching are employed to correct the optical distortion of the SDES automatically in high accuracy. Subsequently, in order to digitally evaluate surface defects with American standard by using American military standards MIL-PRF-13830B to judge the surface defects information obtained from the SDES, an American standard-based digital evaluation algorithm is proposed, which mainly includes a judgment method of surface defects concentration. The judgment method establishes weight region for each defect and adopts the method of overlap of weight region to calculate defects concentration. This algorithm takes full advantage of convenience of matrix operations and has merits of low complexity and fast in running, which makes itself suitable very well for highefficiency inspection of surface defects. Finally, various experiments are conducted and the correctness of these algorithms are verified. At present, these algorithms have been used in SDES.

Transient studies of low temperature catalysts for methane conversion. Final report, [September 1992--March 1996

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

Wolf, E.E.

1996-09-30

The objective of this project is to use transient techniques to study gas surface interactions during the oxidative conversion of methane. Two groups of catalysts were studied: a double oxide of vanadium and phosphate or VPO, and double oxides of Ni, Co and Rh and lanthana. The objective of the studies involving the VPO catalyst was to understand gas-surface interactions leading to the formation of formaldehyde. In the second group of catalysts, involving metallo-oxides, the main objective was to study the gas-surface interactions that determine the selectivity to C{sub 2} hydrocarbons or synthesis gas. Transient techniques were used to studymore » the methane-surface interactions and the role of lattice oxygen. The selection of the double oxides was made on the hypothesis that the metal oxide would provide an increase interaction with methane whereas the phosphate or lanthanide would provide the sites for oxygen adsorption. The hypothesis behind this selection of catalysts was that increasing the methane interaction with the catalysts would lower the reaction temperature and thus increase the selectivity to the desired products over the total oxidation reaction. In both groups of catalysts the role of Li as a modifier of the selectivity was also studied in detail.« less

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

Rather, Sami ullah, E-mail: rathersami@gmail.com; Taimoor, Aqeel Ahmad; Muhammad, Ayyaz

Highlights: • Hydrogen adsorption comparisons of commercial, milled, and MgH{sub 2} composite. • Hydrogen adsorption capacity and kinetics improves tremendously by CNT embedding. • Unsteady state modeling and simulation of adsorption kinetics. - Abstract: Magnesium hydride (MgH{sub 2})–carbon nanotubes (CNT) composite has been prepared by high-energy ball milling method and their experimental and kinetic hydrogen adsorption studies was assessed. Hydrogen adsorption studies were performed by Sievert’s volumetric apparatus and kinetic evaluation was conducted by surface chemistry and Langmuir–Hinshelwood–Hougen–Watson (LHHW) type mode. Powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) were performed. Hydrogen adsorption capacity of commercial MgH{submore » 2}, milled MgH{sub 2}, and MgH{sub 2}/CNT composite are found to be 0.04, 0.057, and 0.059 g (H{sub 2})/g (MgH{sub 2}) at 673 K and hydrogen pressure of 4.6 MPa. Addition of 5 wt% of CNTs to MgH{sub 2} proved to be very critical to enhance hydrogen adsorption as well as to improve its kinetics. It was observed that hydrogen adsorption is not in quasi-state equilibrium and is modeled using kinetic rate laws.« less

Enhancing the magnetic anisotropy of maghemite nanoparticles via the surface coordination of molecular complexes

PubMed Central

Prado, Yoann; Daffé, Niéli; Michel, Aude; Georgelin, Thomas; Yaacoub, Nader; Grenèche, Jean-Marc; Choueikani, Fadi; Otero, Edwige; Ohresser, Philippe; Arrio, Marie-Anne; Cartier-dit-Moulin, Christophe; Sainctavit, Philippe; Fleury, Benoit; Dupuis, Vincent; Lisnard, Laurent; Fresnais, Jérôme

2015-01-01

Superparamagnetic nanoparticles are promising objects for data storage or medical applications. In the smallest—and more attractive—systems, the properties are governed by the magnetic anisotropy. Here we report a molecule-based synthetic strategy to enhance this anisotropy in sub-10-nm nanoparticles. It consists of the fabrication of composite materials where anisotropic molecular complexes are coordinated to the surface of the nanoparticles. Reacting 5 nm γ-Fe2O3 nanoparticles with the [CoII(TPMA)Cl2] complex (TPMA: tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine) leads to the desired composite materials and the characterization of the functionalized nanoparticles evidences the successful coordination—without nanoparticle aggregation and without complex dissociation—of the molecular complexes to the nanoparticles surface. Magnetic measurements indicate the significant enhancement of the anisotropy in the final objects. Indeed, the functionalized nanoparticles show a threefold increase of the blocking temperature and a coercive field increased by one order of magnitude. PMID:26634987

Verification of micro-scale photogrammetry for smooth three-dimensional object measurement

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sims-Waterhouse, Danny; Piano, Samanta; Leach, Richard

2017-05-01

By using sub-millimetre laser speckle pattern projection we show that photogrammetry systems are able to measure smooth three-dimensional objects with surface height deviations less than 1 μm. The projection of laser speckle patterns allows correspondences on the surface of smooth spheres to be found, and as a result, verification artefacts with low surface height deviations were measured. A combination of VDI/VDE and ISO standards were also utilised to provide a complete verification method, and determine the quality parameters for the system under test. Using the proposed method applied to a photogrammetry system, a 5 mm radius sphere was measured with an expanded uncertainty of 8.5 μm for sizing errors, and 16.6 μm for form errors with a 95 % confidence interval. Sphere spacing lengths between 6 mm and 10 mm were also measured by the photogrammetry system, and were found to have expanded uncertainties of around 20 μm with a 95 % confidence interval.

Development of a generalized multi-pixel and multi-parameter satellite remote sensing algorithm for aerosol properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hashimoto, M.; Nakajima, T.; Takenaka, H.; Higurashi, A.

2013-12-01

We develop a new satellite remote sensing algorithm to retrieve the properties of aerosol particles in the atmosphere. In late years, high resolution and multi-wavelength, and multiple-angle observation data have been obtained by grand-based spectral radiometers and imaging sensors on board the satellite. With this development, optimized multi-parameter remote sensing methods based on the Bayesian theory have become popularly used (Turchin and Nozik, 1969; Rodgers, 2000; Dubovik et al., 2000). Additionally, a direct use of radiation transfer calculation has been employed for non-linear remote sensing problems taking place of look up table methods supported by the progress of computing technology (Dubovik et al., 2011; Yoshida et al., 2011). We are developing a flexible multi-pixel and multi-parameter remote sensing algorithm for aerosol optical properties. In this algorithm, the inversion method is a combination of the MAP method (Maximum a posteriori method, Rodgers, 2000) and the Phillips-Twomey method (Phillips, 1962; Twomey, 1963) as a smoothing constraint for the state vector. Furthermore, we include a radiation transfer calculation code, Rstar (Nakajima and Tanaka, 1986, 1988), numerically solved each time in iteration for solution search. The Rstar-code has been directly used in the AERONET operational processing system (Dubovik and King, 2000). Retrieved parameters in our algorithm are aerosol optical properties, such as aerosol optical thickness (AOT) of fine mode, sea salt, and dust particles, a volume soot fraction in fine mode particles, and ground surface albedo of each observed wavelength. We simultaneously retrieve all the parameters that characterize pixels in each of horizontal sub-domains consisting the target area. Then we successively apply the retrieval method to all the sub-domains in the target area. We conducted numerical tests for the retrieval of aerosol properties and ground surface albedo for GOSAT/CAI imager data to test the algorithm for the land area. In this test, we simulated satellite-observed radiances for a sub-domain consisting of 5 by 5 pixels by the Rstar code assuming wavelengths of 380, 674, 870 and 1600 [nm], atmospheric condition of the US standard atmosphere, and the several aerosol and ground surface conditions. The result of the experiment showed that AOTs of fine mode and dust particles, soot fraction and ground surface albedo at the wavelength of 674 [nm] are retrieved within absolute value differences of 0.04, 0.01, 0.06 and 0.006 from the true value, respectively, for the case of dark surface, and also, for the case of blight surface, 0.06, 0.03, 0.04 and 0.10 from the true value, respectively. We will conduct more tests to study the information contents of parameters needed for aerosol and land surface remote sensing with different boundary conditions among sub-domains.

Enhanced flashover strength in polyethylene nanodielectrics by secondary electron emission modification

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

Wang, Weiwang; Li, Shengtao, E-mail: sli@xjtu.edu.cn; Min, Daomin

2016-04-15

This work studies the correlation between secondary electron emission (SEE) characteristics and impulse surface flashover in polyethylene nanodielectrics both theoretically and experimentally, and illustrates the enhancement of flashover voltage in low-density polyethylene (LDPE) through incorporating Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles. SEE characteristics play key roles in surface charging and gas desorption during surface flashover. This work demonstrates that the presence of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles decreases the SEE coefficient of LDPE and enhances the impact energy at the equilibrium state of surface charging. These changes can be explained by the increase of surface roughness and of surface ionization energy, and themore » strong interaction between nanoparticles and the polymer dielectric matrix. The surface charge and flashover voltage are calculated according to the secondary electron emission avalanche (SEEA) model, which reveals that the positive surface charges are reduced near the cathode triple point, while the presence of more nanoparticles in high loading samples enhances the gas desorption. Consequently, the surface flashover performance of LDPE/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanodielectrics is improved.« less

Theoretical insight into Cobalt subnano-clusters adsorption on α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (0001)

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

Gao, Fen-e; Ren, Jun, E-mail: jun.ren@nuc.edu.cn; Wang, Qiang

The investigation on the structural stability, nucleation, growth and interaction of cobalt cluster Con(n=2–7) on the α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) surface by using density functional theory methods has been reported. Energetically, the most favorable adsorption sites were identified and the strongest adsorption energy cluster is the tetrahedral Co{sub 4} cluster. On the other hand, the nucleation of Con(n=2–7) clusters on the surface is exothermic and thermodynamically favorable. Moreover, even-odd alternation was found with respect to clusters nucleation as a function of the number of cobalt atoms (for n=1–7). Meanwhile, the Co{sub n} clusters can be adsorbed on the surface stably owingmore » to the charge transfer from Co atoms to Al and O atoms of the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} substrate. In addition, we establish the crucial importance of monomer, dimer and trimer diffusion on the surface. The diffusion of the monomer cobalt from Al{sup (3)} to O{sup (5)} or O{sup (5)} to Al{sup (4)} site is quite easy on the Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}(0001) surface, whereas the diffusion of the Co{sub 2} dimer is thermodynamically unfavorable by compared with that of the Co adatom and Co{sub 3} trimer. - Graphical abstract: Diffusion process of Co adatom on the α-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} (0001) surface, Al{sup (3)} site→O{sup (5)} site→Al{sup (4)} site. Potential energy surface for diffusion of a single Co atom from Al{sup (3)} to O{sup (5)} site, and from O{sup (5)} to Al{sup (4)} site on the surface. The activation energy of the two migration processes from Al{sup (3)} to O{sup (5)} and O{sup (5)} to Al{sup (4)} are 0.06 and 0.09 eV, respectively. This implies the monomer is quite mobile on the surface under typical growth conditions.« less

Fluorine-ion conductivity of different technological forms of solid electrolytes R{sub 1–y}M{sub y}F{sub 3–y} (LaF{sub 3} Type ) (M = Ca, Sr, Ba; R Are Rare Earth Elements)

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

Sorokin, N. I., E-mail: nsorokin1@yandex.ru; Sobolev, B. P.

We have investigated the conductivity of some representatives of different technological forms of fluoride-conducting solid electrolytes R{sub 1–y}M{sub y}F{sub 3–y} (M = Ca, Sr, Ba; R are rare earth elements) with an LaF{sub 3} structure: single crystals, cold- and hot-pressing ceramics based on a charge prepared in different ways (mechanochemical synthesis, solid-phase synthesis, and fragmentation of single crystals), polycrystalline alloys, etc. It is shown (by impedance spectroscopy), that different technological forms of identical chemical composition (R, M, y) exhibit different electrical characteristics. The maximum conductivity is observed for the single-crystal form of R{sub 1–y}M{sub y}F{sub 3–y} tysonite phases, which providesmore » (in contrast to other technological forms) the formation of true volume ion-conducting characteristics.« less

Polymer Electrolyte Through Enzyme Catalysis for High Performance Lithium-Ion Batteries

DTIC Science & Technology

1998-10-16

by block number) FIELD GROUP SUB-GROUP Polymer Electrolyte, Solid State, Enzyme Catalysis, Lithium - Ion Battery , Sol Gel, High Conductivity 19...excellent candidates for lithium - ion battery development. Furthermore, the processes used to achieve the final product yield very good mechanical properties...Objectives This research was initiated to investigate synthesis of improved polymer electrolytes for lithium - ion battery applications. The overall

Electrode and grain-boundary effects on the conductivity of CaCu{sub 3}Ti{sub 4}O{sub 12}

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

Zhang Lei

2005-07-11

The ac conductivity of CaCu{sub 3}Ti{sub 4}O{sub 12} (CCTO) ceramics was studied in the temperature range 173

Thermal Conductive Heat Transfer and Partial Melting of Volatiles in Icy Moons, Asteroids, and Kuiper Belt Objects (Invited)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kargel, J. S.; Furfaro, R.

2013-12-01

Thermal gradients within conductive layers of icy satellite and asteroids depend partly on heat flow, which is related to the secular decay of radioactive isotopes, to heat released by chemical phase changes, by conversion of gravitational potential energy to heat during differentiation, tidal energy dissipation, and to release of heat stored from prior periods. Thermal gradients are also dependent on the thermal conductivity of materials, which in turn depends on their composition, crystallinity, porosity, crystal fabric anisotropy, and details of their mixture with other materials. Small impurities can produce lattice defects and changes in polymerization, and thereby have a huge influence on thermal conductivity, as can cage-inclusion (clathrate) compounds. Heat flow and thermal gradients can be affected by fluid phase advection of mass and heat (in oceans or sublimating upper crusts), by refraction related to heterogeneities of thermal conductivity due to lateral variations and composition or porosity. Thermal profiles depend also on the surface temperature controlled by albedo and climate, surface relief, and latitude, orbital obliquity and surface insolation, solid state greenhouses, and endogenic heating of the surface. The thermal state of icy moon interiors and thermal gradients can be limited at depth by fluid phase advection of heat (e.g., percolating meteoric methane or gas emission), by the latent heat of phase transitions (melting, solid-state transitions, and sublimation), by solid-state convective or diapiric heat transfer, and by foundering. Rapid burial of thick volatile deposits can also affect thermal gradients. For geologically inactive or simple icy objects, most of these controls on heat flow and thermal gradients are irrelevant, but for many other icy objects they can be important, in some cases causing large lateral and depth variations in thermal gradients, large variations in heat flow, and dynamically evolving thermal states. Many of these processes result in transient thermal states and hence rapid evolution of icy body interiors. Interesting heat-flow phenomena (approximated as steady-state thermal states) have been modeled in volatile-rich main belt asteroids, Io, Europa, Enceladus, Titan, Pluto, and Makemake (2005 FY9). Thermal conditions can activate geologic processes, but the occurrence of geologic activity can fundamentally alter the thermal conductivity and elasticity of icy objects, which then further affects the distribution and type of subsequent geologic activity. For example, cryoclastic volcanism on Enceladus can increase solid-state greenhouse heating of the upper crust, reduce thermal conductivity, and increase retention of heat and spur further cryovolcanism. Sulfur extrusion on Io can produce low-thermal-conductivity flows, high thermal gradients, basal melting of the flows, and lateral extrusion and spreading of the flows or formation of solid-crusted lava lakes. Impact formation of regoliths and fine-grained dust deposits on large asteroids may generate local variations in thermal gradients. Interior heating and geologic activity can either (1) emplace low-conductivity materials on the surface and cause further interior heating, or (2) drive metamorphism, sintering, and volatile loss, and increase thermal conductivity and cool the object. Thus, the type and distribution of present-day geologic activity on icy worlds is dependent on geologic history. Geology begets geology.

Ionic transport through sub-10 nm diameter hydrophobic high-aspect ratio nanopores: experiment, theory and simulation

PubMed Central

Balme, Sébastien; Picaud, Fabien; Manghi, Manoel; Palmeri, John; Bechelany, Mikhael; Cabello-Aguilar, Simon; Abou-Chaaya, Adib; Miele, Philippe; Balanzat, Emmanuel; Janot, Jean Marc

2015-01-01

Fundamental understanding of ionic transport at the nanoscale is essential for developing biosensors based on nanopore technology and new generation high-performance nanofiltration membranes for separation and purification applications. We study here ionic transport through single putatively neutral hydrophobic nanopores with high aspect ratio (of length L = 6 μm with diameters ranging from 1 to 10 nm) and with a well controlled cylindrical geometry. We develop a detailed hybrid mesoscopic theoretical approach for the electrolyte conductivity inside nanopores, which considers explicitly ion advection by electro-osmotic flow and possible flow slip at the pore surface. By fitting the experimental conductance data we show that for nanopore diameters greater than 4 nm a constant weak surface charge density of about 10−2 C m−2 needs to be incorporated in the model to account for conductance plateaus of a few pico-siemens at low salt concentrations. For tighter nanopores, our analysis leads to a higher surface charge density, which can be attributed to a modification of ion solvation structure close to the pore surface, as observed in the molecular dynamics simulations we performed. PMID:26036687

Thermally determining flow and/or heat load distribution in parallel paths

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

Chainer, Timothy J.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Parida, Pritish R.

A method including obtaining calibration data for at least one sub-component in a heat transfer assembly, wherein the calibration data comprises at least one indication of coolant flow rate through the sub-component for a given surface temperature delta of the sub-component and a given heat load into said sub-component, determining a measured heat load into the sub-component, determining a measured surface temperature delta of the sub-component, and determining a coolant flow distribution in a first flow path comprising the sub-component from the calibration data according to the measured heat load and the measured surface temperature delta of the sub-component.

Thermally determining flow and/or heat load distribution in parallel paths

DOEpatents

Chainer, Timothy J.; Iyengar, Madhusudan K.; Parida, Pritish R.

2016-12-13

A method including obtaining calibration data for at least one sub-component in a heat transfer assembly, wherein the calibration data comprises at least one indication of coolant flow rate through the sub-component for a given surface temperature delta of the sub-component and a given heat load into said sub-component, determining a measured heat load into the sub-component, determining a measured surface temperature delta of the sub-component, and determining a coolant flow distribution in a first flow path comprising the sub-component from the calibration data according to the measured heat load and the measured surface temperature delta of the sub-component.

Viscoelastic analysis of seals for extended service life

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bower, Mark V.

1993-01-01

The space station is being developed for a service life of up to thirty years. As a consequence, the design requirements for the seals to be used are unprecedented. Full scale testing to assure the selected seals can satisfy the design requirements are not feasible. As an alternative, a sub-scale test program (2) has been developed by MSFC to calibrate the analysis tools to be used to certify the proposed design. This research has been conducted in support of the MSFC Integrated Seal Test Program. The ultimate objective of this research is to correlate analysis and test results to qualify the analytical tools which in turn, are to be used to qualify the flight hardware. Seals are simple devices, in wide spread use. The most common type of seal is the O-ring. O-ring seals are typically rings of rubber with a circular cross section. The rings are placed between the surfaces to be sealed, usually in a groove of some design. The particular design may differ based on a number of different factors. This research is focused on O-rings that are staticly compressed by perpendicular clamping forces, commonly referred to as face seals. In this type of seal the O-ring is clamped between the sealing surfaces by loads perpendicular to the circular cross section.

Blade Tip Pressure Measurements Using Pressure Sensitive Paint

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wong, Oliver D.; Watkins, Anthony Neal; Goodman, Kyle Z.; Crafton, James; Forlines, Alan; Goss, Larry; Gregory, James W.; Juliano, Thomas J.

2012-01-01

This paper discusses the application of pressure sensitive paint using laser-based excitation for measurement of the upper surface pressure distribution on the tips of rotor blades in hover and simulated forward flight. The testing was conducted in the Rotor Test Cell and the 14- by 22-ft Subsonic Tunnel at the NASA Langley Research Center on the General Rotor Model System (GRMS) test stand. The Mach-scaled rotor contained three chordwise rows of dynamic pressure transducers for comparison with PSP measurements. The rotor had an 11 ft 1 in. diameter, 5.45 in. main chord and a swept, tapered tip. Three thrust conditions were examined in hover, C(sub T) = 0.004, 0.006 and 0.008. In forward flight, an additional thrust condition, C(sub T) = 0.010 was also examined. All four thrust conditions in forward flight were conducted at an advance ratio of 0.35.

Acid-base properties of aqueous illite surfaces

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

Du, Q.; Sun, Z.; Forsling, W.

In this paper, the acid-base properties of illite/water suspensions are examined using the constant capacitance surface complexation model. On the basis of results of potentiometric titrations and solubility experiments, the authors conclude that the proton reactions in the supernatants of illite suspensions can be successfully represented by proton reactions of Al(H{sub 2}O){sub 6}{sup 3+} and Si(OH){sub 4} in water solutions. For illustrating the acidic characteristics of aqueous illite surfaces, two surface protonation models are proposed: (1) one site-one pK{sub a} model, {triple_bond}SOH {r_reversible} {triple_bond}SO{sup {minus}} + H{sup +}, pK{sub a}{sup int} = 4.12-4.23; (2) two sites-two pK{sub a}s model, {triple_bond}S{submore » 1}OH {r_reversible} {triple_bond}S{sup 1}O{sup {minus}} + H{sup +}, pK{sub a{sub I}} = 4.17-4.44, and {triple_bond}S{sub II}OH {r_reversible} {triple_bond}S{sub II}O{sup {minus}} + H{sup +}, pK{sub a{sub II}}{sup int} = 6.35-7.74. Evaluation of these two models indicates that both of them can give good descriptions of the experimental data of systems with different illite concentrations and ionic strengths and that the one site-one pK{sub a} model can be considered as a simplification of the two sites-two pK{sub a}s model. Since both models assume only deprotonation reactions at the illite surfaces, they suggest that the surface behavior of the illite is similar to that of amorphous SiO{sub 2}. Model assumptions, experimental procedures, and evaluative criteria are detailed in the paper.« less

Facile synthesis of high surface area molybdenum nitride and carbide

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

Roy, Aaron; Serov, Alexey; Artyushkova, Kateryna

2015-08-15

The synthesis of high surface area γ-Mo{sub 2}N and α-Mo{sub 2}C is reported (116 and 120 m{sup 2}/g) without the temperature programmed reduction of MoO{sub 3}. γ-Mo{sub 2}N was prepared in an NH{sub 3}-free synthesis using forming gas (7 at% H{sub 2}, N{sub 2}-balance) as the reactive atmosphere. Three precursors were studied ((NH{sub 4}){sub 6}Mo{sub 7}O{sub 24}·4H{sub 2}O, (NH{sub 4}){sub 2} Mg(MoO{sub 4}){sub 2}, and MgMoO{sub 4}) along with the sacrificial support method (SSM) as a means of reducing the particle size of Mo{sub 2}N and Mo{sub 2}C. In situ X-ray diffraction (XRD) studies were carried out to identify reactionmore » intermediates, the temperature at which various intermediates form, and the average domain size of the Mo{sub 2}N products. Materials were synthesized in bulk and further characterized by XRD, HRTEM, XPS, and BET. - Highlights: • Facile synthesis of γ-Mo2N and α-Mo2C with surface area exceeding 100 m{sup 2}/g. • Sacrificial support method was used to achieve these high surface areas. • Materials can serve as catalysts or supports in (electro)chemical processes.« less

Analyzing the Potential for Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS) Photogrammetry in Estimating Surface Deformations at a Geothermal Fiel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pai, H.; Burnett, J.; Sladek, C.; Wing, M.; Feigl, K. L.; Selker, J. S.; Tyler, S.; Team, P.

2016-12-01

UAS systems equipped with a variety of spectral imaging devices are increasingly incorporated in spatial environmental assessments of continental surfaces (e.g., digital elevation maps, vegetative coverage classifications, surface temperatures). This presented work performed by the UAS team at the Center for Transformative Environmental Monitoring Programs (AirCTEMPS) examines the potential to measure small (sub-cm) deformation from a geothermal injection experiment at Brady's geothermal field in western Nevada (USA). Areal mapping of the 700 x 270 m area of interest was conducted with a nadir pointing Sony A5100 digital camera onboard an autopiloted quadcopter. A total of 16 ground control points were installed using a TopCon GR3 GPS receiver. Two such mapping campaigns were conducted with one before and one after an anticipated surface deformation event. A digital elevation map (DEM) for each time period was created from over 1500 images having 80% overlap/sidelap by using structure from motion (SfM) via Agisoft Photoscan software. The resulting DEM resolution was 8 mm/pixel with residual aerial triangulation errors was < 5 mm. We present preliminary results from an optimized workflow which achieved errors and average differential DEM heights between campaigns at the cm-scale which is broader than the maximum expected deformation. Despite the disconnect between error and deformation severity, this study presents a unique application of sub-cm UAS-based DEMs and further distinguishes itself by comparing results to concurrent Interferometric Synthetic Radar (InSAR). The intent of our study and presentation of results is to streamline, cross-validate, and share methods to encourage further adoption of UAS imagery into the standard toolkit for environmental surface sensing across spatial scales.

POPULATION PROPERTIES OF BROWN DWARF ANALOGS TO EXOPLANETS

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

Faherty, Jacqueline K.; Gagne, Jonathan; Weinberger, Alycia

2016-07-01

We present a kinematic analysis of 152 low surface gravity M7-L8 dwarfs by adding 18 new parallaxes (including 10 for comparative field objects), 38 new radial velocities, and 19 new proper motions. We also add low- or moderate-resolution near-infrared spectra for 43 sources confirming their low surface gravity features. Among the full sample, we find 39 objects to be high-likelihood or new bona fide members of nearby moving groups, 92 objects to be ambiguous members and 21 objects that are non-members. Using this age-calibrated sample, we investigate trends in gravity classification, photometric color, absolute magnitude, color–magnitude, luminosity, and effective temperature.more » We find that gravity classification and photometric color clearly separate 5–130 Myr sources from >3 Gyr field objects, but they do not correlate one to one with the narrower 5–130 Myr age range. Sources with the same spectral subtype in the same group have systematically redder colors, but they are distributed between 1 and 4 σ from the field sequences and the most extreme outlier switches between intermediate- and low-gravity sources either confirmed in a group or not. The absolute magnitudes of low-gravity sources from the J band through W 3 show a flux redistribution when compared to equivalently typed field brown dwarfs that is correlated with spectral subtype. Low-gravity, late-type L dwarfs are fainter at J than the field sequence but brighter by W 3. Low-gravity M dwarfs are >1 mag brighter than field dwarfs in all bands from J through W 3. Clouds, which are a far more dominant opacity source for L dwarfs, are the likely cause. On color–magnitude diagrams, the latest-type, low-gravity L dwarfs drive the elbow of the L/T transition up to 1 mag redder and 1 mag fainter than field dwarfs at M{sub J} but are consistent with or brighter than the elbow at M{sub W1} and M{sub W2}. We conclude that low-gravity dwarfs carry an extreme version of the cloud conditions of field objects to lower temperatures, which logically extends into the lowest-mass, directly imaged exoplanets. Furthermore, there is an indication on color-magnitude diagrams (CMDs; such as M{sub J} versus (J – W 2)) of increasingly redder sequences separated by gravity classification, although it is not consistent across all CMD combinations. Examining bolometric luminosities for planets and low-gravity objects, we confirm that (in general) young M dwarfs are overluminous while young L dwarfs are normal compared to the field. Using model extracted radii, this translates into normal to slightly warmer M dwarf temperatures compared to the field sequence and lower temperatures for L dwarfs with no obvious correlation with the assigned moving group.« less

Estimation of Surface Air Temperature Over Central and Eastern Eurasia from MODIS Land Surface Temperature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shen, Suhung; Leptoukh, Gregory G.

2011-01-01

Surface air temperature (T(sub a)) is a critical variable in the energy and water cycle of the Earth.atmosphere system and is a key input element for hydrology and land surface models. This is a preliminary study to evaluate estimation of T(sub a) from satellite remotely sensed land surface temperature (T(sub s)) by using MODIS-Terra data over two Eurasia regions: northern China and fUSSR. High correlations are observed in both regions between station-measured T(sub a) and MODIS T(sub s). The relationships between the maximum T(sub a) and daytime T(sub s) depend significantly on land cover types, but the minimum T(sub a) and nighttime T(sub s) have little dependence on the land cover types. The largest difference between maximum T(sub a) and daytime T(sub s) appears over the barren and sparsely vegetated area during the summer time. Using a linear regression method, the daily maximum T(sub a) were estimated from 1 km resolution MODIS T(sub s) under clear-sky conditions with coefficients calculated based on land cover types, while the minimum T(sub a) were estimated without considering land cover types. The uncertainty, mean absolute error (MAE), of the estimated maximum T(sub a) varies from 2.4 C over closed shrublands to 3.2 C over grasslands, and the MAE of the estimated minimum Ta is about 3.0 C.

Play the heavy: An effective mass study for α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and corundum oxides

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

Neufeld, Ofer; Caspary Toroker, Maytal, E-mail: maytalc@tx.technion.ac.il

2016-04-28

Iron(III) oxide (α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}) is a known water splitting catalyst commonly used in photoelectrochemical cells. These cells are severely impaired by poor conductivity in α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and resolving the conductivity issue is therefore crucial. One of the most intrinsic properties of matter, which governs conductivity, is the carrier effective masses. In this work, we investigate the carrier effective masses in α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and other corundum oxides, including Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Cr{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and In{sub 2}O{sub 3} with different theoretical constructs: density functional theory (DFT), DFT+U, hybrid DFT, and G{sub 0}W{sub 0}. We findmore » DFT sufficiently describes the carrier masses and a quasi-particle theory is only required for accuracies better than 30% for the conduction band effective mass. Additionally, we compare the density of states (DOS) and band effective mass approximations and conclude the DOS effective mass provides poor results whenever the band structure is anisotropic. We find that the charge carriers in Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} “play the heavy” since they have large effective masses that reduce conductivity and device efficiency. Finally, we conclude that the less heavy electron effective masses of other corundum oxides studied relative to Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} could contribute to efficiency improvements in Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} upon Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, Ga{sub 2}O{sub 3}, and In{sub 2}O{sub 3} coverage.« less

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

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

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

2012-08-15

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

Early stages of plasma induced nitridation of Si (111) surface and study of interfacial band alignment

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

Shetty, Satish; Shivaprasad, S. M., E-mail: smsprasad@jncasr.ac.in

2016-02-07

We report here a systematic study of the nitridation of the Si (111) surface by nitrogen plasma exposure. The surface and interface chemical composition and surface morphology are investigated by using RHEED, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy (AFM). At the initial stage of nitridation two superstructures—“8 × 8” and “8/3 × 8/3”—form, and further nitridation leads to 1 × 1 stoichiometric silicon nitride. The interface is seen to have the Si{sup 1+} and Si{sup 3+} states of silicon bonding with nitrogen, which suggests an atomically abrupt and defect-free interface. The initial single crystalline silicon nitride layers are seen to become amorphous at higher thicknesses.more » The AFM image shows that the nitride nucleates at interfacial dislocations that are connected by sub-stoichiometric 2D-nitride layers, which agglomerate to form thick overlayers. The electrical properties of the interface yield a valence band offset that saturates at 1.9 eV and conduction band offset at 2.3 eV due to the evolution of the sub-stoichiometric interface and band bending.« less

Evaluation of the first simulation tool to quantitatively interpret the measurements of the ExoMars mission's Wisdom GPR

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dorizon, Sophie; Ciarletti, Valérie

2013-04-01

The Water Ice Sub-surface Deposits Observation on Mars (WISDOM) (500MHz - 3GHz) GPR is one of the instruments that have been selected as part of the Pasteur payload of ESA's 2018 ExoMars Rover mission. One of the main scientific objectives of the mission is to characterize the nature of the shallow sub-surface on Mars and WISDOM has been designed to explore the first 3 meters of the sub-surface with a vertical resolution of a few centimetres. Laboratory and field tests using the prototype developed for the ExoMars mission by LATMOS (Laboratoire Atmosphère, Milieux, Observations Spatiales) in collaboration with the AOB (Bordeaux) and the university of Dresden (Germany) are regularly performed to assess and improve the radar performances. In order to quantitatively interpret the experimental data obtained, we developed a simulation tool based on ray-tracing. This code proves to be a fast practical way even if simplified to help radargrams interpretation. The WISDOM GPR, unlike most traditional GPRs, is operated approximately 30 centimetres above the surface. This configuration implies that the propagation between the antenna and the surface cannot be neglected especially because the instrument's aim is to characterise the very shallow subsurface. As a consequence, while we can draw advantage of this specific configuration by using the surface echo's amplitude to retrieve information about the top layer's roughness and permittivity value, precise location of buried reflector becomes more complicated. Indeed, the signature distinctive of individual reflectors buried in the sub-surface is not more an exact mathematical hyperbola. When the individual reflector is buried deep enough in the subsurface, the adjustment by an hyperbolic function still allows the retrieval of the reflector's location and the permittivity value of the surrounding medium. But in case of a reflector closer to the surface, the approximation is no longer valid. We propose a robust model adjustment that can be used for any reflector's depth. The physical assumptions taken into account are presented. Finally, results for different configurations and the validation of the limit conditions for which this adjustment method is reliable are shown. Preliminary analyzes on real data show the good performance of the method developed. Other modelling techniques will be considered to complete a full data interpretation taking the best from the instrument capacities

Improving energy partitioning and the nighttime energy balance by implementation of a multi-layer energy budget in ORCHIDEE-CAN

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yiying; Ryder, James; Naudts, Kim; McGrath, Matthew J.; Otto, Juliane; Bastriko, Vladislav; Valade, Aude; Launiainen, Samuli; Ogée, Jérôme; Elbers, Jan A.; Foken, Thomas; Tiedemann, Frank; Heinesch, Bernard; Black, Andrew; Haverd, Vanessa; Loustau, Denis; Ottlé, Catherine; Peylin, Philippe; Polcher, Jan; Luyssaert, Sebastiaan

2015-04-01

Canopy structure is one of the most important vegetation characteristics for land-atmosphere interactions as it determines the energy and scalar exchanges between land surface and overlay air mass. In this study we evaluated the performance of a newly developed multi-layer energy budget (Ryder et al., 2014) in a land surface model, ORCHIDEE-CAN (Naudts et al., 2014), which simulates canopy structure and can be coupled to an atmospheric model using an implicit procedure. Furthermore, a vertical discrete drag parametrization scheme was also incorporated into this model, in order to obtain a better description of the sub-canopy wind profile simulation. Site level datasets, including the top-of-the-canopy and sub-canopy observations made available from eight flux observation sites, were collected in order to conduct this evaluation. The geo-location of the collected observation sites crossed climate zones from temperate to boreal and the vegetation types included deciduous, evergreen broad leaved and evergreen needle leaved forest with maximum LAI ranging from 2.1 to 7.0. First, we used long-term top-of-the-canopy measurements to analyze the performance of the current one-layer energy budget in ORCHIDEE-CAN. Three major processes were identified for improvement through the implementation of a multi-layer energy budget: 1) night time radiation balance, 2) energy partitioning during winter and 3) prediction of the ground heat flux. Short-term sub-canopy observations were used to calibrate the parameters in sub-canopy radiation, turbulence and resistances modules with an automatic tuning process following the maximum gradient of the user-defined objective function. The multi-layer model is able to capture the dynamic of sub-canopy turbulence, temperature and energy fluxes with imposed LAI profile and optimized parameter set at a site level calibration. The simulation result shows the improvement both on the nighttime energy balance and energy partitioning during winter and presents a better Taylor skill score, compared to the result from single layer simulation. The importance of using the multi-layer energy budget in a land surface model for coupling to the atmospheric model will also be discussed in this presentation. Reference: Ryder, J., J. Polcher, P. Peylin, C. Ottlé, Y. Chen, E. Van Gorsel, V. Haverd, M. J. McGrath, K.Naudts, J. Otto, A. Valade, and S. Luyssaert, 2014. "A multi-layer land surface energy budget model for implicit coupling with global atmospheric simulations", Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss. 7, 8649-8701 Naudts, K. J. Ryder, M. J. McGrath, J. Otto, Y. Chen, A. Valade, V. Bellasen, G. Berhongaray, G. Bönisch, M. Campioli, J. Ghattas, T. De Groote, V. Haverd, J. Kattge, N. MacBean, F. Maignan, P. Merilä, J. Penuelas, P. Peylin, B. Pinty, H. Pretzsch, E. D. Schulze, D. Solyga, N. Vuichard, Y. Yan, and S. Luyssaert, 2014. "A vertically discretised canopy description for ORCHIDEE (SVN r2290) and the modifications to the energy, water and carbon fluxes", Geosci. Model Dev. Discuss. 7, 8565-8647

Applications of Micro-CT scanning in medicine and dentistry: Microstructural analyses of a Wistar Rat mandible and a urinary tract stone

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Latief, F. D. E.; Sari, D. S.; Fitri, L. A.

2017-08-01

High-resolution tomographic imaging by means of x-ray micro-computed tomography (μCT) has been widely utilized for morphological evaluations in dentistry and medicine. The use of μCT follows a standard procedure: image acquisition, reconstruction, processing, evaluation using image analysis, and reporting of results. This paper discusses methods of μCT using a specific scanning device, the Bruker SkyScan 1173 High Energy Micro-CT. We present a description of the general workflow, information on terminology for the measured parameters and corresponding units, and further analyses that can potentially be conducted with this technology. Brief qualitative and quantitative analyses, including basic image processing (VOI selection and thresholding) and measurement of several morphometrical variables (total VOI volume, object volume, percentage of total volume, total VOI surface, object surface, object surface/volume ratio, object surface density, structure thickness, structure separation, total porosity) were conducted on two samples, the mandible of a wistar rat and a urinary tract stone, to illustrate the abilities of this device and its accompanying software package. The results of these analyses for both samples are reported, along with a discussion of the types of analyses that are possible using digital images obtained with a μCT scanning device, paying particular attention to non-diagnostic ex vivo research applications.

Spatial and temporal patterns of pesticide losses in a small Swedish agricultural catchment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sandin, Maria; Piikki, Kristin; Jarvis, Nicholas; Larsbo, Mats; Bishop, Kevin; Kreuger, Jenny

2017-04-01

Research at catchment and regional scales shows that losses of pesticides to surface water often originate from a relatively small fraction of the agricultural landscape. These 'hydrologic source areas' represent areas of land that are highly susceptible to fast transport processes, primarily surface runoff or rapid subsurface flows through soil macropores, either to subsurface field drainage systems or as shallow interflow on more strongly sloping land. A good understanding of the nature of transport pathways for pesticides to surface water in agricultural landscapes is essential for cost-effective identification and implementation of mitigation measures. However, the relative importance of surface and subsurface flows for transport of pesticides to surface waters in Sweden remains largely unknown, since very few studies have been performed under Swedish agro-environmental conditions. We conducted a monitoring study in a small sub-surface drained agricultural catchment in one of the main crop production regions in Sweden. Three small sub-catchments were selected for water sampling based on a high-resolution soil map developed from proximal sensing data; one sub-catchment was dominated by clay soils, another by coarse sandy soils while the third comprised a mix of soil types. Samples were collected from the stream, from field drains discharging into the stream and from within-field surface runoff during spring and early summer in three consecutive years. LC-MS/MS analyses of more than 100 compounds, covering the majority of the polar and semi-polar pesticides most frequently used in Swedish agriculture, were performed on all samples using accredited methods. Information on pesticide applications (products, doses and timing) was obtained from annual interviews with the farmers. There were clear and consistent differences in pesticide losses between the three sub-catchments, with the largest losses occurring in the area with clay soils, and negligible losses from the sandy sub-catchment. This suggests that transport of pesticides to the stream is almost entirely occurring along fast flow paths such as macropore flow to drains or surface runoff. Only a very small proportion of fields are directly connected to the stream by overland pathways, which suggests that macropore flow to drains was the dominant loss pathway in the studied area. Data on pesticide use patterns revealed that compounds were detected in drainage and stream water samples that had not been applied for several years. This suggests that despite the predominant role of fast flow paths in determining losses to the stream, long-term storage along the transport pathways also occurs, presumably in subsoil where degradation is slow.

Monitoring Surface Climate With its Emissivity Derived From Satellite Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Zhou, Daniel K.; Larar, Allen M.; Liu, Xu

2012-01-01

Satellite thermal infrared (IR) spectral emissivity data have been shown to be significant for atmospheric research and monitoring the Earth fs environment. Long-term and large-scale observations needed for global monitoring and research can be supplied by satellite-based remote sensing. Presented here is the global surface IR emissivity data retrieved from the last 5 years of Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) measurements observed from the MetOp-A satellite. Monthly mean surface properties (i.e., skin temperature T(sub s) and emissivity spectra epsilon(sub v) with a spatial resolution of 0.5x0.5-degrees latitude-longitude are produced to monitor seasonal and inter-annual variations. We demonstrate that surface epsilon(sub v) and T(sub s) retrieved with IASI measurements can be used to assist in monitoring surface weather and surface climate change. Surface epsilon(sub v) together with T(sub s) from current and future operational satellites can be utilized as a means of long-term and large-scale monitoring of Earth 's surface weather environment and associated changes.

Permutation invariant potential energy surfaces for polyatomic reactions using atomistic neural networks

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

Kolb, Brian; Department of Mechanical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139; Zhao, Bin

2016-06-14

The applicability and accuracy of the Behler-Parrinello atomistic neural network method for fitting reactive potential energy surfaces is critically examined in three systems, H + H{sub 2} → H{sub 2} + H, H + H{sub 2}O → H{sub 2} + OH, and H + CH{sub 4} → H{sub 2} + CH{sub 3}. A pragmatic Monte Carlo method is proposed to make efficient choice of the atom-centered mapping functions. The accuracy of the potential energy surfaces is not only tested by fitting errors but also validated by direct comparison in dynamically important regions and by quantum scattering calculations. Our results suggestmore » this method is both accurate and efficient in representing multidimensional potential energy surfaces even when dissociation continua are involved.« less

One pot synthesis of nanosized anion doped TiO{sub 2}: Effect of irradiation of sound waves on surface morphology and optical properties

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

Sharotri, Nidhi, E-mail: nidhisliet11@gmail.com; Sud, Dhiraj, E-mail: author-suddhiraj@yahoo.com

2015-08-28

Commercialization of AOP’s for remediation of pollutants from environmental matrix required the process to be operated by solar light. Semiconductor TiO{sub 2} has emerged as an effective and preferred photocatalyst in the field of environmental photocatalysis due to its; (i) biological and chemical inertness (ii) resistance to chemical and photo corrosion, (iii) can absorb natural UV light due to appropriate energetic separation between its valence and conduction band. However, unfortunately the optical band gap of TiO{sub 2} (3.0-3.23 eV) with absorption cut off ∼ 380 nm, enables it to harness only a small fraction (∼ 5%) of the entire solarmore » spectrum. One of the current areas of research is modification of TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst. In present paper one pot greener synthesis from titanium isopropoxide and hydroxylamine hydrochloride has been used as titanium and nitrogen precursor under ultrasonic waves. The as synthesized TiO{sub 2} nanomaterials were dried at 100°C and further calcinated at different temperatures. The effect of reaction parameters such as ultrasonication time on the yield, surface morphology, spectroscopic data and optical properties was also investigated. The results confirm that the anatase phase is a main phase with a crystallite size of 35-77 nm and the calculated band gap of nanomaterials varies from 2.10-3.1 eV.« less

Surface plasmon resonance-induced photocatalysis by Au nanoparticles decorated mesoporous g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} nanosheets under direct sunlight irradiation

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

Tonda, Surendar; Kumar, Santosh; Shanker, Vishnu, E-mail: vishnu@nitw.ac.in

Highlights: • The Au/mp-g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} was synthesized via a template-free and green in situ strategy. • Au/mp-g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} nanosheets possesses high surface area and porous structure. • Au/mp-g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} showed dramatic photocurrent response and photocatalytic activity. • The high performance is due to SPR of Au and mesoporous structure. • Au/mp-g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} nanosheets exhibited high photostability. - Abstract: In recent years, surface plasmon-induced photocatalytic materials with tunable mesoporous framework have attracted considerable attention in energy conversion and environmental remediation. Herein we report a novel Au nanoparticles decorated mesoporous graphitic carbon nitride (Au/mp-g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4}) nanosheets viamore » a template-free and green in situ photo-reduction method. The synthesized Au/mp-g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} nanosheets exhibit a strong absorption edge in visible and near-IR region owing to the surface plasmon resonance effect of Au nanoparticles. More attractively, Au/mp-g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} exhibited much higher photocatalytic activity than that of pure mesoporous and bulk g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} for the degradation of rhodamine B under sunlight irradiation. Furthermore, the photocurrent and photoluminescence studies demonstrated that the deposition of Au nanoparticles on the surface of mesoporous g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} could effectively inhibit the recombination of photogenerated charge carriers leading to the enhanced photocatalytic activity. More importantly, the synthesized Au/mp-g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} nanosheets possess high reusability. Hence, Au/mp-g-C{sub 3}N{sub 4} could be promising photoactive material for energy and environmental applications.« less

The role of optimality in characterizing CO2 seepage from geological carbon sequestration sites

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

Cortis, Andrea; Oldenburg, Curtis M.; Benson, Sally M.

Storage of large amounts of carbon dioxide (CO{sub 2}) in deep geological formations for greenhouse gas mitigation is gaining momentum and moving from its conceptual and testing stages towards widespread application. In this work we explore various optimization strategies for characterizing surface leakage (seepage) using near-surface measurement approaches such as accumulation chambers and eddy covariance towers. Seepage characterization objectives and limitations need to be defined carefully from the outset especially in light of large natural background variations that can mask seepage. The cost and sensitivity of seepage detection are related to four critical length scales pertaining to the size ofmore » the: (1) region that needs to be monitored; (2) footprint of the measurement approach, and (3) main seepage zone; and (4) region in which concentrations or fluxes are influenced by seepage. Seepage characterization objectives may include one or all of the tasks of detecting, locating, and quantifying seepage. Each of these tasks has its own optimal strategy. Detecting and locating seepage in a region in which there is no expected or preferred location for seepage nor existing evidence for seepage requires monitoring on a fixed grid, e.g., using eddy covariance towers. The fixed-grid approaches needed to detect seepage are expected to require large numbers of eddy covariance towers for large-scale geologic CO{sub 2} storage. Once seepage has been detected and roughly located, seepage zones and features can be optimally pinpointed through a dynamic search strategy, e.g., employing accumulation chambers and/or soil-gas sampling. Quantification of seepage rates can be done through measurements on a localized fixed grid once the seepage is pinpointed. Background measurements are essential for seepage detection in natural ecosystems. Artificial neural networks are considered as regression models useful for distinguishing natural system behavior from anomalous behavior suggestive of CO{sub 2} seepage without need for detailed understanding of natural system processes. Because of the local extrema in CO{sub 2} fluxes and concentrations in natural systems, simple steepest-descent algorithms are not effective and evolutionary computation algorithms are proposed as a paradigm for dynamic monitoring networks to pinpoint CO{sub 2} seepage areas.« less

Entry, Descent, and Landing Mission Design for the Crew Exploration Vehicle Thermal Protection System Qualification Flight Test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ivanov, Mark; Strauss, William; Maddock, Robert

2007-01-01

The TORCH team was challenged to generate the lowest cost mission design solution that meets the CEV aerothermal test objectives on a sub-scale flight article. The test objectives resulted from producing representative lunar return missions and observing the aerothermal envelopes of select surface locations on the CEV. From these aerothermal envelopes, two test boxes were established: one for high shear and one for high radiation. The unique and challenging trajectory design objective for the flight test was to fly through these aerothermal boxes in shear, pressure, heat flux, and radiation while also not over testing. These test boxes, and the max aerothermal limits, became the driving requirements for defining the mission design.

Brines formed by multi-salt deliquescence

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

Carroll, S; Rard, J; Alai, M

2005-11-04

The FY05 Waste Package Environment testing program at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory focused on determining the temperature, relative humidity, and solution compositions of brines formed due to the deliquescence of NaCl-KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3} and NaCl-KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3}-Ca(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} salt mixtures. Understanding the physical and chemical behavior of these brines is important because they define conditions under which brines may react with waste canister surfaces. Boiling point experiments show that NaCl-KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3} and NaCl-KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3}-Ca(NO{sub 3}){sub 2} salt mixtures form brines that transform to hydrous melts that do not truly 'dry out' until temperatures exceed 300 and 400more » C, respectively. Thus a conducting solution is present for these salt assemblages over the thermal history of the repository. The corresponding brines form at lower relative humidity at higher temperatures. The NaCl-KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3} salt mixture has a mutual deliquescence relative humidity (MDRH) of 25.9% at 120 C and 10.8% at 180 C. Similarly, the KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3} salt mixture has MDRH of 26.4% at 120 C and 20.0% at 150 C. The KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3} salt mixture salts also absorb some water (but do not appear to deliquesce) at 180 C and thus may also contribute to the transfer of electrons at interface between dust and the waste package surface. There is no experimental evidence to suggest that these brines will degas and form less deliquescent salt assemblages. Ammonium present in atmospheric and tunnel dust (as the chloride, nitrate, or sulfate) will readily decompose in the initial heating phase of the repository, and will affect subsequent behavior of the remaining salt mixture only through the removal of a stoichiometric equivalent of one or more anions. Although K-Na-NO{sub 3}-Cl brines form at high temperature and low relative humidity, these brines are dominated by nitrate, which is known to inhibit corrosion at lower temperature. Nitrate to chloride ratios of the NaCl-KNO{sub 3}-NaNO{sub 3} salt mixture are about NO{sub 3}:Cl = 19:1. The role of nitrate on corrosion at higher temperatures is addressed in a companion report (Dixit et al., 2005).« less

Bent-tailed radio sources in the australia telescope large area survey of the Chandra deep field south

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

Dehghan, S.; Johnston-Hollitt, M.; Franzen, T. M. O.

2014-11-01

Using the 1.4 GHz Australia Telescope Large Area Survey, supplemented by the 1.4 GHz Very Large Array images, we undertook a search for bent-tailed (BT) radio galaxies in the Chandra Deep Field South. Here we present a catalog of 56 detections, which include 45 BT sources, 4 diffuse low-surface-brightness objects (1 relic, 2 halos, and 1 unclassified object), and a further 7 complex, multi-component sources. We report BT sources with rest-frame powers in the range 10{sup 22} ≤ P {sub 1.4} {sub GHz} ≤ 10{sup 26} W Hz{sup –1}, with redshifts up to 2 and linear extents from tens ofmore » kiloparsecs up to about 1 Mpc. This is the first systematic study of such sources down to such low powers and high redshifts and demonstrates the complementary nature of searches in deep, limited area surveys as compared to shallower, large surveys. Of the sources presented here, one is the most distant BT source yet detected at a redshift of 2.1688. Two of the sources are found to be associated with known clusters: a wide-angle tail source in A3141 and a putative radio relic which appears at the infall region between the galaxy group MZ 00108 and the galaxy cluster AMPCC 40. Further observations are required to confirm the relic detection, which, if successful, would demonstrate this to be the least powerful relic yet seen with P {sub 1.4} {sub GHz} = 9 × 10{sup 22} W Hz{sup –1}. Using these data, we predict future 1.4 GHz all-sky surveys with a resolution of ∼10 arcsec and a sensitivity of 10 μJy will detect of the order of 560,000 extended low-surface-brightness radio sources of which 440,000 will have a BT morphology.« less

DAYCENT AND ITS LAND SURFACE SUBMODEL: DESCRIPTION AND TESTING. (R824993)

EPA Science Inventory

Abstract

A land surface submodel was developed for the daily version of the CENTURY ecosystem model (DAYCENT). The goal of DAYCENT to simulate soil N₂O, NO_x, and CH₄ fluxes for terrestrial ecosystems determined the structure and ...

Investigations on caesium-free alternatives for H{sup −} formation at ion source relevant parameters

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

Kurutz, U.; Fantz, U.; AG Experimentelle Plasmaphysik, Institut für Physik, Universität Augsburg, 86135 Augsburg

2015-04-08

Negative hydrogen ions are efficiently produced in ion sources by the application of caesium. Due to a thereby induced lowering of the work function of a converter surface a direct conversion of impinging hydrogen atoms and positive ions into negative ions is maintained. However, due to the complex caesium chemistry and dynamics a long-term behaviour is inherent for the application of caesium that affects the stability and reliability of negative ion sources. To overcome these drawbacks caesium-free alternatives for efficient negative ion formation are investigated at the flexible laboratory setup HOMER (HOMogenous Electron cyclotron Resonance plasma). By the usage ofmore » a meshed grid the tandem principle is applied allowing for investigations on material induced negative ion formation under plasma parameters relevant for ion source operation. The effect of different sample materials on the ratio of the negative ion density to the electron density n{sub H{sup −}} /n{sub e} is compared to the effect of a stainless steel reference sample and investigated by means of laser photodetachment in a pressure range from 0.3 to 3 Pa. For the stainless steel sample no surface induced effect on the negative ion density is present and the measured negative ion densities are resulting from pure volume formation and destruction processes. In a first step the dependency of n{sub H{sup −}} /n{sub e} on the sample distance has been investigated for a caesiated stainless steel sample. At a distance of 0.5 cm at 0.3 Pa the density ratio is 3 times enhanced compared to the reference sample confirming the surface production of negative ions. In contrast for the caesium-free material samples, tantalum and tungsten, the same dependency on pressure and distance n{sub H{sup −}} /n{sub e} like for the stainless steel reference sample were obtained within the error margins: A density ratio of around 14.5% is measured at 4.5 cm sample distance and 0.3 Pa, linearly decreasing with decreasing distance to 7% at 1.5 cm. Thus, tantalum and tungsten do not significantly affect the negative ion density. First measurements conducted with LaB{sub 6} as well as with two types of diamond like carbon (DLC) n{sub H{sup −}} /n{sub e} of about 15% at 1 Pa were measured, which is comparable to the density ratio obtained for the stainless steel reference sample. At HOMER a surface induced enhancement of n{sub H{sup −}} is only observed when it exceeds the volume formation of H{sup −} which is also realistic for negative hydrogen ion sources.« less

Phase diagram, chemical stability and physical properties of the solid-solution Ba{sub 4}Nb{sub 2-x}Ta{sub x}O{sub 9}

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

Dunstan, Matthew T., E-mail: m.dunstan@chem.usyd.edu.au; Southon, Peter D.; Kepert, Cameron J.

Through the construction of the Ba{sub 4}Nb{sub 2-x}Ta{sub x}O{sub 9} phase diagram, it was discovered that the unique high-temperature {gamma} phase is a thermodynamic intermediate between the low-temperature {alpha} phase (Sr{sub 4}Ru{sub 2}O{sub 9}-type) and a 6H-perovskite. Refined site occupancies for the {gamma} phase across the Ba{sub 4}Nb{sub 2-x}Ta{sub x}O{sub 9} solid-solution indicate that Nb preferentially occupies the tetrahedral sites over the octahedral sites in the structure. When annealed in a CO{sub 2}-rich atmosphere, all of the phases studied absorb large amounts of CO{sub 2} at high temperatures between {approx}700 and 1300 K. In situ controlled-atmosphere diffraction studies show thatmore » this behaviour is linked to the formation of BaCO{sub 3} on the surface of the material, accompanied by a Ba{sub 5}(Nb,Ta){sub 4}O{sub 15} impurity phase. In situ diffraction in humid atmospheres also confirms that these materials hydrate below {approx}1273K, and that this plays a critical role in the various reconstructive phase transitions as well as giving rise to proton conduction. - Graphical abstract: Thermodynamic phase diagram of Ba{sub 4}Nb{sub 2-x}Ta{sub x}O{sub 9}. Highlights: > {gamma}-Ba{sub 4}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 9} phase is a structural intermediate between the {alpha} and 6H-perovskite phases. > Ba{sub 4}Nb{sub 2}O{sub 9} and Ba{sub 4}Ta{sub 2}O{sub 9} decompose at high temperatures in the presence of CO{sub 2}. > These materials all absorb between 5% and 6% of CO{sub 2} by mass between {approx}800 and 1200 K.« less

Epitaxial GeSn film formed by solid phase epitaxy and its application to Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3}-gated GeSn metal-oxide-semiconductor capacitors with sub-nm equivalent oxide thickness

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

Lee, Ching-Wei; Wu, Yung-Hsien; Hsieh, Ching-Heng

2014-11-17

Through the technique of solid phase epitaxy (SPE), an epitaxial Ge{sub 0.955}Sn{sub 0.045} film was formed on a Ge substrate by depositing an amorphous GeSn film followed by a rapid thermal annealing at 550 °C. A process that uses a SiO{sub 2} capping layer on the amorphous GeSn film during SPE was proposed and it prevents Sn precipitation from occurring while maintaining a smooth surface due to the reduced surface mobility of Sn atoms. The high-quality epitaxial GeSn film was observed to have single crystal structure, uniform thickness and composition, and tiny surface roughness with root mean square of 0.56 nm. Withmore » a SnO{sub x}-free surface, Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3}-gated GeSn metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) capacitors with equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of 0.55 nm were developed. A small amount of traps inside the Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} was verified by negligible hysteresis in capacitance measurement. Low leakage current of 0.4 A/cm{sup 2} at gate bias of flatband voltage (V{sub FB})-1 V suggests the high quality of the gate dielectric. In addition, the feasibility of using Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} to well passivate GeSn surface was also evidenced by the small interface trap density (D{sub it}) of 4.02 × 10{sup 11} eV{sup −1} cm{sup −2}, which can be attributed to smooth GeSn surface and Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} valency passivation. Both leakage current and D{sub it} performance outperform other passivation techniques at sub-nm EOT regime. The proposed epitaxial GeSn film along with Yb{sub 2}O{sub 3} dielectric paves an alternative way to enable high-performance GeSn MOS devices.« less

Surface texture of single-crystal silicon oxidized under a thin V{sub 2}O{sub 5} layer

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

Nikitin, S. E., E-mail: nikitin@mail.ioffe.ru; Verbitskiy, V. N.; Nashchekin, A. V.

The process of surface texturing of single-crystal silicon oxidized under a V{sub 2}O{sub 5} layer is studied. Intense silicon oxidation at the Si–V{sub 2}O{sub 5} interface begins at a temperature of 903 K which is 200 K below than upon silicon thermal oxidation in an oxygen atmosphere. A silicon dioxide layer 30–50 nm thick with SiO{sub 2} inclusions in silicon depth up to 400 nm is formed at the V{sub 2}O{sub 5}–Si interface. The diffusion coefficient of atomic oxygen through the silicon-dioxide layer at 903 K is determined (D ≥ 2 × 10{sup –15} cm{sup 2} s{sup –1}). A modelmore » of low-temperature silicon oxidation, based on atomic oxygen diffusion from V{sub 2}O{sub 5} through the SiO{sub 2} layer to silicon, and SiO{sub x} precipitate formation in silicon is proposed. After removing the V{sub 2}O{sub 5} and silicon-dioxide layers, texture is formed on the silicon surface, which intensely scatters light in the wavelength range of 300–550 nm and is important in the texturing of the front and rear surfaces of solar cells.« less

Application of multiphase modelling for vortex occurrence in vertical pump intake - a review

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Samsudin, M. L.; Munisamy, K. M.; Thangaraju, S. K.

2015-09-01

Vortex formation within pump intake is one of common problems faced for power plant cooling water system. This phenomenon, categorised as surface and sub-surface vortices, can lead to several operational problems and increased maintenance costs. Physical model study was recommended from published guidelines but proved to be time and resource consuming. Hence, the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) is an attractive alternative in managing the problem. At the early stage, flow analysis was conducted using single phase simulation and found to find good agreement with the observation from physical model study. With the development of computers, multiphase simulation found further enhancement in obtaining accurate results for representing air entrainment and sub-surface vortices which were earlier not well predicted from the single phase simulation. The purpose of this paper is to describe the application of multiphase modelling with CFD analysis for investigating vortex formation for a vertically inverted pump intake. In applying multiphase modelling, there ought to be a balance between the acceptable usage for computational time and resources and the degree of accuracy and realism in the results as expected from the analysis.

Tomographic imaging using poissonian detector data

DOEpatents

Aspelmeier, Timo; Ebel, Gernot; Hoeschen, Christoph

2013-10-15

An image reconstruction method for reconstructing a tomographic image (f.sub.j) of a region of investigation within an object (1), comprises the steps of providing detector data (y.sub.i) comprising Poisson random values measured at an i-th of a plurality of different positions, e.g. i=(k,l) with pixel index k on a detector device and angular index l referring to both the angular position (.alpha..sub.l) and the rotation radius (r.sub.l) of the detector device (10) relative to the object (1), providing a predetermined system matrix A.sub.ij assigning a j-th voxel of the object (1) to the i-th detector data (y.sub.i), and reconstructing the tomographic image (f.sub.j) based on the detector data (y.sub.i), said reconstructing step including a procedure of minimizing a functional F(f) depending on the detector data (y.sub.i) and the system matrix A.sub.ij and additionally including a sparse or compressive representation of the object (1) in an orthobasis T, wherein the tomographic image (f.sub.j) represents the global minimum of the functional F(f). Furthermore, an imaging method and an imaging device using the image reconstruction method are described.

Synthesis and characterization of (Bi{sub 0.5}Ba{sub 0.5}) (Fe{sub 0.5}Ti{sub 0.5}) O{sub 3} ceramic

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

Parida, B.N., E-mail: bichitra_mama@rediffmail.com; Das, Piyush R., E-mail: prdas63@gmail.com; Padhee, R.

2015-01-15

Graphical abstract: Temperature variation of (a) dielectric constant (b) dielectric loss of the sample. - Highlights: • The high values of dielectric permittivity and low value of tangent loss. • It used for microwave applications. • The impedance and dielectric relaxation in the material is non exponential and non Debye-type. • Its ac conductivity obeys Jonscher universal power law. - Abstract: The polycrystalline sample of (Bi{sub 0.5}Ba{sub 0.5}) (Fe{sub 0.5}Ti{sub 0.5}) O{sub 3} (BF–BT) was prepared by a standard mixed oxide method. Analysis of room temperature XRD pattern and Raman/FTIR spectra of the compound does not exhibit any change inmore » its crystal structure of BaTiO{sub 3} on addition of BiFeO{sub 3} in equal ratio. The surface morphology of the gold-plated sintered pellet sample recorded by SEM (scanning electron microscope) exhibits a uniform distribution of grains with less porosity. Detailed studies of nature and quantity of variation of dielectric constant, tangent loss, and polarization with temperature and frequency indicate the existence of ferroelectric phase transition at high-temperature. There is a low-temperature anti-ferromagnetic phase transition below 375 °C in the material. Detailed studies of electrical properties (impedance, modulus, etc.) of the material confirmed a strong correlation between micro-structure and properties.« less

Passivation of c-Si surfaces by sub-nm amorphous silicon capped with silicon nitride

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

Wan, Yimao, E-mail: yimao.wan@anu.edu.au; Yan, Di; Bullock, James

2015-12-07

A sub-nm hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) film capped with silicon nitride (SiN{sub x}) is shown to provide a high level passivation to crystalline silicon (c-Si) surfaces. When passivated by a 0.8 nm a-Si:H/75 nm SiN{sub x} stack, recombination current density J{sub 0} values of 9, 11, 47, and 87 fA/cm{sup 2} are obtained on 10 Ω·cm n-type, 0.8 Ω·cm p-type, 160 Ω/sq phosphorus-diffused, and 120 Ω/sq boron-diffused silicon surfaces, respectively. The J{sub 0} on n-type 10 Ω·cm wafers is further reduced to 2.5 ± 0.5 fA/cm{sup 2} when the a-Si:H film thickness exceeds 2.5 nm. The passivation by the sub-nm a-Si:H/SiN{sub x} stack is thermally stable at 400 °C in N{sub 2} formore » 60 min on all four c-Si surfaces. Capacitance–voltage measurements reveal a reduction in interface defect density and film charge density with an increase in a-Si:H thickness. The nearly transparent sub-nm a-Si:H/SiN{sub x} stack is thus demonstrated to be a promising surface passivation and antireflection coating suitable for all types of surfaces encountered in high efficiency c-Si solar cells.« less

Sliding Wear and Fretting Wear of DLC-Based, Functionally Graded Nanocomposite Coatings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Miyoshi, K.; Pohlchuck, B.; Street, Kenneth W.; Zabinski, J. S.; Sanders, J. H.; Voevodin, A. a.; Wu, R. L. C.

1999-01-01

Improving the tribological functionality of diamondlike carbon (DLC) films--developing, good wear resistance, low friction, and high load-carrying capacity-was the aim of this investigation. Nanocomposite coatings consisting of an amorphous DLC (a-DLC) top layer and a functionally graded titanium-titanium carbon-diamondlike carbon (Ti-Ti(sub x) C(sub y)-DLC) underlayer were produced on AISI 440C stainless steel substrates by the hybrid technique of magnetron sputtering and pulsed-laser deposition. The resultant DLC films were characterized by Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and surface profilometry. Two types of wear experiment were conducted in this investioation: sliding friction experiments and fretting wear experiments. Unidirectional ball-on-disk sliding friction experiments were conducted to examine the wear behavior of an a-DLC/Ti-Ti(sub x) C(sub y)-DLC-coated AISI 440C stainless steel disk in sliding contact with a 6-mm-diameter AISI 440C stainless steel ball in ultrahigh vacuum, dry nitrogen, and humid air. Although the wear rates for both the coating and ball were low in all three environments, the humid air and dry nitrogen caused mild wear with burnishing, in the a-DLC top layer, and the ultrahigh vacuum caused relatively severe wear with brittle fracture in both the a-DLC top layer and the Ti-Ti(sub x) C(sub y)-DLC underlayer. For reference, amorphous hydrogenated carbon (H-DLC) films produced on a-DLC/Ti-Ti(sub x) C(sub y)-DLC nanocomposite coatings by using an ion beam were also examined in the same manner. The H-DLC films markedly reduced friction even in ultrahigh vacuum without sacrificing wear resistance. The H-DLC films behaved much like the a-DLC/Ti-Ti(sub x) C(sub y)-DLC nanocomposite coating in dry nitrogen and humid air, presenting low friction and low wear. Fretting wear experiments were conducted in humid air (approximately 50% relative humidity) at a frequency of 80 Hz and an amplitude of 75 micron on an a-DLC/Ti-Ti(sub x) C(sub y)-DLC-coated AISI 440C disk and on a titanium-6 wt % aluminum-4 wt% vanadium (Ti-6Al-4V) flat, both in contact with a 9.4-mm-diameter, hemispherical Ti-6Al-4V pin. The resistance to fretting wear and damage of the a-DLC/Ti-6Al-4V materials pair was superior to that of the Ti-6Al-4V/Ti-6AI-4V materials pair.

Effective conductivity of suspensions of overlapping spheres

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

Kim, I.C.; Torquato, S.

1992-03-15

An accurate first-passage simulation technique formulated by the authors (J. Appl. Phys. {bold 68}, 3892 (1990)) is employed to compute the effective conductivity {sigma}{sub {ital e}} of distributions of penetrable (or overlapping) spheres of conductivity {sigma}{sub 2} in a matrix of conductivity {sigma}{sub 1}. Clustering of particles in this model results in a generally intricate topology for virtually the entire range of sphere volume fractions {phi}{sub 2} (i.e., 0{le}{phi}{sub 2}{le}1). Results for the effective conductivity {sigma}{sub {ital e}} are presented for several values of the conductivity ratio {alpha}={sigma}{sub 2}/{sigma}{sub 1}, including superconducting spheres ({alpha}={infinity}) and perfectly insulating spheres ({alpha}=0), andmore » for a wide range of volume fractions. The data are shown to lie between rigorous three-point bounds on {sigma}{sub {ital e}} for the same model. Consistent with the general observations of Torquato (J. Appl. Phys. {bold 58}, 3790 (1985)) regarding the utility of rigorous bounds, one of the bounds provides a good estimate of the effective conductivity, even in the extreme contrast cases ({alpha}{much gt}1 or {alpha}{congruent}0), depending upon whether the system is below or above the percolation threshold.« less

Synthesis and magnetic properties of bundled and dispersed Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires

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

Zhang, B.B.; Wang, P.F.; Xu, J.C.

Highlights: • Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires possessed the same diameter and the different interwires distance. • All samples possessed antiferromagnetism and superparamagnetism at high temperature. • The exchange bias effect was observed at low temperature. • The surface spin coupling restrained the surface effect of magnetic nanostructures. - Abstract: The magnetic Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires were synthesized using the templates of SBA-15, and then the well-dispersed nanowires (D-wires) were separated from the bundled ordered nanowires (B-wires) with the centrifugal technique. TEM images indicated that D-wires were highly dispersed Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires and B-wires existed in bundles. All samples possessedmore » the antiferromagnetism and superparamagnetism at high temperature. After revealing the intrinsic magnetic properties of Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} nanowires with D-wires, the magnetic behavior of B-wires was discussed in detail, and then the magnetic interaction between neighboring nanowires could be deduced. The exchange bias effect from the body Co{sub 3}O{sub 4} antiferromagnetism and surface ferromagnetism was observed at low temperature. The magnetization of B-wires was higher than that of D-wires, which was attributed to the constraint of the surface spin coupling between the neighboring nanowires to the surface affect of nanostructures.« less

Effects of TiO{sub 2} addition on ionic conductivity of PVC/PEMA blend based composite polymer electrolyte

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

Subban, R. H. Y.; Facultyof Applied Sciences Universiti Teknologi MARA40450 Shah Alam Selangor Malaysia; Sukri, Nursyazwani

2015-08-28

PVC/PEMA blend based polymer electrolytes with lithium bistrifluoromethane sulfonimide (LiN(CF{sub 3}SO{sub 2}){sub 2}) and PVC/PEMA/(LiN(CF{sub 3}SO{sub 2}){sub 2}-TiO{sub 2} films were prepared by solution cast technique. The sample containing 35 wt. % LiN(CF{sub 3}SO{sub 2}){sub 2} exhibited the highest conductivity of 1.75 × 10{sup −5} Scm{sup −1}. The conductivity of the sample increased to 2.12 × 10{sup −5} Scm{sup −1} and 4.61 × 10{sup −5} Scm{sup −1} when 4 wt. % and 10 wt. % of titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) was added to the sample at 65 wt. % PVC/PEMA-35 wt. % LiN(CF{sub 3}SO{sub 2}){sub 2} composition respectively. The lowmore » increase in conductivity is attributed to two competing factors: increase in crystallinity as accounted by X-Ray diffraction (XRD) and decrease in glass transition temperature as accounted by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)« less

Ordering and bandgap reduction in InAs{sub 1{minus}x}Sb{sub x} alloys

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

Follstaedt, D.M.; Biefeld, R.M.; Kurtz, S.R.

1995-02-01

InAs{sub 1{minus}x}Sb{sub x} alloys grown by MBE and MOCVD are found to have reduced emission energies due to CuPt-type order, even for Sb concentrations as low as x = 0.07 ({Delta}E = 25--65 meV). Cross-section TEM examination of such alloys shows the two {l_brace}111{r_brace}{sub B} variants are separated into regions 1--2 {mu}m across with platelet domains 10--40 nm thick on habit planes tilted {approximately}30{center_dot} from the (001) growth surface. Nomarski optical images show a cross-hatched surface pattern expected for lattice-mismatched layers. The local tilt of the surface correlates with the dominant variant in each region. InAs{sub 1{minus}x}Sb{sub x}/In{sub 1{minus}y}Ga{sub y}Asmore » strained-layer superlattices with low Sb content and flat surfaces also show CuPt ordering.« less

Characterization of the surfaces of platinum/tin oxide based catalysts by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Keiser, Joseph T.; Upchurch, Billy T.

1990-01-01

A Pt/SnO2 catalyst has been developed at NASA Langley that is effective for the oxidation of CO at room temperature (1). A mechanism has been proposed to explain the effectiveness of this catalyst (2), but most of the species involved in this mechanism have not been observed under actual catalytic conditions. A number of these species are potentially detectable by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), e.g., HOSnO sub x, HO sub y PtO sub z, Pt-CO, and SnHCO3. Therefore a preliminary investigation was conducted to determine what might be learned about this particular catalyst by transmission FTIR. The main advantage of FTIR for this work is that the catalyst can be examined under conditions similar to the actual catalytic conditions. This can be of critical importance since some surface species may exist only when the reaction gases are present. Another advantage of the infrared approach is that since vibrations are probed, subtle chemical details may be obtained. The main disadvantage of this approach is that FTIR is not nearly as sensitive as the Ultra High Vacuum (UHV) surface analytical techniques such as Auger, Electron Spectroscopy for Chemical Analysis (ESCA), Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy (EELS), etc. Another problem is that the assignment of the observed infrared bands may be difficult.

Influence of Sn on the thermoelectric properties of (Bi{sub x}Sb{sub 1-x}){sub 2}Te{sub 3} single crystals

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

Kulbachinskii, V.A., E-mail: kulb@mig.phys.msu.ru; Kytin, V.G.; Kudryashov, A.A.

2012-09-15

The influence of tin on the thermoelectric properties of p-(Bi{sub x}Sb{sub 1-x}){sub 2}Te{sub 3} single crystals (x=0; 0.25; 0.5) has been investigated. The temperature dependence of the Seebeck coefficient S, the electrical conductivity {sigma}, the heat conductivity k and the thermoelectric figure of merit of p-(Bi{sub x}Sb{sub 1-x}){sub 2}Te{sub 3} single crystals were measured in the temperature range 7-300 K. By an increase the Sn content, the hole concentration increases in p-(Bi{sub x}Sb{sub 1-x}){sub 2-y}Sn{sub y}Te{sub 3}. The heat conductivity k of the p-(Bi{sub x}Sb{sub 1-x}){sub 2-y}Sn{sub y}Te{sub 3} crystals decreases due to the Sn doping, while the electrical conductivitymore » {sigma} increases in the temperature interval about 200« less

Nonlinear calculation of the m=1 internal kink instability in current carrying stellarators

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

Wakatani, M.

1978-02-01

Nonlinear properties of the m=1 internal kink mode are shown in a low beta current carrying stellarator. The effects of the external helical magnetic fields are considered through a rotational transform and the magnetic surface is assumed to be circular. Magnetic surfaces inside the iota sub eta + iota sub sigma = 1 surface shift and deform non-circularly, while magnetic surfaces outside the iota sub eta + iota sub sigma = 1 are not disturbed, where iota sub eta is a rotational transform due to helical magnetic fields and iota sub sigma is due to a plasma current. Many highermore » harmonics are excited after the fundamental mode saturates. When the external helical magnetic fields are lowered, the m=1 tearing mode similar to that in a low beta Tokamak grows and magnetic islands appear near the iota sub eta + iota sub sigma = 1 surface. For adequate helical magnetic fields, the current carrying stellarator becomes stable against both the m=1 internal kink mode and the m=1 internal kink mode and the m=1 tearing mode, without lowering the rotational transform.« less

A cross-assessment of CCI-ECVs and RCSM simulations over the Mediterranean area

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

D'Errico, Miriam; Planton, Serge; Nabat, Pierre

2017-04-01

A first objective of this study, conducted in the framework of the Climate Modelling Users Group (CMUG), one of the projects of the European Space Agency Climate Change Initiative (ESA CCI) program, is a cross-assessment of simulations of a Med-CORDEX regional climate system model (CNRM-RCSM5) and a sub-set of atmosphere, marine and surface interrelated Satellite-Derived Essential Climate Variables (CCI-ECVs) (i.e. sea surface temperature, sea level, aerosols and soil moisture content) over the Mediterranean area. The consistency between the model and the CCI-ECVs is evaluated through the analysis of a climate specific event that can be observed with the CCI-ECVs, in atmospheric reanalysis and reproduced in the RCSM simulations. In this presentation we focus on the July 2006 heat wave that affected the western part of the Mediterranean continental and marine area. The application of a spectral nudging method using ERA-Interim reanalysis in our simulation allows to reproduce this event with a proper chronology. As a result we show that the consistency between the simulated model aerosol optical depth and the ECV products (being produced by the ESA Aerosol CCI project consortium) depends on the choice of the algorithm used to infer the variable from the satellite observations. In particular the heat wave main characteristics become consistent between the model and the satellite-derived observations for sea surface temperature, soil moisture and sea level. The link between the atmospheric circulation and the aerosols distribution is also investigated.

Photocatalytic degradation of gaseous toluene over hollow “spindle-like” α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} loaded with Ag

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

Li, Hong; Department of Basic, Dalian Naval Academy, Dalian 116018; Zhao, Qidong

2012-06-15

Highlights: ► Hollow α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} spindle-shaped microparticles were prepared for Ag support. ► The hollow α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and Ag/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} materials were used to degrade gaseous toluene. ► Complete degradation of toluene occurred on the Ag/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} surface. -- Abstract: In this work, hollow “spindle-like” α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} nanoparticles were synthesized by a hydrothermal route. The Ag/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} catalyst was prepared based on the spindle-shaped α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} with CTAB as the surfactant, which showed excellent photoelectric property and photocatalytic activity. The structural properties of these samples were systematically investigated by X-ray powder diffraction, scanningmore » electronic microscopy, transmission electronic microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectra, and UV–Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy techniques. The photo-induced charge separation in the samples was demonstrated by surface photovoltage measurement. The photocatalytic performances of the Ag/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} and α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} samples were comparatively studied in the degradation of toluene under xenon lamp irradiation by in situ FTIR spectroscopy. Benzaldehyde and benzoic acid species could be observed on the α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} surface rather than Ag/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} surface. The results indicate that the Ag/α-Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} sample exhibited higher photocatalytic efficiency.« less