Fabrication of high aspect ratio tungsten nanostructures on ultrathin c-Si membranes for extreme UV applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Delachat, F.; Le Drogoff, B.; Constancias, C.; Delprat, S.; Gautier, E.; Chaker, M.; Margot, J.

2016-01-01

In this work, we demonstrate a full process for fabricating high aspect ratio diffraction optics for extreme ultraviolet lithography. The transmissive optics consists in nanometer scale tungsten patterns standing on flat, ultrathin (100 nm) and highly transparent (>85% at 13.5 nm) silicon membranes (diameter of 1 mm). These tungsten patterns were achieved using an innovative pseudo-Bosch etching process based on an inductively coupled plasma ignited in a mixture of SF6 and C4F8. Circular ultra-thin Si membranes were fabricated through a state-of-the-art method using direct-bonding with thermal difference. The silicon membranes were sputter-coated with a few hundred nanometers (100-300 nm) of stress-controlled tungsten and a very thin layer of chromium. Nanoscale features were written in a thin resist layer by electron beam lithography and transferred onto tungsten by plasma etching of both the chromium hard mask and the tungsten layer. This etching process results in highly anisotropic tungsten features at room temperature. The homogeneity and the aspect ratio of the advanced pattern transfer on the membranes were characterized with scanning electron microscopy after focus ion beam milling. An aspect ratio of about 6 for 35 nm size pattern is successfully obtained on a 1 mm diameter 100 nm thick Si membrane. The whole fabrication process is fully compatible with standard industrial semiconductor technology.

Development of Ultra-Low Power Metal Oxide Sensors and Arrays for Embedded Applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lutz, Brent; Wind, Rikard; Kostelecky, Clayton; Routkevitch, Dmitri; Deininger, Debra

2011-09-01

Metal oxide semiconductor sensors are widely used as individual sensors and in arrays, and a variety of designs for low power microhotplates have been demonstrated.1 Synkera Technologies has developed an embeddable chemical microsensor platform, based on a unique ceramic MEMS technology, for practical implementation in cell phones and other mobile electronic devices. Key features of this microsensor platform are (1) small size, (2) ultra-low power consumption, (3) high chemical sensitivity, (4) accurate response to a wide-range of threats, and (5) low cost. The sensor platform is enabled by a combination of advances in ceramic micromachining, and precision deposition of sensing films inside the high aspect ratio pores of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO).

Modeling and optimization of atomic layer deposition processes on vertically aligned carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Yazdani, Nuri; Chawla, Vipin; Edwards, Eve; Wood, Vanessa; Park, Hyung Gyu; Utke, Ivo

2014-01-01

Many energy conversion and storage devices exploit structured ceramics with large interfacial surface areas. Vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) arrays have emerged as possible scaffolds to support large surface area ceramic layers. However, obtaining conformal and uniform coatings of ceramics on structures with high aspect ratio morphologies is non-trivial, even with atomic layer deposition (ALD). Here we implement a diffusion model to investigate the effect of the ALD parameters on coating kinetics and use it to develop a guideline for achieving conformal and uniform thickness coatings throughout the depth of ultra-high aspect ratio structures. We validate the model predictions with experimental data from ALD coatings of VACNT arrays. However, the approach can be applied to predict film conformality as a function of depth for any porous topology, including nanopores and nanowire arrays.

High-efficiency, broad-band and wide-angle optical absorption in ultra-thin organic photovoltaic devices.

PubMed

Wang, Wenyan; Hao, Yuying; Cui, Yanxia; Tian, Ximin; Zhang, Ye; Wang, Hua; Shi, Fang; Wei, Bin; Huang, Wei

2014-03-10

Metal nanogratings as one of the promising architectures for effective light trapping in organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have been actively studied over the past decade. Here we designed a novel metal nanowall grating with ultra-small period and ultra-high aspect-ratio as the back electrode of the OPV device. Such grating results in the strong hot spot effect in-between the neighboring nanowalls and the localized surface plasmon effect at the corners of nanowalls. These combined effects make the integrated absorption efficiency of light over the wavelength range from 400 to 650 nm in the active layer for the proposed structure, with respect to the equivalent planar structure, increases by 102% at TM polarization and by 36.5% at the TM/TE hybrid polarization, respectively. Moreover, it is noted that the hot spot effect in the proposed structure is more effective for ultra-thin active layers, which is very favorable for the exciton dissociation and charge collection. Therefore such a nanowall grating is expected to improve the overall performance of OPV devices.

Effects of curing type, silica fume fineness, and fiber length on the mechanical properties and impact resistance of UHPFRC

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arel, Hasan Şahan

The effects of silica fume fineness and fiber aspect ratio on the compressive strength and impact resistance of ultra high-performance fiber-reinforced concrete (UHPFRC) are investigated experimentally. To this end, UHPFRC mixtures are manufactured by combining silica fumes with different fineness (specific surface areas: 17,200, 20,000, and 27,600 m2/kg) and hooked-end steel fibers with various aspect ratios (lengths: 8, 13, and 16 mm). The samples are subjected to standard curing, steam curing, and hot-water curing. Compressive strength tests are conducted after 7-, 28-, 56-, and 90-day curing periods, and an impact resistance experiment is performed after the 90th day. A steam-cured mixture of silica fumes with a specific surface area of 27,600 m2/kg and 16-mm-long fibers produce better results than the other mixtures in terms of mechanical properties. Moreover, impact resistance increases with the fiber aspect ratio.

A Study on Aspect Ratio of Heat Dissipation Fin for the Heat Dissipation Performance of Ultra Constant Discharge Lamp

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ko, Dong Guk; Cong Ge, Jun; Im, Ik Tae; Choi, Nag Jung; Kim, Min Soo

2018-01-01

In this study, we analyzed the heat dissipation performance of UCD lamp ballast fin with various aspect ratios. The minimum grid size was 0.02 mm and the number of grid was approximately 11,000. In order to determine the influence of the aspect ratio on the heat dissipation performance of UCD lamp ballast fin, the heat transfer area of the fin was kept constant at 4 mm2. The aspect ratios of the fin were 2 mm: 2 mm (basic model), 1.5 mm: 2.7 mm and 2.7 mm: 1.5 mm, respectively. The heat flux and heat flux time at fin were kept constant at 1×105 W/m2 and 10 seconds, respectively. The heat dissipation performance by the fin was the best at an aspect ratio of 1.5 mm: 2.7 mm.

Seed-mediated synthesis of ultra-long copper nanowires and their application as transparent conducting electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kim, Hyunhong; Choi, Seong-Hyeon; Kim, Mijung; Park, Jang-Ung; Bae, Joonwon; Park, Jongnam

2017-11-01

Owing to a recent push toward one-dimensional nanomaterials, in this study, we report a seed-mediated synthetic strategy for copper nanowires (Cu NWs) production involving thermal decomposition of metal-surfactant complexes in an organic medium. Ultra-long Cu NWs with a high aspect ratio and uniform diameter were obtained by separating nucleation and growth steps. The underlying mechanism for nanowire formation was investigated, in addition, properties of the obtained Cu NWs were also characterized using diverse analysis techniques. The performance of resulting Cu NWs as transparent electrodes was demonstrated for potential application. This article can provide information on both new synthetic pathway and potential use of Cu NWs.

Ultra-long Pt nanolawns supported on TiO2-coated carbon fibers as 3D hybrid catalyst for methanol oxidation

PubMed Central

2012-01-01

In this study, TiO2 thin film photocatalyst on carbon fibers was used to synthesize ultra-long single crystalline Pt nanowires via a simple photoreduction route (thermally activated photoreduction). It also acted as a co-catalytic material with Pt. Taking advantage of the high-aspect ratio of the Pt nanostructure as well as the excellent catalytic activity of TiO2, this hybrid structure has the great potential as the active anode in direct methanol fuel cells. The electrochemical results indicate that TiO2 is capable of transforming CO-like poisoning species on the Pt surface during methanol oxidation and contributes to a high CO tolerance of this Pt nanowire/TiO2 hybrid structure. PMID:22546416

Ultra-long Pt nanolawns supported on TiO2-coated carbon fibers as 3D hybrid catalyst for methanol oxidation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shen, Yu-Lin; Chen, Shih-Yun; Song, Jenn-Ming; Chen, In-Gann

2012-06-01

In this study, TiO2 thin film photocatalyst on carbon fibers was used to synthesize ultra-long single crystalline Pt nanowires via a simple photoreduction route (thermally activated photoreduction). It also acted as a co-catalytic material with Pt. Taking advantage of the high-aspect ratio of the Pt nanostructure as well as the excellent catalytic activity of TiO2, this hybrid structure has the great potential as the active anode in direct methanol fuel cells. The electrochemical results indicate that TiO2 is capable of transforming CO-like poisoning species on the Pt surface during methanol oxidation and contributes to a high CO tolerance of this Pt nanowire/TiO2 hybrid structure.

Method for generating small and ultra small apertures, slits, nozzles and orifices

DOEpatents

Khounsary, Ali M [Hinsdale, IL

2012-05-22

A method and device for one or more small apertures, slits, nozzles and orifices, preferably having a high aspect ratio. In one embodiment, one or more alternating layers of sacrificial layers and blocking layers are deposited onto a substrate. Each sacrificial layer is made of a material which preferably allows a radiation to substantially pass through. Each blocking layer is made of a material which substantially blocks the radiation.

Ultra High Bypass Integrated System Test

NASA Image and Video Library

2015-09-14

NASA’s Environmentally Responsible Aviation Project, in collaboration with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and Pratt & Whitney, completed testing of an Ultra High Bypass Ratio Turbofan Model in the 9’ x 15’ Low Speed Wind Tunnel at NASA Glenn Research Center. The fan model is representative of the next generation of efficient and quiet Ultra High Bypass Ratio Turbofan Engine designs.

Overcoming etch challenges related to EUV based patterning (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Metz, Andrew W.; Cottle, Hongyun; Honda, Masanobu; Morikita, Shinya; Kumar, Kaushik A.; Biolsi, Peter

2017-04-01

Research and development activities related to Extreme Ultra Violet [EUV] defined patterning continue to grow for < 40 nm pitch applications. The confluence of high cost and extreme process control challenges of Self-Aligned Quad Patterning [SAQP] with continued momentum for EUV ecosystem readiness could provide cost advantages in addition to improved intra-level overlay performance relative to multiple patterning approaches. However, Line Edge Roughness [LER] and Line Width Roughness [LWR] performance of EUV defined resist images are still far from meeting technology needs or ITRS spec performance. Furthermore, extreme resist height scaling to mitigate flop over exacerbates the plasma etch trade-offs related to traditional approaches of PR smoothing, descum implementation and maintaining 2D aspect ratios of short lines or elliptical contacts concurrent with ultra-high photo resist [PR] selectivity. In this paper we will discuss sources of LER/LWR, impact of material choice, integration, and innovative plasma process techniques and describe how TELTM VigusTM CCP Etchers can enhance PR selectivity, reduce LER/LWR, and maintain 2D aspect ratio of incoming patterns. Beyond traditional process approaches this paper will show the utility of: [1] DC Superposition in enhancing EUV resist hardening and selectivity, increasing resistance to stress induced PR line wiggle caused by CFx passivation, and mitigating organic planarizer wiggle; [2] Quasi Atomic Layer Etch [Q-ALE] for ARC open eliminating the tradeoffs between selectivity, CD, and shrink ratio control; and [3] ALD+Etch FUSION technology for feature independent CD shrink and LER reduction. Applicability of these concepts back transferred to 193i based lithography is also confirmed.

Coated Porous Si for High Performance On-Chip Supercapacitors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Grigoras, K.; Keskinen, J.; Grönberg, L.; Ahopelto, J.; Prunnila, M.

2014-11-01

High performance porous Si based supercapacitor electrodes are demonstrated. High power density and stability is provided by ultra-thin TiN coating of the porous Si matrix. The TiN layer is deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD), which provides sufficient conformality to reach the bottom of the high aspect ratio pores. Our porous Si supercapacitor devices exhibit almost ideal double layer capacitor characteristic with electrode volumetric capacitance of 7.3 F/cm3. Several orders of magnitude increase in power and energy density is obtained comparing to uncoated porous silicon electrodes. Good stability of devices is confirmed performing several thousands of charge/discharge cycles.

New High Aspect-Ratio Titania Nanotubes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Panaitescu, Eugen; Richter, Christiaan; Menon, Latika

2007-03-01

Titanium oxide nanotubes show great promise in photocatalytic, gas sensing, biological, and other applications. Techniques for the fabrication of titania nanotubes include electrodeposition in polymer molds starting from alumina templates, anodization of titanium in fluoride containing solutions, and hydrothermal treatment of nano- and micropowders. We have developed a new synthesis route for the production of new ultra-high aspect-ratio (over 1000:1) titania nanotubes by anodization in chloride containing acid solutions. The fabrication process occurs rapidly, in a fraction of the time when compared with other methods such as anodization in the highly toxic fluoride-containing electrolytes. We have demonstrated nanotubes with diameters as small as 25 nm, and lengths of up to 50 μm, and we have produced them with varying carbon content through the addition of organic acids in the electrolyte. This opens up new possibilities for many advanced applications of such nanotubes. Various synthesis conditions (pH, chloride content, electrolyte nature), and their influence on morphology, composition, and crystalline structure will be presented. Preliminary results on photocatalytic and transmission properties will also be discussed.

Realization of compact, passively-cooled, high-flux photovoltaic prototypes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feuermann, Daniel; Gordon, Jeffrey M.; Horne, Steve; Conley, Gary; Winston, Roland

2005-08-01

The materialization of a recent conceptual advance in high-flux photovoltaic concentrators into first-generation prototypes is reported. Our design strategy includes a tailored imaging dual-mirror (aplanatic) system, with a tapered glass rod that enhances concentration and accommodates larger optical errors. Designs were severely constrained by the need for ultra-compact (minimal aspect ratio) modules, simple passive heat rejection, liberal optical tolerances, incorporating off-the-shelf commercial solar cells, and pragmatic considerations of affordable fabrication technologies. Each unit has a geometric concentration of 625 and irradiates a single square 100 mm2 triple-junction high-efficiency solar cell at a net flux concentration of 500.

Spherical tokamaks with plasma centre-post

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribeiro, Celso

2013-10-01

The metal centre-post (MCP) in tokamaks is a structure which carries the total toroidal field current and also houses the Ohmic heating solenoid in conventional or low aspect ratio (Spherical)(ST) tokamaks. The MCP and solenoid are critical components for producing the toroidal field and for the limited Ohmic flux in STs. Constraints for a ST reactor related to these limitations lead to a minimum plasma aspect ratio of 1.4 which reduces the benefit of operation at higher betas in a more compact ST reactor. Replacing the MCP is of great interest for reactor-based ST studies since the device is simplified, compactness increased, and maintenance reduced. An experiment to show the feasibility of using a plasma centre-post (PCP) is being currently under construction and involves a high level of complexity. A preliminary study of a very simple PCP, which is ECR(Electron Cyclotron Resonance)-assisted and which includes an innovative fuelling system based on pellet injection, has recently been reported. This is highly suitable for an ultra-low aspect ratio tokamak (ULART) device. Advances on this PCP ECR-assisted concept within a ULART and the associated fuelling system are presented here, and will include the field topology for the PCP ECR-assisted scheme, pellet ablation modeling, and a possible global equilibrium simulation. VIE-ITCR, IAEA-CRP contr.17592, National Instruments-Costa Rica.

Rapid and repeatable fabrication of high A/R silk fibroin microneedles using thermally-drawn micromolds.

PubMed

Lee, JiYong; Park, Seung Hyun; Seo, Il Ho; Lee, Kang Ju; Ryu, WonHyoung

2015-08-01

Thermal drawing is a versatile rapid prototyping method that can freely form microneedle (MN) structures with ultra-high aspect ratio without relying on any complex and expensive process. However, it is still challenging to repeatedly produce MNs with identical shapes using this thermal drawing due to small fluctuations in processing conditions such as temperatures, drawing speeds, drawing heights, or parallelism in the drawing setup. In addition, thermal drawing is only applicable to thermoplastic materials and most natural biomaterials are incompatible with this method. Thus, we propose use of thermal drawing to fabricate master molds with high aspect ratios and replicate the shape by micromolding. In this work, high A/R MNs with various body profiles were fabricated by thermal drawing and replicated to silk fibroin (SF) MNs multiple times using micromolding. The original MN shape was precisely copied to the SF MNs. Methanol treatment enhanced the mechanical strength of SF MNs up to about 113% more depending on the treatment duration. We also demonstrated that methanol exposure time could effectively control drug release rates from SF MNs. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The High Field Ultra Low Aspect Ratio Tokamak (HF-ULART)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribeiro, Celso

2017-10-01

Recently, a medium-size HF-ULART has been proposed. The major objective is to explore the high beta and pressure under the high toroidal field, using present day technology. This might be one of pathway scenarios for a potential ultra-compact pulsed neutron source (UCP-NS) based on the spherical tokamak (ST) concept, which may lead to more steady-state NS or even to a fusion reactor, via realistic design scaling. The HF-ULART pulsed mode operation is created by quasi-simultaneous adiabatic compression (AC) in both minor and major radius of a very high beta plasma, possibly with further help of passive-wall stabilization, as envisaged in the RULART concept. This may help the revival of the studies of the AC technique in tokamaks, alongside the less compact and more complex ST-40 device, currently under construction. In addition, by similarities, studies in HF-ULART as a UCP-NS may also help to test the feasibility of the compact NS via the spheromak concept, which also uses the AC technique. Simulations of AC in HF-ULART plasmas will be presented.

Growth of GaN single crystals by a Ca- and Ba-added Na flux method

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ukegawa, H.; Konishi, Y.; Fujimori, T.; Miyoshi, N.; Imade, M.; Yoshimura, M.; Kitaoka, Y.; Sasaki, T.; Mori, Y.

2011-02-01

GaN substrates are desirable for fabricating ultra-violet LEDs and LDs, and high-power and high-frequency transistors. High-quality GaN single crystals can be obtained by using Na flux method, but the growth habit of bulk crystals must be controlled. In this study, we investigated the effects of additives (Ca, Ba) on the growth habit and impurity concentration in the crystals. The aspect ratio (c/a) of the crystals was increased by increasing the amount of additives, showing that the growth habit could be changed from the pyramidal shape to the prism shape. Ba concentration was below the detection limit (1x1015 atoms/cm3).

A three-dimensional microelectrode array composed of vertically aligned ultra-dense carbon nanotube networks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Nick, C.; Yadav, S.; Joshi, R.; Schneider, J. J.; Thielemann, C.

2015-07-01

Electrodes based on carbon nanotubes are a promising approach to manufacture highly sensitive sensors with a low limit of signal detection and a high signal-to-noise ratio. This is achieved by dramatically increasing the electrochemical active surface area without increasing the overall geometrical dimensions. Typically, carbon nanotube electrodes are nearly planar and composed of randomly distributed carbon nanotube networks having a limited surface gain for a specific geometrical surface area. To overcome this limitation, we have introduced vertically aligned carbon nanotube (VACNT) networks as electrodes, which are arranged in a microelectrode pattern of 60 single electrodes. Each microelectrode features a very high aspect ratio of more than 300 and thus a dramatically increased surface area. These microelectrodes composed of VACNT networks display dramatically decreased impedance over the entire frequency range compared to planar microelectrodes caused by the enormous capacity increase. This is experimentally verified by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry.

Ultra-strong surface plasmon amplification characteristic of a spaser based on gold-silver core-shell nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Li; Zhou, Jun; Zhang, Haopeng; Jiang, Tao; Lou, Cibo

2015-03-01

We proposed an efficient spaser based on gold-silver core-shell nanorods (NRs) encapsulated by an outer silica shell doped with a gain medium. The optical characteristics of the spaser were numerically simulated based on the finite element method (FEM). The results showed that the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) amplification characteristics of the spaser strongly depend on the thickness of silver shell, the aspect ratio of the inner gold NRs, and the polarization direction of the incident light. And, the maximum absolute value of optical cross-section of the spaser can reach 21,824 μm2, which is about 1115, 523, and 18 times higher than that of spasers based on the gold NRs, the silver NRs, and the silver-gold core-shell NRs, respectively. The ultra-strong surface plasmon amplification characteristics of the spaser have potential applications in optical information storage, high sensitivity biochemical sensing, and medical engineering.

Numerical investigations of transient heat transfer characteristics and vitrification tendencies in ultra-fast cell cooling processes.

PubMed

Jiao, Anjun; Han, Xu; Critser, John K; Ma, Hongbin

2006-06-01

During freezing, cells are often damaged directly or indirectly by ice formation. Vitrification is an alternative approach to cryopreservation that avoids ice formation. The common method to achieve vitrification is to use relatively high concentrations of cryoprotectant agents (CPA) in combination with a relatively slow cooling rate. However, high concentrations of CPAs have potentially damaging toxic and/or osmotic effects on cells. Therefore, establishing methods to achieve vitrification with lower concentrations of CPAs through ultra-fast cooling rates would be advantageous in these aspects. These ultra-fast cooling rates can be realized by a cooling system with an ultra-high heat transfer coefficient (h) between the sample and coolant. The oscillating motion heat pipe (OHP), a novel cooling device utilizing the pressure change to excite the oscillation motion of the liquid plugs and vapor bubbles, can significantly increase h and may fulfill this aim. The current investigation was designed to numerically study the effects of different values of h on the transient heat transfer characteristics and vitrification tendencies of the cell suspension during the cooling processes in an ultra-thin straw (100 microm in diameter). The transient temperature distribution, the cooling rate and the volume ratio (x) of the ice quantity to the maximum crystallizable ice of the suspension were calculated. From these numerical results, it is concluded that the ultra-high h (>10(4) W/m2 K) obtained by OHPs could facilitate vitrification by efficiently decreasing x as well as the time to pass through the dangerous temperature region where the maximum ice formation happens. For comparison, OHPs can decrease both of the parameters to less than 20% of those from the widely used open pulled straw methods. Therefore, the OHP method will be a promising approach to improving vitrification tendencies of CPA solutions and could also decrease the required concentration of CPAs for vitrification, both of which are of great importance for the successful cryopreservation of cells by vitrification.

Bio-inspired, sub-wavelength surface structures for ultra-broadband, omni-directional anti-reflection in the mid and far IR.

PubMed

Gonzalez, Federico Lora; Gordon, Michael J

2014-06-02

Quasi-ordered moth-eye arrays were fabricated in Si using a colloidal lithography method to achieve highly efficient, omni-directional transmission of mid and far infrared (IR) radiation. The effect of structure height and aspect ratio on transmittance and scattering was explored experimentally and modeled quantitatively using effective medium theory. The highest aspect ratio structures (AR = 9.4) achieved peak transmittance of 98%, with >85% transmission for λ = 7-30 μm. A detailed photon balance was constructed by measuring transmission, forward scattering, specular reflection and diffuse reflection to quantify optical losses due to near-field effects. In addition, angle-dependent transmission measurements showed that moth-eye structures provide superior anti-reflective properties compared to unstructured interfaces over a wide angular range (0-60° incidence). The colloidal lithography method presented here is scalable and substrate-independent, providing a general approach to realize moth-eye structures and anti-reflection in many IR-compatible material systems.

Microwave dynamics of high aspect ratio superconducting nanowires studied using self-resonance

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

Santavicca, Daniel F., E-mail: daniel.santavicca@unf.edu; Adams, Jesse K.; Grant, Lierd E.

2016-06-21

We study the microwave impedance of extremely high aspect ratio (length/width ≈ 5000) superconducting niobium nitride nanowires. The nanowires are fabricated in a compact meander geometry that is in series with the center conductor of a 50 Ω coplanar waveguide transmission line. The transmission coefficient of the sample is measured up to 20 GHz. At high frequency, a peak in the transmission coefficient is seen. Numerical simulations show that this is a half-wave resonance along the length of the nanowire, where the nanowire acts as a high impedance, slow wave transmission line. This resonance sets the upper frequency limit for these nanowires asmore » inductive elements. Fitting simulations to the measured resonance enables a precise determination of the nanowire's complex sheet impedance at the resonance frequency. The real part is a measure of dissipation, while the imaginary part is dominated by kinetic inductance. We characterize the dependence of the sheet resistance and sheet inductance on both temperature and current and compare the results to recent theoretical predictions for disordered superconductors. These results can aid in the understanding of high frequency devices based on superconducting nanowires. They may also lead to the development of novel superconducting devices such as ultra-compact resonators and slow-wave structures.« less

Ultra-large suspended graphene as a highly elastic membrane for capacitive pressure sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chen, Yu-Min; He, Shih-Ming; Huang, Chi-Hsien; Huang, Cheng-Chun; Shih, Wen-Pin; Chu, Chun-Lin; Kong, Jing; Li, Ju; Su, Ching-Yuan

2016-02-01

In this work, we fabricate ultra-large suspended graphene membranes, where stacks of a few layers of graphene could be suspended over a circular hole with a diameter of up to 1.5 mm, with a diameter to thickness aspect ratio of 3 × 105, which is the record for free-standing graphene membranes. The process is based on large crystalline graphene (~55 μm) obtained using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, followed by a gradual solvent replacement technique. Combining a hydrogen bubbling transfer approach with thermal annealing to reduce polymer residue results in an extremely clean surface, where the ultra-large suspended graphene retains the intrinsic features of graphene, including phonon response and an enhanced carrier mobility (200% higher than that of graphene on a substrate). The highly elastic mechanical properties of the graphene membrane are demonstrated, and the Q-factor under 2 MHz stimulation is measured to be 200-300. A graphene-based capacitive pressure sensor is fabricated, where it shows a linear response and a high sensitivity of 15.15 aF Pa-1, which is 770% higher than that of frequently used silicon-based membranes. The reported approach is universal, which could be employed to fabricate other suspended 2D materials with macro-scale sizes on versatile support substrates, such as arrays of Si nano-pillars and deep trenches.In this work, we fabricate ultra-large suspended graphene membranes, where stacks of a few layers of graphene could be suspended over a circular hole with a diameter of up to 1.5 mm, with a diameter to thickness aspect ratio of 3 × 105, which is the record for free-standing graphene membranes. The process is based on large crystalline graphene (~55 μm) obtained using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method, followed by a gradual solvent replacement technique. Combining a hydrogen bubbling transfer approach with thermal annealing to reduce polymer residue results in an extremely clean surface, where the ultra-large suspended graphene retains the intrinsic features of graphene, including phonon response and an enhanced carrier mobility (200% higher than that of graphene on a substrate). The highly elastic mechanical properties of the graphene membrane are demonstrated, and the Q-factor under 2 MHz stimulation is measured to be 200-300. A graphene-based capacitive pressure sensor is fabricated, where it shows a linear response and a high sensitivity of 15.15 aF Pa-1, which is 770% higher than that of frequently used silicon-based membranes. The reported approach is universal, which could be employed to fabricate other suspended 2D materials with macro-scale sizes on versatile support substrates, such as arrays of Si nano-pillars and deep trenches. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: The detailed process/recipe for CVD-grown graphene and the transferring process, SEM and TEM images, contact angles, force curves, and movie clips. See DOI: 10.1039/c5nr08668j

The Aneutronic Rodless Ultra Low Aspect Ratio Tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ribeiro, Celso

2016-10-01

The replacement of the metal centre-post in spherical tokamaks (STs) by a plasma centre-post (PCP, the TF current carrier) is the ideal scenario for a ST reactor. A simple rodless ultra low aspect-ratio tokamak (RULART) using a screw-pinch PCP ECR-assisted with an external solenoid has been proposed in the most compact RULART [Ribeiro C, SOFE-15]. There the solenoid provided the stabilizing field for the PCP and the toroidal electrical field for the tokamak start-up, which will stabilize further the PCP, acting as stabilizing closed conducting surface. Relative low TF will be required. The compactness (high ratio of plasma-spherical vessel volume) may provide passive stabilization and easier access to L-H mode transition. It is presented here: 1) stability analysis of the PCP (initially MHD stable due to the hollow J profile); 2) tokamak equilibrium simulations, and 3) potential use for aneutronic reactions studies via pairs of proton p and boron 11B ion beams in He plasmas. The beams' line-of-sights sufficiently miss the sources of each other, thus allowing a near maximum relative velocities and reactivity. The reactions should occur close to the PCP mid-plane. Some born alphas should cross the PCP and be dragged by the ion flow (higher momentum exchange) towards the anode but escape directly to a direct electricity converter. Others will reach evenly the vessel directly or via thermal diffusion (favourable heating by the large excursion 2a), leading to the lowest power wall load possible. This might be a potential hybrid direct-steam cycle conversion reactor scheme, nearly aneutronic, and with no ash or particle retention problems, as opposed to the D-T thermal reaction proposals.

What predicts performance in ultra-triathlon races? – a comparison between Ironman distance triathlon and ultra-triathlon

PubMed Central

Knechtle, Beat; Zingg, Matthias Alexander; Rosemann, Thomas; Stiefel, Michael; Rüst, Christoph Alexander

2015-01-01

Objective This narrative review summarizes recent intentions to find potential predictor variables for ultra-triathlon race performance (ie, triathlon races longer than the Ironman distance covering 3.8 km swimming, 180 km cycling, and 42.195 km running). Results from studies on ultra-triathletes were compared to results on studies on Ironman triathletes. Methods A literature search was performed in PubMed using the terms “ultra”, “triathlon”, and “performance” for the aspects of “ultra-triathlon”, and “Ironman”, “triathlon”, and “performance” for the aspects of “Ironman triathlon”. All resulting papers were searched for related citations. Results for ultra-triathlons were compared to results for Ironman-distance triathlons to find potential differences. Results Athletes competing in Ironman and ultra-triathlon differed in anthropometric and training characteristics, where both Ironmen and ultra-triathletes profited from low body fat, but ultra-triathletes relied more on training volume, whereas speed during training was related to Ironman race time. The most important predictive variables for a fast race time in an ultra-triathlon from Double Iron (ie, 7.6 km swimming, 360 km cycling, and 84.4 km running) and longer were male sex, low body fat, age of 35–40 years, extensive previous experience, a fast time in cycling and running but not in swimming, and origins in Central Europe. Conclusion Any athlete intending to compete in an ultra-triathlon should be aware that low body fat and high training volumes are highly predictive for overall race time. Little is known about the physiological characteristics of these athletes and about female ultra-triathletes. Future studies need to investigate anthropometric and training characteristics of female ultra-triathletes and what motivates women to compete in these races. Future studies need to correlate physiological characteristics such as maximum oxygen uptake (VO2max) with ultra-triathlon race performance in order to investigate whether these characteristics are also predictive for ultra-triathlon race performance. PMID:26056498

Increased x-ray conversion efficiency from ultra high contrast, relativistic laser pulse irradiation of large aspect ratio, vertically aligned nanowires

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollinger, R. C.; Bargsten, C.; Shlyaptsev, V. N.; Kaymak, V.; Pukhov, A.; Capeluto, M. G.; Wang, Y.; Wang, S.; Rockwood, A.; Curtis, A.; Rocca, J. J.

2016-10-01

Recent experiments at Colorado State University have shown that the effective trapping of clean, Joule-level fs laser pulses of relativistic intensity in arrays of high aspect ratio aligned nanowire creates multi-kev, near solid density, large scale (>4um deep) plasmas. The drastically decreased radiative life time and increased hydrodynamic cooling time from these plasmas increases the x-ray conversion efficiency. We measured a record conversion efficiency of 10% into hv>1KeV photons (2pi steradians), and of 0.3% for hv>6KeV. The experiments used Au and Ni nanowires of 55nm, 80nm and 100nm in diameter with 12% of solid density irradiated by high contrast (>1012) pulses of 60fs FWHM duration from a frequency doubled Ti:Sa laser at intensities of I =5x1019Wcm-2. We also present preliminary results on x-ray emission from Rhodium nanowires in the 19-22KeV range and demonstrate the potential of this picosecond X-ray source in flash radiography. This work was supported by the Fusion Energy Program, Office of Science of the U.S Department of Energy, and by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency Grant HDTRA-1-10-1-0079.

Structure and magnetic properties of low-temperature phase Mn-Bi nanosheets with ultra-high coercivity and significant anisotropy

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

Liu, Rongming, E-mail: rmliu@iphy.ac.cn, E-mail: shenbg@iphy.ac.cn; Zhang, Ming; Niu, E

2014-05-07

The microstructure, crystal structure, and magnetic properties of low-temperature phase (LTP) Mn-Bi nanosheets, prepared by surfactant assistant high-energy ball milling (SA-HEBM) with oleylamine and oleic acid as the surfactant, were examined with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and vibrating sample magnetometer, respectively. Effect of ball-milling time on the coercivity of LTP Mn-Bi nanosheets was systematically investigated. Results show that the high energy ball milling time from tens of minutes to several hours results in the coercivity increase of Mn-Bi powders and peak values of 14.3 kOe around 10 h. LTP Mn-Bi nanosheets are characterized by an average thickness of tensmore » of nanometers, an average diameter of ∼1.5 μm, and possess a relatively large aspect ratio, an ultra-high room temperature coercivity of 22.3 kOe, a significant geometrical and magnetic anisotropy, and a strong (00l) crystal texture. Magnetization and demagnetization behaviors reveal that wall pinning is the dominant coercivity mechanism in these LTP Mn-Bi nanosheets. The ultrafine grain refinement introduced by the SA-HEBM process contribute to the ultra-high coercivity of LTP Mn-Bi nanosheets and a large number of defects put a powerful pinning effect on the magnetic domain movement, simultaneously. Further magnetic measurement at 437 K shows that a high coercivity of 17.8 kOe and a strong positive temperature coefficient of coercivity existed in the bonded permanent magnet made by LTP Mn-Bi nanosheets.« less

Vertically aligned carbon nanofiber electrode arrays for nucleic acid detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Arumugam, Prabhu U.; Yu, Edmond; Riviere, Roger; Meyyappan, M.

2010-10-01

We present electrochemical detection of DNA targets that corresponds to Escherichia coli O157:H7 16S rRNA gene using a nanoelectrode array consisting of vertically aligned carbon nanofiber (VACNF) electrodes. Parylene C is used as gap filling 'matrix' material to avoid high temperature processing in electrode construction. This easy to deposit film of several micron heights provides a conformal coating between the high aspect ratio VACNFs with negligible pin-holes. The low background currents show the potential of this approach for ultra-sensitive detection. Consistent and reproducible electrochemical-signals are achieved using a simple electrode preparation. This simple, reliable and low-cost approach is a forward step in developing practical sensors for applications like pathogen detection, early cancer diagnosis and environmental monitoring.

Energy Penetration into Arrays of Aligned Nanowires Irradiated with Relativistic Intensities: Scaling to Terabar Pressures

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

Bargsten, Clayton; Hollinger, Reed; Capeluto, Maria Gabriela

Ultra-high-energy-density (UHED) matter, characterized by energy densities > 1 x 10 8 J cm -3 and pressures greater than a gigabar, is encountered in the center of stars and in inertial confinement fusion capsules driven by the world’s largest lasers. Similar conditions can be obtained with compact, ultra-high contrast, femtosecond lasers focused to relativistic intensities onto targets composed of aligned nanowire arrays. Here we report the measurement of the key physical process in determining the energy density deposited in high aspect ratio nanowire array plasmas: the energy penetration. By monitoring the x-ray emission from buried Co tracer segments in Nimore » nanowire arrays irradiated at an intensity of 4 x 10 19 W cm -2, we demonstrate energy penetration depths of several μm, leading to UHED plasmas of that size. Relativistic 3D particle-in-cell-simulations, validated by these measurements, predict that irradiation of nanostructures at intensities of > 1 x 10 22 W cm -2 will lead to a virtually unexplored extreme UHED plasma regime characterized by energy densities in excess of 8 x 10 10 J cm -3, equivalent to a pressure of 0.35 Tbar.« less

Ultra-long magnetization needle induced by focusing azimuthally polarized beams with a spherical mirror.

PubMed

Hang, Li; Luo, Kai; Fu, Jian; Chang, Yizhe; Wang, Ying; Chen, Peifeng

2018-03-20

Based on extended Richards-Wolf theory for axisymmetric surfaces and the inverse Faraday effect, we propose the generation of a purely longitudinal magnetization needle by focusing Gaussian annular azimuthally polarized beams with a spherical mirror. The needle obtained has a longitudinal length varying hundreds to thousands of wavelengths while keeping the lateral size under 0.4λ, and the corresponding aspect ratio can easily reach more than 2000. It may be the first time that a magnetization needle whose aspect ratio is over 500 has been achieved. The approximate analytical expressions of the magnetization needle are given, and the longitudinal length is tunable by changing the value of the angular thickness and the position of the annular beams.

Design optimization of ultra-high concentrator photovoltaic system using two-stage non-imaging solar concentrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wong, C.-W.; Yew, T.-K.; Chong, K.-K.; Tan, W.-C.; Tan, M.-H.; Lim, B.-H.

2017-11-01

This paper presents a systematic approach for optimizing the design of ultra-high concentrator photovoltaic (UHCPV) system comprised of non-imaging dish concentrator (primary optical element) and crossed compound parabolic concentrator (secondary optical element). The optimization process includes the design of primary and secondary optics by considering the focal distance, spillage losses and rim angle of the dish concentrator. The imperfection factors, i.e. mirror reflectivity of 93%, lens’ optical efficiency of 85%, circumsolar ratio of 0.2 and mirror surface slope error of 2 mrad, were considered in the simulation to avoid the overestimation of output power. The proposed UHCPV system is capable of attaining effective ultra-high solar concentration ratio of 1475 suns and DC system efficiency of 31.8%.

Nanostructure array plasmas generated by femtosecond pulses at highly relativistic intensities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollinger, R. C.; Wong, Y.; Wong, S.; Rockwood, A.; Glasby, J.; Shlyaptsev, V.; Rocca, J. J.; Capeluto, M. G.; Kaymak, V.; Pukhov, A.

2017-10-01

The irradiation of high aspect ratio ordered nanostructure arrays with ultra-high contrast femtosecond laser pulses of relativistic intensity provides a unique combination of nearly complete optical absorption and drastically enhanced light penetration into near-solid density targets. This allows the material to be volumetrically heated deep into the ultra-high energy density regime. In previous experiments we have shown that irradiation of Ni and Au nanostructures with femtosecond pulses focused to an intensity of 5x1018 Wcm-2 generate multi-KeV near solid density plasmas in which atoms are ionized to the Ni+26 and Au+52 charge states. Here we present the first results of the irradiation of nanostructure arrays with highly relativistic pulses of intensities up to 5x1021Wcm-2. Silver and Rhodium nanowire arrays were irradiated with frequency-doubled pulses of 30 fs duration from a petawatt-class Ti:Sa laser. Time integrated x-ray spectra show the presence of He-like and Li-like emission. Results of experiments conducted with a variety of different nanowires diameters with a range of interwire spacings will be presented and compared to the result of 3D particle-in-cell-simulations. This work was supported by the Fusion Energy Program, Office of Science of the U.S Department of Energy.

Collaborative Research on the Ultra High Bypass Ratio Engine Cycle to Reduce Noise, Emissions and Fuel Consumption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, Christopher

2008-01-01

A pictorial history of NASA development of advanced engine technologies for reducing environmental emissions and increasing performance from the 1970s to present is presented. The goals of the Subsonic Fixed Wing Program portion of the NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program are addressed, along with the areas of investigation currently being pursued by the Ultra High Bypass Partnership Element of the Subsonic Fixed Wing Program to meet the goals. Ultra High Bypass cycle research collaboration successes with Pratt & Whitney are presented.

Research Update: Synthesis of sub-15-nm diameter silver nanowires through a water-based hydrothermal method: Fabrication of low-haze 2D conductive films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Hae-Won; Kim, Yong-Hoe; Lee, Ki-Wook; Kim, Yoon-Mi; Kim, Jin-Yeol

2017-08-01

We synthesized ultra-thin Ag nanowire (Ag NWs) with sub-15 nm diameters and aspect ratios of 1000 through a water-based high-pressure hydrothermal method in the presence of a tetrabutylammonium dichlorobromide organic salt and glucose reducing agent. In the crystal growth stage, the diameter of the NWs could be controlled by adjusting the pressure, and 15-nm diameter wires were obtained at a pressure of 190 psi. These 2D conductive Ag NW network films showed an excellent optical performance with low haze value of ≤1.0% and 94.5% transmittance at a low sheet resistance of 20 Ω/sq.

Highly-sensitive and large-dynamic diffuse optical tomography system for breast tumor detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Wenwen; Zhang, Limin; Yin, Guoyan; Zhang, Yanqi; Zhao, Huijuan; Gao, Feng

2018-02-01

Diffuse optical tomography (DOT) as a new functional imaging has important clinical applications in many aspects such as benign and malignant breast tumor detection, tumor staging and so on. For quantitative detection of breast tumor, a three-wavelength continuous-wave DOT prototype system combined the ultra-high sensitivity of the photon-counting detection and the measurement parallelism of the lock-in technique was developed to provide high temporal resolution, high sensitivity, large dynamic detection range and signal-to-noise ratio. Additionally, a CT-analogous scanning mode was proposed to cost-effectively increase the detection data. To evaluate the feasibility of the system, a series of assessments were conducted. The results demonstrate that the system can obtain high linearity, stability and negligible inter-wavelength crosstalk. The preliminary phantom experiments show the absorption coefficient is able to be successfully reconstructed, indicating that the system is one of the ideal platforms for optical breast tumor detection.

Quantification of dopamine transporters in the mouse brain using ultra-high resolution single-photon emission tomography.

PubMed

Acton, Paul D; Choi, Seok-Rye; Plössl, Karl; Kung, Hank F

2002-05-01

Functional imaging of small animals, such as mice and rats, using ultra-high resolution positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission tomography (SPET), is becoming a valuable tool for studying animal models of human disease. While several studies have shown the utility of PET imaging in small animals, few have used SPET in real research applications. In this study we aimed to demonstrate the feasibility of using ultra-high resolution SPET in quantitative studies of dopamine transporters (DAT) in the mouse brain. Four healthy ICR male mice were injected with (mean+/-SD) 704+/-154 MBq [(99m)Tc]TRODAT-1, and scanned using an ultra-high resolution SPET system equipped with pinhole collimators (spatial resolution 0.83 mm at 3 cm radius of rotation). Each mouse had two studies, to provide an indication of test-retest reliability. Reference tissue kinetic modeling analysis of the time-activity data in the striatum and cerebellum was used to quantitate the availability of DAT. A simple equilibrium ratio of striatum to cerebellum provided another measure of DAT binding. The SPET imaging results were compared against ex vivo biodistribution data from the striatum and cerebellum. The mean distribution volume ratio (DVR) from the reference tissue kinetic model was 2.17+/-0.34, with a test-retest reliability of 2.63%+/-1.67%. The ratio technique gave similar results (DVR=2.03+/-0.38, test-retest reliability=6.64%+/-3.86%), and the ex vivo analysis gave DVR=2.32+/-0.20. Correlations between the kinetic model and the ratio technique ( R(2)=0.86, P<0.001) and the ex vivo data ( R(2)=0.92, P=0.04) were both excellent. This study demonstrated clearly that ultra-high resolution SPET of small animals is capable of accurate, repeatable, and quantitative measures of DAT binding, and should open up the possibility of further studies of cerebral binding sites in mice using pinhole SPET.

Ultra-compact air-mode photonic crystal nanobeam cavity integrated with bandstop filter for refractive index sensing.

PubMed

Sun, Fujun; Fu, Zhongyuan; Wang, Chunhong; Ding, Zhaoxiang; Wang, Chao; Tian, Huiping

2017-05-20

We propose and investigate an ultra-compact air-mode photonic crystal nanobeam cavity (PCNC) with an ultra-high quality factor-to-mode volume ratio (Q/V) by quadratically tapering the lattice space of the rectangular holes from the center to both ends while other parameters remain unchanged. By using the three-dimensional finite-difference time-domain method, an optimized geometry yields a Q of 7.2×10 6 and a V∼1.095(λ/n Si ) 3 in simulations, resulting in an ultra-high Q/V ratio of about 6.5×10 6 (λ/n Si ) -3 . When the number of holes on either side is 8, the cavity possesses a high sensitivity of 252 nm/RIU (refractive index unit), a high calculated Q-factor of 1.27×10 5 , and an ultra-small effective V of ∼0.758(λ/n Si ) 3 at the fundamental resonant wavelength of 1521.74 nm. Particularly, the footprint is only about 8×0.7  μm 2 . However, inevitably our proposed PCNC has several higher-order resonant modes in the transmission spectrum, which makes the PCNC difficult to be used for multiplexed sensing. Thus, a well-designed bandstop filter with weak sidelobes and broad bandwidth based on a photonic crystal nanobeam waveguide is created to connect with the PCNC to filter out the high-order modes. Therefore, the integrated structure presented in this work is promising for building ultra-compact lab-on-chip sensor arrays with high density and parallel-multiplexing capability.

Study of Ag induced bimetallic (Au-Ag) nanowires on silicon (5 5 12) surfaces: Experiment and theoretical aspects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bhukta, Anjan; Bagarti, Trilochan; Guha, Puspendu; Ravulapalli, Sathyavathi; Satpati, Biswarup; Rakshit, Bipul; Maiti, Paramita; Parlapalli, Venkata Satyam

2017-10-01

The reconstructed vicinal (high index) silicon surfaces, such as, Si (5 5 12) composes row-like structures that can be used as templates for growing aligned nanowires. By using a sub-monolayers of Ag, prior to Au deposition on reconstructed Si (5 512) surface, intermixing of Au and Ag, enhancement of aspect ratio of bimetallic Au-Ag nanowires with tunable morphology is reported. This is attributed to a combined effect of pre-grown Ag strips as nucleation centers for incoming Au ad-atoms and anisotropic Au-Ag intermixing. To achieve optimum conditions for the growth of larger aspect ratio Au-Ag nanostructures, the growth kinetics have been studied by varying growth and annealing temperatures. At ≈400 °C, the Ag diffused into silicon substrate and the inter-diffusion found to inhibit the formation of Au-Ag bimetallic nanostructures. Controlled experiments under ultra-high vacuum condition in a molecular beam epitaxy system and in-situ scanning tunneling microscopy measurements along with ex-situ scanning transmission and secondary electron microscopy measurements have been carried out to understand the bimetallic nanostructure growth. Kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) simulations based on kinematics of ad-atoms on an anisotropic template with a solid on solid model in which the relative ratios of binding energies (that are obtained from the Density Functional Theory) have been used and the KMC simulations results agree with the experimental observations. Advantage of having bimetallic structures as effective substrates for Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy application is demonstrated by detecting Rhodamine 6 G (R6G) molecule at the concentration of 10-7M.

Brain MR imaging at ultra-low radiofrequency power.

PubMed

Sarkar, Subhendra N; Alsop, David C; Madhuranthakam, Ananth J; Busse, Reed F; Robson, Philip M; Rofsky, Neil M; Hackney, David B

2011-05-01

To explore the lower limits for radiofrequency (RF) power-induced specific absorption rate (SAR) achievable at 1.5 T for brain magnetic resonance (MR) imaging without loss of tissue signal or contrast present in high-SAR clinical imaging in order to create a potentially viable MR method at ultra-low RF power to image tissues containing implanted devices. An institutional review board-approved HIPAA-compliant prospective MR study design was used, with written informed consent from all subjects prior to MR sessions. Seven healthy subjects were imaged prospectively at 1.5 T with ultra-low-SAR optimized three-dimensional (3D) fast spin-echo (FSE) and fluid-attenuated inversion-recovery (FLAIR) T2-weighted sequences and an ultra-low-SAR 3D spoiled gradient-recalled acquisition in the steady state T1-weighted sequence. Corresponding high-SAR two-dimensional (2D) clinical sequences were also performed. In addition to qualitative comparisons, absolute signal-to-noise ratios (SNRs) and contrast-to-noise ratios (CNRs) for multicoil, parallel imaging acquisitions were generated by using a Monte Carlo method for quantitative comparison between ultra-low-SAR and high-SAR results. There were minor to moderate differences in the absolute tissue SNR and CNR values and in qualitative appearance of brain images obtained by using ultra-low-SAR and high-SAR techniques. High-SAR 2D T2-weighted imaging produced slightly higher SNR, while ultra-low-SAR 3D technique not only produced higher SNR for T1-weighted and FLAIR images but also higher CNRs for all three sequences for most of the brain tissues. The 3D techniques adopted here led to a decrease in the absorbed RF power by two orders of magnitude at 1.5 T, and still the image quality was preserved within clinically acceptable imaging times. RSNA, 2011

Manganese oxide micro-supercapacitors with ultra-high areal capacitance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Xu; Myers, Benjamin D.; Yan, Jian; Shekhawat, Gajendra; Dravid, Vinayak; Lee, Pooi See

2013-05-01

A symmetric micro-supercapacitor is constructed by electrochemically depositing manganese oxide onto micro-patterned current collectors. High surface-to-volume ratio of manganese oxide and short diffusion distance between electrodes give an ultra-high areal capacitance of 56.3 mF cm-2 at a current density of 27.2 μA cm-2.A symmetric micro-supercapacitor is constructed by electrochemically depositing manganese oxide onto micro-patterned current collectors. High surface-to-volume ratio of manganese oxide and short diffusion distance between electrodes give an ultra-high areal capacitance of 56.3 mF cm-2 at a current density of 27.2 μA cm-2. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available: Experimental procedures; optical images of micro-supercapacitors; areal capacitances of samples M-0.3C, M-0.6C and M-0.9C; illustration of interdigital finger electrodes; Nyquist plot of Co(OH)2 deposited on micro-electrodes. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr00210a

Energy Density in Aligned Nanowire Arrays Irradiated with Relativistic Intensities: Path to Terabar Pressure Plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Rocca, J.; Bargsten, C.; Hollinger, R.; Shylaptsev, V.; Wang, S.; Rockwood, A.; Wang, Y.; Keiss, D.; Capeluto, M.; Kaymak, V.; Pukhov, A.; Tommasini, R.; London, R.; Park, J.

2016-10-01

Ultra-high-energy-density (UHED) plasmas, characterized by energy densities >1 x 108 J cm-3 and pressures greater than a gigabar are encountered in the center of stars and in inertial confinement fusion capsules driven by the world's largest lasers. Similar conditions can be obtained with compact, ultra-high contrast, femtosecond lasers focused to relativistic intensities onto aligned nanowire array targets. Here we report the measurement of the key physical process in determining the energy density deposited in high aspect ratio nanowire array plasmas: the energy penetration. By monitoring the x-ray emission from buried Co tracer segments in Ni nanowire arrays irradiated at an intensity of 4 x 1019 W cm-2, we demonstrate energy penetration depths of several μm, leading to UHED plasmas of that size. Relativistic 3D particle-in-cell-simulations validated by these measurements predict that irradiation of nanostructures at increased intensity will lead to a virtually unexplored extreme UHED plasma regime characterized by energy densities in excess of 8 x 1010 J cm-3, equivalent to a pressure of 0.35 Tbar. This work was supported by the Fusion Energy Program, Office of Science of the U.S Department of Energy, and by the Defense Threat Reduction Agency.

Design and overall performance of four highly loaded, high speed inlet stages for an advanced high-pressure-ratio core compressor

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, L.; Moore, R. D.

1978-01-01

The detailed design and overall performances of four inlet stages for an advanced core compressor are presented. These four stages represent two levels of design total pressure ratio (1.82 and 2.05), two levels of rotor aspect ratio (1.19 and 1.63), and two levels of stator aspect ratio (1.26 and 1.78). The individual stages were tested over the stable operating flow range at 70, 90, and 100 percent of design speeds. The performances of the low aspect ratio configurations were substantially better than those of the high aspect ratio configurations. The two low aspect ratio configurations achieved peak efficiencies of 0.876 and 0.872 and corresponding stage efficiencies of 0.845 and 0.840. The high aspect ratio configurations achieved peak ratio efficiencies of 0.851 and 0.849 and corresponding stage efficiencies of 0.821 and 0.831.

Ultra-high speed vacuum pump system with first stage turbofan and second stage turbomolecular pump

DOEpatents

Jostlein, Hans

2006-04-04

An ultra-high speed vacuum pump evacuation system includes a first stage ultra-high speed turbofan and a second stage conventional turbomolecular pump. The turbofan is either connected in series to a chamber to be evacuated, or is optionally disposed entirely within the chamber. The turbofan employs large diameter rotor blades operating at high linear blade velocity to impart an ultra-high pumping speed to a fluid. The second stage turbomolecular pump is fluidly connected downstream from the first stage turbofan. In operation, the first stage turbofan operates in a pre-existing vacuum, with the fluid asserting only small axial forces upon the rotor blades. The turbofan imparts a velocity to fluid particles towards an outlet at a high volume rate, but moderate compression ratio. The second stage conventional turbomolecular pump then compresses the fluid to pressures for evacuation by a roughing pump.

Use of tapered Pyrex capillary tubes to increase the mechanical stability of multiwall carbon nanotubes field emitters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mousa, M. S.; Bani Ali, E. S.; Hagmann, M. J.

2018-02-01

In this study, NanocylTM NC 7000 Thin Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNTs) were used with a high aspect ratio (>150) made by the process of catalytic chemical vapor deposition (CCVD). The field emitter tips were prepared by inserting these MWCT into fine glass capillary tubes that were pulled at high temperatures and then cut. Measurements were carried out under ultra-high vacuum (UHV) conditions with a base pressure of 10-9 mbar. The data show the effects of initial conditioning of MWCNT and hysteresis. Compression of the MWCNT by the capillary tubes appears to provide adequate mechanical support without requiring the use of a low-melting point electrically-conductive binder as has been used previously. Emission currents in excess of 1 μA were obtained so this technique shows promise as a reliable, stable, powerful electron source.

Experimental observation of sub-terahertz backward-wave amplification in a multi-level microfabricated slow-wave circuit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Baik, Chan-Wook; Ahn, Ho Young; Kim, Yongsung; Lee, Jooho; Hong, Seogwoo; Lee, Sang Hun; Choi, Jun Hee; Kim, Sunil; Jeon, So-Yeon; Yu, SeGi; Collins, George; Read, Michael E.; Lawrence Ives, R.; Kim, Jong Min; Hwang, Sungwoo

2015-11-01

In our earlier paper dealing with dispersion retrieval from ultra-deep, reactive-ion-etched, slow-wave circuits on silicon substrates, it was proposed that splitting high-aspect-ratio circuits into multilevels enabled precise characterization in sub-terahertz frequency regime. This achievement prompted us to investigate beam-wave interaction through a vacuum-sealed integration with a 15-kV, 85-mA, thermionic, electron gun. Our experimental study demonstrates sub-terahertz, backward-wave amplification driven by an external oscillator. The measured output shows a frequency downshift, as well as power amplification, from beam loading even with low beam perveance. This offers a promising opportunity for the development of terahertz radiation sources, based on silicon technologies.

Experimental observation of sub-terahertz backward-wave amplification in a multi-level microfabricated slow-wave circuit

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

Baik, Chan-Wook, E-mail: cw.baik@samsung.com; Ahn, Ho Young; Kim, Yongsung

2015-11-09

In our earlier paper dealing with dispersion retrieval from ultra-deep, reactive-ion-etched, slow-wave circuits on silicon substrates, it was proposed that splitting high-aspect-ratio circuits into multilevels enabled precise characterization in sub-terahertz frequency regime. This achievement prompted us to investigate beam-wave interaction through a vacuum-sealed integration with a 15-kV, 85-mA, thermionic, electron gun. Our experimental study demonstrates sub-terahertz, backward-wave amplification driven by an external oscillator. The measured output shows a frequency downshift, as well as power amplification, from beam loading even with low beam perveance. This offers a promising opportunity for the development of terahertz radiation sources, based on silicon technologies.

Interpersonal sensitivity and functioning impairment in youth at ultra-high risk for psychosis.

PubMed

Masillo, A; Valmaggia, L R; Saba, R; Brandizzi, M; Lindau, J F; Solfanelli, A; Curto, M; Narilli, F; Telesforo, L; Kotzalidis, G D; Di Pietro, D; D'Alema, M; Girardi, P; Fiori Nastro, P

2016-01-01

A personality trait that often elicits poor and uneasy interpersonal relationships is interpersonal sensitivity. The aim of the present study was to explore the relationship between interpersonal sensitivity and psychosocial functioning in individuals at ultra-high risk for psychosis as compared to help-seeking individuals who screened negative for an ultra-high risk of psychosis. A total sample of 147 adolescents and young adult who were help seeking for emerging mental health problems participated in the study. The sample was divided into two groups: 39 individuals who met criteria for an ultra-high-risk mental state (UHR), and 108 (NS). The whole sample completed the Interpersonal Sensitivity Measure (IPSM) and the Global Functioning: Social and Role Scale (GF:SS; GF:RS). Mediation analysis was used to explore whether attenuated negative symptoms mediated the relationship between interpersonal sensitivity and social functioning. Individuals with UHR state showed higher IPSM scores and lower GF:SS and GF:RS scores than NS participants. A statistically negative significant correlation between two IPSM subscales (Interpersonal Awareness and Timidity) and GF:SS was found in both groups. Our results also suggest that the relationship between the aforementioned aspects of interpersonal sensitivity and social functioning was not mediated by negative prodromal symptoms. This study suggests that some aspects of interpersonal sensitivity were associated with low level of social functioning. Assessing and treating interpersonal sensitivity may be a promising therapeutic target to improve social functioning in young help-seeking individuals.

Hierarchically Macroporous Graphitic Nanowebs Exhibiting Ultra-fast and Stable Charge Storage Performance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yun, Young Soo

2018-02-01

The macro/microstructures of carbon-based electrode materials for supercapacitor applications play a key role in their electrochemical performance. In this study, hierarchically macroporous graphitic nanowebs (HM-GNWs) were prepared from bacterial cellulose by high-temperature heating at 2400 °C. The HM-GNWs were composed of well-developed graphitic nanobuilding blocks with a high aspect ratio, which was entangled as a nanoweb structure. The morphological and microstructural characteristics of the HM-GNWs resulted in remarkable charge storage performance. In particular, the HM-GNWs exhibited very fast charge storage behaviors at scan rates ranging from 5 to 100 V s-1, in which area capacitances ranging from 8.9 to 3.8 mF cm-2 were achieved. In addition, 97% capacitance retention was observed after long-term cycling for more than 1,000,000 cycles.

Unusual Formation of Precursors for Crystallization of Ultra-High Performance Polypropylene and Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Fibers by Utilization of Ecologically Friendly Horizontal Isothermal Bath

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Avci, Huseyin

The concept of production of new families of high performance polymers and engineering fibers has been reported many times in the technical literature. Such fibers have various end uses in industrial applications and exhibit the enhanced potential in the challenging areas such as ballistic, automotive, aerospace, bullet-proof vests, energy, and electronics. Since the first commercial synthesis of high polymers by Carothers and Hill, filament manufacturers have looked for ways to increase strength and fibers dimensional stability, thermal degradation resistance, etc., even at extreme conditions. Therefore, studies on the fine structure development and its relation with production conditions during the wet, dry, and melt spinning processes have received much attention by researchers to describe in detail the fundamental aspects of the fiber formation. The production of ultra-high performance fibers at relatively high throughputs by a simple method using fiber-forming polymers via developing an ecologically friendly isothermal bath (ECOB) is the first aim of this study. In this case, polypropylene (PP) was chosen as a semicrystalline thermoplastic polymer which is extensively used in industry and our daily lives. A unique, highly oriented precursor (fa = 0.60), and yet noncrystallized, undrawn fibers were obtained with superior mechanical properties. Fibrillated break, high crystalline and amorphous orientation factors of 0.95 and 0.87, respectively, demonstrate an unusual structural development after only 1.34 draw ratio for the treated fibers. The second melting peak increased 9 °C for the treated fibers, which implies a higher level of molecular ordering and thermodynamically more stable phase. After hot drawing and 1.49 draw ratio, the fibers tenacity was close to 12 g/d, the initial modulus was higher than 150 g/d, and the ultimate elongation was at a break of about 20 %. In the next phase of the research, the effects of horizontal isothermal bath (hIB)11 on the structural development and the production of ultra-high performance as-spun and drawn polypropylene (PP) filaments were investigated. Two different commercial fiber forming PP polymers were used with the melt flow rate of 4.1 and 36 g/10 min. The results demonstrate surprisingly different precursor morphologies for each type of polymer at their optimum process condition. Interestingly, the all treated fibers demonstrated the similar fiber performance having tenacity of about 7 g/d and modulus of 75 g/d for as-spun fibers. After fiber drawing with DR of 1.49, tenacity greater than 12 g/d and modulus higher than 190 g/d were observed. The mean value for the modulus after the drawing process for the high melt flow rate is about 196 g/d. The theoretical modulus of PP is 35--42 GPa17, 275-330 g/d, which demonstrates the hIB fiber's modulus performance is approaching its theoretical maximum values. A key aspect of the third section of this study was to obtain ultra-high performance poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers (PET) by utilizing a low molecular weight polymer via hIB method. The resulted fibers showed the efficient polymer chain orientation and the highly crystalline and ordered structures. The highest tenacity of more than 8 and 10 g/d were observed for the as-spun and drawn fibers, respectively, after only 1.28 draw ratios. The significant effect of the temperature of hIB spinning system on the fibrillar structure and the precursor's formation of the as-spun fibers was demonstrated. The melting temperature increased 8.51 °C from 254.05 to 262.56 °C when untreated and treated fibers are compared. The most important contribution of this study is that all these various types of polymer precursors for crystallization with different molecular weights after the baths treatments were highly oriented, yet non-crystallized or just showed the initial stages of crystallization. By a subsequent hot drawing process with the low draw ratio (DR< 1.5), the treated fibers showed a well-developed chain orientation and highly crystallized structures with superior mechanical performance.

Magnetic Material Assessment of a Novel Ultra-High Step-Up Converter with Single Semiconductor Switch and Galvanic Isolation for Fuel-Cell Power System.

PubMed

Shen, Chih-Lung; Liou, Heng

2017-11-15

In this paper, a novel step-up converter is proposed, which has the particular features of single semiconductor switch, ultra-high conversion ratio, galvanic isolation, and easy control. Therefore, the proposed converter is suitable for the applications of fuel-cell power system. Coupled inductors and switched capacitors are incorporated in the converter to obtain an ultra-high voltage ratio that is much higher than that of a conventional high step-up converter. Even if the turns ratio of coupled inductor and duty ratio are only to be 1 and 0.5, respectively, the converter can readily achieve a voltage gain of up to 18. Owing to this outstanding performance, it can also be applied to any other low voltage source for voltage boosting. In the power stage, only one active switch is used to handle the converter operation. In addition, the leakage energy of the two couple inductors can be totally recycled without any snubber, which simplifies the control mechanism and improves the conversion efficiency. Magnetic material dominates the conversion performance of the converter. Different types of iron cores are discussed for the possibility to serve as a coupled inductor. A 200 W prototype with 400 V output voltage is built to validate the proposed converter. In measurement, it indicates that the highest efficiency can be up to 94%.

Magnetic Material Assessment of a Novel Ultra-High Step-Up Converter with Single Semiconductor Switch and Galvanic Isolation for Fuel-Cell Power System

PubMed Central

Shen, Chih-Lung; Liou, Heng

2017-01-01

In this paper, a novel step-up converter is proposed, which has the particular features of single semiconductor switch, ultra-high conversion ratio, galvanic isolation, and easy control. Therefore, the proposed converter is suitable for the applications of fuel-cell power system. Coupled inductors and switched capacitors are incorporated in the converter to obtain an ultra-high voltage ratio that is much higher than that of a conventional high step-up converter. Even if the turns ratio of coupled inductor and duty ratio are only to be 1 and 0.5, respectively, the converter can readily achieve a voltage gain of up to 18. Owing to this outstanding performance, it can also be applied to any other low voltage source for voltage boosting. In the power stage, only one active switch is used to handle the converter operation. In addition, the leakage energy of the two couple inductors can be totally recycled without any snubber, which simplifies the control mechanism and improves the conversion efficiency. Magnetic material dominates the conversion performance of the converter. Different types of iron cores are discussed for the possibility to serve as a coupled inductor. A 200 W prototype with 400 V output voltage is built to validate the proposed converter. In measurement, it indicates that the highest efficiency can be up to 94%. PMID:29140282

Dimensional measurement of micro parts with high aspect ratio in HIT-UOI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dang, Hong; Cui, Jiwen; Feng, Kunpeng; Li, Junying; Zhao, Shiyuan; Zhang, Haoran; Tan, Jiubin

2016-11-01

Micro parts with high aspect ratios have been widely used in different fields including aerospace and defense industries, while the dimensional measurement of these micro parts becomes a challenge in the field of precision measurement and instrument. To deal with this contradiction, several probes for the micro parts precision measurement have been proposed by researchers in Center of Ultra-precision Optoelectronic Instrument (UOI), Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT). In this paper, optical fiber probes with structures of spherical coupling(SC) with double optical fibers, micro focal-length collimation (MFL-collimation) and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) are described in detail. After introducing the sensing principles, both advantages and disadvantages of these probes are analyzed respectively. In order to improve the performances of these probes, several approaches are proposed. A two-dimensional orthogonal path arrangement is propounded to enhance the dimensional measurement ability of MFL-collimation probes, while a high resolution and response speed interrogation method based on differential method is used to improve the accuracy and dynamic characteristics of the FBG probes. The experiments for these special structural fiber probes are given with a focus on the characteristics of these probes, and engineering applications will also be presented to prove the availability of them. In order to improve the accuracy and the instantaneity of the engineering applications, several techniques are used in probe integration. The effectiveness of these fiber probes were therefore verified through both the analysis and experiments.

Ultra High Bypass Ratio Engine Research for Reducing Noise, Emissions, and Fuel Consumption

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hughes, Christopher E.; Schweitzer, Jeff

2007-01-01

A pictorial history of NASA development of advanced engine technologies for reducing environmental emissions and increasing performance from the 1970s to 2000s is presented. The goals of the Subsonic Fixed Wing Program portion of the NASA Fundamental Aeronautics Program are discussed, along with the areas of investigation currently being pursued by the Ultra High Bypass Partnership Element of the Subsonic Fixed Wing Program.

Beam engineering for zero conicity cutting and drilling with ultra fast laser (Conference Presentation)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Letan, Amelie; Mishchik, Konstantin; Audouard, Eric; Hoenninger, Clemens; Mottay, Eric P.

2017-03-01

With the development of high average power, high repetition rate, industrial ultrafast lasers, it is now possible to achieve a high throughput with femtosecond laser processing, providing that the operating parameters are finely tuned to the application. Femtosecond lasers play a key role in these processes, due to their ability to high quality micro processing. They are able to drill high thickness holes (up to 1 mm) with arbitrary shapes, such as zero-conicity or even inversed taper, but can also perform zero-taper cutting. A clear understanding of all the processing steps necessary to optimize the processing speed is a main challenge for industrial developments. Indeed, the laser parameters are not independent of the beam steering devices. Pulses energy and repetition rate have to be precisely adjusted to the beam angle with the sample, and to the temporal and spatial sequences of pulses superposition. The purpose of the present work is to identify the role of these parameters for high aspect ratio drilling and cutting not only with experimental trials, but also with numerical estimations, using a simple engineering model based on the two temperature description of ultra-fast ablation. Assuming a nonlinear logarithmic response of the materials to ultrafast pulses, each material can be described by only two adjustable parameters. Simple assumptions allow to predict the effect of beam velocity and non-normal incident beams to estimate profile shapes and processing time.

High-precision laser microcutting and laser microdrilling using diffractive beam-splitting and high-precision flexible beam alignment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zibner, F.; Fornaroli, C.; Holtkamp, J.; Shachaf, Lior; Kaplan, Natan; Gillner, A.

2017-08-01

High-precision laser micro machining gains more importance in industrial applications every month. Optical systems like the helical optics offer highest quality together with controllable and adjustable drilling geometry, thus as taper angle, aspect ratio and heat effected zone. The helical optics is based on a rotating Dove-prism which is mounted in a hollow shaft engine together with other optical elements like wedge prisms and plane plates. Although the achieved quality can be interpreted as extremely high the low process efficiency is a main reason that this manufacturing technology has only limited demand within the industrial market. The objective of the research studies presented in this paper is to dramatically increase process efficiency as well as process flexibility. During the last years, the average power of commercial ultra-short pulsed laser sources has increased significantly. The efficient utilization of the high average laser power in the field of material processing requires an effective distribution of the laser power onto the work piece. One approach to increase the efficiency is the application of beam splitting devices to enable parallel processing. Multi beam processing is used to parallelize the fabrication of periodic structures as most application only require a partial amount of the emitted ultra-short pulsed laser power. In order to achieve highest flexibility while using multi beam processing the single beams are diverted and re-guided in a way that enables the opportunity to process with each partial beam on locally apart probes or semimanufactures.

A Real-Time Infrared Ultra-Spectral Signature Classification Method via Spatial Pyramid Matching

PubMed Central

Mei, Xiaoguang; Ma, Yong; Li, Chang; Fan, Fan; Huang, Jun; Ma, Jiayi

2015-01-01

The state-of-the-art ultra-spectral sensor technology brings new hope for high precision applications due to its high spectral resolution. However, it also comes with new challenges, such as the high data dimension and noise problems. In this paper, we propose a real-time method for infrared ultra-spectral signature classification via spatial pyramid matching (SPM), which includes two aspects. First, we introduce an infrared ultra-spectral signature similarity measure method via SPM, which is the foundation of the matching-based classification method. Second, we propose the classification method with reference spectral libraries, which utilizes the SPM-based similarity for the real-time infrared ultra-spectral signature classification with robustness performance. Specifically, instead of matching with each spectrum in the spectral library, our method is based on feature matching, which includes a feature library-generating phase. We calculate the SPM-based similarity between the feature of the spectrum and that of each spectrum of the reference feature library, then take the class index of the corresponding spectrum having the maximum similarity as the final result. Experimental comparisons on two publicly-available datasets demonstrate that the proposed method effectively improves the real-time classification performance and robustness to noise. PMID:26205263

Atomic layer deposition (ALD): A versatile technique for plasmonics and nanobiotechnology.

PubMed

Im, Hyungsoon; Wittenberg, Nathan J; Lindquist, Nathan C; Oh, Sang-Hyun

2012-02-28

While atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been used for many years as an industrial manufacturing method for microprocessors and displays, this versatile technique is finding increased use in the emerging fields of plasmonics and nanobiotechnology. In particular, ALD coatings can modify metallic surfaces to tune their optical and plasmonic properties, to protect them against unwanted oxidation and contamination, or to create biocompatible surfaces. Furthermore, ALD is unique among thin-film deposition techniques in its ability to meet the processing demands for engineering nanoplasmonic devices, offering conformal deposition of dense and ultra-thin films on high-aspect-ratio nanostructures at temperatures below 100 °C. In this review, we present key features of ALD and describe how it could benefit future applications in plasmonics, nanosciences, and biotechnology.

Convective Heat Transfer with and without Film Cooling in High Temperature, Fuel Rich and Lean Environments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Greiner, Nathan J.

Modern turbine engines require high turbine inlet temperatures and pressures to maximize thermal efficiency. Increasing the turbine inlet temperature drives higher heat loads on the turbine surfaces. In addition, increasing pressure ratio increases the turbine coolant temperature such that the ability to remove heat decreases. As a result, highly effective external film cooling is required to reduce the heat transfer to turbine surfaces. Testing of film cooling on engine hardware at engine temperatures and pressures can be exceedingly difficult and expensive. Thus, modern studies of film cooling are often performed at near ambient conditions. However, these studies are missing an important aspect in their characterization of film cooling effectiveness. Namely, they do not model effect of thermal property variations that occur within the boundary and film cooling layers at engine conditions. Also, turbine surfaces can experience significant radiative heat transfer that is not trivial to estimate analytically. The present research first computationally examines the effect of large temperature variations on a turbulent boundary layer. Subsequently, a method to model the effect of large temperature variations within a turbulent boundary layer in an environment coupled with significant radiative heat transfer is proposed and experimentally validated. Next, a method to scale turbine cooling from ambient to engine conditions via non-dimensional matching is developed computationally and the experimentally validated at combustion temperatures. Increasing engine efficiency and thrust to weight ratio demands have driven increased combustor fuel-air ratios. Increased fuel-air ratios increase the possibility of unburned fuel species entering the turbine. Alternatively, advanced ultra-compact combustor designs have been proposed to decrease combustor length, increase thrust, or generate power for directed energy weapons. However, the ultra-compact combustor design requires a film cooled vane within the combustor. In both these environments, the unburned fuel in the core flow encounters the oxidizer rich film cooling stream, combusts, and can locally heat the turbine surface rather than the intended cooling of the surface. Accordingly, a method to quantify film cooling performance in a fuel rich environment is prescribed. Finally, a method to film cool in a fuel rich environment is experimentally demonstrated.

Procedure for Automated Eddy Current Crack Detection in Thin Titanium Plates

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wincheski, Russell A.

2012-01-01

This procedure provides the detailed instructions for conducting Eddy Current (EC) inspections of thin (5-30 mils) titanium membranes with thickness and material properties typical of the development of Ultra-Lightweight diaphragm Tanks Technology (ULTT). The inspection focuses on the detection of part-through, surface breaking fatigue cracks with depths between approximately 0.002" and 0.007" and aspect ratios (a/c) of 0.2-1.0 using an automated eddy current scanning and image processing technique.

The Effect of Cooling Passage Aspect Ratio on Curvature Heat Transfer Enhancement

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Michael L.

1997-01-01

A series of electrically heated tube experiments was performed to investigate the effect of high aspect ratio on curvature heat transfer enhancement in uniformly heated rectangular cooling passages. Three hardware geometries were tested: a baseline straight aspect ratio 10 tube, an aspect ratio 1 (square) tube with a 45 deg. curve, and an aspect ratio 10 tube with a 45 deg. curve. Gaseous nitrogen with the following properties was used as the coolant: ambient inlet temperature, pressures to 8.3 MPa, wall-to-bulk temperature ratios less than two, and Reynolds numbers based on hydraulic diameter ranging from 250,000 to 1,600,000. The measured curvature enhancement factors were compared to values predicted by three previously published models which had been developed for low aspect ratio tubes. The models were shown to be valid for the high aspect ratio tube as well the low aspect ratio tube, indicating that aspect ratio had little impact on the curvature heat transfer enhancement in these tests.

Ultra high vacuum broad band high power microwave window

DOEpatents

Nguyen-Tuong, V.; Dylla, H.F. III

1997-11-04

An improved high vacuum microwave window has been developed that utilizes high density polyethylene coated on two sides with SiOx, SiNx, or a combination of the two. The resultant low dielectric and low loss tangent window creates a low outgassing, low permeation seal through which broad band, high power microwave energy may be passed. No matching device is necessary and the sealing technique is simple. The features of the window are broad band transmission, ultra-high vacuum compatibility with a simple sealing technique, low voltage standing wave ratio, high power transmission and low cost. 5 figs.

Ultra high vacuum broad band high power microwave window

DOEpatents

Nguyen-Tuong, Viet; Dylla, III, Henry Frederick

1997-01-01

An improved high vacuum microwave window has been developed that utilizes high density polyethylene coated on two sides with SiOx, SiNx, or a combination of the two. The resultant low dielectric and low loss tangent window creates a low outgassing, low permeation seal through which broad band, high power microwave energy may be passed. No matching device is necessary and the sealing technique is simple. The features of the window are broad band transmission, ultra-high vacuum compatibility with a simple sealing technique, low voltage standing wave ratio, high power transmission and low cost.

Ultra-fast switching of light by absorption saturation in vacuum ultra-violet region.

PubMed

Yoneda, Hitoki; Inubushi, Yuichi; Tanaka, Toshihiro; Yamaguchi, Yuta; Sato, Fumiya; Morimoto, Shunsuke; Kumagai, Taisuke; Nagasono, Mitsuru; Higashiya, Atsushi; Yabashi, Makina; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Ohashi, Haruhiko; Kimura, Hiroaki; Kitamura, Hikaru; Kodama, Ryosuke

2009-12-21

Advances in free electron lasers producing high energy photons [Nat. Photonics 2(9), 555-559 (2008)] are expected to open up a new science of nonlinear optics of high energy photons. Specifically, lasers of photon energy higher than the plasma frequency of a metal can show new interaction features because they can penetrate deeply into metals without strong reflection. Here we show the observation of ultra-fast switching of vacuum ultra-violet (VUV) light caused by saturable absorption of a solid metal target. A strong gating is observed at energy fluences above 6J/cm2 at wavelength of 51 nm with tin metal thin layers. The ratio of the transmission at high intensity to low intensity is typically greater than 100:1. This means we can design new nonlinear photonic devices such as auto-correlator and pulse slicer for the VUV region.

Ionic liquid gating on atomic layer deposition passivated GaN: Ultra-high electron density induced high drain current and low contact resistance

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

Zhou, Hong; Du, Yuchen; Ye, Peide D., E-mail: yep@purdue.edu

2016-05-16

Herein, we report on achieving ultra-high electron density (exceeding 10{sup 14 }cm{sup −2}) in a GaN bulk material device by ionic liquid gating, through the application of atomic layer deposition (ALD) of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} to passivate the GaN surface. Output characteristics demonstrate a maximum drain current of 1.47 A/mm, the highest reported among all bulk GaN field-effect transistors, with an on/off ratio of 10{sup 5} at room temperature. An ultra-high electron density exceeding 10{sup 14 }cm{sup −2} accumulated at the surface is confirmed via Hall-effect measurement and transfer length measurement. In addition to the ultra-high electron density, we also observe a reductionmore » of the contact resistance due to the narrowing of the Schottky barrier width on the contacts. Taking advantage of the ALD surface passivation and ionic liquid gating technique, this work provides a route to study the field-effect and carrier transport properties of conventional semiconductors in unprecedented ultra-high charge density regions.« less

Ultra-high-extinction-ratio 2 × 2 silicon optical switch with variable splitter.

PubMed

Suzuki, Keijiro; Cong, Guangwei; Tanizawa, Ken; Kim, Sang-Hun; Ikeda, Kazuhiro; Namiki, Shu; Kawashima, Hitoshi

2015-04-06

We demonstrate a record-high extinction-ratio of 50.4 dB in a 2 × 2 silicon Mach-Zehnder switch equipped with a variable splitter as the front 3-dB splitter. The variable splitter is adjusted to compensate for the splitting-ratio mismatch between the front and rear 3-dB splitters. The high extinction ratio does not rely on waveguide crossings and meets a strong demand in applications to multiport circuit switches. Large fabrication tolerance will make the high extinction ratio compatible with a volume production with standard complementary metal-oxide semiconductor fabrication facilities.

Achieving high aspect ratio wrinkles by modifying material network stress.

PubMed

Chen, Yu-Cheng; Wang, Yan; McCarthy, Thomas J; Crosby, Alfred J

2017-06-07

Wrinkle aspect ratio, or the amplitude divided by the wavelength, is hindered by strain localization transitions when an increasing global compressive stress is applied to synthetic material systems. However, many examples from living organisms show extremely high aspect ratios, such as gut villi and flower petals. We use three experimental approaches to demonstrate that these high aspect ratio structures can be achieved by modifying the network stress in the wrinkle substrate. We modify the wrinkle stress and effectively delay the strain localization transition, such as folding, to larger aspect ratios by using a zero-stress initial wavy substrate, creating a secondary network with post-curing, or using chemical stress relaxation materials. A wrinkle aspect ratio as high as 0.85, almost three times higher than common values of synthetic wrinkles, is achieved, and a quantitative framework is presented to provide understanding the different strategies and predictions for future investigations.

Piezo-Catalytic Effect on the Enhancement of the Ultra-High Degradation Activity in the Dark by Single- and Few-Layers MoS2 Nanoflowers.

PubMed

Wu, Jyh Ming; Chang, Wei En; Chang, Yu Ting; Chang, Chih-Kai

2016-05-01

Single- and few-layer MoS2 nanoflowers are first discovered to have a piezo-catalyst effect, exhibiting an ultra-high degradation activity in the dark by introducing external mechanical strains. The degradation ratio of the Rhodamine-B dye solution reaches 93% within 60 s under ultrasonic-wave assistance in the dark. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultra-high Temperature Emittance Measurements for Space and Missile Applications

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rogers, Jan; Crandall, David

2009-01-01

Advanced modeling and design efforts for many aerospace components require high temperature emittance data. Applications requiring emittance data include propulsion systems, radiators, aeroshells, heatshields/thermal protection systems, and leading edge surfaces. The objective of this work is to provide emittance data at ultra-high temperatures. MSFC has a new instrument for the measurement of emittance at ultra-high temperatures, the Ultra-High Temperature Emissometer System (Ultra-HITEMS). AZ Technology Inc. developed the instrument, designed to provide emittance measurements over the temperature range 700-3500K. The Ultra-HITEMS instrument measures the emittance of samples, heated by lasers, in vacuum, using a blackbody source and a Fourier Transform Spectrometer. Detectors in a Nicolet 6700 FT-IR spectrometer measure emittance over the spectral range of 0.4-25 microns. Emitted energy from the specimen and output from a Mikron M390S blackbody source at the same temperature with matched collection geometry are measured. Integrating emittance over the spectral range yields the total emittance. The ratio provides a direct measure of total hemispherical emittance. Samples are heated using lasers. Optical pyrometry provides temperature data. Optical filters prevent interference from the heating lasers. Data for Inconel 718 show excellent agreement with results from literature and ASTM 835. Measurements taken from levitated spherical specimens provide total hemispherical emittance data; measurements taken from flat specimens mounted in the chamber provide near-normal emittance data. Data from selected characterization studies will be presented. The Ultra-HITEMS technique could advance space and missile technologies by advancing the knowledge base and the technology readiness level for ultra-high temperature materials.

High longitudinal relaxivity of ultra-small gadolinium oxide prepared by microsecond laser ablation in diethylene glycol

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Luo, Ningqi; Tian, Xiumei; Xiao, Jun; Hu, Wenyong; Yang, Chuan; Li, Li; Chen, Dihu

2013-04-01

Ultra-small gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) can be used as T1-weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) contrast agent own to its high longitudinal relaxivity (r1) and has attracted intensive attention in these years. In this paper, ultra-small Gd2O3 nanoparticles of 3.8 nm in diameter have been successfully synthesized by a microsecond laser ablating a gadolinium (Gd) target in diethylene glycol (DEG). The growth inhibition effect induced by the large viscosity of DEG makes it possible to synthesize ultra-small Gd2O3 by laser ablation in DEG. The r1 value and T1-weighted MR images are measured by a 3.0 T MRI spectroscope. The results show these nanoparticles with a high r1 value of 9.76 s-1 mM-1 to be good MRI contrast agents. We propose an explanation for the high r1 value of ultra-small Gd2O3 by considering the decreasing factor (surface to volume ratio of the nanoparticles, S/V) and the increasing factor (water hydration number of the Gd3+ on Gd2O3 surface, q), which offer a new look into the relaxivity studies of MRI contrast agents. Our research provides a new approach to preparing ultra-small Gd2O3 of high r1 value by laser ablation in DEG and develops the understanding of high relaxivity of ultra-small Gd2O3 MRI contrast agents.

The Influence of Sintering Method on Kaolin-Based Geopolymer Ceramics with Addition of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene as Binder

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Romisuhani, A.; AlBakri, M. M.; Kamarudin, H.; Andrei, S. V.

2017-11-01

The influence of sintering method on kaolin-based geopolymer ceramics with addition of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene as binder were studied. Geopolymer were formed at room temperature from kaolin and sodium silicate in a highly alkaline medium, followed by curing and drying at 80 °C. 12 M of sodium hydroxide solution were mixed with sodium silicate at a ratio of 0.24 to form alkaline activator. Powder metallurgy technique were used in order to produce kaolin geopolymer ceramics with addition of Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene. The samples were heated at temperature of 1200 °C with two different sintering method which are conventional method and two-step sintering method. The strength and density were tested.

Evolution of Structural and Optical Properties of ZnO Nanorods Grown on Vacuum Annealed Seed Crystallites

PubMed Central

Khan, Fasihullah; Ajmal, Hafiz Muhammad Salman; Huda, Noor Ul; Kim, Ji Hyun; Kim, Sam-Dong

2018-01-01

In this study, the ambient condition for the as-coated seed layer (SL) annealing at 350 °C is varied from air or nitrogen to vacuum to examine the evolution of structural and optical properties of ZnO nanorods (NRs). The NR crystals of high surface density (~240 rods/μm2) and aspect ratio (~20.3) show greatly enhanced (002) degree of orientation and crystalline quality, when grown on the SLs annealed in vacuum, compared to those annealed in air or nitrogen ambient. This is due to the vacuum-annealed SL crystals of a highly preferred orientation toward (002) and large grain sizes. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy also reveals that the highest O/Zn atomic ratio of 0.89 is obtained in the case of vacuum-annealed SL crystals, which is due to the effective desorption of hydroxyl groups and other contaminants adsorbed on the surface formed during aqueous solution-based growth process. Near band edge emission (ultra violet range of 360–400 nm) of the vacuum-annealed SLs is also enhanced by 44% and 33% as compared to those annealed in air and nitrogen ambient, respectively, in photoluminescence with significant suppression of visible light emission associated with deep level transition. Due to this improvement of SL optical crystalline quality, the NR crystals grown on the vacuum-annealed SLs produce ~3 times higher ultra violet emission intensity than the other samples. In summary, it is shown that the ZnO NRs preferentially grow along the wurtzite c-axis direction, thereby producing the high crystalline quality of nanostructures when they grow on the vacuum-annealed SLs of high crystalline quality with minimized impurities and excellent preferred orientation. The ZnO nanostructures of high crystalline quality achieved in this study can be utilized for a wide range of potential device applications such as laser diodes, light-emitting diodes, piezoelectric transducers and generators, gas sensors, and ultraviolet detectors. PMID:29373523

Synthesis of high aspect ratio ZnO nanowires with an inexpensive handcrafted electrochemical setup

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

Taheri, Ali, E-mail: at1361@aut.ac.ir, E-mail: atahery@aeoi.org.ir; Saramad, Shahyar; Setayeshi, Saeed

In this work, high aspect ratio zinc oxide nanowires are synthesized using templated one-step electrodeposition technique. Electrodeposition of the nanowires is done using a handcrafted electronic system. Nuclear track-etched polycarbonate membrane is used as a template to form the high aspect ratio nanowires. The result of X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy shows that nanowires with a good crystallinity and an aspect ratio of more than 30 can be achieved in a suitable condition. The height of electrodeposited nanowires reaches to about 11 μm. Based on the obtained results, high aspect ratio ZnO nanowires can be formed using inexpensive electrodepositionmore » setup with an acceptable quality.« less

Ultra-processed food consumption among infants in primary health care in a city of the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil.

PubMed

Relvas, Gláubia Rocha Barbosa; Buccini, Gabriela Dos Santos; Venancio, Sonia Isoyama

2018-06-08

To analyze the prevalence of ultra-processed food intake among children under one year of age and to identify associated factors. A cross-sectional design was employed. We interviewed 198 mothers of children aged between 6 and 12 months in primary healthcare units located in a city of the metropolitan region of São Paulo, Brazil. Specific foods consumed in the previous 24h of the interview were considered to evaluate the consumption of ultra-processed foods. Variables related to mothers' and children's characteristics as well as primary healthcare units were grouped into three blocks of increasingly proximal influence on the outcome. A Poisson regression analysis was performed following a statistical hierarchical modeling to determine factors associated with ultra-processed food intake. The prevalence of ultra-processed food intake was 43.1%. Infants that were not being breastfed had a higher prevalence of ultra-processed food intake but no statistical significance was found. Lower maternal education (prevalence ratio 1.55 [1.08-2.24]) and the child's first appointment at the primary healthcare unit having happened after the first week of life (prevalence ratio 1.51 [1.01-2.27]) were factors associated with the consumption of ultra-processed foods. High consumption of ultra-processed foods among children under 1 year of age was found. Both maternal socioeconomic status and time until the child's first appointment at the primary healthcare unit were associated with the prevalence of ultra-processed food intake. Copyright © 2018 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Designed Synthesis of CeO2 Nanorods and Nanowires for Studying Toxicological Effects of High Aspect Ratio Nanomaterials

PubMed Central

Ji, Zhaoxia; Wang, Xiang; Zhang, Haiyuan; Lin, Sijie; Meng, Huan; Sun, Bingbing; George, Saji; Xia, Tian; Nel, André E.; Zink, Jeffrey I.

2012-01-01

While it has been shown that high aspect ratio nanomaterials like carbon nanotubes and TiO2 nanowires can induce toxicity by acting as fiber-like substances that damage the lysosome, it is not clear what the critical lengths and aspect ratios are that induce this type of toxicity. To answer this question, we synthesized a series of cerium oxide (CeO2) nanorods and nanowires with precisely controlled lengths and aspect ratios. Both phosphate and chloride ions were shown to play critical roles in obtaining these high aspect ratio nanostructures. High resolution TEM analysis shows that single crystalline CeO2 nanorods/nanowires were formed along the [211] direction by an “oriented attachment” mechanism, followed by Ostwald ripening. The successful creation of a comprehensive CeO2 nanorod/nanowire combinatorial library allows, for the first time, the systematic study of the effect of aspect ratio on lysosomal damage, cytoxicity and IL-1β production by the human myeloid cell line (THP-1). This in vitro toxicity study demonstrated that at lengths ≥200 nm and aspect ratios ≥ 22, CeO2 nanorods induced progressive cytotoxicity and pro-inflammatory effects. The relatively low “critical” length and aspect ratio were associated with small nanorod/nanowire diameters (6–10 nm), which facilitates the formation of stacking bundles due to strong van der Waals and dipole-dipole attractions. Our results suggest that both length and diameter components of aspect ratio should be considered when addressing the cytotoxic effects of long aspect ratio materials. PMID:22564147

Fabrication of enzyme-degradable and size-controlled protein nanowires using single particle nano-fabrication technique

PubMed Central

Omichi, Masaaki; Asano, Atsushi; Tsukuda, Satoshi; Takano, Katsuyoshi; Sugimoto, Masaki; Saeki, Akinori; Sakamaki, Daisuke; Onoda, Akira; Hayashi, Takashi; Seki, Shu

2014-01-01

Protein nanowires exhibiting specific biological activities hold promise for interacting with living cells and controlling and predicting biological responses such as apoptosis, endocytosis and cell adhesion. Here we report the result of the interaction of a single high-energy charged particle with protein molecules, giving size-controlled protein nanowires with an ultra-high aspect ratio of over 1,000. Degradation of the human serum albumin nanowires was examined using trypsin. The biotinylated human serum albumin nanowires bound avidin, demonstrating the high affinity of the nanowires. Human serum albumin–avidin hybrid nanowires were also fabricated from a solid state mixture and exhibited good mechanical strength in phosphate-buffered saline. The biotinylated human serum albumin nanowires can be transformed into nanowires exhibiting a biological function such as avidin–biotinyl interactions and peroxidase activity. The present technique is a versatile platform for functionalizing the surface of any protein molecule with an extremely large surface area. PMID:24770668

Conformal doping of topographic silicon structures using a radial line slot antenna plasma source

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ueda, Hirokazu; Ventzek, Peter L. G.; Oka, Masahiro; Horigome, Masahiro; Kobayashi, Yuuki; Sugimoto, Yasuhiro; Nozawa, Toshihisa; Kawakami, Satoru

2014-06-01

Fin extension doping for 10 nm front end of line technology requires ultra-shallow high dose conformal doping. In this paper, we demonstrate a new radial line slot antenna plasma source based doping process that meets these requirements. Critical to reaching true conformality while maintaining fin integrity is that the ion energy be low and controllable, while the dose absorption is self-limited. The saturated dopant later is rendered conformal by concurrent amorphization and dopant containing capping layer deposition followed by stabilization anneal. Dopant segregation assists in driving dopants from the capping layer into the sub silicon surface. Very high resolution transmission electron microscopy-Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, used to prove true conformality, was achieved. We demonstrate these results using an n-type arsenic based plasma doping process on 10 to 40 nm high aspect ratio fins structures. The results are discussed in terms of the different types of clusters that form during the plasma doping process.

Study of Ni Metallization in Macroporous Si Using Wet Chemistry for Radio Frequency Cross-Talk Isolation in Mixed Signal Integrated Circuits

PubMed Central

Zhang, Xi; Xu, Chengkun; Chong, Kyuchul; Tu, King-Ning; Xie, Ya-Hong

2011-01-01

A highly conductive moat or Faraday cage of through-the-wafer thickness in Si substrate was proposed to be effective in shielding electromagnetic interference thereby reducing radio frequency (RF) cross-talk in high performance mixed signal integrated circuits. Such a structure was realized by metallization of selected ultra-high-aspect-ratio macroporous regions that were electrochemically etched in p− Si substrates. The metallization process was conducted by means of wet chemistry in an alkaline aqueous solution containing Ni2+ without reducing agent. It is found that at elevated temperature during immersion, Ni2+ was rapidly reduced and deposited into macroporous Si and a conformal metallization of the macropore sidewalls was obtained in a way that the entire porous Si framework was converted to Ni. A conductive moat was as a result incorporated into p− Si substrate. The experimentally measured reduction of crosstalk in this structure is 5~18 dB at frequencies up to 35 GHz. PMID:28879960

Study of Ni Metallization in Macroporous Si Using Wet Chemistry for Radio Frequency Cross-Talk Isolation in Mixed Signal Integrated Circuits.

PubMed

Zhang, Xi; Xu, Chengkun; Chong, Kyuchul; Tu, King-Ning; Xie, Ya-Hong

2011-05-25

A highly conductive moat or Faraday cage of through-the-wafer thickness in Si substrate was proposed to be effective in shielding electromagnetic interference thereby reducing radio frequency (RF) cross-talk in high performance mixed signal integrated circuits. Such a structure was realized by metallization of selected ultra-high-aspect-ratio macroporous regions that were electrochemically etched in p - Si substrates. The metallization process was conducted by means of wet chemistry in an alkaline aqueous solution containing Ni 2+ without reducing agent. It is found that at elevated temperature during immersion, Ni 2+ was rapidly reduced and deposited into macroporous Si and a conformal metallization of the macropore sidewalls was obtained in a way that the entire porous Si framework was converted to Ni. A conductive moat was as a result incorporated into p - Si substrate. The experimentally measured reduction of crosstalk in this structure is 5~18 dB at frequencies up to 35 GHz.

Report of the panel on theoretical aerodynamics. [for the National Transonic Facility

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bobbitt, P. J.; Carter, J. E.

1977-01-01

Requirements for flow quality in the National Transonic Facility are explored. Viscous flow effects of concern to theoreticians are discussed. Experiments outlined for theory validation in the facility include validating high aspect ratio wing-body combination; low aspect ratio moderately swept wing; low aspect ratio highly swept wing; high lift systems on high aspect ration wings; Reynolds number scaling; dynamic shock- boundary layer interaction; and the effect of R and M on dynamic stall.

Thermoreversible Gels Composed of Colloidal Silica Rods with Short-Range Attractions

DOE PAGES

Murphy, Ryan P.; Hong, Kunlun; Wagner, Norman J.

2016-07-28

Dynamic arrest transitions of colloidal suspensions containing non-spherical particles are of interest for the design and processing of various particle technologies. To better understand the effects of particle shape anisotropy and attraction strength on gel and glass formation, we present a colloidal model system of octadecyl-coated silica rods, termed as adhesive hard rods (AHR), which enables control of rod aspect ratio and temperature-dependent interactions. The aspect ratios of silica rods were controlled by varying the initial TEOS concentration following the work of Kuijk et al. (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2011, 133, 2346–2349) and temperature-dependent attractions were introduced by coating themore » calcined silica rods with an octadecyl-brush and suspending in tetradecane. The rod length and aspect ratio were found to increase with TEOS concentration as expected, while other properties such as the rod diameter, coating coverage, density, and surface roughness were nearly independent of the aspect ratio. Ultra-small angle X-ray scattering measurements revealed temperature-dependent attractions between octadecyl-coated silica rods in tetradecane, as characterized by a low-q upturn in the scattered intensity upon thermal quenching. Lastly, the rheology of a concentrated AHR suspension in tetradecane demonstrated thermoreversible gelation behavior, displaying a nearly 5 orders of magnitude change in the dynamic moduli as the temperature was cycled between 15 and 40 °C. We find the adhesive hard rod model system serves as a tunable platform to explore the combined influence of particle shape anisotropy and attraction strength on the dynamic arrest transitions in colloidal suspensions with thermoreversible, short-range attractions.« less

[Methodological aspects of functional neuroimaging at high field strength: a critical review].

PubMed

Scheef, L; Landsberg, M W; Boecker, H

2007-09-01

The last few years have proven that high field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is superior in nearly every way to conventional equipment up to 1.5 tesla (T). Following the global success of 3T-scanners in research institutes and medical practices, a new generation of MRI devices with field strengths of 7T and higher is now on the horizon. The introduction of ultra high fields has brought MRI technology closer to the physical limitations and increasingly greater costs are required to achieve this goal. This article provides a critical overview of the advantages and problems of functional neuroimaging using ultra high field strengths. This review is principally limited to T2*-based functional imaging techniques not dependent on contrast agents. The main issues include the significance of high field technology with respect to SNR, CNR, resolution, and sequences, as well as artifacts, noise exposure, and SAR. Of great relevance is the discussion of parallel imaging, which will presumably determine the further development of high and ultra high field strengths. Finally, the importance of high field strengths for functional neuroimaging is explained by selected publications.

Multiple negative differential resistance devices with ultra-high peak-to-valley current ratio for practical multi-valued logic and memory applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shin, Sunhae; Rok Kim, Kyung

2015-06-01

In this paper, we propose a novel multiple negative differential resistance (NDR) device with ultra-high peak-to-valley current ratio (PVCR) over 106 by combining tunnel diode with a conventional MOSFET, which suppresses the valley current with transistor off-leakage level. Band-to-band tunneling (BTBT) in tunnel junction provides the first peak, and the second peak and valley are generated from the suppression of diffusion current in tunnel diode by the off-state MOSFET. The multiple NDR curves can be controlled by doping concentration of tunnel junction and the threshold voltage of MOSFET. By using complementary multiple NDR devices, five-state memory is demonstrated only with six transistors.

Experimental analysis for fabrication of high-aspect-ratio piezoelectric ceramic structure by micro-powder injection molding process

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Jun Sae; Gal, Chang Woo; Park, Jae Man; Kim, Jong Hyun; Park, Seong Jin

2018-04-01

Aspect ratio effects in the micro-powder injection molding process were experimentally analyzed for fabrication of high-aspect-ratio piezoelectric ceramic structure. The mechanisms of critical defects have been studied according to individual manufacturing steps. In the molding process, incomplete filling phenomenon determines the critical aspect ratios of a micro pattern. According to mold temperature, an incomplete filling phenomenon has been analyzed with respect to different pattern sizes and aspect ratio. In demolding and drying process, the capillary behavior of sacrificial polymeric mold insert determines the critical aspect ratio of a micro pattern. With respect to pattern dimensions, slumping behavior has been analyzed. Based on our current systems, micro PZT feature has stability when it has lower aspect ratio than 5. Under optimized processing conditions, 20 μm and 40 μm ceramic rod array feature which has 5 of aspect ratio were successfully fabricated by the developed process. Further modification points to fabricate the smaller and higher feature were specifically addressed.

Symmetric periscope for concentric beam configuration in an ultra-high precision laser interferometric beam launcher

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ames, Lawrence L. (Inventor)

2006-01-01

An optical component especially suited for common path heterodyne interferometry comprises a symmetric dual-periscope configuration. Each periscope is substantially identical to the other with regard to certain design aspects. The resulting design is an optical component that is highly stable with variations in temperature and angular deviations.

A machine for the preliminary investigation of design features influencing the wear behaviour of knee prostheses.

PubMed

McGloughlin, T M; Murphy, D M; Kavanagh, A G

2004-01-01

Degradation of tibial inserts in vivo has been found to be multifactorial in nature, resulting in a complex interaction of many variables. A range of kinematic conditions occurs at the tibio-femoral interface, giving rise to various degrees of rolling and sliding at this interface. The movement of the tibio-femoral contact point may be an influential factor in the overall wear of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) tibial components. As part of this study a three-station wear-test machine was designed and built to investigate the influence of rolling and sliding on the wear behaviour of specific design aspects of contemporary knee prostheses. Using the machine, it is possible to monitor the effect of various slide roll ratios on the performance of contemporary bearing designs from a geometrical and materials perspective.

Thermo-mechanical properties of high aspect ratio silica nanofiber filled epoxy composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ren, Liyun

The optimization of thermo-mechanical properties of polymer composites at low filler loadings is of great interest in both engineering and scientific fields. There have been several studies on high aspect ratio fillers as novel reinforcement phase for polymeric materials. However, facile synthesis method of high aspect ratio nanofillers is limited. In this study, a scalable synthesis method of high aspect ratio silica nanofibers is going to be presented. I will also demonstrate that the inclusion of high aspect ratio silica nanofibers in epoxy results in a significant improvement of epoxy thermo-mechanical properties at low filler loadings. With silica nanofiber concentration of 2.8% by volume, the Young's modulus, ultimate tensile strength and fracture toughness of epoxy increased ~23, ~28 and ~50%, respectively, compared to unfilled epoxy. At silica nanofiber volume concentration of 8.77%, the thermal expansion coefficient decreased by ˜40% and the thermal conductivity was improved by ˜95% at room temperature. In the current study, the influence of nano-sized silica filler aspect ratio on mechanical and thermal behavior of epoxy nanocomposites were studied by comparing silica nanofibers to spherical silica nanoparticles (with aspect ratio of one) at various filler loadings. The significant reinforcement of composite stiffness is attributed to the variation of the local stress state in epoxy due to the high aspect ratio of the silica nanofiber and the introduction of a tremendous amount of interfacial area between the nanofillers and the epoxy matrix. The fracture mechanisms of silica nanofiber filled epoxy were also investigated. The existence of high aspect ratio silica nanofiber promotes fracture energy dissipation by crack deflection, crack pinning as well as debonding with fiber pull-out leading to enhanced fracture toughness. High aspect ratio fillers also provide significant reduction of photon scattering due to formation of a continuous fiber network within the composite. The resulting silica nanofiber filled epoxy would be widely applicable as underfill and encapsulant in advanced electronic packaging industry because of its electrically insulating, low cost and ease of processability.

Simulation and experimental study of aspect ratio limitation in Fresnel zone plates for hard-x-ray optics.

PubMed

Liu, Jianpeng; Shao, Jinhai; Zhang, Sichao; Ma, Yaqi; Taksatorn, Nit; Mao, Chengwen; Chen, Yifang; Deng, Biao; Xiao, Tiqiao

2015-11-10

For acquiring high-contrast and high-brightness images in hard-x-ray optics, Fresnel zone plates with high aspect ratios (zone height/zone width) have been constantly pursued. However, knowledge of aspect ratio limits remains limited. This work explores the achievable aspect ratio limit in polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) by electron-beam lithography (EBL) under 100 keV, and investigates the lithographic factors for this limitation. Both Monte Carlo simulation and EBL on thick PMMA are applied to investigate the profile evolution with exposure doses over 100 nm wide dense zones. A high-resolution scanning electron microscope at low acceleration mode for charging free is applied to characterize the resultant zone profiles. It was discovered for what we believe is the first time that the primary electron-beam spreading in PMMA and the proximity effect due to extra exposure from neighboring areas could be the major causes of limiting the aspect ratio. Using the optimized lithography condition, a 100 nm zone plate with aspect ratio of 15/1 was fabricated and its focusing property was characterized at the Shanghai Synchrotron Radiation Facility. The aspect ratio limit found in this work should be extremely useful for guiding further technical development in nanofabrication of high-quality Fresnel zone plates.

Understanding the Effects of NaCl, NaBr and Their Mixtures on Silver Nanowire Nucleation and Growth in Terms of the Distribution of Electron Traps in Silver Halide Crystals

PubMed Central

Rui, Yunjun; Zhao, Weiliang; Zhu, Dewei; Wang, Hengyu; Song, Guangliang; Swihart, Mark T.; Wan, Neng; Gu, Dawei; Tang, Xiaobing; Yang, Ying; Zhang, Tianyou

2018-01-01

In recent years, many research groups have synthesized ultra-thin silver nanowires (AgNWs) with diameters below 30 nm by employing Cl− and Br− simultaneously in the polyol process. However, the yield of AgNWs in this method was low, due to the production of Ag nanoparticles (AgNPs) as an unwanted byproduct, especially in the case of high Br− concentration. Here, we investigated the roles of Cl− and Br− in the preparation of AgNWs and then synthesized high aspect ratio (up to 2100) AgNWs in high yield (>85% AgNWs) using a Cl− and Br− co-mediated method. We found that multiply-twinned particles (MTPs) with different critical sizes were formed and grew into AgNWs, accompanied by a small and large amount of AgNPs for the NaCl and NaBr additives, respectively. For the first time, we propose that the growth of AgNWs of different diameters and yields can be understood based on the electron trap distribution (ETD) of the silver halide crystals. For the case of Cl− and Br− co-additives, a mixed silver halide crystal of AgBr1−xClx was formed, rather than the AgBr/AgCl mixture reported previously. In this type of crystal, the ETD is uniform, which is beneficial for the synthesis of AgNWs with small diameter (30~40 nm) and high aspect ratio. AgNW transparent electrodes were prepared in air by rod coating. A sheet resistance of 48 Ω/sq and transmittance of 95% at 550 nm were obtained without any post-treatment. PMID:29538281

Cytocompatibility evaluation of gum Arabic-coated ultra-pure boron nitride nanotubes on human cells.

PubMed

Ciofani, Gianni; Del Turco, Serena; Rocca, Antonella; de Vito, Giuseppe; Cappello, Valentina; Yamaguchi, Maho; Li, Xia; Mazzolai, Barbara; Basta, Giuseppina; Gemmi, Mauro; Piazza, Vincenzo; Golberg, Dmitri; Mattoli, Virgilio

2014-05-01

Boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) are tubular nanoparticles with a structure analogous to that of carbon nanotubes, but with B and N atoms that completely replace the C atoms. Many favorable results indicate BNNTs as safe nanomaterials; however, important concerns have recently been raised about ultra-pure, long (~10 µm) BNNTs tested on several cell types. Here, we propose additional experiments with the same BNNTs, but shortened (~1.5 µm) with a homogenization/sonication treatment that allows for their dispersion in gum Arabic aqueous solutions. Obtained BNNTs are tested on human endothelial and neuron-like cells with several independent biocompatibility assays. Moreover, for the first time, their strong sum-frequency generation signal is exploited to assess the cellular uptake. Our data demonstrate no toxic effects up to concentrations of 20 µg/ml, once more confirming biosafety of BNNTs, and again highlighting that nanoparticle aspect ratio plays a key role in the biocompatibility evaluation.

Fabrication of high aspect ratio nanogrid transparent electrodes via capillary assembly of Ag nanoparticles

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kang, Juhoon; Park, Chang-Goo; Lee, Su-Han; Cho, Changsoon; Choi, Dae-Geun; Lee, Jung-Yong

2016-05-01

In this report, we describe the fabrication of periodic Ag nanogrid electrodes by capillary assembly of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) along patterned nanogrid templates. By assembling the AgNPs into these high-aspect-ratio nanogrid patterns, we can obtain high-aspect-ratio nanogratings, which can overcome the inherent trade-off between the optical transmittance and the sheet resistance of transparent electrodes. The junction resistance between the AgNPs is effectively reduced by photochemical welding and post-annealing. The fabricated high-aspect-ratio nanogrid structure with a line width of 150 nm and a height of 450 nm has a sheet resistance of 15.2 Ω sq-1 and an optical transmittance of 85.4%.In this report, we describe the fabrication of periodic Ag nanogrid electrodes by capillary assembly of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) along patterned nanogrid templates. By assembling the AgNPs into these high-aspect-ratio nanogrid patterns, we can obtain high-aspect-ratio nanogratings, which can overcome the inherent trade-off between the optical transmittance and the sheet resistance of transparent electrodes. The junction resistance between the AgNPs is effectively reduced by photochemical welding and post-annealing. The fabricated high-aspect-ratio nanogrid structure with a line width of 150 nm and a height of 450 nm has a sheet resistance of 15.2 Ω sq-1 and an optical transmittance of 85.4%. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c6nr01896c

Deep Reactive Ion Etching (DRIE) of High Aspect Ratio SiC Microstructures using a Time-Multiplexed Etch-Passivate Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Evans, Laura J.; Beheim, Glenn M.

2006-01-01

High aspect ratio silicon carbide (SiC) microstructures are needed for microengines and other harsh environment micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS). Previously, deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) of low aspect ratio (AR less than or = 1) deep (greater than 100 micron) trenches in SiC has been reported. However, existing DRIE processes for SiC are not well-suited for definition of high aspect ratio features because such simple etch-only processes provide insufficient control over sidewall roughness and slope. Therefore, we have investigated the use of a time-multiplexed etch-passivate (TMEP) process, which alternates etching with polymer passivation of the etch sidewalls. An optimized TMEP process was used to etch high aspect ratio (AR greater than 5) deep (less than 100 micron) trenches in 6H-SiC. Power MEMS structures (micro turbine blades) in 6H-SiC were also fabricated.

Post-mortem inference of the human hippocampal connectivity and microstructure using ultra-high field diffusion MRI at 11.7 T.

PubMed

Beaujoin, Justine; Palomero-Gallagher, Nicola; Boumezbeur, Fawzi; Axer, Markus; Bernard, Jeremy; Poupon, Fabrice; Schmitz, Daniel; Mangin, Jean-François; Poupon, Cyril

2018-06-01

The human hippocampus plays a key role in memory management and is one of the first structures affected by Alzheimer's disease. Ultra-high magnetic resonance imaging provides access to its inner structure in vivo. However, gradient limitations on clinical systems hinder access to its inner connectivity and microstructure. A major target of this paper is the demonstration of diffusion MRI potential, using ultra-high field (11.7 T) and strong gradients (750 mT/m), to reveal the extra- and intra-hippocampal connectivity in addition to its microstructure. To this purpose, a multiple-shell diffusion-weighted acquisition protocol was developed to reach an ultra-high spatio-angular resolution with a good signal-to-noise ratio. The MRI data set was analyzed using analytical Q-Ball Imaging, Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI), and Neurite Orientation Dispersion and Density Imaging models. High Angular Resolution Diffusion Imaging estimates allowed us to obtain an accurate tractography resolving more complex fiber architecture than DTI models, and subsequently provided a map of the cross-regional connectivity. The neurite density was akin to that found in the histological literature, revealing the three hippocampal layers. Moreover, a gradient of connectivity and neurite density was observed between the anterior and the posterior part of the hippocampus. These results demonstrate that ex vivo ultra-high field/ultra-high gradients diffusion-weighted MRI allows the mapping of the inner connectivity of the human hippocampus, its microstructure, and to accurately reconstruct elements of the polysynaptic intra-hippocampal pathway using fiber tractography techniques at very high spatial/angular resolutions.

Ultrahigh Detective Heterogeneous Photosensor Arrays with In-Pixel Signal Boosting Capability for Large-Area and Skin-Compatible Electronics.

PubMed

Kim, Jaehyun; Kim, Jaekyun; Jo, Sangho; Kang, Jingu; Jo, Jeong-Wan; Lee, Myungwon; Moon, Juhyuk; Yang, Lin; Kim, Myung-Gil; Kim, Yong-Hoon; Park, Sung Kyu

2016-04-01

An ultra-thin and large-area skin-compatible heterogeneous organic/metal-oxide photosensor array is demonstrated which is capable of sensing and boosting signals with high detectivity and signal-to-noise ratio. For the realization of ultra-flexible and high-sensitive heterogeneous photosensor arrays on a polyimide substrate having organic sensor arrays and metal-oxide boosting circuitry, solution-processing and room-temperature alternating photochemical conversion routes are applied. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Power reduction and the radial limit of stall delay in revolving wings of different aspect ratio

PubMed Central

Kruyt, Jan W.; van Heijst, GertJan F.; Altshuler, Douglas L.; Lentink, David

2015-01-01

Airplanes and helicopters use high aspect ratio wings to reduce the power required to fly, but must operate at low angle of attack to prevent flow separation and stall. Animals capable of slow sustained flight, such as hummingbirds, have low aspect ratio wings and flap their wings at high angle of attack without stalling. Instead, they generate an attached vortex along the leading edge of the wing that elevates lift. Previous studies have demonstrated that this vortex and high lift can be reproduced by revolving the animal wing at the same angle of attack. How do flapping and revolving animal wings delay stall and reduce power? It has been hypothesized that stall delay derives from having a short radial distance between the shoulder joint and wing tip, measured in chord lengths. This non-dimensional measure of wing length represents the relative magnitude of inertial forces versus rotational accelerations operating in the boundary layer of revolving and flapping wings. Here we show for a suite of aspect ratios, which represent both animal and aircraft wings, that the attachment of the leading edge vortex on a revolving wing is determined by wing aspect ratio, defined with respect to the centre of revolution. At high angle of attack, the vortex remains attached when the local radius is shorter than four chord lengths and separates outboard on higher aspect ratio wings. This radial stall limit explains why revolving high aspect ratio wings (of helicopters) require less power compared with low aspect ratio wings (of hummingbirds) at low angle of attack and vice versa at high angle of attack. PMID:25788539

Aspect ratio has no effect on genotoxicity of multi-wall carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Kim, Jin Sik; Lee, Kyu; Lee, Young Hee; Cho, Hyun Sun; Kim, Ki Heon; Choi, Kyung Hee; Lee, Sang Hee; Song, Kyung Seuk; Kang, Chang Soo; Yu, Il Je

2011-07-01

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have specific physico-chemical and electrical properties that are useful for telecommunications, medicine, materials, manufacturing processes and the environmental and energy sectors. Yet, despite their many advantages, it is also important to determine whether CNTs may represent a hazard to the environment and human health. Like asbestos, the aspect ratio (length:diameter) and metal components of CNTs are known to have an effect on the toxicity of carbon nanotubes. Thus, to evaluate the toxic potential of CNTs in relation to their aspect ratio and metal contamination, in vivo and in vitro genotoxicity tests were conducted using high-aspect-ratio (diameter: 10-15 nm, length: ~10 μm) and low-aspect-ratio multi-wall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs, diameter: 10-15 nm, length: ~150 nm) according to OECD test guidelines 471 (bacterial reverse mutation test), 473 (in vitro chromosome aberration test), and 474 (in vivo micronuclei test) with a good laboratory practice system. To determine the treatment concentration for all the tests, a solubility and dispersive test was performed, and a 1,2-dipalmitoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (DPPC) solution found to be more suitable than distilled water. Neither the high- nor the low-aspect-ratio MWCNTs induced any genotoxicity in a bacterial reverse mutation test (~1,000 μg/plate), in vitro chromosome aberration test (without S9: ~6.25 μg/ml, with S9: ~50 μg/ml), or in vivo micronuclei test (~50 mg/kg). However, the high-aspect-ratio MWCNTs were found to be more toxic than the low-aspect-ratio MWCNTs. Thus, while high-aspect-ratio MWCNTs do not induce direct genotoxicity or metabolic activation-mediated genotoxicity, genotoxicity could still be induced indirectly through oxidative stress or inflammation.

Controlled Synthesis of Millimeter-Long Silicon Nanowires with Uniform Electronic Properties

PubMed Central

Park, Won Il; Zheng, Gengfeng; Jiang, Xiaocheng; Tian, Bozhi; Lieber, Charles M.

2009-01-01

We report the nanocluster-catalyzed growth of ultra-long and highly-uniform single-crystalline silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with millimeter-scale lengths and aspect ratios up to ca. 100,000. The average SiNW growth rate using disilane (Si2H6) at 400 °C was 31 µm/min, while the growth rate determined for silane (SiH4) reactant under similar growth conditions was 130 times lower. Transmission electron microscopy studies of millimeter-long SiNWs with diameters of 20–80 nm show that the nanowires grow preferentially along the <110> direction independent of diameter. In addition, ultra-long SiNWs were used as building blocks to fabricate one-dimensional arrays of field-effect transistors (FETs) consisting of ca. 100 independent devices per nanowire. Significantly, electrical transport measurements demonstrated that the millimeter-long SiNWs had uniform electrical properties along the entire length of wires, and each device can behave as a reliable FET with an on-state current, threshold voltage, and transconductance values (average ± 1 standard deviation) of 1.8 ± 0.3 µA, 6.0 ± 1.1 V, 210 ± 60 nS, respectively. Electronically-uniform millimeter-long SiNWs were also functionalized with monoclonal antibody receptors, and used to demonstrate multiplexed detection of cancer marker proteins with a single nanowire. The synthesis of structurally- and electronically-uniform ultra-long SiNWs may open up new opportunities for integrated nanoelectronics, and could serve as unique building blocks linking integrated structures from the nanometer through millimeter length scales. PMID:18710294

Ultra-high aspect ratio titania nanoflakes for dye-sensitized solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Yang-Yao; El-Shall, Hassan

2017-12-01

Micron sized titania flakes with thickness about 40 nm were used in the titania pastes to assemble dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Using the same deposition method, better particle dispersion of titania flakes resulted in well bonded and integral films comparing to cracking of Degussa P25 nanoparticle films during the evaporation and sintering processes. There are two features of titania flakes which leads to improved conversion efficiency of DSSC: (1) Higher and stronger adsorption of N-719 dyes due to high specific surface area (2) Stronger light scattering of visible light spectrum because of micron scale wide in two dimensions of the flakes. The thickness of the conducting TiO2 was critical to the IV characteristics of DSSC such as the short-circuit current density (Isc) and open-circuit voltage (Voc). Under the same thickness basis, calcined titania flakes provided 5 times higher efficiency than the photoelectrodes consisted of Degussa P25 nanoparticles (7.4% vs. 1.2%).

Nano-structuring of multi-layer material by single x-ray vortex pulse with femtosecond duration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kohmura, Yoshiki; Zhakhovsky, Vasily; Takei, Dai; Suzuki, Yoshio; Takeuchi, Akihisa; Inoue, Ichiro; Inubushi, Yuichi; Inogamov, Nail; Ishikawa, Tetsuya; Yabashi, Makina

2018-03-01

A narrow zero-intensity spot arising from an x-ray vortex has huge potential for future applications such as nanoscopy and nanofabrication. We here present an X-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL) experiment with a focused vortex wavefront which generated high aspect ratio nanoneedles on a Cr/Au multi-layer (ML) specimen. A sharp needle with a typical width and height of 310 and 600 nm was formed with a high occurrence rate at the center of a 7.71 keV x-ray vortex on this ML specimen, respectively. The observed width exceeds the diffraction limit, and the smallest structures ever reported using an intense-XFEL ablation were fabricated. We found that the elemental composition of the nanoneedles shows a significant difference from that of the unaffected area of Cr/Au ML. All these results are well explained by the molecular dynamics simulations, leading to the elucidation of the needle formation mechanism on an ultra-fast timescale.

Silicon nanowire photodetectors made by metal-assisted chemical etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Ying; Ni, Chuan; Sarangan, Andrew

2016-09-01

Silicon nanowires have unique optical effects, and have potential applications in photodetectors. They can exhibit simple optical effects such as anti-reflection, but can also produce quantum confined effects. In this work, we have fabricated silicon photodetectors, and then post-processed them by etching nanowires on the incident surface. These nanowires were produced by a wet-chemical etching process known as the metal-assisted-chemical etching, abbreviated as MACE. N-type silicon substrates were doped by thermal diffusion from a solid ceramic source, followed by etching, patterning and contact metallization. The detectors were first tested for functionality and optical performance. The nanowires were then made by depositing an ultra-thin film of gold below its percolation thickness to produce an interconnected porous film. This was then used as a template to etch high aspect ratio nanowires into the face of the detectors with a HF:H2O2 mixture.

Determination of the proton-to-helium ratio in cosmic rays at ultra-high energies from the tail of the Xmax distribution

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yushkov, A.; Risse, M.; Werner, M.; Krieg, J.

2016-12-01

We present a method to determine the proton-to-helium ratio in cosmic rays at ultra-high energies. It makes use of the exponential slope, Λ, of the tail of the Xmax distribution measured by an air shower experiment. The method is quite robust with respect to uncertainties from modeling hadronic interactions and to systematic errors on Xmax and energy, and to the possible presence of primary nuclei heavier than helium. Obtaining the proton-to-helium ratio with air shower experiments would be a remarkable achievement. To quantify the applicability of a particular mass-sensitive variable for mass composition analysis despite hadronic uncertainties we introduce as a metric the 'analysis indicator' and find an improved performance of the Λ method compared to other variables currently used in the literature. The fraction of events in the tail of the Xmax distribution can provide additional information on the presence of nuclei heavier than helium in the primary beam.

Ultra-high modulation depth exceeding 2,400% in optically controlled topological surface plasmons

PubMed Central

Sim, Sangwan; Jang, Houk; Koirala, Nikesh; Brahlek, Matthew; Moon, Jisoo; Sung, Ji Ho; Park, Jun; Cha, Soonyoung; Oh, Seongshik; Jo, Moon-Ho; Ahn, Jong-Hyun; Choi, Hyunyong

2015-01-01

Modulating light via coherent charge oscillations in solids is the subject of intense research topics in opto-plasmonics. Although a variety of methods are proposed to increase such modulation efficiency, one central challenge is to achieve a high modulation depth (defined by a ratio of extinction with/without light) under small photon-flux injection, which becomes a fundamental trade-off issue both in metals and semiconductors. Here, by fabricating simple micro-ribbon arrays of topological insulator Bi2Se3, we report an unprecedentedly large modulation depth of 2,400% at 1.5 THz with very low optical fluence of 45 μJ cm−2. This was possible, first because the extinction spectrum is nearly zero due to the Fano-like plasmon–phonon-destructive interference, thereby contributing an extremely small denominator to the extinction ratio. Second, the numerator of the extinction ratio is markedly increased due to the photoinduced formation of massive two-dimensional electron gas below the topological surface states, which is another contributor to the ultra-high modulation depth. PMID:26514372

Framework to model neutral particle flux in convex high aspect ratio structures using one-dimensional radiosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Manstetten, Paul; Filipovic, Lado; Hössinger, Andreas; Weinbub, Josef; Selberherr, Siegfried

2017-02-01

We present a computationally efficient framework to compute the neutral flux in high aspect ratio structures during three-dimensional plasma etching simulations. The framework is based on a one-dimensional radiosity approach and is applicable to simulations of convex rotationally symmetric holes and convex symmetric trenches with a constant cross-section. The framework is intended to replace the full three-dimensional simulation step required to calculate the neutral flux during plasma etching simulations. Especially for high aspect ratio structures, the computational effort, required to perform the full three-dimensional simulation of the neutral flux at the desired spatial resolution, conflicts with practical simulation time constraints. Our results are in agreement with those obtained by three-dimensional Monte Carlo based ray tracing simulations for various aspect ratios and convex geometries. With this framework we present a comprehensive analysis of the influence of the geometrical properties of high aspect ratio structures as well as of the particle sticking probability on the neutral particle flux.

A review on non-linear aeroelasticity of high aspect-ratio wings

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Afonso, Frederico; Vale, José; Oliveira, Éder; Lau, Fernando; Suleman, Afzal

2017-02-01

Current economic constraints and environmental regulations call for design of more efficient aircraft configurations. An observed trend in aircraft design to reduce the lift induced drag and improve fuel consumption and emissions is to increase the wing aspect-ratio. However, a slender wing is more flexible and subject to higher deflections under the same operating conditions. This effect may lead to changes in dynamic behaviour and in aeroelastic response, potentially resulting in instabilities. Therefore, it is important to take into account geometric non-linearities in the design of high aspect-ratio wings, as well as having accurate computational codes that couple the aerodynamic and structural models in the presence of non-linearities. Here, a review on the state-of-the-art on non-linear aeroelasticity of high aspect-ratio wings is presented. The methodologies employed to analyse high aspect-ratio wings are presented and their applications discussed. Important observations from the state-of-the-art studies are drawn and the current challenges in the field are identified.

Numerical simulations of vortex-induced vibrations of a flexible riser with different aspect ratiosin uniform and shear currents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Duanmu, Yu; Zou, Lu; Wan, De-cheng

2017-12-01

This paper aimed at describing numerical simulations of vortex-induced vibrations (VIVs) of a long flexible riser with different length-to-diameter ratio (aspect ratio) in uniform and shear currents. Three aspect ratios were simulated: L/D = 500, 750 and 1 000. The simulation was carried out by the in-house computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver viv-FOAM-SJTU developed by the authors, which was coupled with the strip method and developed on the OpenFOAM platform. Moreover, the radial basis function (RBF) dynamic grid technique is applied to the viv-FOAM-SJTU solver to simulate the VIV in both in-line (IL) and cross-flow (CF) directions of flexible riser with high aspect ratio. The validation of the benchmark case has been completed. With the same parameters, the aspect ratio shows a significant influence on VIV of a long flexible riser. The increase of aspect ratio exerted a strong effect on the IL equilibrium position of the riser while producing little effect on the curvature of riser. With the aspect ratio rose from 500 to 1 000, the maximum IL mean displacement increased from 3 times the diameter to 8 times the diameter. On the other hand, the vibration mode of the riser would increase with the increase of aspect ratio. When the aspect ratio was 500, the CF vibration was shown as a standing wave with a 3rd order single mode. When the aspect ratio was 1 000, the modal weights of the 5th and 6th modes are high, serving as the dominant modes. The effect of the flow profile on the oscillating mode becomes more and more apparent when the aspect ratio is high, and the dominant mode of riser in shear flow is usually higher than that in uniform flow. When the aspect ratio was 750, the CF oscillations in both uniform flow and shear flow showed multi-mode vibration of the 4th and 5th mode. While, the dominant mode in uniform flow is the 4th order, and the dominant mode in shear flow is the 5th order.

High Productivity DRIE solutions for 3D-SiP and MEMS Volume Manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puech, M.; Thevenoud, JM; Launay, N.; Arnal, N.; Godinat, P.; Andrieu, B.; Gruffat, JM

2006-04-01

Emerging 3D-SiP technologies and high volume MEMS applications require high productivity mass production DRIE systems. The Alcatel DRIE product range has recently been optimised to reach the highest process and hardware production performances. A study based on sub-micron high aspect ratio structures encountered in the most stringent 3D-SiP has been carried out. The optimization of the Bosch process parameters has resulted in ultra high silicon etch rates, with unrivalled uniformity and repeatability leading to excellent process. In parallel, most recent hardware and proprietary design optimization including vacuum pumping lines, process chamber, wafer chucks, pressure control system, gas delivery are discussed. These improvements have been monitored in a mass production environment for a mobile phone application. Field data analysis shows a significant reduction of cost of ownership thanks to increased throughput and much lower running costs. These benefits are now available for all 3D-SiP and high volume MEMS applications. The typical etched patterns include tapered trenches for CMOS imagers, through silicon via holes for die stacking, well controlled profile angle for 3D high precision inertial sensors, and large exposed area features for inkjet printer heads and Silicon microphones.

Enhanced wear performance of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene crosslinked by organosilane.

PubMed

Tang, C Y; Xie, X L; Wu, X C; Li, R K Y; Mai, Y W

2002-11-01

Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) crosslinked by organosilane was thermal compression molded. The organosilane used was the tri-ethyloxyl vinyl silane. Its gelation, melting behavior, crystallinity, mechanical and wear-resisting properties were systematically investigated. The results showed that the gel ratio of UHMWPE increases with the incorporation of organosilane. At a low content of organosilane, the melting point and crystallinity of the crosslinked UHMWPE increase, and hence the mechanical and wear-resisting properties are improved. However, at a high content of organosilane, these performances of the crosslinked UHMWPE become worse. At 0.4 phr silane, the wear resistance of crosslinked UHMWPE reaches its optimum value.

Relationship between BaTiO₃ nanowire aspect ratio and the dielectric permittivity of nanocomposites.

PubMed

Tang, Haixiong; Zhou, Zhi; Sodano, Henry A

2014-04-23

The aspect ratio of barium titanate (BaTiO3) nanowires is demonstrated to be successfully controlled by adjusting the temperature of the hydrothermal growth from 150 to 240 °C, corresponding to aspect ratios from 9.3 to 45.8, respectively. Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposites are formed from the various aspect ratio nanowires and the relationship between the dielectric constant of the nanocomposite and the aspect ratio of the fillers is quantified. It was found that the dielectric constant of the nanocomposite increases with the aspect ratio of the nanowires. Nanocomposites with 30 vol % BaTiO3 nanowires and an aspect ratio of 45.8 can reach a dielectric constant of 44.3, which is 30.7% higher than samples with an aspect ratio of 9.3 and 352% larger than the polymer matrix. These results demonstrate that using high-aspect-ratio nanowires is an effective way to control and improve the dielectric performance of nanocomposites for future capacitor applications.

Neutrinos, ultra-high-energy cosmic rays and fundamental physics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ellis, John

2001-05-01

In the first lecture, aspects of neutrino physics beyond the Standard Model are emphasized, including the emerging default options for atmospheric and solar neutrino oscillations, namely νμ-->ντ and νe-->νμ,τ respectively, and the need to check them, the prospects opened up by the successful starts of SNO and K2K and the opportunities for future long-baseline neutrino experiments. In the second lecture, it is discussed how cosmic rays may provide opportunities for probing fundamental physics. For example, ultra-high-energy cosmic rays might originate from the decays of metastable heavy particles, and astrophysical γ rays can be used to test models of quantum gravity. Both scenarios offer ways to avoid the GZK cut-off, and might best be probed using high-energy astrophysical neutrinos. .

Preparation of HCPT-Loaded Nanoneedles with Pointed Ends for Highly Efficient Cancer Chemotherapy

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Shichao; Yang, Xiangrui; Li, Yang; Wu, Hongjie; Huang, Yu; Xie, Liya; Zhang, Ying; Hou, Zhenqing; Liu, Xiangyang

2016-06-01

The high-aspect-ratio nanoparticles were proved to be internalized much more rapidly and efficiently by cancer cells than the nanoparticles with an equal aspect ratio. Herein, a kind of high-aspect ratio, pointed-end nanoneedles (NDs) with a high drug loading (15.04 %) and the prolonged drug release profile were fabricated with an anti-tumor drug—10-hydroxycamptothecin (HCPT)—via an ultrasound-assisted emulsion crystallization technique. It is surprising to see that the cellular internalization of NDs with an average length of 5 μm and an aspect ratio of about 12:1 was even much faster and higher than that of nanorods with the same size and the nanospheres with a much smaller size of 150 nm. The results further validated that cellular internalization of the nanoparticles exhibited a strong shape-dependent effect, and cellular uptake may favor the particles with sharp ends as well as a high-aspect ratio instead of particle size. The NDs with enhanced cytotoxicity would lead to a promising sustained local drug delivery system for highly efficient anticancer therapy. More importantly, the fabrication of NDs opens a door to design new formulations of nanoneedle drug delivery systems for highly efficient cancer.

High Resolution X-Ray Micro-CT of Ultra-Thin Wall Space Components

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Roth, Don J.; Rauser, R. W.; Bowman, Randy R.; Bonacuse, Peter; Martin, Richard E.; Locci, I. E.; Kelley, M.

2012-01-01

A high resolution micro-CT system has been assembled and is being used to provide optimal characterization for ultra-thin wall space components. The Glenn Research Center NDE Sciences Team, using this CT system, has assumed the role of inspection vendor for the Advanced Stirling Convertor (ASC) project at NASA. This article will discuss many aspects of the development of the CT scanning for this type of component, including CT system overview; inspection requirements; process development, software utilized and developed to visualize, process, and analyze results; calibration sample development; results on actual samples; correlation with optical/SEM characterization; CT modeling; and development of automatic flaw recognition software. Keywords: Nondestructive Evaluation, NDE, Computed Tomography, Imaging, X-ray, Metallic Components, Thin Wall Inspection

An Analysis of the Effects of Wing Aspect Ratio and Tail Location on Static Longitudinal Stability Below the Mach Number of Lift Divergence

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Axelson, John A.; Crown, J. Conrad

1948-01-01

An analysis is presented of the influence of wing aspect ratio and tail location on the effects of compressibility upon static longitudinal stability. The investigation showed that the use of reduced wing aspect ratios or short tail lengths leads to serious reductions in high-speed stability and the possibility of high-speed instability.

Soft-lithography fabrication of microfluidic features using thiol-ene formulations.

PubMed

Ashley, John F; Cramer, Neil B; Davis, Robert H; Bowman, Christopher N

2011-08-21

In this work, a novel thiol-ene based photopolymerizable resin formulation was shown to exhibit highly desirable characteristics, such as low cure time and the ability to overcome oxygen inhibition, for the photolithographic fabrication of microfluidic devices. The feature fidelity, as well as various aspects of the feature shape and quality, were assessed as functions of various resin attributes, particularly the exposure conditions, initiator concentration and inhibitor to initiator ratio. An optical technique was utilized to evaluate the feature fidelity as well as the feature shape and quality. These results were used to optimize the thiol-ene resin formulation to produce high fidelity, high aspect ratio features without significant reductions in feature quality. For structures with aspect ratios below 2, little difference (<3%) in feature quality was observed between thiol-ene and acrylate based formulations. However, at higher aspect ratios, the thiol-ene resin exhibited significantly improved feature quality. At an aspect ratio of 8, raised feature quality for the thiol-ene resin was dramatically better than that achieved by using the acrylate resin. The use of the thiol-ene based resin enabled fabrication of a pinched-flow microfluidic device that has complex channel geometry, small (50 μm) channel dimensions, and high aspect ratio (14) features. This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry 2011

Ultra-low voltage and ultra-low power consumption nonvolatile operation of a three-terminal atomic switch.

PubMed

Wang, Qi; Itoh, Yaomi; Tsuruoka, Tohru; Aono, Masakazu; Hasegawa, Tsuyoshi

2015-10-21

Nonvolatile three-terminal operation, with a very small range of bias sweeping (-80 to 250 mV), a high on/off ratio of up to six orders of magnitude, and a very small gate leakage current (<1 pA), is demonstrated using an Ag (gate)/Ta2 O5 (ionic transfer layer)/Pt (source), Pt (drain) three-terminal atomic switch structure. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultra-Lightweight Resistive Switching Memory Devices Based on Silk Fibroin.

PubMed

Wang, Hong; Zhu, Bowen; Wang, Hua; Ma, Xiaohua; Hao, Yue; Chen, Xiaodong

2016-07-01

Ultra-lightweight resistive switching memory based on protein has been demonstrated. The memory foil is 0.4 mg cm(-2) , which is 320-fold lighter than silicon substrate, 20-fold lighter than office paper and can be sustained by a human hair. Additionally, high resistance OFF/ON ratio of 10(5) , retention time of 10(4) s, and excellent flexibility (bending radius of 800 μm) have been achieved. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High and ultra-high resolution metabolite mapping of the human brain using 1H FID MRSI at 9.4T.

PubMed

Nassirpour, Sahar; Chang, Paul; Henning, Anke

2018-03-01

Magnetic resonance spectroscopic imaging (MRSI) is a promising technique for mapping the spatial distribution of multiple metabolites in the human brain. These metabolite maps can be used as a diagnostic tool to gain insight into several biochemical processes and diseases in the brain. In comparison to lower field strengths, MRSI at ultra-high field strengths benefits from a higher signal to noise ratio (SNR) as well as higher chemical shift dispersion, and hence spectral resolution. This study combines the benefits of an ultra-high field magnet with the advantages of an ultra-short TE and TR single-slice FID-MRSI sequence (such as negligible J-evolution and loss of SNR due to T 2 relaxation effects) and presents the first metabolite maps acquired at 9.4T in the healthy human brain at both high (voxel size of 97.6µL) and ultra-high (voxel size of 24.4µL) spatial resolutions in a scan time of 11 and 46min respectively. In comparison to lower field strengths, more anatomically-detailed maps with higher SNR from a larger number of metabolites are shown. A total of 12 metabolites including glutamate (Glu), glutamine (Gln), N-acetyl-aspartyl-glutamate (NAAG), Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutathione (GSH) are reliably mapped. Comprehensive description of the methodology behind these maps is provided. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Youth at ultra high risk for psychosis: using the Revised Network Episode Model to examine pathways to mental health care.

PubMed

Boydell, Katherine M; Volpe, Tiziana; Gladstone, Brenda M; Stasiulis, Elaine; Addington, Jean

2013-05-01

This paper aims to identify the ways in which youth at ultra high risk for psychosis access mental health services and the factors that advance or delay help seeking, using the Revised Network Episode Model (REV NEM) of mental health care. A case study approach documents help-seeking pathways, encompassing two qualitative interviews with 10 young people and 29 significant others. Theoretical propositions derived from the REV NEM are explored, consisting of the content, structure and function of the: (i) family; (ii) community and school; and (iii) treatment system. Although the aspects of the REV NEM are supported and shape pathways to care, we consider rethinking the model for help seeking with youth at ultra high risk for psychosis. The pathway concept is important to our understanding of how services and supports are received and experienced over time. Understanding this process and the strategies that support positive early intervention on the part of youth and significant others is critical. © 2012 Wiley Publishing Asia Pty Ltd.

SMUVS: Spitzer Matching survey of the UltraVISTA ultra-deep Stripes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Caputi, Karina; Ashby, Matthew; Fazio, Giovanni; Huang, Jiasheng; Dunlop, James; Franx, Marijn; Le Fevre, Olivier; Fynbo, Johan; McCracken, Henry; Milvang-Jensen, Bo; Muzzin, Adam; Ilbert, Olivier; Somerville, Rachel; Wechsler, Risa; Behroozi, Peter; Lu, Yu

2014-12-01

We request 2026.5 hours to homogenize the matching ultra-deep IRAC data of the UltraVISTA ultra-deep stripes, producing a final area of ~0.6 square degrees with the deepest near- and mid-IR coverage existing in any such large area of the sky (H, Ks, [3.6], [4.5] ~ 25.3-26.1 AB mag; 5 sigma). The UltraVISTA ultra-deep stripes are contained within the larger COSMOS field, which has a rich collection of multi-wavelength, ancillary data, making it ideal to study different aspects of galaxy evolution with high statistical significance and excellent redshift accuracy. The UltraVISTA ultra-deep stripes are the region of the COSMOS field where these studies can be pushed to the highest redshifts, but securely identifying high-z galaxies, and determining their stellar masses, will only be possible if ultra-deep mid-IR data are available. Our IRAC observations will allow us to: 1) extend the galaxy stellar mass function at redshifts z=3 to z=5 to the intermediate mass regime (M~5x10^9-10^10 Msun), which is critical to constrain galaxy formation models; 2) gain a factor of six in the area where it is possible to effectively search for z>=6 galaxies and study their properties; 3) measure, for the first time, the large-scale structure traced by an unbiased galaxy sample at z=5 to z=7, and make the link to their host dark matter haloes. This cannot be done in any other field of the sky, as the UltraVISTA ultra-deep stripes form a quasi-contiguous, regular-shape field, which has a unique combination of large area and photometric depth. 4) provide a unique resource for the selection of secure z>5 targets for JWST and ALMA follow up. Our observations will have an enormous legacy value which amply justifies this new observing-time investment in the COSMOS field. Spitzer cannot miss this unique opportunity to open up a large 0.6 square-degree window to the early Universe.

Arbitrary-ratio power splitter based on nonlinear multimode interference coupler

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

Tajaldini, Mehdi; Young Researchers and Elite Club, Baft Branch, Islamic Azad University, Baft; Jafri, Mohd Zubir Mat

2015-04-24

We propose an ultra-compact multimode interference (MMI) power splitter based on nonlinear effects from simulations using nonlinear modal propagation analysis (NMPA) cooperation with finite difference Method (FDM) to access free choice of splitting ratio. Conventional multimode interference power splitter could only obtain a few discrete ratios. The power splitting ratio may be adjusted continuously while the input set power is varying by a tunable laser. In fact, using an ultra- compact MMI with a simple structure that is launched by a tunable nonlinear input fulfills the problem of arbitrary-ratio in integrated photonics circuits. Silicon on insulator (SOI) is used asmore » the offered material due to the high contrast refractive index and Centro symmetric properties. The high-resolution images at the end of the multimode waveguide in the simulated power splitter have a high power balance, whereas access to a free choice of splitting ratio is not possible under the linear regime in the proposed length range except changes in the dimension for any ratio. The compact dimensions and ideal performance of the device are established according to optimized parameters. The proposed regime can be extended to the design of M×N arbitrary power splitters ratio for programmable logic devices in all optical digital signal processing. The results of this study indicate that nonlinear modal propagation analysis solves the miniaturization problem for all-optical devices based on MMI couplers to achieve multiple functions in a compact planar integrated circuit and also overcomes the limitations of previously proposed methods for nonlinear MMI.« less

Fatigue Properties of the Ultra-High Strength Steel TM210A

PubMed Central

Kang, Xia; Zhao, Gui-ping

2017-01-01

This paper presents the results of an experiment to investigate the high cycle fatigue properties of the ultra-high strength steel TM210A. A constant amplitude rotating bending fatigue experiment was performed at room temperature at stress ratio R = −1. In order to evaluate the notch effect, the fatigue experiment was carried out upon two sets of specimens, smooth and notched, respectively. In the experiment, the rotating bending fatigue life was tested using the group method, and the rotating bending fatigue limit was tested using the staircase method at 1 × 107 cycles. A double weighted least square method was then used to fit the stress-life (S–N) curve. The S–N curves of the two sets of specimens were obtained and the morphologies of the fractures of the two sets of specimens were observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that the fatigue limit of the smooth specimen for rotating bending fatigue was 615 MPa; the ratio of the fatigue limit to tensile strength was 0.29, and the cracks initiated at the surface of the smooth specimen; while the fatigue limit of the notched specimen for rotating bending fatigue was 363 MPa, and the cracks initiated at the edge of the notch. The fatigue notch sensitivity index of the ultra-high strength maraging steel TM210A was 0.69. PMID:28891934

Advanced optical systems for ultra high energy cosmic rays detection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gambicorti, L.; Pace, E.; Mazzinghi, P.

2017-11-01

A new advanced optical system is proposed and analysed in this work with the purpose to improve the photons collection efficiency of Multi-AnodePhotoMultipliers (MAPMT) detectors, which will be used to cover large focal surface of instruments dedicated to the Ultra High Energy Cosmic Rays (UHECRs, above 1019eV) and Ultra High Energy Neutrino (UHEN) detection. The employment of the advanced optical system allows to focus all photons inside the sensitive area of detectors and to improve the signal-to-noise ratios in the wavelength range of interest (300-400nm), thus coupling imaging and filtering capability. Filter is realised with a multilayer coating to reach high transparency in UV range and with a sharp cut-off outside. In this work the applications on different series of PMTs have been studied and results of simulations are shown. First prototypes have been realised. Finally, this paper proposes another class of adapters to be optically coupled on each pixel of MAPMT detector selected, consisting of non-imaging concentrators as Winston cones.

Research on the identification of inefficient and invalid circulation in ultra-high water cut stage

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Han, Shaoxin

2018-06-01

After oil field entered into ultra-high water cut stage, big channels are formed in some oil and water wells and lead to the inefficient and ineffective circulation of injected water, which not only inhibit the increase of recovery ratio of oil and gas, but also cause the waste of resources. This article selects three static parameters and four dynamic parameters which can perform inefficient and ineffective circulation characteristics between oil and water wells, integrates the fuzzy mathematics theory, establishes fuzzy comprehensive evaluation model to identify the inefficient and ineffective circulation wells in the research area, on this basis, inefficient and ineffective circulation position is further determined through the logging curve characteristics and logging ratio method, the identification of inefficient and ineffective circulation "determine well and layer" is achieved, and provide powerful basis for governance work of inefficient and ineffective circulation.

Cortico-Striatal GABAergic and Glutamatergic Dysregulations in Subjects at Ultra-High Risk for Psychosis Investigated with Proton Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

PubMed Central

Reyes-Madrigal, Francisco; Mao, Xiangling; León-Ortiz, Pablo; Rodríguez-Mayoral, Oscar; Solís-Vivanco, Rodolfo; Favila, Rafael; Graff-Guerrero, Ariel; Shungu, Dikoma C.

2016-01-01

Background: Dysregulations of the major inhibitory and excitatory amino neurotransmitter systems of γ-aminobutyric acid and glutamate, respectively, have been described in patients with schizophrenia. However, it is unclear whether these abnormalities are present in subjects at ultra-high risk for psychosis. Methods: Twenty-three antipsychotic naïve subjects at ultra-high risk and 24 healthy control subjects, matched for age, sex, handedness, cigarette smoking, and parental education, underwent proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy scans in the dorsal caudate bilaterally and the medial prefrontal cortex at 3T. Levels of γ-aminobutyric acid and of the combined resonance of glutamate and glutamine (Glx) were obtained using the standard J-editing technique and expressed as peak area ratios relative to the synchronously acquired unsuppressed voxel water signal. Results: Higher levels of γ-aminobutyric acid (P<.001) and Glx (P=.007) were found in the dorsal caudate of the subjects at ultra-high risk than in the healthy controls. In the medial prefrontal cortex, likewise, both γ-aminobutyric acid (P=.03) and Glx (P=.006) levels were higher in the ultra-high risk group than in the healthy controls. No group differences were found for any of the other metabolites (N-acetylaspartate, total choline, or total creatine) in the 2 regions of interest. Conclusions: This study presents the first evidence of abnormal elevations, in subjects at ultra-high risk, of γ-aminobutyric acid and Glx in 2 brain regions that have been implicated in the pathophysiology of psychosis, warranting longitudinal studies to assess whether these neurotransmitter abnormalities can serve as noninvasive biomarkers of conversion risk to psychosis as well as of illness progression and treatment response. PMID:26364273

Ultra-low noise supercontinuum source for ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography at 1300 nm

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gonzalo, I. B.; Maria, M.; Engelsholm, R. D.; Feuchter, T.; Leick, L.; Moselund, P. M.; Podoleanu, A.; Bang, O.

2018-02-01

Supercontinuum (SC) sources are of great interest for many applications due to their ultra-broad optical bandwidth, good beam quality and high power spectral density [1]. In particular, the high average power over large bandwidths makes SC light sources excellent candidates for ultra-high resolution optical coherence tomography (UHR-OCT) [2-5]. However, conventional SC sources suffer from high pulse-to-pulse intensity fluctuations as a result of the noise-sensitive nonlinear effects involved in the SC generation process [6-9]. This intensity noise from the SC source can limit the performance of OCT, resulting in a reduced signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) [10-12]. Much work has been done to reduce the noise of the SC sources for instance with fiber tapers [7,8] or increasing the repetition rate of the pump laser for averaging in the spectrometer [10,12]. An alternative approach is to use all-normal dispersion (ANDi) fibers [13,14] to generate SC light from well-known coherent nonlinear processes [15-17]. In fact, reduction of SC noise using ANDi fibers compared to anomalous dispersion SC pumped by sub-picosecond pulses has been recently demonstrated [18], but a cladding mode was used to stabilize the ANDi SC. In this work, we characterize the noise performance of a femtosecond pumped ANDi based SC and a commercial SC source in an UHR-OCT system at 1300 nm. We show that the ANDi based SC presents exceptional noise properties compared to a commercial source. An improvement of 5 dB in SNR is measured in the UHR-OCT system, and the noise behavior resembles that of a superluminiscent diode. This preliminary study is a step forward towards development of an ultra-low noise SC source at 1300 nm for ultra-high resolution OCT.

X-ray Emission Characteristics of Ultra-High Energy Density Relativistic Plasmas Created by Ultrafast Laser Irradiation of Nanowire Arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hollinger, R. C.; Bargsten, C.; Shlyaptsev, V. N.; Pukhov, A.; Purvis, M. A.; Townsend, A.; Keiss, D.; Wang, Y.; Wang, S.; Prieto, A.; Rocca, J. J.

2014-10-01

Irradiation of ordered nanowire arrays with high contrast femtosecond laser pulses of relativistic intensity creates volumetrically heated near solid density plasmas characterized by multi-KeV temperatures and extreme degrees of ionization. The large hydrodynamic-to-radiative lifetime ratio of these plasmas results in very efficient X-ray generation. Au nanowire array plasmas irradiated at I 5×1018 Wcm-2 are measured to convert ~ 5 percent of the laser energy into h ν > 0.9 KeV X-rays, and >1 × 10-4 into h ν > 9 KeV photons, creating bright picosecond X-ray sources. The angular distribution of the higher energy photons is measured to change from isotropic into annular as the intensity increases, while softer X-ray emission (h ν >1 KeV) remains isotropic and nearly unchanged. Model simulations suggest the unexpected annular distribution of the hard X-rays might result from bremsstrahlung of fast electrons confined in a high aspect ratio near solid density plasma in which the electron-ion collision mean free-path is of the order of the plasma thickness. Work supported by the U.S Department of Energy, Fusion Energy Sciences and the Defense Threat Reduction Agency Grant HDTRA-1-10-1-0079. A.P was supported by of DFG-funded project TR18.

Ferroelectric KNbO3 nanofibers: synthesis, characterization and their application as a humidity nanosensor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganeshkumar, Rajasekaran; Sopiha, Kostiantyn V.; Wu, Ping; Cheah, Chin Wei; Zhao, Rong

2016-09-01

By virtue of its non-toxicity, high T c, and non-linear optical and ferroelectric properties, one-dimensional (1D) potassium niobate (KNbO3) may enable the development of numerous nanoscale devices. Despite the progress in 1D perovskite materials, preparing high aspect ratio KNbO3 nanostructures is still a concern. This report presents the successful synthesis of ultra-long KNbO3 nanofibers using a simple sol-gel assisted far-field electrospinning process. At optimized conditions, centimeters long, orthorhombic KNbO3 nanofibers with an average diameter of 100 nm have been obtained. The nanofibers are composed of uniform grains densely stacked along the direction of the nanofiber axis. Due to large surface-volume ratio, a high sensitive humidity nanosensor based on KNbO3 nanofibers displaying a logarithmic-linear dependence behavior of the conductance with the relative humidity (RH) was demonstrated. The conductance increases dramatically from 10-10 ℧ to 10-6 ℧ while RH varies from 15% to 95% at room temperature. In addition, the nanosensor exhibits excellent sensing performance, including ultrafast response (≤2 s) and recovery times (≤10 s), good linearity and reproducibility. Furthermore, the change in ferroelectric coercivity with respect to the RH and its effect in the sensing behavior were unveiled. This work could enable broad applications in the fields of environmental sensing and nano-electrical-mechanical systems.

Ultra-broad polypyrrole (PPy) nano-ribbons seeded by racemic surfactants aggregates and their high-performance electromagnetic radiation elimination.

PubMed

Jiao, Yingzhi; Wu, Fan; Zhang, Kun; Sun, Mengxiao; Xie, Aming; Dong, Wei

2017-08-04

Ribbon-like nano-structures possess high aspect ratios, and thus have great potential in the development of high-performance microwave absorption (MA) materials that can effectively eliminate adverse electromagnetic radiation. However, these nano-structures have been scarcely constructed in the field of MA, because of the lack of efficient synthetic routes. Herein, we developed an efficient method to successfully construct polypyrrole (PPy) nano-ribbons using the self-assembly aggregates of a racemic surfactant as the seeds. The frequency range with a reflection loss value of lower than -10 dB reached 7.68 GHz in the frequency range of 10.32-18.00 GHz, and surpassed all the currently reported PPy nano-structures, as well as most other MA nano-materials. Through changing the amount of surfactant, both the nano-structures and MA performance can be effectively regulated. Furthermore, the reason behind the high-performance MA of PPy nano-ribbons has been deeply explored. It opens up the opportunity for the application of conducting polymer nano-ribbons as a lightweight and tunable high-performance MA material, especially in applications of special aircraft and flexible electronics.

Ultra-broad polypyrrole (PPy) nano-ribbons seeded by racemic surfactants aggregates and their high-performance electromagnetic radiation elimination

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiao, Yingzhi; Wu, Fan; Zhang, Kun; Sun, Mengxiao; Xie, Aming; Dong, Wei

2017-08-01

Ribbon-like nano-structures possess high aspect ratios, and thus have great potential in the development of high-performance microwave absorption (MA) materials that can effectively eliminate adverse electromagnetic radiation. However, these nano-structures have been scarcely constructed in the field of MA, because of the lack of efficient synthetic routes. Herein, we developed an efficient method to successfully construct polypyrrole (PPy) nano-ribbons using the self-assembly aggregates of a racemic surfactant as the seeds. The frequency range with a reflection loss value of lower than -10 dB reached 7.68 GHz in the frequency range of 10.32-18.00 GHz, and surpassed all the currently reported PPy nano-structures, as well as most other MA nano-materials. Through changing the amount of surfactant, both the nano-structures and MA performance can be effectively regulated. Furthermore, the reason behind the high-performance MA of PPy nano-ribbons has been deeply explored. It opens up the opportunity for the application of conducting polymer nano-ribbons as a lightweight and tunable high-performance MA material, especially in applications of special aircraft and flexible electronics.

Visualization of Secondary Flow Development in High Aspect Ratio Channels with Curvature

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Meyer, Michael L.; Giuliani, James E.

1994-01-01

The results of an experimental project to visually examine the secondary flow structure that develops in curved, high aspect-ratio rectangular channels are presented. The results provide insight into the fluid dynamics within high aspect ratio channels. A water flow test rig constructed out of plexiglass, with an adjustable aspect ratio, was used for these experiments. Results were obtained for a channel geometry with a hydraulic diameter of 10.6 mm (0.417 in.), an aspect ratio of 5.0, and a hydraulic radius to curvature radius ratio of 0.0417. Flow conditions were varied to achieve Reynolds numbers up to 5,100. A new particle imaging velocimetry technique was developed which could resolve velocity information from particles entering and leaving the field of view. Time averaged secondary flow velocity vectors, obtained using this velocimetry technique, are presented for 30 degrees, 60 degrees, and 90 degrees into a 180 degrees bend and at a Reynolds number of 5,100. The secondary flow results suggest the coexistence of both the classical curvature induced vortex pair flow structure and the eddies seen in straight turbulent channel flow.

Silicon macroporous arrays with high aspect ratio prepared by ICP etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Guozheng; Yang, Bingchen; Wang, Ji; Yang, Jikai; Duanmu, Qingduo

2018-02-01

This paper reports on a macroporous silicon arrays with high aspect ratio, the pores of which are of 162, 205, 252, 276μm depths with 6, 10, 15 and 20 μm diameters respectively, prepared by Multiplex Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) etching. It was shown that there are very differences in process of high aspect ratio microstructures between the deep pores, a closed structure, and deep trenches, a open structure. The morphology and the aspect ratio dependent etching were analyzed and discussed. The macroporous silicon etched by ICP process yield an uneven, re-entrant, notched and ripples surface within the pores. The main factors effecting on the RIE lag of HARP etching are the passivation cycle time, the pressure of reactive chamber, and the platen power of ICP system.

One-step synthesis of water-dispersible ultra-small Fe3O4 nanoparticles as contrast agents for T1 and T2 magnetic resonance imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Guannan; Zhang, Xuanjun; Skallberg, Andreas; Liu, Yaxu; Hu, Zhangjun; Mei, Xifan; Uvdal, Kajsa

2014-02-01

Uniform, highly water-dispersible and ultra-small Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized via a modified one-step coprecipitation approach. The prepared Fe3O4 nanoparticles not only show good magnetic properties, long-term stability in a biological environment, but also exhibit good biocompatibility in cell viability and hemolysis assay. Due to the ultra-small sized and highly water-dispersibility, they exhibit excellent relaxivity properties, the 1.7 nm sized Fe3O4 nanoparticles reveal a low r2/r1 ratio of 2.03 (r1 = 8.20 mM-1 s-1, r2 = 16.67 mM-1 s-1) and the 2.2 nm sized Fe3O4 nanoparticles also appear to have a low r2/r1 ratio of 4.65 (r1 = 6.15 mM-1 s-1, r2 = 28.62 mM-1 s-1). This demonstrates that the proposed ultra-small Fe3O4 nanoparticles have great potential as a new type of T1 magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents. Especially, the 2.2 nm sized Fe3O4 nanoparticles, have a competitive r1 value and r2 value compared to commercial contrasting agents such as Gd-DTPA (r1 = 4.8 mM-1 s -1), and SHU-555C (r2 = 69 mM-1 s-1). In vitro and in vivo imaging experiments, show that the 2.2 nm sized Fe3O4 nanoparticles exhibit great contrast enhancement, long-term circulation, and low toxicity, which enable these ultra-small sized Fe3O4 nanoparticles to be promising as T1 and T2 dual contrast agents in clinical settings.Uniform, highly water-dispersible and ultra-small Fe3O4 nanoparticles were synthesized via a modified one-step coprecipitation approach. The prepared Fe3O4 nanoparticles not only show good magnetic properties, long-term stability in a biological environment, but also exhibit good biocompatibility in cell viability and hemolysis assay. Due to the ultra-small sized and highly water-dispersibility, they exhibit excellent relaxivity properties, the 1.7 nm sized Fe3O4 nanoparticles reveal a low r2/r1 ratio of 2.03 (r1 = 8.20 mM-1 s-1, r2 = 16.67 mM-1 s-1) and the 2.2 nm sized Fe3O4 nanoparticles also appear to have a low r2/r1 ratio of 4.65 (r1 = 6.15 mM-1 s-1, r2 = 28.62 mM-1 s-1). This demonstrates that the proposed ultra-small Fe3O4 nanoparticles have great potential as a new type of T1 magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents. Especially, the 2.2 nm sized Fe3O4 nanoparticles, have a competitive r1 value and r2 value compared to commercial contrasting agents such as Gd-DTPA (r1 = 4.8 mM-1 s -1), and SHU-555C (r2 = 69 mM-1 s-1). In vitro and in vivo imaging experiments, show that the 2.2 nm sized Fe3O4 nanoparticles exhibit great contrast enhancement, long-term circulation, and low toxicity, which enable these ultra-small sized Fe3O4 nanoparticles to be promising as T1 and T2 dual contrast agents in clinical settings. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c3nr05550g

Multielement suppressor nozzles for thrust augmentation systems.

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Lawrence, R. L.; O'Keefe, J. V.; Tate, R. B.

1972-01-01

The noise reduction and nozzle performance characteristics of large-scale, high-aspect-ratio multielement nozzle arrays operated at low velocities were determined by test. The nozzles are selected for application to high-aspect-ratio augmentor suppressors to be used for augmentor wing airplanes. Significant improvements in noise characteristics for multielement nozzles over those of round or high-aspect-ratio slot nozzles are obtained. Elliptical noise patterns typical of slot nozzles are presented for high-aspect-ratio multielement nozzle arrays. Additional advantages are available in OASPL noise reduction from the element size and spacing. Augmentor-suppressor systems can be designed for maximum beam pattern directivity and frequency spectrum shaping advantages. Measurements of the nozzle wakes show a correlation with noise level data and frequency spectrum peaks. The noise and jet wake results are compared with existing prediction procedures based on empirical jet flow equations, Lighthill relationships, Strouhal number, and empirical shock-induced screech noise effects.

Method for obtaining a collimated near-unity aspect ratio output beam from a DFB-GSE laser with good beam quality.

PubMed

Liew, S K; Carlson, N W

1992-05-20

A simple method for obtaining a collimated near-unity aspect ratio output beam from laser sources with extremely large (> 100:1) aspect ratios is demonstrated by using a distributed-feedback grating-surfaceemitting laser. Far-field power-in-the-bucket measurements of the laser indicate good beam quality with a high Strehl ratio.

Silica Nanofiber Combat Hemostat (SINCH)

DTIC Science & Technology

2008-10-13

1.5mg 0.6 65 205 High aspect ratio silica fibers (30um x 60nm) 9mg 0.63 58.9 140 Kaolin (TEG control) 0.2mg n/a 59.8 155 TiO2 high aspect ratio...high surface area to volume ratio and thus the material is difficult to handle in an uncontrolled environment. It is easily dispersed and is not easy

Points to consider: efficacy and safety evaluations in the clinical development of ultra-orphan drugs.

PubMed

Maeda, Kojiro; Kaneko, Masayuki; Narukawa, Mamoru; Arato, Teruyo

2017-08-23

The unmet medical needs of individuals with very rare diseases are high. The clinical trial designs and evaluation methods used for 'regular' drugs are not applicable in the clinical development of ultra-orphan drugs (<1000 patients) in many cases. In order to improve the clinical development of ultra-orphan drugs, we examined several points regarding the efficient evaluations of drug efficacy and safety that could be conducted even with very small sample sizes, based on the review reports of orphan drugs approved in Japan. The clinical data packages of 43 ultra-orphan drugs approved in Japan from January 2001 to December 2014 were investigated. Japanese clinical trial data were not included in the clinical data package for eight ultra-orphan drugs, and non-Japanese clinical trial data were included for six of these eight drug. Japanese supportive data that included retrospective studies, published literature, clinical research and Japanese survey results were clinical data package attachments in 22 of the 43 ultra-orphan drugs. Multinational trials were conducted for three ultra-orphan drugs. More than two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were conducted for only 11 of the 43 ultra-orphan drugs. The smaller the number of patients, the greater the proportion of forced titration and optional titration trials were conducted. Extension trials were carried out for enzyme preparations and monoclonal antibodies with high ratio. Post-marketing surveillance of all patients was required in 36 of the 43 ultra-orphan drugs. For ultra-orphan drugs, clinical endpoints were used as the primary efficacy endpoint of the pivotal trial only for two drugs. The control groups in RCTs were classified as follows: placebo groups different dosage groups, and active controls groups. Sample sizes have been determined on the basis of feasibility for some ultra-orphan drugs. We provide "Draft Guidance on the Clinical Development of Ultra-Orphan Drugs" based on this research. The development of ultra-orphan drugs requires various arrangements regarding evidence collection, data sources and the clinical trial design. We expect that this draft guidance is useful for ultra-orphan drugs developments in future.

Comparison of High Aspect Ratio Cooling Channel Designs for a Rocket Combustion Chamber with Development of an Optimized Design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wadel, Mary F.

1998-01-01

An analytical investigation on the effect of high aspect ratio (height/width) cooling channels, considering different coolant channel designs, on hot-gas-side wall temperature and coolant pressure drop for a liquid hydrogen cooled rocket combustion chamber, was performed. Coolant channel design elements considered were: length of combustion chamber in which high aspect ratio cooling was applied, number of coolant channels, and coolant channel shape. Seven coolant channel designs were investigated using a coupling of the Rocket Thermal Evaluation code and the Two-Dimensional Kinetics code. Initially, each coolant channel design was developed, without consideration for fabrication, to reduce the hot-gas-side wall temperature from a given conventional cooling channel baseline. These designs produced hot-gas-side wall temperature reductions up to 22 percent, with coolant pressure drop increases as low as 7.5 percent from the baseline. Fabrication constraints for milled channels were applied to the seven designs. These produced hot-gas-side wall temperature reductions of up to 20 percent, with coolant pressure drop increases as low as 2 percent. Using high aspect ratio cooling channels for the entire length of the combustion chamber had no additional benefit on hot-gas-side wall temperature over using high aspect ratio cooling channels only in the throat region, but increased coolant pressure drop 33 percent. Independent of coolant channel shape, high aspect ratio cooling was able to reduce the hot-gas-side wall temperature by at least 8 percent, with as low as a 2 percent increase in coolant pressure drop. ne design with the highest overall benefit to hot-gas-side wall temperature and minimal coolant pressure drop increase was the design which used bifurcated cooling channels and high aspect ratio cooling in the throat region. An optimized bifurcated high aspect ratio cooling channel design was developed which reduced the hot-gas-side wall temperature by 18 percent and reduced the coolant pressure drop by 4 percent. Reductions of coolant mass flow rate of up to 50 percent were possible before the hot-gas-side wall temperature reached that of the baseline. These mass flow rate reductions produced coolant pressure drops of up to 57 percent.

Cryogenic Etching of High Aspect Ratio 400 nm Pitch Silicon Gratings.

PubMed

Miao, Houxun; Chen, Lei; Mirzaeimoghri, Mona; Kasica, Richard; Wen, Han

2016-10-01

The cryogenic process and Bosch process are two widely used processes for reactive ion etching of high aspect ratio silicon structures. This paper focuses on the cryogenic deep etching of 400 nm pitch silicon gratings with various etching mask materials including polymer, Cr, SiO 2 and Cr-on-polymer. The undercut is found to be the key factor limiting the achievable aspect ratio for the direct hard masks of Cr and SiO 2 , while the etch selectivity responds to the limitation of the polymer mask. The Cr-on-polymer mask provides the same high selectivity as Cr and reduces the excessive undercut introduced by direct hard masks. By optimizing the etching parameters, we etched a 400 nm pitch grating to ≈ 10.6 μ m depth, corresponding to an aspect ratio of ≈ 53.

Method of fabricating a high aspect ratio microstructure

DOEpatents

Warren, John B.

2003-05-06

The present invention is for a method of fabricating a high aspect ratio, freestanding microstructure. The fabrication method modifies the exposure process for SU-8, an negative-acting, ultraviolet-sensitive photoresist used for microfabrication whereby a UV-absorbent glass substrate, chosen for complete absorption of UV radiation at 380 nanometers or less, is coated with a negative photoresist, exposed and developed according to standard practice. This UV absorbent glass enables the fabrication of cylindrical cavities in a negative photoresist microstructures that have aspect ratios of 8:1.

Numerical Simulations of Noise Generated by High Aspect Ratio Supersonic Rectangular Jets - Validation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Viswanath, Kamal; Johnson, Ryan; Kailasanath, Kailas; Malla, Bhupatindra; Gutmark, Ephraim

2017-11-01

The noise from high performance jet engines of both civilian and military aircraft is an area of active concern. Asymmetric exhaust nozzle configurations, in particular rectangular, potentially offer a passive way of modulating the farfield noise and are likely to become more important in the future. High aspect ratio nozzles offer the further benefit of easier airframe integration. In this study we validate the far field noise for ideally and over expanded supersonic jets issuing from a high aspect ratio rectangular nozzle geometry. Validation of the acoustic data is performed against experimentally recorded sound pressure level (SPL) spectra for a host of observer locations around the asymmetric nozzle. Data is presented for a slightly heated jet case for both nozzle pressure ratios. The contrast in the noise profile from low aspect ratio rectangular and circular nozzle jets are highlighted, especially the variation in the azimuthal direction that shows ``quiet'' and ``loud'' planes in the farfield in the peak noise direction. This variation is analyzed in the context of the effect of mixing at the sharp corners, the sense of the vortex pairs setup in the exit plane, and the evolution of the high aspect ratio exit cross-section as it propagates downstream including possible axis-switching. Supported by Office of Naval Research (ONR) through the Computational Physics Task Area under the NRL 6.1 Base Program.

Numerical studies of the reversed-field pinch at high aspect ratio

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sätherblom, H.-E.; Drake, J. R.

1998-10-01

The reversed field pinch (RFP) configuration at an aspect ratio of 8.8 is studied numerically by means of the three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic code DEBS [D. D. Schnack et al., J. Comput. Phys. 70, 330 (1987)]. This aspect ratio is equal to that of the Extrap T1 experiment [S. Mazur et al., Nucl. Fusion 34, 427 (1994)]. A numerical study of a RFP with this level of aspect ratio requires extensive computer achievements and has hitherto not been performed. The results are compared with previous studies [Y. L. Ho et al., Phys. Plasmas 2, 3407 (1995)] of lower aspect ratio RFP configurations. In particular, an evaluation of the extrapolation to the aspect ratio of 8.8 made in this previous study shows that the extrapolation of the spectral spread, as well as most of the other findings, are confirmed. An important exception, however, is the magnetic diffusion coefficient, which is found to decrease with aspect ratio. Furthermore, an aspect ratio dependence of the magnetic energy and of the helicity of the RFP is found.

Simultaneous fabrication of very high aspect ratio positive nano- to milliscale structures.

PubMed

Chen, Long Qing; Chan-Park, Mary B; Zhang, Qing; Chen, Peng; Li, Chang Ming; Li, Sai

2009-05-01

A simple and inexpensive technique for the simultaneous fabrication of positive (i.e., protruding), very high aspect (>10) ratio nanostructures together with micro- or millistructures is developed. The method involves using residual patterns of thin-film over-etching (RPTO) to produce sub-micro-/nanoscale features. The residual thin-film nanopattern is used as an etching mask for Si deep reactive ion etching. The etched Si structures are further reduced in size by Si thermal oxidation to produce amorphous SiO(2), which is subsequently etched away by HF. Two arrays of positive Si nanowalls are demonstrated with this combined RPTO-SiO(2)-HF technique. One array has a feature size of 150 nm and an aspect ratio of 26.7 and another has a feature size of 50 nm and an aspect ratio of 15. No other parallel reduction technique can achieve such a very high aspect ratio for 50-nm-wide nanowalls. As a demonstration of the technique to simultaneously achieve nano- and milliscale features, a simple Si nanofluidic master mold with positive features with dimensions varying continuously from 1 mm to 200 nm and a highest aspect ratio of 6.75 is fabricated; the narrow 200-nm section is 4.5 mm long. This Si master mold is then used as a mold for UV embossing. The embossed open channels are then closed by a cover with glue bonding. A high aspect ratio is necessary to produce unblocked closed channels after the cover bonding process of the nanofluidic chip. The combined method of RPTO, Si thermal oxidation, and HF etching can be used to make complex nanofluidic systems and nano-/micro-/millistructures for diverse applications.

Nanocomposites with increased energy density through high aspect ratio PZT nanowires.

PubMed

Tang, Haixiong; Lin, Yirong; Andrews, Clark; Sodano, Henry A

2011-01-07

High energy storage plays an important role in the modern electric industry. Herein, we investigated the role of filler aspect ratio in nanocomposites for energy storage. Nanocomposites were synthesized using lead zirconate titanate (PZT) with two different aspect ratio (nanowires, nanorods) fillers at various volume fractions dispersed in a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) matrix. The permittivity constants of composites containing nanowires (NWs) were higher than those with nanorods (NRs) at the same inclusion volume fraction. It was also indicated that the high frequency loss tangent of samples with PZT nanowires was smaller than for those with nanorods, demonstrating the high electrical energy storage efficiency of the PZT NW nanocomposite. The high aspect ratio PZT NWs showed a 77.8% increase in energy density over the lower aspect ratio PZT NRs, under an electric field of 15 kV mm(-1) and 50% volume fraction. The breakdown strength was found to decrease with the increasing volume fraction of PZT NWs, but to only change slightly from a volume fraction of around 20%-50%. The maximum calculated energy density of nanocomposites is as high as 1.158 J cm(-3) at 50% PZT NWs in PVDF. Since the breakdown strength is lower compared to a PVDF copolymer such as poly(vinylidene fluoride-tertrifluoroethylene-terchlorotrifluoroethylene) P(VDF-TreEE-CTFE) and poly(vinylidene fluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) P(VDF-HFP), the energy density of the nanocomposite could be significantly increased through the use of PZT NWs and a polymer with greater breakdown strength. These results indicate that higher aspect ratio fillers show promising potential to improve the energy density of nanocomposites, leading to the development of advanced capacitors with high energy density.

Elastic geobarometry: uncertainties arising from the geometry of the host-inclusion system

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mazzucchelli, Mattia L.; Burnley, Pamela; Angel, Ross J.; Chiara Domeneghetti, M.; Nestola, Fabrizio; Alvaro, Matteo

2017-04-01

Ultra-high-pressure metamorphic (UHPM) rocks are the only rocks that can provide insights into the detailed processes of deep and ultra-deep subduction. The application of conventional geobarometry to these rocks can be extremely challenging. Elastic geobarometry is an alternative and complementary method independent of chemistry and chemical equilibria. Minerals trapped as inclusions within other host minerals develop residual pressure (Pinc) on exhumation as a result of the differences between the thermo-elastic properties of the host and the inclusion. If correctly interpreted, measurement of the Pinc allows for a good estimate of the entrapment pressure. The solution for isotropic non-linear elasticity has been recently incorporated into the classic host-inclusion model [1; 2] and is now available in the EoSFit7c software [3]. However, this solution assumes a simple geometry for the host inclusion system with a small spherical inclusion located at the center of an infinite host. To verify the results of the analytical solution and to extend the analysis beyond the existing geometrical assumptions we performed numerical calculations using Finite Element Modelling (FEM). This approach has allowed us to evaluate the deviation from the pressure calculated with the isotropic solution if applied to real host-inclusion systems where the geometry is far from ideal, for example when the inclusion is not small, not at the center of the host and not spherical. In order to determine the effects of shape alone, we performed calculations with isotropic elasticity. Our results show that the deviations from the analytical solution arising from the geometry of the system are smaller than 1% if a spherical inclusion has a radius smaller than 1/4 of that of the host and is located at more than two inclusion radii from the external surface of the host. Deviations produced by changes in the shape of the inclusions include two contributions. First, the effect of edges and corners is small and introduces deviations of less than 2%. Second, the aspect ratio of the inclusion gives rise to large deviations in Pinc with shifts in the calculated pressures of more than 10% for platy inclusions (i.e. aspect ratio 1:5:5). The exact effect on Pinc is a complex function of both the values of the bulk and shear moduli of both host and inclusion, and the contrast in these values. For a soft quartz-like inclusion, the influence of the aspect ratio and of the presence of edges and corners becomes greater as the host is made softer and approaches the bulk modulus of the inclusion, provided a contrast in shear moduli remains. These deviations from the analytical solution induced by the shape are smaller than 1% only when inclusions are approximately spherical (i.e. ellipsoids with aspect ratios of less than 1:2:2) and the host is significantly stiffer than the inclusion. This work is supported by MIUR-SIR grant "MILE DEEp" (RBSI140351) to M. Alvaro, and ERC starting grant 307322 to F. Nestola. References: [1] Angel, R.J et al. (2014a) Am Mineral,99, 2146-2149 [2] Angel R.J et al. (2015) J. Metamorph. Geol.33, 801-813. [3] Angel RJ et al. (2014b) Z Kristallogr,229, 405-419.

Significantly Enhanced Energy Storage Density by Modulating the Aspect Ratio of BaTiO3 Nanofibers

PubMed Central

Zhang, Dou; Zhou, Xuefan; Roscow, James; Zhou, Kechao; Wang, Lu; Luo, Hang; Bowen, Chris R.

2017-01-01

There is a growing need for high energy density capacitors in modern electric power supplies. The creation of nanocomposite systems based on one-dimensional nanofibers has shown great potential in achieving a high energy density since they can optimize the energy density by exploiting both the high permittivity of ceramic fillers and the high breakdown strength of the polymer matrix. In this paper, BaTiO3 nanofibers (NFs) with different aspect ratio were synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method and the permittivity and energy storage of the P(VDF-HFP) nanocomposites were investigated. It is found that as the BaTiO3 NF aspect ratio and volume fraction increased the permittivity and maximum electric displacement of the nanocomposites increased, while the breakdown strength decreased. The nanocomposites with the highest aspect ratio BaTiO3 NFs exhibited the highest energy storage density at the same electric field. However, the nanocomposites with the lowest aspect ratio BaTiO3 NFs achieved the maximal energy storage density of 15.48 J/cm3 due to its higher breakdown strength. This contribution provides a potential route to prepare and tailor the properties of high energy density capacitor nanocomposites. PMID:28332636

Significantly Enhanced Energy Storage Density by Modulating the Aspect Ratio of BaTiO3 Nanofibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Dou; Zhou, Xuefan; Roscow, James; Zhou, Kechao; Wang, Lu; Luo, Hang; Bowen, Chris R.

2017-03-01

There is a growing need for high energy density capacitors in modern electric power supplies. The creation of nanocomposite systems based on one-dimensional nanofibers has shown great potential in achieving a high energy density since they can optimize the energy density by exploiting both the high permittivity of ceramic fillers and the high breakdown strength of the polymer matrix. In this paper, BaTiO3 nanofibers (NFs) with different aspect ratio were synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method and the permittivity and energy storage of the P(VDF-HFP) nanocomposites were investigated. It is found that as the BaTiO3 NF aspect ratio and volume fraction increased the permittivity and maximum electric displacement of the nanocomposites increased, while the breakdown strength decreased. The nanocomposites with the highest aspect ratio BaTiO3 NFs exhibited the highest energy storage density at the same electric field. However, the nanocomposites with the lowest aspect ratio BaTiO3 NFs achieved the maximal energy storage density of 15.48 J/cm3 due to its higher breakdown strength. This contribution provides a potential route to prepare and tailor the properties of high energy density capacitor nanocomposites.

Significantly Enhanced Energy Storage Density by Modulating the Aspect Ratio of BaTiO3 Nanofibers.

PubMed

Zhang, Dou; Zhou, Xuefan; Roscow, James; Zhou, Kechao; Wang, Lu; Luo, Hang; Bowen, Chris R

2017-03-23

There is a growing need for high energy density capacitors in modern electric power supplies. The creation of nanocomposite systems based on one-dimensional nanofibers has shown great potential in achieving a high energy density since they can optimize the energy density by exploiting both the high permittivity of ceramic fillers and the high breakdown strength of the polymer matrix. In this paper, BaTiO 3 nanofibers (NFs) with different aspect ratio were synthesized by a two-step hydrothermal method and the permittivity and energy storage of the P(VDF-HFP) nanocomposites were investigated. It is found that as the BaTiO 3 NF aspect ratio and volume fraction increased the permittivity and maximum electric displacement of the nanocomposites increased, while the breakdown strength decreased. The nanocomposites with the highest aspect ratio BaTiO 3 NFs exhibited the highest energy storage density at the same electric field. However, the nanocomposites with the lowest aspect ratio BaTiO 3 NFs achieved the maximal energy storage density of 15.48 J/cm 3 due to its higher breakdown strength. This contribution provides a potential route to prepare and tailor the properties of high energy density capacitor nanocomposites.

Fluid Dynamics of a High Aspect-Ratio Jet

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Munro, Scott E.; Ahuja, K. K.

2003-01-01

Circulation control wings are a type of pneumatic high-lift device that have been extensively researched as to their aerodynamic benefits. However, there has been little research into the possible airframe noise reduction benefits of a circulation control wing. The key element of noise is the jet noise associated with the jet sheet emitted from the blowing slot. High aspect-ratio jet acoustic results (aspect-ratios from 100 to 3,000) from a related study showed that the jet noise of this type of jet was proportional to the slot height to the 3/2 power and slot width to the 1/2 power. Fluid dynamic experiments were performed in the present study on the high aspect-ratio nozzle to gain understanding of the flow characteristics in an effort to relate the acoustic results to flow parameters. Single hot-wire experiments indicated that the jet exhaust from the high aspect-ratio nozzle was similar to a 2-d turbulent jet. Two-wire space-correlation measurements were performed to attempt to find a relationship between the slot height of the jet and the length-scale of the flow noise generating turbulence structure. The turbulent eddy convection velocity was also calculated, and was found to vary with the local centerline velocity, and also as a function of the frequency of the eddy.

Bulk purification and deposition methods for selective enrichment in high aspect ratio single-walled carbon nanotubes.

PubMed

Bhatt, Nidhi P; Vichchulada, Pornnipa; Lay, Marcus D

2012-06-06

Aqueous batch processing methods for the concurrent purification of single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) soot and enrichment in high aspect ratio nanotubes are essential to their use in a wide variety of electronic, structural, and mechanical applications. This manuscript presents a new route to the bulk purification and enrichment of unbundled SWNTs having average lengths in excess of 2 μm. Iterative centrifugation cycles at low centripetal force not only removed amorphous C and catalyst nanoparticles but also allowed the enhanced buoyancy of surfactant encapsulated, unbundled, high aspect ratio SWNTs to be used to isolate them in the supernatant. UV-vis-NIR and Raman spectroscopy were used to verify the removal of residual impurities from as-produced (AP-grade) arc discharge soot and the simultaneous enrichment in unbundled, undamaged, high aspect ratio SWNTs. The laminar flow deposition process (LFD) used to form two-dimensional networks of SWNTs prevented bundle formation during network growth. Additionally, it further enhanced the quality of deposits by taking advantage of the inverse relationship between the translational diffusion coefficient and length for suspended nanoparticles. This resulted in preferential deposition of pristine, unbundled, high aspect ratio SWNTs over residual impurities, as observed by Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy (AFM).

High-productivity DRIE solutions for 3D-SiP and MEMS volume manufacturing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Puech, M.; Thevenoud, J. M.; Launay, N.; Arnal, N.; Godinat, P.; Andrieu, B.; Gruffat, J. M.

2006-12-01

Emerging 3D-SiP technologies and high volume MEMS applications require high productivity mass production DRIE systems. The Alcatel DRIE product range has recently been optimized to reach the highest process and hardware production performances. A study based on sub-micron high aspect ratio structures encountered in the most stringent 3D-SiP has been carried out. The optimization of the Bosch process parameters have shown ultra high silicon etch rate, with unrivaled uniformity and repeatability leading to excellent process yields. In parallel, most recent hardware and proprietary design optimization including vacuum pumping lines, process chamber, wafer chucks, pressure control system, gas delivery are discussed. A key factor for achieving the highest performances was the recognized expertise of Alcatel vacuum and plasma science technologies. These improvements have been monitored in a mass production environment for a mobile phone application. Field data analysis shows a significant reduction of cost of ownership thanks to increased throughput and much lower running costs. These benefits are now available for all 3D-SiP and high volume MEMS applications. The typical etched patterns include tapered trenches for CMOS imagers, through silicon via holes for die stacking, well controlled profile angle for 3D high precision inertial sensors, and large exposed area features for inkjet printer head and Silicon microphones.

Non-Inductively Driven Tokamak Plasmas at Near-Unity Toroidal Beta in the Pegasus Toroidal Experiment

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Reusch, Joshua

2017-10-01

A major goal of the spherical tokamak research program is accessing a state of low internal inductance li, high elongation κ, high toroidal and normalized beta (βt and βN) , and low collisionality without solenoidal current drive. A new local helicity injection (LHI) system in the lower divertor region of the ultra-low aspect ratio Pegasus ST provides non-solenoidally driven plasmas that exhibit most of these characteristics. LHI utilizes compact, edge-localized current sources (Ainj 4 cm2, Iinj 8 kA, Vinj 1.5 kV) for plasma startup and sustainment, and can sustain more than 200 kA of plasma current. Plasma growth via LHI is enhanced by a transition from a regime of high kink-like MHD activity to one of reduced MHD activity at higher frequencies and presumably shorter wavelengths. The strong edge current drive provided by LHI results in a hollow current density profile with low li. The low aspect ratio (R0 / a 1.2) of Pegasus allows ready access to high κ and MHD stable operation at very high normalized plasma currents (IN =Ip /aBT> 15). Thomson scattering measurements indicate Te 100 eV and ne 1 ×19 m-3. The impurity Ti evolution is correlated in time with high frequency magnetic fluctuations, implying substantial reconnection ion heating is driven by the applied helicity injection. Doppler spectroscopy indicates Ti >=Te and that the anomalous ion heating scales consistently with two fluid reconnection theory. Taken together, these features provide access to very high βt plasmas. Equilibrium analyses indicate βt up to 100% and βN 6.5 is achieved. At increasingly low BT, the discharge disrupts at the no-wall ideal stability limit. In these high βt discharges, a minimum |B| well forms over 50% of the plasma volume. This unique magnetic configuration may be of interest for testing predictions of stabilizing drift wave turbulence and/or improving energetic particle confinement. This work supported by US DOE Grants DE-FG02-96ER54375 and DE-SC0006928.

Effects of Variable Aspect-Ratio Inclusions on the Electrical Impedance of an Alumina Zirconia Composite at Intermediate Temperatures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goldsby, Jon C.

2010-01-01

A series of alumina-yttria-stabilized zirconia composites containing either a high aspect ratio (5 and 30 mol%) hexagonal platelet alumina or an alumina low aspect ratio (5 and 30 mol%) spherical particulate was used to determine the effect of the aspect ratio on the temperature-dependent impedance of the composite material. The highest impedance across the temperature range of 373 to 1073 K is attributed to the grain boundary of the hexagonal platelet second phase in this alumina zirconia composite.

Auxiliary drying to prevent pattern collapse in high aspect ratio nanostructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Gang; Zhou, Jie; Xiong, Ying; Zhang, Xiaobo; Tian, Yangchao

2011-07-01

Many defects are generated in densely packed high aspect ratio structures during nanofabrication. Pattern collapse is one of the serious problems that may arise, mainly due to the capillary force during drying after the rinsing process. In this paper, a method of auxiliary drying is presented to prevent pattern collapse in high aspect ratio nanostructures by adding an auxiliary substrate as a reinforcing rib to restrict deformation and to balance the capillary force. The principle of the method is presented based on the analysis of pattern collapse. A finite element method is then applied to analyze the deformation of the resist beams caused by the surface tension using the ANSYS software, and the effect of the nanostructure's length to width ratio simulated and analyzed. Finally, the possible range of applications based on the proposed method is discussed. Our results show that the aspect ratio may be increased 2.6 times without pattern collapse; furthermore, this method can be widely used in the removal of solvents in micro- and nanofabrication.

Auxiliary drying to prevent pattern collapse in high aspect ratio nanostructures.

PubMed

Liu, Gang; Zhou, Jie; Xiong, Ying; Zhang, Xiaobo; Tian, Yangchao

2011-07-29

Many defects are generated in densely packed high aspect ratio structures during nanofabrication. Pattern collapse is one of the serious problems that may arise, mainly due to the capillary force during drying after the rinsing process. In this paper, a method of auxiliary drying is presented to prevent pattern collapse in high aspect ratio nanostructures by adding an auxiliary substrate as a reinforcing rib to restrict deformation and to balance the capillary force. The principle of the method is presented based on the analysis of pattern collapse. A finite element method is then applied to analyze the deformation of the resist beams caused by the surface tension using the ANSYS software, and the effect of the nanostructure's length to width ratio simulated and analyzed. Finally, the possible range of applications based on the proposed method is discussed. Our results show that the aspect ratio may be increased 2.6 times without pattern collapse; furthermore, this method can be widely used in the removal of solvents in micro- and nanofabrication.

Highly Manufacturable Deep (Sub-Millimeter) Etching Enabled High Aspect Ratio Complex Geometry Lego-Like Silicon Electronics.

PubMed

Ghoneim, Mohamed Tarek; Hussain, Muhammad Mustafa

2017-04-01

A highly manufacturable deep reactive ion etching based process involving a hybrid soft/hard mask process technology shows high aspect ratio complex geometry Lego-like silicon electronics formation enabling free-form (physically flexible, stretchable, and reconfigurable) electronic systems. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Ultra-sensitive non-aggregation colorimetric sensor for detection of iron based on the signal amplification effect of Fe3+ catalyzing H2O2 oxidize gold nanorods.

PubMed

Liu, Jia-Ming; Wang, Xin-Xing; Jiao, Li; Cui, Ma-Lin; Lin, Li-Ping; Zhang, Li-Hong; Jiang, Shu-Lian

2013-11-15

Fe(3+) can catalyze H2O2 to oxidize along on the longitudinal axis of gold nanorods (AuNRs), which caused the aspect ratio of AuNRs to decrease, longitudinal plasmon absorption band (LPAB) of AuNRs to blueshift (Δλ) and the color of the solution to change obviously. Thus, a rapid response and highly sensitive non-aggregation colorimetric sensor for the determination of Fe(3+) has been developed based on the signal amplification effect of catalyzing H2O2 to oxidize AuNRs. This simple and selective sensor with a wide linear range of 0.20-30.00 μM has been utilized to detect Fe(3+) in blood samples, and the results consisted with those obtained by inductively coupled plasma-mass spectroscopy (ICP-MS). Simultaneously, the mechanism of colorimetric sensor for the detection of Fe(3+) was also discussed. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Developing ultrasensitive pressure sensor based on graphene nanoribbon: Molecular dynamics simulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kwon, Oh Kuen; Lee, Jun Ha; Kim, Ki-Sub; Kang, Jeong Won

2013-01-01

We propose schematics for an ultra-sensitive pressure sensor based on graphene-nanoribbon (GNR) and investigate its electromechanical properties using classical molecular dynamics simulations and piezo-electricity theory. Since the top plate applied to the actual pressure is large whereas the contact area on the GNR is very small, both the sensitivity and the sensing range can be adjusted by controlling the aspect ratio between the top plate and the contact point areas. Our calculation shows that the electrical conductivity of GNRs can be tuned by the applied pressure and the electric conductance of the deflected GNR linearly increases with increasing applied pressure for the linear elastic region in low pressure below the cut-off point. In the curves for both the deflection and potential energy, the linear elastic regime in low pressure was explicitly separated with the non-linear elastic regime in high pressure. The proposed GNR-based nanoelectromechanical devices have great potential for application as electromechanical memory, relay or switching devices.

Structure, Nanomechanics and Dynamics of Dispersed Surfactant-Free Clay Nanocomposite Films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiao; Zhao, Jing; Snyder, Chad; Karim, Alamgir; National Institute of Standards; Technology Collaboration

Natural Montmorillonite particles were dispersed as tactoids in thin films of polycaprolactone (PCL) through a flow coating technique assisted by ultra-sonication. Wide angle X-ray scattering (WAXS), Grazing-incidence wide angle X-ray scattering (GI-WAXS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were used to confirm the level of dispersion. These characterization techniques are in conjunction with its nanomechanical properties via strain-induced buckling instability for modulus measurements (SIEBIMM), a high throughput technique to characterize thin film mechanical properties. The linear strengthening trend of the elastic modulus enhancements was fitted with Halpin-Tsai (HT) model, correlating the nanoparticle geometric effects and mechanical behaviors based on continuum theories. The overall aspect ratio of dispersed tactoids obtained through HT model fitting is in reasonable agreement with digital electron microscope image analysis. Moreover, glass transition behaviors of the composites were characterized using broadband dielectric relaxation spectroscopy. The segmental relaxation behaviors indicate that the associated mechanical property changes are due to the continuum filler effect rather than the interfacial confinement effect.

Facile Synthesis of Silver Nanowires with Different Aspect Ratios and Used as High-Performance Flexible Transparent Electrodes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xue, Qingwen; Yao, Weijing; Liu, Jun; Tian, Qingyong; Liu, Li; Li, Mengxiao; Lu, Qiang; Peng, Rui; Wu, Wei

2017-08-01

Silver nanowires (Ag NWs) are the promising materials to fabricate flexible transparent electrodes, aiming to replace indium tin oxide (ITO) in the next generation of flexible electronics. Herein, a feasible polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP)-mediated polyol synthesis of Ag NWs with different aspect ratios is demonstrated and high-quality Ag NWs transparent electrodes (NTEs) are fabricated without high-temperature thermal sintering. When employing the mixture of PVP with different average molecular weight as the capping agent, the diameters of Ag NWs can be tailored and Ag NWs with different aspect ratios varying from ca. 30 to ca. 1000 are obtained. Using these as-synthesized Ag NWs, the uniform Ag NWs films are fabricated by repeated spin coating. When the aspect ratios exceed 500, the optoelectronic performance of Ag NWs films improve remarkably and match up to those of ITO films. Moreover, an optimal Ag NTEs with low sheet resistance of 11.4 Ω/sq and a high parallel transmittance of 91.6% at 550 nm are achieved when the aspect ratios reach almost 1000. In addition, the sheet resistance of Ag NWs films does not show great variation after 400 cycles of bending test, suggesting an excellent flexibility. The proposed approach to fabricate highly flexible and high-performance Ag NTEs would be useful to the development of flexible devices.

Cause and Cure - Deterioration in Accuracy of CFD Simulations with Use of High-Aspect-Ratio Triangular/Tetrahedral Grids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Sin-Chung; Chang, Chau-Lyan; Venkatachari, Balaji Shankar

2017-01-01

Traditionally high-aspect ratio triangular/tetrahedral meshes are avoided by CFD researchers in the vicinity of a solid wall, as it is known to reduce the accuracy of gradient computations in those regions. Although for certain complex geometries, the use of high-aspect ratio triangular/tetrahedral elements in the vicinity of a solid wall can be replaced by quadrilateral/prismatic elements, ability to use triangular/tetrahedral elements in such regions without any degradation in accuracy can be beneficial from a mesh generation point of view. The benefits also carry over to numerical frameworks such as the space-time conservation element and solution element (CESE), where simplex elements are the mandatory building blocks. With the requirement of the CESE method in mind, a rigorous mathematical framework that clearly identifies the reason behind the difficulties in use of such high-aspect ratio simplex elements is formulated using two different approaches and presented here. Drawing insights from the analysis, a potential solution to avoid that pitfall is also provided as part of this work. Furthermore, through the use of numerical simulations of practical viscous problems involving high-Reynolds number flows, how the gradient evaluation procedures of the CESE framework can be effectively used to produce accurate and stable results on such high-aspect ratio simplex meshes is also showcased.

On virial analysis at low aspect ratio

DOE PAGES

Bongard, Michael W.; Barr, Jayson L.; Fonck, Raymond J.; ...

2016-07-28

The validity of virial analysis to infer global MHD equilibrium poloidal beta β p and internal inductance ℓ i from external magnetics measurements is examined for low aspect ratio configurations with A < 2. Numerical equilibrium studies at varied aspect ratio are utilized to validate the technique at finite aspect ratio. The effect of applying high-A approximations to low-A experimental data is quantified and demonstrates significant over-estimation of stored energy (factors of 2–10) in spherical tokamak geometry. Experimental approximations to equilibrium-dependent volume integral terms in the analysis are evaluated at low-A. Highly paramagnetic configurations are found to be inadequately representedmore » through the virial mean radius parameter R T. Alternate formulations for inferring β p and ℓ i that are independent of R T to avoid this difficulty are presented for the static isotropic limit. Lastly, these formulations are suitable for fast estimation of tokamak stored energy components at low aspect ratio using virial analysis.« less

Effects of aspect ratio of multi-walled carbon nanotubes on coal washery waste water treatment.

PubMed

Aliyu, Ahmed; Kariim, Ishaq; Abdulkareem, Saka Ambali

2017-11-01

The dependency of adsorption behaviour on the aspect ratio of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) has been explored. In this study, effect of growth temperature on yield and aspect ratio of MWCNTs by catalytic chemical vapour deposition (CCVD) method is reported. The result revealed that yield and aspect ratio of synthesised MWCNTs strongly depend on the growth temperature during CCVD operation. The resulting MWCNTs were characterized by High Resolution Transmission Electron Microscope (HRTEM), Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques to determine it diameter, hydrodynamic diameter and crystallinity respectively. Aspect ratio and length of the grown MWCNTs were determined from the HRTEM images with the hydrodynamic diameter using the modified Navier-Stokes and Stokes-Einstein equations. The effect of the prepared MWCNTs dosage were investigated on the Turbidity, Iron (Fe) and Lead (Pb) removal efficiency of coal washery effluent. The MWCNTs with higher length (58.17 μm) and diameter (71 nm) tend to show high turbidity and Fe removal, while MWCNTs with lower length (38.87 μm) and diameter (45 nm) tend to show high removal of Pb. Hence, the growth temperature during CCVD operation shows a great effluence on the aspect ratio of MWCNTs which determines it area of applications. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Cosmic ray oriented performance studies for the JEM-EUSO first level trigger

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abdellaoui, G.; Abe, S.; Acheli, A.; Adams, J. H.; Ahmad, S.; Ahriche, A.; Albert, J.-N.; Allard, D.; Alonso, G.; Anchordoqui, L.; Andreev, V.; Anzalone, A.; Aouimeur, W.; Arai, Y.; Arsene, N.; Asano, K.; Attallah, R.; Attoui, H.; Ave Pernas, M.; Bacholle, S.; Bakiri, M.; Baragatti, P.; Barrillon, P.; Bartocci, S.; Batsch, T.; Bayer, J.; Bechini, R.; Belenguer, T.; Bellotti, R.; Belov, A.; Belov, K.; Benadda, B.; Benmessai, K.; Berlind, A. A.; Bertaina, M.; Biermann, P. L.; Biktemerova, S.; Bisconti, F.; Blanc, N.; Błȩcki, J.; Blin-Bondil, S.; Bobik, P.; Bogomilov, M.; Bonamente, M.; Boudaoud, R.; Bozzo, E.; Briggs, M. S.; Bruno, A.; Caballero, K. S.; Cafagna, F.; Campana, D.; Capdevielle, J.-N.; Capel, F.; Caramete, A.; Caramete, L.; Carlson, P.; Caruso, R.; Casolino, M.; Cassardo, C.; Castellina, A.; Castellini, G.; Catalano, C.; Catalano, O.; Cellino, A.; Chikawa, M.; Chiritoi, G.; Christl, M. J.; Connaughton, V.; Conti, L.; Contino, G.; Cordero, G.; Cotto, G.; Crawford, H. J.; Cremonini, R.; Csorna, S.; Dagoret-Campagne, S.; De Donato, C.; de la Taille, C.; De Santis, C.; del Peral, L.; Di Martino, M.; Djemil, T.; Djenas, S. A.; Dulucq, F.; Dupieux, M.; Dutan, I.; Ebersoldt, A.; Ebisuzaki, T.; Engel, R.; Eser, J.; Fang, K.; Fenu, F.; Fernández-González, S.; Fernández-Soriano, J.; Ferrarese, S.; Finco, D.; Flamini, M.; Fornaro, C.; Forza, R.; Fouka, M.; Franceschi, A.; Franchini, S.; Fuglesang, C.; Fujimoto, J.; Fukushima, M.; Galeotti, P.; García-Ortega, E.; Garipov, G.; Gascón, E.; Geary, J.; Gelmini, G.; Genci, J.; Giraudo, G.; Gonchar, M.; González Alvarado, C.; Gorodetzky, P.; Guardone, N.; Guarino, F.; Guehaz, R.; Guzmán, A.; Hachisu, Y.; Haiduc, M.; Harlov, B.; Haungs, A.; Hernández Carretero, J.; Hidber, W.; Higashide, K.; Ikeda, D.; Ikeda, H.; Inoue, N.; Inoue, S.; Insolia, A.; Isgrò, F.; Itow, Y.; Jammer, T.; Joven, E.; Judd, E. G.; Jung, A.; Jochum, J.; Kajino, F.; Kajino, T.; Kalli, S.; Kaneko, I.; Kang, D.; Kanouni, F.; Karadzhov, Y.; Karczmarczyk, J.; Karus, M.; Katahira, K.; Kawai, K.; Kawasaki, Y.; Kedadra, A.; Khales, H.; Khrenov, B. A.; Kim, Jeong-Sook; Kim, Soon-Wook; Kim, Sug-Whan; Kleifges, M.; Klimov, P. A.; Kolev, D.; Kreykenbohm, I.; Kudela, K.; Kurihara, Y.; Kusenko, A.; Kuznetsov, E.; Lacombe, M.; Lachaud, C.; Lahmar, H.; Lakhdari, F.; Larsson, O.; Lee, J.; Licandro, J.; Lim, H.; López Campano, L.; Maccarone, M. C.; Mackovjak, S.; Mahdi, M.; Manfrin, M.; Maravilla, D.; Marcelli, L.; Marcos, J. L.; Marini, A.; Martens, K.; Martín, Y.; Martinez, O.; Masciantonio, G.; Mase, K.; Matev, R.; Matthews, J. N.; Mebarki, N.; Medina-Tanco, G.; Mehrad, L.; Mendoza, M. A.; Merino, A.; Mernik, T.; Meseguer, J.; Messaoud, S.; Micu, O.; Mignone, M.; Mimouni, J.; Miyamoto, H.; Miyazaki, Y.; Mizumoto, Y.; Modestino, G.; Monaco, A.; Monnier-Ragaigne, D.; Morales de los Ríos, J. A.; Moretto, C.; Morozenko, V. S.; Mot, B.; Murakami, T.; Nadji, B.; Nagano, M.; Nagata, M.; Nagataki, S.; Nakamura, T.; Napolitano, T.; Naumov, D.; Nava, R.; Neronov, A.; Nomoto, K.; Nonaka, T.; Ogawa, T.; Ogio, S.; Ohmori, H.; Olinto, A. V.; Orleański, P.; Osteria, G.; Painter, W.; Panasyuk, M. I.; Panico, B.; Parizot, E.; Park, I. H.; Park, H. W.; Pastircak, B.; Patzak, T.; Paul, T.; Pennypacker, C.; Pérez-Grande, I.; Perfetto, F.; Peter, T.; Picozza, P.; Pierog, T.; Pindado, S.; Piotrowski, L. W.; Piraino, S.; Placidi, L.; Plebaniak, Z.; Pliego, S.; Pollini, A.; Popescu, E. M.; Prat, P.; Prévôt, G.; Prieto, H.; Putis, M.; Rabanal, J.; Radu, A. A.; Rahmani, M.; Reardon, P.; Reyes, M.; Rezazadeh, M.; Ricci, M.; Rodríguez Frías, M. D.; Ronga, F.; Roth, M.; Rothkaehl, H.; Roudil, G.; Rusinov, I.; Rybczyński, M.; Sabau, M. D.; Sáez Cano, G.; Sagawa, H.; Sahnoune, Z.; Saito, A.; Sakaki, N.; Sakata, M.; Salazar, H.; Sanchez, J. C.; Sánchez, J. L.; Santangelo, A.; Santiago Crúz, L.; Sanz-Andrés, A.; Sanz Palomino, M.; Saprykin, O.; Sarazin, F.; Sato, H.; Sato, M.; Schanz, T.; Schieler, H.; Scotti, V.; Segreto, A.; Selmane, S.; Semikoz, D.; Serra, M.; Sharakin, S.; Shibata, T.; Shimizu, H. M.; Shinozaki, K.; Shirahama, T.; Siemieniec-Oziȩbło, G.; Sledd, J.; Słomińska, K.; Sobey, A.; Stan, I.; Sugiyama, T.; Supanitsky, D.; Suzuki, M.; Szabelska, B.; Szabelski, J.; Tahi, H.; Tajima, F.; Tajima, N.; Tajima, T.; Takahashi, Y.; Takami, H.; Takeda, M.; Takizawa, Y.; Talai, M. C.; Tenzer, C.; Tibolla, O.; Tkachev, L.; Tokuno, H.; Tomida, T.; Tone, N.; Toscano, S.; Traïche, M.; Tsenov, R.; Tsunesada, Y.; Tsuno, K.; Tymieniecka, T.; Uchihori, Y.; Unger, M.; Vaduvescu, O.; Valdés-Galicia, J. F.; Vallania, P.; Vankova, G.; Vigorito, C.; Villaseñor, L.; Vlcek, B.; von Ballmoos, P.; Vrabel, M.; Wada, S.; Watanabe, J.; Watanabe, S.; Watts, J.; Weber, M.; Weigand Muñoz, R.; Weindl, A.; Weiler, T. J.; Wibig, T.; Wiencke, L.; Wille, M.; Wilms, J.; Włodarczyk, Z.; Yamamoto, T.; Yamamoto, Y.; Yang, J.; Yano, H.; Yashin, I. V.; Yonetoku, D.; Yoshida, S.; Young, R.; Zgura, I. S.; Zotov, M. Yu.; Zuccaro Marchi, A.

2017-09-01

JEM-EUSO is a space mission designed to investigate Ultra-High Energy Cosmic Rays and Neutrinos (E > 5 ṡ 1019 eV) from the International Space Station (ISS). Looking down from above its wide angle telescope is able to observe their air showers and collect such data from a very wide area. Highly specific trigger algorithms are needed to drastically reduce the data load in the presence of both atmospheric and human activity related background light, yet retain the rare cosmic ray events recorded in the telescope. We report the performance in offline testing of the first level trigger algorithm on data from JEM-EUSO prototypes and laboratory measurements observing different light sources: data taken during a high altitude balloon flight over Canada, laser pulses observed from the ground traversing the real atmosphere, and model landscapes reproducing realistic aspect ratios and light conditions as would be seen from the ISS itself. The first level trigger logic successfully kept the trigger rate within the permissible bounds when challenged with artificially produced as well as naturally encountered night sky background fluctuations and while retaining events with general air-shower characteristics.

Ultra-high vacuum compatible preparation chain for intermetallic compounds

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Bauer, A.; Benka, G.; Regnat, A.; Franz, C.; Pfleiderer, C.

2016-11-01

We report the development of a versatile material preparation chain for intermetallic compounds, which focuses on the realization of a high-purity growth environment. The preparation chain comprises an argon glovebox, an inductively heated horizontal cold boat furnace, an arc melting furnace, an inductively heated rod casting furnace, an optically heated floating-zone furnace, a resistively heated annealing furnace, and an inductively heated annealing furnace. The cold boat furnace and the arc melting furnace may be loaded from the glovebox by means of a load-lock permitting to synthesize compounds starting with air-sensitive elements while handling the constituents exclusively in an inert gas atmosphere. All furnaces are all-metal sealed, bakeable, and may be pumped to ultra-high vacuum. We find that the latter represents an important prerequisite for handling compounds with high vapor pressure under high-purity argon atmosphere. We illustrate the operational aspects of the preparation chain in terms of the single-crystal growth of the heavy-fermion compound CeNi2Ge2.

High Rayleigh number convection in rectangular enclosures with differentially heated vertical walls and aspect ratios between zero and unity

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

Kassemi, S.A.

1988-04-01

High Rayleigh number convection in a rectangular cavity with insulated horizontal surfaces and differentially heated vertical walls was analyzed for an arbitrary aspect ratio smaller than or equal to unity. Unlike previous analytical studies, a systematic method of solution based on linearization technique and analytical iteration procedure was developed to obtain approximate closed-form solutions for a wide range of aspect ratios. The predicted velocity and temperature fields are shown to be in excellent agreement with available experimental and numerical data.

High Rayleigh number convection in rectangular enclosures with differentially heated vertical walls and aspect ratios between zero and unity

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kassemi, Siavash A.

1988-01-01

High Rayleigh number convection in a rectangular cavity with insulated horizontal surfaces and differentially heated vertical walls was analyzed for an arbitrary aspect ratio smaller than or equal to unity. Unlike previous analytical studies, a systematic method of solution based on linearization technique and analytical iteration procedure was developed to obtain approximate closed-form solutions for a wide range of aspect ratios. The predicted velocity and temperature fields are shown to be in excellent agreement with available experimental and numerical data.

Rapid brain MRI acquisition techniques at ultra-high fields

PubMed Central

Setsompop, Kawin; Feinberg, David A.; Polimeni, Jonathan R.

2017-01-01

Ultra-high-field MRI provides large increases in signal-to-noise ratio as well as enhancement of several contrast mechanisms in both structural and functional imaging. Combined, these gains result in a substantial boost in contrast-to-noise ratio that can be exploited for higher spatial resolution imaging to extract finer-scale information about the brain. With increased spatial resolution, however, is a concurrent increased image encoding burden that can cause unacceptably long scan times for structural imaging and slow temporal sampling of the hemodynamic response in functional MRI—particularly when whole-brain imaging is desired. To address this issue, new directions of imaging technology development—such as the move from conventional 2D slice-by-slice imaging to more efficient Simultaneous MultiSlice (SMS) or MultiBand imaging (which can be viewed as “pseudo-3D” encoding) as well as full 3D imaging—have provided dramatic improvements in acquisition speed. Such imaging paradigms provide higher SNR efficiency as well as improved encoding efficiency. Moreover, SMS and 3D imaging can make better use of coil sensitivity information in multi-channel receiver arrays used for parallel imaging acquisitions through controlled aliasing in multiple spatial directions. This has enabled unprecedented acceleration factors of an order of magnitude or higher in these imaging acquisition schemes, with low image artifact levels and high SNR. Here we review the latest developments of SMS and 3D imaging methods and related technologies at ultra-high field for rapid high-resolution functional and structural imaging of the brain. PMID:26835884

Ultra-high-speed 3D astigmatic particle tracking velocimetry: application to particle-laden supersonic impinging jets

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Buchmann, N. A.; Cierpka, C.; Kähler, C. J.; Soria, J.

2014-11-01

The paper demonstrates ultra-high-speed three-component, three-dimensional (3C3D) velocity measurements of micron-sized particles suspended in a supersonic impinging jet flow. Understanding the dynamics of individual particles in such flows is important for the design of particle impactors for drug delivery or cold gas dynamic spray processing. The underexpanded jet flow is produced via a converging nozzle, and micron-sized particles ( d p = 110 μm) are introduced into the gas flow. The supersonic jet impinges onto a flat surface, and the particle impact velocity and particle impact angle are studied for a range of flow conditions and impingement distances. The imaging system consists of an ultra-high-speed digital camera (Shimadzu HPV-1) capable of recording rates of up to 1 Mfps. Astigmatism particle tracking velocimetry (APTV) is used to measure the 3D particle position (Cierpka et al., Meas Sci Technol 21(045401):13, 2010) by coding the particle depth location in the 2D images by adding a cylindrical lens to the high-speed imaging system. Based on the reconstructed 3D particle positions, the particle trajectories are obtained via a higher-order tracking scheme that takes advantage of the high temporal resolution to increase robustness and accuracy of the measurement. It is shown that the particle velocity and impingement angle are affected by the gas flow in a manner depending on the nozzle pressure ratio and stand-off distance where higher pressure ratios and stand-off distances lead to higher impact velocities and larger impact angles.

Process Properties of Electronic High Voltage Discharges Triggered by Ultra-short Pulsed Laser Filaments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cvecek, Kristian; Gröschel, Benjamin; Schmidt, Michael

Remote processing of metallic workpieces by techniques based on electric arc discharge or laser irradiation for joining or cutting has a long tradition and is still being intensively investigated in present-day research. In applications that require high power processing, both approaches exhibit certain advantages and disadvantages that make them specific for a given task. While several hybrid approaches exist that try to combine the benefits of both techniques, none were as successful in providing a fixed electric discharge direction as discharges triggered by plasma filaments generated by ultra-short pulsed lasers. In this work we investigate spatial and temporal aspects of laser filament guided discharges and give an upper time delay between the filament creation and the electrical build-up of a dischargeable voltage for a successful filament triggered discharge.

Effect of multi-walled carbon nanotubes aspect ratio and temperature on the dielectric behavior of alternating alkene-carbon monoxide polyketone nanocomposites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abu-Surrah, Adnan S.; Abdul Jawad, Saadi; Al-Ramahi, Esraa; Hallak, Awni B.; Khattari, Z.

2015-04-01

New alternating poly(propylene-alt-carbon monoxide/ethylene-alt-carbon monoxide) (PECO)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites have been prepared. Dielectric permittivity, electric modulus and ac conductivity of the isolated materials were investigated as a function of fiber aspect ratio, frequency and temperature. For aspect ratio of 30 and 200, a transition from insulator to semiconductor was observed at frequency 1×104. However, for high aspect ratio sample (660), no transition was observed and the conductivity is frequency independent in the measured frequency range of 10-106 Hz. The conductivity increases from about 1×10-4 for the sample that contain fibers of aspect ratio 30 and reaches 5×10-2 (Ω m)-1 for aspect ratio was 660. This behavior can be modeled by a circuit that consists of a contact resistance in series with a parallel combination of resistance (R) and capacitance (C). The calculated activation energy for sample filled with fibers having aspect ratio 30 is about 0.26 eV and decreases to about 0.16 eV when the aspect ratio is 660.

On-demand drawing of high aspect-ratio, microsphere-tipped elastomeric micropillars

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Qiang; Kim, Jaeyoun

2017-08-01

High aspect-ratio elastomeric micropillars are widely used in a plethora of applications, such as functional surfaces, actuators, and sensors. Their fabrication at arbitrary positions on non-planar substrates, however, has rarely been reported. Here we demonstrate a new technique for facile fabrication of high aspect-ratio, microsphere-tipped elastomeric micropillars on structures with uncommon geometries. As a proof-of-concept exemplary application, a fiber optic contact sensor is realized by integrating a micropillar onto the end facet of an optical fiber. Overall, both the fabrication technique and the resulting outcomes of this work will add new tools to the toolbox of soft-MEMS and softrobotics.

A Model for Determining Strength for Embedded Elliptical Crack in Ultra-high-temperature Ceramics

PubMed Central

Wang, Ruzhuan; Li, Weiguo

2015-01-01

A fracture strength model applied at room temperature for embedded elliptical crack in brittle solid was obtained. With further research on the effects of various physical mechanisms on material strength, a thermo-damage strength model for ultra-high-temperature ceramics was applied to each temperature phase. Fracture strength of TiC and the changing trends with elliptical crack shape variations under different temperatures were studied. The study showed that under low temperature, the strength is sensitive to the crack shape variation; as the temperature increases, the sensitivities become smaller. The size of ellipse’s minor axes has great effect on the material strength when the ratio of ellipse’s minor and major axes is lower than 0.5, even under relatively high temperatures. The effect of the minor axes of added particle on material properties thus should be considered under this condition. As the crack area is set, the fracture strength decreases firstly and then increases with the increase of ratio of ellipse’s minor and major axes, and the turning point is 0.5. It suggests that for the added particles the ratio of ellipse’s minor and major axes should not be 0.5. All conclusions significantly coincided with the results obtained by using the finite element software ABAQUS. PMID:28793488

A Model for Determining Strength for Embedded Elliptical Crack in Ultra-high-temperature Ceramics.

PubMed

Wang, Ruzhuan; Li, Weiguo

2015-08-05

A fracture strength model applied at room temperature for embedded elliptical crack in brittle solid was obtained. With further research on the effects of various physical mechanisms on material strength, a thermo-damage strength model for ultra-high-temperature ceramics was applied to each temperature phase. Fracture strength of TiC and the changing trends with elliptical crack shape variations under different temperatures were studied. The study showed that under low temperature, the strength is sensitive to the crack shape variation; as the temperature increases, the sensitivities become smaller. The size of ellipse's minor axes has great effect on the material strength when the ratio of ellipse's minor and major axes is lower than 0.5, even under relatively high temperatures. The effect of the minor axes of added particle on material properties thus should be considered under this condition. As the crack area is set, the fracture strength decreases firstly and then increases with the increase of ratio of ellipse's minor and major axes, and the turning point is 0.5. It suggests that for the added particles the ratio of ellipse's minor and major axes should not be 0.5. All conclusions significantly coincided with the results obtained by using the finite element software ABAQUS.

Experimental investigation of the effect orifice shape and fluid pressure has on high aspect ratio cross-sectional jet behaviour.

PubMed

Wakes, S J; Holdø, A E; Meares, A J

2002-01-04

Prevention of major disasters such as Piper Alpha is a concern of oil and gas companies when commissioning a new offshore superstructure. Safety studies are undertaken to identify potential major hazards, risks to personnel and that sufficient precautions have been employed to minimise these. Such an assessment will also include the consideration of the protection from gas leaks such as the optimum positions of gas leak detectors and startup safety procedures after a leak. This requires a comprehensive knowledge of the behaviour of the leaking hydrocarbons as they emerge from the leak into the area of concern. Such leaks are most likely to emanate from a high aspect ratio cross-sectional curved slot in a pipeline. This paper challenges the conventional view that it is sufficient to model such leaks as axisymmetric jets. This paper is therefore concerned with an experimental study carried out on a series of more realistic high aspect ratio cross-sectional jets issuing from a flange orifice. Both high quality photographs in both planes of the jets and some quantitative pressure data is examined for a high aspect ratio cross-sectional jet of air at pressures up to 4.136bar. The effect of changing aspect ratio, fluid pressure and orifice shape will be discussed and put into context with regard to how this relates to offshore analysis studies.

Electrical and optical characteristics of n-Zno/p-GaN hetero-junction diode fabricated by ultra-high vacuum sputter.

PubMed

Cho, Seong Gook; Lee, Dong Uk; Kim, Eun Kyu

2013-09-01

We investigated the electrical and optical properties of n-ZnO/p-GaN hetero-junction diode fabricated by an ultra-high vacuum radio frequency magnetron sputter. A physical relationship between the rotation rate during deposition process and post annealing conditions after deposited ZnO layer on p-GaN layer was discussed. When the rotation rates during deposition process of n-ZnO layer were 5 rpm and 15 rpm, the full width at half maximum of photoluminescence spectra of ZnO layer on the p-GaN layer was about 106 and 133 meV, respectively. Also, the ratio of deep level emission to near band edge emission was dramatically increased as increasing the rotation rate from 5 to 15 rpm. The n-ZnO/p-GaN hetero-junction diode grown at 5 rpm has a higher ratio of forward to reverse currents than the diode grown at 15 rpm. Also, the 600 degrees C-annealed diodes with 5 rpm showed good rectifying behavior with the barrier height of 0.74 eV, the ideality factor of 12.2, and the forward to reverse current ratio of 614 at +/- 8 V.

Ultra-small-angle neutron scattering with azimuthal asymmetry

DOE PAGES

Gu, X.; Mildner, D. F. R.

2016-05-16

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements from thin sections of rock samples such as shales demand as great a scattering vector range as possible because the pores cover a wide range of sizes. The limitation of the scattering vector range for pinhole SANS requires slit-smeared ultra-SANS (USANS) measurements that need to be converted to pinhole geometry. The desmearing algorithm is only successful for azimuthally symmetric data. Scattering from samples cut parallel to the plane of bedding is symmetric, exhibiting circular contours on a two-dimensional detector. Samples cut perpendicular to the bedding show elliptically dependent contours with the long axis corresponding tomore » the normal to the bedding plane. A method is given for converting such asymmetric data collected on a double-crystal diffractometer for concatenation with the usual pinhole-geometry SANS data. Furthermore, the aspect ratio from the SANS data is used to modify the slit-smeared USANS data to produce quasi-symmetric contours. Rotation of the sample about the incident beam may result in symmetric data but cannot extract the same information as obtained from pinhole geometry.« less

Ultra-small-angle neutron scattering with azimuthal asymmetry

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

Gu, X.; Mildner, D. F. R.

Small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements from thin sections of rock samples such as shales demand as great a scattering vector range as possible because the pores cover a wide range of sizes. The limitation of the scattering vector range for pinhole SANS requires slit-smeared ultra-SANS (USANS) measurements that need to be converted to pinhole geometry. The desmearing algorithm is only successful for azimuthally symmetric data. Scattering from samples cut parallel to the plane of bedding is symmetric, exhibiting circular contours on a two-dimensional detector. Samples cut perpendicular to the bedding show elliptically dependent contours with the long axis corresponding tomore » the normal to the bedding plane. A method is given for converting such asymmetric data collected on a double-crystal diffractometer for concatenation with the usual pinhole-geometry SANS data. Furthermore, the aspect ratio from the SANS data is used to modify the slit-smeared USANS data to produce quasi-symmetric contours. Rotation of the sample about the incident beam may result in symmetric data but cannot extract the same information as obtained from pinhole geometry.« less

Future ultra-speed tube-flight

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Salter, Robert M.

1994-05-01

Future long-link, ultra-speed, surface transport systems will require electromagnetically (EM) driven and restrained vehicles operating under reduced-atmosphere in very straight tubes. Such tube-flight trains will be safe, energy conservative, pollution-free, and in a protected environment. Hypersonic (and even hyperballistic) speeds are theoretically achievable. Ultimate system choices will represent tradeoffs between amoritized capital costs (ACC) and operating costs. For example, long coasting links might employ aerodynamic lift coupled with EM restraint and drag make-up. Optimized, combined EM lift, and thrust vectors could reduce energy costs but at increased ACC. (Repulsive levitation can produce lift-over-drag l/d ratios a decade greater than aerodynamic), Alternatively, vehicle-emanated, induced-mirror fields in a conducting (aluminum sheet) road bed could reduce ACC but at substantial energy costs. Ultra-speed tube flight will demand fast-acting, high-precision sensors and computerized magnetic shimming. This same control system can maintain a magnetic 'guide way' invariant in inertial space with inertial detectors imbedded in tube structures to sense and correct for earth tremors. Ultra-speed tube flight can complete with aircraft for transit time and can provide even greater passenger convenience by single-model connections with local subways and feeder lines. Although cargo transport generally will not need to be performed at ultra speeds, such speeds may well be desirable for high throughput to optimize channel costs. Thus, a large and expensive pipeline might be replaced with small EM-driven pallets at high speeds.

Future ultra-speed tube-flight

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Salter, Robert M.

1994-01-01

Future long-link, ultra-speed, surface transport systems will require electromagnetically (EM) driven and restrained vehicles operating under reduced-atmosphere in very straight tubes. Such tube-flight trains will be safe, energy conservative, pollution-free, and in a protected environment. Hypersonic (and even hyperballistic) speeds are theoretically achievable. Ultimate system choices will represent tradeoffs between amoritized capital costs (ACC) and operating costs. For example, long coasting links might employ aerodynamic lift coupled with EM restraint and drag make-up. Optimized, combined EM lift, and thrust vectors could reduce energy costs but at increased ACC. (Repulsive levitation can produce lift-over-drag l/d ratios a decade greater than aerodynamic), Alternatively, vehicle-emanated, induced-mirror fields in a conducting (aluminum sheet) road bed could reduce ACC but at substantial energy costs. Ultra-speed tube flight will demand fast-acting, high-precision sensors and computerized magnetic shimming. This same control system can maintain a magnetic 'guide way' invariant in inertial space with inertial detectors imbedded in tube structures to sense and correct for earth tremors. Ultra-speed tube flight can complete with aircraft for transit time and can provide even greater passenger convenience by single-model connections with local subways and feeder lines. Although cargo transport generally will not need to be performed at ultra speeds, such speeds may well be desirable for high throughput to optimize channel costs. Thus, a large and expensive pipeline might be replaced with small EM-driven pallets at high speeds.

Experimental study of low aspect ratio compressor blading

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Reid, L.; Moore, R. D.

1979-01-01

The effects of low aspect ratio blading on aerodynamic performance were examined. Four individual transonic compressor stages, representative of the inlet stage of an advanced high pressure ratio core compressor, are discussed. The flow phenomena for the four stages are investigated. Comparisons of blade element parameters are presented for the two different aspect ratio configurations. Blade loading levels are compared for the near stall conditions and comparisons are made of loss and diffusion factors over the operating range of incidence angles.

Development of ultra-precision micro-cavity measurement technique in HIT-UOI

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cui, Jiwen; Li, Lei; Tan, Jiubin

2010-08-01

Micro cavities with high aspect ratio are widely used in different fields including aerospace and defense industries with the development of manufacturing technology. So how to measure the dimension of these cavities has become one of the major research subjects in the field of measurement and instrument. This paper describes some activities of the precision micro cavity measurement technique in Center of Ultra-precision Optoelectronic Instrument (UOI), Harbin Institute of Technology (HIT). The key issue of micro cavity measurement in UOI is called touch-trigger measurement method. The first scheme is double optical fiber coupling, in which light coming from the incident optical fiber is transmitted in the reversal direction via the optical fiber coupling into the effluent optical fiber, the lateral displacement of the touch-trigger sensor is transformed into the deflexion of light coming out from the effluent optical fiber, and the deflexion is transformed into an image signal by the object lens and CCD capturing system. And the second scheme is micro focal-length collimation, in which a fiber stem with a ball mounted on its end is used as a probe and a small segment of it is used as a cylindrical lens to collimate a point light source and image it to a camera, the deflection of the fiber stem can be inferred from the change in image acquired by the camera with ultrahigh displacement sensitivity. Experiments for these activities will be given with a focus on the measurement results and repeatability uncertainty.

Aeroelastic Analysis of SUGAR Truss-Braced Wing Wind-Tunnel Model Using FUN3D and a Nonlinear Structural Model

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartels, Robert E.; Scott, Robert C.; Allen, Timothy J.; Sexton, Bradley W.

2015-01-01

Considerable attention has been given in recent years to the design of highly flexible aircraft. The results of numerous studies demonstrate the significant performance benefits of strut-braced wing (SBW) and trussbraced wing (TBW) configurations. Critical aspects of the TBW configuration are its larger aspect ratio, wing span and thinner wings. These aspects increase the importance of considering fluid/structure and control system coupling. This paper presents high-fidelity Navier-Stokes simulations of the dynamic response of the flexible Boeing Subsonic Ultra Green Aircraft Research (SUGAR) truss-braced wing wind-tunnel model. The latest version of the SUGAR TBW finite element model (FEM), v.20, is used in the present simulations. Limit cycle oscillations (LCOs) of the TBW wing/strut/nacelle are simulated at angle-of-attack (AoA) values of -1, 0 and +1 degree. The modal data derived from nonlinear static aeroelastic MSC.Nastran solutions are used at AoAs of -1 and +1 degrees. The LCO amplitude is observed to be dependent on AoA. LCO amplitudes at -1 degree are larger than those at +1 degree. The LCO amplitude at zero degrees is larger than either -1 or +1 degrees. These results correlate well with both wind-tunnel data and the behavior observed in previous studies using linear aerodynamics. The LCO onset at zero degrees AoA has also been computed using unloaded v.20 FEM modes. While the v.20 model increases the dynamic pressure at which LCO onset is observed, it is found that the LCO onset at and above Mach 0.82 is much different than that produced by an earlier version of the FEM, v. 19.

A (very) Simple Model for the Aspect Ratio of High-Order River Basins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shelef, E.

2017-12-01

The structure of river networks dictates the distribution of elevation, water, and sediments across Earth's surface. Despite its intricate shape, the structure of high-order river networks displays some surprising regularities such as the consistent aspect ratio (i.e., basin's width over length) of river basins along linear mountain fronts. This ratio controls the spacing between high-order channels as well as the spacing between the depositional bodies they form. It is generally independent of tectonic and climatic conditions and is often attributed to the initial topography over which the network was formed. This study shows that a simple, cross-like channel model explains this ratio via a requirement for equal elevation gain between the outlets and drainage-divides of adjacent channels at topographic steady state. This model also explains the dependence of aspect ratio on channel concavity and the location of the widest point on a drainage divide.

Structural and Dynamical Aspects of Electrodeposition

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-05-01

Lfquido Utilizando Ondas Estacionarias de Rayos X " Investigaci6n y Ciencia (Scientific American in Spanish) (invited and submitted) 10. Bommarito, G. M...investigations researchers have emphasized the underpotential deposition of metal mono and multilayers employing electrochemical, x -ray based and ultra high...of adsorbate employed. 2. The underpotential deposition of copper on an iodine covered platinum surface by x -ray based techniques with emphasis on: a

Modeling of Turbulent Natural Convection in Enclosed Tall Cavities

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goloviznin, V. M.; Korotkin, I. A.; Finogenov, S. A.

2017-12-01

It was shown in our previous work (J. Appl. Mech. Tech. Phys 57 (7), 1159-1171 (2016)) that the eddy-resolving parameter-free CABARET scheme as applied to two-and three-dimensional de Vahl Davis benchmark tests (thermal convection in a square cavity) yields numerical results on coarse (20 × 20 and 20 × 20 × 20) grids that agree surprisingly well with experimental data and highly accurate computations for Rayleigh numbers of up to 1014. In the present paper, the sensitivity of this phenomenon to the cavity shape (varying from cubical to highly elongated) is analyzed. Box-shaped computational domains with aspect ratios of 1: 4, 1: 10, and 1: 28.6 are considered. The results produced by the CABARET scheme are compared with experimental data (aspect ratio of 1: 28.6), DNS results (aspect ratio of 1: 4), and an empirical formula (aspect ratio of 1: 10). In all the cases, the CABARET-based integral parameters of the cavity flow agree well with the other authors' results. Notably coarse grids with mesh refinement toward the walls are used in the CABARET calculations. It is shown that acceptable numerical accuracy on extremely coarse grids is achieved for an aspect ratio of up to 1: 10. For higher aspect ratios, the number of grid cells required for achieving prescribed accuracy grows significantly.

Aerodynamic Characteristics of Low-Aspect-Ratio Wings in Close Proximity to the Ground

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Fink, Marvin P.; Lastinger, James L.

1961-01-01

A wind-tunnel investigation has been conducted to determine the effect of ground proximity on the aerodynamic characteristics of thick highly cambered rectangular wings with aspect ratios of 1. 2, 4, and 6. The results showed that, for these aspect ratios, as the ground war, approached all wings experienced increases in lift-curve slope and reductions in induced drag which resulted in increases in lift-drag ratio. Although an increase in lift-curve slope was obtained for all aspect ratios as the ground was approached, the lift coefficient at an angle of attack of 0 deg for any given aspect ratio remained nearly constant. The experimental results were in general agreement with Wieselsberger's ground-effect theory (NACA Technical Memorandum 77). As the wings approached the ground, there was an increase in static longitudinal stability at positive angles of attack. When operating in ground effect, all the wings had stability of height at positive angles of attack and instability of height at negative angles of attack. Wing-tip fairings on the wings with aspect ratios of 1 and 2 produced small increases in lift-drag ratio in ground effect. End plates extending only below the chord plane on the wing with an aspect ratio of 1 provided increases in lift coefficient and in lift-drag ratio in ground effect.

Ultra-wideband microwave photonic frequency downconverter based on carrier-suppressed single-sideband modulation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Yunxin; Li, Jingnan; Wang, Dayong; Zhou, Tao; Xu, Jiahao; Zhong, Xin; Yang, Dengcai; Rong, Lu

2018-03-01

An ultra-wideband microwave photonic frequency downconverter is proposed based on carrier-suppressed single-sideband (CS-SSB) modulation. A radio frequency (RF) signal and a local oscillator (LO) signal are combined to drive a dual-parallel Mach-Zehnder modulator (DPMZM) through the electrical 90°hybrid coupler. To break through the bandwidth limit, an optical bandpass filter (OBPF) is applied simultaneously. Then a photodetector (PD) after OBPF is used to obtain intermediate frequency (IF) signal. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed frequency downconverter can generate the CS-SSB modulation signal from 2 to 40 GHz in optical spectrum. All the mixing spurs are completely suppressed under the noise floor in electrical spectrum, and the output IF signal possesses high purity with a suppression ratio of the undesired signals (≥40 dB). Furthermore, the multi-octave downconversion can also be implemented to satisfy the bandwidth requirement of multi-channel communication. The proposed frequency downconverter supplies an ultra-wideband and high-purity alternative for the signal processing in microwave photonic applications.

Ultra high resolution imaging of the human head at 8 tesla: 2K x 2K for Y2K.

PubMed

Robitaille, P M; Abduljalil, A M; Kangarlu, A

2000-01-01

To acquire ultra high resolution MRI images of the human brain at 8 Tesla within a clinically acceptable time frame. Gradient echo images were acquired from the human head of normal subjects using a transverse electromagnetic resonator operating in quadrature and tuned to 340 MHz. In each study, a group of six images was obtained containing a total of 208 MB of unprocessed information. Typical acquisition parameters were as follows: matrix = 2,000 x 2,000, field of view = 20 cm, slice thickness = 2 mm, number of excitations (NEX) = 1, flip angle = 45 degrees, TR = 750 ms, TE = 17 ms, receiver bandwidth = 69.4 kHz. This resulted in a total scan time of 23 minutes, an in-plane resolution of 100 microm, and a pixel volume of 0.02 mm3. The ultra high resolution images acquired in this study represent more than a 50-fold increase in in-plane resolution relative to conventional 256 x 256 images obtained with a 20 cm field of view and a 5 mm slice thickness. Nonetheless, the ultra high resolution images could be acquired both with adequate image quality and signal to noise. They revealed numerous small venous structures throughout the image plane and provided reasonable delineation between gray and white matter. The elevated signal-to-noise ratio observed in ultra high field magnetic resonance imaging can be utilized to acquire images with a level of resolution approaching the histological level under in vivo conditions. However, brain motion is likely to degrade the useful resolution. This situation may be remedied in part with cardiac gating. Nonetheless, these images represent a significant advance in our ability to examine small anatomical features with noninvasive imaging methods.

High-performance radial AMTEC cell design for ultra-high-power solar AMTEC systems

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

Hendricks, T.J.; Huang, C.

1999-07-01

Alkali Metal Thermal to Electric Conversion (AMTEC) technology is rapidly maturing for potential application in ultra-high-power solar AMTEC systems required by potential future US Air Force (USAF) spacecraft missions in medium-earth and geosynchronous orbits (MEO and GEO). Solar thermal AMTEC power systems potentially have several important advantages over current solar photovoltaic power systems in ultra-high-power spacecraft applications for USAF MEO and GEO missions. This work presents key aspects of radial AMTEC cell design to achieve high cell performance in solar AMTEC systems delivering larger than 50 kW(e) to support high power USAF missions. These missions typically require AMTEC cell conversionmore » efficiency larger than 25%. A sophisticated design parameter methodology is described and demonstrated which establishes optimum design parameters in any radial cell design to satisfy high-power mission requirements. Specific relationships, which are distinct functions of cell temperatures and pressures, define critical dependencies between key cell design parameters, particularly the impact of parasitic thermal losses on Beta Alumina Solid Electrolyte (BASE) area requirements, voltage, number of BASE tubes, and system power production for both maximum power-per-BASE-area and optimum efficiency conditions. Finally, some high-level system tradeoffs are demonstrated using the design parameter methodology to establish high-power radial cell design requirements and philosophy. The discussion highlights how to incorporate this methodology with sophisticated SINDA/FLUINT AMTEC cell modeling capabilities to determine optimum radial AMTEC cell designs.« less

Electrodeposition of Gold to Conformally Fill High Aspect Ratio Nanometric Silicon Grating Trenches: A Comparison of Pulsed and Direct Current Protocols

PubMed Central

Znati, Sami A.; Chedid, Nicholas; Miao, Houxun; Chen, Lei; Bennett, Eric E.; Wen, Han

2016-01-01

Filling high-aspect-ratio trenches with gold is a frequent requirement in the fabrication of x-ray optics as well as micro-electronic components and other fabrication processes. Conformal electrodeposition of gold in sub-micron-width silicon trenches with an aspect ratio greater than 35 over a grating area of several square centimeters is challenging and has not been described in the literature previously. A comparison of pulsed plating and constant current plating led to a gold electroplating protocol that reliably filled trenches for such structures. PMID:27042384

The micromechanics model analysis of the viscosity regulation of ultra-high strength concrete with low viscosity

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, M.; Wang, F. G.; Wang, F. Z.; Liu, Y. P.

2017-02-01

The plastic viscosity of mortar and concrete with different binder content, sand ratio, water-binder ratio, microbead dosage and different class and dosage of fly ash were tested and calculated according tomicromechanics model proposed by A. Ghanbari and B.L. Karihaloo, The correlations between these parameters and fresh concrete workability were also investigated, which showed i. high consistence with the objective reality. When binder content, microbead dosage, fly ash dosage or the water-binder ratio was increased or sand ratio was reduced, the fresh concrete viscosity would decrease correspondingly. However their effects were not that same. The relationships between T50 a, V-funnel and inverted slump time with fresh concrete viscosity were established, respectively.

Epitaxy of GaN in high aspect ratio nanoscale holes over silicon substrate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Kejia; Wang, Anqi; Ji, Qingbin; Hu, Xiaodong; Xie, Yahong; Sun, Ying; Cheng, Zhiyuan

2017-12-01

Dislocation filtering in gallium nitride (GaN) by epitaxial growth through patterned nanoscale holes is studied. GaN grown from extremely high aspect ratio holes by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition is examined by transmission electron microscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. This selective area epitaxial growth method with a reduced epitaxy area and an increased depth to width ratio of holes leads to effective filtering of dislocations within the hole and improves the quality of GaN significantly.

Accuracy of Gradient Reconstruction on Grids with High Aspect Ratio

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Thomas, James

2008-01-01

Gradient approximation methods commonly used in unstructured-grid finite-volume schemes intended for solutions of high Reynolds number flow equations are studied comprehensively. The accuracy of gradients within cells and within faces is evaluated systematically for both node-centered and cell-centered formulations. Computational and analytical evaluations are made on a series of high-aspect-ratio grids with different primal elements, including quadrilateral, triangular, and mixed element grids, with and without random perturbations to the mesh. Both rectangular and cylindrical geometries are considered; the latter serves to study the effects of geometric curvature. The study shows that the accuracy of gradient reconstruction on high-aspect-ratio grids is determined by a combination of the grid and the solution. The contributors to the error are identified and approaches to reduce errors are given, including the addition of higher-order terms in the direction of larger mesh spacing. A parameter GAMMA characterizing accuracy on curved high-aspect-ratio grids is discussed and an approximate-mapped-least-square method using a commonly-available distance function is presented; the method provides accurate gradient reconstruction on general grids. The study is intended to be a reference guide accompanying the construction of accurate and efficient methods for high Reynolds number applications

Convergent Aeronautics Solutions (CAS) Showcase Presentation on Mission Adaptive Digital Composite Aerostructure Technologies (MADCAT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Swei, Sean; Cheung, Kenneth

2016-01-01

This project is to develop a novel aerostructure concept that takes advantage of emerging digital composite materials and manufacturing methods to build high stiffness-to-density ratio, ultra-light structures that can provide mission adaptive and aerodynamically efficient future N+3N+4 air vehicles.

Multiscale modeling for SiO2 atomic layer deposition for high-aspect-ratio hole patterns

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Miyano, Yumiko; Narasaki, Ryota; Ichikawa, Takashi; Fukumoto, Atsushi; Aiso, Fumiki; Tamaoki, Naoki

2018-06-01

A multiscale simulation model is developed for optimizing the parameters of SiO2 plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition of high-aspect-ratio hole patterns in three-dimensional (3D) stacked memory. This model takes into account the diffusion of a precursor in a reactor, that in holes, and the adsorption onto the wafer. It is found that the change in the aperture ratio of the holes on the wafer affects the concentration of the precursor near the top of the wafer surface, hence the deposition profile in the hole. The simulation results reproduced well the experimental results of the deposition thickness for the various hole aperture ratios. By this multiscale simulation, we can predict the deposition profile in a high-aspect-ratio hole pattern in 3D stacked memory. The atomic layer deposition parameters for conformal deposition such as precursor feeding time and partial pressure of precursor for wafers with various hole aperture ratios can be estimated.

Public Data Set: High Confinement Mode and Edge Localized Mode Characteristics in a Near-Unity Aspect Ratio Tokamak

DOE Data Explorer

Thome, Kathreen E. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000248013922); Bongard, Michael W. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000231609746); Barr, Jayson L. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000177685931); Bodner, Grant M. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000324979172); Burke, Marcus G. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000176193724); Fonck, Raymond J. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000294386762); Kriete, David M. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000236572911); Perry, Justin M. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000171228609); Schlossberg, David J. [University of Wisconsin-Madison] (ORCID:0000000287139448)

2016-04-27

This data set contains openly-documented, machine readable digital research data corresponding to figures published in K.E. Thome et al., 'High Confinement Mode and Edge Localized Mode Characteristics in a Near-Unity Aspect Ratio Tokamak,' Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 175001 (2016).

Supercritical CO2 drying of poly(methyl methacrylate) photoresist for deep x-ray lithography: a brief note

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukla, Rahul; Abhinandan, Lala; Sharma, Shivdutt

2017-07-01

Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) is an extensively used positive photoresist for deep x-ray lithography. The post-development release of the microstructures of PMMA becomes very critical for high aspect ratio fragile and freestanding microstructures. Release of high aspect ratio comb-drive microstructure of PMMA made by one-step x-ray lithography (OXL) is studied. The effect of low-surface tension Isopropyl alcohol (IPA) over water is investigated for release of the high aspect ratio microstructures using conventional and supercritical (SC) CO2 drying. The results of conventional drying are also compared for the samples released or dried in both in-house developed and commercial SC CO2 dryer. It is found that in all cases the microstructures of PMMA are permanently deformed and damaged while using SC CO2 for drying. For free-standing high aspect ratio microstructures of PMMA made by OXL, it is advised to use low-surface tension IPA over DI water. However, this brings a limitation on the design of the microstructure.

Transport phenomena during vapor growth of optoelectronic material - A mercurous chloride system

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Singh, N. B.

1990-01-01

Crystal growth velocity was measured in a mercurous chloride system in a two-zone transparent furnace as a function of the Rayleigh number by varying a/L, where a is the radius of the growth tube and L is the transport length. Growth velocity data showed different trends at low and high aspect ratio, a result that does not support the velocity-aspect ratio trend predicted by theories. The system cannot be scaled on the basis of measurements done at a low aspect ratio. Some change in fluid flow behavior occurs in the growth tube as the aspect ratio increases.

Psychiatric disorders related to menstrual bleeding among an ultra-orthodox population: case series and literature review.

PubMed

Vishne, Tali; Misgav, Sagit; Bunzel, Michael E

2008-05-01

The relationship between menstrual cycle and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) has been documented in the past and is related to sexual hormone changes. In the ultra-orthodox Jewish population menstrual bleeding is associated both with meticulous rituals of cleanliness and with stressful meanings related to sin, impurity and punishment. Those aspects of the menstrual cycle can be related to specific OCD symptoms among ultra-orthodox women. The current study presents three cases related to the development of obsessive-compulsive symptoms in relation to the menstrual cycle among ultra-orthodox women, and discusses the biological and social-cultural basis of the disorder.

Simultaneous determination of phenolic compounds in Equisetum palustre L. by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry combined with matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction.

PubMed

Wei, Zuofu; Pan, Youzhi; Li, Lu; Huang, Yuyang; Qi, Xiaolin; Luo, Meng; Zu, Yuangang; Fu, Yujie

2014-11-01

A method based on matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction followed by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry is presented for the extraction and determination of phenolic compounds in Equisetum palustre. This method combines the high efficiency of matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction and the rapidity, sensitivity, and accuracy of ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The influential parameters of the matrix solid-phase dispersion extraction were investigated and optimized. The optimized conditions were as follows: silica gel was selected as dispersing sorbent, the ratio of silica gel to sample was selected to be 2:1 (400/200 mg), and 8 mL of 80% methanol was used as elution solvent. Furthermore, a fast and sensitive ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method was developed for the determination of nine phenolic compounds in E. palustre. This method was carried out within <6 min, and exhibited satisfactory linearity, precision, and recovery. Compared with ultrasound-assisted extraction, the proposed matrix solid-phase dispersion procedure possessed higher extraction efficiency, and was more convenient and time saving with reduced requirements on sample and solvent amounts. All these results suggest that the developed method represents an excellent alternative for the extraction and determination of active components in plant matrices. © 2014 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Temporal reliability of ultra-high field resting-state MRI for single-subject sensorimotor and language mapping.

PubMed

Branco, Paulo; Seixas, Daniela; Castro, São Luís

2018-03-01

Resting-state fMRI is a well-suited technique to map functional networks in the brain because unlike task-based approaches it requires little collaboration from subjects. This is especially relevant in clinical settings where a number of subjects cannot comply with task demands. Previous studies using conventional scanner fields have shown that resting-state fMRI is able to map functional networks in single subjects, albeit with moderate temporal reliability. Ultra-high resolution (7T) imaging provides higher signal-to-noise ratio and better spatial resolution and is thus well suited to assess the temporal reliability of mapping results, and to determine if resting-state fMRI can be applied in clinical decision making including preoperative planning. We used resting-state fMRI at ultra-high resolution to examine whether the sensorimotor and language networks are reliable over time - same session and one week after. Resting-state networks were identified for all subjects and sessions with good accuracy. Both networks were well delimited within classical regions of interest. Mapping was temporally reliable at short and medium time-scales as demonstrated by high values of overlap in the same session and one week after for both networks. Results were stable independently of data quality metrics and physiological variables. Taken together, these findings provide strong support for the suitability of ultra-high field resting-state fMRI mapping at the single-subject level. Copyright © 2016 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Wafer Scale Fabrication of Dense and High Aspect Ratio Sub-50 nm Nanopillars from Phase Separation of Cross-Linkable Polysiloxane/Polystyrene Blend.

PubMed

Li, Yang; Hao, Yuli; Huang, Chunyu; Chen, Xingyao; Chen, Xinyu; Cui, Yushuang; Yuan, Changsheng; Qiu, Kai; Ge, Haixiong; Chen, Yanfeng

2017-04-19

We demonstrated a simple and effective approach to fabricate dense and high aspect ratio sub-50 nm pillars based on phase separation of a polymer blend composed of a cross-linkable polysiloxane and polystyrene (PS). In order to obtain the phase-separated domains with nanoscale size, a liquid prepolymer of cross-linkable polysiloxane was employed as one moiety for increasing the miscibility of the polymer blend. After phase separation via spin-coating, the dispersed domains of liquid polysiloxane with sub-50 nm size could be solidified by UV exposure. The solidified polysiloxane domains took the role of etching mask for formation of high aspect ratio nanopillars by O 2 reactive ion etching (RIE). The aspect ratio of the nanopillars could be further amplified by introduction of a polymer transfer layer underneath the polymer blend film. The effects of spin speeds, the weight ratio of the polysiloxane/PS blend, and the concentration of polysiloxane/PS blend in toluene on the characters of the nanopillars were investigated. The gold-coated nanopillar arrays exhibited a high Raman scattering enhancement factor in the range of 10 8 -10 9 with high uniformity across over the wafer scale sample. A superhydrophobic surface could be realized by coating a self-assembled monolayers (SAM) of fluoroalkyltrichlorosilane on the nanopillar arrays. Sub-50 nm silicon nanowires (SiNWs) with high aspect ratio of about 1000 were achieved by using the nanopillars as etching mask through a metal-assisted chemical etching process. They showed an ultralow reflectance of approximately 0.1% for wavelengths ranging from 200 to 800 nm.

Ultra-Fine Highly Energetic Core-Shell Nanoparticles with Triggerable Protective Coatings

DTIC Science & Technology

2013-02-01

volume ratios and strong electronic coupling, which offers higher stored energy densities and decreased warhead size. Current technologies produce nano...aluminum (Al) – the most attractive high-energetic candidate for the use in explosives because of its density and high relative heat of oxide...major breakthrough in the area of explosive materials. II. Project Objectives The overall objective of this research program was to develop a new

Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization improves oxidative stability and interfacial properties of soy protein isolate-stabilized emulsions.

PubMed

Fernandez-Avila, C; Trujillo, A J

2016-10-15

Ultra-High Pressure Homogenization (100-300MPa) has great potential for technological, microbiological and nutritional aspects of fluid processing. Its effect on the oxidative stability and interfacial properties of oil-in-water emulsions prepared with 4% (w/v) of soy protein isolate and soybean oil (10 and 20%, v/v) were studied and compared to emulsions treated by conventional homogenization (15MPa). Emulsions were characterized by particle size, emulsifying activity index, surface protein concentration at the interface and by transmission electron microscopy. Primary and secondary lipid oxidation products were evaluated in emulsions upon storage. Emulsions with 20% oil treated at 100 and 200MPa exhibited the most oxidative stability due to higher amount of oil and protein surface load at the interface. This manuscript addresses the improvement in oxidative stability in emulsions treated by UHPH when compared to conventional emulsions. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

High- β equilibrium and ballooning stability of the low aspect ratio CNT stellarator

DOE PAGES

Hammond, K. C.; Lazerson, S. A.; Volpe, F. A.

2017-04-07

In the paper, the existence and ballooning-stability of low aspect ratio stellarator equilibria is predicted for the Columbia Neutral Torus (CNT) with the aid of 3D numerical tools. In addition to having a low aspect ratio, CNT is characterized by a low magnetic field and small plasma volume. Also, highly overdense plasmas were recently heated in CNT by means of microwaves. These characteristics suggest that CNT might attain relatively high values of plasma beta and thus be of use in the experimental study of stellarator stability to high-beta instabilities such as ballooning modes. As a first step in that direction,more » here the ballooning stability limit is found numerically. Depending on the particular magnetic configuration we expect volume-averaged β limits in the range 0.9%–3.0%, and possibly higher, and observe indications of a second region of ballooning stability. As the aspect ratio is reduced, stability is found to increase in some configurations and decrease in others. Energy-balance estimates using stellarator scaling laws indicate that the lower β limit may be attainable with overdense heating at powers of 40 to 100 kW. The present study serves the additional purpose of testing VMEC and other stellarator codes at high values of β and at low aspect ratios. For this reason, the study was carried out both for free boundary, for maximum fidelity to experiment, as well as with a fixed boundary, as a numerical test.« less

Electrohydrodynamic pressure enhanced by free space charge for electrically induced structure formation with high aspect ratio.

PubMed

Tian, Hongmiao; Wang, Chunhui; Shao, Jinyou; Ding, Yucheng; Li, Xiangming

2014-10-28

Electrically induced structure formation (EISF) is an interesting and unique approach for generating a microstructured duplicate from a rheological polymer by a spatially modulated electric field induced by a patterned template. Most of the research on EISF have so far used various dielectric polymers (with an electrical conductivity smaller than 10(-10) S/m that can be considered a perfect dielectric), on which the electric field induces a Maxwell stress only due to the dipoles (or bounded charges) in the polymer molecules, leading to a structure with a small aspect ratio. This paper presents a different approach for improving the aspect ratio allowed in EISF by doping organic salt into the perfect dielectric polymer, i.e., turning the perfect dielectric into a leaky dielectric, considering the fact that the free space charges enriched in the leaky dielectric polymer can make an additional contribution to the Maxwell stress, i.e., electrohydrodynamic pressure, which is desirable for high aspect ratio structuring. Our numerical simulations and experimental tests have shown that a leaky dielectric polymer, with a small conductivity comparable to that of deionized water, can be much more effective at being electrohydrodynamically deformed into a high aspect ratio in comparison with a perfect dielectric polymer when both of them have roughly the same dielectric constant.

A 3-dimensional in vitro model of epithelioid granulomas induced by high aspect ratio nanomaterials

PubMed Central

2011-01-01

Background The most common causes of granulomatous inflammation are persistent pathogens and poorly-degradable irritating materials. A characteristic pathological reaction to intratracheal instillation, pharyngeal aspiration, or inhalation of carbon nanotubes is formation of epithelioid granulomas accompanied by interstitial fibrosis in the lungs. In the mesothelium, a similar response is induced by high aspect ratio nanomaterials, including asbestos fibers, following intraperitoneal injection. This asbestos-like behaviour of some engineered nanomaterials is a concern for their potential adverse health effects in the lungs and mesothelium. We hypothesize that high aspect ratio nanomaterials will induce epithelioid granulomas in nonadherent macrophages in 3D cultures. Results Carbon black particles (Printex 90) and crocidolite asbestos fibers were used as well-characterized reference materials and compared with three commercial samples of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). Doses were identified in 2D and 3D cultures in order to minimize acute toxicity and to reflect realistic occupational exposures in humans and in previous inhalation studies in rodents. Under serum-free conditions, exposure of nonadherent primary murine bone marrow-derived macrophages to 0.5 μg/ml (0.38 μg/cm2) of crocidolite asbestos fibers or MWCNTs, but not carbon black, induced macrophage differentiation into epithelioid cells and formation of stable aggregates with the characteristic morphology of granulomas. Formation of multinucleated giant cells was also induced by asbestos fibers or MWCNTs in this 3D in vitro model. After 7-14 days, macrophages exposed to high aspect ratio nanomaterials co-expressed proinflammatory (M1) as well as profibrotic (M2) phenotypic markers. Conclusions Induction of epithelioid granulomas appears to correlate with high aspect ratio and complex 3D structure of carbon nanotubes, not with their iron content or surface area. This model offers a time- and cost-effective platform to evaluate the potential of engineered high aspect ratio nanomaterials, including carbon nanotubes, nanofibers, nanorods and metallic nanowires, to induce granulomas following inhalation. PMID:21592387

Characteristics of flow and reactive pollutant dispersion in urban street canyons

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Soo-Jin; Kim, Jae-Jin; Kim, Minjoong J.; Park, Rokjin J.; Cheong, Hyeong-Bin

2015-05-01

In this study, the effects of aspect ratio defined as the ratio of building height to street width on the dispersion of reactive pollutants in street canyons were investigated using a coupled CFD-chemistry model. Flow characteristics for different aspect ratios were analyzed first. For each aspect ratio, six emission scenarios with different VOC-NOX ratios were considered. One vortex was generated when the aspect ratio was less than 1.6 (shallow street canyon). When the aspect ratio was greater than 1.6 (deep street canyon), two vortices were formed in the street canyons. Comparing to previous studies on two-dimensional street canyons, the vortex center is slanted toward the upwind building and reverse and downward flows are dominant in street canyons. Near the street bottom, there is a marked difference in flow pattern between in shallow and deep street canyons. Near the street bottom, reverse and downward flows are dominant in shallow street canyon and flow convergence exists near the center of the deep street canyons, which induces a large difference in the NOX and O3 dispersion patterns in the street canyons. NOX concentrations are high near the street bottom and decreases with height. The O3 concentrations are low at high NO concentrations near the street bottom because of NO titration. At a low VOC-NOX ratio, the NO concentrations are sufficiently high to destroy large amount of O3 by titration, resulting in an O3 concentration in the street canyon much lower than the background concentration. At high VOC-NOX ratios, a small amount of O3 is destroyed by NO titration in the lower layer of the street canyons. However, in the upper layer, O3 is formed through the photolysis of NO2 by VOC degradation reactions. As the aspect ratio increases, NOX (O3) concentrations averaged over the street canyons decrease (increase) in the shallow street canyons. This is because outward flow becomes strong and NOX flux toward the outsides of the street canyons increases, resulting in less NO titration. In the deep street canyons, outward flow becomes weak and outward NOX flux decreases, resulting in an increase (decrease) in NOX (O3) concentration.

Aspects of ultra-high-precision diamond machining of RSA 443 optical aluminium

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mkoko, Z.; Abou-El-Hossein, K.

2015-08-01

Optical aluminium alloys such as 6061-T6 are traditionally used in ultra-high precision manufacturing for making optical mirrors for aerospace and other applications. However, the optics industry has recently witnessed the development of more advanced optical aluminium grades that are capable of addressing some of the issues encountered when turning with single-point natural monocrystalline diamond cutters. The advent of rapidly solidified aluminium (RSA) grades has generally opened up new possibilities for ultra-high precision manufacturing of optical components. In this study, experiments were conducted with single-point diamond cutters on rapidly solidified aluminium RSA 443 material. The objective of this study is to observe the effects of depth of cut and feed rate at a fixed rotational speed on the tool wear rate and resulting surface roughness of diamond turned specimens. This is done to gain further understanding of the rate of wear on the diamond cutters versus the surface texture generated on the RSA 443 material. The diamond machining experiments yielded machined surfaces which are less reflective but with consistent surface roughness values. Cutting tools were observed for wear through scanning microscopy; relatively low wear pattern was evident on the diamond tool edge. The highest tool wear were obtained at higher depth of cut and increased feed rate.

Fast prototyping of high-aspect ratio, high-resolution x-ray masks by gas-assisted focused ion beam

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Hartley, F.; Malek, C.; Neogi, J.

2001-01-01

The capacity of chemically-assisted focused ion beam (fib) etching systems to undertake direct and highly anisotropic erosion of thin and thick gold (or other high atomic number [Z])coatings on x-ray mask membranes/substrates provides new levels of precision, flexibility, simplification and rapidity in the manufacture of mask absorber patterns, allowing the fast prototyping of high aspect ratio, high-resolution masks for deep x-ray lithography.

Cause and Cure - Deterioration in Accuracy of CFD Simulations With Use of High-Aspect-Ratio Triangular Tetrahedral Grids

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Chang, Sin-Chung; Chang, Chau-Lyan; Venkatachari, Balaji Shankar

2017-01-01

Traditionally high-aspect ratio triangular/tetrahedral meshes are avoided by CFD re-searchers in the vicinity of a solid wall, as it is known to reduce the accuracy of gradient computations in those regions and also cause numerical instability. Although for certain complex geometries, the use of high-aspect ratio triangular/tetrahedral elements in the vicinity of a solid wall can be replaced by quadrilateral/prismatic elements, ability to use triangular/tetrahedral elements in such regions without any degradation in accuracy can be beneficial from a mesh generation point of view. The benefits also carry over to numerical frameworks such as the space-time conservation element and solution element (CESE), where triangular/tetrahedral elements are the mandatory building blocks. With the requirement of the CESE method in mind, a rigorous mathematical framework that clearly identities the reason behind the difficulties in use of such high-aspect ratio triangular/tetrahedral elements is presented here. As will be shown, it turns out that the degree of accuracy deterioration of gradient computation involving a triangular element is hinged on the value of its shape factor Gamma def = sq sin Alpha1 + sq sin Alpha2 + sq sin Alpha3, where Alpha1; Alpha2 and Alpha3 are the internal angles of the element. In fact, it is shown that the degree of accuracy deterioration increases monotonically as the value of Gamma decreases monotonically from its maximal value 9/4 (attained by an equilateral triangle only) to a value much less than 1 (associated with a highly obtuse triangle). By taking advantage of the fact that a high-aspect ratio triangle is not necessarily highly obtuse, and in fact it can have a shape factor whose value is close to the maximal value 9/4, a potential solution to avoid accuracy deterioration of gradient computation associated with a high-aspect ratio triangular grid is given. Also a brief discussion on the extension of the current mathematical framework to the tetrahedral-grid case along with some of the practical results of this extension is also provided. Furthermore, through the use of numerical simulations of practical viscous problems involving high-Reynolds number flows, the effectiveness of the gradient evaluation procedures within the CESE framework (that have their basis on the analysis presented here) to produce accurate and stable results on such high-aspect ratio meshes is also showcased.

High-Aspect-Ratio Ridge Structures Induced by Plastic Deformation as a Novel Microfabrication Technique.

PubMed

Takei, Atsushi; Jin, Lihua; Fujita, Hiroyuki; Takei, A; Fujita, H; Jin, Lihua

2016-09-14

Wrinkles on thin film/elastomer bilayer systems provide functional surfaces. The aspect ratio of these wrinkles is critical to their functionality. Much effort has been dedicated to creating high-aspect-ratio structures on the surface of bilayer systems. A highly prestretched elastomer attached to a thin film has recently been shown to form a high-aspect-ratio structure, called a ridge structure, due to a large strain induced in the elastomer. However, the prestretch requirements of the elastomer during thin film attachment are not compatible with conventional thin film deposition methods, such as spin coating, dip coating, and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Thus, the fabrication method is complex, and ridge structure formation is limited to planar surfaces. This paper presents a new and simple method for constructing ridge structures on a nonplanar surface using a plastic thin film/elastomer bilayer system. A plastic thin film is attached to a stress-free elastomer, and the resulting bilayer system is highly stretched one- or two-dimensionally. Upon the release of the stretch load, the deformation of the elastomer is reversible, while the plastically deformed thin film stays elongated. The combination of the length mismatch and the large strain induced in the elastomer generates ridge structures. The morphology of the plastic thin film/elastomer bilayer system is experimentally studied by varying the physical parameters, and the functionality and the applicability to a nonplanar surface are demonstrated. Finally, we simulate the effect of plasticity on morphology. This study presents a new technique for generating microscale high-aspect-ratio structures and its potential for functional surfaces.

Design and Analyses of High Aspect Ratio Nozzles for Distributed Propulsion Acoustic Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dippold, Vance F., III

2016-01-01

A series of three convergent round-to-rectangular high-aspect ratio nozzles were designed for acoustics measurements. The nozzles have exit area aspect ratios of 8:1, 12:1, and 16:1. With septa inserts, these nozzles will mimic an array of distributed propulsion system nozzles, as found on hybrid wing-body aircraft concepts. Analyses were performed for the three nozzle designs and showed that the flow through the nozzles was free of separated flow and shocks. The exit flow was mostly uniform with the exception of a pair of vortices at each span-wise end of the nozzle.

Jet-Surface Interaction - High Aspect Ratio Nozzle Test: Test Summary

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Clifford A.

2016-01-01

The Jet-Surface Interaction High Aspect Ratio Nozzle Test was conducted in the Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory at the NASA Glenn Research Center in the fall of 2015. There were four primary goals specified for this test: (1) extend the current noise database for rectangular nozzles to higher aspect ratios, (2) verify data previously acquired at small-scale with data from a larger model, (3) acquired jet-surface interaction noise data suitable for creating verifying empirical noise models and (4) investigate the effect of nozzle septa on the jet-mixing and jet-surface interaction noise. These slides give a summary of the test with representative results for each goal.

Anticorrosion Coatings Based on Assemblies of Superhydrophobic Particles Impregnated with Conductive Oil

DTIC Science & Technology

2016-05-13

silver nanowires synthesized in our group using sol-gel techniques...been demonstrated (Figure 12). The electrical resistance of the coatings should further be decreased Figure 14. High aspect ratio silver nanowires ...the coatings is to use a conductive polymer matrix and disperse high aspect ratio silver nanowires into the coating formulations. The electrical

Rapid synthesis of ultra-long silver nanowires for tailor-made transparent conductive electrodes: proof of concept in organic solar cells.

PubMed

José Andrés, Luis; Fe Menéndez, María; Gómez, David; Luisa Martínez, Ana; Bristow, Noel; Paul Kettle, Jeffrey; Menéndez, Armando; Ruiz, Bernardino

2015-07-03

Rapid synthesis of ultralong silver nanowires (AgNWs) has been obtained using a one-pot polyol-mediated synthetic procedure. The AgNWs have been prepared from the base materials in less than one hour with nanowire lengths reaching 195 μm, which represents the quickest synthesis and one of the highest reported aspect ratios to date. These results have been achieved through a joint analysis of all reaction parameters, which represents a clear progress beyond the state of the art. Dispersions of the AgNWs have been used to prepare thin, flexible, transparent and conducting films using spray coating. Due to the higher aspect ratio, an improved electrical percolation network is observed. This allows a low sheet resistance (RS = 20.2 Ω/sq), whilst maintaining high optical film transparency (T = 94.7%), driving to the highest reported figure-of-merit (FoM = 338). Owing to the light-scattering influence of the AgNWs, the density of the AgNW network can also be varied to enable controllability of the optical haze through the sample. Based on the identification of the optimal haze value, organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have been fabricated using the AgNWs as the transparent electrode and have been benchmarked against indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. Overall, the performance of OPVs made using AgNWs sees a small decrease in power conversion efficiency (PCE), primarily due to a fall in open-circuit voltage (50 mV). This work indicates that AgNWs can provide a low cost, rapid and roll-to-roll compatible alternative to ITO in OPVs, with only a small compromise in PCE needed.

Rapid synthesis of ultra-long silver nanowires for tailor-made transparent conductive electrodes: proof of concept in organic solar cells

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

José Andrés, Luis; Menéndez, María Fe; Gómez, David; Martínez, Ana Luisa; Bristow, Noel; Kettle, Jeffrey Paul; Menéndez, Armando; Ruiz, Bernardino

2015-07-01

Rapid synthesis of ultralong silver nanowires (AgNWs) has been obtained using a one-pot polyol-mediated synthetic procedure. The AgNWs have been prepared from the base materials in less than one hour with nanowire lengths reaching 195 μm, which represents the quickest synthesis and one of the highest reported aspect ratios to date. These results have been achieved through a joint analysis of all reaction parameters, which represents a clear progress beyond the state of the art. Dispersions of the AgNWs have been used to prepare thin, flexible, transparent and conducting films using spray coating. Due to the higher aspect ratio, an improved electrical percolation network is observed. This allows a low sheet resistance (RS = 20.2 Ω/sq), whilst maintaining high optical film transparency (T = 94.7%), driving to the highest reported figure-of-merit (FoM = 338). Owing to the light-scattering influence of the AgNWs, the density of the AgNW network can also be varied to enable controllability of the optical haze through the sample. Based on the identification of the optimal haze value, organic photovoltaics (OPVs) have been fabricated using the AgNWs as the transparent electrode and have been benchmarked against indium tin oxide (ITO) electrodes. Overall, the performance of OPVs made using AgNWs sees a small decrease in power conversion efficiency (PCE), primarily due to a fall in open-circuit voltage (50 mV). This work indicates that AgNWs can provide a low cost, rapid and roll-to-roll compatible alternative to ITO in OPVs, with only a small compromise in PCE needed.

Core compressor exit stage study. 1: Aerodynamic and mechanical design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burdsall, E. A.; Canal, E., Jr.; Lyons, K. A.

1979-01-01

The effect of aspect ratio on the performance of core compressor exit stages was demonstrated using two three stage, highly loaded, core compressors. Aspect ratio was identified as having a strong influence on compressors endwall loss. Both compressors simulated the last three stages of an advanced eight stage core compressor and were designed with the same 0.915 hub/tip ratio, 4.30 kg/sec (9.47 1bm/sec) inlet corrected flow, and 167 m/sec (547 ft/sec) corrected mean wheel speed. The first compressor had an aspect ratio of 0.81 and an overall pressure ratio of 1.357 at a design adiabatic efficiency of 88.3% with an average diffusion factor or 0.529. The aspect ratio of the second compressor was 1.22 with an overall pressure ratio of 1.324 at a design adiabatic efficiency of 88.7% with an average diffusion factor of 0.491.

Search for Point Sources of Ultra-High-Energy Cosmic Rays above 4.0 × 1019 eV Using a Maximum Likelihood Ratio Test

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Abbasi, R. U.; Abu-Zayyad, T.; Amann, J. F.; Archbold, G.; Atkins, R.; Bellido, J. A.; Belov, K.; Belz, J. W.; Ben-Zvi, S. Y.; Bergman, D. R.; Boyer, J. H.; Burt, G. W.; Cao, Z.; Clay, R. W.; Connolly, B. M.; Dawson, B. R.; Deng, W.; Farrar, G. R.; Fedorova, Y.; Findlay, J.; Finley, C. B.; Hanlon, W. F.; Hoffman, C. M.; Holzscheiter, M. H.; Hughes, G. A.; Hüntemeyer, P.; Jui, C. C. H.; Kim, K.; Kirn, M. A.; Knapp, B. C.; Loh, E. C.; Maestas, M. M.; Manago, N.; Mannel, E. J.; Marek, L. J.; Martens, K.; Matthews, J. A. J.; Matthews, J. N.; O'Neill, A.; Painter, C. A.; Perera, L.; Reil, K.; Riehle, R.; Roberts, M. D.; Sasaki, M.; Schnetzer, S. R.; Seman, M.; Simpson, K. M.; Sinnis, G.; Smith, J. D.; Snow, R.; Sokolsky, P.; Song, C.; Springer, R. W.; Stokes, B. T.; Thomas, J. R.; Thomas, S. B.; Thomson, G. B.; Tupa, D.; Westerhoff, S.; Wiencke, L. R.; Zech, A.

2005-04-01

We present the results of a search for cosmic-ray point sources at energies in excess of 4.0×1019 eV in the combined data sets recorded by the Akeno Giant Air Shower Array and High Resolution Fly's Eye stereo experiments. The analysis is based on a maximum likelihood ratio test using the probability density function for each event rather than requiring an a priori choice of a fixed angular bin size. No statistically significant clustering of events consistent with a point source is found.

Electrical Conductivity in Transparent Silver Nanowire Networks: Simulations and Experiments

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sherrott, Michelle; Mutiso, Rose; Rathmell, Aaron; Wiley, Benjamin; Winey, Karen

2012-02-01

We model and experimentally measure the electrical conductivity of two-dimensional networks containing finite, conductive cylinders with aspect ratio ranging from 33 to 333. We have previously used our simulations to explore the effects of cylinder orientation and aspect ratio in three-dimensional composites, and now extend the simulation to consider two-dimensional silver nanowire networks. Preliminary results suggest that increasing the aspect ratio and area fraction of these rods significantly decreases the sheet resistance of the film. For all simulated aspect ratios, this sheet resistance approaches a constant value for high area fractions of rods. This implies that regardless of aspect ratio, there is a limiting minimum sheet resistance that is characteristic of the properties of the nanowires. Experimental data from silver nanowire networks will be incorporated into the simulations to define the contact resistance and corroborate experimentally measured sheet resistances of transparent thin films.

The Hydrodynamic Characteristics of Modified Rectangular Flat Plates Having Aspect Ratios of 1.00, 0.25, and 0.125 and Operating near a Free Water Surface

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wadlin, Kenneth L; Ramsen, John A; Vaughan, Victor L , Jr

1955-01-01

Report presents the results of an investigation conducted to determine the hydrodynamic forces and moments acting on modified rectangular flat plates with aspect ratios of 1.00, 0.25, and 0.125 mounted on a single strut and operating at several depths of submersion. A simple method has been developed by modification of Falkner's vortex-lattice theory which enables the prediction of the lift characteristics in unseparated flow at large depths. This method shows good agreement with experimental data from the present tests and with aerodynamic data at all angles investigated for aspect ratios of 1.00 and 0.25 and at angles up to 16 degrees for aspect ratio 0.125. Above 16 degrees for aspect ratio 0.125, the predicted lift proved too high.

1300930

NASA Image and Video Library

2013-08-15

DR. BINAYAK PANDA LOADS A SAMPLE IN THE IMS-6F SECONDARY ION MASS SPECTROSCOPE’S ULTRA HIGH VACUUM CHAMBER. IT IS CAPABLE OF ANALYZING VERY LIGHT ELEMENTS SUCH AS HYDROGEN AND LITHIUM IN ALLOYS. IT CAN ALSO ANALYZE VERY SMALL QUANTITIES OF IMPURITIES IN MATERIALS AT PARTS PER MILLION LEVELS, AND DETERMINE ISOTOPE RATIOS OF ELEMENTS, ALL IN SOLID SAMPLES.

Activation of boron and recrystallization in Ge preamorphization implant structure of ultra shallow junctions by microwave annealing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tsai, Ming Han; Wu, Chi-Ting; Lee, Wen-His

2014-04-01

In this study, high-current and low-energy (400 eV) ion implantation and low-temperature microwave annealing were employed to achieve ultra shallow junctions. To use the characteristic of microwave annealing more effectively, two-step microwave annealing was also employed. In the first step annealing, a high-power (2400 W; ˜500 °C) microwave was used to achieve solid-state epitaxial regrowth (SPER) and enhance microwave absorption. In the second step of annealing, unlike in conventional thermal annealing, which requires a higher energy to activate the dopant, a 600 W (˜250 °C) microwave was used to achieve low sheet resistance. The device subjected to two-step microwave annealing at 2400 W for 300 s + 600 W for 600 s has the lowest Vth. It also has the lowest subthreshold swing (SS), which means that it has the highest cap ability to control sub threshold current. In these three devices, the largest Ion/Ioff ratio is 2.203 × 106, and the smallest Ion/Ioff ratio is 2.024 × 106.

Physical characterization of fine particulate matter inside the public transit buses fueled by biodiesel in Toledo, Ohio.

PubMed

Shandilya, Kaushik K; Kumar, Ashok

2011-06-15

This study presents the physical characteristics of fine particulate matter (PM) collected inside the urban-public transit buses in Toledo, OH. These buses run on 20% biodiesel blended with ultra-low sulfur diesel (ULSD) (B20). For risk analysis, it is crucial to know the modality of the size distribution and the shape factor of PM collected inside the bus. The number-size distribution, microstructure, and aspect ratio of fine PM filter samples collected in the urban-public transit buses were measured for three years (2007-2009), using an environmental scanning electron microscope (ESEM) coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometry (EDX). Only the reproducible results from repeated experiments on ESEM and size distribution obtained by the GRIMM dust monitor were used in this study. The size distribution was found bi-modal in the winter and fall months and was primarily uni-modal during spring and summer. The aspect ratio for different filter samples collected inside the bus range from 2.4 to 3.6 in average value, with standard deviation ranging from 0.9 to 7.4. The square-shaped and oblong-shaped particles represent the single inhalable particle's morphology characteristics in the air of the Toledo transit buses. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Study on the Pressure Pulsation inside Runner with Splitter Blades in Ultra-High Head Turbine

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Meng, L.; Zhang, S. P.; Zhou, L. J.; Wang, Z. W.

2014-03-01

Runners with splitter blades were used widely for the high efficiency and stability. In this paper, the unsteady simulation of an ultra-high head turbine at the best efficiency point, 50% and 75% discharge points were established, to analyze the pressure pulsation in the vaneless space, rotating domain and the draft tube. First of all, runners with different length splitter blades and without splitter blades were compared to learn the efficiency and the pressure distribution on the blade surface. And then the amplitude of the pressure pulsation was analysed. The peak efficiency of the runner with splitter blades is remarkably higher than that of the corresponding impeller without splitter blades. And the efficiency of the turbine is the highest when the length ratio of the splitter blades is 0.75 times the main blades. The pressure pulsation characteristics were also influenced, because the amplitudes of the pulsation induced by the RSI phenomenon were changed as a result of more blades. At last, the best design plan of the length of the splitter blades (length ratio=0.825) was obtained, which improved the pressure pulsation characteristics without significant prejudice to the efficiency.

Ultra-light weight undamped tuned dynamic absorber for cryogenically cooled infrared electro-optic payload

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Veprik, Alexander; Babitsky, Vladimir

2017-04-01

Attenuation of tonal cryocooler induced vibration in infrared electro-optical payloads may be achieved by using of Tuned Dynamic Absorber (TDA) which is, generally speaking, a passive, weakly damped mass-spring system the resonant frequency of which is precisely matched with the driving frequency. Added TDA results in a favorable modification of the frequency response functions of combined structure. In particular, a favorable antiresonant notch appears at the frequency of tonal excitation along with the adjacent secondary resonance, the width and depth of which along with its closeness to the secondary resonance are strongly dependent on the mass and damping ratios. Using heavier TDA favorably results in wider and deeper antiresonant notch along with increased gap between antiresonant and resonant frequencies. Lowering damping in TDA favorably results in deepening the antiresonant notch. The weight of TDA is usually subjected to tight design constrains. Use of lightweight TDA not only diminishes the attainable performance but also complicates the procedure of frequency matching. Along these lines, even minor frequency deviations may negate the TDA performance and even result in TDA failure in case of resonant build up. The authors are presenting theoretical and practical aspects of designing and constructing ultra-light weight TDA in application to vibration attenuation of electro-optical infrared payload relying on Split Stirling linear cryocooler, the driving frequency of which is fixed and may be accurately tuned and maintained using a digital controller over the entire range of working conditions and lifetime; the lack of mass ratio is compensated by minimizing the damping ratio. In one particular case, in excess of 100-fold vibration attenuation has been achieved by adding as little as 5% to the payload weight.

Evaluation of a Candidate Trace Contaminant Control Subsystem Architecture: The High Velocity, Low Aspect Ratio (HVLA) Adsorption Process

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kayatin, Matthew J.; Perry, Jay L.

2017-01-01

Traditional gas-phase trace contaminant control adsorption process flow is constrained as required to maintain high contaminant single-pass adsorption efficiency. Specifically, the bed superficial velocity is controlled to limit the adsorption mass-transfer zone length relative to the physical adsorption bed; this is aided by traditional high-aspect ratio bed design. Through operation in this manner, most contaminants, including those with relatively high potential energy are readily adsorbed. A consequence of this operational approach, however, is a limited available operational flow margin. By considering a paradigm shift in adsorption architecture design and operations, in which flows of high superficial velocity are treated by low-aspect ratio sorbent beds, the range of well-adsorbed contaminants becomes limited, but the process flow is increased such that contaminant leaks or emerging contaminants of interest may be effectively controlled. To this end, the high velocity, low aspect ratio (HVLA) adsorption process architecture was demonstrated against a trace contaminant load representative of the International Space Station atmosphere. Two HVLA concept packaging designs (linear flow and radial flow) were tested. The performance of each design was evaluated and compared against computer simulation. Utilizing the HVLA process, long and sustained control of heavy organic contaminants was demonstrated.

a-SiNx:H-based ultra-low power resistive random access memory with tunable Si dangling bond conduction paths

PubMed Central

Jiang, Xiaofan; Ma, Zhongyuan; Xu, Jun; Chen, Kunji; Xu, Ling; Li, Wei; Huang, Xinfan; Feng, Duan

2015-01-01

The realization of ultra-low power Si-based resistive switching memory technology will be a milestone in the development of next generation non-volatile memory. Here we show that a high performance and ultra-low power resistive random access memory (RRAM) based on an Al/a-SiNx:H/p+-Si structure can be achieved by tuning the Si dangling bond conduction paths. We reveal the intrinsic relationship between the Si dangling bonds and the N/Si ratio x for the a-SiNx:H films, which ensures that the programming current can be reduced to less than 1 μA by increasing the value of x. Theoretically calculated current-voltage (I–V ) curves combined with the temperature dependence of the I–V characteristics confirm that, for the low-resistance state (LRS), the Si dangling bond conduction paths obey the trap-assisted tunneling model. In the high-resistance state (HRS), conduction is dominated by either hopping or Poole–Frenkel (P–F) processes. Our introduction of hydrogen in the a-SiNx:H layer provides a new way to control the Si dangling bond conduction paths, and thus opens up a research field for ultra-low power Si-based RRAM. PMID:26508086

a-SiNx:H-based ultra-low power resistive random access memory with tunable Si dangling bond conduction paths.

PubMed

Jiang, Xiaofan; Ma, Zhongyuan; Xu, Jun; Chen, Kunji; Xu, Ling; Li, Wei; Huang, Xinfan; Feng, Duan

2015-10-28

The realization of ultra-low power Si-based resistive switching memory technology will be a milestone in the development of next generation non-volatile memory. Here we show that a high performance and ultra-low power resistive random access memory (RRAM) based on an Al/a-SiNx:H/p(+)-Si structure can be achieved by tuning the Si dangling bond conduction paths. We reveal the intrinsic relationship between the Si dangling bonds and the N/Si ratio x for the a-SiNx:H films, which ensures that the programming current can be reduced to less than 1 μA by increasing the value of x. Theoretically calculated current-voltage (I-V) curves combined with the temperature dependence of the I-V characteristics confirm that, for the low-resistance state (LRS), the Si dangling bond conduction paths obey the trap-assisted tunneling model. In the high-resistance state (HRS), conduction is dominated by either hopping or Poole-Frenkel (P-F) processes. Our introduction of hydrogen in the a-SiNx:H layer provides a new way to control the Si dangling bond conduction paths, and thus opens up a research field for ultra-low power Si-based RRAM.

Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy-Dispersive X-Ray Spectroscopy as a Valuable Tool to Investigate the Ultra-High-Molecular-Weight Polyethylene Wear Mechanisms and Debris in Hip Implants.

PubMed

Schappo, Henrique; Gindri, Izabelle M; Cubillos, Patrícia O; Maru, Marcia M; Salmoria, Gean V; Roesler, Carlos R M

2018-01-01

The use of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectrometry (EDS) was investigated to understand the wear mechanisms from a metal-on-polyethylene bearing couple. Morphological features of femoral head acetabular liner, and isolated particles resulting from hip wear testing were evaluated. EDS was proposed to investigate the polymeric nature of the particles isolated from the wear testing. In this work, 28-mm conventional ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene acetabular liners paired with metallic heads were tested in a hip wear simulator over 2 million cycles. SEM-EDS was employed to investigate wear mechanisms on hip implant components and associated wear debris. SEM showed worn surfaces for both hip components, and a significant volume of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles resulting from hip wear testing. Particles were classified into 3 groups, which were then correlated to wear mechanisms. Group I had particles with smooth surfaces, group II consisted of particles with rough surfaces, and group III comprised aggregate-like particles. Group I EDS revealed that particles from groups I and II had a high C/O ratio raising a concern about the particle source. On the other hand, particles from group III had a low C/O ratio, supporting the hypothesis that they resulted from the wear of acetabular liner. Most of particles identified in group III were in the biologically active size range (0.3 to 20 μm). The use of optical and electron microscopy enabled the morphological characterization of worn surfaces and wear debris, while EDS was essential to elucidate the chemical composition of isolated debris. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Energy and economic trade offs for advanced technology subsonic aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maddalon, D. V.; Wagner, R. D.

1976-01-01

Changes in future aircraft technology which conserve energy are studied, along with the effect of these changes on economic performance. Among the new technologies considered are laminar-flow control, composite materials with and without laminar-flow control, and advanced airfoils. Aircraft design features studied include high-aspect-ratio wings, thickness ratio, and range. Engine technology is held constant at the JT9D level. It is concluded that wing aspect ratios of future aircraft are likely to significantly increase as a result of new technology and the push of higher fuel prices. Whereas current airplanes have been designed for AR = 7, supercritical technology and much higher fuel prices will drive aspect ratio to the AR = 9-10 range. Composite materials may raise aspect ratio to about 11-12 and practical laminar flow-control systems may further increase aspect ratio to 14 or more. Advanced technology provides significant reductions in aircraft take-off gross weight, energy consumption, and direct operating cost.

Selective hierarchical patterning of silicon nanostructures via soft nanostencil lithography

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Du, Ke; Ding, Junjun; Wathuthanthri, Ishan; Choi, Chang-Hwan

2017-11-01

It is challenging to hierarchically pattern high-aspect-ratio nanostructures on microstructures using conventional lithographic techniques, where photoresist (PR) film is not able to uniformly cover on the microstructures as the aspect ratio increases. Such non-uniformity causes poor definition of nanopatterns over the microstructures. Nanostencil lithography can provide an alternative means to hierarchically construct nanostructures on microstructures via direct deposition or plasma etching through a free-standing nanoporous membrane. In this work, we demonstrate the multiscale hierarchical fabrication of high-aspect-ratio nanostructures on microstructures of silicon using a free-standing nanostencil, which is a nanoporous membrane consisting of metal (Cr), PR, and anti-reflective coating. The nanostencil membrane is used as a deposition mask to define Cr nanodot patterns on the predefined silicon microstructures. Then, deep reactive ion etching is used to hierarchically create nanostructures on the microstructures using the Cr nanodots as an etch mask. With simple modification of the main fabrication processes, high-aspect-ratio nanopillars are selectively defined only on top of the microstructures, on bottom, or on both top and bottom.

Reversible creation of nanostructures between identical or different species of materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Hyun-Ik; Ko, Sungho; Park, Junyong; Lee, Dong-Eon; Jeon, Seokwoo; Ahn, Chi Won; Yoo, Kwang Soo; Park, Jae Hong

2012-07-01

In this study, accurate nanostructures with various aspect ratios are created on several types of material. This work is highly applicable to the energy, optical, and nano-bio fields, for example. A silicon (Si) nano-mold is preserved using the method described, and target nanostructures are replicated reversibly and unlimitedly to or from various hard and soft materials. It is also verified that various materials can be applied to the substrates. The results confirm that the target nanostructures are successfully created in precise straight line structures and circle structures with various aspect ratios, including extremely high aspect ratios of 1:18. It is suggested that the optimal replicating and demolding process of nanostructures with high aspect ratios, which are the most problematic, could be controlled by means of the surface energy between the functional materials. Relevant numerical and analytical studies are also performed. It is possible to expand the applicability of the nanostructured mold by adopting various backing materials, including rounded substrates. The scope of the applications is extended further by transferring the nanostructures between different species of materials including metallic materials as well as identical species.

Selective hierarchical patterning of silicon nanostructures via soft nanostencil lithography.

PubMed

Du, Ke; Ding, Junjun; Wathuthanthri, Ishan; Choi, Chang-Hwan

2017-11-17

It is challenging to hierarchically pattern high-aspect-ratio nanostructures on microstructures using conventional lithographic techniques, where photoresist (PR) film is not able to uniformly cover on the microstructures as the aspect ratio increases. Such non-uniformity causes poor definition of nanopatterns over the microstructures. Nanostencil lithography can provide an alternative means to hierarchically construct nanostructures on microstructures via direct deposition or plasma etching through a free-standing nanoporous membrane. In this work, we demonstrate the multiscale hierarchical fabrication of high-aspect-ratio nanostructures on microstructures of silicon using a free-standing nanostencil, which is a nanoporous membrane consisting of metal (Cr), PR, and anti-reflective coating. The nanostencil membrane is used as a deposition mask to define Cr nanodot patterns on the predefined silicon microstructures. Then, deep reactive ion etching is used to hierarchically create nanostructures on the microstructures using the Cr nanodots as an etch mask. With simple modification of the main fabrication processes, high-aspect-ratio nanopillars are selectively defined only on top of the microstructures, on bottom, or on both top and bottom.

Jet Surface Interaction Scrubbing Noise from High Aspect-Ratio Rectangular Jets

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Khavaran, Abbas; Bozak, Richard F.

2015-01-01

Concepts envisioned for the future of civil air transport consist of unconventional propulsion systems in the close proximity of the airframe. Distributed propulsion system with exhaust configurations that resemble a high aspect ratio rectangular jet are among geometries of interest. Nearby solid surfaces could provide noise shielding for the purpose of reduced community noise. Interaction of high-speed jet exhaust with structure could also generate new sources of sound as a result of flow scrubbing past the structure, and or scattered noise from sharp edges. The present study provides a theoretical framework to predict the scrubbing noise component from a high aspect ratio rectangular exhaust in proximity of a solid surface. The analysis uses the Greens function (GF) to the variable density Pridmore-Brown equation in a transversely sheared mean flow. Sources of sound are defined as the auto-covariance function of second-rank velocity fluctuations in the jet plume, and are modeled using a RANS-based acoustic analogy approach. Acoustic predictions are presented in an 8:1 aspect ratio rectangular exhaust at three subsonic Mach numbers. The effect of nearby surface on the scrubbing noise component is shown on both reflected and shielded sides of the plate.

Fabrication of high aspect ratio nanopillars and micro/nano combined structures with hydrophobic surface characteristics by injection molding

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhou, Mingyong; Xiong, Xiang; Jiang, Bingyan; Weng, Can

2018-01-01

Polymer products with micro/nano-structures have excellent mechanical and optical properties, chemical resistance, and other advantages. Injection molding is one of the most potential techniques to fabricate polymer products with micro/nano-structures artificially in large numbers. In this study, a surface approach to fabricate high aspect ratio nanopillars and micro/nano combined structures was presented. Mold insert with micropillar arrays and nanopillars on its surface was prepared by combing anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) template and etched plate. Anti-sticking modification was done on the template to realize a better demolding quality. The influences of mold temperature and polymer material on the final replication quality were investigated. The results showed that the final replication quality of high aspect ratio nanopillars was greatly improved as compared with the unprocessed template. Polymer with low elongation at break was not suitable to fabricate structures with high aspect ratio via injection molding. For polypropylene surface, the experimental results of static contact angles were almost consistent with Cassie-Baxter equation. When the mold temperature reached 178 °C, hair-like polycarbonate nanopillars were observed, resulting in an excellent hydrophobic characteristic.

A novel fabrication method for suspended high-aspect-ratio microstructures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Yang, Yao-Joe; Kuo, Wen-Cheng

2005-11-01

Suspended high-aspect-ratio structures (suspended HARS) are widely used for MEMS devices such as micro-gyroscopes, micro-accelerometers, optical switches and so on. Various fabrication methods, such as SOI, SCREAM, AIM, SBM and BELST processes, were proposed to fabricate HARS. However, these methods focus on the fabrication of suspended microstructures with relatively small widths of trench opening (e.g. less than 10 µm). In this paper, we propose a novel process for fabricating very high-aspect-ratio suspended structures with large widths of trench opening using photoresist as an etching mask. By enhancing the microtrenching effect, we can easily release the suspended structure without thoroughly removing the floor polymer inside the trenches for the cases with a relatively small trench aspect ratio. All the process steps can be integrated into a single-run single-mask ICP-RIE process, which effectively reduces the process complexity and fabrication cost. We also discuss the phenomenon of corner erosion, which results in the undesired etching of silicon structures during the structure-releasing step. By using the proposed process, 100 µm thick suspended structures with the trench aspect ratio of about 20 are demonstrated. Also, the proposed process can be used to fabricate devices for applications which require large in-plane displacement. This paper was orally presented in the Transducers'05, Seoul, Korea (paper ID: 3B1.3).

Preliminary design characteristics of a subsonic business jet concept employing an aspect ratio 25 strut braced wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Turriziani, R. V.; Lovell, W. A.; Martin, G. L.; Price, J. E.; Swanson, E. E.; Washburn, G. F.

1980-01-01

The advantages of replacing the conventional wing on a transatlantic business jet with a larger, strut braced wing of aspect ratio 25 were evaluated. The lifting struts reduce both the induced drag and structural weight of the heavier, high aspect ratio wing. Compared to the conventional airplane, the strut braced wing design offers significantly higher lift to drag ratios achieved at higher lift coefficients and, consequently, a combination of lower speeds and higher altitudes. The strut braced wing airplane provides fuel savings with an attendant increase in construction costs.

Vertically Free-Standing Ordered Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 Nanocup Arrays by Template-Assisted Ion Beam Etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, Xiaoyan; Tang, Dan; Huang, Kangrong; Hu, Die; Zhang, Fengyuan; Gao, Xingsen; Lu, Xubing; Zhou, Guofu; Zhang, Zhang; Liu, Junming

2016-04-01

In this report, vertically free-standing lead zirconate titanate Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) nanocup arrays with good ordering and high density (1.3 × 1010 cm-2) were demonstrated. By a template-assisted ion beam etching (IBE) strategy, the PZT formed in the pore-through anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane on the Pt/Si substrate was with a cup-like nanostructure. The mean diameter and height of the PZT nanocups (NCs) was about 80 and 100 nm, respectively, and the wall thickness of NCs was about 20 nm with a hole depth of about 80 nm. Uppermost, the nanocup structure with low aspect ratio realized vertically free-standing arrays when losing the mechanical support from templates, avoiding the collapse or bundling when compared to the typical nanotube arrays. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectrum revealed that the as-prepared PZT NCs were in a perovskite phase. By the vertical piezoresponse force microscopy (VPFM) measurements, the vertically free-standing ordered ferroelectric PZT NCs showed well-defined ring-like piezoresponse phase and hysteresis loops, which indicated that the high-density PZT nanocup arrays could have potential applications in ultra-high non-volatile ferroelectric memories (NV-FRAM) or other nanoelectronic devices.

Study of the in vitro metabolism of TJ0711 using ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight and ultra fast liquid chromatography with quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Hu, Lei; Lv, Zhenhua; Li, Gao; Xu, Xiaolong; Zhang, Chenghao; Cao, Peng; Huang, Jiangeng; Si, Luqin

2015-06-01

TJ0711 (1-[4-(2-methoxyethyl)phenoxy]-3-[2-(2-methoxyphenoxy)ethylamino]-2-propanol) is a novel β-adrenoreceptor blocker with vasodilating activity. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vitro metabolic properties of TJ0711 from both qualitative and quantitative aspects using mouse, rat, dog, and human liver microsomes as well as rat hepatocytes. Two modern liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry systems, ultra high performance liquid chromatography with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry and ultra fast liquid chromatography with quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry, were utilized for the analysis. To better characterize the metabolic pathways of TJ0711, two major metabolites were incubated under the same conditions as that for TJ0711. TJ0711 was extensively metabolized in vitro, and a total of 34 metabolites, including 19 phase I and 15 phase II metabolites, were identified. Similar metabolite profiles were observed among species, and demethylation, hydroxylation, carboxylic acid formation, and glucuronidation were proposed as the major metabolic routes. Significant interspecies differences were observed in the metabolic stability studies of TJ0711. Furthermore, gender differences were significant in mice, rats, and dogs, but were negligible in humans. The valuable information provided in this work will be useful in planning and interpreting further pharmacokinetic, in vivo metabolism and toxicological studies of this novel β-blocker. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Progress in nanoscale dry processes for fabrication of high-aspect-ratio features: How can we control critical dimension uniformity at the bottom?

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishikawa, Kenji; Karahashi, Kazuhiro; Ishijima, Tatsuo; Cho, Sung Il; Elliott, Simon; Hausmann, Dennis; Mocuta, Dan; Wilson, Aaron; Kinoshita, Keizo

2018-06-01

In this review, we discuss the progress of emerging dry processes for nanoscale fabrication of high-aspect-ratio features, including emerging design technology for manufacturability. Experts in the fields of plasma processing have contributed to addressing the increasingly challenging demands of nanoscale deposition and etching technologies for high-aspect-ratio features. The discussion of our atomic-scale understanding of physicochemical reactions involving ion bombardment and neutral transport presents the major challenges shared across the plasma science and technology community. Focus is placed on advances in fabrication technology that control surface reactions on three-dimensional features, as well as state-of-the-art techniques used in semiconductor manufacturing with a brief summary of future challenges.

Fast Spectroscopic Imaging and Field Compensation Using Frequency Modulation at Ultra-High-Field

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jang, Albert Woo Ju

The high energy phosphates (HEP) in the myocardium, which are critical to understanding the cardiac function in both normal and pathophysiologic states, can be assessed non-invasively in vivo using phosphorus-31 (31P) spectroscopy. Compared to proton, for the same volume and magnetic field strength, the available signal-to-noise (SNR) ratio of the HEP metabolites is orders of magnitude lower mainly due to its intrinsically low concentration. Hence, cardiac spectroscopy greatly benefits when performed at ultra-high-fields (UHF, ≥ 7 T), both in terms of increased SNR and increased spectroscopic resolution. However, at ultra-high-field strengths, complications arise from the RF transmit wavelength becoming comparable or smaller than the field-of-view (FOV), thus exhibiting wave-like behavior. Furthermore, even with the spectroscopic resolution afforded at UHF, measuring myocardial inorganic phosphate (Pi) is still a challenge and has been a major barrier in extracting the ATP turnover rate. Recently, an indirect way of extracting the ATP hydrolysis rate forgoing direct measurement of Pi was established. In this work, we combine this method with the T1 nom method to monitor the transmural distribution of forward creatine kinase reaction (kf,CK) and ATP hydrolysis rate (kr,ATPase) of the myocardium, effectively reducing data acquisition time by up to an order of magnitude. In addition, a new class of 2D FM pulses and multidimensional adiabatic pulses are presented, which can compensate for B1 inhomogeneity through its spatiotemporal properties. These pulses should be valuable for spectroscopic applications at ultra-high-fields.

Single-shot high aspect ratio bulk nanostructuring of fused silica using chirp-controlled ultrafast laser Bessel beams

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

Bhuyan, M. K.; Velpula, P. K.; Colombier, J. P.

2014-01-13

We report single-shot, high aspect ratio nanovoid fabrication in bulk fused silica using zeroth order chirp-controlled ultrafast laser Bessel beams. We identify a unique laser pulse length and energy dependence of the physical characteristics of machined structures over which nanovoids of diameter in the range 200–400 nm and aspect ratios exceeding 1000 can be fabricated. A mechanism based on the axial energy deposition of nonlinear ultrashort Bessel beams and subsequent material densification or rarefaction in fused silica is proposed, intricating the non-diffractive nature with the diffusing character of laser-generated free carriers. Fluid flow through nanochannel is also demonstrated.

Chromatic-aberration-corrected diffractive lenses for ultra-broadband focusing

DOE PAGES

Wang, Peng; Mohammad, Nabil; Menon, Rajesh

2016-02-12

We exploit the inherent dispersion in diffractive optics to demonstrate planar chromatic-aberration-corrected lenses. Specifically, we designed, fabricated and characterized cylindrical diffractive lenses that efficiently focus the entire visible band (450 nm to 700 nm) onto a single line. These devices are essentially pixelated, multi-level microstructures. Experiments confirm an average optical efficiency of 25% for a three-wavelength apochromatic lens whose chromatic focus shift is only 1.3 μm and 25 μm in the lateral and axial directions, respectively. Super-achromatic performance over the continuous visible band is also demonstrated with averaged lateral and axial focus shifts of only 1.65 μm and 73.6 μm,more » respectively. These lenses are easy to fabricate using single-step grayscale lithography and can be inexpensively replicated. Furthermore, these devices are thin (<3 μm), error tolerant, has low aspect ratio (<1:1) and offer polarization-insensitive focusing, all significant advantages compared to alternatives that rely on metasurfaces. Lastly, our design methodology offers high design flexibility in numerical aperture and focal length, and is readily extended to 2D.« less

Ultra high spatial and temporal resolution breast imaging at 7T.

PubMed

van de Bank, B L; Voogt, I J; Italiaander, M; Stehouwer, B L; Boer, V O; Luijten, P R; Klomp, D W J

2013-04-01

There is a need to obtain higher specificity in the detection of breast lesions using MRI. To address this need, Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced (DCE) MRI has been combined with other structural and functional MRI techniques. Unfortunately, owing to time constraints structural images at ultra-high spatial resolution can generally not be obtained during contrast uptake, whereas the relatively low spatial resolution of functional imaging (e.g. diffusion and perfusion) limits the detection of small lesions. To be able to increase spatial as well as temporal resolution simultaneously, the sensitivity of MR detection needs to increase as well as the ability to effectively accelerate the acquisition. The required gain in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) can be obtained at 7T, whereas acceleration can be obtained with high-density receiver coil arrays. In this case, morphological imaging can be merged with DCE-MRI, and other functional techniques can be obtained at higher spatial resolution, and with less distortion [e.g. Diffusion Weighted Imaging (DWI)]. To test the feasibility of this concept, we developed a unilateral breast coil for 7T. It comprises a volume optimized dual-channel transmit coil combined with a 30-channel receive array coil. The high density of small coil elements enabled efficient acceleration in any direction to acquire ultra high spatial resolution MRI of close to 0.6 mm isotropic detail within a temporal resolution of 69 s, high spatial resolution MRI of 1.5 mm isotropic within an ultra high temporal resolution of 6.7 s and low distortion DWI at 7T, all validated in phantoms, healthy volunteers and a patient with a lesion in the right breast classified as Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) IV. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Microdevice arrays of high aspect ratio poly(dimethylsiloxane) pillars for the investigation of multicellular tumour spheroid mechanical properties.

PubMed

Aoun, Laurène; Weiss, Pierre; Laborde, Adrian; Ducommun, Bernard; Lobjois, Valérie; Vieu, Christophe

2014-07-07

We report the design, fabrication and evaluation of an array of microdevices composed of high aspect ratio PDMS pillars, dedicated to the study of tumour spheroid mechanical properties. The principle of the microdevice is to confine a spheroid within a circle of micropillars acting as peripheral flexible force sensors. We present a technological process for fabricating high aspect ratio micropillars (300 μm high) with tunable feature dimensions (diameter and spacing) enabling production of flexible PDMS pillars with a height comparable to spheroid sizes. This represents an upscale of 10 along the vertical direction in comparison to more conventional PDMS pillar force sensors devoted to single cell studies, while maintaining their force sensitivity in the same order of magnitude. We present a method for keeping these very high aspect ratio PDMS pillars stable and straight in liquid solution. We demonstrate that microfabricated devices are biocompatible and adapted to long-term spheroid growth. Finally, we show that the spheroid interaction with the micropillars' surface is dependent on PDMS cellular adhesiveness. Time-lapse recordings of growth-induced micropillars' bending coupled with a software program to automatically detect and analyse micropillar displacements are presented. The use of these microdevices as force microsensors opens new prospects in the fields of tissue mechanics and pharmacological drug screening.

Laser system using ultra-short laser pulses

DOEpatents

Dantus, Marcos [Okemos, MI; Lozovoy, Vadim V [Okemos, MI; Comstock, Matthew [Milford, MI

2009-10-27

A laser system using ultrashort laser pulses is provided. In another aspect of the present invention, the system includes a laser, pulse shaper and detection device. A further aspect of the present invention employs a femtosecond laser and binary pulse shaping (BPS). Still another aspect of the present invention uses a laser beam pulse, a pulse shaper and a SHG crystal.

Ultra-fast laser system

DOEpatents

Dantus, Marcos; Lozovoy, Vadim V

2014-01-21

A laser system is provided which selectively excites Raman active vibrations in molecules. In another aspect of the present invention, the system includes a laser, pulse shaper and detection device. A further aspect of the present invention employs a femtosecond laser and binary pulse shaping (BPS). Still another aspect of the present invention uses a laser beam pulse, a pulse shaper and remote sensing.

Progress in proton-detected solid-state NMR (SSNMR): Super-fast 2D SSNMR collection for nano-mole-scale proteins

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ishii, Yoshitaka; Wickramasinghe, Ayesha; Matsuda, Isamu; Endo, Yuki; Ishii, Yuji; Nishiyama, Yusuke; Nemoto, Takahiro; Kamihara, Takayuki

2018-01-01

Proton-detected solid-state NMR (SSNMR) spectroscopy has attracted much attention due to its excellent sensitivity and effectiveness in the analysis of trace amounts of amyloid proteins and other important biological systems. In this perspective article, we present the recent sensitivity limit of 1H-detected SSNMR using "ultra-fast" magic-angle spinning (MAS) at a spinning rate (νR) of 80-100 kHz. It was demonstrated that the high sensitivity of 1H-detected SSNMR at νR of 100 kHz and fast recycling using the paramagnetic-assisted condensed data collection (PACC) approach permitted "super-fast" collection of 1H-detected 2D protein SSNMR. A 1H-detected 2D 1H-15N correlation SSNMR spectrum for ∼27 nmol of a uniformly 13C- and 15N-labeled GB1 protein sample in microcrystalline form was acquired in only 9 s with 50% non-uniform sampling and short recycle delays of 100 ms. Additional data suggests that it is now feasible to detect as little as 1 nmol of the protein in 5.9 h by 1H-detected 2D 1H-15N SSNMR at a nominal signal-to-noise ratio of five. The demonstrated sensitivity is comparable to that of modern solution protein NMR. Moreover, this article summarizes the influence of ultra-fast MAS and 1H-detection on the spectral resolution and sensitivity of protein SSNMR. Recent progress in signal assignment and structural elucidation by 1H-detected protein SSNMR is outlined with both theoretical and experimental aspects.

Understanding Longitudinal Wood Fiber Ultra-structure for Producing Cellulose Nanofibrils Using Disk Milling with Diluted Acid Prehydrolysis

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Qin, Yanlin; Qiu, Xueqing; Zhu, J. Y.

2016-10-01

Here we used dilute oxalic acid to pretreat a kraft bleached Eucalyptus pulp (BEP) fibers to facilitate mechanical fibrillation in producing cellulose nanofibrils using disk milling with substantial mechanical energy savings. We successfully applied a reaction kinetics based combined hydrolysis factor (CHFX) as a severity factor to quantitatively control xylan dissolution and BEP fibril deploymerization. More importantly, we were able to accurately predict the degree of polymerization (DP) of disk-milled fibrils using CHFX and milling time or milling energy consumption. Experimentally determined ratio of fibril DP and number mean fibril height (diameter d), DP/d, an aspect ratio measurer, were independent of the processing conditions. Therefore, we hypothesize that cellulose have a longitudinal hierarchical structure as in the lateral direction. Acid hydrolysis and milling did not substantially cut the “natural” chain length of cellulose fibrils. This cellulose longitudinal hierarchical model provides support for using weak acid hydrolysis in the production of cellulose nanofibrils with substantially reduced energy input without negatively affecting fibril mechanical strength.

Thermosolutal convection in high-aspect-ratio enclosures

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Wang, L. W.; Chen, C. T.

1988-01-01

Convection in high-aspect-ratio rectangular enclosures with combined horizontal temperature and concentration gradients is studied experimentally. An electrochemical system is employed to impose the concentration gradients. The solutal buoyancy force either opposes or augments the thermal buoyancy force. Due to a large difference between the thermal and solutal diffusion rates the flow possesses double-diffusive characteristics. Various complex flow patterns are observed with different experimental conditions.

Fabrication of nanopore and nanoparticle arrays with high aspect ratio AAO masks.

PubMed

Li, Z P; Xu, Z M; Qu, X P; Wang, S B; Peng, J; Mei, L H

2017-03-03

How to use high aspect ratio anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes as an etching and evaporation mask is one of the unsolved problems in the application of nanostructured arrays. Here we describe the versatile utilizations of the highly ordered AAO membranes with a high aspect ratio of more than 20 used as universal masks for the formation of various nanostructure arrays on various substrates. The result shows that the fabricated nanopore and nanoparticle arrays of substrates inherit the regularity of the AAO membranes completely. The flat AAO substrates and uneven AAO frontages were attached to the Si substrates respectively as an etching mask, which demonstrates that the two kinds of replication, positive and negative, represent the replication of the mirroring of Si substrates relative to the flat AAO substrates and uneven AAO frontages. Our work is a breakthrough for the broad research field of surface nano-masking.

Fabrication of nanopore and nanoparticle arrays with high aspect ratio AAO masks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Z. P.; Xu, Z. M.; Qu, X. P.; Wang, S. B.; Peng, J.; Mei, L. H.

2017-03-01

How to use high aspect ratio anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membranes as an etching and evaporation mask is one of the unsolved problems in the application of nanostructured arrays. Here we describe the versatile utilizations of the highly ordered AAO membranes with a high aspect ratio of more than 20 used as universal masks for the formation of various nanostructure arrays on various substrates. The result shows that the fabricated nanopore and nanoparticle arrays of substrates inherit the regularity of the AAO membranes completely. The flat AAO substrates and uneven AAO frontages were attached to the Si substrates respectively as an etching mask, which demonstrates that the two kinds of replication, positive and negative, represent the replication of the mirroring of Si substrates relative to the flat AAO substrates and uneven AAO frontages. Our work is a breakthrough for the broad research field of surface nano-masking.

Commercial aspects of epitaxial thin film growth in outer space

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Ignatiev, Alex; Chu, C. W.

1988-01-01

A new concept for materials processing in space exploits the ultra vacuum component of space for thin film epitaxial growth. The unique low earth orbit space environment is expected to yield 10 to the -14th torr or better pressures, semiinfinite pumping speeds and large ultra vacuum volume (about 100 cu m) without walls. These space ultra vacuum properties promise major improvement in the quality, unique nature, and the throughput of epitaxially grown materials especially in the area of semiconductors for microelectronics use. For such thin film materials there is expected a very large value added from space ultra vacuum processing, and as a result the application of the epitaxial thin film growth technology to space could lead to major commercial efforts in space.

Dysprosium-Modified Tobacco Mosaic Virus Nanoparticles for Ultra-High-Field Magnetic Resonance and Near-Infrared Fluorescence Imaging of Prostate Cancer.

PubMed

Hu, He; Zhang, Yifan; Shukla, Sourabh; Gu, Yuning; Yu, Xin; Steinmetz, Nicole F

2017-09-26

The increasing prevalence of ultra-high-field magnetic resonance imaging (UHFMRI) in biomedical research and clinical settings will improve the resolution and diagnostic accuracy of MRI scans. However, better contrast agents are needed to achieve a satisfactory signal-to-noise ratio. Here, we report the synthesis of a bimodal contrast agent prepared by loading the internal cavity of tobacco mosaic virus (TMV) nanoparticles with a dysprosium (Dy 3+ ) complex and the near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) dye Cy7.5. The external surface of TMV was conjugated with an Asp-Gly-Glu-Ala (DGEA) peptide via a polyethylene glycol linker to target integrin α 2 β 1 . The resulting nanoparticle (Dy-Cy7.5-TMV-DGEA) was stable and achieved a high transverse relaxivity in ultra-high-strength magnetic fields (326 and 399 mM -1 s -1 at 7 and 9.4 T, respectively). The contrast agent was also biocompatible (low cytotoxicity) and targeted PC-3 prostate cancer cells and tumors in vitro and in vivo as confirmed by bimodal NIRF imaging and T 2 -mapping UHFMRI. Our results show that Dy-Cy7.5-TMV-DGEA is suitable for multiscale MRI scanning from the cellular level to the whole body, particularly in the context of UHFMRI applications.

Jet-Surface Interaction: High Aspect Ratio Nozzle Test, Nozzle Design and Preliminary Data

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Brown, Clifford; Dippold, Vance

2015-01-01

The Jet-Surface Interaction High Aspect Ratio (JSI-HAR) nozzle test is part of an ongoing effort to measure and predict the noise created when an aircraft engine exhausts close to an airframe surface. The JSI-HAR test is focused on parameters derived from the Turbo-electric Distributed Propulsion (TeDP) concept aircraft which include a high-aspect ratio mailslot exhaust nozzle, internal septa, and an aft deck. The size and mass flow rate limits of the test rig also limited the test nozzle to a 16:1 aspect ratio, half the approximately 32:1 on the TeDP concept. Also, unlike the aircraft, the test nozzle must transition from a single round duct on the High Flow Jet Exit Rig, located in the AeroAcoustic Propulsion Laboratory at the NASA Glenn Research Center, to the rectangular shape at the nozzle exit. A parametric nozzle design method was developed to design three low noise round-to-rectangular transitions, with 8:1, 12:1, and 16: aspect ratios, that minimizes flow separations and shocks while providing a flat flow profile at the nozzle exit. These designs validated using the WIND-US CFD code. A preliminary analysis of the test data shows that the actual flow profile is close to that predicted and that the noise results appear consistent with data from previous, smaller scale, tests. The JSI-HAR test is ongoing through October 2015. The results shown in the presentation are intended to provide an overview of the test and a first look at the preliminary results.

In situ study of maize starch gelatinization under ultra-high hydrostatic pressure using X-ray diffraction.

PubMed

Yang, Zhi; Gu, Qinfen; Hemar, Yacine

2013-08-14

The gelatinization of waxy (very low amylose) and high-amylose maize starches by ultra-high hydrostatic pressure (up to 6 GPa) was investigated in situ using synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction on samples held in a diamond anvil cell (DAC). The starch pastes, made by mixing starch and water in a 1:1 ratio, were pressurized and measured at room temperature. X-ray diffraction pattern showed that at 2.7 GPa waxy starch, which displayed A-type XRD pattern at atmospheric pressure, exhibited a faint B-type-like pattern. The B-type crystalline structures of high-amylose starch were not affected even when 1.5 GPa pressure was applied. However, both waxy and high-amylose maize starches can be fully gelatinized at 5.9 GPa and 5.1 GPa, respectively. In the case of waxy maize starch, upon release of pressure (to atmospheric pressure) crystalline structure appeared as a result of amylopectin aggregation. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Wind tunnel tests of high-lift systems for advanced transports using high-aspect-ratio supercritical wings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Allen, J. B.; Oliver, W. R.; Spacht, L. A.

1982-01-01

The wind tunnel testing of an advanced technology high lift system for a wide body and a narrow body transport incorporating high aspect ratio supercritical wings is described. This testing has added to the very limited low speed high Reynolds number data base for this class or aircraft. The experimental results include the effects on low speed aerodynamic characteristics of various leading and trailing edge devices, nacelles and pylons, ailerons, and spoilers, and the effects of Mach and Reynolds numbers.

Light emitting diode with high aspect ratio submicron roughness for light extraction and methods of forming

DOEpatents

Li, Ting [Ventura, CA

2011-04-26

The surface morphology of an LED light emitting surface is changed by applying a reactive ion etch (RIE) process to the light emitting surface. High aspect ratio, submicron roughness is formed on the light emitting surface by transferring a thin film metal hard-mask having submicron patterns to the surface prior to applying a reactive ion etch process. The submicron patterns in the metal hard-mask can be formed using a low cost, commercially available nano-patterned template which is transferred to the surface with the mask. After subsequently binding the mask to the surface, the template is removed and the RIE process is applied for time duration sufficient to change the morphology of the surface. The modified surface contains non-symmetric, submicron structures having high aspect ratio which increase the efficiency of the device.

The experimental research on electrodischarge drilling of high aspect ratio holes in Inconel 718

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lipiec, Piotr; Machno, Magdalena; Skoczypiec, Sebastian

2018-05-01

In recent years the drilling operations become important area of electrodischarge machining (EDM) application. This especially concerns drilling of, small (D< 1mm), cylindrical and high-aspect ratio (L/D > 10) holes in difficult-to-cut materials (i.e. nickel or titanium alloys). Drilling of such a holes is significantly beyond mechanical drilling capabilities. Therefore electrodischarge machining is good and cost efficient alternative for such application. EDM gives possibility to drill accurate, burr free and high aspect ratio holes and is applicable to machine wide range of conductive materials, irrespective of their hardness and toughness. However it is worth to underline its main disadvantages such as: significant tool wear, low material removal rate and poor surface integrity. The last one is especially important in reliable applications in aircraft or medical industry.

Experimental parametric study of a biomimetic fish robot actuated by piezoelectric actuators

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wiguna, T.; Park, Hoon C.; Heo, S.; Goo, Nam S.

2007-04-01

This paper presents an experiment and parametric study of a biomimetic fish robot actuated by the Lightweight Piezocomposite Actuator (LIPCA). The biomimetic aspects in this work are the oscillating tail beat motion and shape of caudal fin. Caudal fins that resemble fins of BCF (Body and Caudal Fin) mode fish were made in order to perform parametric study concerning the effect of caudal fin characteristics on thrust production at an operating frequency range. The observed caudal fin characteristics are the shape, stiffness, area, and aspect ratio. It is found that a high aspect ratio caudal fin contributes to high swimming speed. The robotic fish propelled by artificial caudal fins shaped after thunniform-fish and mackerel caudal fins, which have relatively high aspect ratio, produced swimming speed as high as 2.364 cm/s and 2.519 cm/s, respectively, for a 300 V p-p input voltage excited at 0.9 Hz. Thrust performance of the biomimetic fish robot is examined by calculating Strouhal number, Froude number, Reynolds number, and power consumption.

Potentiation of buprenorphine antinociception with ultra-low dose naltrexone in healthy subjects.

PubMed

Hay, J L; La Vincente, S F; Somogyi, A A; Chapleo, C B; White, J M

2011-03-01

Previous reports have demonstrated greater antinociception following administration of a buprenorphine/naloxone combination compared to buprenorphine alone among healthy volunteers. The aim of the current investigation was to determine whether buprenorphine antinociception could be enhanced with the addition of ultra-low dose naltrexone, using a range of dose ratios. A repeated-measures, double-blind, cross-over trial was undertaken with 10 healthy participants. The effects of each buprenorphine:naltrexone ratio (100:1, 133:1, 166:1, and 200:1) on cold pressor tolerance time and respiration were compared to the effects of buprenorphine only. The 166:1 ratio was associated with significantly greater tolerance time to cold pressor pain than buprenorphine alone. Minimal respiratory depression and few adverse events were observed in all conditions. These findings suggest that, as previously described with naloxone, the addition of ultra-low dose naltrexone can enhance the antinociceptive effect of buprenorphine in humans. This potentiation is dose-ratio dependent and occurs without a concomitant increase in adverse effects. Copyright © 2010 European Federation of International Association for the Study of Pain Chapters. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Theory and observations of high frequency Alfvén eigenmodes in low aspect ratio plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gorelenkov, N. N.; Fredrickson, E.; Belova, E.; Cheng, C. Z.; Gates, D.; Kaye, S.; White, R.

2003-04-01

New observations of sub-cyclotron frequency instability in low aspect ratio plasmas in national spherical torus experiments are reported. The frequencies of observed instabilities correlate with the characteristic Alfvén velocity of the plasma. A theory of localized compressional Alfvén eigenmodes (CAE) and global shear Alfvén eigenmodes (GAE) in low aspect ratio plasmas is presented to explain the observed high frequency instabilities. CAEs/GAEs are driven by the velocity space gradient of energetic super-Alfvénic beam ions via Doppler shifted cyclotron resonances. One of the main damping mechanisms of GAEs, the continuum damping, is treated perturbatively within the framework of ideal MHD. Properties of these cyclotron instability ions are presented.

Intelligent neuroprocessors for in-situ launch vehicle propulsion systems health management

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Gulati, S.; Tawel, R.; Thakoor, A. P.

1993-01-01

Efficacy of existing on-board propulsion systems health management systems (HMS) are severely impacted by computational limitations (e.g., low sampling rates); paradigmatic limitations (e.g., low-fidelity logic/parameter redlining only, false alarms due to noisy/corrupted sensor signatures, preprogrammed diagnostics only); and telemetry bandwidth limitations on space/ground interactions. Ultra-compact/light, adaptive neural networks with massively parallel, asynchronous, fast reconfigurable and fault-tolerant information processing properties have already demonstrated significant potential for inflight diagnostic analyses and resource allocation with reduced ground dependence. In particular, they can automatically exploit correlation effects across multiple sensor streams (plume analyzer, flow meters, vibration detectors, etc.) so as to detect anomaly signatures that cannot be determined from the exploitation of single sensor. Furthermore, neural networks have already demonstrated the potential for impacting real-time fault recovery in vehicle subsystems by adaptively regulating combustion mixture/power subsystems and optimizing resource utilization under degraded conditions. A class of high-performance neuroprocessors, developed at JPL, that have demonstrated potential for next-generation HMS for a family of space transportation vehicles envisioned for the next few decades, including HLLV, NLS, and space shuttle is presented. Of fundamental interest are intelligent neuroprocessors for real-time plume analysis, optimizing combustion mixture-ratio, and feedback to hydraulic, pneumatic control systems. This class includes concurrently asynchronous reprogrammable, nonvolatile, analog neural processors with high speed, high bandwidth electronic/optical I/O interfaced, with special emphasis on NASA's unique requirements in terms of performance, reliability, ultra-high density ultra-compactness, ultra-light weight devices, radiation hardened devices, power stringency, and long life terms.

Fabrication of 200 nanometer period centimeter area hard x-ray absorption gratings by multilayer deposition

PubMed Central

Lynch, S K; Liu, C; Morgan, N Y; Xiao, X; Gomella, A A; Mazilu, D; Bennett, E E; Assoufid, L; de Carlo, F; Wen, H

2012-01-01

We describe the design and fabrication trials of x-ray absorption gratings of 200 nm period and up to 100:1 depth-to-period ratios for full-field hard x-ray imaging applications. Hard x-ray phase-contrast imaging relies on gratings of ultra-small periods and sufficient depth to achieve high sensitivity. Current grating designs utilize lithographic processes to produce periodic vertical structures, where grating periods below 2.0 μm are difficult due to the extreme aspect ratios of the structures. In our design, multiple bilayers of x-ray transparent and opaque materials are deposited on a staircase substrate, and mostly on the floor surfaces of the steps only. When illuminated by an x-ray beam horizontally, the multilayer stack on each step functions as a micro-grating whose grating period is the thickness of a bilayer. The array of micro-gratings over the length of the staircase works as a single grating over a large area when continuity conditions are met. Since the layers can be nanometers thick and many microns wide, this design allows sub-micron grating periods and sufficient grating depth to modulate hard x-rays. We present the details of the fabrication process and diffraction profiles and contact radiography images showing successful intensity modulation of a 25 keV x-ray beam. PMID:23066175

Large-scale synthesis of lead telluride (PbTe) nanotube-based nanocomposites with tunable morphology, crystallinity and thermoelectric properties

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Park, Kee-Ryung; Cho, Hong-Baek; Song, Yoseb; Kim, Seil; Kwon, Young-Tae; Ryu, Seung Han; Lim, Jae-Hong; Lee, Woo-Jin; Choa, Yong-Ho

2018-04-01

A few millimeter-long lead telluride (PbTe) hollow nanofibers with thermoelectric properties was synthesized for the first time with high through manner via three-step sequential process of electrospinning, electrodeposition and cationic exchange reaction. As-synthesized electrospun Ag nanofibers with ultra-long aspect ratio of 10,000 were Te electrodeposited to obtain silver telluride nanotubes and underwent cationic exchange reaction in Pb(NO3)2 solution to obtain polycrystalline PbTe nanotubes with average diameter of 100 nm with 20 nm of wall thickness. Variation of the Ag-to-Pb ratio in the AgxTey-PbTe nanocomposites during the cationic exchange reaction enabled to control the thermoelectric properties of resulting 1D hollow nanofibers. The diameter of Ag nanofiber is the key factor to determine the final dimension of the PbTe nanotubes in the topotactic transformation and the content of Ag ion leads to the enhancement of thermoelectric properties in the AgxTey-PbTe nanocomposites. The synthesized 1D nanocomposite mats showed the highest value of Seebeck coefficient of 433 μV/K (at 300 K) when the remained Ag content was 30%, while the power factor reached highest to 0.567 μW/mK2 for the pure PbTe nanotubes. The enhancement of thermoelectric properties and the composite crystallinity are elucidated with relation to Ag contents in the resulting 1D nanocomposites.

100 GHz ultra-wideband (UWB) fiber-to-the-antenna (FTTA) system for in-building and in-home networks.

PubMed

Chow, C W; Kuo, F M; Shi, J W; Yeh, C H; Wu, Y F; Wang, C H; Li, Y T; Pan, C L

2010-01-18

Fiber-to-the-antenna (FTTA) system can be a cost-effective technique for distributing high frequency signals from the head-end office to a number of remote antenna units via passive optical splitter and propagating through low-loss and low-cost optical fibers. Here, we experimentally demonstrate an optical ultra-wideband (UWB) - impulse radio (IR) FTTA system for in-building and in-home applications. The optical UWB-IR wireless link is operated in the W-band (75 GHz - 110 GHz) using our developed near-ballistic unitraveling-carrier photodiode based photonic transmitter (PT) and a 10 GHz mode-locked laser. 2.5 Gb/s UWB-IR FTTA systems with 1,024 high split-ratio and transmission over 300 m optical fiber are demonstrated using direct PT modulation.

Magnetic Microcalorimeter (MMC) Gamma Detectors with Ultra-High Energy Resolution

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

Friedrich, Stephen

The goal of this LCP is to develop ultra-high resolution gamma detectors based on magnetic microcalorimeters (MMCs) for accurate non-destructive analysis (NDA) of nuclear materials. For highest energy resolution, we will introduce erbium-doped silver (Ag:Er) as a novel sensor material, and implement several geometry and design changes to improve the signal-to-noise ratio. The detector sensitivity will be increased by developing arrays of 32 Ag:Er pixels read out by 16 SQUID preamplifiers, and by developing a cryogenic Compton veto to reduce the spectral background. Since best MMC performance requires detector operation at ~10 mK, we will purchase a dilution refrigerator withmore » a base temperature <10 mK and adapt it for MMC operation. The detector performance will be tested with radioactive sources of interest to the safeguards community.« less

Study of blade aspect ratio on a compressor front stage aerodynamic and mechanical design report

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Burger, G. D.; Lee, D.; Snow, D. W.

1979-01-01

A single stage compressor was designed with the intent of demonstrating that, for a tip speed and hub-tip ratio typical of an advanced core compressor front stage, the use of low aspect ratio can permit high levels of blade loading to be achieved at an acceptable level of efficiency. The design pressure ratio is 1.8 at an adiabatic efficiency of 88.5 percent. Both rotor and stator have multiple-circular-arc airfoil sections. Variable IGV and stator vanes permit low speed matching adjustments. The design incorporates an inlet duct representative of an engine transition duct between fan and high pressure compressor.

Direct Observation of Two Phase Flow Generated by an Alumina Seeded Grain in High Aspect Ratio Channels

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-06-01

1999 Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degrees of MECHANICAL ENGINEER and MASTERS OF SCIENCE IN MECHANICAL...Advisor Dr. Anthony Gannon Second Reader Dr. Knox Milsaps Chairman, Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering iv THIS...within high aspect ratio regions of advanced propellant grain designs and how this behavior affects flow through the combustion chamber and impacts

High aspect ratio nanoholes in glass generated by femtosecond laser pulses with picosecond intervals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahn, Sanghoon; Choi, Jiyeon; Noh, Jiwhan; Cho, Sung-Hak

2018-02-01

Because of its potential uses, high aspect ratio nanostructures have been interested for last few decades. In order to generate nanostructures, various techniques have been attempted. Femtosecond laser ablation is one of techniques for generating nanostructures inside a transparent material. For generating nanostructures by femtosecond laser ablation, previous studies have been attempted beam shaping such as Bessel beam and temporal tailored beam. Both methods suppress electron excitation at near surface and initiate interference of photons at certain depth. Recent researches indicate that shape of nanostructures is related with temporal change of electron density and number of self-trapped excitons. In this study, we try to use the temporal change of electron density induced by femtosecond laser pulse for generating high aspect ratio nanoholes. In order to reveal the effect of temporal change of electron density, secondary pulses are irradiated from 100 to 1000 ps after the irradiation of first pulse. Our result shows that diameter of nanoholes is increasing and depth of nanoholes is decreasing as pulse to pulse interval is getting longer. With manipulating of pulse to pulse interval, we could generate high aspect ratio nanoholes with diameter of 250-350 nm and depth of 4∼6 μm inside a glass.

Reusable High Aspect Ratio 3-D Nickel Shadow Mask

PubMed Central

Shandhi, M.M.H.; Leber, M.; Hogan, A.; Warren, D.J.; Bhandari, R.; Negi, S.

2017-01-01

Shadow Mask technology has been used over the years for resistless patterning and to pattern on unconventional surfaces, fragile substrate and biomaterial. In this work, we are presenting a novel method to fabricate high aspect ratio (15:1) three-dimensional (3D) Nickel (Ni) shadow mask with vertical pattern length and width of 1.2 mm and 40 μm respectively. The Ni shadow mask is 1.5 mm tall and 100 μm wide at the base. The aspect ratio of the shadow mask is 15. Ni shadow mask is mechanically robust and hence easy to handle. It is also reusable and used to pattern the sidewalls of unconventional and complex 3D geometries such as microneedles or neural electrodes (such as the Utah array). The standard Utah array has 100 active sites at the tip of the shaft. Using the proposed high aspect ratio Ni shadow mask, the Utah array can accommodate 300 active sites, 200 of which will be along and around the shaft. The robust Ni shadow mask is fabricated using laser patterning and electroplating techniques. The use of Ni 3D shadow mask will lower the fabrication cost, complexity and time for patterning out-of-plane structures. PMID:29056835

Flash Radiographic Studies of Hypervelocity Projectile Interactions with Explosives

DTIC Science & Technology

1992-07-01

radiography . Explosive/metal target assemblies were designed to be representative of various aspects of explosive filled ordnance or components. The...with Explosives 1. Introduction Flash radiography (flash X-ray) is an effective instrumentation technique that can be used to record ultra high speed...firing chamber and provide a stable mount for the X-ray tubehead. i_ 11 611 Fmim A \\.\\\\ / \\,\\\\ // "-.. .•\\ /i--" " "’ ’i Xray source ColliatorBase X-ray

Fibre Concrete 2017

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

2017-09-01

9th international conference on fibre reinforced concretes (FRC), textile reinforced concretes (TRC) and ultra-high performance concretes (UHPC) Preface The Fibre Concrete Conference series is held biennially to provide a platform to share knowledge on fibre reinforced concretes, textile concretes and ultra-high performance concretes regarding material properties and behaviour, technology procedures, topics of long-term behaviour, creep, durability; sustainable aspects of concrete including utilisation of waste materials in concrete production and recycling of concrete. The tradition of Fibre Concrete Conferences started in eighties of the last century. Nowadays the conference is organized by the Department of Concrete and Masonry Structures of the Czech Technical University in Prague, Faculty of Civil Engineering. The 9th International Conference Fibre Concrete 2017 had 109 participants from 27 countries all over the world. 55 papers were presented including keynote lectures of Professor Bažant, Professor Bartoš and Dr. Broukalová. The conference program covered wide range of topics from scientific research to practical applications. The presented contributions related to performance and behaviour of cement based composites, their long-term behaviour and durability, sustainable aspects, advanced analyses of structures from these composites and successful applications. This conference was organized also to honour Professor Zděnek P. Bažant on the occasion of his jubilee and to appreciate his merits and discoveries in the field of fibre reinforced composites, structural mechanics and engineering.

The Geometry and Origin of Ultra-diffuse Ghost Galaxies

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Burkert, A.

2017-04-01

The geometry and intrinsic ellipticity distribution of ultra-diffuse galaxies (UDG) is determined from the line-of-sight distribution of axial ratios q of a large sample of UDGs, detected by Koda et al. in the Coma cluster. With high significance, the data rules out an oblate, disk-like geometry, characterized by major axes a = b > c. The data is, however, in good agreement with prolate shapes, corresponding to a = b < c. This indicates that UDGs are not thickened, rotating, axisymmetric disks, puffed up by violent processes. Instead, they are anisotropic elongated cigar- or bar-like structures, similar to the prolate dwarf spheroidal galaxy population of the Local Group. The intrinsic distribution of axial ratios of the Coma UDGs is flat in the range of 0.4 ≤ a/c ≤ 0.9 with a mean value of < a/c> =0.65+/- 0.14. This might provide important constraints for theoretical models of their origin. Formation scenarios that could explain the extended prolate nature of UDGs are discussed.

Effect of aspect ratio on the mechanical behavior of packings of spheroids

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Parafiniuk, Piotr; Bańda, Maciej; Stasiak, Mateusz; Horabik, Józef; Wiącek, Joanna; Molenda, Marek

2018-07-01

This paper presents measurements of the mechanical response of assemblages formed by spheroid particles. Sets of such particles in the form of thin, cylindrical samples were subjected to uniaxial confined compression. The particles were flattened and elongated, with aspect ratios ranging from 0.5 to 2.5. All particles were fabricated using a 3D printer and each had the same volume. Because the particles had well-defined shapes, it was possible to experimentally observe how the mechanical response of the anisotropic and highly constrained samples depended on the elongation of the particles. In particular, we showed how the sample density, lateral pressure ratio, and work done to compact a sample of elongated or flattened particles changed with change in particle aspect ratio. Furthermore, we found that the evolution of packing density in subsequent loading-unloading cycles followed a stretched exponential law regardless of particle aspect ratio.

Comparison of image quality, myocardial perfusion, and LV function between standard imaging and single-injection ultra-low-dose imaging using a high-efficiency SPECT camera: the MILLISIEVERT study

PubMed Central

Einstein, Andrew J.; Blankstein, Ron; Andrews, Howard; Fish, Mathews; Padgett, Richard; Hayes, Sean W.; Friedman, John D.; Qureshi, Mehreen; Rakotoarivelo, Harivony; Slomka, Piotr; Nakazato, Ryo; Bokhari, Sabahat; Di Carli, Marcello; Berman, Daniel S.

2015-01-01

SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) plays a central role in coronary artery disease diagnosis; but concerns exist regarding its radiation burden. Compared to standard Anger-SPECT (A-SPECT) cameras, new high-efficiency (HE) cameras with specialized collimators and solid-state cadmium-zinc-telluride detectors offer potential to maintain image quality (IQ), while reducing administered activity and thus radiation dose to patients. No previous study has compared IQ, interpretation, total perfusion deficit (TPD), or ejection fraction (EF) in patients receiving both ultra-low-dose (ULD) imaging on a HE-SPECT camera and standard low-dose (SLD) A-SPECT imaging. Methods We compared ULD-HE-SPECT to SLD-A-SPECT imaging by dividing the rest dose in 101 patients at 3 sites scheduled to undergo clinical A-SPECT MPI using a same day rest/stress Tc-99m protocol. Patients received HE-SPECT imaging following an initial ~130 MBq (3.5mCi) dose, and SLD-A-SPECT imaging following the remainder of the planned dose. Images were scored visually by 2 blinded readers for IQ and summed rest score (SRS). TPD and EF were assessed quantitatively. Results Mean activity was 134 MBq (3.62 mCi) for ULD-HE-SPECT (effective dose 1.15 mSv) and 278 MBq (7.50 mCi, 2.39 mSv) for SLD-A-SPECT. Overall IQ was superior for ULD-HE-SPECT (p<0.0001), with twice as many studies graded excellent quality. Extracardiac activity and overall perfusion assessment were similar. Between-method correlations were high for SRS (r=0.87), TPD (r=0.91), and EF (r=0.88). Conclusion ULD-HE-SPECT rest imaging correlates highly with SLD-A-SPECT. It has improved image quality, comparable extracardiac activity, and achieves radiation dose reduction to 1 mSv for a single injection. PMID:24982439

Modeling and characterization of dielectrophoretically structured piezoelectric composites using piezoceramic particle inclusions with high aspect ratios

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

van den Ende, D. A.; Maier, R. A.; van Neer, P. L. M. J.; van der Zwaag, S.; Randall, C. A.; Groen, W. A.

2013-01-01

In this work, the piezoelectric properties at high electric fields of dielectrophoretically aligned PZT—polymer composites containing high aspect ratio particles (such as short fibers) are presented. Polarization and strain as a function of electric field are evaluated. The properties of the composites are compared to those of PZT-polymer composites with equiaxed particles, continuous PZT fiber-polymer composites, and bulk PZT ceramics. From high-field polarization and strain measurements, the effective field dependent permittivity and piezoelectric charge constant in the poling direction are determined for dielectrophoresis structured PZT-polymer composites, continuous PZT fiber-polymer composites, and bulk PZT ceramics. The changes in dielectric properties of the inclusions and the matrix at high fields influence the dielectric and piezoelectric properties of the composites. It is found that the permittivity and piezoelectric charge constants increase towards a maximum at an applied field of around 2.5-5 kV/mm. The electric field at which the maximum occurs depends on the aspect ratio and degree of alignment of the inclusions. Experimental values of d33 at low and high applied fields are compared to a model describing the composites as a continuous polymer matrix containing PZT particles of various aspect ratios arranged into chains. Thickness mode coupling factors were determined from measured impedance data using fitted equivalent circuit model simulations. The relatively high piezoelectric strain constants, voltage constants, and thickness coupling factors indicate that such aligned short fiber composites could be useful as flexible large area transducers.

Parameterization of a Conventional and Regenerated UHB Turbofan

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Oliveira, Fábio; Brójo, Francisco

2015-09-01

The attempt to improve aircraft engines efficiency resulted in the evolution from turbojets to the first generation low bypass ratio turbofans. Today, high bypass ratio turbofans are the most traditional type of engine in commercial aviation. Following many years of technological developments and improvements, this type of engine has proved to be the most reliable facing the commercial aviation requirements. In search of more efficiency, the engine manufacturers tend to increase the bypass ratio leading to ultra-high bypass ratio (UHB) engines. Increased bypass ratio has clear benefits in terms of propulsion system like reducing the specific fuel consumption. This study is aimed at a parametric analysis of a UHB turbofan engine focused on short haul flights. Two cycle configurations (conventional and regenerated) were studied, and estimated values of their specific fuel consumption (TSFC) and specific thrust (Fs) were determined. Results demonstrate that the regenerated cycle may contribute towards a more economic and friendly aero engines in a higher range of bypass ratio.

Cannabis use and symptom severity in individuals at ultra high risk for psychosis: a meta-analysis.

PubMed

Carney, R; Cotter, J; Firth, J; Bradshaw, T; Yung, A R

2017-07-01

We aimed to assess whether individuals at ultra high risk (UHR) for psychosis have higher rates of cannabis use and cannabis use disorders (CUDs) than non-UHR individuals and determine whether UHR cannabis users have more severe psychotic experiences than non-users. We conducted a meta-analysis of studies reporting cannabis use in the UHR group and/or positive or negative symptoms among UHR cannabis users and non-users. Logit event rates were calculated for cannabis use, in addition to odds ratios to assess the difference between UHR and controls. Severity of clinical symptoms in UHR cannabis users and non-users was compared using Hedges' g. Thirty unique studies were included (UHR n = 4205, controls n = 667) containing data from cross-sectional and longitudinal studies, and randomised control trials. UHR individuals have high rates of current (26.7%) and lifetime (52.8%) cannabis use, and CUDs (12.8%). Lifetime use and CUDs were significantly higher than controls (lifetime OR: 2.09; CUD OR: 5.49). UHR cannabis users had higher rates of unusual thought content and suspiciousness than non-users. Ultra high risk individuals have high rates of cannabis use and CUDs, and cannabis users had more severe positive symptoms. Targeting substance use during the UHR phase may have significant benefits to an individual's long-term outcome. © 2017 The Authors Acta Psychiatrica Scandinavica Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Carotid dual-energy CT angiography: Evaluation of low keV calculated monoenergetic datasets by means of a frequency-split approach for noise reduction at low keV levels.

PubMed

Riffel, Philipp; Haubenreisser, Holger; Meyer, Mathias; Sudarski, Sonja; Morelli, John N; Schmidt, Bernhard; Schoenberg, Stefan O; Henzler, Thomas

2016-04-01

Calculated monoenergetic ultra-low keV datasets did not lead to improved contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) due to the dramatic increase in image noise. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the objective image quality of ultra-low keV monoenergetic images (MEIs) calculated from carotid DECT angiography data with a new monoenergetic imaging algorithm using a frequency-split technique. 20 patients (12 male; mean age 53±17 years) were retrospectively analyzed. MEIs from 40 to 120 keV were reconstructed using the monoenergetic split frequency approach (MFSA). Additionally MEIs were reconstructed for 40 and 50 keV using a conventional monoenergetic (CM) software application. Signal intensity, noise, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and CNR were assessed in the basilar, common, internal carotid arteries. Ultra-low keV MEIs at 40 keV and 50 keV demonstrated highest vessel attenuation, significantly greater than those of the polyenergetic images (PEI) (all p-values <0.05). The highest SNR level and CNR level was found at 40 keV and 50 keV (all p-values <0.05). MEIs with MFSA showed significantly lower noise levels than those processed with CM (all p-values <0.05) and no significant differences in vessel attenuation (p>0.05). Thus MEIs with MFSA showed significantly higher SNR and CNR compared to MEIs with CM. Combining the lower spatial frequency stack for contrast at low keV levels with the high spatial frequency stack for noise at high keV levels (frequency-split technique) leads to improved image quality of ultra-low keV monoenergetic DECT datasets when compared to previous monoenergetic reconstruction techniques without the frequency-split technique. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

New set of design rules for resonant refractive index sensors enabled by FFT based processing of the measurement data.

PubMed

Gounaridis, Lefteris; Groumas, Panos; Schreuder, Erik; Heideman, Rene; Avramopoulos, Hercules; Kouloumentas, Christos

2016-04-04

It is still a common belief that ultra-high quality-factors (Q-factors) are a prerequisite in optical resonant cavities for high refractive index resolution and low detection limit in biosensing applications. In combination with the ultra-short steps that are necessary when the measurement of the resonance shift relies on the wavelength scanning of a laser source and conventional methods for data processing, the high Q-factor requirement makes these biosensors extremely impractical. In this work we analyze an alternative processing method based on the fast-Fourier transform, and show through Monte-Carlo simulations that improvement by 2-3 orders of magnitude can be achieved in the resolution and the detection limit of the system in the presence of amplitude and spectral noise. More significantly, this improvement is maximum for low Q-factors around 10⁴ and is present also for high intra-cavity losses and large scanning steps making the designs compatible with the low-cost aspect of lab-on-a-chip technology. Using a micro-ring resonator as model cavity and a system design with low Q-factor (10⁴), low amplitude transmission (0.85) and relatively large scanning step (0.25 pm), we show that resolution close to 0.01 pm and detection limit close to 10^-7 RIU can be achieved improving the sensing performance by more than 2 orders of magnitude compared to the performance of systems relying on a simple peak search processing method. The improvement in the limit of detection is present even when the simple method is combined with ultra-high Q-factors and ultra-short scanning steps due to the trade-off between the system resolution and sensitivity. Early experimental results are in agreement with the trends of the numerical studies.

A Multiscale Meshfree Approach for Modeling Fragment Penetration into Ultra High-Strength Concrete

DTIC Science & Technology

2011-09-01

velocity history................................................................................ 62  Figure 53. Yield stress versus strain rate for steel ...Spherical steel projectile properties. ....................................................................................... 54  Table 3. J2 material...10000E  , Poisson’s ratio 0v  , and density 1  . Here the Poisson’s effect is purposely removed for the wave to propagate only in the axial

Properties of crosslinked ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene.

PubMed

Lewis, G

2001-02-01

Substantially reducing the rate of generation of wear particles at the surfaces of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) orthopedic implant bearing components, in vivo, is widely regarded as one of the most formidable challenges in modern arthroplasty. In the light of this, much research attention has been paid to the myriad of endogenous and exogenous factors that have been postulated to affect this wear rate, one such factor being the polymer itself. In recent years, there has been a resurgence of interest in crosslinking the polymer as a way of improving its properties that are considered relevant to its use for fabricating bearing components. Such properties include wear resistance, fatigue life, and fatigue crack propagation rate. Although a large volume of literature exists on the topic on the impact of crosslinking on the properties of UHMWPE, no critical appraisal of this literature has been published. This is one of the goals of the present article, which emphasizes three aspects. The first is the trade-off between improvement in wear resistance and depreciation in other mechanical and physical properties. The second aspect is the presentation of a method of estimating the optimal value of a crosslinking process variable (such as dose in radiation-induced crosslinking) that takes into account this trade-off. The third aspect is the description of a collection of under- and unexplored research areas in the field of crosslinked UHMWPE, such as the role of starting resin on the properties of the crosslinked polymer, and the in vitro evaluation of the wear rate of crosslinked tibial inserts and other bearing components that, in vivo, are subjected to nearly unidirectional motion.

Cooperative simulation of lithography and topography for three-dimensional high-aspect-ratio etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ichikawa, Takashi; Yagisawa, Takashi; Furukawa, Shinichi; Taguchi, Takafumi; Nojima, Shigeki; Murakami, Sadatoshi; Tamaoki, Naoki

2018-06-01

A topography simulation of high-aspect-ratio etching considering transports of ions and neutrals is performed, and the mechanism of reactive ion etching (RIE) residues in three-dimensional corner patterns is revealed. Limited ion flux and CF2 diffusion from the wide space of the corner is found to have an effect on the RIE residues. Cooperative simulation of lithography and topography is used to solve the RIE residue problem.

Ultrafast studies of gold, nickel, and palladium nanorods

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sando, Gerald M.; Berry, Alan D.; Owrutsky, Jeffrey C.

2007-08-01

Steady state and ultrafast transient absorption studies have been carried out for gold, nickel, and palladium high aspect ratio nanorods. For each metal, nanorods were fabricated by electrochemical deposition into ˜6μm thick polycarbonate templates. Two nominal pore diameters(10 and 30nm, resulting in nanorod diameters of about 40 and 60nm, respectively) were used, yielding nanorods with high aspect ratios (>25). Static spectra of nanorods of all three metals reveal both a longitudinal surface plasmon resonance (SPRL) band in the mid-infrared as well as a transverse band in the visible for the gold and larger diameter nickel and palladium nanorods. The appearance of SPRL bands in the infrared for high aspect ratio metal nanorods and the trends in their maxima for the different aspect ratios and metals are consistent with calculations based on the Gans theory. For the gold and nickel samples, time resolved studies were performed with a subpicosecond resolution using 400nm excitation and a wide range of probe wavelengths from the visible to the mid-IR as well as for infrared excitation (near 2000cm-1) probed at 800nm. The dynamics observed for nanorods of both metals and both diameters include transients due to electron-phonon coupling and impulsively excited coherent acoustic breathing mode oscillations, which are similar to those previously reported for spherical and smaller rod-shaped gold nanoparticles. The dynamics we observe are the same within the experimental uncertainty for 400nm and infrared (5μm) excitation probed at 800nm. The transient absorption using 400nm excitation and 800nm probe pulses of the palladium nanorods also reveal coherent acoustic oscillations. The results demonstrate that the dynamics for high aspect ratio metal nanorods are similar to those for smaller nanoparticles.

Light emitting diode with high aspect ratio submicron roughness for light extraction and methods of forming

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

Li, Ting

The surface morphology of an LED light emitting surface is changed by applying a reactive ion etch (RIE) process to the light emitting surface. High aspect ratio, submicron roughness is formed on the light emitting surface by transferring a thin film metal hard-mask having submicron patterns to the surface prior to applying a reactive ion etch process. The submicron patterns in the metal hard-mask can be formed using a low cost, commercially available nano-patterned template which is transferred to the surface with the mask. After subsequently binding the mask to the surface, the template is removed and the RIE processmore » is applied for time duration sufficient to change the morphology of the surface. The modified surface contains non-symmetric, submicron structures having high aspect ratio which increase the efficiency of the device.« less

Semikinematic mount for spatially constrained high aspect ratio spacecraft fold mirrors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sahu, Rupali; Arora, Hemant; Munjal, Bhawdeep Singh

2017-12-01

An attempt has been made to propose a passive flexure-based semikinematic optimized mounting design for mirror fixing devices (MFDs) to mount spacecraft mirrors made of brittle materials, especially for high aspect ratio mirrors with low available space for mounting in satellites. The traditionally used tangent cantilever spiders occupy a lot of space and are suitable only for small mirrors. Similarly, the efficiency of flexural bipods is lost if not placed 120 deg apart, which is not possible in high aspect ratio mirrors. Two mounting configurations, one with collinear MFDs and the other with staggered MFDs, have been studied. An optimization problem is set up with dimensions of the proposed design as design variables and constraints imposed on structural performance of the mirror assembly. Investigations indicate that both configurations have potential applications in spacecrafts as they have provided feasible results and have satisfactory optical performance as well.

Method for nanomachining high aspect ratio structures

DOEpatents

Yun, Wenbing; Spence, John; Padmore, Howard A.; MacDowell, Alastair A.; Howells, Malcolm R.

2004-11-09

A nanomachining method for producing high-aspect ratio precise nanostructures. The method begins by irradiating a wafer with an energetic charged-particle beam. Next, a layer of patterning material is deposited on one side of the wafer and a layer of etch stop or metal plating base is coated on the other side of the wafer. A desired pattern is generated in the patterning material on the top surface of the irradiated wafer using conventional electron-beam lithography techniques. Lastly, the wafer is placed in an appropriate chemical solution that produces a directional etch of the wafer only in the area from which the resist has been removed by the patterning process. The high mechanical strength of the wafer materials compared to the organic resists used in conventional lithography techniques with allows the transfer of the precise patterns into structures with aspect ratios much larger than those previously achievable.

High β produced by neutral beam injection in the START (Small Tight Aspect Ratio Tokamak) spherical tokamak

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Sykes, Alan

1997-05-01

The world's first high-power auxiliary heating experiments in a tight aspect ratio (or spherical) tokamak have been performed on the Small Tight Aspect Ratio Tokomak (START) device [Sykes et al., Nucl. Fusion 32, 694 (1992)] at Culham Laboratory, using the 40 keV, 0.5 MW Neutral Beam Injector loaned by the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Injection has been mainly of hydrogen into hydrogen or deuterium target plasmas, with a one-day campaign to explore D→D operation. In each case injection provides a combination of higher density operation and effective heating of both ions and electrons. The highest β values achieved to date in START are volume average βT˜11.5% and central beta βO˜50%. Already high, these values are expected to increase further with the use of higher beam power.

The hydrodynamic principle for the caudal fin shape of small aquatic animals

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lee, Jeongsu; Park, Yong-Jai; Cho, Kyu-Jin; Kim, Ho-Young

2014-11-01

The shape of caudal fins of small aquatic animals is completely different from that of large cruising animals like dolphin and tuna which have high aspect-ratio lunate tail. To unveil the physical principle behind natural selection of caudal fins of small aquatic animals, here we investigate the hydrodynamics of an angularly reciprocating plate as a model for the caudal fin oscillation. We find that the thrust production of a reciprocating plate at high Strouhal numbers is dominated by generation of two distinct vortical structures associated with the acceleration and deceleration of the plate regardless of their shape. Based on our observations, we construct a scaling law to predict the thrust of the flapping plate, which agrees well with the experimental data. We then seek the optimal aspect ratio to maximize thrust and efficiency of a flapping plate for fixed flapping frequency and amplitude. Thrust is maximized for the aspect ratio of approximately 0.7. We also theoretically explain the power law behaviors of the thrust and efficiency as a function of the aspect ratio.

Effects of excimer laser illumination on microdrilling into an oblique polymer surface

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wu, Chih-Yang; Shu, Chun-Wei; Yeh, Zhi-Chang

2006-08-01

In this work, we present the experimental results of micromachining into polymethy-methacrylate exposed to oblique KrF excimer laser beams. The results of low-aspect-ratio ablations show that the ablation rate decreases monotonously with the increase of incident angle for various fluences. The ablation rate of high-aspect-ratio drilling with opening center on the focal plane is almost independent of incident angles and is less than that of low-aspect-ratio ablation. The results of high-aspect-ratio ablations show that the openings of the holes at a distance from the focal plane are enlarged and their edges are blurred. Besides, the depth of a hole in the samples oblique to the laser beam at a distance from the focal plane decreases with the increase of the distance from the focal plane. The number of deep holes generated by oblique laser beams through a matrix of apertures decreases with the increase of incident angle. Those phenomena reveal the influence of the local light intensity on microdrilling into an oblique surface.

Assessment of the Nucleus-to-Cytoplasmic Ratio in MCF-7 Cells Using Ultra-high Frequency Ultrasound and Photoacoustics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Moore, M. J.; Strohm, E. M.; Kolios, M. C.

2016-12-01

The nucleus-to-cytoplasmic (N:C) ratio of a cell is often used when assessing histology for the presence of malignant disease. In this proof of concept study, we present a new, non-optical method for determination of the N:C ratio using ultra-high Frequency ultrasound (US) and photoacoustics (PA). When using transducers in the 100 MHz-500 MHz range, backscattered US pulses and emitted PA waves are encoded with information pertaining to the dimension and morphology of micron-sized objects. If biological cells are interrogated, the diameter of the scattering or absorbing structure can be assessed by fitting the power spectra of the measured US or PA signals to theoretical models for US backscatter and PA emission from a fluid sphere. In this study, the cell and nucleus diameters of 9 MCF-7 breast cancer cells were determined using a new simplified model that calculates the theoretical values of the location of the power spectra minima for both US and PA signals. These diameters were then used to calculate the N:C ratio of the measured cells. The average cell diameter determined by US pulses from a transducer with a central frequency of 375 MHz was found to be 15.5 μ m± 1.8 μ m. The PA waves emitted by the cell nuclei were used to determine an average nuclear diameter of 12.0 μ m± 1.3 μ m. The N:C ratio for these cells was calculated to be 1.9± 1.0, which agrees well with previously reported N:C values for this cell type.

Energy and Economic Trade Offs for Advanced Technology Subsonic Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Maddalon, D. V.; Wagner, R. D.

1976-01-01

Changes in future aircraft technology which conserve energy are studied, along with the effect of these changes on economic performance. Among the new technologies considered are laminar-flow control, composite materials with and without laminar-flow control, and advanced airfoils. Aircraft design features studied include high-aspect-ratio wings, thickness ratio, and range. Engine technology is held constant at the JT9D level. It is concluded that wing aspect ratios of future aircraft are likely to significantly increase as a result of new technology and the push of higher fuel prices. Composite materials may raise aspect radio to about 11 to 12 and practical laminar flow-control systems may further increase aspect ratio to 14 or more. Advanced technology provides significant reductions in aircraft take-off gross weight, energy consumption, and direct operating cost.

Single-photon-multi-layer-interference lithography for high-aspect-ratio and three-dimensional SU-8 micro-/nanostructures.

PubMed

Ghosh, Siddharth; Ananthasuresh, G K

2016-01-04

We report microstructures of SU-8 photo-sensitive polymer with high-aspect-ratio, which is defined as the ratio of height to in-plane feature size. The highest aspect ratio achieved in this work exceeds 250. A multi-layer and single-photon lithography approach is used in this work to expose SU-8 photoresist of thickness up to 100 μm. Here, multi-layer and time-lapsed writing is the key concept that enables nanometer localised controlled photo-induced polymerisation. We use a converging monochromatic laser beam of 405 nm wavelength with a controllable aperture. The reflection of the converging optics from the silicon substrate underneath is responsible for a trapezoidal edge profile of SU-8 microstructure. The reflection induced interfered point-spread-function and multi-layer-single-photon exposure helps to achieve sub-wavelength feature sizes. We obtained a 75 nm tip diameter on a pyramid shaped microstructure. The converging beam profile determines the number of multiple optical focal planes along the depth of field. These focal planes are scanned and exposed non-concurrently with varying energy dosage. It is notable that an un-automated height axis control is sufficient for this method. All of these contribute to realising super-high-aspect-ratio and 3D micro-/nanostructures using SU-8. Finally, we also address the critical problems of photoresist-based micro-/nanofabrication and their solutions.

Ultra-compact resonant tunneling-based TE-pass and TM-pass polarizers for SOI platform.

PubMed

Azzam, Shaimaa I; Obayya, Salah S A

2015-03-15

We investigate the polarization-dependent resonance tunneling effect in silicon waveguides to achieve ultra-compact and highly efficient polarization fitters for integrated silicon photonics, to the best of our knowledge for the first time. We hence propose simple structures for silicon-on-insulator transverse electric (TE)-pass and transverse magnetic (TM)-pass polarizers based on the resonance tunneling effect in silicon waveguides. The suggested TE-pass polarizer has insertion losses (IL), extinction ratio (ER), and return losses (RL) of 0.004 dB, 18 dB, and 24 dB, respectively; whereas, the TM-pass polarizer is characterized by IL, ER, and RL of 0.15 dB, 20 dB, and 23 dB, respectively. Both polarizers have an ultra-short device length of only 1.35 and 1.31 μm for the TE-pass and the TM-pass polarizers which are the shortest reported lengths to the best of our knowledge.

Full scale technology demonstration of a modern counterrotating unducted fan engine concept: Component test

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

1987-01-01

The UDF trademark (Unducted Fan) engine is a new aircraft engine concept based on an ungeared, counterrotating, unducted, ultra-high-bypass turbofan configuration. This engine is being developed to provide a high thrust-to-weight ratio powerplant with exceptional fuel efficiency for subsonic aircraft application. This report covers the testing of pertinent components of this engine such as the fan blades, control and actuation system, turbine blades and spools, seals, and mixer frame.

Self-limiting atomic layer deposition of conformal nanostructured silver films

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Golrokhi, Zahra; Chalker, Sophia; Sutcliffe, Christopher J.; Potter, Richard J.

2016-02-01

The controlled deposition of ultra-thin conformal silver nanoparticle films is of interest for applications including anti-microbial surfaces, plasmonics, catalysts and sensors. While numerous techniques can produce silver nanoparticles, few are able to produce highly conformal coatings on high aspect ratio surfaces, together with sub-nanometre control and scalability. Here we develop a self-limiting atomic layer deposition (ALD) process for the deposition of conformal metallic silver nanoparticle films. The films have been deposited using direct liquid injection ALD with ((hexafluoroacetylacetonato)silver(I)(1,5-cyclooctadiene)) and propan-1-ol. An ALD temperature window between 123 and 128 °C is identified and within this range self-limiting growth is confirmed with a mass deposition rate of ∼17.5 ng/cm2/cycle. The effects of temperature, precursor dose, co-reactant dose and cycle number on the deposition rate and on the properties of the films have been systematically investigated. Under self-limiting conditions, films are metallic silver with a nano-textured surface topography and nanoparticle size is dependent on the number of ALD cycles. The ALD reaction mechanisms have been elucidated using in-situ quartz crystal microbalance (QCM) measurements, showing chemisorption of the silver precursor, followed by heterogeneous catalytic dehydrogenation of the alcohol to form metallic silver and an aldehyde.

Characteristics of soft x-ray spectra from ultra-fast micro-capillary discharge plasmas

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Jing; Avaria, Gonzalo; Shlyaptsev, Vyacheslav; Tomasel, Fernando; Grisham, Michael; Dawson, Quincy; Rocca, Jorge; NSF CenterExtreme Ultraviolet Science; Technology Collaboration

2013-10-01

The efficient generation of high aspect ratio (e.g. 300:1) plasma columns ionized to very high degrees of ionization (e.g. Ni-like Xenon) by an ultrafast current pulses of moderate amplitude in micro-capillary channels is of interest for fundamental plasma studies and for applications such as the generation of discharge-pumped soft x-ray lasers. Spectra and simulations for plasmas generated in 500 um alumina capillary discharges driven by 35-40 kA current pulses with 4 ns rise time were obtained in Xenon and Neon discharges. The first shows the presence of lines corresponding to ionization stages up to Fe-like Xe. The latter show that Al impurities from the walls and Si (from injected SiH4) are ionized to the H-like and He-like stages. He-like spectra containing the resonance line significantly broaden by opacity, the intercombination line, and Li-like satellites are analyzed and modeled. For Xenon discharges, the spectral lines from the Ni-like transitions the 3d94d(3/2, 3/2)J=0 to the 3d94p(5/2, 3/2)J=1 and to 3d94p(3/2, 1/2)J=1 are observed at gas pressures up to 2.0 Torr. Work supported by NSF Award PHY-1004295.

Ultra high resolution stepper motors design, development, performance and application

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Moll, H.; Roeckl, G.

1979-01-01

The design and development of stepper motors with steps in the 10 arc sec to 2 arc min range is described. Some of the problem areas, e.g. rotor suspension, tribology aspects and environmental conditions are covered. A summary of achieved test results and the employment in different mechanisms already developed and tested is presented to give some examples of the possible use of this interesting device. Adaptations to military and commercial requirements are proposed and show the wide range of possible applications.

Efficient Ultra-High Speed Communication with Simultaneous Phase and Amplitude Regenerative Sampling (SPARS)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Carlowitz, Christian; Girg, Thomas; Ghaleb, Hatem; Du, Xuan-Quang

2017-09-01

For ultra-high speed communication systems at high center frequencies above 100 GHz, we propose a disruptive change in system architecture to address major issues regarding amplifier chains with a large number of amplifier stages. They cause a high noise figure and high power consumption when operating close to the frequency limits of the underlying semiconductor technologies. Instead of scaling a classic homodyne transceiver system, we employ repeated amplification in single-stage amplifiers through positive feedback as well as synthesizer-free self-mixing demodulation at the receiver to simplify the system architecture notably. Since the amplitude and phase information for the emerging oscillation is defined by the input signal and the oscillator is only turned on for a very short time, it can be left unstabilized and thus come without a PLL. As soon as gain is no longer the most prominent issue, relaxed requirements for all the other major components allow reconsidering their implementation concepts to achieve further improvements compared to classic systems. This paper provides the first comprehensive overview of all major design aspects that need to be addressed upon realizing a SPARS-based transceiver. At system level, we show how to achieve high data rates and a noise performance comparable to classic systems, backed by scaled demonstrator experiments. Regarding the transmitter, design considerations for efficient quadrature modulation are discussed. For the frontend components that replace PA and LNA amplifier chains, implementation techniques for regenerative sampling circuits based on super-regenerative oscillators are presented. Finally, an analog-to-digital converter with outstanding performance and complete interfaces both to the analog baseband as well as to the digital side completes the set of building blocks for efficient ultra-high speed communication.

Optimal design and installation of ultra high bypass ratio turbofan nacelle

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Savelyev, Andrey; Zlenko, Nikolay; Matyash, Evgeniy; Mikhaylov, Sergey; Shenkin, Andrey

2016-10-01

The paper is devoted to the problem of designing and optimizing the nacelle of turbojet bypass engine with high bypass ratio and high thrust. An optimization algorithm EGO based on development of surrogate models and the method for maximizing the probability of improving the objective function has been used. The designing methodology has been based on the numerical solution of the Reynolds equations system. Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model has been chosen for RANS closure. The effective thrust losses has been uses as an objective function in optimizing the engine nacelle. As a result of optimization, effective thrust has been increased by 1.5 %. The Blended wing body aircraft configuration has been studied as a possible application. Two variants of the engine layout arrangement have been considered. It has been shown that the power plant changes the pressure distribution on the aircraft surface. It results in essential diminishing the configuration lift-drag ratio.

Method for fabricating high aspect ratio structures in perovskite material

DOEpatents

Karapetrov, Goran T.; Kwok, Wai-Kwong; Crabtree, George W.; Iavarone, Maria

2003-10-28

A method of fabricating high aspect ratio ceramic structures in which a selected portion of perovskite or perovskite-like crystalline material is exposed to a high energy ion beam for a time sufficient to cause the crystalline material contacted by the ion beam to have substantially parallel columnar defects. Then selected portions of the material having substantially parallel columnar defects are etched leaving material with and without substantially parallel columnar defects in a predetermined shape having high aspect ratios of not less than 2 to 1. Etching is accomplished by optical or PMMA lithography. There is also disclosed a structure of a ceramic which is superconducting at a temperature in the range of from about 10.degree. K. to about 90.degree. K. with substantially parallel columnar defects in which the smallest lateral dimension of the structure is less than about 5 microns, and the thickness of the structure is greater than 2 times the smallest lateral dimension of the structure.

High aspect ratio nano-fabrication of photonic crystal structures on glass wafers using chrome as hard mask.

PubMed

Hossain, Md Nazmul; Justice, John; Lovera, Pierre; McCarthy, Brendan; O'Riordan, Alan; Corbett, Brian

2014-09-05

Wafer-scale nano-fabrication of silicon nitride (Si x N y ) photonic crystal (PhC) structures on glass (quartz) substrates is demonstrated using a thin (30 nm) chromium (Cr) layer as the hard mask for transferring the electron beam lithography (EBL) defined resist patterns. The use of the thin Cr layer not only solves the charging effect during the EBL on the insulating substrate, but also facilitates high aspect ratio PhCs by acting as a hard mask while deep etching into the Si x N y . A very high aspect ratio of 10:1 on a 60 nm wide grating structure has been achieved while preserving the quality of the flat top of the narrow lines. The presented nano-fabrication method provides PhC structures necessary for a high quality optical response. Finally, we fabricated a refractive index based PhC sensor which shows a sensitivity of 185 nm per RIU.

Fluidic assembly for an ultra-high-speed chromosome flow sorter

DOEpatents

Gray, Joe W.; Alger, Terry W.; Lord, David E.

1982-01-01

A fluidic assembly for an ultra-high-speed chromosome flow sorter using a fluid drive system, a nozzle with an orifice having a small ratio of length to diameter, and mechanism for vibrating the nozzle along its axis at high frequencies. The orifice is provided with a sharp edge at its inlet, and a conical section at its outlet for a transition from a short cylindrical aperture of small length to diameter ratio to free space. Sample and sheath fluids in separate low pressure reservoirs are transferred into separate high pressure buffer reservoirs through a valve arrangement which first permit the fluids to be loaded into the buffer reservoirs under low pressure. Once loaded, the buffer reservoirs are subjected to high pressure and valves are operated to permit the buffer reservoirs to be emptied through the nozzle under high pressure. A sensor and decision logic is positioned at the exit of the nozzle, and a charging pulse is applied to the jet when a particle reaches a position further downstream where the droplets are formed. In order to adjust the timing of charge pulses, the distance between the sensing station at the outlet of the nozzle and the droplet breakoff point is determined by stroboscopic illumination of the droplet breakoff region using a laser and a revolving lucite cylinder, and a beam on/off modulator. The breakoff point in the region thus illuminated may then be viewed, using a television monitor.

500 km unrepeatered 200 Gbit·s-1 transmission over a G.652-compliant ultra-low loss fiber only

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gainov, V. V.; Gurkin, N. V.; Lukinih, S. N.; Shikhaliev, I. I.; Skvortsov, P. I.; Makovejs, S.; Akopov, S. G.; Ten, S. Y.; Nanii, O. E.; Treshchikov, V. N.

2015-06-01

In this work we experimentally demonstrate 200 Gb·s-1 (2  ×  100 G) unrepeatered transmission over 502.1 km using a dual polarization quadrature phase-shift-keyed (DP-QPSK) format and real-time processing. Such ultra-long distance is enabled by the use of high-performance 100 G DP-QPSK transponders (the required optical signal-to-noise ratio is 12 dB), Corning® SMF-28® ULL fiber (the average attenuation of the spools used in this experiment ~0.160 dB km-1), and optimization of remotely pumped optical amplifiers, bidirectional Raman amplifiers, and dispersion precompensation.

Numerical analysis of flow in ultra micro centrifugal compressor -influence of meridional configuration

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Kaneko, Masanao; Tsujita, Hoshio; Hirano, Toshiyuki

2013-04-01

A single stage ultra micro centrifugal compressor constituting ultra micro gas turbine is required to operate at high rotational speed in order to achieve the pressure ratio which establishes the gas turbine cycle. As a consequence, the aerodynamic losses can be increased by the interaction of a shock wave with the boundary layer on the blade surface. Moreover, the centrifugal force which exceeds the allowable stress of the impeller material can act on the root of blades. On the other hand, the restrictions of processing technology for the downsizing of impeller not only relatively enlarge the size of tip clearance but also make it difficult to shape the impeller with the three-dimensional blade. Therefore, it is important to establish the design technology for the impeller with the two-dimensional blade which possesses the sufficient aerodynamic performance and enough strength to bear the centrifugal force caused by the high rotational speed. In this study, the flow in two types of impeller with the two-dimensional blade which have different meridional configuration was analyzed numerically. The computed results clarified the influence of the meridional configuration on the loss generations in the impeller passage.

Ultra-High-Field Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Psychiatry.

PubMed

Godlewska, Beata R; Clare, Stuart; Cowen, Philip J; Emir, Uzay E

2017-01-01

The advantages of ultra-high-field (UHF ≥ 7T) MR have been demonstrated in a variety of MR acquisition modalities. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can particularly benefit from substantial gains in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and spectral resolution at UHF, enabling the quantification of numerous metabolites, including glutamate, glutamine, glutathione, and γ-aminobutyric acid that are relevant to psychiatric disorders. The aim of this review is to give an overview about the advantages and advances of UHF MRS and its application to psychiatric disorders. In order to provide a practical guide for potential applications of MRS at UHF, a literature review is given, surveying advantages and disadvantages of MRS at UHF. Key concepts, emerging technologies, practical considerations, and applications of UHF MRS are provided. Second, the strength of UHF MRS is demonstrated using some examples of its application in psychiatric disorders.

Ultra-High-Field Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy in Psychiatry

PubMed Central

Godlewska, Beata R.; Clare, Stuart; Cowen, Philip J.; Emir, Uzay E.

2017-01-01

The advantages of ultra-high-field (UHF ≥ 7T) MR have been demonstrated in a variety of MR acquisition modalities. Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) can particularly benefit from substantial gains in signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and spectral resolution at UHF, enabling the quantification of numerous metabolites, including glutamate, glutamine, glutathione, and γ-aminobutyric acid that are relevant to psychiatric disorders. The aim of this review is to give an overview about the advantages and advances of UHF MRS and its application to psychiatric disorders. In order to provide a practical guide for potential applications of MRS at UHF, a literature review is given, surveying advantages and disadvantages of MRS at UHF. Key concepts, emerging technologies, practical considerations, and applications of UHF MRS are provided. Second, the strength of UHF MRS is demonstrated using some examples of its application in psychiatric disorders. PMID:28744229

Diffractive charmonium spectrum in high energy collisions in the basis light-front quantization approach

DOE PAGES

Chen, Guangyao; Li, Yang; Maris, Pieter; ...

2017-04-14

Using the charmonium light-front wavefunctions obtained by diagonalizing an effective Hamiltonian with the one-gluon exchange interaction and a confining potential inspired by light-front holography in the basis light-front quantization formalism, we compute production of charmonium states in diffractive deep inelastic scattering and ultra-peripheral heavy ion collisions within the dipole picture. Our method allows us to predict yields of all vector charmonium states below the open flavor thresholds in high-energy deep inelastic scattering, proton-nucleus and ultra-peripheral heavy ion collisions, without introducing any new parameters in the light-front wavefunctions. The obtained charmonium cross section is in reasonable agreement with experimental data atmore » HERA, RHIC and LHC. We observe that the cross-section ratio σΨ(2s)/σJ/Ψ reveals significant independence of model parameters« less

Microdevice having interior cavity with high aspect ratio surface features and associated methods of manufacture and use

DOEpatents

Morales, Alfredo M.

2002-01-01

A microdevice having interior cavity with high aspect ratio features and ultrasmooth surfaces, and associated method of manufacture and use is described. An LIGA-produced shaped bit is used to contour polish the surface of a sacrificial mandrel. The contoured sacrificial mandrel is subsequently coated with a structural material and the mandrel removed to produce microdevices having micrometer-sized surface features and sub-micrometer RMS surface roughness.

Enhancing Tensile Response of Sn Using Cu at Nano Length Scale and High Temperature Extrusion

DTIC Science & Technology

2009-02-01

temperature extruded Sn-1.1Cu 664 samples suggesting the presence of lenticular pores. This aspect ratio of pores was only 1.7 for high temperature Sn...resulting in filling the voids or breaking the lenticular pores into small pores besides higher atomic diffusion rates [8...relatively round pores were observed for hot extruded Sn-Cu samples that helps to increase the strength. The lenticular pores (higher aspect ratio) in

Fabrication of very high aspect ratio metal nanowires by a self-propulsion mechanism.

PubMed

Sharabani, Rona; Reuveni, Saada; Noy, Gilad; Shapira, Eyal; Sadeh, Shira; Selzer, Yoram

2008-04-01

A novel synthesis method of very high aspect ratio metal nanowires is described. The synthesis utilizes a nanoporous membrane as a template and self-electrophoresis as a directed force that continuously push formed nanowires out of the pores in a rate that is identical to the rate of their elongation. As a result, while the pores of membranes are only 6 microm long, the formed nanowires could be more than 100 microm long.

Synthetic Spin-Orbit and Light Field Coupling in Ultra-cold Quantum Gases

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dong, Lin

Ultra-cold quantum gases subjected to light-induced synthetic gauge potentials have become an emergent field of theoretical and experimental studies. Because of the novel application of two-photon Raman transitions, ultra-cold neutral atoms behave like charged particles in magnetic field. The Raman coupling naturally gives rise to an effective spin-orbit interaction which couples the atoms center-of-mass motion to its selected pseudo-spin degrees of freedom. Combined with unprecedented controllability of interactions, geometry, disorder strength, spectroscopy, and high resolution measurement of momentum distribution, etc., we are truly in an exciting era of fulfilling and going beyond Richard Feynman's vision. of realizing quantum simulators to better understand the quantum mechanical nature of the universe, manifested immensely in the ultra-cold regimes. In this dissertation, we present a collection of theoretical progresses made by the doctoral candidate and his colleagues and collaborators. From the past few years of work, we mainly address three aspects of the synthetic spin-orbit and light field induced coupling in ultracold quantum gases: a) The ground-state physics of singleparticle system, two-body bound states, and many-body systems, all of which are subjected to spin-orbit coupling originated from synthetic gauge potentials; b) The symmetry breaking, topological phase transition and quench dynamics, which are conveniently offered by the realized experimental setup; c) The proposal and implications of light field induced dynamical spin-orbit coupling for atoms inside optical cavity. Our work represents an important advancement of theoretical understanding to the active research frontier of ultra-cold atom physics with spin-orbit coupling.

Analysis of Turbofan Design Options for an Advanced Single-Aisle Transport Aircraft

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Guynn, Mark D.; Berton, Jeffrey J.; Fisher, Kenneth L.; Haller, William J.; Tong, Michael T.; Thurman, Douglas R.

2009-01-01

The desire for higher engine efficiency has resulted in the evolution of aircraft gas turbine engines from turbojets, to low bypass ratio, first generation turbofans, to today's high bypass ratio turbofans. It is possible that future designs will continue this trend, leading to very-high or ultra-high bypass ratio (UHB) engines. Although increased bypass ratio has clear benefits in terms of propulsion system metrics such as specific fuel consumption, these benefits may not translate into aircraft system level benefits due to integration penalties. In this study, the design trade space for advanced turbofan engines applied to a single-aisle transport (737/A320 class aircraft) is explored. The benefits of increased bypass ratio and associated enabling technologies such as geared fan drive are found to depend on the primary metrics of interest. For example, bypass ratios at which fuel consumption is minimized may not require geared fan technology. However, geared fan drive does enable higher bypass ratio designs which result in lower noise. Regardless of the engine architecture chosen, the results of this study indicate the potential for the advanced aircraft to realize substantial improvements in fuel efficiency, emissions, and noise compared to the current vehicles in this size class.

Multiple image x-radiography for functional lung imaging

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Aulakh, G. K.; Mann, A.; Belev, G.; Wiebe, S.; Kuebler, W. M.; Singh, B.; Chapman, D.

2018-01-01

Detection and visualization of lung tissue structures is impaired by predominance of air. However, by using synchrotron x-rays, refraction of x-rays at the interface of tissue and air can be utilized to generate contrast which may in turn enable quantification of lung optical properties. We utilized multiple image radiography, a variant of diffraction enhanced imaging, at the Canadian light source to quantify changes in unique x-ray optical properties of lungs, namely attenuation, refraction and ultra small-angle scatter (USAXS or width) contrast ratios as a function of lung orientation in free-breathing or respiratory-gated mice before and after intra-nasal bacterial endotoxin (lipopolysaccharide) instillation. The lung ultra small-angle scatter and attenuation contrast ratios were significantly higher 9 h post lipopolysaccharide instillation compared to saline treatment whereas the refraction contrast decreased in magnitude. In ventilated mice, end-expiratory pressures result in an increase in ultra small-angle scatter contrast ratio when compared to end-inspiratory pressures. There were no detectable changes in lung attenuation or refraction contrast ratio with change in lung pressure alone. In effect, multiple image radiography can be applied towards following optical properties of lung air-tissue barrier over time during pathologies such as acute lung injury.

A Systematic Multi-Time Scale Solution for Regional Power Grid Operation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhu, W. J.; Liu, Z. G.; Cheng, T.; Hu, B. Q.; Liu, X. Z.; Zhou, Y. F.

2017-10-01

Many aspects need to be taken into consideration in a regional grid while making schedule plans. In this paper, a systematic multi-time scale solution for regional power grid operation considering large scale renewable energy integration and Ultra High Voltage (UHV) power transmission is proposed. In the time scale aspect, we discuss the problem from month, week, day-ahead, within-day to day-behind, and the system also contains multiple generator types including thermal units, hydro-plants, wind turbines and pumped storage stations. The 9 subsystems of the scheduling system are described, and their functions and relationships are elaborated. The proposed system has been constructed in a provincial power grid in Central China, and the operation results further verified the effectiveness of the system.

Single-longitudinal-mode, narrow bandwidth double-ring fiber laser stabilized by an efficiently taper-coupled high roundness microsphere resonator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wan, Hongdan; Liu, Linqian; Ding, Zuoqin; Wang, Jie; Xiao, Yu; Zhang, Zuxing

2018-06-01

This paper proposes and demonstrates a single-longitudinal-mode, narrow bandwidth fiber laser, using an ultra-high roundness microsphere resonator (MSR) with a stabilized package as the single-longitudinal-mode selector inside a double-ring fiber cavity. By improving the heating technology and surface cleaning process, MSR with high Q factor are obtained. With the optimized coupling condition, light polarization state and fiber taper diameter, we achieve whispering gallery mode (WGM) spectra with a high extinction ratio of 23 dB, coupling efficiency of 99.5%, a 3 dB bandwidth of 1 pm and a side-mode-suppression-ratio of 14.5 dB. The proposed fiber laser produces single-longitudinal-mode laser output with a 20-dB frequency linewidth of about 340 kHz, a signal-to-background ratio of 54 dB and a high long-term stability without mode-hopping, which is potential for optical communication and sensing applications.

Stable Imaging for Astronomy (SIA)

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Beaulieu, Mathilde; Ottogalli, Sebastien; Preis, Olivier; Bresson, Yves; Rivet, Jean-Pierre; Abe, Lyu; Vakili, Farrokh

2014-07-01

One of the most challenging fields of astronomical instrumentation is probably high-contrast imaging since it ultimately combines ultra-high sensitivity at low flux and the ability to cope with photon flux contrasts of several hundreds of millions or even more. These two aspects implicitly require that high-contrast instruments should be highly stable in the sense of the reproducibility of their measurements at different times, but also, continuously stable over time. In most high contrast instruments or experiments, their sensitivity is broken after at most tens of minutes of operation due to uncontrolled and unknown behaviour of the whole experiment regarding the environmental conditions. In this paper, we introduce a general approach of an exhaustive stability study for high-contrast imaging that has been initiated at Lagrange Laboratory, Observatoire de la Côte d'Azur (OCA). On a practical ground, one of the fundamental issues of this study is the metrology, which is the basis of all reproducible measurements. We describe a small experiment designed to understand the behaviour of one of our ultra-precise metrology tools (a commercial sub-nanometric 3-way interferometer) and derive the conditions under which its operation delivers reliable results. The approach will apply to the high-contrast imaging test-bench SPEED, under development at OCA.

The Effects of High-lift Devices on the Low-speed Stability of a Tapered 37.5 Degree Sweptback Wing of Aspect Ratio 3 in Straight and Rolling Flow

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Queijo, M J; Lichtenstein, Jacob H

1948-01-01

Contains results of tunnel tests to determine effects of various combinations of split flaps, slats, and nose slats on the stability characteristics of a tapered 37.5 degree sweptback wing of aspect ratio 3 in straight and rolling flow.

Structural analysis for preliminary design of High Speed Civil Transport (HSCT)

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bhatia, Kumar G.

1992-01-01

In the preliminary design environment, there is a need for quick evaluation of configuration and material concepts. The simplified beam representations used in the subsonic, high aspect ratio wing platform are not applicable for low aspect ratio configurations typical of supersonic transports. There is a requirement to develop methods for efficient generation of structural arrangement and finite element representation to support multidisciplinary analysis and optimization. In addition, empirical data bases required to validate prediction methods need to be improved for high speed civil transport (HSCT) type configurations.

Fluorine-Based DRIE of Fused Silica

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Yee, Karl; Shcheglov, Kirill; Li, Jian; Choi, Daniel

2007-01-01

A process of deep reactive-ion etching (DRIE) using a fluorine-based gas mixture enhanced by induction-coupled plasma (ICP) has been demonstrated to be effective in forming high-aspect-ratio three-dimensional patterns in fused silica. The patterns are defined in part by an etch mask in the form of a thick, high-quality aluminum film. The process was developed to satisfy a need to fabricate high-aspect-ratio fused-silica resonators for vibratory microgyroscopes, and could be used to satisfy similar requirements for fabricating other fused-silica components.

Vertically Free-Standing Ordered Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 Nanocup Arrays by Template-Assisted Ion Beam Etching.

PubMed

Zhang, Xiaoyan; Tang, Dan; Huang, Kangrong; Hu, Die; Zhang, Fengyuan; Gao, Xingsen; Lu, Xubing; Zhou, Guofu; Zhang, Zhang; Liu, Junming

2016-12-01

In this report, vertically free-standing lead zirconate titanate Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 (PZT) nanocup arrays with good ordering and high density (1.3 × 10(10) cm(-2)) were demonstrated. By a template-assisted ion beam etching (IBE) strategy, the PZT formed in the pore-through anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) membrane on the Pt/Si substrate was with a cup-like nanostructure. The mean diameter and height of the PZT nanocups (NCs) was about 80 and 100 nm, respectively, and the wall thickness of NCs was about 20 nm with a hole depth of about 80 nm. Uppermost, the nanocup structure with low aspect ratio realized vertically free-standing arrays when losing the mechanical support from templates, avoiding the collapse or bundling when compared to the typical nanotube arrays. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Raman spectrum revealed that the as-prepared PZT NCs were in a perovskite phase. By the vertical piezoresponse force microscopy (VPFM) measurements, the vertically free-standing ordered ferroelectric PZT NCs showed well-defined ring-like piezoresponse phase and hysteresis loops, which indicated that the high-density PZT nanocup arrays could have potential applications in ultra-high non-volatile ferroelectric memories (NV-FRAM) or other nanoelectronic devices.

Innovative Processing of Composites for Ultra-High Temperature Applications. Book 3

DTIC Science & Technology

1993-11-01

SiC Samples Prepared with Four Preceramic Polymer Infiltration / Pyrolysis (at 15750C) Cycles Figure 21 Scanning Electron...Micrograph of Large Pores near the Surface of Siliconized SIC Sample with Four Preceramic Polymer Infiltration / Pyrolysis (at 1575*C) Cycles II...In order to achieve dense, bulk composites with maximum SiC /Si ratio, two infiltration / pyrolysis cycles were used. S (4) After siliconization,

Handheld isotope identification system

DOEpatents

Frankle, Christen M [Los Alamos, NM; Becker, John A [Alameda, CA; Cork,; Christopher, P [Pleasant Hill, CA; Madden, Norman W [Livermore, CA

2007-01-09

A portable radiation detector using a high-purity germanium crystal as the sensing device. The crystal is fabricated such that it exhibits a length to width ratio greater than 1:1 and is oriented within the detector to receive radiation along the width of said crystal. The crystal is located within a container pressurized with ultra-pure nitrogen, and the container is located within a cryostat under vacuum.

Seismogenic width controls aspect ratios of earthquake ruptures

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Weng, Huihui; Yang, Hongfeng

2017-03-01

We investigate the effect of seismogenic width on aspect ratios of earthquake ruptures by using numerical simulations of strike-slip faulting and an energy balance criterion near rupture tips. If the seismogenic width is smaller than a critical value, then ruptures cannot break the entire fault, regardless of the size of the nucleation zone. The seismic moments of these self-arresting ruptures increase with the nucleation size, forming nucleation-related events. The aspect ratios increase with the seismogenic width but are smaller than 8. In contrast, ruptures become breakaway and tend to have high aspect ratios (>8) if the seismogenic width is sufficiently large. But the critical nucleation size is larger than the theoretical estimate for an unbounded fault. The eventual seismic moments of breakaway ruptures do not depend on the nucleation size. Our results suggest that estimating final earthquake magnitude from the nucleation phase may only be plausible on faults with small seismogenic width.

Non-solenoidal Startup with High-Field-Side Local Helicity Injection on the Pegasus ST

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Perry, J. M.; Bodner, G. M.; Bongard, M. W.; Burke, M. G.; Fonck, R. J.; Pachicano, J. L.; Pierren, C.; Richner, N. J.; Rodriguez Sanchez, C.; Schlossberg, D. J.; Reusch, J. A.; Weberski, J. D.

2017-10-01

Local Helicity Injection (LHI) is a non-solenoidal startup technique utilizing electron current injectors at the plasma edge to initiate a tokamak-like plasma at high Ip . Recent experiments on Pegasus explore the inherent tradeoffs between high-field-side (HFS) injection in the lower divertor region and low-field-side (LFS) injection at the outboard midplane. Trade-offs include the relative current drive contributions of HI and poloidal induction, and the magnetic geometry required for relaxation to a tokamak-like state. HFS injection using a set of two increased-area injectors (Ainj = 4 cm2, Vinj 1.5 kV, and Iinj 8 kA) in the lower divertor is demonstrated over the full range of toroidal field available on Pegasus (BT 0 <= 0.15 T). Increased PMI on both the injectors and the lower divertor plates was observed during HFS injection, and was substantively mitigated through optimization of injector geometry and placement of local limiters to reduce scrape-off density in the divertor region. Ip up to 200 kA is achieved with LHI as the dominant current drive, consistent with expectations from helicity balance. To date, experiments support Ip increasing linearly with helicity injection rate. The high normalized current (IN >= 10) attainable with LHI and the favorable stability of the ultra-low aspect ratio, low-li LHI-driven plasmas allow access to high βt-up to 100 % , as indicated by kinetically-constrained equilibrium reconstructions. Work supported by US DOE Grant DE-FG02-96ER54375.

The free form XR photovoltaic concentrator: a high performance SMS3D design

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cvetkovic, Aleksandra; Hernandez, Maikel; Benítez, Pablo; Miñano, Juan C.; Schwartz, Joel; Plesniak, Adam; Jones, Russ; Whelan, David

2008-08-01

A novel photovoltaic concentrator is presented. The goal is to achieve high concentration design with high efficiency and high acceptance angle that in the same time is compact and convenient for thermal and mechanical management. This photovoltaic system is based on 1 cm2 multi-junction tandem solar cells and an XR concentrator. The XR concentrator in this system is an SMS 3D design formed by one reflective (X) and one refractive (R) free-form surfaces (i.e., without rotational or linear symmetry) and has been chosen for its excellent aspect ratio and for its ability to perform near the thermodynamic limit. It is a mirror-lens device that has no shadowing elements and has square entry aperture (the whole system aperture area is used for collecting light). This large acceptance angle relaxes the manufacturing tolerances of all the optical and mechanical components of the system included the concentrator itself and is one of the keys to get a cost competitive photovoltaic generator. For the geometrical concentration of 1000x the simulation results show the acceptance angle of +/-1.8 deg. The irradiance distribution on the cell is achieved with ultra-short homogenizing prism, whose size is optimised to keep the maximum values under the ones that the cell can accept. The application of the XR optics to high-concentration is being developed in a consortium leaded by The Boeing Company, which has been awarded a project by US DOE in the framework of the Solar America Initiative.

Development and ultra-structure of an ultra-thin silicone epidermis of bioengineered alternative tissue.

PubMed

Wessels, Quenton; Pretorius, Etheresia

2015-08-01

Burn wound care today has a primary objective of temporary or permanent wound closure. Commercially available engineered alternative tissues have become a valuable adjunct to the treatment of burn injuries. Their constituents can be biological, alloplastic or a combination of both. Here the authors describe the aspects of the development of a siloxane epidermis for a collagen-glycosaminoglycan and for nylon-based artificial skin replacement products. A method to fabricate an ultra-thin epidermal equivalent is described. Pores, to allow the escape of wound exudate, were punched and a tri-filament nylon mesh or collagen scaffold was imbedded and silicone polymerisation followed at 120°C for 5 minutes. The ultra-structure of these bilaminates was assessed through scanning electron microscopy. An ultra-thin biomedical grade siloxane film was reliably created through precision coating on a pre-treated polyethylene terephthalate carrier. © 2013 The Authors. International Wound Journal © 2013 Medicalhelplines.com Inc and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

On Gravitational Radiation: A Nonlinear Wave Theory in a Viscoelastic Kerr-Lambda Spacetime

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gamble, Ronald

This project presents the experimental results concerning the mix design, fresh and hardened properties of an ultra-high strength concrete that has already been developed for high performance construction applications but now needs to be evaluated for a 3D printing process. The concrete is designed to be extruded through a nozzle and pump system, and have layers printed to analyze deformation within printed layers. The key factors for printable concrete are, the ability to be extruded through a pump and nozzle (flowability) and buildability. The flow of mortar will be studied by looking at the rheological properties of the mix and assessing the acceptable range of shear strength. Three different water to cement ratios and varying dosages of superplasticizers were incorporated to optimize a workable mortar/concrete mix to be applied for 3D printing. A Brookfield DV-III Ultra programmable rheometer was used to determine the viscosity and yield strength of the mortar mixes; these values were used to calculate the shear strength of the printable concrete. Compressive strengths of optimal mixtures were taken to assess the feasibility of 3D printed concrete as compared to traditional means. Compression test was conducted on a High Capacity Series Compression Testing Machine with 2" x 2" mortars cubes. The results indicated that the mortars that have shear ranges between of 0.3 - 0.9 kPa could be used in a 3D printer. The compressive strength of the concrete made with a 25% water/cement ratio and 10% superplasticizer dosage reached 62.8 MPa, which qualifies it as ultrahigh strength mortar. An optimum mix will be validated by printing the most filaments until deformation occurs. The end goal of this project is to develop an optimal concrete to produce the strength needed for 3D printed concrete. Using our predesigned ultra-high strength concrete mix ingredients, we will optimize that mix to have the same performance characteristics and be used in 3D printing applications.

Optimized ultra-high-pressure-assisted extraction of procyanidins from lychee pericarp improves the antioxidant activity of extracts.

PubMed

Zhang, Ruifen; Su, Dongxiao; Hou, Fangli; Liu, Lei; Huang, Fei; Dong, Lihong; Deng, Yuanyuan; Zhang, Yan; Wei, Zhencheng; Zhang, Mingwei

2017-08-01

To establish optimal ultra-high-pressure (UHP)-assisted extraction conditions for procyanidins from lychee pericarp, a response surface analysis method with four factors and three levels was adopted. The optimum conditions were as follows: 295 MPa pressure, 13 min pressure holding time, 16.0 mL/g liquid-to-solid ratio, and 70% ethanol concentration. Compared with conventional ethanol extraction and ultrasonic-assisted extraction methods, the yields of the total procyanidins, flavonoids, and phenolics extracted using the UHP process were significantly increased; consequently, the oxygen radical absorbance capacity and cellular antioxidant activity of UHP-assisted lychee pericarp extracts were substantially enhanced. LC-MS/MS and high-performance liquid chromatography quantification results for individual phenolic compounds revealed that the yield of procyanidin compounds, including epicatechin, procyanidin A2, and procyanidin B2, from lychee pericarp could be significantly improved by the UHP-assisted extraction process. This UHP-assisted extraction process is thus a practical method for the extraction of procyanidins from lychee pericarp.

Ultra-high polarity ceramics induced extrinsic high permittivity of polymers contributing to high permittivity of 2-2 series composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Feng, Yefeng; Zhang, Jianxiong; Hu, Jianbing; Peng, Cheng; He, Renqi

2018-01-01

Induced polarization at interface has been confirmed to have significant impact on the dielectric properties of 2-2 series composites bearing Si-based semi-conductor sheet and polymer layer. By compositing, the significantly elevated high permittivity in Si-based semi-conductor sheet should be responsible for the obtained high permittivity in composites. In that case, interface interaction could include two aspects namely a strong electrostatic force from high polarity polymeric layer and a newborn high polarity induced in Si-based ceramic sheet. In this work, this class of interface induced polarization was successfully extended into another 2-2 series composite system made up of ultra-high polarity ceramic sheet and high polarity polymer layer. By compositing, the greatly improved high permittivity in high polarity polymer layer was confirmed to strongly contribute to the high permittivity achieved in composites. In this case, interface interaction should consist of a rather large electrostatic force from ultra-high polarity ceramic sheet with ionic crystal structure and an enhanced high polarity induced in polymer layer based on a large polarizability of high polarity covalent dipoles in polymer. The dielectric and conductive properties of four designed 2-2 series composites and their components have been detailedly investigated. Increasing of polymer inborn polarity would lead to a significant elevating of polymer overall polarity in composite. Decline of inherent polarities in two components would result in a mild improving of polymer total polarity in composite. Introducing of non-polarity polymeric layer would give rise to a hardly unaltered polymer overall polarity in composite. The best 2-2 composite could possess a permittivity of ˜463 at 100 Hz 25.7 times of the original permittivity of polymer in it. This work might offer a facile route for achieving the promising composite dielectrics by constructing the 2-2 series samples from two high polarity components.

COMPLETE ELEMENT ABUNDANCES OF NINE STARS IN THE r -PROCESS GALAXY RETICULUM II

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

Ji, Alexander P.; Frebel, Anna; Chiti, Anirudh

We present chemical abundances derived from high-resolution Magellan /Magellan Inamori Kyocera Echelle spectra of the nine brightest known red giant members of the ultra-faint dwarf galaxy Reticulum II (Ret II). These stars span the full metallicity range of Ret II (−3.5 < [Fe/H] < −2). Seven of the nine stars have extremely high levels of r -process material ([Eu/Fe] ∼ 1.7), in contrast to the extremely low neutron-capture element abundances found in every other ultra-faint dwarf galaxy studied to date. The other two stars are the most metal-poor stars in the system ([Fe/H] < −3), and they have neutron-capture elementmore » abundance limits similar to those in other ultra-faint dwarf galaxies. We confirm that the relative abundances of Sr, Y, and Zr in these stars are similar to those found in r -process halo stars, but they are ∼0.5 dex lower than the solar r -process pattern. If the universal r -process pattern extends to those elements, the stars in Ret II display the least contaminated known r -process pattern. The abundances of lighter elements up to the iron peak are otherwise similar to abundances of stars in the halo and in other ultra-faint dwarf galaxies. However, the scatter in abundance ratios is large enough to suggest that inhomogeneous metal mixing is required to explain the chemical evolution of this galaxy. The presence of low amounts of neutron-capture elements in other ultra-faint dwarf galaxies may imply the existence of additional r -process sites besides the source of r -process elements in Ret II. Galaxies like Ret II may be the original birth sites of r -process enhanced stars now found in the halo.« less

Revealing the nanoparticles aspect ratio in the glass-metal nanocomposites irradiated with femtosecond laser

PubMed Central

Chervinskii, S.; Drevinskas, R.; Karpov, D. V.; Beresna, M.; Lipovskii, A. A.; Svirko, Yu. P.; Kazansky, P. G.

2015-01-01

We studied a femtosecond laser shaping of silver nanoparticles embedded in soda-lime glass. Comparing experimental absorption spectra with the modeling based on Maxwell Garnett approximation modified for spheroidal inclusions, we obtained the mean aspect ratio of the re-shaped silver nanoparticles as a function of the laser fluence. We demonstrated that under our experimental conditions the spherical shape of silver nanoparticles changed to a prolate spheroid with the aspect ratio as high as 3.5 at the laser fluence of 0.6 J/cm2. The developed approach can be employed to control the anisotropy of the glass-metal composites. PMID:26348691

Acoustic properties associated with rectangular geometry supersonic nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Seiner, J. M.; Manning, J. C.; Ponton, M. K.

1986-01-01

Acoustic property experiments have been conducted to ascertain the behavior of rectangular geometry supersonic nozzles whose throat aspect ratios vary over a 2.0-7.6 range, and whose three partial sidewall geometries range from full to 75-percent cutback. The tests employed unheated air at static conditions for nozzle Mach numbers of 1.35-1.66. It is found that sonic fatigue failures are possible at certain partial sidewall geometries and high nozzle aspect ratios. Unlike axisymmetric supersonic nozzles, shock noise dominates both the rear and forward arc for throat aspect ratio cases greater than 5.6. Jet screech frequency was adequately predicted with a simple vortex sheel model.

Numerical Simulation of Non-Rotating and Rotating Coolant Channel Flow Fields. Part 1

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Rigby, David L.

2000-01-01

Future generations of ultra high bypass-ratio jet engines will require far higher pressure ratios and operating temperatures than those of current engines. For the foreseeable future, engine materials will not be able to withstand the high temperatures without some form of cooling. In particular the turbine blades, which are under high thermal as well as mechanical loads, must be cooled. Cooling of turbine blades is achieved by bleeding air from the compressor stage of the engine through complicated internal passages in the turbine blades (internal cooling, including jet-impingement cooling) and by bleeding small amounts of air into the boundary layer of the external flow through small discrete holes on the surface of the blade (film cooling and transpiration cooling). The cooling must be done using a minimum amount of air or any increases in efficiency gained through higher operating temperature will be lost due to added load on the compressor stage. Turbine cooling schemes have traditionally been based on extensive empirical data bases, quasi-one-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis, and trial and error. With improved capabilities of CFD, these traditional methods can be augmented by full three-dimensional simulations of the coolant flow to predict in detail the heat transfer and metal temperatures. Several aspects of turbine coolant flows make such application of CFD difficult, thus a highly effective CFD methodology must be used. First, high resolution of the flow field is required to attain the needed accuracy for heat transfer predictions, making highly efficient flow solvers essential for such computations. Second, the geometries of the flow passages are complicated but must be modeled accurately in order to capture all important details of the flow. This makes grid generation and grid quality important issues. Finally, since coolant flows are turbulent and separated the effects of turbulence must be modeled with a low Reynolds number turbulence model to accurately predict details of heat transfer.

Development of Impurity Profiling Methods Using Modern Analytical Techniques.

PubMed

Ramachandra, Bondigalla

2017-01-02

This review gives a brief introduction about the process- and product-related impurities and emphasizes on the development of novel analytical methods for their determination. It describes the application of modern analytical techniques, particularly the ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS), high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high-performance thin layer chromatography (HPTLC). In addition to that, the application of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy was also discussed for the characterization of impurities and degradation products. The significance of the quality, efficacy and safety of drug substances/products, including the source of impurities, kinds of impurities, adverse effects by the presence of impurities, quality control of impurities, necessity for the development of impurity profiling methods, identification of impurities and regulatory aspects has been discussed. Other important aspects that have been discussed are forced degradation studies and the development of stability indicating assay methods.

A sub-atmospheric chemical vapor deposition process for deposition of oxide liner in high aspect ratio through silicon vias.

PubMed

Lisker, Marco; Marschmeyer, Steffen; Kaynak, Mehmet; Tekin, Ibrahim

2011-09-01

The formation of a Through Silicon Via (TSV) includes a deep Si trench etching and the formation of an insulating layer along the high-aspect-ratio trench and the filling of a conductive material into the via hole. The isolation of the filling conductor from the silicon substrate becomes more important for higher frequencies due to the high coupling of the signal to the silicon. The importance of the oxide thickness on the via wall isolation can be verified using electromagnetic field simulators. To satisfy the needs on the Silicon dioxide deposition, a sub-atmospheric chemical vapor deposition (SA-CVD) process has been developed to deposit an isolation oxide to the walls of deep silicon trenches. The technique provides excellent step coverage of the 100 microm depth silicon trenches with the high aspect ratio of 20 and more. The developed technique allows covering the deep silicon trenches by oxide and makes the high isolation of TSVs from silicon substrate feasible which is the key factor for the performance of TSVs for mm-wave 3D packaging.

SURPHEX (tm): New dry photopolymers for replication of surface relief diffractive optics

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Shvartsman, Felix P.

1993-01-01

High efficiency, deep groove, surface relief Diffractive Optical Elements (DOE) with various optical functions can be recorded in a photoresist using conventional interferometric holographic and computer generated photolithographic recording techniques. While photoresist recording media are satisfactory for recording individual surface relief DOE, a reliable and precise method is needed to replicate these diffractive microstructures to maintain the high aspect ratio in each replicated DOE. The term 'high aspect ratio' means that the depth of a groove is substantially greater, i.e. 2, 3, or more times greater, than the width of the groove. A new family of dry photopolymers SURPHEX was developed recently at Du Pont to replicate such highly efficient, deep groove DOE's. SURPHEX photopolymers are being utilized in Du Pont's proprietary Dry Photopolymer Embossing (DPE) technology to replicate with very high degree of precision almost any type of surface relief DOE. Surfaces relief microstructures with width/depth aspect ratio of 1:20 (0.1 micron/2.0 micron) were faithfully replicated by DPE technology. Several types of plastic and glass/quartz optical substrates can be used for economical replication of DOE.

Simulation of enhanced deposition due to magnetic field alignment of ellipsoidal particles in a lung bifurcation.

PubMed

Martinez, R C; Roshchenko, A; Minev, P; Finlay, W H

2013-02-01

Aerosolized chemotherapy has been recognized as a potential treatment for lung cancer. The challenge of providing sufficient therapeutic effects without reaching dose-limiting toxicity levels hinders the development of aerosolized chemotherapy. This could be mitigated by increasing drug-delivery efficiency with a noninvasive drug-targeting delivery method. The purpose of this study is to use direct numerical simulations to study the resulting local enhancement of deposition due to magnetic field alignment of high aspect ratio particles. High aspect ratio particles were approximated by a rigid ellipsoid with a minor diameter of 0.5 μm and fluid particle density ratio of 1,000. Particle trajectories were calculated by solving the coupled fluid particle equations using an in-house micro-macro grid finite element algorithm based on a previously developed fictitious domain approach. Particle trajectories were simulated in a morphologically realistic geometry modeling a symmetrical terminal bronchiole bifurcation. Flow conditions were steady inspiratory air flow due to typical breathing at 18 L/min. Deposition efficiency was estimated for two different cases: [1] particles aligned with the streamlines and [2] particles with fixed angular orientation simulating the magnetic field alignment of our previous in vitro study. The local enhancement factor defined as the ratio between deposition efficiency of Case [1] and Case [2] was found to be 1.43 and 3.46 for particles with an aspect ratio of 6 and 20, respectively. Results indicate that externally forcing local alignment of high aspect ratio particles can increase local deposition considerably.

The Association of Palmitoylethanolamide with Luteolin Decreases Neuroinflammation and Stimulates Autophagy in Parkinson's Disease Model.

PubMed

Siracusa, Rosalba; Paterniti, Irene; Impellizzeri, Daniela; Cordaro, Marika; Crupi, Rosalia; Navarra, Michele; Cuzzocrea, Salvatore; Esposito, Emanuela

2015-01-01

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a disorder resulted by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons. To counteract the neuroinflammation and oxidative stress of PD, we decided to test a new composite constituted by palmitoylethanolamide (PEA) and luteolin (Lut), in a mass ratio of 10:1, respectively (co-ultraPEALut). In this study the neuroprotective property of the new compound was investigated. For the in vivo model of PD, mice received four injections of the dopaminergic neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6- tetrahydropyridine (MPTP). Starting 24 h after the first administration of 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP), we treated animals with co-ultraPEALut daily until 7 days. On day 8, brains were processed for Western blotting and immunohistochemical analysis. Treatment with co-ultraPEALut reduced the specific markers of PD (tyrosine hydroxylase immunopositive), and the increased levels of activated astrocytes and pro-inflammatory cytokines as well as inducible nitric oxide synthase. Further, the possible association of autophagy with the beneficial effects of coultraPEALut. Western blot analysis and immunofluorescence staining showed that co-ultraPEALut administration increased autophagy process. These data were confirmed by an in vitro model, using SH-SY5Y neuroblastoma cells. Western blot analysis showed that co-ultraPEALut pre-treatment maintained high Beclin-1 and p62 expression, while continued to inhibit the p70S6K expression. Altogether, these results put forward that treatment with co-ultraPEALut is able to modulate both the neuroinflammatory process and the autophagic pathway involved in PD, actions which may underlie its neuroprotective effect.

Ultraviolet and near-infrared femtosecond temporal pulse shaping with a new high-aspect-ratio one-dimensional micromirror array.

PubMed

Weber, Stefan M; Extermann, Jérôme; Bonacina, Luigi; Noell, Wilfried; Kiselev, Denis; Waldis, Severin; de Rooij, Nico F; Wolf, Jean-Pierre

2010-09-15

We demonstrate the capabilities of a new optical microelectromechanical systems device that we specifically developed for broadband femtosecond pulse shaping. It consists of a one-dimensional array of 100 independently addressable, high-aspect-ratio micromirrors with up to 3 μm stroke. We apply linear and quadratic phase modulations demonstrating the temporal compression of 800 and 400 nm pulses. Because of the device's surface flatness, stroke, and stroke resolution, phase shaping over an unprecedented bandwidth is attainable.

Growth of high-aspect ratio horizontally-aligned ZnO nanowire arrays.

PubMed

Soman, Pranav; Darnell, Max; Feldman, Marc D; Chen, Shaochen

2011-08-01

A method of fabricating horizontally-aligned zinc-oxide (ZnO) nanowire (NW) arrays with full control over the width and length is demonstrated. SEM images reveal the hexagonal structure typical of zinc oxide NWs. Arrays of high-aspect ratio horizontal ZnO NWs are fabricated by making use of the lateral overgrowth from dot patterns created by electron beam lithography (EBL). An array of patterned wires are lifted off and transferred to a flexible PDMS substrate with possible applications in several key nanotechnology areas.

Multilayer ultra thick resist development for MEMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Washio, Yasushi; Senzaki, Takahiro; Masuda, Yasuo; Saito, Koji; Obiya, Hiroyuki

2005-05-01

MEMS (Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems) is achieved through a process technology, called Micro-machining. There are two distinct methods to manufacture a MEMS-product. One method is to form permanent film through photolithography, and the other is to form a non-permanent film resist after photolithography proceeded by etch or plating process. The three-dimensional ultra-fine processing technology based on photolithography, and is assembled by processes, such as anode junction, and post lithography processes such as etching and plating. Currently ORDYL PR-100 (Dry Film Type) is used for the permanent resist process. TOK has developed TMMR S2000 (Liquid Type) and TMMF S2000 (Dry Film Type) also. TOK has developed a new process utilizing these resist. The electro-forming method by photolithography is developed as one of the methods for enabling high resolution and high aspect formation. In recent years, it has become possible to manufacture conventionally difficult multilayer through our development with material and equipment project (M&E). As for material for electro-forming, it was checked that chemically amplified resist is optimal from the reaction mechanism as it is easily removed by the clean solution. Moreover, multiple plating formations were enabled with the resist through a new process. As for the equipment, TOK developed Applicator (It can apply 500 or more μms) and Developer, which achieves high throughput and quality. The detailed plating formations, which a path differs, and air wiring are realizable through M&E. From the above results, opposed to metallic mold plating, electro-forming method by resist, enabled to form high resolution and aspect pattern, at low cost. It is thought that the infinite possibility spreads by applying this process.

Compression Ratio Ion Mobility Programming (CRIMP) Accumulation and Compression of Billions of Ions for Ion Mobility-Mass Spectrometry Using Traveling Waves in Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM)

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

Deng, Liulin; Garimella, Sandilya V. B.; Hamid, Ahmed M.

We report on the implementation of a traveling wave (TW) based compression ratio ion mobility programming (CRIMP) approach within Structures for Lossless Ion Manipulations (SLIM) that enables both greatly enlarged trapped ion charge capacities and also their subsequent efficient compression for use in ion mobility (IM) separations. Ion accumulation is conducted in a long serpentine path TW SLIM region after which CRIMP allows the large ion populations to be ‘squeezed’. The compression process occurs at an interface between two SLIM regions, one operating conventionally and the second having an intermittently pausing or ‘stuttering’ TW, allowing the contents of multiple binsmore » of ions from the first region to be merged into a single bin in the second region. In this initial work stationary voltages in the second region were used to block ions from exiting the first (trapping) region, and the resumption of TWs in the second region allows ions to exit, and the population to also be compressed if CRIMP is applied. In our initial evaluation we show that the number of charges trapped for a 40 s accumulation period was ~5×109, more than two orders of magnitude greater than the previously reported charge capacity using an ion funnel trap. We also show that over 1×109 ions can be accumulated with high efficiency in the present device, and that the extent of subsequent compression is only limited by the space charge capacity of the trapping region. Lower compression ratios allow increased IM peak heights without significant loss of signal, while excessively large compression ratios can lead to ion losses and other artifacts. Importantly, we show that extended ion accumulation in conjunction with CRIMP and multiple passes provides the basis for a highly desirable combination of ultra-high sensitivity and ultra-high resolution IM separations using SLIM.« less

Investigation at low speeds of the effect of aspect ratio and sweep on rolling stability derivatives of untapered wings

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Goodman, Alex; Fisher, Lewis R.

1949-01-01

A low scale wind tunnel investigation was conducted in rolling flow to determine the effects of aspect ratio and sweep (when varied independently) on the rolling stability derivatives for a series of untapered wings. Test results indicate that when the aspect ratio was held constant, an increase in the sweepback angle caused a significant reduction in the damping in roll at low lift coefficients for only the higher aspect ratios that were tested. This result was in agreement with available swept wing theory which indicated no effect of sweep for aspect ratios near zero. The result of the linear theory that the damping in roll is independent of lift coefficient and that the yawing moment and lateral force due to rolling are directly proportional to the lift coefficient was found to be valid for only a very limited lift coefficient range when the wings were highly swept. For such wings, the damping was found to increase in magnitude and the yawing moment due to rolling, to change from negative to positive at moderate lift coefficients. The effect of wing tip suction, not acounted for by present theory, was found to be very important with regard to the yawing moment due to rolling, particularly for low aspect ratio swept wings. An empirical means of correcting present theory for the effect of tip suction is suggested.

Sonication-Induced Modification of Carbon Nanotubes: Effect on the Rheological and Thermo-Oxidative Behaviour of Polymer-Based Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Arrigo, Rossella; Teresi, Rosalia; Gambarotti, Cristian; Parisi, Filippo; Lazzara, Giuseppe; Dintcheva, Nadka Tzankova

2018-03-05

The aim of this work is the investigation of the effect of ultrasound treatment on the structural characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and the consequent influence that the shortening induced by sonication exerts on the morphology, rheological behaviour and thermo-oxidative resistance of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)-based nanocomposites. First, CNTs have been subjected to sonication for different time intervals and the performed spectroscopic and morphological analyses reveal that a dramatic decrease of the CNT's original length occurs with increased sonication time. The reduction of the initial length of CNTs strongly affects the nanocomposite rheological behaviour, which progressively changes from solid-like to liquid-like as the CNT sonication time increases. The study of the thermo-oxidative behaviour of the investigated nanocomposites reveals that the CNT sonication has a detrimental effect on the thermo-oxidative stability of nanocomposites, especially for long exposure times. The worsening of the thermo-oxidative resistance of sonicated CNT-containing nanocomposites could be attributed to the lower thermal conductivity of low-aspect-ratio CNTs, which causes the increase of the local temperature at the polymer/nanofillers interphase, with the consequent acceleration of the degradative phenomena.

Sonication-Induced Modification of Carbon Nanotubes: Effect on the Rheological and Thermo-Oxidative Behaviour of Polymer-Based Nanocomposites

PubMed Central

Teresi, Rosalia; Gambarotti, Cristian; Dintcheva, Nadka Tzankova

2018-01-01

The aim of this work is the investigation of the effect of ultrasound treatment on the structural characteristics of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and the consequent influence that the shortening induced by sonication exerts on the morphology, rheological behaviour and thermo-oxidative resistance of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE)-based nanocomposites. First, CNTs have been subjected to sonication for different time intervals and the performed spectroscopic and morphological analyses reveal that a dramatic decrease of the CNT’s original length occurs with increased sonication time. The reduction of the initial length of CNTs strongly affects the nanocomposite rheological behaviour, which progressively changes from solid-like to liquid-like as the CNT sonication time increases. The study of the thermo-oxidative behaviour of the investigated nanocomposites reveals that the CNT sonication has a detrimental effect on the thermo-oxidative stability of nanocomposites, especially for long exposure times. The worsening of the thermo-oxidative resistance of sonicated CNT-containing nanocomposites could be attributed to the lower thermal conductivity of low-aspect-ratio CNTs, which causes the increase of the local temperature at the polymer/nanofillers interphase, with the consequent acceleration of the degradative phenomena. PMID:29510595

A new architecture as transparent electrodes for solar and IR applications based on photonic structures via soft lithography

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

Kuang, Ping

2011-01-01

Transparent conducting electrodes with the combination of high optical transmission and good electrical conductivity are essential for solar energy harvesting and electric lighting devices. Currently, indium tin oxide (ITO) is used because ITO offers relatively high transparency (>80%) to visible light and low sheet resistance (R s = 10 ohms/square (Ω /2)) for electrical conduction. However, ITO is costly due to limited indium reserves, and it is brittle. These disadvantages have motivated the search for other conducting electrodes with similar or better properties. There has been research on a variety of electrode structures involving carbon nanotube networks, graphene films, nanowiremore » and nanopatterned meshes and grids. Due to their novel characteristics in light manipulation and collection, photonic crystal structures show promise for further improvement. Here, we report on a new architecture consisting of nanoscale high aspect ratio metallic photonic structures as transparent electrodes fabricated via a combination of processes. For (Au) and silver (Ag) structures, the visible light transmission can reach as high as 80%, and the sheet resistance of the structure can be as low as 3.2Ω /2. The optical transparency of the high aspect ratio metal structures at visible wavelength range is comparable to that of ITO glass, while their sheet resistance is more than 3 times lower, which indicates a much higher electrical conductivity of the metal structures. Furthermore, the high aspect ratio metal structures have very high infrared (IR) reflection (90%) for the transverse magnetic (TM) mode, which can lead to the development of fabrication of metallic structures as IR filters for heat control applications. Investigations of interdigitated structures based on the high aspect ratio metal electrodes are ongoing to study the feasibility in smart window applications in light transmission modulation.« less

Scaling of Magnetic Reconnection in Relativistic Collisionless Pair Plasmas

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Liu, Yi-Hsin; Guo, Fan; Daughton, William; Li, Hui; Hesse, Michael

2015-01-01

Using fully kinetic simulations, we study the scaling of the inflow speed of collisionless magnetic reconnection in electron-positron plasmas from the non-relativistic to ultra-relativistic limit. In the anti-parallel configuration, the inflow speed increases with the upstream magnetization parameter sigma and approaches the speed of light when sigma is greater than O(100), leading to an enhanced reconnection rate. In all regimes, the divergence of the pressure tensor is the dominant term responsible for breaking the frozen-in condition at the x-line. The observed scaling agrees well with a simple model that accounts for the Lorentz contraction of the plasma passing through the diffusion region. The results demonstrate that the aspect ratio of the diffusion region, modified by the compression factor of proper density, remains approximately 0.1 in both the non-relativistic and relativistic limits.

Conformal chemically resistant coatings for microflow devices

DOEpatents

Folta, James A.; Zdeblick, Mark

2003-05-13

A process for coating the inside surfaces of silicon microflow devices, such as electrophoresis microchannels, with a low-stress, conformal (uniform) silicon nitride film which has the ability to uniformly coat deeply-recessed cavities with, for example, aspect ratios of up to 40:1 or higher. The silicon nitride coating allows extended exposure to caustic solutions. The coating enables a microflow device fabricated in silicon to be resistant to all classes of chemicals: acids, bases, and solvents. The process involves low-pressure (vacuum) chemical vapor deposition. The ultra-low-stress silicon nitride deposition process allows 1-2 .mu.m thick films without cracks, and so enables extended chemical protection of a silicon microflow device against caustics for up to 1 year. Tests have demonstrated the resistance of the films to caustic solutions at both ambient and elevated temperatures to 65.degree. C.

Strong geographical variation in wing aspect ratio of a damselfly, Calopteryx maculata (Odonata: Zygoptera)

PubMed Central

2015-01-01

Geographical patterns in body size have been described across a wide range of species, leading to the development of a series of fundamental biological rules. However, shape variables are less well-described despite having substantial consequences for organism performance. Wing aspect ratio (AR) has been proposed as a key shape parameter that determines function in flying animals, with high AR corresponding to longer, thinner wings that promote high manoeuvrability, low speed flight, and low AR corresponding to shorter, broader wings that promote high efficiency long distance flight. From this principle it might be predicted that populations living in cooler areas would exhibit low AR wings to compensate for reduced muscle efficiency at lower temperatures. I test this hypothesis using the riverine damselfly, Calopteryx maculata, sampled from 34 sites across its range margin in North America. Nine hundred and seven male specimens were captured from across the 34 sites (mean = 26.7 ± 2.9 SE per site), dissected and measured to quantify the area and length of all four wings. Geometric morphometrics were employed to investigate geographical variation in wing shape. The majority of variation in wing shape involved changes in wing aspect ratio, confirmed independently by geometric morphometrics and wing measurements. There was a strong negative relationship between wing aspect ratio and the maximum temperature of the warmest month which varies from west-east in North America, creating a positive relationship with longitude. This pattern suggests that higher aspect ratio may be associated with areas in which greater flight efficiency is required: regions of lower temperatures during the flight season. I discuss my findings in light of research of the functional ecology of wing shape across vertebrate and invertebrate taxa. PMID:26336648

A study of the rheology and micro-structure of dumbbells in shear geometries

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mandal, Sandip; Khakhar, D. V.

2018-01-01

We study the flow of frictional, inelastic dumbbells made of two fused spheres of different aspect ratios down a rough inclined plane and in a simple shear cell, using discrete element simulations. At a fixed inclination angle, the mean velocity decreases, and the volume fraction increases significantly with increasing aspect ratio in the chute flow. At a fixed solid fraction, the shear stress and pressure decrease significantly with increasing aspect ratio in the shear cell flow. The micro-structure of the flow is characterized. The translational diffusion coefficient in the normal direction to the flow is found to scale as Dy y=b γ ˙ d2, independent of aspect ratio, where b is a constant, γ ˙ is the shear rate, and d is the diameter of the constituent spheres of the dumbbells. The effective friction coefficient (μ, the ratio of shear stress to pressure) increases by 30%-35% on increasing the aspect ratio λ, from 1.0 to 1.7, for a fixed inertial number I. The volume fraction (ϕ) also increases significantly with increasing aspect ratio, especially at high inertial numbers. The effective friction coefficient and volume fraction are found to follow simple scalings of the form μ = μ(I, λ) and ϕ = ϕ(I, λ) for all the data from both systems, and the results are in reasonable agreement with kinetic theory predictions at low I. The computational results are in reasonable agreement with the experimental data for flow in a rotating cylinder.

SIP Shear Walls: Cyclic Performance of High-Aspect-Ratio Segments and Perforated Walls

Treesearch

Vladimir Kochkin; Douglas R. Rammer; Kevin Kauffman; Thomas Wiliamson; Robert J. Ross

2015-01-01

Increasing stringency of energy codes and the growing market demand for more energy efficient buildings gives structural insulated panel (SIP) construction an opportunity to increase its use in commercial and residential buildings. However, shear wall aspect ratio limitations and lack of knowledge on how to design SIPs with window and door openings are barriers to the...

High-Fidelity Multidisciplinary Design Optimization of Aircraft Configurations

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Martins, Joaquim R. R. A.; Kenway, Gaetan K. W.; Burdette, David; Jonsson, Eirikur; Kennedy, Graeme J.

2017-01-01

To evaluate new airframe technologies we need design tools based on high-fidelity models that consider multidisciplinary interactions early in the design process. The overarching goal of this NRA is to develop tools that enable high-fidelity multidisciplinary design optimization of aircraft configurations, and to apply these tools to the design of high aspect ratio flexible wings. We develop a geometry engine that is capable of quickly generating conventional and unconventional aircraft configurations including the internal structure. This geometry engine features adjoint derivative computation for efficient gradient-based optimization. We also added overset capability to a computational fluid dynamics solver, complete with an adjoint implementation and semiautomatic mesh generation. We also developed an approach to constraining buffet and started the development of an approach for constraining utter. On the applications side, we developed a new common high-fidelity model for aeroelastic studies of high aspect ratio wings. We performed optimal design trade-o s between fuel burn and aircraft weight for metal, conventional composite, and carbon nanotube composite wings. We also assessed a continuous morphing trailing edge technology applied to high aspect ratio wings. This research resulted in the publication of 26 manuscripts so far, and the developed methodologies were used in two other NRAs. 1

Solution Process Synthesis of High Aspect Ratio ZnO Nanorods on Electrode Surface for Sensitive Electrochemical Detection of Uric Acid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ahmad, Rafiq; Tripathy, Nirmalya; Ahn, Min-Sang; Hahn, Yoon-Bong

2017-04-01

This study demonstrates a highly stable, selective and sensitive uric acid (UA) biosensor based on high aspect ratio zinc oxide nanorods (ZNRs) vertical grown on electrode surface via a simple one-step low temperature solution route. Uricase enzyme was immobilized on the ZNRs followed by Nafion covering to fabricate UA sensing electrodes (Nafion/Uricase-ZNRs/Ag). The fabricated electrodes showed enhanced performance with attractive analytical response, such as a high sensitivity of 239.67 μA cm-2 mM-1 in wide-linear range (0.01-4.56 mM), rapid response time (~3 s), low detection limit (5 nM), and low value of apparent Michaelis-Menten constant (Kmapp, 0.025 mM). In addition, selectivity, reproducibility and long-term storage stability of biosensor was also demonstrated. These results can be attributed to the high aspect ratio of vertically grown ZNRs which provides high surface area leading to enhanced enzyme immobilization, high electrocatalytic activity, and direct electron transfer during electrochemical detection of UA. We expect that this biosensor platform will be advantageous to fabricate ultrasensitive, robust, low-cost sensing device for numerous analyte detection.

Study of condensation of refrigerants in a micro-channel for development of future compact micro-channel condensers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chowdhury, Sourav

2009-12-01

Mini- and micro-channel technology has gained considerable ground in the recent years in industry and is favored due to its several advantages stemming from its high surface to volume ratio and high values of proof pressure it can withstand. Micro-channel technology has paved the way to development of highly compact heat exchangers with low cost and mass penalties. In the present work, the issues related to the sizing of compact micro-channel condensers have been explored. The considered designs encompass both the conventional and MEMS fabrication techniques. In case of MEMS-fabricated micro-channel condenser, wet etching of the micro-channel structures, followed by bonding of two such wafers with silicon nitride layers at the interface was attempted. It was concluded that the silicon nitride bonding requires great care in terms of high degree of surface flatness and absence of roughness and also high degree of surface purity and thus cannot be recommended for mass fabrication. Following this investigation, a carefully prepared experimental setup and test micro-channel with hydraulic diameter 700 mum and aspect ratio 7:1 was fabricated and overall heat transfer and pressure drop aspects of two condensing refrigerants, R134a and R245fa were studied at a variety of test conditions. To the best of author's knowledge, so far no data has been reported in the literature on condensation in such high aspect ratio micro-channels. Most of the published experimental works on condensation of refrigerants are concerning conventional hydraulic diameter channels (> 3mm) and only recently some experimental data has been reported in the sub-millimeter scale channels for which the surface tension and viscosity effects play a dominant role and the effect of gravity is diminished. It is found that both experimental data and empirically-derived correlations tend to under-predict the present data by an average of 25%. The reason for this deviation could be because a high aspect ratio channel tends to collect the condensate in the corners of its cross-section leaving only a thin liquid film on the flat side surfaces for better heat transfer than in circular or low aspect ratio channels.

High-aspect-ratio microstructures with versatile slanting angles on silicon by uniform metal-assisted chemical etching

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Li, Liyi; Zhang, Cheng; Tuan, Chia-Chi; Chen, Yun; Wong, C.-P.

2018-05-01

High-aspect-ratio (HAR) microstructures on silicon (Si) play key roles in photonics and electromechanical devices. However, it has been challenging to fabricate HAR microstructures with slanting profiles. Here we report successful fabrication of uniform HAR microstructures with controllable slanting angles on (1 0 0)-Si by slanted uniform metal-assisted chemical etching (SUMaCE). The trenches have width of 2 µm, aspect ratio greater than 20:1 and high geometric uniformity. The slanting angles can be adjusted between 2-70° with respect to the Si surface normal. The results support a fundamental hypothesis that under the UMaCE condition, the preferred etching direction is along the normal of the thin film catalysts, regardless of the relative orientation of the catalyst to Si substrates or the crystalline orientation of the substrates. The SUMaCE method paves the way to HAR 3D microfabrication with arbitrary slanting profiles inside Si.

Ultra-high-aspect-orthogonal and tunable three dimensional polymeric nanochannel stack array for BioMEMS applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heo, Joonseong; Kwon, Hyukjin J.; Jeon, Hyungkook; Kim, Bumjoo; Kim, Sung Jae; Lim, Geunbae

2014-07-01

Nanofabrication technologies have been a strong advocator for new scientific fundamentals that have never been described by traditional theory, and have played a seed role in ground-breaking nano-engineering applications. In this study, we fabricated ultra-high-aspect (~106 with O(100) nm nanochannel opening and O(100) mm length) orthogonal nanochannel array using only polymeric materials. Vertically aligned nanochannel arrays in parallel can be stacked to form a dense nano-structure. Due to the flexibility and stretchability of the material, one can tune the size and shape of the nanochannel using elongation and even roll the stack array to form a radial-uniformly distributed nanochannel array. The roll can be cut at discretionary lengths for incorporation with a micro/nanofluidic device. As examples, we demonstrated ion concentration polarization with the device for Ohmic-limiting/overlimiting current-voltage characteristics and preconcentrated charged species. The density of the nanochannel array was lower than conventional nanoporous membranes, such as anodic aluminum oxide membranes (AAO). However, accurate controllability over the nanochannel array dimensions enabled multiplexed one microstructure-on-one nanostructure interfacing for valuable biological/biomedical microelectromechanical system (BioMEMS) platforms, such as nano-electroporation.Nanofabrication technologies have been a strong advocator for new scientific fundamentals that have never been described by traditional theory, and have played a seed role in ground-breaking nano-engineering applications. In this study, we fabricated ultra-high-aspect (~106 with O(100) nm nanochannel opening and O(100) mm length) orthogonal nanochannel array using only polymeric materials. Vertically aligned nanochannel arrays in parallel can be stacked to form a dense nano-structure. Due to the flexibility and stretchability of the material, one can tune the size and shape of the nanochannel using elongation and even roll the stack array to form a radial-uniformly distributed nanochannel array. The roll can be cut at discretionary lengths for incorporation with a micro/nanofluidic device. As examples, we demonstrated ion concentration polarization with the device for Ohmic-limiting/overlimiting current-voltage characteristics and preconcentrated charged species. The density of the nanochannel array was lower than conventional nanoporous membranes, such as anodic aluminum oxide membranes (AAO). However, accurate controllability over the nanochannel array dimensions enabled multiplexed one microstructure-on-one nanostructure interfacing for valuable biological/biomedical microelectromechanical system (BioMEMS) platforms, such as nano-electroporation. Electronic supplementary information (ESI) available. See DOI: 10.1039/c4nr00350k

Recent developments in novel freezing and thawing technologies applied to foods.

PubMed

Wu, Xiao-Fei; Zhang, Min; Adhikari, Benu; Sun, Jincai

2017-11-22

This article reviews the recent developments in novel freezing and thawing technologies applied to foods. These novel technologies improve the quality of frozen and thawed foods and are energy efficient. The novel technologies applied to freezing include pulsed electric field pre-treatment, ultra-low temperature, ultra-rapid freezing, ultra-high pressure and ultrasound. The novel technologies applied to thawing include ultra-high pressure, ultrasound, high voltage electrostatic field (HVEF), and radio frequency. Ultra-low temperature and ultra-rapid freezing promote the formation and uniform distribution of small ice crystals throughout frozen foods. Ultra-high pressure and ultrasound assisted freezing are non-thermal methods and shorten the freezing time and improve product quality. Ultra-high pressure and HVEF thawing generate high heat transfer rates and accelerate the thawing process. Ultrasound and radio frequency thawing can facilitate thawing process by volumetrically generating heat within frozen foods. It is anticipated that these novel technologies will be increasingly used in food industries in the future.

Nonlinear Structural Analysis Methodology and Dynamics Scaling of Inflatable Parabolic Reflector Antenna Concepts

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sreekantamurthy, Tham; Gaspar, James L.; Mann, Troy; Behun, Vaughn; Pearson, James C., Jr.; Scarborough, Stephen

2007-01-01

Ultra-light weight and ultra-thin membrane inflatable antenna concepts are fast evolving to become the state-of-the-art antenna concepts for deep-space applications. NASA Langley Research Center has been involved in the structural dynamics research on antenna structures. One of the goals of the research is to develop structural analysis methodology for prediction of the static and dynamic response characteristics of the inflatable antenna concepts. This research is focused on the computational studies to use nonlinear large deformation finite element analysis to characterize the ultra-thin membrane responses of the antennas. Recently, structural analyses have been performed on a few parabolic reflector antennas of varying size and shape, which are referred in the paper as 0.3 meters subscale, 2 meters half-scale, and 4 meters full-scale antenna. The various aspects studied included nonlinear analysis methodology and solution techniques, ways to speed convergence in iterative methods, the sensitivities of responses with respect to structural loads, such as inflation pressure, gravity, and pretension loads in the ground and in-space conditions, and the ultra-thin membrane wrinkling characteristics. Several such intrinsic aspects studied have provided valuable insight into evaluation of structural characteristics of such antennas. While analyzing these structural characteristics, a quick study was also made to assess the applicability of dynamics scaling of the half-scale antenna. This paper presents the details of the nonlinear structural analysis results, and discusses the insight gained from the studies on the various intrinsic aspects of the analysis methodology. The predicted reflector surface characteristics of the three inflatable ultra-thin membrane parabolic reflector antenna concepts are presented as easily observable displacement fringe patterns with associated maximum values, and normal mode shapes and associated frequencies. Wrinkling patterns are presented to show how surface wrinkle progress with increasing tension loads. Antenna reflector surface accuracies were found to be very much dependent on the type and size of the antenna, the reflector surface curvature, reflector membrane supports in terms of spacing of catenaries, as well as the amount of applied load.

Noise of Embedded High Aspect Ratio Nozzles

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bridges, James E.

2011-01-01

A family of high aspect ratio nozzles were designed to provide a parametric database of canonical embedded propulsion concepts. Nozzle throat geometries with aspect ratios of 2:1, 4:1, and 8:1 were chosen, all with convergent nozzle areas. The transition from the typical round duct to the rectangular nozzle was designed very carefully to produce a flow at the nozzle exit that was uniform and free from swirl. Once the basic rectangular nozzles were designed, external features common to embedded propulsion systems were added: extended lower lip (a.k.a. bevel, aft deck), differing sidewalls, and chevrons. For the latter detailed Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were made to predict the thrust performance and to optimize parameters such as bevel length, and chevron penetration and azimuthal curvature. Seventeen of these nozzles were fabricated at a scale providing a 2.13 inch diameter equivalent area throat." ! The seventeen nozzles were tested for far-field noise and a few data were presented here on the effect of aspect ratio, bevel length, and chevron count and penetration. The sound field of the 2:1 aspect ratio rectangular jet was very nearly axisymmetric, but the 4:1 and 8:1 were not, the noise on their minor axes being louder than the major axes. Adding bevel length increased the noise of these nozzles, especially on their minor axes, both toward the long and short sides of the beveled nozzle. Chevrons were only added to the 2:1 rectangular jet. Adding 4 chevrons per wide side produced some decrease at aft angles, but increased the high frequency noise at right angles to the jet flow. This trend increased with increasing chevron penetration. Doubling the number of chevrons while maintaining their penetration decreased these effects. Empirical models of the parametric effect of these nozzles were constructed and quantify the trends stated above." Because it is the objective of the Supersonics Project that future design work be done more by physics-based computations and less by experiments, several codes under development were evaluated against these test cases. Preliminary results show that the RANS-based code JeNo predicts the spectral directivity of the low aspect ratio jets well, but has no capability to predict the non-axisymmetry. An effort to address this limitations, used in the RANS-based code of Leib and Goldstein, overpredicted the impact of aspect ratio. The broadband shock noise code RISN, also limited to axisymmetric assumptions, did a good job of predicting the spectral directivity of underexpanded 2:1 cold jet case but was not as successful on high aspect ratio jets, particularly when they are hot. All results are preliminary because the underlying CFD has not been validated yet. An effort using a Large Eddy Simulation code by Stanford University predicted noise that agreed with experiments to within a few dB.

Multifunctional ultra-high vacuum apparatus for studies of the interactions of chemical warfare agents on complex surfaces

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilmsmeyer, Amanda R.; Gordon, Wesley O.; Davis, Erin Durke; Mantooth, Brent A.; Lalain, Teri A.; Morris, John R.

2014-01-01

A fundamental understanding of the surface chemistry of chemical warfare agents is needed to fully predict the interaction of these toxic molecules with militarily relevant materials, catalysts, and environmental surfaces. For example, rules for predicting the surface chemistry of agents can be applied to the creation of next generation decontaminants, reactive coatings, and protective materials for the warfighter. Here, we describe a multifunctional ultra-high vacuum instrument for conducting comprehensive studies of the adsorption, desorption, and surface chemistry of chemical warfare agents on model and militarily relevant surfaces. The system applies reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry to study adsorption and surface reactions of chemical warfare agents. Several novel components have been developed to address the unique safety and sample exposure challenges that accompany the research of these toxic, often very low vapor pressure, compounds. While results of vacuum-based surface science techniques may not necessarily translate directly to environmental processes, learning about the fundamental chemistry will begin to inform scientists about the critical aspects that impact real-world applications.

Multifunctional ultra-high vacuum apparatus for studies of the interactions of chemical warfare agents on complex surfaces.

PubMed

Wilmsmeyer, Amanda R; Gordon, Wesley O; Davis, Erin Durke; Mantooth, Brent A; Lalain, Teri A; Morris, John R

2014-01-01

A fundamental understanding of the surface chemistry of chemical warfare agents is needed to fully predict the interaction of these toxic molecules with militarily relevant materials, catalysts, and environmental surfaces. For example, rules for predicting the surface chemistry of agents can be applied to the creation of next generation decontaminants, reactive coatings, and protective materials for the warfighter. Here, we describe a multifunctional ultra-high vacuum instrument for conducting comprehensive studies of the adsorption, desorption, and surface chemistry of chemical warfare agents on model and militarily relevant surfaces. The system applies reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry to study adsorption and surface reactions of chemical warfare agents. Several novel components have been developed to address the unique safety and sample exposure challenges that accompany the research of these toxic, often very low vapor pressure, compounds. While results of vacuum-based surface science techniques may not necessarily translate directly to environmental processes, learning about the fundamental chemistry will begin to inform scientists about the critical aspects that impact real-world applications.

Development of an ultra high performance liquid chromatography method for determining triamcinolone acetonide in hydrogels using the design of experiments/design space strategy in combination with process capability index.

PubMed

Oliva, Alexis; Monzón, Cecilia; Santoveña, Ana; Fariña, José B; Llabrés, Matías

2016-07-01

An ultra high performance liquid chromatography method was developed and validated for the quantitation of triamcinolone acetonide in an injectable ophthalmic hydrogel to determine the contribution of analytical method error in the content uniformity measurement. During the development phase, the design of experiments/design space strategy was used. For this, the free R-program was used as a commercial software alternative, a fast efficient tool for data analysis. The process capability index was used to find the permitted level of variation for each factor and to define the design space. All these aspects were analyzed and discussed under different experimental conditions by the Monte Carlo simulation method. Second, a pre-study validation procedure was performed in accordance with the International Conference on Harmonization guidelines. The validated method was applied for the determination of uniformity of dosage units and the reasons for variability (inhomogeneity and the analytical method error) were analyzed based on the overall uncertainty. © 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Estimative of conversion fractions of AGN magnetic luminosity to produce ultra high energy cosmic rays from the observation of Fermi-LAT gamma rays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Coimbra-Araújo, Carlos H.; Anjos, Rita C.

2017-01-01

A fraction of the magnetic luminosity (LB) produced by Kerr black holes in some active galactic nuclei (AGNs) can produce the necessary energy to accelerate ultra high energy cosmic rays (UHECRs) beyond the GZK limit, observed, e.g., by the Pierre Auger experiment. Nevertheless, the direct detection of those UHECRs has a lack of information about the direction of the source from where those cosmic rays are coming, since charged particles are deflected by the intergalactic magnetic field. This problem arises the needing of alternative methods to evaluate the luminosity of UHECRs (LCR) from a given source. Methods proposed in literature range from the observation of upper limits in gamma rays to the observation of upper limits in neutrinos produced by cascade effects during the propagation of UHECRs. In this aspect, the present work proposes a method to calculate limits of the main possible conversion fractions ηCR = LCR/LB for nine UHECR AGN Seyfert sources based on the respective observation of gamma ray upper limits from Fermi-LAT data.

Multifunctional ultra-high vacuum apparatus for studies of the interactions of chemical warfare agents on complex surfaces

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

Wilmsmeyer, Amanda R.; Morris, John R.; Gordon, Wesley O.

2014-01-15

A fundamental understanding of the surface chemistry of chemical warfare agents is needed to fully predict the interaction of these toxic molecules with militarily relevant materials, catalysts, and environmental surfaces. For example, rules for predicting the surface chemistry of agents can be applied to the creation of next generation decontaminants, reactive coatings, and protective materials for the warfighter. Here, we describe a multifunctional ultra-high vacuum instrument for conducting comprehensive studies of the adsorption, desorption, and surface chemistry of chemical warfare agents on model and militarily relevant surfaces. The system applies reflection-absorption infrared spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry tomore » study adsorption and surface reactions of chemical warfare agents. Several novel components have been developed to address the unique safety and sample exposure challenges that accompany the research of these toxic, often very low vapor pressure, compounds. While results of vacuum-based surface science techniques may not necessarily translate directly to environmental processes, learning about the fundamental chemistry will begin to inform scientists about the critical aspects that impact real-world applications.« less

Time-resolved molecular characterization of organic aerosols by PILS + UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zhang, X.; Dalleska, N. F.; Huang, D. D.; Bates, K. H.; Sorooshian, A.; Flagan, R. C.; Seinfeld, J. H.

2016-04-01

Real-time and quantitative measurement of particulate matter chemical composition represents one of the most challenging problems in the field of atmospheric chemistry. In the present study, we integrate the Particle-into-Liquid Sampler (PILS) with Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography/Electrospray ionization Quadrupole Time-of-Flight High-Resolution/Mass Spectrometry (UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS) for the time-resolved molecular speciation of chamber-derived secondary organic aerosol (SOA). The unique aspect of the combination of these two well-proven techniques is to provide quantifiable molecular-level information of particle-phase organic compounds on timescales of minutes. We demonstrate that the application of the PILS + UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS method is not limited to water-soluble inorganic ions and organic carbon, but is extended to slightly water-soluble species through collection efficiency calibration together with sensitivity and linearity tests. By correlating the water solubility of individual species with their O:C ratio, a parameter that is available for aerosol ensembles as well, we define an average aerosol O:C ratio threshold of 0.3, above which the PILS overall particulate mass collection efficiency approaches ∼0.7. The PILS + UPLC/ESI-Q-TOFMS method can be potentially applied to probe the formation and evolution mechanism of a variety of biogenic and anthropogenic SOA systems in laboratory chamber experiments. We illustrate the application of this method to the reactive uptake of isoprene epoxydiols (IEPOX) on hydrated and acidic ammonium sulfate aerosols.

Critical aspect ratio for tungsten fibers in copper-nickel matrix composites

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Jech, R. W.

1975-01-01

Stress-rupture and tensile tests were conducted at 816 C (1500 F) to determine the effect of matrix composition on the minimum fiber length to diameter ratio (critical aspect ratio) below which fibers in a tungsten fiber/copper-nickel alloy matrix composite could not be stressed to their ultimate load carrying capability. This study was intended to simulate some of the conditions that might be encountered with materials combinations used in high-temperature composites. The critical aspect ratio for stress-rupture was found to be greater than for short-time tension, and it increased as the time to rupture increased. The increase was relatively slight, and calculated fiber lengths for long service appear to be well within practical size limits for effective reinforcement and ease of fabrication of potential gas turbine components.

All-fiber, ultra-wideband tunable laser at 2 μm.

PubMed

Li, Z; Alam, S U; Jung, Y; Heidt, A M; Richardson, D J

2013-11-15

We report a direct diode-pumped all-fiber tunable laser source at 2 μm with a tuning range of more than 250 nm. A 3 dB power flatness of 200 nm with a maximum output power of 30 mW at 1930 nm was achieved. The laser has a high optical signal-to-noise ratio (OSNR) of more than 40 dB across the whole tuning range.

Ultrasonication-assisted synthesis of high aspect ratio gold nanowires on a graphene template and investigation of their growth mechanism.

PubMed

Xin, Wenbo; De Rosa, Igor M; Cao, Yang; Yin, Xunqian; Yu, Hang; Ye, Peiyi; Carlson, Larry; Yang, Jenn-Ming

2018-04-19

We report a facile synthesis of Au nanowires (AuNWs) with a high aspect ratio (l/D) of up to 5000 on a plasma activated graphene template with ultrasound assistance. We demonstrate that the ultrasonication induced symmetry breaking of Au clusters facilitates the growth of AuNWs from the embryonic stages. Furthermore, the growth mechanism of AuNWs is systematically investigated using high resolution electron transmission microscopy (HRTEM), which reveals the unique role of the defective graphene template in directing the growth of AuNWs.

3D reconstruction of carbon nanotube networks from neutron scattering experiments

DOE PAGES

Mahdavi, Mostafa; Baniassadi, Majid; Baghani, Mostafa; ...

2015-09-03

Structure reconstruction from statistical descriptors, such as scattering data obtained using x-rays or neutrons, is essential in understanding various properties of nanocomposites. Scattering based reconstruction can provide a realistic model, over various length scales, that can be used for numerical simulations. In this study, 3D reconstruction of a highly loaded carbon nanotube (CNT)-conducting polymer system based on small and ultra-small angle neutron scattering (SANS and USANS, respectively) data was performed. These light-weight and flexible materials have recently shown great promise for high-performance thermoelectric energy conversion, and their further improvement requires a thorough understanding of their structure-property relationships. The first stepmore » in achieving such understanding is to generate models that contain the hierarchy of CNT networks over nano and micron scales. The studied system is a single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS). SANS and USANS patterns of the different samples containing 10, 30, and 50 wt% SWCNTs were measured. These curves were then utilized to calculate statistical two-point correlation functions of the nanostructure. These functions along with the geometrical information extracted from SANS data and scanning electron microscopy images were used to reconstruct a representative volume element (RVE) nanostructure. Generated RVEs can be used for simulations of various mechanical and physical properties. This work, therefore, introduces a framework for the reconstruction of 3D RVEs of high volume faction nanocomposites containing high aspect ratio fillers from scattering experiments.« less

3D reconstruction of carbon nanotube networks from neutron scattering experiments

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

Mahdavi, Mostafa; Baniassadi, Majid; Baghani, Mostafa

Structure reconstruction from statistical descriptors, such as scattering data obtained using x-rays or neutrons, is essential in understanding various properties of nanocomposites. Scattering based reconstruction can provide a realistic model, over various length scales, that can be used for numerical simulations. In this study, 3D reconstruction of a highly loaded carbon nanotube (CNT)-conducting polymer system based on small and ultra-small angle neutron scattering (SANS and USANS, respectively) data was performed. These light-weight and flexible materials have recently shown great promise for high-performance thermoelectric energy conversion, and their further improvement requires a thorough understanding of their structure-property relationships. The first stepmore » in achieving such understanding is to generate models that contain the hierarchy of CNT networks over nano and micron scales. The studied system is a single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT)/poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT: PSS). SANS and USANS patterns of the different samples containing 10, 30, and 50 wt% SWCNTs were measured. These curves were then utilized to calculate statistical two-point correlation functions of the nanostructure. These functions along with the geometrical information extracted from SANS data and scanning electron microscopy images were used to reconstruct a representative volume element (RVE) nanostructure. Generated RVEs can be used for simulations of various mechanical and physical properties. This work, therefore, introduces a framework for the reconstruction of 3D RVEs of high volume faction nanocomposites containing high aspect ratio fillers from scattering experiments.« less

The SMS3D photovoltaic concentrator

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Cvetković, Aleksandra; Hernandez, Maikel; Benítez, Pablo; Miñano, Juan Carlos; Schwartz, Joel; Plesniak, Adam; Jones, Russ; Whelan, David

2008-08-01

A novel photovoltaic concentrator is presented. The goal is to achieve high concentration design with high efficiency and high acceptance angle that in the same time is compact and convenient for thermal and mechanical management [1]. This photovoltaic system is based on 1 cm2 multi-junction tandem solar cells and an XR concentrator. The XR concentrator in this system is an SMS 3D design formed by one reflective (X) and one refractive (R) free-form surfaces (i.e., without rotational or linear symmetry) and has been chosen for its excellent aspect ratio and for its ability to perform near the thermodynamic limit. It is a mirror-lens device that has no shadowing elements and has square entry aperture (the whole system aperture area is used for collecting light). This large acceptance angle relaxes the manufacturing tolerances of all the optical and mechanical components of the system included the concentrator itself and is one of the keys to get a cost competitive photovoltaic generator. For the geometrical concentration of 1000x the simulation results show the acceptance angle of +/-1.8 deg. The irradiance distribution on the cell is achieved with ultra-short homogenizing prism, whose size is optimised to keep the maximum values under the ones that the cell can accept. The application of the XR optics to high-concentration is being developed in a consortium leaded by The Boeing Company, which has been awarded a project by US DOE in the framework of the Solar America Initiative.

Reliability Criteria for Thick Bonding Wire.

PubMed

Dagdelen, Turker; Abdel-Rahman, Eihab; Yavuz, Mustafa

2018-04-17

Bonding wire is one of the main interconnection techniques. Thick bonding wire is widely used in power modules and other high power applications. This study examined the case for extending the use of traditional thin wire reliability criteria, namely wire flexure and aspect ratio, to thick wires. Eleven aluminum (Al) and aluminum coated copper (CucorAl) wire samples with diameter 300 μm were tested experimentally. The wire response was measured using a novel non-contact method. High fidelity FEM models of the wire were developed and validated. We found that wire flexure is not correlated to its stress state or fatigue life. On the other hand, aspect ratio is a consistent criterion of thick wire fatigue life. Increasing the wire aspect ratio lowers its critical stress and increases its fatigue life. Moreover, we found that CucorAl wire has superior performance and longer fatigue life than Al wire.

Reliability Criteria for Thick Bonding Wire

PubMed Central

Yavuz, Mustafa

2018-01-01

Bonding wire is one of the main interconnection techniques. Thick bonding wire is widely used in power modules and other high power applications. This study examined the case for extending the use of traditional thin wire reliability criteria, namely wire flexure and aspect ratio, to thick wires. Eleven aluminum (Al) and aluminum coated copper (CucorAl) wire samples with diameter 300 μm were tested experimentally. The wire response was measured using a novel non-contact method. High fidelity FEM models of the wire were developed and validated. We found that wire flexure is not correlated to its stress state or fatigue life. On the other hand, aspect ratio is a consistent criterion of thick wire fatigue life. Increasing the wire aspect ratio lowers its critical stress and increases its fatigue life. Moreover, we found that CucorAl wire has superior performance and longer fatigue life than Al wire. PMID:29673194

Configuration design studies and wind tunnel tests of an energy efficient transport with a high-aspect-ratio supercritical wing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Henne, P. A.; Dahlin, J. A.; Peavey, C. C.; Gerren, D. S.

1982-01-01

The results of design studies and wind tunnel tests of high aspect ratio supercritical wings suitable for a medium range, narrow body transport aircraft flying near M=0.80 were presented. The basic characteristics of the wing design were derived from system studies of advanced transport aircraft where detailed structural and aerodynamic tradeoffs were used to determine the most optimum design from the standpoint of fuel usage and direct operating cost. These basic characteristics included wing area, aspect ratio, average thickness, and sweep. The detailed wing design was accomplished through application of previous test results and advanced computational transonic flow procedures. In addition to the basic wing/body development, considerable attention was directed to nacelle/plyon location effects, horizontal tail effects, and boundary layer transition effects. Results of these tests showed that the basic cruise performance objectives were met or exceeded.

Inertial focusing dynamics in spiral microchannels

PubMed Central

Martel, Joseph M.; Toner, Mehmet

2012-01-01

This report details a comprehensive study of inertial focusing dynamics and particle behavior in low aspect ratio (h/w ∼ 1/1 to 1/8) spiral microchannels. A continuum of particle streak behavior is shown with longitudinal, cross-sectional, and velocity resolution, yielding a large analyzed parameter space. The dataset is then summarized and compared to prior results from both straight microchannels and other low aspect ratio spiral microchannel designs. Breakdown of focusing into a primary and secondary fluorescent streak is observed in the lowest aspect ratio channels at high average downstream velocities. Streak movement away from the theoretically predicted near inner wall equilibrium position towards the center of the channel at high average downstream velocities is also detailed as a precursor to breakdown. State diagrams detail the overall performance of each device including values of the required channel lengths and the range of velocities over which quality focusing can be achieved. PMID:22454556

Non-wetting surface-driven high-aspect-ratio crystalline grain growth for efficient hybrid perovskite solar cells

DOE PAGES

Bi, Cheng; Wang, Qi; Shao, Yuchuan; ...

2015-07-20

Large-aspect-ratio grains are needed in polycrystalline thin-film solar cells for reduced charge recombination at grain boundaries; however, the grain size in organolead trihalide perovskite (OTP) films is generally limited by the film thickness. Here we report the growth of OTP grains with high average aspect ratio of 2.3–7.9 on a wide range of non-wetting hole transport layers (HTLs), which increase nucleus spacing by suppressing heterogeneous nucleation and facilitate grain boundary migration in grain growth by imposing less drag force. The reduced grain boundary area and improved crystallinity dramatically reduce the charge recombination in OTP thin films to the level inmore » OTP single crystals. Combining the high work function of several HTLs, a high stabilized device efficiency of 18.3% in low-temperature-processed planar-heterojunction OTP devices under 1 sun illumination is achieved. As a result, this simple method in enhancing OTP morphology paves the way for its application in other optoelectronic devices for enhanced performance.« less

HAREM: high aspect ratio etching and metallization for microsystems fabrication

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

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

2008-07-01

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

Carbonate pore system evaluation using the velocity-porosity-pressure relationship, digital image analysis, and differential effective medium theory

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lima Neto, Irineu A.; Misságia, Roseane M.; Ceia, Marco A.; Archilha, Nathaly L.; Oliveira, Lucas C.

2014-11-01

Carbonate reservoirs exhibit heterogeneous pore systems and a wide variety of grain types, which affect the rock's elastic properties and the reservoir parameter relationships. To study the Albian carbonates in the Campos Basin, a methodology is proposed to predict the amount of microporosity and the representative aspect ratio of these inclusions. The method assumes three pore-space scales in two representative inclusion scenarios: 1) a macro-mesopore median aspect ratio from the thin-section digital image analysis (DIA) and 2) a microporosity aspect ratio predicted based on the measured P-wave velocities. Through a laboratory analysis of 10 grainstone core samples of the Albian age, the P- and S-wave velocities (Vp and Vs) are evaluated at effective pressures of 0-10 MPa. The analytical theories in the proposed methodology are functions of the aspect ratios from the differential effective medium (DEM) theory, the macro-mesopore system recognized from the DIA, the amount of microporosity determined by the difference between the porosities estimated from laboratorial helium-gas and the thin-section petrographic images, and the P-wave velocities under dry effective pressure conditions. The DIA procedure is applied to estimate the local and global parameters, and the textural implications concerning ultrasonic velocities and image resolution. The macro-mesopore inclusions contribute to stiffer rocks and higher velocities, whereas the microporosity inclusions contribute to softer rocks and lower velocities. We observe a high potential for this methodology, which uses the microporosity aspect ratio inverted from Vp to predict Vs with a good agreement. The results acceptably characterize the Albian grainstones. The representative macro-mesopore aspect ratio is 0.5, and the inverted microporosity aspect ratio ranges from 0.01 to 0.07. The effective pressure induced an effect of slight porosity reduction during the triaxial tests, mainly in the microporosity inclusions, slightly changing the amount and the aspect ratio of the microporosity.

Transport studies in polymer electrolyte fuel cell with porous metallic flow field at ultra high current density

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Srouji, Abdul-Kader

Achieving cost reduction for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC) requires a simultaneous effort in increasing power density while reducing precious metal loading. In PEFCs, the cathode performance is often limiting due to both the slow oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and mass transport limitation caused by limited oxygen diffusion and liquid water flooding at high current density. This study is motivated by the achievement of ultra-high current density through the elimination of the channel/land (C/L) paradigm in PEFC flow field design. An open metallic element (OME) flow field capable of operating at unprecedented ultra-high current density (3 A/cm2) introduces new advantages and limitations for PEFC operation. The first part of this study compares the OME with a conventional C/L flow field, through performance and electrochemical diagnostic tools such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The results indicate the uniqueness of the OME's mass transport improvement. No sign of operation limitation due to flooding is noted. The second part specifically examines water management at high current density using the OME flow field. A unique experimental setup is developed to measure steady-state and transient net water drag across the membrane, in order to characterize the fundamental aspects of water transport at high current density with the OME. Instead of flooding, the new limitation is identified to be anode side dry-out of the membrane, caused by electroosmotic drag. The OME improves water removal from the cathode, which immediately improves oxygen transport and performance. However, the low water content in the cathode reduces back diffusion of water to the membrane, and electroosmotic drag dominates at high current density, leading to dry-out. The third part employs the OME flow field as a tool that avoids C/L effects endemic to a typical flow field, in order to study oxygen transport resistance at the catalyst layer of a PEFC. In open literature, a resistance of unknown origin, was shown to directly or indirectly scale with Pt loading. A lack of understanding of the mechanism responsible for such resistance is noted, and several possible theories have been proposed. This lack of fundamental understanding of the origins of this resistance adds complexity to computational models which are designed to capture performance behavior with ultra-low loading electrodes. By employing the OME flow field as a tool to study this phenomena, the origins of the transport resistance appearing at ultra-low Platinum (Pt) loading is proposed to be an increase in oxygen dilution resistance through water film.

Neoclassical toroidal viscosity in perturbed equilibria with general tokamak geometry

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Logan, Nikolas C.; Park, Jong-Kyu; Kim, Kimin; Wang, Zhirui; Berkery, John W.

2013-12-01

This paper presents a calculation of neoclassical toroidal viscous torque independent of large-aspect-ratio expansions across kinetic regimes. The Perturbed Equilibrium Nonambipolar Transport (PENT) code was developed for this purpose, and is compared to previous combined regime models as well as regime specific limits and a drift kinetic δf guiding center code. It is shown that retaining general expressions, without circular large-aspect-ratio or other orbit approximations, can be important at experimentally relevant aspect ratio and shaping. The superbanana plateau, a kinetic resonance effect recently recognized for its relevance to ITER, is recovered by the PENT calculations and shown to require highly accurate treatment of geometric effects.

Preliminary analysis of the span-distributed-load concept for cargo aircraft design

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Whitehead, A. H., Jr.

1975-01-01

A simplified computer analysis of the span-distributed-load airplane (in which payload is placed within the wing structure) has shown that the span-distributed-load concept has high potential for application to future air cargo transport design. Significant increases in payload fraction over current wide-bodied freighters are shown for gross weights in excess of 0.5 Gg (1,000,000 lb). A cruise-matching calculation shows that the trend toward higher aspect ratio improves overall efficiency; that is, less thrust and fuel are required. The optimal aspect ratio probably is not determined by structural limitations. Terminal-area constraints and increasing design-payload density, however, tend to limit aspect ratio.

Study of Residual Gas Analyser (RGA) Response towards Known Leaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Pathan, Firozkhan S.; Khan, Ziauddin; Semwal, Pratibha; George, Siju; Raval, Dilip C.; Thankey, Prashant L.; Manthena, Himabindu; Yuvakiran, Paravastu; Dhanani, Kalpesh R.

2012-11-01

Helium leak testing is the most versatile form of weld qualification test for any vacuum application. Almost every ultra-high vacuum (UHV) system utilizes this technique for insuring leak tightness for the weld joints as well as demountable joints. During UHV system under operational condition with many other integrated components, in-situ developed leaks identification becomes one of the prime aspect for maintaining the health of such system and for continuing the experiments onwards. Since online utilization of leak detector (LD) has many practical limitations, residual gas analyser (RGA) can be used as a potential instrument for online leak detection. For this purpose, a co-relation for a given leak rate between Leak Detector and RGA is experimentally established. This paper describes the experimental aspect and the relationship between leak detector and RGA.

Particle simulation on heterogeneous distributed supercomputers

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Becker, Jeffrey C.; Dagum, Leonardo

1993-01-01

We describe the implementation and performance of a three dimensional particle simulation distributed between a Thinking Machines CM-2 and a Cray Y-MP. These are connected by a combination of two high-speed networks: a high-performance parallel interface (HIPPI) and an optical network (UltraNet). This is the first application to use this configuration at NASA Ames Research Center. We describe our experience implementing and using the application and report the results of several timing measurements. We show that the distribution of applications across disparate supercomputing platforms is feasible and has reasonable performance. In addition, several practical aspects of the computing environment are discussed.

Ultra-precision fabrication of high density micro-optical backbone interconnections for data center and mobile application

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lohmann, U.; Jahns, J.; Wagner, T.; Werner, C.

2012-10-01

A microoptical 3D interconnection scheme and fabricated samples of this fiberoptical multi-channel interconnec- tion with an actual capacity of 144 channels were shown. Additionally the aspects of micrometer-fabrication of such microoptical interconnection modules in the view of alignment-tolerances were considered. For the realiza- tion of the interconnection schemes, the approach of planar-integrated free space optics (PIFSO) is used with its well known advantages. This approach offers the potential for complex interconnectivity, and yet compact size.

Comparison of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography, ultra high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography for the separation of synthetic cathinones.

PubMed

Carnes, Stephanie; O'Brien, Stacey; Szewczak, Angelica; Tremeau-Cayel, Lauriane; Rowe, Walter F; McCord, Bruce; Lurie, Ira S

2017-09-01

A comparison of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography, ultra high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography for the separation of synthetic cathinones has been conducted. Nine different mixtures of bath salts were analyzed in this study. The three different chromatographic techniques were examined using a general set of controlled synthetic cathinones as well as a variety of other synthetic cathinones that exist as positional isomers. Overall 35 different synthetic cathinones were analyzed. A variety of column types and chromatographic modes were examined for developing each separation. For the ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography separations, analyses were performed using a series of Torus and Trefoil columns with either ammonium formate or ammonium hydroxide as additives, and methanol, ethanol or isopropanol organic solvents as modifiers. Ultra high performance liquid chromatographic separations were performed in both reversed phase and hydrophilic interaction chromatographic modes using SPP C18 and SPP HILIC columns. Gas chromatography separations were performed using an Elite-5MS capillary column. The orthogonality of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography, ultra high performance liquid chromatography, and gas chromatography was examined using principal component analysis. For the best overall separation of synthetic cathinones, the use of ultra high performance supercritical fluid chromatography in combination with gas chromatography is recommended. © 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Flip-chip integrated silicon Mach-Zehnder modulator with a 28nm fully depleted silicon-on-insulator CMOS driver.

PubMed

Yong, Zheng; Shopov, Stefan; Mikkelsen, Jared C; Mallard, Robert; Mak, Jason C C; Voinigescu, Sorin P; Poon, Joyce K S

2017-03-20

We present a silicon electro-optic transmitter consisting of a 28nm ultra-thin body and buried oxide fully depleted silicon-on-insulator (UTBB FD-SOI) CMOS driver flip-chip integrated onto a Mach-Zehnder modulator. The Mach-Zehnder silicon optical modulator was optimized to have a 3dB bandwidth of around 25 GHz at -1V bias and a 50 Ω impedance. The UTBB FD-SOI CMOS driver provided a large output voltage swing around 5 V_pp to enable a high dynamic extinction ratio and a low device insertion loss. At 44 Gbps, the transmitter achieved a high extinction ratio of 6.4 dB at the modulator quadrature operation point. This result shows open eye diagrams at the highest bit rates and with the largest extinction ratios for silicon electro-optic transmitter using a CMOS driver.

Subsonic and transonic pressure measurements on a high-aspect-ratio supercritical-wing model with oscillating control surfaces

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sandford, M. C.; Ricketts, R. H.; Watson, J. J.

1981-01-01

A high aspect ratio supercritical wing with oscillating control surfaces is described. The semispan wing model was instrumented with 252 static orifices and 164 in situ dynamic pressure gases for studying the effects of control surface position and sinusoidal motion on steady and unsteady pressures. Data from the present test (this is the second in a series of tests on this model) were obtained in the Langley Transonic Dynamics Tunnel at Mach numbers of 0.60 and 0.78 and are presented in tabular form.

Study on Locally Confined Deposition of Si Nanocrystals in High-Aspect-Ratio Si Nano-Pillar Array for Nano-Electronic and Nano-Photonic Applications

DTIC Science & Technology

2010-02-23

reflection, thus increasing the quantum efficiency by one order of magnitude and improving the light extraction from the nano-roughened device surface by...respectively. At a biased current of 400 A, the highest external quantum efficiency is over 0.2% to obtain the maximum EL power of >1 W. In...processing techniques for improving the internal and external quantum efficiencies of Si MOSLEDs via detuning the size and density of high-aspect-ratio Si

High aspect ratio sub-15 nm silicon trenches from block copolymer templates.

PubMed

Gu, Xiaodan; Liu, Zuwei; Gunkel, Ilja; Chourou, S T; Hong, Sung Woo; Olynick, Deirdre L; Russell, Thomas P

2012-11-08

High-aspect-ratio sub-15-nm silicon trenches are fabricated directly from plasma etching of a block copolymer mask. A novel method that combines a block copolymer reconstruction process and reactive ion etching is used to make the polymer mask. Silicon trenches are characterized by various methods and used as a master for subsequent imprinting of different materials. Silicon nanoholes are generated from a block copolymer with cylindrical microdomains oriented normal to the surface. Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

High aspect ratio, remote controlled pumping assembly

DOEpatents

Brown, Steve B.; Milanovich, Fred P.

1995-01-01

A miniature dual syringe-type pump assembly which has a high aspect ratio and which is remotely controlled, for use such as in a small diameter penetrometer cone or well packer used in water contamination applications. The pump assembly may be used to supply and remove a reagent to a water contamination sensor, for example, and includes a motor, gearhead and motor encoder assembly for turning a drive screw for an actuator which provides pushing on one syringe and pulling on the other syringe for injecting new reagent and withdrawing used reagent from an associated sensor.

Nanophotonic implementation of optoelectrowetting for microdroplet actuation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Collier, Christopher M.; Hill, Kyle A.; DeWachter, Mark A.; Huizing, Alexander M.; Holzman, Jonathan F.

2015-02-01

The development and ultimate operation of a nanocomposite high-aspect-ratio photoinjection (HARP) device is presented in this work. The device makes use of a nanocomposite material as the optically active layer and the device achieves a large optical penetration depth with a high aspect ratio which provides a strong actuation force far away from the point of photoinjection. The nanocomposite material can be continuously illuminated and the position of the microdroplets can, therefore, be controlled to diffraction limited resolution. The nanocomposite HARP device shows great potential for future on-chip applications.

Real time ablation rate measurement during high aspect-ratio hole drilling with a 120-ps fiber laser.

PubMed

Mezzapesa, Francesco P; Sibillano, Teresa; Di Niso, Francesca; Ancona, Antonio; Lugarà, Pietro M; Dabbicco, Maurizio; Scamarcio, Gaetano

2012-01-02

We report on the instantaneous detection of the ablation rate as a function of depth during ultrafast microdrilling of metal targets. The displacement of the ablation front has been measured with a sub-wavelength resolution using an all-optical sensor based on the laser diode self-mixing interferometry. The time dependence of the laser ablation process within the depth of aluminum and stainless steel targets has been investigated to study the evolution of the material removal rate in high aspect-ratio micromachined holes.

STUDYING FAINT ULTRA-HARD X-RAY EMISSION FROM AGN IN GOALS LIRGS WITH SWIFT/BAT

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

Koss, Michael; Casey, Caitlin M.; Mushotzky, Richard

2013-03-10

We present the first analysis of the all-sky Swift Burst Alert Telescope (BAT) ultra-hard X-ray (14-195 keV) data for a targeted list of objects. We find that the BAT data can be studied at three-times-fainter limits than in previous blind detection catalogs based on prior knowledge of source positions and using smaller energy ranges for source detection. We determine the active galactic nucleus (AGN) fraction in 134 nearby (z < 0.05) luminous infrared galaxies (LIRGs) from the GOALS sample. We find that LIRGs have a higher detection frequency than galaxies matched in stellar mass and redshift at 14-195 keV andmore » 24-35 keV. In agreement with work at other wavelengths, the AGN detection fraction increases strongly at high IR luminosity with half of the high-luminosity LIRGs (50%, 6/12, log L{sub IR}/L{sub Sun} > 11.8) detected. The BAT AGN classification shows 97% (37/38) agreement with Chandra and XMM-Newton AGN classification using hardness ratios or detection of an iron K{alpha} line. This confirms our statistical analysis and supports the use of the Swift/BAT all-sky survey to study fainter populations of any category of sources in the ultra-hard X-ray band. BAT AGNs in LIRGs tend to show higher column densities with 40% {+-} 9% showing 14-195 keV/2-10 keV hardness flux ratios suggestive of high or Compton-thick column densities (log N{sub H} > 24 cm{sup -2}), compared to only 12% {+-} 5% of non-LIRG BAT AGNs. We also find that using specific energy ranges of the BAT detector can yield additional sources over total band detections with 24% (5/21) of detections in LIRGs at 24-35 keV not detected at 14-195 keV.« less

Short revolving wings enable hovering animals to avoid stall and reduce drag

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lentink, David; Kruyt, Jan W.; Heijst, Gertjan F.; Altshuler, Douglas L.

2014-11-01

Long and slender wings reduce the drag of airplanes, helicopters, and gliding animals, which operate at low angle of attack (incidence). Remarkably, there is no evidence for such influence of wing aspect ratio on the energetics of hovering animals that operate their wings at much higher incidence. High incidence causes aircraft wings to stall, hovering animals avoid stall by generating an attached vortex along the leading edge of their wings that elevates lift. Hypotheses that explain this capability include the necessity for a short radial distance between the shoulder joint and wing tip, measured in chord lengths, instead of the long tip-to-tip distance that elevates aircraft performance. This stems from how hovering animals revolve their wings around a joint, a condition for which the precise effect of aspect ratio on stall performance is unknown. Here we show that the attachment of the leading edge vortex is determined by wing aspect ratio with respect to the center of rotation-for a suite of aspect ratios that represent both animal and aircraft wings. The vortex remains attached when the local radius is shorter than 4 chord lengths, and separates outboard on more slender wings. Like most other hovering animals, hummingbirds have wing aspect ratios between 3 and 4, much stubbier than helicopters. Our results show this makes their wings robust against flow separation, which reduces drag below values obtained with more slender wings. This revises our understanding of how aspect ratio improves performance at low Reynolds numbers.

Blade tip, finite aspect ratio, and dynamic stall effects on the Darrieus rotor

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paraschivoiu, I.; Desy, P.; Masson, C.

1988-02-01

The objective of the work described in this paper was to apply the Boeing-Vertol dynamic stall model in an asymmetric manner to account for the asymmetry of the flow between the left and right sides of the rotor. This phenomenon has been observed by the flow visualization of a two-straight-bladed Darrieus rotor in the IMST water tunnel. Also introduced into the aerodynamic model are the effects of the blade tip and finite aspect ratio on the aerodynamic performance of the Darrieus wind turbine. These improvements are compatible with the double-multiple-streamtube model and have been included in the CARDAAV computer code for predicting the aerodynamic performance. Very good agreement has been observed between the test data (Sandia 17 m) and theoretical predictions; a significant improvement over the previous dynamic stall model was obtained for the rotor power at low tip speed ratios, while the inclusion of the finite aspect ratio effects enhances the prediction of the rotor power for high tip speed ratios. The tip losses and finite aspect ratio effects were also calculated for a small-scale vertical-axis wind turbine, with a two-straight-bladed (NACA 0015) rotor.

Design and Analyses of High Aspect Ratio Nozzles for Distributed Propulsion Acoustic Measurements

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Dippold, Vance F., III

2016-01-01

A series of three convergent, round-to-rectangular high aspect ratio (HAR) nozzles were designed for acoustic testing at the NASA Glenn Research Center Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig (NATR). The HAR nozzles had exit area aspect ratios of 8:1, 12:1, and 16:1. The nozzles were designed to mimic a distributed propulsion system array with a slot nozzle. The nozzle designs were screened using Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) simulations. In addition to meeting the geometric constraints required for testing in the NATR, the HAR nozzles were designed to be free of flow features that would produce unwanted noise (e.g., flow separations) and to have uniform flow at the nozzle exit. Multiple methods were used to generate HAR nozzle designs. The final HAR nozzle designs were generated in segments using a computer code that parameterized each segment. RANS screening simulations showed that intermediate nozzle designs suffered flow separation, a normal shockwave at the nozzle exit (caused by an aerodynamic throat produced by boundary layer growth), and non-uniform flow at the nozzle exit. The RANS simulations showed that the final HAR nozzle designs were free of flow separations, but were not entirely successful at producing a fully uniform flow at the nozzle exit. The final designs suffered a pair of counter-rotating vortices along the outboard walls of the nozzle. The 16:1 aspect ratio HAR nozzle had the least uniform flow at the exit plane; the 8:1 aspect ratio HAR nozzles had a fairly uniform flow at the nozzle exit plane.

High-aspect ratio micro- and nanostructures enabled by photo-electrochemical etching for sensing and energy harvesting applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Alhalaili, Badriyah; Dryden, Daniel M.; Vidu, Ruxandra; Ghandiparsi, Soroush; Cansizoglu, Hilal; Gao, Yang; Saif Islam, M.

2018-03-01

Photo-electrochemical (PEC) etching can produce high-aspect ratio features, such as pillars and holes, with high anisotropy and selectivity, while avoiding the surface and sidewall damage caused by traditional deep reactive ion etching (DRIE) or inductively coupled plasma (ICP) RIE. Plasma-based techniques lead to the formation of dangling bonds, surface traps, carrier leakage paths, and recombination centers. In pursuit of effective PEC etching, we demonstrate an optical system using long wavelength (λ = 975 nm) infra-red (IR) illumination from a high-power laser (1-10 W) to control the PEC etching process in n-type silicon. The silicon wafer surface was patterned with notches through a lithography process and KOH etching. Then, PEC etching was introduced by illuminating the backside of the silicon wafer to enhance depth, resulting in high-aspect ratio structures. The effect of the PEC etching process was optimized by varying light intensities and electrolyte concentrations. This work was focused on determining and optimizing this PEC etching technique on silicon, with the goal of expanding the method to a variety of materials including GaN and SiC that are used in designing optoelectronic and electronic devices, sensors and energy harvesting devices.

Fluidic assembly for an ultra-high-speed chromosome flow sorter

DOEpatents

Gray, J.W.; Alger, T.W.; Lord, D.E.

1978-11-26

A fluidic assembly for an ultra-high-speed chromosome flow sorter using a fluid drive system of high pressure in the range of 250 to 1000 psi for greater flow velocity, a nozzle with an orifice having a small ratio of length to diameter for laminar flow rates well above the critical Reynolds number for the high flow velocity, and means for vibrating the nozzle along its axis at high frequencies in a range of about 300 kHz to 800 kHz ae described. The orifice is provided with a sharp edge at its inlet, and a conical section at its outlet for a transition from a short cylindrical aperture of small length to diameter ratio to free space. Sample and sheath fluids in separte low pressure reservoirs are transferred into separate high pressure buffer reservoirs through valve means which first permit the fluids to be loaded into the buffer reservoirs under low pressure. Once loaded, the buffer reservoirs are subjected ato high pressure and valves are operated to permit the buffer reservoirs to be emptied through the nozzle under high pressure. A sensor and decision logic is positioned at the exit of the nozzle, and a charging pulse is applied to the jet when a particle reaches a position further downstream where the droplets are formed. In order to adjust the timing of charge pulses, the distance between the sensing station at the outlet of the nozzle and the droplet breakoff point is determined by stroboscopic illumination of the droplet breakoff region using a laser and a revolving lucite cylinder for breaking up the coherency of the laser, and a beam on/off modulator. The breakoff point in the region thus illuminated may then be viewed, using a television monitor.

Engineering a Live UHD Program from the International Space Station

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Grubbs, Rodney; George, Sandy

2017-01-01

The first-ever live downlink of Ultra-High Definition (UHD) video from the International Space Station (ISS) was the highlight of a “Super Session” at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show in April 2017. Ultra-High Definition is four times the resolution of “full HD” or “1080P” video. Also referred to as “4K”, the Ultra-High Definition video downlink from the ISS all the way to the Las Vegas Convention Center required considerable planning, pushed the limits of conventional video distribution from a space-craft, and was the first use of High Efficiency Video Coding (HEVC) from a space-craft. The live event at NAB will serve as a pathfinder for more routine downlinks of UHD as well as use of HEVC for conventional HD downlinks to save bandwidth. A similar demonstration was conducted in 2006 with the Discovery Channel to demonstrate the ability to stream HDTV from the ISS. This paper will describe the overall work flow and routing of the UHD video, how audio was synchronized even though the video and audio were received many seconds apart from each other, and how the demonstration paves the way for not only more efficient video distribution from the ISS, but also serves as a pathfinder for more complex video distribution from deep space. The paper will also describe how a “live” event was staged when the UHD video coming from the ISS had a latency of 10+ seconds. In addition, the paper will touch on the unique collaboration between the inherently governmental aspects of the ISS, commercial partners Amazon and Elemental, and the National Association of Broadcasters.

A biomimetic hybrid nanoplatform for encapsulation and precisely controlled delivery of therasnostic agents

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wang, Hai; Agarwal, Pranay; Zhao, Shuting; Yu, Jianhua; Lu, Xiongbin; He, Xiaoming

2015-12-01

Nanoparticles have demonstrated great potential for enhancing drug delivery. However, the low drug encapsulation efficiency at high drug-to-nanoparticle feeding ratios and minimal drug loading content in nanoparticle at any feeding ratios are major hurdles to their widespread applications. Here we report a robust eukaryotic cell-like hybrid nanoplatform (EukaCell) for encapsulation of theranostic agents (doxorubicin and indocyanine green). The EukaCell consists of a phospholipid membrane, a cytoskeleton-like mesoporous silica matrix and a nucleus-like fullerene core. At high drug-to-nanoparticle feeding ratios (for example, 1:0.5), the encapsulation efficiency and loading content can be improved by 58 and 21 times, respectively, compared with conventional silica nanoparticles. Moreover, release of the encapsulated drug can be precisely controlled via dosing near infrared laser irradiation. Ultimately, the ultra-high (up to ~87%) loading content renders augmented anticancer capacity both in vitro and in vivo. Our EukaCell is valuable for drug delivery to fight against cancer and potentially other diseases.

SlimCS—compact low aspect ratio DEMO reactor with reduced-size central solenoid

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Tobita, K.; Nishio, S.; Sato, M.; Sakurai, S.; Hayashi, T.; Shibama, Y. K.; Isono, T.; Enoeda, M.; Nakamura, H.; Sato, S.; Ezato, K.; Hayashi, T.; Hirose, T.; Ide, S.; Inoue, T.; Kamada, Y.; Kawamura, Y.; Kawashima, H.; Koizumi, N.; Kurita, G.; Nakamura, Y.; Mouri, K.; Nishitani, T.; Ohmori, J.; Oyama, N.; Sakamoto, K.; Suzuki, S.; Suzuki, T.; Tanigawa, H.; Tsuchiya, K.; Tsuru, D.

2007-08-01

The concept for a compact DEMO reactor named 'SlimCS' is presented. Distinctive features of the concept are low aspect ratio (A = 2.6) and use of a reduced-size centre solenoid (CS) which has the function of plasma shaping rather than poloidal flux supply. The reduced-size CS enables us to introduce a thin toroidal field coil system which contributes to reducing the weight and perhaps lessening the construction cost. Low-A has merits of vertical stability for high elongation (κ) and high normalized beta (βN), which leads to a high power density with reasonable physics requirements. This is because high κ facilitates high nGW (because of an increase in Ip), which allows efficient use of the capacity of high βN. From an engineering aspect, low-A may ensure ease in designing blanket modules robust to electromagnetic forces acting on disruptions. Thus, a superconducting low-A tokamak reactor such as SlimCS can be a promising DEMO concept with physics and engineering advantages.

Achieving a long-lived high-beta plasma state by energetic beam injection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Guo, H. Y.; Binderbauer, M. W.; Tajima, T.; Milroy, R. D.; Steinhauer, L. C.; Yang, X.; Garate, E. G.; Gota, H.; Korepanov, S.; Necas, A.; Roche, T.; Smirnov, A.; Trask, E.

2015-04-01

Developing a stable plasma state with high-beta (ratio of plasma to magnetic pressures) is of critical importance for an economic magnetic fusion reactor. At the forefront of this endeavour is the field-reversed configuration. Here we demonstrate the kinetic stabilizing effect of fast ions on a disruptive magneto-hydrodynamic instability, known as a tilt mode, which poses a central obstacle to further field-reversed configuration development, by energetic beam injection. This technique, combined with the synergistic effect of active plasma boundary control, enables a fully stable ultra-high-beta (approaching 100%) plasma with a long lifetime.

2D fall of granular columns controlled by slow horizontal withdrawal of a retaining wall

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mériaux, C. A.

2006-12-01

This paper describes a series of experiments designed to investigate the fall of granular columns in quasi- static regime. Columns made of alternatively green and red sand layers were initially laid out in a box and then released when a retaining wall was set in slow motion with constant speed. The dependence of the dynamics of the fall on the initial aspect ratio of the columns, the velocity of the wall and the material properties was investigated within the quasi-static regime. A change in the behaviour of the columns was identified to be a function of the aspect ratio (height/length) of the initial sand column. Columns of high aspect ratio first subsided before sliding along failure planes, while columns of small aspect ratio were only observed to slide along failure planes. The transition between these two characteristic falls occurred regardless of the material and the velocity of the wall in the context of the quasi-static regime. When the final height and length of the piles were analyzed, we found power-law relations of the ratio of initial to final height and final run-out to initial length with the aspect ratio of the column. The dissipation of energy is also shown to increase with the run-out length of the pile until it reaches a plateau.

Modelling high-resolution ALMA observations of strongly lensed highly star-forming galaxies detected by Herschel

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dye, S.; Furlanetto, C.; Dunne, L.; Eales, S. A.; Negrello, M.; Nayyeri, H.; van der Werf, P. P.; Serjeant, S.; Farrah, D.; Michałowski, M. J.; Baes, M.; Marchetti, L.; Cooray, A.; Riechers, D. A.; Amvrosiadis, A.

2018-06-01

We have modelled ˜0.1 arcsec resolution Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimeter Array imaging of six strong gravitationally lensed galaxies detected by the Herschel Space Observatory. Our modelling recovers mass properties of the lensing galaxies and, by determining magnification factors, intrinsic properties of the lensed submillimetre sources. We find that the lensed galaxies all have high ratios of star formation rate to dust mass, consistent with or higher than the mean ratio for high-redshift submillimetre galaxies and low-redshift ultra-luminous infrared galaxies. Source reconstruction reveals that most galaxies exhibit disturbed morphologies. Both the cleaned image plane data and the directly observed interferometric visibilities have been modelled, enabling comparison of both approaches. In the majority of cases, the recovered lens models are consistent between methods, all six having mass density profiles that are close to isothermal. However, one system with poor signal to noise shows mildly significant differences.

Modeling topology formation during laser ablation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Hodapp, T. W.; Fleming, P. R.

1998-07-01

Micromachining high aspect-ratio structures can be accomplished through ablation of surfaces with high-powered lasers. Industrial manufacturers now use these methods to form complex and regular surfaces at the 10-1000 μm feature size range. Despite its increasingly wide acceptance on the manufacturing floor, the underlying photochemistry of the ablation mechanism, and hence the dynamics of the machining process, is still a question of considerable debate. We have constructed a computer model to investigate and predict the topological formation of ablated structures. Qualitative as well as quantitative agreement with excimer-laser machined polyimide substrates has been demonstrated. This model provides insights into the drilling process for high-aspect-ratio holes.

Ultra-structural defects cause low bone matrix stiffness despite high mineralization in osteogenesis imperfecta mice☆

PubMed Central

Vanleene, Maximilien; Porter, Alexandra; Guillot, Pascale-Valerie; Boyde, Alan; Oyen, Michelle; Shefelbine, Sandra

2012-01-01

Bone is a complex material with a hierarchical multi-scale organization from the molecule to the organ scale. The genetic bone disease, osteogenesis imperfecta, is primarily caused by mutations in the collagen type I genes, resulting in bone fragility. Because the basis of the disease is molecular with ramifications at the whole bone level, it provides a platform for investigating the relationship between structure, composition, and mechanics throughout the hierarchy. Prior studies have individually shown that OI leads to: 1. increased bone mineralization, 2. decreased elastic modulus, and 3. smaller apatite crystal size. However, these have not been studied together and the mechanism for how mineral structure influences tissue mechanics has not been identified. This lack of understanding inhibits the development of more accurate models and therapies. To address this research gap, we used a mouse model of the disease (oim) to measure these outcomes together in order to propose an underlying mechanism for the changes in properties. Our main finding was that despite increased mineralization, oim bones have lower stiffness that may result from the poorly organized mineral matrix with significantly smaller, highly packed and disoriented apatite crystals. Using a composite framework, we interpret the lower oim bone matrix elasticity observed as the result of a change in the aspect ratio of apatite crystals and a disruption of the crystal connectivity. PMID:22449447

Ultra-structural defects cause low bone matrix stiffness despite high mineralization in osteogenesis imperfecta mice.

PubMed

Vanleene, Maximilien; Porter, Alexandra; Guillot, Pascale-Valerie; Boyde, Alan; Oyen, Michelle; Shefelbine, Sandra

2012-06-01

Bone is a complex material with a hierarchical multi-scale organization from the molecule to the organ scale. The genetic bone disease, osteogenesis imperfecta, is primarily caused by mutations in the collagen type I genes, resulting in bone fragility. Because the basis of the disease is molecular with ramifications at the whole bone level, it provides a platform for investigating the relationship between structure, composition, and mechanics throughout the hierarchy. Prior studies have individually shown that OI leads to: 1. increased bone mineralization, 2. decreased elastic modulus, and 3. smaller apatite crystal size. However, these have not been studied together and the mechanism for how mineral structure influences tissue mechanics has not been identified. This lack of understanding inhibits the development of more accurate models and therapies. To address this research gap, we used a mouse model of the disease (oim) to measure these outcomes together in order to propose an underlying mechanism for the changes in properties. Our main finding was that despite increased mineralization, oim bones have lower stiffness that may result from the poorly organized mineral matrix with significantly smaller, highly packed and disoriented apatite crystals. Using a composite framework, we interpret the lower oim bone matrix elasticity observed as the result of a change in the aspect ratio of apatite crystals and a disruption of the crystal connectivity. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Submicron bidirectional all-optical plasmonic switches

PubMed Central

Chen, Jianjun; Li, Zhi; Zhang, Xiang; Xiao, Jinghua; Gong, Qihuang

2013-01-01

Ultra-small all-optical switches are of importance in highly integrated optical communication and computing networks. However, the weak nonlinear light-matter interactions in natural materials present an enormous challenge to realize efficiently switching for the ultra-short interaction lengths. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a submicron bidirectional all-optical plasmonic switch with an asymmetric T-shape single slit. Sharp asymmetric spectra as well as significant field enhancements (about 18 times that in the conventional slit case) occur in the symmetry-breaking structure. Consequently, both of the surface plasmon polaritons propagating in the opposite directions on the metal surface are all-optically controlled inversely at the same time with the on/off switching ratios of >6 dB for the device lateral dimension of <1 μm. Moreover, in such a submicron structure, the coupling of free-space light and the on-chip bidirectional switching are integrated together. This submicron bidirectional all-optical switch may find important applications in the highly integrated plasmonic circuits. PMID:23486232

Ultra-Sensitive Strain Sensor Based on Flexible Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Piezoelectric Film

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Lu, Kai; Huang, Wen; Guo, Junxiong; Gong, Tianxun; Wei, Xiongbang; Lu, Bing-Wei; Liu, Si-Yi; Yu, Bin

2018-03-01

A flexible 4 × 4 sensor array with 16 micro-scale capacitive units has been demonstrated based on flexible piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) film. The piezoelectricity and surface morphology of the PVDF were examined by optical imaging and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). The PFM shows phase contrast, indicating clear interface between the PVDF and electrode. The electro-mechanical properties show that the sensor exhibits excellent output response and an ultra-high signal-to-noise ratio. The output voltage and the applied pressure possess linear relationship with a slope of 12 mV/kPa. The hold-and-release output characteristics recover in less than 2.5 μs, demonstrating outstanding electro-mechanical response. Additionally, signal interference between the adjacent arrays has been investigated via theoretical simulation. The results show the interference reduces with decreasing pressure at a rate of 0.028 mV/kPa, highly scalable with electrode size and becoming insignificant for pressure level under 178 kPa.

Ultra-Sensitive Strain Sensor Based on Flexible Poly(vinylidene fluoride) Piezoelectric Film.

PubMed

Lu, Kai; Huang, Wen; Guo, Junxiong; Gong, Tianxun; Wei, Xiongbang; Lu, Bing-Wei; Liu, Si-Yi; Yu, Bin

2018-03-14

A flexible 4 × 4 sensor array with 16 micro-scale capacitive units has been demonstrated based on flexible piezoelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) film. The piezoelectricity and surface morphology of the PVDF were examined by optical imaging and piezoresponse force microscopy (PFM). The PFM shows phase contrast, indicating clear interface between the PVDF and electrode. The electro-mechanical properties show that the sensor exhibits excellent output response and an ultra-high signal-to-noise ratio. The output voltage and the applied pressure possess linear relationship with a slope of 12 mV/kPa. The hold-and-release output characteristics recover in less than 2.5 μs, demonstrating outstanding electro-mechanical response. Additionally, signal interference between the adjacent arrays has been investigated via theoretical simulation. The results show the interference reduces with decreasing pressure at a rate of 0.028 mV/kPa, highly scalable with electrode size and becoming insignificant for pressure level under 178 kPa.

Effect of Aspect Ratio on Electrical, Rheological and Glass Transition Properties of PC/MWCNT Nanocomposites.

PubMed

Cruz, Heidy; Son, Younggon

2018-02-01

Since the discovery of carbon nanotubes (CNT), significant research works have focused on the application of CNT as conductive filler to polymer nanocomposites which can be used in several fields such as electrostatic dissipation (ESD), electrostatic painting and electromagnetic interference shielding (EMI-shielding). However, the main challenge in the large-scale manufacturing of this technology is the poor electrical conductivity of polymer nanocomposites produced by injection molding process. This study aims to investigate the effect of CNT aspect ratio in improving the electrical conductivity of injection molded nanocomposites. In this work, three types of multiwall carbon nanotubes with different lengths were melt-mixed with polycarbonate in a twin screw extruder followed by injection and compression molding. Results show that nanocomposites with higher CNT aspect ratio exhibit higher electrical conductivity. Longer nanotubes form a stronger conductive network during secondary agglomeration which can withstand the high shear forces during injection molding. Higher melt viscosity and storage modulus were observed in nanocomposites with higher CNT aspect ratio which is attributed to the effective constriction of polymer chains by longer nanotubes. It was also found that Tg of the composites increased with nanotube aspect ratio and the addition of CNT causes degradation which leads to the general Tg depression of polycarbonate.

Influence of aspect ratio and surface defect density on hydrothermally grown ZnO nanorods towards amperometric glucose biosensing applications

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shukla, Mayoorika; Pramila; Dixit, Tejendra; Prakash, Rajiv; Palani, I. A.; Singh, Vipul

2017-11-01

In this work, hydrothermally grown ZnO Nanorods Array (ZNA) has been synthesized over Platinum (Pt) coated glass substrate, for biosensing applications. In-situ addition of strong oxidizing agent viz KMnO4 during hydrothermal growth was found to have profound effect on the physical properties of ZNA. Glucose oxidase (GOx) was later immobilized over ZNA by means of physical adsorption process. Further influence of varying aspect ratio, enzyme loading and surface defects on amperometric glucose biosensor has been analyzed. Significant variation in biosensor performance was observed by varying the amount of KMnO4 addition during the growth. Moreover, investigations revealed that the suppression of surface defects and aspect ratio variation of the ZNA played key role towards the observed improvement in the biosensor performance, thereby significantly affecting the sensitivity and response time of the fabricated biosensor. Among different biosensors fabricated having varied aspect ratio and surface defect density of ZNA, the best electrode resulted into sensitivity and response time to be 18.7 mA cm-2 M-1 and <5 s respectively. The observed results revealed that apart from high aspect ratio nanostructures and the extent of enzyme loading, surface defect density also hold a key towards ZnO nanostructures based bio-sensing applications.

Consumption of minimally processed food is inversely associated with excess weight in adolescents living in an underdeveloped city.

PubMed

Melo, Ingrid Sofia Vieira de; Costa, Clara Andrezza Crisóstomo Bezerra; Santos, João Victor Laurindo Dos; Santos, Aldenir Feitosa Dos; Florêncio, Telma Maria de Menezes Toledo; Bueno, Nassib Bezerra

2017-01-01

The consumption of ultra-processed foods may be associated with the development of chronic diseases, both in adults and in children/adolescents. This consumption is growing worldwide, especially in low and middle-income countries. Nevertheless, its magnitude in small, poor cities from the countryside is not well characterized, especially in adolescents. This study aimed to assess the consumption of minimally processed, processed and ultra-processed foods by adolescents from a poor Brazilian city and to determine if it was associated with excess weight, high waist circumference and high blood pressure. Cross-sectional study, conducted at a public federal school that offers technical education together with high school, located in the city of Murici. Adolescents of both sexes and aged between 14-19 years old were included. Anthropometric characteristics (weight, height, waist circumference), blood pressure, and dietary intake data were assessed. Associations were calculated using Poisson regression models, adjusted by sex and age. At total, 249 adolescents were included, being 55.8% girls, with a mean age of 16 years-old. The consumption of minimally processed foods was inversely associated with excess weight (Adjusted Prevalence Ratio: 0.61, 95% Confidence Interval: [0.39-0.96], P = 0.03). Although the consumption of ultra-processed foods was not associated with excess weight, high blood pressure and high waist circumference, 46.2% of the sample reported eating these products more than weekly. Consumption of minimally processed food is inversely associated with excess weight in adolescents. Investments in nutritional education aiming the prevention of chronic diseases associated with the consumption of these foods are necessary.

Study of blade aspect ratio on a compressor front stage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Behlke, R. F.; Brooky, J. D.; Canal, E., Jr.

1980-01-01

A single stage, low aspect ratio, compressor with a 442.0 m/sec (1450 ft/sec) tip speed and a 0.597 hub/tip ratio typical of an advanced core compressor front stage was tested. The test stage incorporated an inlet duct which was representative of an engine transition duct between fan and high pressure compressors. At design speed, the rotor stator stage achieved a peak adiabatic efficiency of 86.6 percent at a flow of 44.35 kg/sec (97.8 lbm/sec) and a pressure ratio of 1.8. Surge margin was 12.5 percent from the peak stage efficiency point.

A novel interferometric method for the study of the viscoelastic properties of ultra-thin polymer films determined from nanobubble inflation

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chapuis, P.; Montgomery, P. C.; Anstotz, F.; Leong-Hoï, A.; Gauthier, C.; Baschnagel, J.; Reiter, G.; McKenna, G. B.; Rubin, A.

2017-09-01

Glass formation and glassy behavior remain as the important areas of investigation in soft matter physics with many aspects which are still not completely understood, especially at the nanometer size-scale. In the present work, we show an extension of the "nanobubble inflation" method developed by O'Connell and McKenna [Rev. Sci. Instrum. 78, 013901 (2007)] which uses an interferometric method to measure the topography of a large array of 5 μ m sized nanometer thick films subjected to constant inflation pressures during which the bubbles grow or creep with time. The interferometric method offers the possibility of making measurements on multiple bubbles at once as well as having the advantage over the AFM methods of O'Connell and McKenna of being a true non-contact method. Here we demonstrate the method using ultra-thin films of both poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAc) and polystyrene (PS) and discuss the capabilities of the method relative to the AFM method, its advantages and disadvantages. Furthermore we show that the results from experiments on PVAc are consistent with the prior work on PVAc, while high stress results with PS show signs of a new non-linear response regime that may be related to the plasticity of the ultra-thin film.

Measurement and calculation of ternary oxide mixtures for thin films for ultra short pulse laser optics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jupé, M.; Mende, M.; Kolleck, C.; Ristau, D.; Gallais, L.; Mangote, B.

2011-12-01

The femto-second technology gains of increasing importance in industrial applications. In this context, a new generation of compact and low cost laser sources has to be provided on a commercial basis. Typical pulse durations of these sources are specified in the range from a few hundred femtoup to some pico-seconds, and typical wavelengths are centered around 1030-1080nm. As a consequence, also the demands imposed on high power optical components for these laser sources are rapidly increasing, especially in respect to their power handling capability in the ultra-short pulse range. The present contribution is dedicated to some aspects for improving this quality parameter of optical coatings. The study is based on a set of hafnia and silica mixtures with different compositions and optical band gaps. This material combination displays under ultra-short pulse laser irradiation effects, which are typically for thermal processes. For instance, melting had been observed in the morphology of damaged sides. In this context, models for a prediction of the laser damage thresholds and scaling laws are scrutinized, and have been modified calculating the energy of the electron ensemble. Furthermore, a simple first order approach for the calculation of the temperature was included.

Fabrication method to create high-aspect ratio pillars for photonic coupling of board level interconnects

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Debaes, C.; Van Erps, J.; Karppinen, M.; Hiltunen, J.; Suyal, H.; Last, A.; Lee, M. G.; Karioja, P.; Taghizadeh, M.; Mohr, J.; Thienpont, H.; Glebov, A. L.

2008-04-01

An important challenge that remains to date in board level optical interconnects is the coupling between the optical waveguides on printed wiring boards and the packaged optoelectronics chips, which are preferably surface mountable on the boards. One possible solution is the use of Ball Grid Array (BGA) packages. This approach offers a reliable attachment despite the large CTE mismatch between the organic FR4 board and the semiconductor materials. Collimation via micro-lenses is here typically deployed to couple the light vertically from the waveguide substrate to the optoelectronics while allowing for a small misalignment between board and package. In this work, we explore the fabrication issues of an alternative approach in which the vertical photonic connection between board and package is governed by a micro-optical pillar which is attached both to the board substrate and to the optoelectronic chips. Such an approach allows for high density connections and small, high-speed detector footprints while maintaining an acceptable tolerance between board and package. The pillar should exhibit some flexibility and thus a high-aspect ratio is preferred. This work presents and compares different fabrication methods and applies different materials for such high-aspect ratio pillars. The different fabrication methods are: photolithography, direct laser writing and deep proton writing. The selection of optical materials that was investigated is: SU8, Ormocers, PU and a multifunctional acrylate polymer. The resulting optical pillars have diameters ranging from 20um up to 80um, with total heights ranging between 30um and 100um (symbol for micron). The aspect-ratio of the fabricated structures ranges from 1.5 to 5.

Study on High Resolution Membrane-Based Diffractive Optical Imaging on Geostationary Orbit

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Jiao, J.; Wang, B.; Wang, C.; Zhang, Y.; Jin, J.; Liu, Z.; Su, Y.; Ruan, N.

2017-05-01

Diffractive optical imaging technology provides a new way to realize high resolution earth observation on geostationary orbit. There are a lot of benefits to use the membrane-based diffractive optical element in ultra-large aperture optical imaging system, including loose tolerance, light weight, easy folding and unfolding, which make it easy to realize high resolution earth observation on geostationary orbit. The implementation of this technology also faces some challenges, including the configuration of the diffractive primary lens, the development of high diffraction efficiency membrane-based diffractive optical elements, and the correction of the chromatic aberration of the diffractive optical elements. Aiming at the configuration of the diffractive primary lens, the "6+1" petal-type unfold scheme is proposed, which consider the compression ratio, the blocking rate and the development complexity. For high diffraction efficiency membrane-based diffractive optical element, a self-collimating method is proposed. The diffraction efficiency is more than 90 % of the theoretical value. For the chromatic aberration correction problem, an optimization method based on schupmann is proposed to make the imaging spectral bandwidth in visible light band reach 100 nm. The above conclusions have reference significance for the development of ultra-large aperture diffractive optical imaging system.

An Experimental Investigation of the Effect of a Canard Control on the Lift, Drag, and Pitching Moment of an Aspect-Ratio 2.0 Triangular Wing Incorporating a Form of Conical Camber

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Menees, Gene P.; Boyd, John W.

1959-01-01

The results of an experimental investigation to determine the effect of a canard control on the lift, drag, and pitching-moment characteristics of an aspect-ratio-2.0 triangular wing incorporating a form of conical camber are presented. The canard had a triangular plan form of aspect ratio 2.0 and was mounted in the extended chord plane of the wing. The ratio of the area of the exposed canard panels to the total wing area was 6.9 percent, and the ratio of the total areas was 12.9 percent. Data were obtained at Mach numbers from 0.70 to 2.22 through an angle-of-attack range from -6 deg to +18 deg with the canard on, and with the canard off. To provide a basis for comparison, the canard was also tested with a symmetrical wing having the same plan form, aspect ratio, and thickness distribution as the cambered wing. The results of the investigation showed that at the high subsonic speeds the gain in maximum lift-drag ratio achieved by camber was considerably reduced by the addition of a canard. At the supersonic speeds, the addition of the canard did not change the effect of camber on the maximum lift-drag ratios.

A Simple Ultra-Wideband Magneto-Electric Dipole Antenna With High Gain

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Shuai, Chen-yang; Wang, Guang-ming

2017-12-01

A simple ultra-wideband magneto-electric dipole antenna utilizing a differential-fed structure is designed. The antenna mainly comprises three parts, including a novel circular horned reflector, two vertical semicircular shorted patches as a magnetic dipole, and a horizontal U-shaped semicircular electric dipole. A differential feeding structure working as a perfect balun excites the designed antenna. The results of simulation have a good match with the ones of measurement. Results indicate that the designed antenna achieves a wide frequency bandwidth of 107 % which is 3.19 10.61 GHz, when VSWR is below 2. Via introducing the circular horned reflector, the designed antenna attains a steady and high gain of 12±1.5dBi. Moreover, settled broadside direction main beam, high front-to-back ratio, low cross polarization, and the symmetrical and relatively stable radiation patterns in the E-and H-plane are gotten in the impedance bandwidth range. In the practical applications, the proposed antenna that is dc grounded and has a simple structure satisfies the requirement of many outdoor antennas.

Self-assembled titanium calcium oxide nanopatterns as versatile reactive nanomasks for dry etching lithographic transfer with high selectivity.

PubMed

Faustini, Marco; Drisko, Glenna L; Letailleur, Alban A; Montiel, Rafael Salas; Boissière, Cédric; Cattoni, Andrea; Haghiri-Gosnet, Anne Marie; Lerondel, Gilles; Grosso, David

2013-02-07

We report the simple preparation of ultra-thin self-assembled nanoperforated titanium calcium oxide films and their use as reactive nanomasks for selective dry etching of silicon. This novel reactive nanomask is composed of TiO(2) in which up to 50% of Ti was replaced by Ca (Ca(x)Ti(1-x)O(2-x)). The system was prepared by evaporation induced self-assembly of dip-coated solution of CaCl(2), TiCl(4) and poly(butadiene-block-ethylene oxide) followed by 5 min of thermal treatment at 500 °C in air. The mask exhibits enhanced selectivity by forming a CaF(2) protective layer in the presence of a chemically reactive fluorinated plasma. In particular it is demonstrated that ordered nano-arrays of dense Si pillars, or deep cylindrical wells, with high aspect ratio i.e. lateral dimensions as small as 20 nm and height up to 200 nm, can be formed. Both wells and pillars were formed by tuning the morphology and the homogeneity of the deposited mask. The mask preparation is extremely fast and simple, low-cost and easily scalable. Its combination with reactive ion etching constitutes one of the first examples of what can be achieved when sol-gel chemistry is coupled with top-down technologies. The resulting Si nanopatterns and nanostructures are of high interest for applications in many fields of nanotechnology including electronics and optics. This work extends and diversifies the toolbox of nanofabrication methods.

Nacre-mimetic bulk lamellar composites reinforced with high aspect ratio glass flakes.

PubMed

Guner, Selen N Gurbuz; Dericioglu, Arcan F

2016-12-05

Nacre-mimetic epoxy matrix composites reinforced with readily available micron-sized high aspect ratio C-glass flakes were fabricated by a relatively simple, single-step, scalable, time, cost and man-power effective processing strategy: hot-press assisted slip casting (HASC). HASC enables the fabrication of preferentially oriented two-dimensional inorganic reinforcement-polymer matrix bulk lamellar composites with a micro-scale structure resembling the brick-and-mortar architecture of nacre. By applying the micro-scale design guideline found in nacre and optimizing the relative volume fractions of the reinforcement and the matrix as well as by anchoring the brick-and-mortar architecture, and tailoring the interface between reinforcements and the matrix via silane coupling agents, strong, stiff and tough bio-inspired nacre-mimetic bulk composites were fabricated. As a result of high shear stress transfer lengths and effective stress transfer at the interface achieved through surface functionalization of the reinforcements, fabricated bulk composites exhibited enhanced mechanical performance as compared to neat epoxy. Furthermore, governed flake pull-out mode along with a highly torturous crack path, which resulted from extensive deflection and meandering of the advancing crack around well-aligned high aspect ratio C-glass flakes, have led to high work-of-fracture values similar to nacre.

Dynamic behavior of ultra large graphene-based membranes using electrothermal transduction

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Al-mashaal, A. K.; Wood, G. S.; Torin, A.; Mastropaolo, E.; Newton, M. J.; Cheung, R.

2017-12-01

This letter reports an experimental study of an electrothermal actuator made from an ultra-large graphene-based bilayer thin film with a diameter to thickness aspect ratio of ˜10 000. Suspended thin films consisting of multilayer graphene and 350-500 nm-thick Poly(methyl methacrylate) have been transferred over circular cavities with a diameter of 3.5 mm. The use of bilayer materials with different mechanical and thermal properties results in thin film structures that can be induced to vibrate mechanically under the electrothermal transduction mechanism. The dynamic response of the bilayer has been investigated electrothermally by driving the structures with a combination of alternating current and direct current actuation voltages ( Va c and Vd c) and characterizing their resonant frequencies. It has been found that the bilayer thin film structure behaves as a membrane. In addition, the actuation configurations affect not only the amplitude of vibration but also the tuning of the resonant frequency of the vibrating membranes. The existence of Joule heating-induced tension lowers the mechanical stiffness of the membrane and hence shifts the resonant frequency downwards by -108187 ppm. A resonant frequency of 3.26 kHz with a vibration amplitude of 4.34 nm has been achieved for 350 nm-thick membranes under actuation voltages of 1 V of Va c and 8 V of Vd c.

Sub-surface structures and collapse mechanisms of summit pit craters

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Roche, O.; van Wyk de Vries, B.; Druitt, T. H.

2001-01-01

Summit pit craters are found in many types of volcanoes and are generally thought to be the product of collapse into an underpressured reservoir caused by magma withdrawal. We investigate the mechanisms and structures associated with summit pit crater formation by scaled analogue experiments and make comparisons with natural examples. Models use a sand plaster mixture as analogue rock over a cylinder of silicone simulating an underpressured magma reservoir. Experiments are carried out using different roof aspect ratios (roof thickness/roof width) of 0.2-2. They reveal two basic collapse mechanisms, dependant on the roof aspect ratio. One occurs at low aspect ratios (≤1), as illustrated by aspect ratios of 0.2 and 1. Outward dipping reverse faults initiated at the silicone margins propagates through the entire roof thickness and cause subsidence of a coherent block. Collapse along the reverse faults is accommodated by marginal flexure of the block and tension fractures at the surface (aspect ratio of 0.2) or by the creation of inward dipping normal faults delimiting a terrace (aspect ratio of 1). At an aspect ratio of 1, overhanging pit walls are the surface expressions of the reverse faults. Experiments at high aspect ratio (>1.2) reveal a second mechanism. In this case, collapse occurs by stopping, which propagates upwards by a complex pattern of both reverse faults and tension fractures. The initial underground collapse is restricted to a zone above the reservoir and creates a cavity with a stable roof above it. An intermediate mechanism occurs at aspect ratios of 1.1-1.2. In this case, stopping leads to the formation of a cavity with a thin and unstable roof, which collapses suddenly. The newly formed depression then exhibits overhanging walls. Surface morphology and structure of natural examples, such as the summit pit craters at Masaya Volcano, Nicaragua, have many of the features created in the models, indicating that the internal structural geometry of experiments can be applied to real examples. In particular, the surface area and depth of the underpressured reservoir can be roughly estimated. We present a morphological analysis of summit pit craters at volcanoes such as Kilimanjaro (Tanzania), San Cristobal, Telica and Masaya (Nicaragua), and Ubinas (Peru), and indicate a likely type of subsidence and possible position of the former magma reservoir responsible for collapse in each case.

Contact fatigue mechanisms as a function of crystal aspect ratio in baria-silicate glass ceramics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Suputtamongkol, Kallaya

2003-10-01

Ceramic materials are potentially useful for dental applications because of their esthetic potential and biocompatibility. However, the existence of fatigue damage in ceramics raises considerable concern regarding its effect on the life prediction of dental prostheses. During normal mastication, dental restorations are subjected to repeated loading more than a thousand times per day and relatively high clinical failure rates for ceramic prostheses have been reported. To simulate the intraoral loads, Hertzian indentation loading was used in this study to characterize the fatigue failure mechanisms of ceramic materials using clinically relevant parameters. The baria-silicate system was chosen because of the nearly identical composition between the crystal and the glass matrix. Little or no residual stress is expected from the elastic modulus and thermal expansion mismatches between the two phases. Crystallites with different aspect ratios can also be produced by controlled heat treatment schedules. The objective of this study was to characterize the effect of crystal morphology on the fatigue mechanisms of bariasilicate glass-ceramics under clinically relevant conditions. The results show that the failure of materials with a low toughness such as baria-silicate glass (0.7 MPa•m1/2) and glass-ceramic with an aspect ratio of 3/1 (1.3 MPa•m1/2) initiated from a cone crack developed during cyclic loading for 103 to 105 cycles. The mean strength values of baria-silicate glass and glass-ceramic with an aspect ratio of 3/1 decreased significantly as a result of the presence of a cone crack. Failure of baria-silicate glass-ceramics with an aspect ratio of 8/1 (Kc = 2.1 MPa•m1/2) was initiated from surface flaws caused by either polishing or cyclic loading. The gradual decrease of fracture stress was observed in specimens with an aspect ratio of 8/1 after loading in air for 103 to 10 5 cycles. A reduction of approximately 50% in fracture stress levels was found for specimens with an aspect ratio of 8/1 after loading for 10 5 cycles in deionized water. The mechanisms for cyclic fatigue crack propagation in baria-silicate glass-ceramics are similar to those observed under quasi-static loading conditions. An intergranular fracture path was observed in glass-ceramics with an aspect ratio of 3/1. For an aspect ratio of 8/1, a transgranular fracture mode was dominant.

Controllable synthesis of high aspect ratio Mg2B2O5 nanowires and their applications in reinforced polyhydroxyalkanoate composites

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Mo, Zhao-Jun; Chen, Jin-Peng; Lin, Jing; Fan, Ying; Liang, Chun-Yong; Wang, Hong-Shui; Xu, Xue-Wen; Hu, Long; Tang, Cheng-Chun

2014-05-01

Highly pure magnesium borate (Mg2B2O5) nanowires with an average diameter of ~ 30 nm, an average length of ~ 15 μm, and a high aspect ratio of ~ 500 have been synthesized on a large scale via a two-step method. MgBO2(OH) nanowires with high aspect ratios were first prepared via a PVP-assisted hydrothermal technique. Using these nanowires as precursors, single crystalline Mg2B2O5 nanowires were synthesized by post-annealing treatment at a relatively low temperature of 700 °C. The important effect of the MgBO2(OH)—Mg2B2O5 conversion process on the morphology of the Mg2B2O5 nanowires was investigated and it was indicated that the recrystallization process plays an important role in the protection of the one-dimensional (1D) nanostructure. Moreover, the rigidity and the toughness of the Mg2B2O5 nanowire-reinforced PHA composites were tremendously improved compared to those of the pure PHA. Our results demonstrate the effectiveness of Mg2B2O5 nanowires for reinforcement applications in polymer composites.

Ultra sensitive magnetic sensors integrating the giant magnetoelectric effect with advanced microelectronics

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Fang, Zhao

This dissertation investigates approaches to enhance the performance, especially the sensitivity and signal to noise ratio of magnetoelectric sensors, which exploits the magnetoelectric coupling in magnetostrictive and piezoelectric laminate composites. A magnetic sensor is a system or device that can measure the magnitude of a magnetic field or each of its vector components. Usually the techniques encompass many aspects of physics and electronics. The common technologies used for magnetic field sensing include induction coil sensors, fluxgate, SQUID (superconducting quantum interference device), Hall effect, giant magnetoresistance, magnetostrictive/piezoelectric composites, and MEMS (microelectromechanical systems)-based magnetic sensors. Magnetic sensors have found a broad range of applications for many decades. For example, ultra sensitive magnetic sensors are able to detect tiny magnetic fields produced outside the brain by the neuronal currents which can be used for diagnostic application. Measuring the brain's magnetic field is extremely challenging because they are so weak, have strengths of 0.1--1 pT and thus requiring magnetic sensors with sub-picotesla sensitivity. In fact, to date, these measurements can only performed with the most sensitive magnetic sensors, i.e., SQUID. However, such detectors need expensive and cumbersome cryogenics to operate. Additionally, the thermal insulation of the sensors prevents them from being placed very closed to the tissues under study, thereby preventing high-resolution measurement capability. All of these severely limit their broad usage and proliferation for biomedical imaging, diagnosis, and research. A novel ultra-sensitive magnetic sensor capable of operating at room temperature is investigated in this thesis. Magnetoelectric effect is a material phenomenon featuring the interchange between the magnetic and electric energies or signals. The large ME effect observed in ME composites, especially the ME laminates consisting of magnetostrictive and piezoelectric components shows a promise to make novel ultra-sensitive magnetic sensors capable of operating at room temperature. To achieve such a high sensitivity (˜pT level), piezoelectric sensors are materialized through ME composite laminates, provided piezo-sensors are among the most sensitive while being passive devices at the same time. To further improve the sensitivity and reduce the 1f noise level, several approaches are used such as magnetic flux concentration effect, which is a function of the Metglas sheet aspect ratio, and resonance enhancement. Taking advantage of this effect, the ME voltage coefficient alpha ME=21.46 V/cm·Oe for Metglas 2605SA1/PVDF laminates and alphaME=46.7 V/cm·Oe for Metglas 2605CO/PVDF laminates. The resonance response of Metglas/PZT laminates in FF (Free-Free), FC (Free-Clamped), and CC (Clamped-Clamped) modes are also investigated. alphaME=301.6 V/cm·Oe and the corresponding SNR=4x107 Hz /Oe are achieved for FC mode at resonance frequencies. In addition to this, testing setups were built to characterize the magnetic sensors. LABVIEW codes were also developed to automatize the measurements and consequently get accurate results. Then two commonly used integration methods, i.e., hybrid method and system in package (SIP), are discussed. Then the intrinsic noise analysis including dielectric loss noise, which dominates the intrinsic noise sources, and magnetostrictive noise is introduced. A charge mode readout circuit is made for hybrid method and a voltage mode readout circuit is made for SIP method. For sensors, since SNR is very important since it determines the minimum signal it can detect, the SNR of each configuration is discussed in detail. For charge mode circuit, by taking advantage of the multilayer PVDF configuration, SNR=7.2x10 5 Hz /Oe is achieved at non-resonance frequencies and SNR=2x10 7 Hz /Oe is achieved at resonance frequencies. For voltage mode circuit, a constant SNR=3x103 Hz /Oe is achieved at non-resonance frequencies. Both of the advantages and disadvantages of each method are also discussed. Piezoelectric single crystal PMN-PT with optimum orientation and cut direction is developed to increase the ME coefficient alpha ME and reduce the intrinsic dielectric loss noise, consequently to improve the SNR of the ME sensors. For Metlgas/PMN-PT laminates, SNR=3.9x10 6 Hz /Oe is achieved at non-resonance frequencies and SNR=7.3x10 8 Hz /Oe is achieved at resonance frequencies.

Morphological constraints on changing avian migration phenology.

PubMed

Møller, A P; Rubolini, D; Saino, N

2017-06-01

Many organisms at northern latitudes have responded to climate warming by advancing their spring phenology. Birds are known to show earlier timing of spring migration and reproduction in response to warmer springs. However, species show heterogeneous phenological responses to climate warming, with those that have not advanced or have delayed migration phenology experiencing population declines. Although some traits (such as migration distance) partly explain heterogeneity in phenological responses, the factors affecting interspecies differences in the responsiveness to climate warming have yet to be fully explored. In this comparative study, we investigate whether variation in wing aspect ratio (reflecting relative wing narrowness), an ecomorphological trait that is strongly associated with flight efficiency and migratory behaviour, affects the ability to advance timing of spring migration during 1960-2006 in a set of 80 European migratory bird species. Species with larger aspect ratio (longer and narrower wings) showed smaller advancement of timing of spring migration compared to species with smaller aspect ratio (shorter and wider wings) while controlling for phylogeny, migration distance and other life-history traits. In turn, migration distance positively predicted aspect ratio across species. Hence, species that are better adapted to migration appear to be more constrained in responding phenologically to rapid climate warming by advancing timing of spring migration. Our findings corroborate the idea that aspect ratio is a major evolutionary correlate of migration, and suggest that selection for energetically efficient flights, as reflected by high aspect ratio, may hinder phenotypically plastic/microevolutionary adjustments of migration phenology to ongoing climatic changes. © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology. Journal of Evolutionary Biology © 2017 European Society For Evolutionary Biology.

On current drive by Ohkawa mechanism of electron cyclotron wave in large inverse aspect ratio tokamaks

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Zheng, Pingwei; Gong, Xueyu; Lu, Xingqiang; He, Lihua; Cao, Jingjia; Huang, Qianhong; Deng, Sheng

2018-03-01

A localized and efficient current drive method in the outer-half region of the tokamak with a large inverse aspect ratio is proposed via the Ohkawa mechanism of electron cyclotron (EC) waves. Further off-axis Ohkawa current drive (OKCD) via EC waves was investigated in high electron beta β e HL-2M-like tokamaks with a large inverse aspect ratio, and in EAST-like tokamaks with a low inverse aspect ratio. OKCD can be driven efficiently, and the driven current profile is spatially localized in the radial region, ranging from 0.62 to 0.85, where the large fraction of trapped electrons provides an excellent advantage for OKCD. Furthermore, the current drive efficiency increases with an increase in minor radius, and then drops when the minor radius beyond a certain value. The effect of trapped electrons greatly enhances the current driving capability of the OKCD mechanism. The highest current drive efficiency can reach 0.183 by adjusting the steering mirror to change the toroidal and poloidal incident angle, and the total driven current by OKCD can reach 20-32 kA MW-1 in HL-2M-like tokamaks. The current drive is less efficient for the EAST-like scenario due to the lower inverse aspect ratio. The results show that OKCD may be a valuable alternative current drive method in large inverse aspect ratio tokamaks, and the potential capabilities of OKCD can be used to suppress some important magnetohydrodynamics instabilities in the far off-axis region.

Generation of a large volume of clinically relevant nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles for cell culture studies

PubMed Central

Ingham, Eileen; Fisher, John; Tipper, Joanne L

2014-01-01

It has recently been shown that the wear of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene in hip and knee prostheses leads to the generation of nanometre-sized particles, in addition to micron-sized particles. The biological activity of nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles has not, however, previously been studied due to difficulties in generating sufficient volumes of nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles suitable for cell culture studies. In this study, wear simulation methods were investigated to generate a large volume of endotoxin-free clinically relevant nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles. Both single-station and six-station multidirectional pin-on-plate wear simulators were used to generate ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles under sterile and non-sterile conditions. Microbial contamination and endotoxin levels in the lubricants were determined. The results indicated that microbial contamination was absent and endotoxin levels were low and within acceptable limits for the pharmaceutical industry, when a six-station pin-on-plate wear simulator was used to generate ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles in a non-sterile environment. Different pore-sized polycarbonate filters were investigated to isolate nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles from the wear test lubricants. The use of the filter sequence of 10, 1, 0.1, 0.1 and 0.015 µm pore sizes allowed successful isolation of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles with a size range of < 100 nm, which was suitable for cell culture studies. PMID:24658586

Generation of a large volume of clinically relevant nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles for cell culture studies.

PubMed

Liu, Aiqin; Ingham, Eileen; Fisher, John; Tipper, Joanne L

2014-04-01

It has recently been shown that the wear of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene in hip and knee prostheses leads to the generation of nanometre-sized particles, in addition to micron-sized particles. The biological activity of nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles has not, however, previously been studied due to difficulties in generating sufficient volumes of nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles suitable for cell culture studies. In this study, wear simulation methods were investigated to generate a large volume of endotoxin-free clinically relevant nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles. Both single-station and six-station multidirectional pin-on-plate wear simulators were used to generate ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles under sterile and non-sterile conditions. Microbial contamination and endotoxin levels in the lubricants were determined. The results indicated that microbial contamination was absent and endotoxin levels were low and within acceptable limits for the pharmaceutical industry, when a six-station pin-on-plate wear simulator was used to generate ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles in a non-sterile environment. Different pore-sized polycarbonate filters were investigated to isolate nanometre-sized ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles from the wear test lubricants. The use of the filter sequence of 10, 1, 0.1, 0.1 and 0.015 µm pore sizes allowed successful isolation of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene wear particles with a size range of < 100 nm, which was suitable for cell culture studies.

Shear-induced migration and orientation of rigid fibers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Butler, Jason; Strednak, Scott; Shaikh, Saif; Guazzelli, Elisabeth

2017-11-01

The spatial and orientation distributions are measured for a suspension of fibers during pressure-driven flow. The fibers are rigid and non-colloidal, and two aspect ratios (length to diameter ratios) of 12 and 24 were tested; the suspending fluid is viscous, Newtonian, and density matched to the particles. As with the migration of spheres in parabolic flows, the fibers migrate toward the centerline of the channel if the concentration is sufficiently high. Migration is not observed for concentrations below a volume fraction of 0.035 for aspect ratio 24 and 0.07 for aspect ratio 12. The orientation distribution of the fibers is spatially dependent. Fibers near the center of the channel align closely with the flow direction, but fibers near the wall are observed to preferentially align in the vorticity (perpendicular to the flow and gradient) direction. National Science Foundation (Grants #1511787 and #1362060).

Heating and current drive on NSTX

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Wilson, J. R.; Batchelor, D.; Carter, M.; Hosea, J.; Ignat, D.; LeBlanc, B.; Majeski, R.; Ono, M.; Phillips, C. K.; Rogers, J. H.; Schilling, G.

1997-04-01

Low aspect ratio tokamaks pose interesting new challenges for heating and current drive. The NSTX (National Spherical Tokamak Experiment) device to be built at Princeton is a low aspect ratio toroidal device that has the achievement of high toroidal beta (˜45%) and non-inductive operation as two of its main research goals. To achieve these goals significant auxiliary heating and current drive systems are required. Present plans include ECH (Electron cyclotron heating) for pre-ionization and start-up assist, HHFW (high harmonic fast wave) for heating and current drive and eventually NBI (neutral beam injection) for heating, current drive and plasma rotation.

High aspect ratio, remote controlled pumping assembly

DOEpatents

Brown, S.B.; Milanovich, F.P.

1995-11-14

A miniature dual syringe-type pump assembly is described which has a high aspect ratio and which is remotely controlled, for use such as in a small diameter penetrometer cone or well packer used in water contamination applications. The pump assembly may be used to supply and remove a reagent to a water contamination sensor, for example, and includes a motor, gearhead and motor encoder assembly for turning a drive screw for an actuator which provides pushing on one syringe and pulling on the other syringe for injecting new reagent and withdrawing used reagent from an associated sensor. 4 figs.

High Aspect-Ratio Neural Probes using Conventional Blade Dicing

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Goncalves, S. B.; Ribeiro, J. F.; Silva, A. F.; Correia, J. H.

2016-10-01

Exploring deep neural circuits has triggered the development of long penetrating neural probes. Moreover, driven by brain displacement, the long neural probes require also a high aspect-ratio shafts design. In this paper, a simple and reproducible method of manufacturing long-shafts neural probes using blade dicing technology is presented. Results shows shafts up to 8 mm long and 200 µm wide, features competitive to the current state-of-art, being its outline simply accomplished by a single blade dicing program. Therefore, conventional blade dicing presents itself as a viable option to manufacture long neural probes.

High aspect ratio patterning of photosensitive polyimide with low thermal expansion coefficient and low dielectric constant

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Dick, Andrew R.; Bell, William K.; Luke, Brendan; Maines, Erin; Mueller, Brennen; Rawlings, Brandon; Kohl, Paul A.; Grant Willson, C.

2016-07-01

A photosensitive polyimide system based on amine catalyzed imidization of a precursor poly(amic ester) is described. The material is based on the meta ethyl ester of pyromellitic dianhydride and 2,2' bis(trifluoromethyl)benzidine. It acts as a negative tone resist when formulated with a photobase generator. The material exhibits a dielectric constant of 3.0 in the gigahertz range, a coefficient of thermal expansion of 6±2 ppm/K, and can be patterned to aspect ratios of >2 when formulated with a highly quantum efficient cinnamide type photobase generator.

Hydrodynamic characteristics over a range of speeds up to 80 feet per second of a rectangular modified flat plate having an aspect ratio of 0.25 and operating at several depths of submersion

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Vaughan, Victor L , Jr; Ramsen, John A

1957-01-01

Results of an investigation of the hydrodynamic characteristics over an extended speed range of a rectangular modified flat plate having an aspect ratio of 0.25 and operating at several depths of submersion are presented. Comparisons between these data and data over a lower speed range on a similar aspect-ratio-0.25 flat plate but having one-half the thickness are presented. These comparisons show no significant differences at the low speeds. At high speeds and high angles of attack, where extensive cavitation was present, the lift coefficients were lower than would have been indicated by the results of the previous investigations and the present investigation at the lower angles of attack. A brief discussion and comparison of ventilation are presented which shows two types of planing bubble formation and the effect of increasing the thickness of the model on the ventilation boundary.

Manufacture of high aspect ratio micro-pillar wall shear stress sensor arrays

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Gnanamanickam, Ebenezer P.; Sullivan, John P.

2012-12-01

In the field of experimental fluid mechanics the measurement of unsteady, distributed wall shear stress has proved historically challenging. Recently, sensors based on an array of flexible micro-pillars have shown promise in carrying out such measurements. Similar sensors find use in other applications such as cellular mechanics. This work presents a manufacturing technique that can manufacture micro-pillar arrays of high aspect ratio. An electric discharge machine (EDM) is used to manufacture a micro-drilling tool. This micro-drilling tool is used to form holes in a wax sheet which acts as the mold for the micro-pillar array. Silicone rubber is cast in these molds to yield a micro-pillar array. Using this technique, micro-pillar arrays with a maximum aspect ratio of about 10 have been manufactured. Manufacturing issues encountered, steps to alleviate them and the potential of the process to manufacture similar micro-pillar arrays in a time-efficient manner are also discussed.

Turbulent thermal superstructures in Rayleigh-Bénard convection

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Stevens, Richard J. A. M.; Blass, Alexander; Zhu, Xiaojue; Verzicco, Roberto; Lohse, Detlef

2018-04-01

We report the observation of superstructures, i.e., very large-scale and long living coherent structures in highly turbulent Rayleigh-Bénard convection up to Rayleigh Ra=109 . We perform direct numerical simulations in horizontally periodic domains with aspect ratios up to Γ =128 . In the considered Ra number regime the thermal superstructures have a horizontal extend of six to seven times the height of the domain and their size is independent of Ra. Many laboratory experiments and numerical simulations have focused on small aspect ratio cells in order to achieve the highest possible Ra. However, here we show that for very high Ra integral quantities such as the Nusselt number and volume averaged Reynolds number only converge to the large aspect ratio limit around Γ ≈4 , while horizontally averaged statistics such as standard deviation and kurtosis converge around Γ ≈8 , the integral scale converges around Γ ≈32 , and the peak position of the temperature variance and turbulent kinetic energy spectra only converge around Γ ≈64 .

Program to develop a performance and heat load prediction system for multistage turbines

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sharma, OM

1994-01-01

Flows in low-aspect ratio turbines, such as the SSME fuel turbine, are three dimensional and highly unsteady due to the relative motion of adjacent airfoil rows and the circumferential and spanwise gradients in total pressure and temperature, The systems used to design these machines, however, are based on the assumption that the flow is steady. The codes utilized in these design systems are calibrated against turbine rig and engine data through the use of empirical correlations and experience factors. For high aspect ratio turbines, these codes yield reasonably accurate estimates of flow and temperature distributions. However, future design trends will see lower aspect ratio (reduced number of parts) and higher inlet temperature which will result in increased three dimensionality and flow unsteadiness in turbines. Analysis of recently acquired data indicate that temperature streaks and secondary flows generated in combustors and up-stream airfoils can have a large impact on the time-averaged temperature and angle distributions in downstream airfoil rows.

Self-assembled growth of MnSi~1.7 nanowires with a single orientation and a large aspect ratio on Si(110) surfaces

PubMed Central

2013-01-01

MnSi~1.7 nanowires (NWs) with a single orientation and a large aspect ratio have been formed on a Si(110) surface with the molecular beam epitaxy method by a delicate control of growth parameters, such as temperature, deposition rate, and deposition time. Scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) was employed to study the influence of these parameters on the growth of NWs. The supply of free Si atoms per unit time during the silicide reaction plays a critical role in the growth kinetics of the NWs. High growth temperature and low deposition rate are favorable for the formation of NWs with a large aspect ratio. The orientation relationship between the NWs and the reconstruction rows of the Si(110) surface suggests that the NWs grow along the 11¯0 direction of the silicon substrate. High-resolution STM and backscattered electron scanning electron microscopy images indicate that the NWs are composed of MnSi~1.7. PMID:23339353

Fabrication update on critical-angle transmission gratings for soft x-ray grating spectrometers

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Heilmann, Ralf K.; Bruccoleri, Alex; Mukherjee, Pran; Yam, Jonathan; Schattenburg, Mark L.

2011-09-01

Diffraction grating-based, wavelength dispersive high-resolution soft x-ray spectroscopy of celestial sources promises to reveal crucial data for the study of the Warm-Hot Intergalactic Medium, the Interstellar Medium, warm absorption and outflows in Active Galactic Nuclei, coronal emission from stars, and other areas of interest to the astrophysics community. Our recently developed critical-angle transmission (CAT) gratings combine the advantages of the Chandra high and medium energy transmission gratings (low mass, high tolerance of misalignments and figure errors, polarization insensitivity) with those of blazed reflection gratings (high broad band diffraction efficiency, high resolution through use of higher diffraction orders) such as the ones on XMM-Newton. Extensive instrument and system configuration studies have shown that a CAT grating-based spectrometer is an outstanding instrument capable of delivering resolving power on the order of 5,000 and high effective area, even with a telescope point-spread function on the order of many arc-seconds. We have fabricated freestanding, ultra-high aspect-ratio CAT grating bars from silicon-on-insulator wafers using both wet and dry etch processes. The 200 nm-period grating bars are supported by an integrated Level 1 support mesh, and a coarser external Level 2 support mesh. The resulting grating membrane is mounted to a frame, resulting in a grating facet. Many such facets comprise a grating array that provides light-weight coverage of large-area telescope apertures. Here we present fabrication results on the integration of CAT gratings and the different high-throughput support mesh levels and on membrane-frame bonding. We also summarize recent x-ray data analysis of 3 and 6 micron deep wet-etched CAT grating prototypes.

Effects of aspect ratio and concentration on rheology of epoxy suspensions containing model plate-like nanoparticles

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

White, K. L.; Takahara, A.; Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, Fukuoka 819-0395

2015-12-15

Hexagonal 2-dimensional α-zirconium phosphate crystals were prepared with lateral diameters ranging from 110 nm to 1.5 μm to investigate the effect of particle size on suspension rheology. The nanoplatelets were exfoliated to individual sheets with monodisperse thickness and dispersed in a Newtonian epoxy fluid. The steady shear response of dilute and semi-dilute suspensions was measured and compared to expressions obtained from theory for infinitely dilute suspensions. For suspensions containing the smaller nanoplatelets, aspect ratio ∼160, the low shear rate viscosity and transition to shear thinning behavior were well described by theory for loadings up to 0.5 vol. %. The agreementmore » was improved by assuming a moderate polydispersity in lateral diameter, ∼30%–50%, which is consistent with experimental observation. For the higher aspect ratio nanoplatelets, good agreement between theory and experiment was observed only at high shear rates. At lower shear rate, theory consistently over-predicted viscosity, which was attributed to a progressive shift to non-isotropic initial conditions with increasing particle size. The results suggest that at a fixed Peclet number, there is an increasing tendency for the nanoplatelets to form transient, local stacks as particle size increases. The largest particles, aspect ratio ∼2200, showed unusual shear thinning and thickening behaviors that were attributed to particle flexibility. The findings demonstrate the surprising utility of theory for infinitely dilute suspensions to interpret, and in some cases quantitatively describe, the non-Newtonian viscosity of real suspensions containing high aspect ratio plate-like particles. A simple framework is proposed to interpret deviations from ideal behavior based on the local and collective behavior of the suspended nanoplatelets.« less

Limits in virus filtration capability? Impact of virus quality and spike level on virus removal with xenotropic murine leukemia virus.

PubMed

Roush, David J; Myrold, Adam; Burnham, Michael S; And, Joseph V; Hughes, Joseph V

2015-01-01

Virus filtration (VF) is a key step in an overall viral clearance process since it has been demonstrated to effectively clear a wide range of mammalian viruses with a log reduction value (LRV) > 4. The potential to achieve higher LRV from virus retentive filters has historically been examined using bacteriophage surrogates, which commonly demonstrated a potential of > 9 LRV when using high titer spikes (e.g. 10(10) PFU/mL). However, as the filter loading increases, one typically experiences significant decreases in performance and LRV. The 9 LRV value is markedly higher than the current expected range of 4-5 LRV when utilizing mammalian retroviruses on virus removal filters (Miesegaes et al., Dev Biol (Basel) 2010;133:3-101). Recent values have been reported in the literature (Stuckey et al., Biotech Progr 2014;30:79-85) of LRV in excess of 6 for PPV and XMuLV although this result appears to be atypical. LRV for VF with therapeutic proteins could be limited by several factors including process limits (flux decay, load matrix), virus spike level and the analytical methods used for virus detection (i.e. the Limits of Quantitation), as well as the virus spike quality. Research was conducted using the Xenotropic-Murine Leukemia Virus (XMuLV) for its direct relevance to the most commonly cited document, the International Conference of Harmonization (ICH) Q5A (International Conference on Harmonisation of Technical Requirements for Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use, Geneva, Switzerland, 1999) for viral safety evaluations. A unique aspect of this work is the independent evaluation of the impact of retrovirus quality and virus spike level on VF performance and LRV. The VF studies used XMuLV preparations purified by either ultracentrifugation (Ultra 1) or by chromatographic processes that yielded a more highly purified virus stock (Ultra 2). Two monoclonal antibodies (Mabs) with markedly different filtration characteristics and with similar levels of aggregate (<1.5%) were evaluated with the Ultra 1 and Ultra 2 virus preparations utilizing the Planova 20 N, a small virus removal filter. Impurities in the virus preparation ultimately limited filter loading as measured by determining the volumetric loading condition where 75% flux decay is observed versus initial conditions (V75). This observation occurred with both Mabs with the difference in virus purity more pronounced when very high spike levels were used (>5 vol/vol %). Significant differences were seen for the process performance over a number of lots of the less-pure Ultra 1 virus preparations. Experiments utilizing a developmental lot of the chromatographic purified XMuLV (Ultra 2 Development lot) that had elevated levels of host cell residuals (vs. the final Ultra 2 preparations) suggest that these contaminant residuals can impact virus filter fouling, even if the virus prep is essentially monodisperse. Process studies utilizing an Ultra 2 virus with substantially less host cell residuals and highly monodispersed virus particles demonstrated superior performance and an LRV in excess of 7.7 log10 . A model was constructed demonstrating the linear dependence of filtration flux versus filter loading which can be used to predict the V75 for a range of virus spike levels conditions using this highly purified virus. Fine tuning the virus spike level with this model can ultimately maximize the LRV for the virus filter step, essentially adding the LRV equivalent of another process step (i.e. protein A or CEX chromatography). © 2014 American Institute of Chemical Engineers.

Wind-tunnel investigation of several high aspect-ratio supercritical wing configurations on a wide-body-type fuselage

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartlett, D. W.

1977-01-01

An investigation was conducted in the Langley 8-foot transonic pressure tunnel on two aspect-ratio 11.95 supercritical wings that were tested in combination with a representative wide-body-type fuselage. The two supercritical wings have identical planforms for equal sweep angles and differ only in thickness. Each wing was tested at quarter-chord sweep angles of 27 deg and 30 deg. At the higher sweep angle, the aspect ratio is reduced to 11.36. At 27 deg of quarter-chord sweep, the thicker supercritical wing (SCW-1) has maximum streamwise thickness-to-chord ratios of 0.16 at the wing-fuselage juncture, 0.14 at the planform break station, and 0.12 at the tip. The thinner wing (SCW-2) has maximum streamwise thickness-to-chord ratios of 0.144, 0.12, and 0.10 at the same stations respectively. Tests were also conducted on the thinner supercritical wing at the 27 deg sweep angle with a 15.24 cm (6.0 in.) shorter span which results in an aspect ratio of 10.25. For comparison, data were obtained on a current wide-body transport wing (AR=7) that was tested on the same fuselage used with the supercritical wings.

Rapid extraction and determination of 25 bioactive constituents in Alpinia oxyphylla using microwave extraction with ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Sun, Zhi; Kong, Xiangzhen; Zuo, Lihua; Kang, Jian; Hou, Lei; Zhang, Xiaojian

2016-02-01

A novel and rapid microwave extraction and ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry method was developed and validated for the simultaneous determination of 25 bioactive constituents (including two new constituents) in Fructus Alpinia oxyphylla. The optimized conditions of the microwave extraction was a microwave power of 300 W, extraction temperature of 80°C, solvent-to-solid ratio of 30 mL/g and extraction time of 8 min. Separation was achieved on a Waters ACQUITY UPLC(®) HSS C18 column (2.1 mm× 50 mm, 1.8 μm) using gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of acetonitrile and 1 mM ammonium acetate at a flow rate of 0.2 mL/min. This is the first report of the simultaneous determination of 25 bioactive constituents in Fructus Alpinia oxyphylla by ultra high performance liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry. The method was validated with good linearity, acceptable precision and accuracy. The validated method was successfully applied to determine the contents of 25 bioactive constituents in Fructus Alpinia oxyphylla from different sources and the analysis results were classified by hierarchical cluster analysis, which indicated the effect of different cultivation regions on the contents of constituents. This study provides powerful and practical guidance in the quality control of Alpinia oxyphylla and lays the foundation for further research of Alpinia oxyphylla. © 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Effect of extra-column volume on practical chromatographic parameters of sub-2-μm particle-packed columns in ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography.

PubMed

Wu, Naijun; Bradley, Ashley C; Welch, Christopher J; Zhang, Li

2012-08-01

Effects of extra-column volume on apparent separation parameters were studied in ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography with columns and inlet connection tubings of various internal diameters (id) using 50-mm long columns packed with 1.8-μm particles under isocratic conditions. The results showed that apparent retention factors were on average 5, 11, 18, and 41% lower than those corrected with extra-column volumes for 4.6-, 3.0-, 2.1-, and 1.0-mm id columns, respectively, when the extra-column volume (11.3 μL) was kept constant. Also, apparent pressures were 31, 16, 12, and 10% higher than those corrected with pressures from extra-column volumes for 4.6-, 3.0-, 2.1-, and 1.0-mm id columns at the respective optimum flow rate for a typical ultra-high pressure liquid chromatography system. The loss in apparent efficiency increased dramatically from 4.6- to 3.0- to 2.1- to 1.0-mm id columns, less significantly as retention factors increased. The column efficiency was significantly improved as the inlet tubing id was decreased for a given column. The results suggest that maximum ratio of extra-column volume to column void volume should be approximately 1:10 for column porosity more than 0.6 and a retention factor more than 5, where 80% or higher of theoretically predicted efficiency could be achieved. © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.

Consumption of ultra-processed foods and cancer risk: results from NutriNet-Santé prospective cohort

PubMed Central

Fiolet, Thibault; Sellem, Laury; Kesse-Guyot, Emmanuelle; Allès, Benjamin; Méjean, Caroline; Deschasaux, Mélanie; Fassier, Philippine; Latino-Martel, Paule; Beslay, Marie; Hercberg, Serge; Lavalette, Céline; Monteiro, Carlos A; Julia, Chantal; Touvier, Mathilde

2018-01-01

Abstract Objective To assess the prospective associations between consumption of ultra-processed food and risk of cancer. Design Population based cohort study. Setting and participants 104 980 participants aged at least 18 years (median age 42.8 years) from the French NutriNet-Santé cohort (2009-17). Dietary intakes were collected using repeated 24 hour dietary records, designed to register participants’ usual consumption for 3300 different food items. These were categorised according to their degree of processing by the NOVA classification. Main outcome measures Associations between ultra-processed food intake and risk of overall, breast, prostate, and colorectal cancer assessed by multivariable Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for known risk factors. Results Ultra-processed food intake was associated with higher overall cancer risk (n=2228 cases; hazard ratio for a 10% increment in the proportion of ultra-processed food in the diet 1.12 (95% confidence interval 1.06 to 1.18); P for trend<0.001) and breast cancer risk (n=739 cases; hazard ratio 1.11 (1.02 to 1.22); P for trend=0.02). These results remained statistically significant after adjustment for several markers of the nutritional quality of the diet (lipid, sodium, and carbohydrate intakes and/or a Western pattern derived by principal component analysis). Conclusions In this large prospective study, a 10% increase in the proportion of ultra-processed foods in the diet was associated with a significant increase of greater than 10% in risks of overall and breast cancer. Further studies are needed to better understand the relative effect of the various dimensions of processing (nutritional composition, food additives, contact materials, and neoformed contaminants) in these associations. Study registration Clinicaltrials.gov NCT03335644. PMID:29444771

Influence of Reynolds Number on the Unsteady Aerodynamics of Integrated Aggressive Intermediate Turbine Duct

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Liu, Hongrui; Liu, Jun; Ji, Lucheng; Du, Qiang; Liu, Guang; Wang, Pei

2018-06-01

The ultra-high bypass ratio turbofan engine attracts more and more attention in modern commercial engine due to advantages of high efficiency and low Specific Fuel Consumption (SFC). One of the characteristics of ultra-high bypass ratio turbofan is the intermediate turbine duct which guides the flow leaving high pressure turbine (HPT) to low pressure turbine (LPT) at a larger diameter, and this kind of design will lead to aggressive intermediate turbine duct (AITD) design concept. Thus, it is important to design the AITD without any severe loss. From the unsteady flow's point of view, in actual operating conditions, the incoming wake generated by HPT is unsteady which will take influence on boundary layer's transition within the ITD and LPT. In this paper, the three-dimensional unsteady aerodynamics of an AITD taken from a real engine is studied. The results of fully unsteady three-dimensional numerical simulations, performed with ANSYS-CFX (RANS simulation with transitional model), are critically evaluated against experimental data. After validation of the numerical model, the physical mechanisms inside the flow channel are analyzed, with an aim to quantify the sensitivities of different Reynolds number effect on both the ITD and LPT nozzle. Some general physical mechanisms can be recognized in the unsteady environment. It is recognized that wake characteristics plays a crucial role on the loss within both the ITD and LPT nozzle section, determining both time-averaged and time-resolved characteristics of the flow field. Meanwhile, particular attention needs to be paid to the unsteady effect on the boundary layer of LPT nozzle's suction side surface.

Australia's evolving food practices: a risky mix of continuity and change.

PubMed

Venn, Danielle; Banwell, Cathy; Dixon, Jane

2017-10-01

To investigate trends in five key aspects of Australian food practice which have been implicated in diet-related health risks, specifically energy intake. They are: the replacement of home-prepared foods by commercially prepared foods; consumer reliance on ultra-processed foods; de-structured dining; increased pace of eating; and a decline in commensal eating. Data were from repeated cross-sections from the national Household Expenditure and Time Use Surveys. Trends in food practice aspects were examined using indicators of food expenditure across different food groups and time spent eating and cooking, including where, when and with whom eating activities took place. Australia, 1989-2010. Nationally representative samples of Australian households. The share of the total food budget spent on food away from home rose steadily from 22·8 % in 1989 to 26·5 % in 2010, while spending on ultra-processed foods increased. The basic patterning of meals and the pace of eating changed little, although people spent more time eating alone and at restaurants. Cooking time declined considerably, particularly for women. These changes have occurred over the same time that obesity and diet-related, non-communicable diseases have increased rapidly in Australia. Some aspects are implicated more than others: particularly the shift from domestic cooking to use of pre-prepared and ultra-processed foods, a reduction in time spent in food preparation and cooking, as well as an upsurge in time and money devoted to eating away from home. These are all likely to operate through the higher energy content of commercially prepared, compared with unprocessed or lightly processed, foods.

Core compressor exit stage study, 2

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Behlke, R. F.; Burdsall, E. A.; Canal, E., Jr.; Korn, N. D.

1979-01-01

A total of two three-stage compressors were designed and tested to determine the effects of aspect ratio on compressor performance. The first compressor was designed with an aspect ratio of 0.81; the other, with an aspect ratio of 1.22. Both compressors had a hub-tip ratio of 0.915, representative of the rear stages of a core compressor, and both were designed to achieve a 15.0% surge margin at design pressure ratios of 1.357 and 1.324, respectively, at a mean wheel speed of 167 m/sec. At design speed the 0.81 aspect ratio compressor achieved a pressure ratio of 1.346 at a corrected flow of 4.28 kg/sec and an adiabatic efficiency of 86.1%. The 1.22 aspect ratio design achieved a pressure ratio of 1.314 at 4.35 kg/sec flow and 87.0% adiabatic efficiency. Surge margin to peak efficiency was 24.0% with the lower aspect ratio blading, compared with 12.4% with the higher aspect ratio blading.

The NASA supercritical-wing technology

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Bartlett, D. W.; Patterson, J. C., Jr.

1978-01-01

A number of high aspect ratio supercritical wings in combination with a representative wide body type fuselage were tested in the Langley 8 foot transonic pressure tunnel. The wing parameters investigated include aspect ratio, sweep, thickness to chord ratio, and camber. Subsequent to these initial series of tests, a particular wing configuration was selected for further study and development. Tests on the selected wing involved the incorporation of a larger inboard trailing edge extension, an inboard leading edge extension, and flow through nacelles. Range factors for the various supercritical wing configurations are compared with those for a reference wide body transport configuration.

Quantifying cosmic variance

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Driver, Simon P.; Robotham, Aaron S. G.

2010-10-01

We determine an expression for the cosmic variance of any `normal' galaxy survey based on examination of M* +/- 1 mag galaxies in the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) Data Release 7 (DR7) data cube. We find that cosmic variance will depend on a number of factors principally: total survey volume, survey aspect ratio and whether the area surveyed is contiguous or comprising independent sightlines. As a rule of thumb cosmic variance falls below 10 per cent once a volume of 107h-30.7Mpc3 is surveyed for a single contiguous region with a 1:1 aspect ratio. Cosmic variance will be lower for higher aspect ratios and/or non-contiguous surveys. Extrapolating outside our test region we infer that cosmic variance in the entire SDSS DR7 main survey region is ~7 per cent to z < 0.1. The equation obtained from the SDSS DR7 region can be generalized to estimate the cosmic variance for any density measurement determined from normal galaxies (e.g. luminosity densities, stellar mass densities and cosmic star formation rates) within the volume range 103-107h-30.7Mpc3. We apply our equation to show that two sightlines are required to ensure that cosmic variance is <10 per cent in any ASKAP galaxy survey (divided into Δ z ~ 0.1 intervals, i.e. ~1Gyr intervals for z < 0.5). Likewise 10 MeerKAT sightlines will be required to meet the same conditions. GAMA, VVDS and zCOSMOS all suffer less than 10 per cent cosmic variance (~3-8 per cent) in Δ z intervals of 0.1, 0.25 and 0.5, respectively. Finally we show that cosmic variance is potentially at the 50-70 per cent level, or greater, in the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) Ultra Deep Field depending on assumptions as to the evolution of clustering. 100 or 10 independent sightlines will be required to reduce cosmic variance to a manageable level (<10 per cent) for HST ACS or HST WFC3 surveys, respectively (in Δ z ~ 1 intervals). Cosmic variance is therefore a significant factor in the z > 6 HST studies currently underway.

Mechanisms underlying the perceived angular velocity of a rigidly rotating object.

PubMed

Caplovitz, G P; Hsieh, P-J; Tse, P U

2006-09-01

The perceived angular velocity of an ellipse undergoing a constant rate of rotation will vary as its aspect ratio is changed. Specifically, a "fat" ellipse with a low aspect ratio will in general be perceived to rotate more slowly than a "thin" ellipse with a higher aspect ratio. Here we investigate this illusory underestimation of angular velocity in the domain where ellipses appear to be rotating rigidly. We characterize the relationship between aspect ratio and perceived angular velocity under luminance and non-luminance-defined conditions. The data are consistent with two hypotheses concerning the construction of rotational motion percepts. The first hypothesis is that perceived angular velocity is determined by low-level component-motion (i.e., motion-energy) signals computed along the ellipse's contour. The second hypothesis is that relative maxima of positive contour curvature are treated as non-component, form-based "trackable features" (TFs) that contribute to the visual system's construction of the motion percept. Our data suggest that perceived angular velocity is driven largely by component signals, but is modulated by the motion signals of trackable features, such as corners and regions of high contour curvature.

Dean Flow Dynamics in Low-Aspect Ratio Spiral Microchannels

PubMed Central

Nivedita, Nivedita; Ligrani, Phillip; Papautsky, Ian

2017-01-01

A wide range of microfluidic cell-sorting devices has emerged in recent years, based on both passive and active methods of separation. Curvilinear channel geometries are often used in these systems due to presence of secondary flows, which can provide high throughput and sorting efficiency. Most of these devices are designed on the assumption of two counter rotating Dean vortices present in the curved rectangular channels and existing in the state of steady rotation and amplitude. In this work, we investigate these secondary flows in low aspect ratio spiral rectangular microchannels and define their development with respect to the channel aspect ratio and Dean number. This work is the first to experimentally and numerically investigate Dean flows in microchannels for Re > 100, and show presence of secondary Dean vortices beyond a critical Dean number. We further demonstrate the impact of these multiple vortices on particle and cell focusing. Ultimately, this work offers new insights into secondary flow instabilities for low-aspect ratio, spiral microchannels, with improved flow models for design of more precise and efficient microfluidic devices for applications such as cell sorting and micromixing. PMID:28281579

Single macroscopic pillars as model system for bioinspired adhesives: influence of tip dimension, aspect ratio, and tilt angle.

PubMed

Micciché, Maurizio; Arzt, Eduard; Kroner, Elmar

2014-05-28

The goal of our study is to better understand the design parameters of bioinspired dry adhesives inspired by geckos. For this, we fabricated single macroscopic pillars of 400 μm diameter with different aspect ratios and different tip shapes (i.e., flat tips, spherical tips with different radii, and mushroom tips with different diameters). Tilt-angle-dependent adhesion measurements showed that although the tip shape of the pillars strongly influences the pull-off force, the pull-off strength is similar for flat and mushroom-shaped tips. We found no tilt-angle dependency of adhesion for spherical tip structures and, except for high tilt angle and low preload experiments, no tilt-angle effect for mushroom-tip pillars. For flat-tip pillars, we found a strong influence of tilt angle on adhesion, which decreased linearly with increasing aspect ratio. The experiments show that for the tested aspect ratios between 1 and 5, a linear decrease of tilt-angle dependency is found. The results of our studies will help to design bioinspired adhesives for application on smooth and rough surfaces.

Computational design of low aspect ratio wing-winglets for transonic wind-tunnel testing

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Kuhlman, John M.; Brown, Christopher K.

1989-01-01

A computational design has been performed for three different low aspect ratio wing planforms fitted with nonplanar winglets; one of the three planforms has been selected to be constructed as a wind tunnel model for testing in the NASA LaRC 7 x 10 High Speed Wind Tunnel. A design point of M = 0.8, CL approx = 0.3 was selected, for wings of aspect ratio equal to 2.2, and leading edge sweep angles of 45 and 50 deg. Winglet length is 15 percent of the wing semispan, with a cant angle of 15 deg, and a leading edge sweep of 50 deg. Winglet total area equals 2.25 percent of the wing reference area. This report summarizes the design process and the predicted transonic performance for each configuration.

Breathing Bright Solitons in a Bose Einstein Condensate

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Chong, Gui-Shu; Hai, Wen-Hua; Xie, Qiong-Tao

2003-12-01

A Bose-Einstein condensate with time varying scattering length in time-dependent harmonic trap is analytically investigated and soliton-like solutions of the Gross-Pitaeviskii equation are obtained to describe single soliton, bisoliton and N-soliton properties of the matter wave. The influences of the geometrical property and modulate frequency of trapping potential on soliton behaviour are discussed. When the trap potential has a very small trap aspect ratio or oscillates with a high frequency, the matter wave preserves its shape nearly like a soliton train in propagation, while the breathing behaviour, which displays the periodic collapse and revival of the matter wave, is found for a relatively large aspect ratio or slow varying potential. Meanwhile mass centre of the matter wave translates and/or oscillates for different trap aspect ratio and trap frequencies.

Qualitative skeletal correlates of wing shape in extant birds (Aves: Neoaves).

PubMed

Hieronymus, Tobin L

2015-02-27

Among living fliers (birds, bats, and insects), birds display relatively high aspect ratios, a dimensionless shape variable that distinguishes long and narrow vs. short and broad wings. Increasing aspect ratio results in a functional tradeoff between low induced drag (efficient cruise) and increased wing inertia (difficult takeoff). Given the wide scope of its functional effects, the pattern of aspect ratio evolution is an important factor that contributes to the substantial ecological and phylogenetic diversity of living birds. However, because the feathers that define the wingtip (and hence wingspan and aspect ratio) often do not fossilize, resolution in the pattern of avian wing shape evolution is obscured by missing information. Here I use a comparative approach to investigate the relationship between skeletal proxies of flight feather attachment and wing shape. An accessory lobe of the internal index process of digit II-1, a bony correlate of distal primary attachment, shows weak but statistically significant relationships to aspect ratio and mass independent of other skeletal morphology. The dorsal phalangeal fossae of digit II-1, which house distal primaries VIII and IX, also show a trend of increased prominence with higher aspect ratio. Quill knobs on the ulna are examined concurrently, but do not show consistent signal with respect to wing shape. Although quill knobs are cited as skeletal correlates of flight performance in birds, their relationship to wing shape is inconsistent among extant taxa, and may reflect diverging selection pressures acting on a conserved architecture. In contrast, correlates of distal primary feather attachment on the major digit show convergent responses to increasing aspect ratio. In light of the diversity of musculoskeletal and integumentary mophology that underlies wing shape in different avian clades, it is unlikely that a single skeletal feature will show consistent predictive power across Neoaves. Confident inference of wing shape in basal ornithurine birds will require multiple lines of evidence, together with an understanding of clade-specific evolutionary trends within the crown.

Primary response of high-aspect-ratio thermoresistive sensors

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Majlesein, H. R.; Mitchell, D. L.; Bhattacharya, Pradeep K.; Singh, A.; Anderson, James A.

1997-07-01

There is a growing need for sensors in monitoring performance in modern quality products such as in electronics to monitor heat build up, substrate delaminations, and thermal runaway. In processing instruments, intelligent sensors are needed to measure deposited layer thickness and resistivities for process control, and in environmental electrical enclosures, they are used for climate monitoring and control. A yaw sensor for skid prevention utilizes very fine moveable components, and an automobile engine controller blends a microprocessor and sensor on the same chip. An Active-Pixel Image Sensor is integrated with a digital readout circuit to perform most of the functions in a video camera. Magnetostrictive transducers sense and damp vibrations. Improved acoustic sensors will be used in flow detection of air and other fluids, even at subsonic speeds. Optoelectronic sensor systems are being developed for installation on rocket engines to monitor exhaust gases for signs of wear in the engines. With new freon-free coolants being available the problems of A/C system corrosion have gone up in automobiles and need to be monitored more frequently. Defense cutbacks compel the storage of hardware in safe-custody for an indeterminate period of time, and this makes monitoring more essential. Just-in-time customized manufacturing in modern industries also needs dramatic adjustment in productivity of various selected items, leaving some manufacturing equipment idle for a long time, and therefore, it will be prone to more corrosion, and corrosion sensors are needed. In the medical device industry, development of implantable medical devices using both potentiometric and amperometric determination of parameters has, until now, been used with insufficient micro miniaturization, and thus, requires surgical implantation. In many applications, high-aspect- ratio devices, made possible by the use of synchrotron radiation lithography, allow more useful devices to be produced. High-aspect-ratio sensors will permit industries and various other users to attain more accurate measurements of physical properties and chemical compositions in many systems. Considerable engineering research has recently been focused on this type of fabrication effect. This paper looks at a high-aspect-ratio sensor bus thermorestrictive device with increased aspect-ratio of the interconnects to the device, using unique simulation software resources.

UV activation of polymeric high aspect ratio microstructures: ramifications in antibody surface loading for circulating tumor cell selection.

PubMed

Jackson, Joshua M; Witek, Małgorzata A; Hupert, Mateusz L; Brady, Charles; Pullagurla, Swathi; Kamande, Joyce; Aufforth, Rachel D; Tignanelli, Christopher J; Torphy, Robert J; Yeh, Jen Jen; Soper, Steven A

2014-01-07

The need to activate thermoplastic surfaces using robust and efficient methods has been driven by the fact that replication techniques can be used to produce microfluidic devices in a high production mode and at low cost, making polymer microfluidics invaluable for in vitro diagnostics, such as circulating tumor cell (CTC) analysis, where device disposability is critical to mitigate artifacts associated with sample carryover. Modifying the surface chemistry of thermoplastic devices through activation techniques can be used to increase the wettability of the surface or to produce functional scaffolds to allow for the covalent attachment of biologics, such as antibodies for CTC recognition. Extensive surface characterization tools were used to investigate UV activation of various surfaces to produce uniform and high surface coverage of functional groups, such as carboxylic acids in microchannels of different aspect ratios. We found that the efficiency of the UV activation process is highly dependent on the microchannel aspect ratio and the identity of the thermoplastic substrate. Colorimetric assays and fluorescence imaging of UV-activated microchannels following EDC/NHS coupling of Cy3-labeled oligonucleotides indicated that UV-activation of a PMMA microchannel with an aspect ratio of ~3 was significantly less efficient toward the bottom of the channel compared to the upper sections. This effect was a consequence of the bulk polymer's damping of the modifying UV radiation due to absorption artifacts. In contrast, this effect was less pronounced for COC. Moreover, we observed that after thermal fusion bonding of the device's cover plate to the substrate, many of the generated functional groups buried into the bulk rendering them inaccessible. The propensity of this surface reorganization was found to be higher for PMMA compared to COC. As an example of the effects of material and microchannel aspect ratios on device functionality, thermoplastic devices for the selection of CTCs from whole blood were evaluated, which required the immobilization of monoclonal antibodies to channel walls. From our results, we concluded the CTC yield and purity of isolated CTCs were dependent on the substrate material with COC producing the highest clinical yields for CTCs as well as better purities compared to PMMA.

Sensitivity enhancement by chromatographic peak concentration with ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy for minor impurity analysis.

PubMed

Tokunaga, Takashi; Akagi, Ken-Ichi; Okamoto, Masahiko

2017-07-28

High performance liquid chromatography can be coupled with nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to give a powerful analytical method known as liquid chromatography-nuclear magnetic resonance (LC-NMR) spectroscopy, which can be used to determine the chemical structures of the components of complex mixtures. However, intrinsic limitations in the sensitivity of NMR spectroscopy have restricted the scope of this procedure, and resolving these limitations remains a critical problem for analysis. In this study, we coupled ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with NMR to give a simple and versatile analytical method with higher sensitivity than conventional LC-NMR. UHPLC separation enabled the concentration of individual peaks to give a volume similar to that of the NMR flow cell, thereby maximizing the sensitivity to the theoretical upper limit. The UHPLC concentration of compound peaks present at typical impurity levels (5.0-13.1 nmol) in a mixture led to at most three-fold increase in the signal-to-noise ratio compared with LC-NMR. Furthermore, we demonstrated the use of UHPLC-NMR for obtaining structural information of a minor impurity in a reaction mixture in actual laboratory-scale development of a synthetic process. Using UHPLC-NMR, the experimental run times for chromatography and NMR were greatly reduced compared with LC-NMR. UHPLC-NMR successfully overcomes the difficulties associated with analyses of minor components in a complex mixture by LC-NMR, which are problematic even when an ultra-high field magnet and cryogenic probe are used. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tuning filler shape, surface chemistry and ion content in nanofilled polymer electrolytes

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Ganapatibhotla, Lalitha V. N. R.

We investigate how nanofiller surface chemistry and aspect ratio affect the performance of nanofilled solid polymer electrolytes. Polymer-based electrolytes are an attractive alternative to the organic electrolytes currently used in lithium ion batteries. We characterize acidic nanoparticle filled electrolytes and compare them to neutral particle-filled electrolytes previously measured in our lab. Dielectric spectroscopy measurements indicate that the highest increase in conductivity occurs at the eutectic composition (EO/Li=10) and is independent of filler surface chemistry. We measure PEO dynamics using quasi-elastic neutron scattering and do not observe any change in polymer dynamics with particle surface chemistry. When we examine the elastic incoherent structure factor associated with the rotational process, fillers are found to restrict the rotation of the highly conducting PEO6:LiClO4 tunnels. At the eutectic composition, these tunnels are stabilized at the filler surface even above PEO melting temperature. Marginal stability theory predicts formation of alternating layers of coexisting phases at the eutectic composition. We propose a new mechanism, via stabilization of alternating layers of PEO and highly conducting PEO 6:LiClO4 tunnels at the filler surface. When compared to spherical particles, more such structures would be stabilized at a filler surface with high aspect ratio. Consistent with this hypothesis, neutral gamma-Al2O3 nanowhiskers (2-4 nm in diameter and 200-400 nm in length) intensify the effect of neutral gamma-Al 2O3 nanoparticles. The diameters of the two fillers are similar, but the change in aspect ratio (1 to 100) improves conductivity by a factor of 5. This enhancement occurs at battery operation temperatures! Although the change in aspect ratio does not affect thermal transitions and segmental dynamics at optimal whisker loading, the rotation of PEO6 remnants is distinct at the eutectic composition. Because the mechanism by which nanofillers enhance conductivity is related to stabilization of conducting structures at the filler-electrolyte interface, we determine the interface morphology using neutron reflectometry. For this, we spin-coat the unfilled electrolytes EO/Li = 8, 10 on sapphire substrate, which has the same surface chemistry as alpha-Al2O3. When freshly-spin coated on sapphire substrate, the non-eutectic sample does not exhibit any segregation of layers. The freshly spin-coated eutectic sample forms layers with alternating high and low salt concentrations, very similar to the eutectic lamellae predicted by the marginal stability theory for eutectic solidification. Such lamellae do not develop further when the sample is annealed at eutectic temperature and the salt concentration in the polymer decreases gradually away from the surface of sapphire. To take fullest advantage of the surface mechanism and obtain larger increases in conductivity we tailor the aspect ratio of high aspect ratio fillers. Commercial availability of alumina nanowhiskers is limited to neutral surface chemistry and aspect ratio of 100, cellulose nanowhiskers provide a model system where a wide range of surface chemistries may be accessed with variable aspect ratio. We synthesized cellulose whiskers of two different aspect ratios [cotton whiskers: aspect ratio ˜ 10, acetobacter whiskers: aspect ratio ˜ 200] and tested their influence on conductivity and morphology of polymer electrolytes. Similar to all fillers studied in this work, both types of cellulose whiskers provide highest increase in conductivity at the eutectic composition, with the longer acetobacter whiskers providing a marginally higher increase than the cotton whiskers. Although both cellulose whiskers do not alter the crystallinity or glass transition temperature at the optimal 1 wt% loading, they amplify the faint cold crystallization behavior observed in the unfilled eutectic electrolyte without changing the overall crystallinity. At the non-eutectic compositions, cellulose whiskers behave similar to the acidic nanoparticles. To determine the function of nanofillers in entire composition range of the phase diagram, we extend the range of measurements on the nanofilled PEO+LiClO4 electrolyte to EO/Li = 4 to 100. Because PEO+LiAsF 6 electrolytes have similar phase diagram as the PEO+LiClO4 electrolytes, we augment the study of nanofilled PEO+LiAsF6 complexes to the PEO+LiClO4 electrolytes. At compositions near the high and low ends of the phase diagram, the effect of nanofillers on conductivity is governed by reduction in crystallinity of PEO and PEO-salt complexes. In the absence of PEO6, fillers interact directly with PEO and suppress crystallization. This is consistent with the reflectometry experiment where sapphire surface prefers to interact with the salt-rich layers. Around the eutectic composition fillers restrict the highly conducting PEO6 complex at their surface and any increase in conductivity is due to stabilization of these conducting tunnels. For room temperature applications, lithium hexafluoroarsenate seems to be the better salt than lithium perchlorate. At temperatures higher than the eutectic temperature (50°C), conductivity levels off at the value set by the eutectic composition. (Abstract shortened by ProQuest.).

Graphene stabilized ultra-small CuNi nanocomposite with high activity and recyclability toward catalysing the reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds.

PubMed

Fang, Hao; Wen, Ming; Chen, Hanxing; Wu, Qingsheng; Li, Weiying

2016-01-07

Nowadays, it is of great significance and a challenge to design a noble-metal-free catalyst with high activity and a long lifetime for the reduction of aromatic nitro-compounds. Here, a 2D structured nanocomposite catalyst with graphene supported CuNi alloy nanoparticles (NPs) is prepared, and is promising for meeting the requirements of green chemistry. In this graphene/CuNi nanocomposite, the ultra-small CuNi nanoparticles (∼2 nm) are evenly anchored on graphene sheets, which is not only a breakthrough in the structures, but also brings about an outstanding performance in activity and stability. Combined with a precise optimization of the alloy ratios, the reaction rate constant of graphene/Cu61Ni39 reached a high level of 0.13685 s(-1), with a desirable selectivity as high as 99% for various aromatic nitro-compounds. What's more, the catalyst exhibited a unprecedented long lifetime because it could be recycled over 25 times without obvious performance decay or even a morphology change. This work showed the promise and great potential of noble-metal-free catalysts in green chemistry.

Optimization of Orifice Geometry for Cross-Flow Mixing in a Cylindrical Duct

NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)

Sowa, W. A.; Kroll, J. T.; Samuelsen, G. S.; Holdeman, J. D.

1994-01-01

Mixing of gaseous jets in a cross-flow has significant applications in engineering, one example of which is the dilution zone of a gas turbine combustor. Despite years of study, the design of jet injection in combustors is largely based on practical experience. A series of experiments was undertaken to delineate the optimal mixer orifice geometry. A cross-flow to core-flow momentum-flux ratio of 40 and a mass flow ratio of 2.5 were selected as representative of an advanced design. An experimental test matrix was designed around three variables: the number of orifices, the orifice aspect ratio (long-to-short dimension), and the orifice angle. A regression analysis was performed on the data to arrive at an interpolating equation that predicted the mixing performance of orifice geometry combinations within the range of the test matrix parameters. Results indicate that mixture uniformity is a non-linear function of the number of orifices, the orifice aspect ratio, and the orifice angle. Optimum mixing occurs when the asymptotic mean jet trajectories are in the range of 0.35 less than r/R less than 0.5 (where r = 0 is at the mixer wall) at z/R = 1.0. At the optimum number of orifices, the difference between shallow-angled slots with large aspect ratios and round holes is minimal and either approach will lead to good mixing performance. At the optimum number of orifices, it appears possible to have two local optimums where one corresponds to an aspect ratio of 1.0 and the other to a high aspect ratio.

Measurement of Quantum Interference in a Silicon Ring Resonator Photon Source.

PubMed

Steidle, Jeffrey A; Fanto, Michael L; Preble, Stefan F; Tison, Christopher C; Howland, Gregory A; Wang, Zihao; Alsing, Paul M

2017-04-04

Silicon photonic chips have the potential to realize complex integrated quantum information processing circuits, including photon sources, qubit manipulation, and integrated single-photon detectors. Here, we present the key aspects of preparing and testing a silicon photonic quantum chip with an integrated photon source and two-photon interferometer. The most important aspect of an integrated quantum circuit is minimizing loss so that all of the generated photons are detected with the highest possible fidelity. Here, we describe how to perform low-loss edge coupling by using an ultra-high numerical aperture fiber to closely match the mode of the silicon waveguides. By using an optimized fusion splicing recipe, the UHNA fiber is seamlessly interfaced with a standard single-mode fiber. This low-loss coupling allows the measurement of high-fidelity photon production in an integrated silicon ring resonator and the subsequent two-photon interference of the produced photons in a closely integrated Mach-Zehnder interferometer. This paper describes the essential procedures for the preparation and characterization of high-performance and scalable silicon quantum photonic circuits.

Optimization of processing parameters on the controlled growth of ZnO nanorod arrays for the performance improvement of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells

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

Lee, Yi-Mu, E-mail: ymlee@nuu.edu.t; Yang, Hsi-Wen

2011-03-15

High-transparency and high quality ZnO nanorod arrays were grown on the ITO substrates by a two-step chemical bath deposition (CBD) method. The effects of processing parameters including reaction temperature (25-95 {sup o}C) and solution concentration (0.01-0.1 M) on the crystal growth, alignment, optical and electrical properties were systematically investigated. It has been found that these process parameters are critical for the growth, orientation and aspect ratio of the nanorod arrays, showing different structural and optical properties. Experimental results reveal that the hexagonal ZnO nanorod arrays prepared under reaction temperature of 95 {sup o}C and solution concentration of 0.03 M possessmore » highest aspect ratio of {approx}21, and show the well-aligned orientation and optimum optical properties. Moreover the ZnO nanorod arrays based heterojunction electrodes and the solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (SS-DSSCs) were fabricated with an improved optoelectrical performance. -- Graphical abstract: The ZnO nanorod arrays demonstrate well-alignment, high aspect ratio (L/D{approx}21) and excellent optical transmittance by low-temperature chemical bath deposition (CBD). Display Omitted Research highlights: > Investigate the processing parameters of CBD on the growth of ZnO nanorod arrays. > Optimization of CBD process parameters: 0.03 M solution concentration and reaction temperature of 95 {sup o}C. > The prepared ZnO samples possess well-alignment and high aspect ratio (L/D{approx}21). > An n-ZnO/p-NiO heterojunction: great rectifying behavior and low leakage current. > SS-DSSC has J{sub SC} of 0.31 mA/cm{sup 2} and V{sub OC} of 590 mV, and an improved {eta} of 0.059%.« less

Detection of an Optical Counterpart to the ALFALFA Ultra-compact High-velocity Cloud AGC 249525

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Janesh, William; Rhode, Katherine L.; Salzer, John J.; Janowiecki, Steven; Adams, Elizabeth A. K.; Haynes, Martha P.; Giovanelli, Riccardo; Cannon, John M.

2017-03-01

We report on the detection at >98% confidence of an optical counterpart to AGC 249525, an ultra-compact high-velocity cloud (UCHVC) discovered by the Arecibo Legacy Fast ALFA survey blind neutral hydrogen survey. UCHVCs are compact, isolated H I clouds with properties consistent with their being nearby low-mass galaxies, but without identified counterparts in extant optical surveys. Analysis of the resolved stellar sources in deep g- and I-band imaging from the WIYN pODI camera reveals a clustering of possible red giant branch stars associated with AGC 249525 at a distance of 1.64 ± 0.45 Mpc. Matching our optical detection with the H I synthesis map of AGC 249525 from Adams et al. shows that the stellar overdensity is exactly coincident with the highest-density H I contour from that study. Combining our optical photometry and the H I properties of this object yields an absolute magnitude of -7.1≤slant {M}V≤slant -4.5, a stellar mass between 2.2+/- 0.6× {10}4 {M}⊙ and 3.6+/- 1.0× {10}5 {M}⊙ , and an H I to stellar mass ratio between 9 and 144. This object has stellar properties within the observed range of gas-poor ultra-faint dwarfs in the Local Group, but is gas-dominated.

Confirmation of congenital adrenal hyperplasia by adrenal steroid profiling of filter paper dried blood samples using ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

PubMed

Rossi, Claudia; Calton, Lisa; Brown, Heather A; Gillingwater, Scott; Wallace, A Michael; Petrucci, Francesca; Ciavardelli, Domenico; Urbani, Andrea; Sacchetta, Paolo; Morris, Michael

2011-04-01

The specificity of screening for congenital adrenal hyperplasia by direct measurement of 17-hydroxyprogesterone in filter paper dried blood spot samples by immunoassay is low and has a high false-positive rate. In order to reduce the false-positive rate of this test, we developed a rapid, robust, specific confirmatory procedure in which cortisol, 4-androstene-3,17-dione and 17-hydroxyprogesterone were measured simultaneously by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. After extraction, samples were analysed by ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry and 17-hydroxyprogesterone was quantified accurately. Other steroids were determined using stable deuterated internal standards. In total, 25 patient blood spot samples and 92 control samples were analysed. The assay was linear for 17-hydroxyprogesterone, with a coefficient of determination >0.997 and imprecision ≤ 6.5%. An upper limit of normal for 17-hydroxyprogester-one of 4.45 nmol/L was established by analysing a cohort of samples from unaffected newborns. In addition, a cut-off of 3.5 for the peak areas ratio (17-hydroxyprogesterone+4-androstene-3,17-dione)/cortisol, allows confirmation of the affected steroidogenic enzyme. A high throughput method for the detection of steroids related to congenital adrenal hyperplasia has been developed, allowing the false-positive rate associated with screening for 17-hydroxyprogesterone by immunoassay to be determined.

Disordering of ultra thin WO3 films by high-energy ions

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Matsunami, N.; Kato, M.; Sataka, M.; Okayasu, S.

2017-10-01

We have studied disordering or atomic structure modification of ultra thin WO3 films under impact of high-energy ions with non-equilibrium and equilibrium charge incidence, by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD). WO3 films were prepared by thermal oxidation of W deposited on MgO substrate. Film thickness obtained by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry (RBS) is as low as 2 nm. Smoothness of film surface was observed by atomic force microscopy. It is found that the ratio of XRD intensity degradation per 90 MeV Ni+10 ion (the incident charge is lower than the equilibrium charge) to that per 90 MeV Ni ion with the equilibrium charge depends on the film thickness. Also, film thickness dependence is observed for 100 MeV Xe+14. By comparison of the experimental result with a simple model calculation based on the assumption that the mean charge of ions along the depth follows a saturation curve with power-law approximation to the charge dependent electronic stopping power, the characteristic length attaining the equilibrium charge is obtained to be ∼7 nm for 90 MeV Ni+10 ion incidence or the electron loss cross section of ∼1016 cm2, demonstrating that disordering of ultra WO3 films has been observed and a fundamental quantity can be derived through material modification.

A Novel Femtosecond-gated, High-resolution, Frequency-shifted Shearing Interferometry Technique for Probing Pre-plasma Expansion in Ultra-intense Laser Experiments

DTIC Science & Technology

2014-07-17

frequency-shifted shearing interferometry technique for probing pre-plasma expansion in ultra-intense laser experimentsa) Ultra-intense laser -matter...interaction experiments (>1018 W/cm2) with dense targets are highly sensitive to the effect of laser “noise” (in the form of pre-pulses) preceding the...interferometry technique for probing pre- plasma expansion in ultra-intense laser experimentsa) Report Title Ultra-intense laser -matter interaction

Micromechanics of ultra-toughened electrospun PMMA/PEO fibres as revealed by in-situ tensile testing in an electron microscope

PubMed Central

Andersson, Richard L.; Ström, Valter; Gedde, Ulf W.; Mallon, Peter E.; Hedenqvist, Mikael S.; Olsson, Richard T.

2014-01-01

A missing cornerstone in the development of tough micro/nano fibre systems is an understanding of the fibre failure mechanisms, which stems from the limitation in observing the fracture of objects with dimensions one hundredth of the width of a hair strand. Tensile testing in the electron microscope is herein adopted to reveal the fracture behaviour of a novel type of toughened electrospun poly(methyl methacrylate)/poly(ethylene oxide) fibre mats for biomedical applications. These fibres showed a toughness more than two orders of magnitude greater than that of pristine PMMA fibres. The in-situ microscopy revealed that the toughness were not only dependent on the initial molecular alignment after spinning, but also on the polymer formulation that could promote further molecular orientation during the formation of micro/nano-necking. The true fibre strength was greater than 150 MPa, which was considerably higher than that of the unmodified PMMA (17 MPa). This necking phenomenon was prohibited by high aspect ratio cellulose nanocrystal fillers in the ultra–tough fibres, leading to a decrease in toughness by more than one order of magnitude. The reported necking mechanism may have broad implications also within more traditional melt–spinning research. PMID:25208692

Optimal scan strategy for mega-pixel and kilo-gray-level OLED-on-silicon microdisplay.

PubMed

Ji, Yuan; Ran, Feng; Ji, Weigui; Xu, Meihua; Chen, Zhangjing; Jiang, Yuxi; Shen, Weixin

2012-06-10

The digital pixel driving scheme makes the organic light-emitting diode (OLED) microdisplays more immune to the pixel luminance variations and simplifies the circuit architecture and design flow compared to the analog pixel driving scheme. Additionally, it is easily applied in full digital systems. However, the data bottleneck becomes a notable problem as the number of pixels and gray levels grow dramatically. This paper will discuss the digital driving ability to achieve kilogray-levels for megapixel displays. The optimal scan strategy is proposed for creating ultra high gray levels and increasing light efficiency and contrast ratio. Two correction schemes are discussed to improve the gray level linearity. A 1280×1024×3 OLED-on-silicon microdisplay, with 4096 gray levels, is designed based on the optimal scan strategy. The circuit driver is integrated in the silicon backplane chip in the 0.35 μm 3.3 V-6 V dual voltage one polysilicon layer, four metal layers (1P4M) complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process with custom top metal. The design aspects of the optimal scan controller are also discussed. The test results show the gray level linearity of the correction schemes for the optimal scan strategy is acceptable by the human eye.

Wildfire smoke in the Siberian Arctic in summer: source characterization and plume evolution from airborne measurements

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Paris, J.-D.; Stohl, A.; Nédélec, P.; Arshinov, M. Yu.; Panchenko, M. V.; Shmargunov, V. P.; Law, K. S.; Belan, B. D.; Ciais, P.

2009-12-01

We present airborne measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2), carbon monoxide (CO), ozone (O3), equivalent black carbon (EBC) and ultra fine particles over North-Eastern Siberia in July 2008 performed during the YAK-AEROSIB/POLARCAT experiment. During a "golden day" (11 July 2008) a number of biomass burning plumes were encountered with CO mixing ratio enhancements of up to 500 ppb relative to a background of 90 ppb. Number concentrations of aerosols in the size range 3.5-200 nm peaked at 4000 cm-3 and the EBC content reached 1.4 μg m-3. These high concentrations were caused by forest fires in the vicinity of the landing airport in Yakutsk where measurements in fresh smoke could be made during the descent. We estimate a combustion efficiency of 90 ± 3% based on CO and CO2 measurements and a CO emission factor of 65.5 ± 10.8 g CO per kilogram of dry matter burned. This suggests a potential increase in the average northern hemispheric CO mixing ratio of 3.0-7.2 ppb per million hectares of Siberian forest burned. For BC, we estimate an emission factor of 0.52 ± 0.07 g BC kg-1, comparable to values reported in the literature. The emission ratio of ultra-fine particles (3.5-200 nm) was 26 cm-3 (ppb CO)-1, consistent with other airborne studies. The transport of identified biomass burning plumes was investigated using the FLEXPART Lagrangian model. Based on sampling of wildfire plumes from the same source but with different atmospheric ages derived from FLEXPART, we estimate that the e-folding lifetimes of EBC and ultra fine particles (between 3.5 and 200 nm in size) against removal and growth processes are 5.1 and 5.5 days respectively, supporting lifetime estimates used in various modelling studies.

The effect of aspect ratio on the leading-edge vortex over an insect-like flapping wing.

PubMed

Phillips, Nathan; Knowles, Kevin; Bomphrey, Richard J

2015-10-09

Insect wing shapes are diverse and a renowned source of inspiration for the new generation of autonomous flapping vehicles, yet the aerodynamic consequences of varying geometry is not well understood. One of the most defining and aerodynamically significant measures of wing shape is the aspect ratio, defined as the ratio of wing length (R) to mean wing chord (c). We investigated the impact of aspect ratio, AR, on the induced flow field around a flapping wing using a robotic device. Rigid rectangular wings ranging from AR = 1.5 to 7.5 were flapped with insect-like kinematics in air with a constant Reynolds number (Re) of 1400, and a dimensionless stroke amplitude of 6.5c (number of chords traversed by the wingtip). Pseudo-volumetric, ensemble-averaged, flow fields around the wings were captured using particle image velocimetry at 11 instances throughout simulated downstrokes. Results confirmed the presence of a high-lift, separated flow field with a leading-edge vortex (LEV), and revealed that the conical, primary LEV grows in size and strength with increasing AR. In each case, the LEV had an arch-shaped axis with its outboard end originating from a focus-sink singularity on the wing surface near the tip. LEV detachment was observed for AR > 1.5 around mid-stroke at ~70% span, and initiated sooner over higher aspect ratio wings. At AR > 3 the larger, stronger vortex persisted under the wing surface well into the next half-stroke leading to a reduction in lift. Circulatory lift attributable to the LEV increased with AR up to AR = 6. Higher aspect ratios generated proportionally less lift distally because of LEV breakdown, and also less lift closer to the wing root due to the previous LEV's continuing presence under the wing. In nature, insect wings go no higher than AR ~ 5, likely in part due to architectural and physiological constraints but also because of the reducing aerodynamic benefits of high AR wings.

Influence of particle aspect ratio on the midinfrared extinction spectra of wavelength-sized ice crystals.

PubMed

Wagner, Robert; Benz, Stefan; Möhler, Ottmar; Saathoff, Harald; Schnaiter, Martin; Leisner, Thomas

2007-12-20

We have used the T-matrix method and the discrete dipole approximation to compute the midinfrared extinction cross-sections (4500-800 cm(-1)) of randomly oriented circular ice cylinders for aspect ratios extending up to 10 for oblate and down to 1/6 for prolate particle shapes. Equal-volume sphere diameters ranged from 0.1 to 10 microm for both particle classes. A high degree of particle asphericity provokes a strong distortion of the spectral habitus compared to the extinction spectrum of compactly shaped ice crystals with an aspect ratio around 1. The magnitude and the sign (increase or diminution) of the shape-related changes in both the absorption and the scattering cross-sections crucially depend on the particle size and the values for the real and imaginary part of the complex refractive index. When increasing the particle asphericity for a given equal-volume sphere diameter, the values for the overall extinction cross-sections may change in opposite directions for different parts of the spectrum. We have applied our calculations to the analysis of recent expansion cooling experiments on the formation of cirrus clouds, performed in the large coolable aerosol and cloud chamber AIDA of Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe at a temperature of 210 K. Depending on the nature of the seed particles and the temperature and relative humidity characteristics during the expansion, ice crystals of various shapes and aspect ratios could be produced. For a particular expansion experiment, using Illite mineral dust particles coated with a layer of secondary organic matter as seed aerosol, we have clearly detected the spectral signatures characteristic of strongly aspherical ice crystal habits in the recorded infrared extinction spectra. We demonstrate that the number size distributions and total number concentrations of the ice particles that were generated in this expansion run can only be accurately derived from the recorded infrared spectra when employing aspect ratios as high as 10 in the retrieval approach. Remarkably, the measured spectra could also be accurately fitted when employing an aspect ratio of 1 in the retrieval. The so-deduced ice particle number concentrations, however, exceeded the true values, determined with an optical particle counter, by more than 1 order of magnitude. Thus, the shape-induced spectral changes between the extinction spectra of platelike ice crystals of aspect ratio 10 and compactly shaped particles of aspect ratio 1 can be efficiently balanced by deforming the true number size distribution of the ice cloud. As a result of this severe size/shape ambiguity in the spectral analysis, we consider it indispensable to cross-check the infrared retrieval results of wavelength-sized ice particles with independent reference measurements of either the number size distribution or the particle morphology.

Note: Sensitive fluorescence detection through minimizing the scattering light by anti-reflective nanostructured materials

NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)

Xu, Supeng; Yin, Yanning; Gu, Ruoxi; Xia, Meng; Xu, Liang; Chen, Li; Xia, Yong; Yin, Jianping

2018-04-01

We demonstrate a new approach with fabrication of anti-reflective coating to substantially reduce the scattering light in an ultra-high vacuum during laser induced fluorescence (LIF) detection. To do so, the surface of the vacuum chamber in the detection region was blackened and coated with the special solar heat absorbing nanomaterials. We demonstrate that more than 97.5% of the stray light in the chamber spanning from near infrared to ultraviolet can be absorbed which effectively improves the signal to noise (S/N) ratio. With this technique, the LIF signal from the cold magnesium monofluoride molecules has been observed with an S/N ratio of ˜4 times better than without that.