Engineering Papers⌕ Search

Engineering topics

Zohar, S.

Publications and source records attributed to Zohar, S..

At least 19 records

Enhanced charge density wave coherence in a light-quenched, high-temperature superconductor

Superconductivity and charge density waves (CDWs) are competitive, yet coexisting, orders in cuprate superconductors. To understand their microscopic interdependence, a probe capable of discerning their interaction on its natural length and time scale is necessary. We use ultrafast resonant soft x-ray scattering to track the transient evolution of CDW correlations in YBa 2 Cu 3 O 6+x after the quench of superconductivity by an infrared laser pulse. We observe a nonthermal response of the CDW order characterized by a near doubling of the correlation length within ≈1 picosecond of the superconducting quench. Our results are consistent with a model in which the interaction between superconductivity and CDWs manifests inhomogeneously through disruption of spatial coherence, with superconductivity playing the dominant role in stabilizing CDW topological defects, such as discommensurations.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Waveform processing using neural network algorithms on the front-end electronics

In a multi-channel radiation detector readout system, waveform sampling, digitization, and raw data transmission to the data acquisition system constitute a conventional processing chain. The deposited energy on the sensor is estimated by extracting peak amplitudes, area under pulse envelopes from the raw data, and starting times of signals or time of arrivals. However, such quantities can be estimated using machine learning algorithms on the front-end Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), often termed as “edge computing”. Edge computation offers enormous benefits, especially when the analytical forms are not fully known or the registered waveform suffers from noise and imperfections of practical implementations. In this work, we aim to predict peak amplitude from a single waveform snippet whose rising and falling edges containing only 3 to 4 samples. We thoroughly studied two well-accepted neural network algorithms, Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) by varying their model sizes. Further, to better fit front-end electronics, neural network model reduction techniques, such as network pruning methods and variable-bit quantization approaches, were also studied. By combining pruning and quantization, our best performing model has the size of 1.5 KB, reduced from 16.6 KB of its full model counterpart. It can reach mean absolute error of 0.034 comparing to that of a naive baseline of 0.135. Such parameter-efficient and predictive neural network models established feasibility and practicality of their deployment on front-end ASICs.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Probing the interplay between lattice dynamics and short-range magnetic correlations in CuGeO 3 with femtosecond RIXS

Investigations of magnetically ordered phases on the femtosecond timescale have provided significant insights into the influence of charge and lattice degrees of freedom on the magnetic sub-system. However, short-range magnetic correlations occurring in the absence of long-range order, for example in spin-frustrated systems, are inaccessible to many ultrafast techniques. Here, we show how time-resolved resonant inelastic X-ray scattering (trRIXS) is capable of probing such short-ranged magnetic dynamics in a charge-transfer insulator through the detection of a Zhang–Rice singlet exciton. Utilizing trRIXS measurements at the O K-edge, and in combination with model calculations, we probe the short-range spin correlations in the frustrated spin chain material CuGeO 3 following photo-excitation, revealing a strong coupling between the local lattice and spin sub-systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Skyrmion fluctuations at a first-order phase transition boundary

Magnetic skyrmions are topologically protected spin textures with promising prospects for applications in data storage. They can form a lattice state due to competing magnetic interactions and are commonly found in a small region of the temperature—magnetic field phase diagram. Recent work has demonstrated that these magnetic quasi-particles fluctuate at the μeV energy scale. Here, we use a coherent x-ray correlation method at an x-ray free-electron laser to investigate these fluctuations in a magnetic phase coexistence region near a first-order transition boundary where fluctuations are not expected to play a major role. Surprisingly, we find that the relaxation of the intermediate scattering function at this transition differs significantly compared to that deep in the skyrmion lattice phase. The observation of a compressed exponential behavior suggests solid-like dynamics, often associated with jamming. We assign this behavior to disorder and the phase coexistence observed in a narrow field-window near the transition, which can cause fluctuations that lead to glassy behavior.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Spin-polarization and x-ray magnetic circular dichroism in GaAs

The combination of angular spin momentum with electronics is a promising successor to charge-based electronics. The conduction bands in GaAs may become spin-polarized via optical spin pumping, doping with magnetic ions, or induction of a moment with an external magnetic field. We investigated the spin populations in GaAs with x-ray magnetic circular dichroism for each of these three cases. We find strong anti-symmetric lineshapes at the Ga L3 edge indicating conduction band spin splitting, with differences in line width and amplitude depending on the source of spin polarization.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗

A proposed method for electronic feedback compensation of damping in ferromagnetic resonance

Here, we propose an experimental technique for extending feedback compensation of dissipative radiation used in nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) to encompass ferromagnetic resonance (FMR). This method uses a balanced microwave power detector whose output is phase shifted π/2, amplified, and fed back to drive precession. Using classical control theory, we predict an electronically controllable narrowing of field swept FMR line-widths. This technique is predicted to compensate other sources of spin dissipation in addition to radiative loss.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Layer resolved magnetic domain imaging of epitaxial heterostructures in large applied magnetic fields

In this work, we use X-ray Excited Luminescence Microscopy to investigate the elemental and layer resolved magnetic reversal in an interlayer exchange coupled (IEC) epitaxial Fe/Cr wedge/Co heterostructure. The transition from strongly coupled parallel Co-Fe reversal for Cr thickness t(Cr) < 0.34 nm to weakly coupled layer independent reversal for t(Cr) > 1.5 nm is punctuated at 0.34 < t(Cr) < 1.5 nm by a combination of IEC guided domain wall motion and stationary zig zag domain walls. Domain walls nucleated at switching field minima are guided by IEC spatial gradients and collapse at switching field maxima.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Using a focal-plane array to estimate antenna pointing errors

The use of extra collecting horns in the focal plane of an antenna as a means of determining the Direction of Arrival (DOA) of the signal impinging on it, provided it is within the antenna beam, is considered. Our analysis yields a relatively simple algorithm to extract the DOA from the horns' outputs. An algorithm which, in effect, measures the thermal noise of the horns' signals and determines its effect on the uncertainty of the extracted DOA parameters is developed. Both algorithms were implemented in software and tested in simulated data. Based on these tests, it is concluded that this is a viable approach to the DOA determination. Though the results obtained are of general applicability, the particular motivation for the present work is their application to the pointing of a mechanically deformed antenna. It is anticipated that the pointing algorithm developed for a deformed antenna could be obtained as a small perturbation of the algorithm developed for an undeformed antenna. In this context, it should be pointed out that, with a deformed antenna, the array of horns and its associated circuitry constitute the main part of the deformation-compensation system. In this case, the pointing system proposed may be viewed as an additional task carried out by the deformation-compensation hardware.

Zohar, S.↗

Venus - Improved spin vector from Goldstone radar observations

Twenty-one radar images of the surface of Venus obtained between 1972 and 1982 have been compared to follow the motion of 28 distinct features. The delays and Doppler shifts of these features with respect to the subradar points on the various days were used in a nonlinear least-squares parameter estimation algorithm to refine the period and pole orientation of Venus. The period is found to be -243.022 + or - 0.003 days; the right ascension and declination of the pole are: alpha = 272.816 + or - 0.14 deg; beta = 67.218 + or - 0.05 deg (B1950). These standard error estimates attempt to include effects of systematic errors.

Slade, M. A.↗

Multiple-User Adaptive-Array Communication System

Weights for K-beam system computed K/6 times faster. In single-frequency adaptive-array communication system in whick K mobile users communicate with central station equipped with n-antenna array. Each K signal recoverable by taking specific weighted sum of n complex antenna voltages.

Zohar, S.↗

The steady-state antenna patterns of adaptive arrays

A decomposition of the adapted pattern generated by an adaptive array operating in an environment with one narrowband signal, K-1 narrowband jammers, and programmed to produce the maximum SNR is presented. The antenna voltage pattern is demonstrated to be a linear combination of K (or less) basis patterns, each from a sole source, and the kth basis pattern becomes the desired signal realized by the array. Isotropic array patterns result in retrodirective basis patterns, and the decomposition can be configured to obtain the retrodirective beams for all K.

Zohar, S.↗

Outline of a multiple-access communication network based on adaptive arrays

Attention is given to a narrow-band communication system consisting of a central station trying to receive signals simultaneously from K spatially distinct mobile users sharing the same frequencies. One example of such a system is a group of aircraft and ships transmitting messages to a communication satellite. A reasonable approach to such a multiple access system may be based on equipping the central station with an n-element antenna array where n is equal to or greater than K. The array employs K sets of n weights to segregate the signals received from the K users. The weights are determined by direct computation based on position information transmitted by the users. A description is presented of an improved technique which makes it possible to reduce significantly the number of required computer operations in comparison to currently known techniques.

Zohar, S.↗

The structure of the antenna pattern of an adaptive array

The antenna pattern of a receiving adaptive array is investigated for the case of its operation in an environment of one desirable narrow-band signal and (K-1) narrow-band jammers. Results show that the adapted (voltage) antenna pattern of the array is a linear combination of k (or less) basis-patterns, each of which is a function of one source only. It is determined that these basis-patterns have a simple physical meaning in that the k-th basis-pattern is the pattern formed by the array when the transmission of source k is considered a desired signal and all other sources are turned off.

Zohar, S.↗

Adaptive arrays - A new approach to the steady-state analysis

A closed-form expression for the steady-state output signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of an n-element adaptive array excited by one desired narrow-band signal and K - 1 narrow-band jammers is obtained. This is facilitated by representing each excitation by a complex n-dimensional vector - the excitation vector. It is shown that the important system parameters are functions of scalar products of pairs of these excitation vectors. In particular, the normalized output SNR of the array is shown to be the ratio of determinants whose elements involve these scaler products. Such determinants are also shown to be involved in the expressions for the optimal array weights.

Zohar, S.↗