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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 181 records · Page 10
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Stability and Mobility of Disconnections in Solute Atmospheres: Insights from Interfacial Defect Diagrams

This Letter explores the stability of disconnections (step-dislocation defects) at grain boundaries in binary alloys. We introduce interfacial defect diagrams, derived from atomistic simulations and segregation theory, to predict the stability of disconnections in the temperature-solute concentration phase space and relate it to governing segregation mechanisms. These diagrams reveal multiple stability regimes influenced by solute-induced clustering and pinning effects impacting the thermal migration of disconnections and offering insights into their thermodynamics and kinetic properties.

Crystal structure↗
DOE OSTI2024

Phase Pattern Formation in Grain Boundaries

Here, in this Letter, we derive conditions that predict the existence of two-phase periodic-pattern grain boundary structures that are stable against coarsening. While previous research has established that elastic effects can lead to phase pattern formation on crystal surfaces, the possibility of stable grain boundary structures composed of alternating grain boundary phases has not been previously analyzed. Our theory identifies the specific combination of grain boundary and materials properties that enable the emergence of patterned grain boundary states and shows that the dislocation content of grain boundary phase junctions, absent in surface phenomena, weakens the stability of the patterned structures. The predictions of the theory are tested using a model copper grain boundary that exhibits multiple phases and two-phase pattern formation. We discuss how, similarly to surfaces, elastic effects associated with grain boundary phase junctions have profound implications for how grain boundary phases transform.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Polymerization of defect states at dislocation cores in InAs

Dislocations are essentially lines of point defects which can act as recombination centers in semiconductor devices. These point defects do not behave as isolated defects. Their spatial proximity enables them to hybridize into a one-dimensional band, and the distribution of resulting defect-band states is determined by both the position of the band and its dispersion. In the case of glissile 90° partial dislocations in III-V semiconductors, the dislocation core can adopt a variety of different reconstructions. Each of these reconstructions has a different arrangement of point defects, which affects the hybridization into defect bands and their associated dispersion. Here, we illustrate these principles by performing first-principles calculations for InAs and find that some defect levels for InAs dislocations lie outside of the band gap where they cannot act as recombination centers. To provide some insight into the electronic structure of dislocations in ternary alloys, some examples relevant to InGaAs and GaAsP are included.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Nonequilibrium kinetics of the electron–phonon sybsystem of a crystal in a strong electric field as a base of the electroplastic effect

We present the results of a kinetic analysis of nonequilibrium dynamics of the electron–phonon system of a crystal in a strong electric field based on the proposed method of numerically solving a set of Boltzmann equations for electron and phonon distribution functions without expanding the electron distribution function into a series in the phonon energy. It is shown that the electric field action excites the electron subsystem, which by transferring energy to the phonon subsystem creates a large amount of short-wave phonons that effectively influence the lattice defects (point, lines, boundaries of different phases), which results in a redistribution of and decrease in the lattice defect density, in damage healing, in a decrease in the local peak stress, and a decrease in the degradation level of the construction material properties.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2011

Enhanced annealing of the dislocation network under irradiation

In crystalline metals, the dislocation network is the main source of internal strain, while irradiation steadily injects new sources of internal strain (point defects, defect clusters). As a consequence, the evolution of the dislocation network is driven by irradiation. While the atomistic mechanisms by which the forcing proceeds have long been suggested, namely the partitioning of defect elimination between dislocations and other defect sinks, both in stationary or transient regimes, some of the macroscopic consequences, such as irradiation enhanced dislocation annealing and irradiation driven recrystallization, are left unexplained. In this work we show that dislocation sink strengths for point defects are altered in the presence of neighboring dislocations and their climb motion is coordinated with the dislocation microstructure. A climb model, which takes into account the dislocation network, provides the mechanism for coordinated climb, which is shown to ease dislocation annealing. In particular, we demonstrate that coordinated dislocation climb accelerates the annihilation of dislocation pairs with the opposite sign and the repulsion of dislocations of the same sign, thereby, among other things, promoting the annealing of small-angle tilt boundaries by subgrain rotation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2001

Electro-Thermal Simulation Studies of SiC Junction Diodes Containing Screw Dislocations Under High Reverse-Bias Operation

The objective of this work was to conduct a modeling study of SiC P-N junction diodes operating under high reverse biased conditions. Analytical models and numerical simulation capabilities were to be developed for self-consistent electro-thermal analysis of the diode current-voltage (I-V) characteristics. Data from GRC indicate that screw dislocations are unavoidable in large area SiC devices, and lead to changes in the SiC diode electrical response characteristics under high field conditions. For example, device instability and failures linked to internal current filamentation have been observed. The physical origin of these processes is not well understood, and quantitative projections of the electrical behavior under high field and temperature conditions are lacking. Thermal calculations for SiC devices have not been reported in the literature either. So estimates or projections of peak device temperatures and power limitations do not exist. This numerical study and simulation analysis was aimed at resolving some of the above issues. The following tasks were successfully accomplished: (1) Development of physically based models using one- and two-dimensional drift-diffusion theory for the transport behavior and I-V characteristics; (2) One- and two-dimensional heat flow to account for internal device heating. This led to calculations of the internal temperature profiles, which in turn, were used to update the electrical transport parameters for a self-consistent analysis. The temperature profiles and the peak values were thus obtainable for a given device operating condition; (3) Inclusion of traps assumed to model the presence of internal screw dislocations running along the longitudinal direction; (4) Predictions of the operating characteristics with and without heating as a function of applied bias with and without traps. Both one and two-dimensional cases were implemented; (5) Assessment of device stability based on the operating characteristics. The presence of internal non-uniformities, particularly filamentary structures, was probed and demonstrated; (6) Cause and physical origins of filamentary behavior and unstable I-V characteristics were made transparent; (7) It was demonstrated that diodes containing defects would be more prone to thermal breakdown associated with the temperature dependent decrease in the thermal conductivity; and (8) Finally, negative differential resistance (S-shaped NDR) which can potential lead to device instability and filamentary behavior was shown to occur for diodes containing a line of defects such as could be associated with a screw dislocation line.

Joshi, R. P.↗
DOE OSTI2012

Are Carotid Stent Fractures Clinically Significant?

Purpose: Late stent fatigue is a known complication after carotid artery stenting (CAS) for cervical carotid occlusive disease. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and clinical significance of carotid stent fractures. Materials and Methods: A single-center retrospective review of 253 carotid bifurcation lesions treated with CAS and mechanical embolic protection from April 2001 to December 2009 was performed. Stent integrity was analyzed by two independent observers using multiplanar cervical plain radiographs with fractures classified into the following types: type I = single strut fracture; type II = multiple strut fractures; type III = transverse fracture; and type IV = transverse fracture with dislocation. Mean follow-up was 32 months. Results: Follow-up imaging was completed on 106 self-expanding nitinol stents (26 closed-cell and 80 open-cell stents). Eight fractures (7.5%) were detected (type I n = 1, type II n = 6, and type III n = 1). Seven fractures were found in open-cell stents (Precise n = 3, ViVEXX n = 2, and Acculink n = 2), and 1 fracture was found in a closed-cell stent (Xact n = 1) (p = 0.67). Only a previous history of external beam neck irradiation was associated with fractures (p = 0.048). No associated clinical sequelae were observed among the patients with fractures, and only 1 patient had an associated significant restenosis ({>=}80%) requiring reintervention. Conclusions: Late stent fatigue after CAS is an uncommon event and rarely clinically relevant. Although cell design does not appear to influence the occurrence of fractures, lesion characteristics may be associated risk factors.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Stress and temperature dependence of screw dislocation mobility in {alpha}-Fe by molecular dynamics

The low-temperature plastic yield of {alpha}-Fe single crystals is known to display a strong temperature dependence and to be controlled by the thermally activated motion of screw dislocations. In this paper, we present molecular dynamics simulations of (1/2)<111>{l_brace}112{r_brace} screw dislocation motion as a function of temperature and stress in order to extract mobility relations that describe the general dynamic behavior of screw dislocations in pure {alpha}-Fe. We find two dynamic regimes in the stress-velocity space governed by different mechanisms of motion. Consistent with experimental evidence, at low stresses and temperatures, the dislocations move by thermally activated nucleation and propagation of kink pairs. Then, at a critical stress, a temperature-dependent transition to a viscous linear regime is observed. Critical output from the simulations, such as threshold stresses and the stress dependence of the kink activation energy, are compared to experimental data and other atomistic works with generally very good agreement. Contrary to some experimental interpretations, we find that glide on {l_brace}112{r_brace} planes is only apparent, as slip always occurs by elementary kink-pair nucleation/propagation events on {l_brace}110{r_brace} planes. Additionally, a dislocation core transformation from compact to dissociated has been identified above room temperature, although its impact on the general mobility is seen to be limited. This and other observations expose the limitations of inferring or presuming dynamic behavior on the basis of only static calculations. We discuss the relevance and applicability of our results and provide a closed-form functional mobility law suitable for mesoscale computational techniques.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2011

Crystal defects and related stress in Y{sub 2}O{sub 3} thin films: Origin, modeling, and consequence on the stability of the C-type structure

We study the impact that the crystal defects have on the C-type structure of rare earth sesquioxide thin films grown by ion-beam sputtering, through the example of Y{sub 2}O{sub 3}. By monitoring the energy of the argon beam used in the sputter deposition process (between 600 and 1200 eV), we show that it is possible to control the microstructure (defects concentration, stress state and phase) in the oxide layer. Two main types of defects, ascribed to the 'atomic peening effect', are evidenced by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy, and nuclear reaction analysis experiments: anti-Frenkel pairs, leading to a disorder on the oxygen-vacancy network, and oxygen-vacancy dislocations loops, to accommodate the strong nonstoichiometry. From a macroscopic measurement of the residual stresses in the as-deposited and the annealed layers, through x-ray diffraction and the sin{sup 2}{Psi} method, we have modeled the related stress state using an enhanced triaxial stress model. In the as-grown films, we evidence the coexistence of a biaxial and a hydrostatic stress, due to inclusions of atomic size defects. Quantitative information of the concentration and the nature of each type of defect (size effect) have also been determined, in good agreement with experiments. Interestingly, in the most energetic growth conditions corresponding to the highest degree of disorder on the oxygen-vacancy network and to the highest stress field in the film, we demonstrate that it is possible to stabilize an unexpected and metastable non equilibrium fluorite-like phase (X-type).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Simulating dislocation loop internal dynamics and collective diffusion using stochastic differential equations

Nanoscale prismatic loops are modeled via a partial stochastic differential equation that describes an overdamped continuum elastic string, with a view to describing both the internal and collective dynamics of the loop as a function of temperature. Within the framework of the Langevin equation, expressions are derived that relate the empirical parameters of the model, the friction per unit length, and the elastic stiffness per unit length, to observables that can be obtained directly via molecular-dynamics simulations of interstitial or vacancy prismatic loop mobility. The resulting expressions naturally exhibit the properties that the collective diffusion coefficient of the loop (i) scales inversely with the square root of the number of interstitials, a feature that has been observed in both atomistic simulation and in situ TEM investigations of loop mobility, and (ii) the collective diffusion coefficient is not at all dependent on the internal interactions within the loop, thus qualitatively rationalizing past simulation results showing that the characteristic migration energy barrier is comparable to that of a single interstitial, and cluster migration is a result of individual (but correlated) interstitial activity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2011

First-principles study of dislocations in hcp metals through the investigation of the (1121) twin boundary

Herein, we use first principles calculations to study the energy of the (1121) twin boundary in Zr, Zn, Mg, Ti, and Be. This boundary is important for understanding the microyielding and damping of hexagonal close-packed metals. The (1121) twin boundary is unique in that it is composed of--and can form by the glide of--basal dislocations nucleating at every c lattice parameter. The effect of the number of atoms between boundaries on the boundary energy, and the resulting lattice strains of the relaxed structures are quantified. It is shown that the energies obtained converge within 32-64 atoms/supercell. The structures with a higher second-order elastic constant term, c{sub 44}, also have higher boundary energies. It is further shown that the critical resolved shear stresses of the basal dislocations at 0 K, which make up the (1121) twin, are so low as to be below the threshold of the first principles calculations.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2011

Free Carrier Absorption due to Dislocation Scattering in GaN Quantum Wells

Free carrier absorption (FCA) is studied in quantum well structures assuming electrons to be scattered by dislocations via strain field. Expression for FCA coefficient, {alpha} is obtained assuming radiation field to be polarized along the plane of quantum well. Numerical results of {alpha}, as function of photon frequency, {Omega} and well width, d are presented. Calculations show, FCA to decrease with increase in {Omega} with a kink observed at {Omega} = 7.79x10{sup 13} s{sup -1} indicating onset of inter subband transitions. {alpha} is found to be proportional to d{sup -3} and to increase with increase in dislocation density.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2011

The Growth of GaN on Si by the Beam Flux Modulation

AlGaN/GaN HEMT structure was grown on Si (111) substrate by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PA-MBE) using a beam flux modulation methods. In this result, it was verified that the propagation of treading dislocation (TD) due to N-rich GaN layer was effectively suppressed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

ADVANCED-STEM-BASED DEEP LEARNING FOR SEMANTIC SEGMENTATION OF DEFECTS IN STEELS

In this work, we developed a novel deep convolutional neural network (DCNN) model, called DefectNet, for robust and automated semantic segmentation of three crystallographic defects including line dislocations, precipitates and voids commonly observed in structural metals and alloys. In previous work, we established an experimental protocol for a diffraction contrast imaging scanning transmission electron microscopy (DCI STEM) technique and tailored it specifically for imaging defects in popular iron-based structural alloy. Thus, the DefectNet was trained over a small but high-quality DCI STEM defect image sets of a HT-9 martensitic steel before and after neutron irradiation for 111.8 dpa at 412°C. For the defect quantification that typically takes at least half an hour even for an expert, with a good model the machine learning algorithm can produce more reproducible and reliable quantification in a few seconds. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using deep learning algorithms for fast and accurate defect quantitative analysis.

Machine Learning, Radiation effects, Image analysi↗
DOE OSTI2016

Improving optical performance of GaN nanowires grown by selective area growth homoepitaxy: Influence of substrate and nanowire dimensions

Series of GaN nanowires (NW) with controlled diameters (160–500 nm) and heights (420–1100 nm) were homoepitaxially grown on three different templates: GaN/Si(111), GaN/AlN/Si(111), and GaN/sapphire(0001). Transmission electron microscopy reveals a strong influence of the NW diameter on dislocation filtering effect, whereas photoluminescence measurements further relate this effect to the GaN NWs near-bandgap emission efficiency. Although the templates' quality has some effects on the GaN NWs optical and structural properties, the NW diameter reduction drives the dislocation filtering effect to the point where a poor GaN template quality becomes negligible. Thus, by a proper optimization of the homoepitaxial GaN NWs growth, the propagation of dislocations into the NWs can be greatly prevented, leading to an exceptional crystal quality and a total dominance of the near-bandgap emission over sub-bandgap, defect-related lines, such as basal stacking faults and so called unknown exciton (UX) emission. In addition, a correlation between the presence of polarity inversion domain boundaries and the UX emission lines around 3.45 eV is established.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗