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At least 199 records · Page 11

Scalability of a Low-Cost Multi-Teraflop Linux Cluster for High-End Classical Atomistic and Quantum Mechanical Simulations

Scalability of a low-cost, Intel Xeon-based, multi-Teraflop Linux cluster is tested for two high-end scientific applications: Classical atomistic simulation based on the molecular dynamics method and quantum mechanical calculation based on the density functional theory. These scalable parallel applications use space-time multiresolution algorithms and feature computational-space decomposition, wavelet-based adaptive load balancing, and spacefilling-curve-based data compression for scalable I/O. Comparative performance tests are performed on a 1,024-processor Linux cluster and a conventional higher-end parallel supercomputer, 1,184-processor IBM SP4. The results show that the performance of the Linux cluster is comparable to that of the SP4. We also study various effects, such as the sharing of memory and L2 cache among processors, on the performance.

Kikuchi, Hideaki↗

Scalable Quantum Monte Carlo Method for Polariton Chemistry via Mixed Block Sparsity and Tensor Hypercontraction Method

We present a reduced-scaling auxiliary-field quantum Monte Carlo (AFQMC) framework designed for large molecular systems and ensembles, with or without coupling to optical cavities. Our approach leverages the natural block sparsity of the Cholesky decomposition (CD) of electron repulsion integrals in molecular ensembles and employs tensor hypercontraction (THC) to efficiently compress low-rank Cholesky blocks. By representing the Cholesky vectors in a mixed format, keeping high-rank blocks in block-sparse form and compressing low-rank blocks with THC, we reduce the scaling of exchange-energy evaluation from quartic to robust cubic in the number of molecular orbitals N, while lowering memory from cubic toward quadratic. Benchmark analyses on one-, two-, and three-dimensional molecular ensembles (up to ∼1,200 orbitals) show that (a) the number of nonzeros in Cholesky tensors grows linearly with system size across dimensions; (b) the average numerical rank increases sublinearly and does not saturate at these sizes; and (c) rank heterogeneity─some blocks nearly full rank and many low rank, naturally motivates the proposed mixed block sparsity and THC scheme for efficient calculation of exchange energy. In conclusion, we demonstrate that the mixed scheme yields cubic wall-time scaling with favorable prefactors and preserves AFQMC accuracy.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Field-tailoring quantum materials via magneto-synthesis: metastable metallic and magnetically suppressed phases in a trimer iridate

We demonstrate that applying modest magnetic fields (< 0.1 T) during high-temperature crystal growth can profoundly alter the structure and ground state of a spin-orbit-coupled, antiferromagnetic trimer lattice. Using BaIrO₃ as a model system, whose ground state is intricately dictated by the trimer lattice, we show that magneto-synthesis , a field-assisted synthesis approach, stabilizes a structurally compressed, metastable metallic and magnetically suppressed phases inaccessible via conventional methods. These effects include a 0.85% reduction in unit cell, 4-order-of-magnitude decrease in resistivity, a 10-fold enhancement of the Sommerfeld coefficient, and the collapse of long-range magnetic order -- all intrinsic and bulk in origin. First-principles calculations confirm that the field-stabilized structure lies substantially above the ground state in energy, highlighting its metastable character. These large, coherent and correlated changes across multiple bulk properties, unlike those caused by dilute impurities, defects or off-stoichiometry, point to an intrinsic field-induced mechanism. The findings establish magneto-synthesis as a powerful new pathway for accessing non-equilibrium quantum phases in strongly correlated materials.

magneto-synthesis↗

Fractional Chern insulators in magic-angle twisted bilayer graphene

Fractional Chern insulators (FCIs) are lattice analogues of fractional quantum Hall states that may provide a new avenue towards manipulating non-Abelian excitations. Early theoretical studies have predicted their existence in systems with flat Chern bands and highlighted the critical role of a particular quantum geometry. However, FCI states have been observed only in Bernal-stacked bilayer graphene (BLG) aligned with hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), in which a very large magnetic field is responsible for the existence of the Chern bands, precluding the realization of FCIs at zero field. By contrast, magic-angle twisted BLG supports flat Chern bands at zero magnetic field and therefore offers a promising route towards stabilizing zero-field FCIs. Here we report the observation of eight FCI states at low magnetic field in magic-angle twisted BLG enabled by high-resolution local compressibility measurements. The first of these states emerge at 5 T, and their appearance is accompanied by the simultaneous disappearance of nearby topologically trivial charge density wave states. We demonstrate that, unlike the case of the BLG/hBN platform, the principal role of the weak magnetic field is merely to redistribute the Berry curvature of the native Chern bands and thereby realize a quantum geometry favourable for the emergence of FCIs. Our findings strongly suggest that FCIs may be realized at zero magnetic field and pave the way for the exploration and manipulation of anyonic excitations in flat moiré Chern bands.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Quantum Emitter Formation Dynamics and Probing of Radiation-Induced Atomic Disorder in Silicon

Near-infrared color centers in silicon are emerging candidates for on-chip integrated quantum emitters, optical-access quantum memories, and sensing. We access ensemble G-color-center formation dynamics and radiation-induced atomic disorder in silicon for a series of megaelectronvolt proton-flux conditions. The photoluminescence results reveal that the G centers are formed more efficiently by pulsed-proton irradiation than by continuous-wave proton irradiation. The enhanced transient excitations and dynamic annealing within nanoseconds allows optimization of the ratio of G-center formation to nonradiative defect accumulation. The G centers preserve narrow line widths of about 0.1 nm when they are generated by moderate pulsed-proton fluences, while the line width broadens significantly as the pulsed-proton fluence increases. This implies vacancy or interstitial clustering by overlapping collision cascades. The tracking of G-center properties for a series of irradiation conditions enables sensitive probing of atomic disorder, serving as a complementary analytical method for sensing damage accumulation. Aided by ab initio electronic structure calculations, we provide insight into the atomic disorder induced inhomogeneous broadening by introducing vacancies, silicon interstitials, and oriented strain fields in the vicinity of a G center. A vacancy leads to a tensile strain and can result in either a red shift or a blue shift of the G-center emission, depending on its position relative to the G center. Meanwhile, Si interstitials lead to compressive strain, which results in a monotonic red shift. In conclusion, high-flux and tunable ion pulses enable the exploration of the fundamental dynamics of radiation-induced defects as well as methods for the optimization of G-center formation and qubit synthesis for quantum information processing.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

High-Pressure Electrides: A Quantum Chemical Perspective

It has long been assumed that all matter will adopt simple close-packed lattices and become metallic under pressure, in accordance with the Thomas–Fermi–Dirac (TFD) model. However, this model struggles to explain pressure-driven complex structural transitions that have been observed in elements, including sodium, challenging our conventional understanding of compressed matter. Moreover, in stark contrast to the TFD model, first-principles calculations suggest that various elements and compounds become electrides under pressure. Electrides, characterized by concentrations of charge density at interstitial regions, can be thought of as ionic compounds where electrons behave as the anions. Though ambient-pressure molecular electrides have been extensively studied via experiments and computations, high-pressure electrides (HPEs) are not well-understood. The identification and characterization of HPEs have been, to date, based purely on theory, including topological analysis of the electron density and the electron localization function. Here, we review these theoretical analysis tools and suggest guidelines that can be used to classify systems as electrides. Moreover, we describe models used to rationalize the electronic structure of HPEs, drawing parallels with ambient-pressure molecular systems, and encourage the development of experimental techniques that provide evidence for the theoretically calculated charge localization.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Thermophysical Properties of Liquid Tritium: A Path Integral Monte Carlo Study

Here, we present worm-algorithm, path integral Monte Carlo simulations of bulk liquid tritium. The simulations are benchmarked against empirically known thermophysical properties of liquid deuterium and liquid tritium. Results for the pair correlation function, chemical potential, isothermal compressibility, isochoric heat capacity, and single-particle momentum distributions are reported. Given the benchmark comparisons, our predictions of liquid tritium properties are expected to be accurate to within a few percent. Our simulations unambiguously demonstrate the significance of nuclear quantum effects to the properties of liquid tritium. In particular, under saturated vapor pressure, the average molecular kinetic energy of the liquid is found to be more than 60% higher than the value expected from the classical equipartition theorem.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Nonplanar effects in simulations of laser-driven ejecta microjet experiments

Recent experiments of laser-driven ejecta microjets performed at OMEGA 60 reveal tortuous jets whereby the jets appear to deviate from their initial trajectory as they travel in vacuum. To understand these data, we perform two dimensional numerical simulations, considering different target thicknesses, pressures, and models of the drive conditions. In particular, modeling the finite laser spot size appears essential in reproducing qualitatively the non-planar shock observed in the experiment. Simulations capture jet deflection by accounting for a slight misalignment of the laser pointing with respect to the groove axis along with spatial variation of the laser pulse intensity. The principal physical mechanism appears to be that lateral momentum is imparted by release waves arising from the non-planar drive. The induced off-axis velocity is small in comparison to the jet axial velocity but integrates into a pronounced deflection over the course of the experiment. The analysis of jet axial and lateral mass distributions is found to be reproduced reasonably by the simulations. Simulated radiographs are in qualitative agreement with the experiments, though their differences point to potential shortcomings in modeling strictly three-dimensional experiments using two-dimensional hydrodynamic simulations. The simple analysis is able to explain part of the observed discrepancy in simulated vs experimental jet masses.

42 ENGINEERING↗

A Limited-Ranged Two-Phase Iron Equation of State Model

This report describes the construction of a two-phase EOS for Fe that includes both (hcp) and liquid phases, and which is meant to be valid over the restricted range: V ϵ [4 : 7] °A 3 /atom, and T ϵ [1000 : 20000] K. It was recently used as the basis for a theoretical study of liquid → solid phase transformation kinetics in Fe which appeared in the Supplemental Material for a paper describing a series of NIF shock + ramp compression experiments aimed at constraining the high-P melt curve of Fe.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Geometry, Disorder and Phase Transitions in Topological States of Matter

The quantum Hall effect is the birthplace of topological states of matter, a major theme at the forefront of condensed matter physics in the past two decades. The fractional quantum Hall (FQH) effect revolutionized our understanding of phases of electronic matter. FQH states support exotic fractionally charged excitations that obey Abelian or non-Abelian fractional statistics, which are topological excitations that result from the underlying topological order. During this project, our group discovered a previously unrecognized geometric degree of freedom of incompressible FQH states and studied that for a variety of gapped FQH states. We brought this new concept into direct contact with experiments for the first time by generalizing it to Fermi-liquid states of composite fermions. Using the newly formulated powerful infinite Density Matrix Renormalization Group method, our numerical calculations yielded a parameter free prediction that was found to be in excellent agreement with experimental findings on electron systems in semiconductor heterostructures. In parallel, we performed extensive numerical studies on different, competing phases at various Landau level filling factors, and quantum phase transitions that result from such a competition, e.g. Abelian-non-Abelian phase transitions in bilayer systems. We studied geometrical excitations dubbed “gravitons” (because of their analogy with excitations in the theory of gravitation) and ways to excite and detect them, and explored how they couple with topological excitations. In graphene-based chiral materials, we realized the ability to tune through different incompressible and compressible states in a single Landau level, and found appropriate experimental parameters for the exploration of universal Luttinger liquid behavior not obtained in semiconductor-based electron systems. We showed that topological systems had a very different response from nontopological systems to strong disorder (many-body localization) as well as periodic drives.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Melting curves of ice polymorphs in the vicinity of the liquid–liquid critical point

The possible existence of a liquid–liquid critical point in deeply supercooled water has been a subject of debate due to the challenges associated with providing definitive experimental evidence. The pioneering work by Mishima and Stanley [Nature 392, 164–168 (1998)] sought to shed light on this problem by studying the melting curves of different ice polymorphs and their metastable continuation in the vicinity of the expected liquid–liquid transition and its associated critical point. Based on the continuous or discontinuous changes in the slope of the melting curves, Mishima [Phys. Rev. Lett. 85, 334 (2000)] suggested that the liquid–liquid critical point lies between the melting curves of ice III and ice V. Herein we explore this conjecture using molecular dynamics simulations with a machine learning model based on ab initio quantum-mechanical calculations. We study the melting curves of ices III, IV, V, VI, and XIII and find that all of them are supercritical and do not intersect the liquid–liquid transition locus. We also find a pronounced, yet continuous, change in the slope of the melting lines upon crossing of the liquid locus of maximum compressibility. Finally, we analyze the literature in light of our findings and conclude that the scenario in which the melting curves are supercritical is favored by the most recent computational and experimental evidence. Although the preponderance of evidence is consistent with the existence of a second critical point in water, the behavior of ice polymorph melting lines does not provide strong evidence in support of this viewpoint, according to our calculations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Probing the lattice structure of dynamically compressed and released single crystal iron through the alpha to epsilon phase transition

In this work, experiments using broadband Laue x-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to examine the lattice structure of dynamically compressed [100]-oriented single crystal iron samples at the Dynamic Compression Sector at the Advanced Photon Source. These experiments used 1 μm thick iron single crystal samples sandwiched between a polyimide ablator and a polycarbonate window. A 100 J, 10 ns duration laser pulse incident on the polyimide ablator was used to shock compress the iron samples to initial stresses greater than 25 GPa, exceeding the ~13 GPa alpha (body-centered-cubic or bcc structure) to epsilon (hexagonal-close-packed or hcp structure) phase transition stress. XRD measurements were performed at various times relative to the shock wave entering the iron sample: early times, <~150 ps while the initial shock waves propagated through the iron; intermediate times, after the iron equilibrated with the ablator and window reaching a plateau stress state (12 or 17 GPa) lasting several nanoseconds; and late times, during uniaxial strain release. The early time measurements show that in <~150 ps, the high-pressure hcp phase is relaxed with a c/a ratio of 1.61, contrary to previous laser shock experiments where a c/a ratio of 1.7 was inferred. In the plateau stress state and partially released states, XRD measurements showed that the hcp structure retained a c/a ratio of 1.61 with no observable changes in the microstructure. Upon stress release at ~1 GPa/ns release rate, the reverse phase transition (hcp to bcc) to the original single crystal orientation (implying a transformation memory effect) was observed to reach completion somewhere between 13 and 11 GPa, indicating little stress hysteresis under rapid uniaxial strain release. A similar memory effect for the reverse hcp to bcc transformation has been previously observed under hydrostatic compression. However, the bcc/hcp orientation relationships differ somewhat between dynamic and static compression experiments, implying that the transformation pathway under uniaxial dynamic strain differs from the Burgers mechanism.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The stability of expanding reactive shocks in a van der Waals fluid

Despite the extensive literature accumulated since the pioneering works of D'yakov and Kontorovich in the 1950s, the stability of steady shocks is still an open question when realistic boundary conditions are accounted. The consideration of a supporting mechanism, which is indeed a necessary condition for shock steadiness, modifies the perturbation shock dynamics in the unstable range. The Noh problem is a suitable example to form steady expanding shocks. This configuration is of great interest to the high-energy-density-physics community because of its direct application to inertial confinement fusion and astrophysics, for which the stagnation of a supersonically converging material via an accretion shock front is ubiquitous. Here in this work, we extend the generalized Noh problem, both base-flow solution and linear stability analysis, to conditions where endothermic or exothermic transformations undergo across the shock. Within the spontaneous acoustic emission conditions found for a van der Waals gas, we find that cylindrical and spherical expanding shocks become literally unstable for sufficiently high mode numbers. Counterintuitively, the effect of exothermicity or endothermicity across the shock is found to be stabilizing or destabilizing, respectively.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Hands-on Introduction to Shock Physics (2020 Report, RR2020-IPD-1)

Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) researchers have played key roles in the development of high-pressure science and shock physics since the 1950s. Central to the Laboratory’s experimental capability are multiple impact systems and explosive loading capabilities that span impact velocities in excess of 8 km/s. More recently, our efforts have taken us to 3rd and 4th generation light sources where these loading platforms are coupled to X-ray diagnostics that are now providing new insights into matter-at-extremes. As the availability of these new diagnostics and loading techniques increases, there is an increased need within the high pressure community for researchers with the knowledge base and expertise to use them. Few institutions offer any level of theoretical or experimental coursework designed to train students for work in the field of shock physics or dynamic compression science, and those that do cannot meet the current demand of the national laboratories.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

NASA Tech Briefs, October 2010

Topics covered include: Hybrid Architecture Active Wavefront Sensing and Control; Carbon-Nanotube-Based Chemical Gas Sensor; Aerogel-Positronium Technology for the Detection of Small Quantities of Organic and/or Toxic Materials; Graphene-Based Reversible Nano-Switch/Sensor Schottky Diode; Inductive Non-Contact Position Sensor; High-Temperature Surface-Acoustic-Wave Transducer; Grid-Sphere Electrodes for Contact with Ionospheric Plasma; Enabling IP Header Compression in COTS Routers via Frame Relay on a Simplex Link; Ka-Band SiGe Receiver Front-End MMIC for Transponder Applications; Robust Optimization Design Algorithm for High-Frequency TWTs; Optimal and Local Connectivity Between Neuron and Synapse Array in the Quantum Dot/Silicon Brain; Method and Circuit for In-Situ Health Monitoring of Solar Cells in Space; BGen: A UML Behavior Network Generator Tool; Platform for Post-Processing Waveform-Based NDE; Electrochemical Hydrogen Peroxide Generator; Fabrication of Single, Vertically Aligned Carbon Nanotubes in 3D Nanoscale Architectures; Process to Create High-Fidelity Lunar Dust Simulants; Lithium-Ion Electrolytes Containing Phosphorous-Based, Flame-Retardant Additives; InGaP Heterojunction Barrier Solar Cells; Straight-Pore Microfilter with Efficient Regeneration; Determining Shear Stress Distribution in a Laminate; Self-Adjusting Liquid Injectors for Combustors; Handling Qualities Prediction of an F-16XL-Based Reduced Sonic Boom Aircraft; Tele-Robotic ATHLETE Controller for Kinematics - TRACK; Three-Wheel Brush-Wheel Sampler; Heterodyne Interferometer Angle Metrology; Aligning Astronomical Telescopes via Identification of Stars; Generation of Optical Combs in a WGM Resonator from a Bichromatic Pump; Large-Format AlGaN PIN Photodiode Arrays for UV Images; Fiber-Coupled Planar Light-Wave Circuit for Seed Laser Control in High Spectral Resolution Lidar Systems; On Calculating the Zero-Gravity Surface Figure of a Mirror; Optical Modification of Casimir Forces for Improved Function of Micro- and Nano-Scale Devices; Analysis, Simulation, and Verification of Knowledge-Based, Rule-Based, and Expert Systems; Core and Off-Core Processes in Systems Engineering; Digital Reconstruction Supporting Investigation of Mishaps; and Template Matching Approach to Signal Prediction.

Source record↗

Helium Incorporation into Scandium Fluoride, a Model Negative Thermal Expansion Material

Scandium trifluoride is a model negative thermal expansion (NTE) material. Its simple structure can be described as an A-site vacant perovskite, and it shows isotropic NTE over a very wide temperature range (up to ~1100 K), due to transverse vibrational motion of the fluoride. Like many framework NTE materials, it undergoes a phase transition at low pressures, adopting a rhombohedral (R3̅c) structure at >0.7 GPa and 300 K in commonly used nonpenetrating pressure media, such as silicone oil. High pressure X-ray diffraction data and gas uptake/release measurements indicate that, on compression in helium above ~200 K, helium is inserted into ScF 3 to form the defect perovskite He x ScF 3 . The incorporation of helium stiffens the structure and changes its phase behavior. At room temperature, complete filling of the structure with helium does not occur until >1.5 GPa. On compression, a cubic perovskite structure is maintained until ~5 GPa. As the pressure was increased to ~9.5 GPa, a further transition occurred at ~7 GPa. The first transition at ~5 GPa is likely to a tetragonal (P4/mbm) perovskite, but the detailed structure of the perovskite phase formed on compression above ~7 GPa is unclear. Cooling down from 300 to 100 K in helium at ~0.4 GPa leads to an approximate composition of He 0.1 ScF 3 . High pressure neutron diffraction measurements, in the temperature range 15–150 K show that the incorporation of helium increases the pressure at which the cubic (Pm3̅m) to rhombohedral (R3̅c) putative quantum structural phase transition occurs from close to 0 GPa to ~0.2 GPa at 0 K.

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