Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “spectral imaging”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 199 records · Page 11

Binary pseudo-random array standard for extreme ultraviolet lithography tool characterization

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imaging tools play a crucial role in EUV lithography. Achieving high accuracy in EUV metrology is essential for advanced semiconductor manufacturing. A thorough characterization of the instrumentation in use is required. Binary pseudo-random arrays (BPRAs) are an established standard for calibrating and characterizing optical instruments in the frequency domain. Here, we expand the BPRA standard to applications in EUV imaging. To extend the technology to the EUV spectral range, a high-resolution BPRA target with the smallest feature size of 40 nm is developed. The EUV BPRA target establishes an in situ and portable calibration and alignment standard for EUV imaging. The target is patterned by means of electron-beam lithography, using a nickel absorber with a thickness of 39 nm. The substrate is a 4″ silicon wafer with a molybdenum/silicon multilayer coating. To demonstrate the efficacy of the target and develop the instrument calibration protocol, the target is imaged on the Sharp Hyper-NA Actinic Reticle Review Project EUV mask microscope. Power spectral density (PSD) data are presented. The characteristics of the imaging system are imprinted on the PSD. The modulation transfer function is extracted from the PSD data. A partially coherent imaging model is used as a reference to the experimental results.

BPRA↗

Monolithically-Fabricated Tunable Long-Wave Infrared Detectors Based on Dynamic Graphene Metasurfaces.

In this paper, the design, fabrication, and characterization of an actively tunable long-wave infrared detector, made possible through direct integration of a graphene-enabled metasurface with a conventional type-II superlattice infrared detector, are reported. This structure allows for post-fabrication tuning of the detector spectral response through voltage-induced modification of the carrier density within graphene and, therefore, its plasmonic response. These changes modify the transmittance through the metasurface, which is fabricated monolithically atop the detector, allowing for spectral control of light reaching the detector. Importantly, this structure provides a fabrication-controlled alignment of the metasurface filter to the detector pixel and is entirely solid-state. Using single pixel devices, relative changes in the spectral response exceeding 8% have been realized. These proof-of-concept devices present a path toward solid-state hyperspectral imaging with independent pixel-to-pixel spectral control through a voltage-actuated dynamic response.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Nearly degenerate two-color impulsive coherent Raman hyperspectral imaging

Impulsive stimulated Raman scattering (ISRS) is a robust technique for studying low frequency (<300 cm –1 ) Raman vibrational modes, but ISRS has faced difficulty in translation to an imaging modality. A primary challenge is the separation of the pump and probe pulses. Here we introduce and demonstrate a simple strategy for ISRS spectroscopy and hyperspectral imaging that uses complementary steep edge spectral filters to separate the probe beam detection from the pump and enables simple ISRS microscopy with a single-color ultrafast laser source. ISRS spectra are obtained that span from the fingerprint region down to <50 cm –1 vibrational modes. Furthermore, hyperspectral imaging and polarization-dependent Raman spectra are also demonstrated.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Utilization of Unmanned Aircraft Systems for Environmental Purposes at the Savannah River Site – 26578

Born in the 1950s, the Savannah River Plant was constructed as a plutonium and tritium production plant. As the Cold War era came and went, a change of direction was signaled when the name of the facility changed from Savannah River Plant to Savannah River Site (1989) – the main mission at Savannah River shifted from “production” to “cleanup.” The Department of Energy is responsible for managing the 310 square miles of land that is the Savannah River Site and the cleanup/remediation activities that occur. The Savannah River National Laboratory utilizes unmanned aircraft systems to assist with some of those environmental monitoring and remediation activities. One function of unmanned aircraft systems at the Savannah River National Laboratory is conducting aerial photography and videography. Various infrastructure evaluations have been performed with unmanned aircraft – facility rooftop inspections, water tower lock verifications, earthen dam surveys, etc. An unmanned aircraft system has been used for progress footage of remediation projects – Dunbarton Bay remediation, Saltstone Disposal Unit construction, etc. Thermal cameras on an unmanned aircraft system are used to help identify cracks/leaks in structures from vantage points not readily accessible by personnel. Virtual tours of different waste units are conducted with unmanned aircraft systems for Site groups and federal/state regulators to save costs and travel time. Additionally, advanced remote sensing technologies are used on unmanned aircraft systems at the Savannah River Site. Light Detection and Ranging uses laser pulses to measure distances to the Earth's surface or other targets to create highly detailed topographic maps that accurately portray terrain (e.g., elevation changes, slopes, and contours). Data collection with a Light Detection and Ranging unit mounted on an unmanned aircraft system is quick and efficient – large-area surveys are conducted in shorter time frames. Because Light Detection and Ranging can penetrate through foliage and vegetation to ground level, it is being used in conjunction with a watershed model to study the General Separations Area of the Site to determine stormwater flow volume and direction, monitor stream stability, and forecast river flow behavior. A hyperspectral camera captures a wide spectrum of electromagnetic wavelengths across numerous narrow bands, beyond what the human eye can see. It provides detailed spectral information about the objects or surfaces in an image, which can be used to identify and analyze materials based on their spectral signatures. A hyperspectral camera mounted on an unmanned aircraft system has been used at the Savannah River Site for non-destructive evaluation of concrete and concrete structures. Unmanned aircraft systems at the Savannah River Site are also used for the application of herbicide on identified rooftops. P-Reactor and R-Reactor are entombed nuclear reactors at the Savannah River Site. Unwanted vegetation is often present on these rooftops – over time roots can penetrate seams, cracks, and joints of the general roof and concrete caps, leading to water ingress and deterioration of the structural components. For time and cost efficiencies as well as in the interest of personnel safety, an unmanned aircraft is used to dispense herbicide on rooftop areas where vegetation is noticed to help alleviate the issues/hazards.

Lorier, Troy [Savannah River National Laboratory (↗

New application of hyperspectral imaging to steady-state plasma observations

A new application of hyperspectral imaging (HSI) to steady-state plasma emission observations is proposed because of its prominent feature: an HSI camera records a two-dimensional image, and each spatial pixel contains spectral data typically with more than a hundred bands, while conventional digital cameras have only three bands. The characterization of an HSI camera (Specim IQ) has been performed during steady-state plasma–material interaction experiments using the linear plasma device PISCES-A. By easily subtracting the background/continuum emission in contrast to conventional filter cameras, two-dimensional images of multiple emission lines at different wavelengths are simultaneously obtained during a single measurement, demonstrating the advantage in plasma emission observations.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Synergistic ground and orbital observations of iron oxides on Mt. Sharp and Vera Rubin ridge

Visible/short-wave infrared spectral data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) show absorptions attributed to hematite at Vera Rubin ridge (VRR), a topographic feature on northwest Mt. Sharp. The goals of this study are to determine why absorptions caused by ferric iron are strongly visible from orbit at VRR, and to improve interpretation of CRISM data throughout lower Mt. Sharp. These goals are achieved by analyzing coordinated CRISM and in situ spectral data along the Curiosity Mars rover’s traverse. VRR bedrock within areas that have the deepest ferric absorptions in CRISM data also have the deepest ferric absorptions measured in situ. This suggests strong ferric absorptions are visible from orbit at VRR because of the unique spectral properties of VRR bedrock. Dust and mixing with basaltic sand additionally inhibit the ability to measure ferric absorptions in bedrock stratigraphically below VRR from orbit. There are two implications of these findings: (1) Ferric absorptions in CRISM data initially dismissed as noise could be real, and ferric phases are more widespread in lower Mt. Sharp than previously reported, (2) Patches with the deepest ferric absorptions in CRISM data are, like VRR, reflective of deeper absorptions in the bedrock. One model to explain this spectral variability is late-stage diagenetic fluids that changed the grain size of ferric phases, deepening absorptions. Curiosity’s experience highlights the strengths of using CRISM data for spectral absorptions and associated mineral detections, and the caveats in using these data for geologic interpretations and strategic path planning tools.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Canopy reflectance spectroscopy, thermal images and digital photographs, San Lorenzo, Panama, 2020

This data package comprises reflectance spectra, thermal and visible images of top of canopy tree crowns at the San Lorenzo Protected Area, Panama. Data were collected using the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute (STRI) canopy access crane, from positions approximately 4 m above the target tree canopy. Canopy reflectance spectra were collected using an HR-1024i full range spectroradiometer (350–2500 nm, SVC, Poughkeepsie, NY, USA) with a 14-degree lens. Canopy thermal images were captured using an 8640-S series USB Calibrated Thermal Camera (ICI International, Beaumont, TX, USA). Visible images were collected using an AW130 waterproof/shockproof camera (Nikon, Tokyo, Japan). Data were collected on three days, on 16 canopies from 10 tree species. On both January 30, 2020, and February 27, 2020, we collected spectra at three time points, in the morning, midday, and afternoon. On February 18, 2020, we collected data around midday only. Due to technical issues, digital photography was collected on 30 January only. This dataset includes unprocessed data only, including spectral data (.sig or .sed), thermal images (.i16), and photographs (.raw), a detailed method description (.pdf), species information (.csv) and ESS-DIVE file-level metadata (FLMD.csv).

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Zone plate-based extreme ultraviolet mask microscope with through-pellicle imaging capability

Mirror-based and zone plate-based imaging systems are being used in actinic extreme ultraviolet (EUV) reticle review tools. With regard to zone plates, a short working distance is advantageous in terms of the required spectral bandwidth, manufacturability, and potential throughput and imaging performance. Zone plates therefore typically have a short working distance. The industry has adopted the use of an EUV pellicle to protect the photomask. Imaging photomask through-pellicle requires a working distance larger than 2.5 mm. A zone-plate-based EUV mask microscope with a 3-mm working distance has been commissioned at beamline 11.3.2 of the Advanced Light Source. Through-pellicle imaging at an exposure time of 2 s is demonstrated. The instrument achieves an image contrast of 95% on large features on a photomask with a tantalum-based absorber. Imaging down to 45-nm half pitch (mask scale) is demonstrated. A NILS of 2.55 is achieved on 60-nm half-pitch (mask scale) lines and spaces. These results demonstrate that zone-plate-based imaging systems can meet the requirements of an actinic EUV mask review tool in terms of imaging performance and throughput in an instrument compatible with EUV pellicles.

Extreme ultraviolet↗

Simulated JWST Data Sets for Multispectral and Hyperspectral Image Fusion

The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) will provide multispectral and hyperspectral infrared images of a large number of astrophysical scenes. Multispectral images will have the highest angular resolution, while hyperspectral images (e.g., with integral field unit spectrometers) will provide the best spectral resolution. This paper aims at providing a comprehensive framework to generate an astrophysical scene and to simulate realistic hyperspectral and multispectral data acquired by two JWST instruments, namely, NIRCam Imager and NIRSpec IFU. We want to show that this simulation framework can be resorted to assess the benefits of fusing these images to recover an image of high spatial and spectral resolutions. To do so, we make a synthetic scene associated with a canonical infrared source, the Orion Bar. We develop forward models including corresponding noises for the two JWST instruments based on their physical features. JWST observations are then simulated by applying the forward models to the aforementioned synthetic scene. We test a dedicated fusion algorithm we developed on these simulated observations. We show that the fusion process reconstructs the high spatio-spectral resolution scene with a good accuracy on most areas, and we identify some limitations of the method to be tackled in future works. The synthetic scene and observations presented in the paper can be used, for instance, to evaluate instrument models, pipelines, or more sophisticated algorithms dedicated to JWST data analysis. Besides, fusion methods such as the one presented in this paper are shown to be promising tools to fully exploit the unprecedented capabilities of the JWST.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

A new μ -high energy resolution fluorescence detection microprobe imaging spectrometer at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource beamline 6-2

In this report we describe a new synchrotron X-ray Fluorescence (XRF) imaging instrument with an integrated High Energy Fluorescence Detection X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (HERFD-XAS) spectrometer at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource at beamline 6-2. The X-ray beam size on the sample can be defined via a range of pinhole apertures or focusing optics. XRF imaging is performed using a continuous rapid scan system with sample stages covering a travel range of 250 × 200 mm 2 , allowing for multiple samples and/or large samples to be mounted. The HERFD spectrometer is a Johann-type with seven spherically bent 100 mm diameter crystals arranged on intersecting Rowland circles of 1 m diameter with a total solid angle of about 0.44% of 4π sr. A wide range of emission lines can be studied with the available Bragg angle range of ~64.5°–82.6°. With this instrument, elements in a sample can be rapidly mapped via XRF and then selected features targeted for HERFD-XAS analysis. Furthermore, utilizing the higher spectral resolution of HERFD for XRF imaging provides better separation of interfering emission lines, and it can be used to select a much narrower emission bandwidth, resulting in increased image contrast for imaging specific element species, i.e., sparse excitation energy XAS imaging. This combination of features and characteristics provides a highly adaptable and valuable tool in the study of a wide range of materials.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Probabilistic Mixture Model-Based Spectral Unmixing

Spectral unmixing attempts to decompose a spectral ensemble into the constituent pure spectral signatures (called endmembers) along with the proportion of each endmember. This is essential for techniques like hyperspectral imaging (HSI) used in environment monitoring, geological exploration, etc. Several spectral unmixing approaches have been proposed, many of which are connected to hyperspectral imaging. However, most extant approaches assume highly diverse collections of mixtures and extremely low-loss spectroscopic measurements. Additionally, current non-Bayesian frameworks do not incorporate the uncertainty inherent in unmixing. We propose a probabilistic inference algorithm that explicitly incorporates noise and uncertainty, enabling us to unmix endmembers in collections of mixtures with limited diversity. We use a Bayesian mixture model to jointly extract endmember spectra and mixing parameters while explicitly modeling observation noise and the resulting inference uncertainties. We obtain approximate distributions over endmember coordinates for each set of observed spectra while remaining robust to inference biases from the lack of pure observations and the presence of non-isotropic Gaussian noise. As a direct impact of our methodology, access to reliable uncertainties on the unmixing solutions would enable robust solutions to noise, as well as informed decision-making for HSI applications and other unmixing problems.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Noise suppression for MHD characterization with electron cyclotron emission imaging 1D technique

Significant noise suppression for magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) mode characterization in the spatial and spectral domain is achieved by processing two-dimensional (2D) electron cyclotron emission imaging (ECEI) data with a one-dimensional (1D) ECEI technique using a short time window ($1\;{\text{ms}}$). The technique is applied to detect toroidal Alfven eigenmodes (TAEs) in the temporal spectrum and fit their radial envelope using the data from the DIII-D tokamak W-band 2D ECEI system. Using the data length (time window) of only 1 ${\text{ms}}$, the 1D ECEI can clearly detect the TAEs (~100 ${\text{kHz}}$) on the spectrum, while similar spectrum quality requires ~10 ${\text{ms}}$ data length with the cross power spectrum between two midplane ECEI channels. The 1D ECEI technique also effectively avoids biased fitting when resolving the fine structure of the TAE's radial envelope. The radially spatial resolution of 1D ECEI is constrained by the finite ECE radiation volume of the ECEI receiver. Here, with forward radiation modeling, we find the DIII-D ECEI system can sensitively measure the even parity MHD activities, for which the mode width is >15 mm, and tearing modes (odd parity MHD activities), for which the island full width is >30 mm.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Correlations Between Panoramic Imagery and Gamma-Ray Background in an Urban Area

When searching for radiological sources in an urban area, a vehicle-borne detector system will often measure complex, varying backgrounds primarily from natural gamma-ray sources. Much work has been focused on developing spectral algorithms that retain sensitivity and minimize the false-positive rate even in the presence of such spectral and temporal variability. However, information about the environment surrounding the detector system might also provide useful clues about the expected background, which if incorporated into an algorithm, could improve performance. Recent work has focused on extensive measuring and modeling of urban areas with the goal of understanding how these complex backgrounds arise. This work presents an analysis of panoramic video images and gamma-ray background data collected in Oakland, California, by the radiological multisensor analysis platform (RadMAP) vehicle. Features were extracted from the panoramic images by semantically labeling the images and then convolving the labeled regions with the detector response. A linear model was used to relate the image-derived features to gamma-ray spectral features obtained using nonnegative matrix factorization (NMF) under different regularizations. Here we find some gamma-ray background features correlate strongly with image-derived features that measure the response-adjusted solid angle subtended by sky and buildings, and we discuss the implications for the development of future, contextually aware detection algorithms.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

Refinement for single-nanoparticle structure determination from low-quality single-shot coherent diffraction data

With the emergence of X-ray free-electron lasers, it is possible to investigate the structure of nanoscale samples by employing coherent diffractive imaging in the X-ray spectral regime. In this work, we developed a refinement method for structure reconstruction applicable to low-quality coherent diffraction data. The method is based on the gradient search method and considers the missing region of a diffraction pattern and the small number of detected photons. We introduced an initial estimate of the structure in the method to improve the convergence. The present method is applied to an experimental diffraction pattern of an Xe cluster obtained in an X-ray scattering experiment at the SPring-8 Angstrom Compact free-electron LAser (SACLA) facility. It is found that the electron density is successfully reconstructed from the diffraction pattern with a large missing region, with a good initial estimate of the structure. The diffraction pattern calculated from the reconstructed electron density reproduced the observed diffraction pattern well, including the characteristic intensity modulation in each ring. Our refinement method enables structure reconstruction from diffraction patterns under difficulties such as missing areas and low diffraction intensity, and it is potentially applicable to the structure determination of samples that have low scattering power.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Multi-campaign ship and aircraft observations of marine cloud condensation nuclei and droplet concentrations

In situ marine cloud droplet number concentrations (CDNCs), cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), and CCN proxies, based on particle sizes and optical properties, are accumulated from seven field campaigns: ACTIVATE; NAAMES; CAMP 2 EX; ORACLES; SOCRATES; MARCUS; and CAPRICORN2. Each campaign involves aircraft measurements, ship-based measurements, or both. Measurements collected over the North and Central Atlantic, Indo-Pacific, and Southern Oceans, represent a range of clean to polluted conditions in various climate regimes. With the extensive range of environmental conditions sampled, this data collection is ideal for testing satellite remote detection methods of CDNC and CCN in marine environments. Remote measurement methods are vital to expanding the available data in these difficult-to-reach regions of the Earth and improving our understanding of aerosol-cloud interactions. The data collection includes particle composition and continental tracers to identify potential contributing CCN sources. Several of these campaigns include High Spectral Resolution Lidar (HSRL) and polarimetric imaging measurements and retrievals that will be the basis for the next generation of space-based remote sensors and, thus, can be utilized as satellite surrogates.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Microcalorimeter measurement of x-ray spectra from a high-temperature magnetically confined plasma

A NASA-built x-ray microcalorimeter spectrometer has been installed on the MST facility at the Wisconsin Plasma Physics Laboratory and has recorded x-ray photons emitted by impurity ions of aluminum in a majority deuterium plasma. Much of the x-ray microcalorimeter development has been driven by the needs of astrophysics missions, where imaging arrays with few-eV spectral resolution are required. The goal of our project is to adapt these single-photon-counting microcalorimeters for magnetic fusion energy research and demonstrate the value of such measurements for fusion science. Microcalorimeter spectrometers combine the best characteristics of the x-ray instrumentation currently available on fusion devices: high spectral resolution similar to an x-ray crystal spectrometer and the broadband coverage of an x-ray pulse height analysis system. Fusion experiments are increasingly employing high-Z plasma-facing components and require measurement of the concentration of all impurity ion species in the plasma. This diagnostic has the capability to satisfy this need for multi-species impurity ion data and will also contribute to measurements of impurity ion temperature and flow velocity, Zeff, and electron density. Here, we introduce x-ray microcalorimeter detectors and discuss the diagnostic capability for magnetic fusion energy experiments. We describe our experimental setup and spectrometer operation approach at MST, and we present the results from an initial measurement campaign.

Eckart, M. E. (ORCID:0000000338945889)↗

Spectroscopic investigation of early light emission from anode-initiated surface flashover in vacuum

Time-resolved optical emission spectroscopy is used to explore the early development of anode-initiated flashover in vacuum. An experimental apparatus for collecting flashover self-luminosity is introduced, which enables spatially resolved light collection from regions adjacent to the anode and cathode triple junctions. The emitted light is spectrally and temporally resolved utilizing an imaging spectrograph and a fast electronic shutter camera. The first light detectable from flashovers across both Rexolite and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) insulators begins less than 10 ns prior to the flashover gap's impedance collapse and consists of faint broadband feature in primarily visible wavelengths. This suggests luminosity due to excitation in the solid, possibly occurring as a result of field emitted electrons. In the few nanoseconds leading up to and including the impedance collapse, the broadband spectrum grows in intensity and extends into the UV, eventually accompanied by a few emission lines of the insulator material. This is strong evidence that the early stages of anode-initiated flashover include surface layer breakdown of the insulator, as a contrast from cathode-initiated flashover, which is predominately an above-surface process. Spectra accumulated over longer exposures of PTFE flashovers indicate that, in the first few hundred nanoseconds after the impedance collapse, ions from the insulator material constitute the majority of the emission lines. Later, neutral and ionic metal species from the electrode contribute with similar prominence as well as molecular bands from diatomic carbon. Finally, a comparison is provided of the results of these studies to other spectroscopic investigations of vacuum flashover from the literature.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Progress on Associate-Particle Imaging Algorithms, 2020

The present work describes progress on the development of imaging algorithms that use fast neutron signatures acquired using the associated-particle imaging (API) method. The present work complements ongoing work to develop neutron source and detector hardware to enable field inspection by investigating algorithms that are capable of discriminating between critical materials or extracting three-dimensional geometrical information from single-sided or transmission measurements. The present work is divided into three approaches:(1)Iterative reconstruction of inelastic gamma-ray emissions to perform three-dimensional time-of-flight imaging in a single view in either transmission or backscatter configurations. Iterative reconstruction enables image resolution better than the inherent TOF resolution.(2)Decomposition of registered neutron and x ray radiographs into an assumed material list for each pixel in the image.(3)Material identification using full spectral analysis that includes the emergent neutron and gamma ray energies, times, and angles.Progress for each approach is summarized for fiscal year 2020.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗