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At least 217 records · Page 12

A Broadband Micro-Machined Far-Infrared Absorber

The experimental investigation of a broadband far-infrared meta-material absorber is described. The observed absorptance is greater than 0.95 from 1 to 20 terahertz (300-15 microns) over a temperature range spanning 5-300 degrees Kelvin. The meta-material, realized from an array of tapers approximately 100 microns in length, is largely insensitive to the detailed geometry of these elements and is cryogenically compatible with silicon-based micro-machined technologies. The electromagnetic response is in general agreement with a physically motivated transmission line model.

broadband far-infrared meta-material absorber↗

Phase field method to optimize dielectric devices for electromagnetic wave propagation

We discuss a phase field method for shape optimization in the context of electromagnetic wave propagation. The proposed method has the same functional capabilities as the level set method for shape optimization. The first advantage of the method is the simplicity of computation, since extra operations such as re-initialization of functions are not required. The second is compatibility with the topology optimization method due to the similar domain representation and the sensitivity analysis. Structural shapes are represented by the phase field function defined in the design domain, and this function is optimized by solving a time-dependent reaction diffusion equation. The artificial double-well potential function used in the equation is derived from sensitivity analysis. We study four types of 2D or 2.5D (axisymmetric) optimization problems. Two are the classical problems of photonic crystal design based on the Bloch theory and photonic crystal wave guide design, and two are the recent topics of designing dielectric left-handed metamaterials and dielectric ring resonators.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Study of new flight test techniques

The modification and testing of a small electromechanical vibrator are described. The vibrator was designed for the flutter testing of aircraft wings and was built to specifications that make it compatible with the X-29 experimental aircraft. The device uses alternating electromagnetic forces to move a magnetic mass and produce vibration. Its unconventional way of producing vibration avoids the need for complex mechanisms and makes efficient use of space and weight.

Deam, D.↗

Novel Techniques for Millimeter-Wave Packages

A new millimeter-wave package architecture with supporting electrical, mechanical and material science experiment and analysis is presented. This package is well suited for discrete devices, monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMIC's) and multichip module (MCM) applications. It has low-loss wide-band RF transitions which are necessary to overcome manufacturing tolerances leading to lower per unit cost Potential applications of this new packaging architecture which go beyond the standard requirements of device protection include integration of antennas, compatibility to photonic networks and direct transitions to waveguide systems. Techniques for electromagnetic analysis, thermal control and hermetic sealing were explored. Three dimensional electromagnetic analysis was performed using a finite difference time-domain (FDTD) algorithm and experimentally verified for millimeter-wave package input and output transitions. New multi-material system concepts (AlN, Cu, and diamond thin films) which allow excellent surface finishes to be achieved with enhanced thermal management have been investigated. A new approach utilizing block copolymer coatings was employed to hermetically seal packages which met MIL STD-883.

Herman, Martin I.↗

Fast Laser Shutters With Low Vibratory Disturbances

A prototype vacuum-compatible, fast-acting, long-life shutter unit that generates very little vibratory disturbance during switching is reviewed. This is one of a number of shutters designed to satisfy requirements specific to an experiment, to be performed aboard a spacecraft in flight, in which laser beams must be blocked rapidly and completely, without generating a vibratory disturbance large enough to adversely affect the power and frequency stability of the lasers. Commercial off-the-shelf laboratory shutter units -- typically containing electromagnet-coil-driven mechanisms -- were found not to satisfy the requirements because they are not vacuum-compatible, their actuators engage in uncompensated motions that generate significant vibrations, and their operational lifetimes are too short. Going beyond the initial outerspace application, the present vacuum-compatible, fast-acting, long-life shutter units could also be used in terrestrial settings in which there are requirements for their special characteristics. In designing these shutter units, unbalanced, electromagnetically driven mechanisms were replaced with balanced mechanisms that include commercial piezoelectric bending actuators. In each shutter unit, the piezoelectric bending actuators are configured symmetrically as opposing cantilever beams within a housing that contains integral mounts for lenses that focus a laser beam to a waist at the shutter location. In operation, the laser beam is blocked by titanium blades bonded near the free ends of the piezoelectric benders. The benders are driven by shaped electrical pulses with a maximum voltage differential of less than 60 V. Preliminary measurements indicate that rise and fall times are less than 1 ms.

Brinza, David↗

Permanent magnets for ELM suppression in tokamaks: feasibility and operational compatibility

Permanent magnets can provide static magnetic fields without power supplies or feed lines, offering a simpler alternative to conventional electromagnets in tokamaks. This work examines permanent magnet arrays (PMAs) for edge localized mode (ELM) control in double-null (DN) configurations, where traditional RMP coils exhibit limited effectiveness. Linear plasma response calculations using IPEC assess high-field-side (HFS) permanent magnet placement, benchmarking performance against DIII-D low-field-side (LFS) internal coils (I-coils) while evaluating engineering constraints. Modeling results demonstrate that HFS permanent magnet configurations generate HFS plasma response amplitudes more than 5 times larger than conventional I-coil systems. While other resonant response metrics show comparable or reduced response relative to I-coils, the combination of conventional RMP systems and permanent magnets is expected to provide enhanced performance. Operational impact assessments of persistent magnetic fields, including sideband field effects and startup/ramp-up compatibility, reveal acceptable performance within established operational boundaries. This analysis establishes PMAs as a technically viable approach for DN ELM control with reductions in system complexity, motivating further experimental validation on existing tokamak facilities.

3D magnetic perturbation↗

Multi-element metasurface system for imaging in the near-infrared

Metasurfaces are optically thin 2D arrays of subwavelength scatterers that modify scalar and vector properties of incident electromagnetic fields. Metasurface lenses are of particular interest for imaging applications for their flat form factor, compatibility with CMOS fabrication processes, and potential for correcting aberrations with a small number of elements. Here, we advance this capability by realizing a millimeter-diameter, polarization-independent metalens triplet system with chromatic aberration correction over the wavelength range of 1.30–1.60 μm and monochromatic aberration correction enabling a field of view of 50°.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Spacecraft integration of an ion propulsion system

This paper describes the development and integration of a one millipound thrust ion thruster system on the NASA Goddard ATS-F spacecraft with the objective of outlining for the propulsion system engineer: (1) system interactions or potential problems associated with the application of ion thruster systems, and (2) progress which has been made and is being made in identifying and solving these problems. Principal areas of concern are the compatibility of the thruster exhaust (ions and atoms) with sensitive spacecraft surfaces and possible electromagnetic interactions of the thruster and its exhaust with other spacecraft subsystems.

Worlock, R. M.↗

Advancing Metasurfaces Towards New Frontiers: Nonvolatile Reconfigurable Optics

The applications of adaptive optics extend across multiple sectors, encompassing areas such as LiDAR, biological and chemical sensing, and free-space communications. In this study, we report on the design, fabrication, testing, and modeling of electrically reconfigurable metasurfaces using a low-loss high contrast phase change material, Ge2Sb2Se4Te integrated with an IR-transparent silicon microheater. Through this work, we introduce a reliable architecture for switching PCM-based metasurfaces within an integrated circuit configuration which is compatible with standard foundry fabrication processes. We demonstrate the capability of controlling the transmission of electromagnetic waves through the precise stimulation of PCM-based pixels, each spanning a few hundred microns, over numerous cycles. By leveraging PCM-based pixels, we unlock the potential to create metasurfaces encompassing a diverse range of functionalities such as dielectric filters, metalens, or beam steering devices, which is governed by the design of the meta-atoms. Further, we perform an in-depth investigation into the failure mechanism utilizing techniques such as Fourier transform IR spectroscopy (FTIR), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and thermal modeling. According to our results, due to a sharp temperature rise at the PCM/heater interface, we observe severe delamination of the PCM from the heater. More uniform PCM deposition, better adhesion at the PCM/heater interface, and a more uniform temperature distribution in the device could potentially mitigate the failure and lead to a longer life-time. By addressing these challenges, we aim to unlock the full potential of PCM-based devices and advance the field of adaptive optics.

Phase change material↗

Design and characterization of microstrip patch antennas for high-T c superconducting terahertz emitters

We designed and characterized a microstrip pattern of planar patch antennas compatible with a cuprate high- T c superconducting terahertz emitter. Antenna parameters were optimized using an electromagnetic simulator. We observed repeatable sub-terahertz emissions from each mesa fabricated on identical Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ base crystals in a continuous frequency range of 0.35–0.85 THz. Although there was no significant output power enhancement, a plateau behavior at a fixed frequency was observed below 40 K, indicating moderate impedance matching attributable to the ambient microstrip pattern. A remarkably anisotropic polarization at an axial ratio of up to 16.9 indicates a mode-locking effect. Our results enable constructing compactly assembled, monolithic, and broadly tunable superconducting terahertz sources.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Statistical Study of Auroral Kilometric Radiation Fine Structure Striations Observed by Polar

We have conducted a statistical survey of a semirandom sample of the auroral kilometric radiation (AKR) data observed by the plasma wave instrument wideband receiver on board the Polar spacecraft. We have determined that AKR fine structure patterns with very narrowband, negative drifting striations occur in approximately 6% of the high-resolution wideband spectrograms when AKR is present. Positive sloping striations are also observed, but at a much lower rate. More than 8200 AKR stripes have been scaled. The stripes are predominantly found in the 40 to 215-kHz frequency range and have a frequency extent of about 4 kHz and a duration of usually less than 2 s. The majority of the stripes have drift rates between -8 and -2 kHz/s, with a peak in the distribution between -6 and -4 kHz/s. There is also a much smaller group of striations with positive drift rates of up to about 5 or 6 kHz/s. We have further investigated the change of drift rate with frequency. Almost all striations are observed in the lowest two frequency bands of the wideband receiver (f < 215 kHz). There is an increase in the statistical drift rate with increasing frequency. The statistical slope of the striations increases with frequency from about -4.4 kHz/s at 75 kHz to about -5.7 kHz/s at 170 kHz. This frequency dependence of the drift rate is consistent, under certain conditions, with a production mechanism stimulated by an upward propagating electromagnetic ion cyclotron wave, as had been suggested earlier. However, such a changing drift rate is also compatible with a stimulated source region that propagates upward along the magnetic field line at the velocity of an ion beam accelerated by a local, upward directed electric field, as is typically observed in the auroral region. An explanation for this association is not apparent at this time.

Menietti, J. D.↗

Numerical relativity simulations of the neutron star merger GW190425: microphysics and mass ratio effects

ABSTRACT GW190425 was the second gravitational wave (GW) signal compatible with a binary neutron star (BNS) merger detected by the Advanced LIGO and Advanced Virgo detectors. Since no electromagnetic counterpart was identified, whether the associated kilonova was too dim or the localization area too broad is still an open question. We simulate 28 BNS mergers with the chirp mass of GW190425 and mass ratio 1 ≤ q ≤ 1.67, using numerical-relativity simulations with finite-temperature, composition dependent equations of state (EOS) and neutrino radiation. The energy emitted in GWs is $\lesssim 0.083\mathrm{\, M_\odot }c^2$ with peak luminosity of 1.1–$2.4\times ~10^{58}/(1+q)^2\, {\rm {erg \, s^{-1}}}$. Dynamical ejecta and disc mass range between 5 × 10−6–10−3 and 10−5–$0.1 \mathrm{\, M_\odot }$, respectively. Asymmetric mergers, especially with stiff EOSs, unbind more matter and form heavier discs compared to equal mass binaries. The angular momentum of the disc is 8–$10\mathrm{\, M_\odot }~GM_{\rm {disc}}/c$ over three orders of magnitude in Mdisc. While the nucleosynthesis shows no peculiarity, the simulated kilonovae are relatively dim compared with GW170817. For distances compatible with GW190425, AB magnitudes are always dimmer than ∼20 mag for the B, r, and K bands, with brighter kilonovae associated to more asymmetric binaries and stiffer EOSs. We suggest that, even assuming a good coverage of GW190425’s sky location, the kilonova could hardly have been detected by present wide-field surveys and no firm constraints on the binary parameters or EOS can be argued from the lack of the detection.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Numerical and simulation study of terahertz radiation generation by laser pulses propagating in the extraordinary mode in magnetized plasma

A one-dimensional numerical model for studying terahertz radiation generation by intense laser pulses propagating, in the extraordinary mode, through magnetized plasma has been presented. The direction of the static external magnetic field is perpendicular to the polarization as well as propagation direction of the laser pulse. A transverse electromagnetic wave with frequency in the terahertz range is generated due to the presence of the magnetic field. Further, two-dimensional simulations using XOOPIC code show that the THz fields generated in plasma are transmitted into vacuum. The fields obtained via simulation study are found to be compatible with those obtained from the numerical model.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Localized surface plasmon polariton resonance in holographically structured Al-doped ZnO

In this paper, we studied the localized surface plasmon polariton (SPP) resonance in hole arrays in transparent conducting aluminum-doped zinc oxide (AZO). CMOS-compatible fabrication process was demonstrated for the AZO devices. The localized SPP resonance was observed and confirmed by electromagnetic simulations. Using a standing wave model, the observed SPP was dominated by the standing-wave resonance along (1,1) direction in square lattices. This research lays the groundwork for a fabrication technique that can contribute to the core technology of future integrated photonics through its extension into tunable conductive materials.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Material platforms for optical metasurfaces

Optical metasurfaces are judicously engineered electromagnetic interfaces that can control and manipulate many of light’s quintessential properties, such as amplitude, phase, and polarization. These artificial surfaces are composed of subwavelength arrays of optical antennas that experience resonant light-matter interaction with incoming electromagnetic radiation. Their ability to arbitrarily engineer optical interactions has generated considerable excitement and interest in recent years and is a promising methodology for miniaturizing optical components for applications in optical communication systems, imaging, sensing, and optical manipulation. However, development of optical metasurfaces requires progress and solutions to inherent challenges, namely large losses often associated with the resonant structures; large-scale, complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor-compatible nanofabrication techniques; and incorporation of active control elements. Furthermore, practical metasurface devices require robust operation in high-temperature environments, caustic chemicals, and intense electromagnetic fields. Although these challenges are substantial, optical metasurfaces remain in their infancy, and novel material platforms that offer resilient, low-loss, and tunable metasurface designs are driving new and promising routes for overcoming these hurdles. In this review, we discuss the different material platforms in the literature for various applications of metasurfaces, including refractory plasmonic materials, epitaxial noble metal, silicon, graphene, phase change materials, and metal oxides. We identify the key advantages of each material platform and review the breakthrough devices that were made possible with each material. Finally, we provide an outlook for emerging metasurface devices and the new material platforms that are enabling such devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

A conservative implicit-PIC scheme for the hybrid kinetic-ion fluid-electron plasma model on curvilinear meshes

We report that the hybrid kinetic-ion fluid-electron plasma model is widely used to study challenging multi-scale problems in space and laboratory plasma physics. Here, a novel conservative scheme for this model employing implicit particle-in-cell techniques is extended to arbitrary coordinate systems via curvilinear maps from logical to physical space. The scheme features a fully non-linear electromagnetic formulation with a multi-rate time advance - including sub-cycling and orbit-averaging for the kinetic ions. By careful choice of compatible particle-based kinetic-ion and mesh-based fluid-electron discretizations in curvilinear coordinates, as well as particle-mesh interpolations and implicit midpoint time advance, the scheme is proven to conserve total energy for arbitrary curvilinear meshes. In the electrostatic limit, the method is also proven to conserve total momentum for arbitrary curvilinear meshes. Although momentum is not conserved for arbitrary curvilinear meshes in the electromagnetic case, it is for an important subset of Cartesian tensor-packed meshes. The scheme and its novel conservation properties are demonstrated for several challenging numerical problems using different curvilinear meshes, including a merging flux-rope simulation for a space weather application, and a helical m = 1 mode simulation for magnetic fusion energy application.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

MAGNETICALLY DRIVEN WINDS FROM DIFFERENTIALLY ROTATING NEUTRON STARS AND X-RAY AFTERGLOWS OF SHORT GAMMA-RAY BURSTS

Besides being among the most promising sources of gravitational waves, merging neutron star binaries also represent a leading scenario to explain the phenomenology of short gamma-ray bursts (SGRBs). Recent observations have revealed a large subclass of SGRBs with roughly constant luminosity in their X-ray afterglows, lasting 10-10{sup 4} s. These features are generally taken as evidence of a long-lived central engine powered by the magnetic spin-down of a uniformly rotating, magnetized object. We propose a different scenario in which the central engine powering the X-ray emission is a differentially rotating hypermassive neutron star (HMNS) that launches a quasi-isotropic and baryon-loaded wind driven by the magnetic field, which is built-up through differential rotation. Our model is supported by long-term, three-dimensional, general-relativistic, and ideal magnetohydrodynamic simulations, showing that this isotropic emission is a very robust feature. For a given HMNS, the presence of a collimated component depends sensitively on the initial magnetic field geometry, while the stationary electromagnetic luminosity depends only on the magnetic energy initially stored in the system. We show that our model is compatible with the observed timescales and luminosities and express the latter in terms of a simple scaling relation.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Developing novel techniques for readout, calibration and event selection in the NOvA long-baseline neutrino experiment

The NOvA long-baseline neutrino experiment uses a fine-grained, low-Z, fully active detector that offers unprecedented electron neutrino identification capabilities for a detector of its scale. In this award’s proposal, the PI outlined the development and implementation of novel techniques for channel readout, detector calibration, and event reconstruction that make full use of the strengths of the NOvA detector technology. In particular, this included designing custom event reconstruction algorithms that utilize the rich information available in the substructure of hadronic and electromagnetic showers. Exploiting this information provides not only substantial improvement in background rejection for the electron neutrino search but also better shower energy resolution (improving the precision on measured oscillation parameters) and a high-energy electromagnetic calibration source (through neutral pion events). The PI further proposed developing and deploying a new electronics readout scheme compatible with the existing hardware that can reduce near detector event pile-up and can offer powerful timing information to the reconstruction, allowing for cosmic ray muon tagging via track direction determination, among other things. In conjunction with the above, the PI proposed leading the calibration of the NOvA detectors, including characterizing individual electronics channels, correcting for spatial variations across the detector, and establishing absolute event energy scales. All three of these lines of effort have been successfully completed, feeding directly into the NOvA’s recent exciting neutrino oscillation results. The techniques developed under this award are detailed in this final technical report.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗