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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 217 records · Page 12

Ion-implanted laser annealed silicon solar cells

Development of low cost solar cells fabrication technology is being sponsored by NASA JPL as part of the Low Cost Solar Array Project (LSA). In conformance to Project requirements ion implantation and laser annealing were evaluated as junction formation techniques offering low cost-high throughput potential. Properties of cells fabricated utilizing this technology were analyzed by electrical, transmission electron microscopy, Rutherford backscattering and secondary ion mass spectrometry techniques. Tests indicated the laser annealed substrates to be damage free and electrically active. Similar analysis of ion implanted furnace annealed substrates revealed the presence of residual defects in the form of dislocation lines and loops with substantial impurity redistribution evident for some anneal temperature/time regimes. Fabricated laser annealed cells exhibited improved spectral response and conversion efficiency in comparison to furnace annealed cells. An economic projection for LSA indicates a potential for considerable savings from laser annealing technology.

Katzeff, J. S.↗

Wafering insight provided by the ODE method

The orientation-dependent etching method of slicing was investigated to see if it could be used to form more slices from high quality silicon crystals than can be achieved by mechanical slicing methods. Orientation-dependent slicing uses preferential etching down narrow slots in a silicon slab on form slices. The method has several possible advantages including high slicing yield (sq m/kg), plane parallel, thin slices, ready for processing and the chance of high throughput and low costs. There are limitations in the need for simple crystals, and in restricted depth of slicing.

Soclof, S. I.↗

A diffuse soft X-ray spectrometer

A design for a diffuse X-ray spectrometer utilizing Bragg reflection is described. The geometry has a very high throughput for a given physical size and allows simultaneous observation at all wavelengths within its range. Spectral resolving power is about 35 to 50. A similar unit equipped with thallium acid pthallate crystals will cover the 11 - 24 A-range with about half this throughput and twice the resolving power.

Mccammon, D.↗

An efficient procedure for scheduling packets in a multibeam satellite-switched TDMA system

A satellite-switched, multi-beam system using N sub T transponders is considered, in which a large number of ground stations are distributed over N sub Z (not less than N sub T) zones. Each station transmits information digitally in a packet-switched time division multiple access mode, with all packets of fixed length. A demand-assigned packet scheduling procedure is described which achieves high throughput with relatively low average time delay, adapts easily to fluctuating demand from individual earth stations, and automatically schedules transmissions to avoid adjacent zone interference.

Stern, T. E.↗

Apparatus and technique for pulsed electron beam annealing for solar cell production

Many of the demands of high-throughput processing of solar cells can be satisfied by transient methods using pulsed electron beams. A prototype pulsed electron beam processor for solar cell production has been built, and is intended for automated annealing of solar cell junction ion implantation at a rate of 1200-1800 silicon wafers per hour. Other applications include solar cell junctions by pulse diffusion, annealing of ion-implanted back surface fields, and pulse sintering of cell metallization.

Landis, G. A.↗

Current NASA studies for a Far Ultraviolent Spectrographic Explorer (FUSE)

The NASA plans for FUSE, a satellite which obtains spectra with resolutions between 100,000 and 100 in the spectral regions from 912 to 1216A and 100 to 912A, are outlined. Scientific problems which can be tackled by FUSE, but not by IUE or the Space Telescope, are discussed. A grazing incidence echelle and a hybrid echelle design are presented. They have high throughput, large simultaneous spectral range, and low background photon counting statistics. The satellite operational organization is similar to that of IUE.

Linsky, J.↗

Laboratory system for demonstrating spacecraft processing of multispectral image data

The various elements of the Information Adaptive System (IAS) program are discussed along with the design features, approaches, and algorithms employed within the system. This program was initiated by NASA in order to develop an adaptable data processing system which will accommodate high speed multispectral image data in the real-time spacecraft environment. The development of this system is examined, including the test and support equipment required to evaluate and demonstrate the operational performance of the system in terms of the applicability of the design to high speed onboard processing. In addition to a high throughput rate capability, this system will be flexible, programmable, and capable of adapting its operation to external commands and characteristics of the data stream.

Meredith, B. D.↗

A fast, programmable hardware architecture for spaceborne SAR processing

The launch of spaceborne SARs during the 1980's is discussed. The satellite SARs require high quality and high throughput ground processors. Compression ratios in range and azimuth of greater than 500 and 150 respectively lead to frequency domain processing and data computation rates in excess of 2000 million real operations per second for C-band SARs under consideration. Various hardware architectures are examined and two promising candidates and proceeds to recommend a fast, programmable hardware architecture for spaceborne SAR processing are selected. Modularity and programmability are introduced as desirable attributes for the purpose of HTSP hardware selection.

Bennett, J. R.↗

Research of advanced techniques for X-ray detectors and telescopes with applications to rockets and the LAMAR facility

A program for the development of high throughput instrumentation for X-ray astronomy based upon focusing optics is being carried out by the Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory. The instrumentation is applicable to investigations requiring large area focusing optics for direct imaging or dispersive spectroscopy. The long range goals of this program are the development of telescopes and gratings for future major X-ray astronomy facilities, including additions to the LAMAR OSS-2/SHEAL experiment after the initial flights. Tests of the devices and their more immediate utilization in scientific investigations can be carried out with SPARTAN payloads deployed and retrieved by the Space Shuttle. However, the present backlog of approved SPARTAN missions is longer than the three-year duration of the program described in this program. Laboratory studies and breadboarding of instrumentation are discussed.

Gorenstein, P.↗

The applications developmental data system

This paper describes a research and development system under development at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) for processing Landsat-4 Thematic Mapper (TM) data at high throughput rates. This system, called the Applications Developmental Data System (ADDS) is being developed with 2 objectives. First, during the initial year of Landsat-4 operations, ADDS provides an essential link in processing the TM images for image data quality assessment. The second objective is to demonstrate the ability to produce a radiometrically corrected TM image in 8 minutes and a geometrically correct image in 16 minutes. The processing rates currently achieved are presented.

Mocarsky, W. L.↗

Using Ada for a distributed, fault tolerant system

It is pointed out that advanced avionics applications increasingly require underlying machine architectures which are damage and fault tolerant, and which provide access to distributed sensors, effectors and high-throughput computational resources. The Advanced Information Processing System (AIPS), sponsored by NASA, is to provide an architecture which can meet the considered requirements. Ada was selected for implementing the AIPS system software. Advantages of Ada are related to its provisions for real-time programming, error detection, modularity and separate compilation, and standardization and portability. Chief drawbacks of this language are currently limited availability and maturity of language implementations, and limited experience in applying the language to real-time applications. The present investigation is concerned with current plans for employing Ada in the design of the software for AIPS. Attention is given to an overview of AIPS, AIPS software services, and representative design issues in each of four major software categories.

Dewolf, J. B.↗

The Broad Band X-ray telescope

The Broad-Band X-ray Telescope (BBXRT) has been designed to perform high sensitivity, moderate resolution spectrophotometry of X-ray sources in the 0.3-12 keV band from the Shuttle. It consists of a coaligned pair of high throughput conical X-ray imaging mirrors, with a cryogenically cooled multiple element Si(Li) spectrometer at the focus of each. On axis, BBXRT will have an effective area of 580 sq cm at 2 keV and 250 sq cm at 7 keV, and a spectral resolution of 110 eV at 2 keV and 150 eV at 7 keV. A 10,000-s observation with BBXRT will allow a determination of the continuum spectral shape for sources near the Einstein deep survey limit.

Petre, R.↗

Notes on implementation of sparsely distributed memory

The Sparsely Distributed Memory (SDM) developed by Kanerva is an unconventional memory design with very interesting and desirable properties. The memory works in a manner that is closely related to modern theories of human memory. The SDM model is discussed in terms of its implementation in hardware. Two appendices discuss the unconventional approaches of the SDM: Appendix A treats a resistive circuit for fast, parallel address decoding; and Appendix B treats a systolic array for high throughput read and write operations.

Keeler, J. D.↗

Design and initial application of the extended aircraft interrogation and display system: Multiprocessing ground support equipment for digital flight systems

A pipelined, multiprocessor, general-purpose ground support equipment for digital flight systems has been developed and placed in service at the NASA Ames Research Center's Dryden Flight Research Facility. The design is an outgrowth of the earlier aircraft interrogation and display system (AIDS) used in support of several research projects to provide engineering-units display of internal control system parameters during development and qualification testing activities. The new system, incorporating multiple 16-bit processors, is called extended AIDS (XAIDS) and is now supporting the X-29A forward-swept-wing aircraft project. This report describes the design and mechanization of XAIDS and shows the steps whereby a typical user may take advantage of its high throughput and flexible features.

Glover, Richard D.↗

Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) technology for space communications applications

Future communications satellites are likely to use gallium arsenide (GaAs) monolithic microwave integrated-circuit (MMIC) technology in most, if not all, communications payload subsystems. Multiple-scanning-beam antenna systems are expected to use GaAs MMICs to increase functional capability, to reduce volume, weight, and cost, and to greatly improve system reliability. RF and IF matrix switch technology based on GaAs MMICs is also being developed for these reasons. MMIC technology, including gigabit-rate GaAs digital integrated circuits, offers substantial advantages in power consumption and weight over silicon technologies for high-throughput, on-board baseband processor systems. For the more distant future pseudomorphic indium gallium arsenide (InGaAs) and other advanced III-V materials offer the possibility of MMIC subsystems well up into the millimeter wavelength region. All of these technology elements are in NASA's MMIC program. Their status is reviewed.

Connolly, Denis J.↗

Advances in gallium arsenide monolithic microwave integrated-circuit technology for space communications systems

Future communications satellites are likely to use gallium arsenide (GaAs) monolithic microwave integrated-circuit (MMIC) technology in most, if not all, communications payload subsystems. Multiple-scanning-beam antenna systems are expected to use GaAs MMIC's to increase functional capability, to reduce volume, weight, and cost, and to greatly improve system reliability. RF and IF matrix switch technology based on GaAs MMIC's is also being developed for these reasons. MMIC technology, including gigabit-rate GaAs digital integrated circuits, offers substantial advantages in power consumption and weight over silicon technologies for high-throughput, on-board baseband processor systems. In this paper, current developments in GaAs MMIC technology are described, and the status and prospects of the technology are assessed.

Bhasin, K. B.↗

A reflection grating spectrometer for the X-ray Multi-Mirror (XMM) space observatory - Design and calculated performance

Attention is given to a spectrometer design candidate for the X-ray Multi-Mirror observatory, being planned by the European Space Agency as a long-lived large-area array of telescopes. The science requirement of moderate resolution spectroscopy in a two octave region with extremely high throughput leads to the use of grazing incidence reflection gratings. It is noted that the sensitivity of the instrument is sufficient to permit the first spectral detection of soft X-ray features in external galaxies.

Hettrick, Michael C.↗

Laser diode combining for free space optical communication

The maximization of photon delivery to a distant collector in free space optical communications systems calls for a laser diode-combining technique employing wavelength and/or polarization as the bases of its operation. Design considerations for such a combiner encompass high throughput efficiency, diffraction-limited angular divergence, and reasonable volume constraints. Combiners are presently found to require a generalized Strehl ratio concept which includes relative source misalignment; diffraction grating combiners may have a limited number of laser sources which can meet spectral requirements. Methods for the incorporation of a combiner into a communication system are compared. Power combining is concluded to be the best tradeoff of performance and complexity for all systems, except those that are severely limited by either background radiation or component bandwidth.

Mecherle, G. Stephen↗