Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “INTERFEROMETER”

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 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2013

A microwave interferometer for small and tenuous plasma density measurements

The non-intrusive density measurement of the thin plasma produced by a mini-helicon space thruster (HPH.com project) is a challenge, due to the broad density range (between 10{sup 16} m{sup -3} and 10{sup 19} m{sup -3}) and the small size of the plasma source (2 cm of diameter). A microwave interferometer has been developed for this purpose. Due to the small size of plasma, the probing beam wavelength must be small ({lambda}= 4 mm), thus a very high sensitivity interferometer is required in order to observe the lower density values. A low noise digital phase detector with a phase noise of 0.02 Degree-Sign has been used, corresponding to a density of 0.5 Multiplication-Sign 10{sup 16} m{sup -3}.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2013

Conceptual design of the tangentially viewing combined interferometer-polarimeter for ITER density measurements

One of the systems planned for the measurement of electron density in ITER is a multi-channel tangentially viewing combined interferometer-polarimeter (TIP). This work discusses the current status of the design, including a preliminary optical table layout, calibration options, error sources, and performance projections based on a CO{sub 2}/CO laser system. In the current design, two-color interferometry is carried out at 10.59 {mu}m and 5.42 {mu}m and a separate polarimetry measurement of the plasma induced Faraday effect, utilizing the rotating wave technique, is made at 10.59 {mu}m. The inclusion of polarimetry provides an independent measure of the electron density and can also be used to correct the conventional two-color interferometer for fringe skips at all densities, up to and beyond the Greenwald limit. The system features five chords with independent first mirrors to reduce risks associated with deposition, erosion, etc., and a common first wall hole to minimize penetration sizes. Simulations of performance for a projected ITER baseline discharge show the diagnostic will function as well as, or better than, comparable existing systems for feedback density control. Calculations also show that finite temperature effects will be significant in ITER even for moderate temperature plasmas and can lead to a significant underestimate of electron density. A secondary role TIP will fulfill is that of a density fluctuation diagnostic; using a toroidal Alfven eigenmode as an example, simulations show TIP will be extremely robust in this capacity and potentially able to resolve coherent mode fluctuations with perturbed densities as low as {delta}n/n Almost-Equal-To 10{sup -5}.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

CO{sub 2} laser-based dispersion interferometer utilizing orientation-patterned gallium arsenide for plasma density measurements

A dispersion interferometer based on the second-harmonic generation of a carbon dioxide laser in orientation-patterned gallium arsenide has been developed for measuring electron density in plasmas. The interferometer includes two nonlinear optical crystals placed on opposite sides of the plasma. This instrument has been used to measure electron line densities in a pulsed radio-frequency generated argon plasma. A simple phase-extraction technique based on combining measurements from two successive pulses of the plasma has been used. The noise-equivalent line density was measured to be 1.7 × 10{sup 17} m{sup −2} in a detection bandwidth of 950 kHz. One of the orientation-patterned crystals produced 13 mW of peak power at the second-harmonic wavelength from a carbon dioxide laser with 13 W of peak power. Two crystals arranged sequentially produced 58 mW of peak power at the second-harmonic wavelength from a carbon dioxide laser with 37 W of peak power.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2013

Quadrature phase interferometer for high resolution force spectroscopy

In this article, we present a deflection measurement setup for Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM). It is based on a quadrature phase differential interferometer: we measure the optical path difference between a laser beam reflecting above the cantilever tip and a reference beam reflecting on the static base of the sensor. A design with very low environmental susceptibility and another allowing calibrated measurements on a wide spectral range are described. Both enable a very high resolution (down to 2.5×10{sup −15} m/√(Hz)), illustrated by thermal noise measurements on AFM cantilevers. They present an excellent long-term stability and a constant sensitivity independent of the optical phase of the interferometer. A quick review shows that our precision is equaling or out-performing the best results reported in the literature, but for a much larger deflection range, up to a few μm.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

Balanced double-loop mesoscopic interferometer based on Josephson proximity nanojunctions

We report on the fabrication and characterization of a two-terminal mesoscopic interferometer based on three V/Cu/V Josephson junctions having nanoscale cross-section. The junctions have been arranged in a double-ring geometry realized by metallic thin film deposition through a suspended mask defined by electron beam lithography. Although a significant amount of asymmetry between the critical current of each junction is observed, we show that the interferometer is able to suppress the supercurrent to a level lower than 6 parts per thousand, being here limited by measurement resolution. The present nano-device is suitable for low-temperature magnetometric and gradiometric measurements over the micrometric scale.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Design of a fully-fiber multi-chord interferometer and a new phase-shift demodulation method for field-reversed configuration

A 633 nm laser interferometer has been designed based on a novel concept, which, without the acousto-optic modulator or the demodulator circuit, adopts the fibers to connect all elements except photodetectors and oscilloscope in this system to make it more compact, portable, and efficient. The noteworthy feature is to mathematically compare the two divided interference signals, which have the same phase-shift caused by the electron density but possess the different initial phase and low angular frequencies. It is possible to read the plasma density directly on the oscilloscope by our original mathematic demodulation method without a camera. Based on the Abel inversion algorithm, the radial electron density profiles versus time can be obtained by using the multi-chord system. The designed measurable phase shift ranges from 0 to 2π rad corresponding to the maximum line integral of electron density less than 3.5 × 10{sup 17} cm{sup −2}, and the phase accuracy is about 0.017 rad corresponding to the line integral of electron density accuracy of 1 × 10{sup 15} cm{sup −2}. After the construction of eight-chord interferometer, it will provide the detailed time resolved information of the spatial distribution of the electron density in the field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasma target produced by the “Yingguang-1” programmed-discharge device, which is being constructed in the Key Laboratory of Pulsed Power, China Academy of Engineering Physics.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

A compact micro-wave synthesizer for transportable cold-atom interferometers

We present the realization of a compact micro-wave frequency synthesizer for an atom interferometer based on stimulated Raman transitions, applied to transportable inertial sensing. Our set-up is intended to address the hyperfine transitions of {sup 87}Rb at 6.8 GHz. The prototype is evaluated both in the time and the frequency domain by comparison with state-of-the-art frequency references developed at Laboratoire national de métrologie et d'essais−Systémes de référence temps espace (LNE-SYRTE). In free-running mode, it features a residual phase noise level of −65 dB rad{sup 2} Hz{sup −1} at 10 Hz offset frequency and a white phase noise level in the order of −120 dB rad{sup 2} Hz{sup −1} for Fourier frequencies above 10 kHz. The phase noise effect on the sensitivity of the atomic interferometer is evaluated for diverse values of cycling time, interrogation time, and Raman pulse duration. To our knowledge, the resulting contribution is well below the sensitivity of any demonstrated cold atom inertial sensors based on stimulated Raman transitions. The drastic improvement in terms of size, simplicity, and power consumption paves the way towards field and mobile operations.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

A ballistic two-dimensional-electron-gas Andreev interferometer

We report the realization and investigation of a ballistic Andreev interferometer based on an InAs two dimensional electron gas coupled to a superconducting Nb loop. We observe strong magnetic modulations in the voltage drop across the device due to quasiparticle interference within the weak-link. The interferometer exhibits flux noise down to ∼80 μΦ{sub 0}/√(Hz) and a robust behavior in temperature with voltage oscillations surviving up to ∼7 K. Besides this remarkable performance, the device represents a crucial first step for the realization of a fully-tunable ballistic superconducting magnetometer and embodies a potential advanced platform for the investigation of Majorana bound states, non-local entanglement of Cooper pairs, as well as the manipulation and control of spin triplet correlations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Validation experiment of a numerically processed millimeter-wave interferometer in a laboratory

We propose a new interferometer system for density profile measurements. This system produces multiple measurement chords by a leaky-wave antenna driven by multiple frequency inputs. The proposed system was validated in laboratory evaluation experiments. We confirmed that the interferometer generates a clear image of a Teflon plate as well as the phase shift corresponding to the plate thickness. In another experiment, we confirmed that quasi-optical mirrors can produce multiple measurement chords; however, the finite spot size of the probe beam degrades the sharpness of the resulting image.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

A scanning, all-fiber Sagnac interferometer for high resolution magneto-optic measurements at 820 nm

The Sagnac Interferometer has historically been used for detecting non-reciprocal phenomena, such as rotation. We demonstrate an apparatus in which this technique is employed for high resolution measurements of the Magneto-Optical Polar Kerr effect—a direct indicator of magnetism. Previous designs have incorporated free-space components which are bulky and difficult to align. We improve upon this technique by using all fiber-optic coupled components and demonstrate operation at a new wavelength, 820 nm, with which we can achieve better than 1 μrad resolution. Mounting the system on a piezo-electric scanner allows us to acquire diffraction limited images with 1.5 μm spatial resolution. We also provide extensive discussion on the details and of the Sagnac Interferometer's construction.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

An orthogonal return method for linearly polarized beam based on the Faraday effect and its application in interferometer

Correct return of the measuring beam is essential for laser interferometers to carry out measurement. In the actual situation, because the measured object inevitably rotates or laterally moves, not only the measurement accuracy will decrease, or even the measurement will be impossibly performed. To solve this problem, a novel orthogonal return method for linearly polarized beam based on the Faraday effect is presented. The orthogonal return of incident linearly polarized beam is realized by using a Faraday rotator with the rotational angle of 45°. The optical configuration of the method is designed and analyzed in detail. To verify its practicability in polarization interferometry, a laser heterodyne interferometer based on this method was constructed and precision displacement measurement experiments were performed. These results show that the advantage of the method is that the correct return of the incident measuring beam is ensured when large lateral displacement or angular rotation of the measured object occurs and then the implementation of interferometric measurement can be ensured.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

A low-noise transimpedance amplifier for the detection of “Violin-Mode” resonances in advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory suspensions

This paper describes the design and performance of an extremely low-noise differential transimpedance amplifier, which takes its two inputs from separate photodiodes. The amplifier was planned to serve as the front-end electronics for a highly sensitive shadow-displacement sensing system, aimed at detecting very low-level “Violin-Mode” (VM) oscillations in 0.4 mm diameter by 600 mm long fused-silica suspension fibres. Four such highly tensioned fibres support the 40 kg test-masses/mirrors of the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational wave Observatory interferometers. This novel design of amplifier incorporates features which prevent “noise-gain peaking” arising from large area photodiode (and cable) capacitances, and which also usefully separate the DC and AC photocurrents coming from the photodiodes. In consequence, the differential amplifier was able to generate straightforwardly two DC outputs, one per photodiode, as well as a single high-gain output for monitoring the VM oscillations—this output being derived from the difference of the photodiodes’ two, naturally anti-phase, AC photocurrents. Following a displacement calibration, the amplifier's final VM signal output was found to have an AC displacement responsivity at 500 Hz of (9.43 ± 1.20) MV(rms) m{sup −1}(rms), and, therefore, a shot-noise limited sensitivity to such AC shadow- (i.e., fibre-) displacements of (69 ± 13) picometres/√Hz at this frequency, over a measuring span of ±0.1 mm.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

Dynamic frequency-domain interferometer for absolute distance measurements with high resolution

A unique dynamic frequency-domain interferometer for absolute distance measurement has been developed recently. This paper presents the working principle of the new interferometric system, which uses a photonic crystal fiber to transmit the wide-spectrum light beams and a high-speed streak camera or frame camera to record the interference stripes. Preliminary measurements of harmonic vibrations of a speaker, driven by a radio, and the changes in the tip clearance of a rotating gear wheel show that this new type of interferometer has the ability to perform absolute distance measurements both with high time- and distance-resolution.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

A real-time laser feedback control method for the three-wave laser source used in the polarimeter-interferometer diagnostic on Joint-TEXT tokamak

A three-wave laser polarimeter-interferometer, equipped with three independent far-infrared laser sources, has been developed on Joint-TEXT (J-TEXT) tokamak. The diagnostic system is capable of high-resolution temporal and phase measurement of the Faraday angle and line-integrated density. However, for long-term operation (>10 min), the free-running lasers can lead to large drifts of the intermediate frequencies (∼100–∼500 kHz/10 min) and decay of laser power (∼10%–∼20%/10 min), which act to degrade diagnostic performance. In addition, these effects lead to increased maintenance cost and limit measurement applicability to long pulse/steady state experiments. To solve this problem, a real-time feedback control method of the laser source is proposed. By accurately controlling the length of each laser cavity, both the intermediate frequencies and laser power can be simultaneously controlled: the intermediate frequencies are controlled according to the pre-set values, while the laser powers are maintained at an optimal level. Based on this approach, a real-time feedback control system has been developed and applied on J-TEXT polarimeter-interferometer. Long-term (theoretically no time limit) feedback of intermediate frequencies (maximum change less than ±12 kHz) and laser powers (maximum relative power change less than ±7%) has been successfully achieved.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

A continuous cold atomic beam interferometer

We demonstrate an atom interferometer that uses a laser-cooled continuous beam of {sup 87}Rb atoms having velocities of 10–20 m/s. With spatially separated Raman beams to coherently manipulate the atomic wave packets, Mach–Zehnder interference fringes are observed at an interference distance of 2L = 19 mm. The apparatus operates within a small enclosed area of 0.07 mm{sup 2} at a bandwidth of 190 Hz with a deduced sensitivity of 7.8×10{sup −5} rad/s/√(Hz) for rotations. Using a low-velocity continuous atomic source in an atom interferometer enables high sampling rates and bandwidths without sacrificing sensitivity and compactness, which are important for applications in real dynamic environments.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

Edge-channel interferometer at the graphene quantum Hall pn junction

We demonstrate a quantum Hall edge-channel interferometer in a high-quality graphene pn junction under a high magnetic field. The co-propagating p and n quantum Hall edge channels traveling along the pn interface functions as a built-in Aharonov-Bohm-type interferometer, the interferences in which are sensitive to both the external magnetic field and the carrier concentration. The trajectories of peak and dip in the observed resistance oscillation are well reproduced by our numerical calculation that assumes magnetic flux quantization in the area enclosed by the co-propagating edge channels. Coherent nature of the co-propagating edge channels is confirmed by the checkerboard-like pattern in the dc-bias and magnetic-field dependences of the resistance oscillations.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Frequency stabilization of an Er-doped fiber laser with a collinear 2f-to-3f self-referencing interferometer

We report the stabilization of the carrier-envelope offset (CEO) frequency of an Er-doped fiber laser with a collinear 2f-to-3f self-referencing interferometer. The interferometer is implemented by a dual-pitch periodically poled lithium niobate ridge waveguide with two different quasi-phase matching pitch sizes. We obtain a 52-dB signal-to-noise ratio in the 100-kHz resolution bandwidth of a heterodyne beat signal, which is sufficient for frequency stabilization. We also demonstrate that the collinear geometry is robust against environmental perturbation by comparing in-loop and out-of-loop Allan deviations when the in-loop CEO frequency is stabilized with a phase-locked loop circuit.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Real-time dynamic calibration of a tunable frequency laser source using a Fabry-Pérot interferometer

We report on a method for real-time dynamic calibration of a tunable external cavity diode laser by using a partially mode-matched plano-concave Fabry-Pérot interferometer in reflection geometry. Wide range laser frequency scanning is carried out by piezo-driven tilting of a diffractive grating playing the role of a frequency selective mirror in the laser cavity. The grating tilting system has a considerable mechanical inertness, so static laser frequency calibration leads to false results. The proposed real-time dynamic calibration based on the identification of primary- and Gouy-effect type secondary interference peaks with known frequency and temporal history can be used for a wide scanning range (from 0.2 GHz to more than 1 GHz). A concave spherical mirror with a radius of R = 100 cm and a plain 1% transmitting mirror was used as a Fabry-Pérot interferometer with various resonator lengths to investigate and demonstrate real-time calibration procedures for two kinds of laser frequency scanning functions.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗