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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 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Comparison of the results of refractometric measurements in the process of diffusion, obtained by means of the backgroundoriented schlieren method and the holographic interferometry method

The results of the study of interdiffusion of two liquids, obtained using the holographic recording scheme with a nonstationary reference wave with the frequency linearly varying in space and time are compared with the results of correlation processing of digital photographs, made with a random background screen. The spatio-temporal behaviour of the signal in four basic representations ('space – temporal frequency', 'space – time', 'spatial frequency – temporal frequency' and 'spatial frequency – time') is found in the holographic experiment and calculated (in the appropriate coordinates) based on the background-oriented schlieren method. Practical coincidence of the results of the correlation analysis and the holographic double-exposure interferometry is demonstrated. (interferometry)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

A New Route to Quantum-Scale Structures through a Novel Enhanced Germanium Diffusion Mechanism

This project sought to develop a fundamental understanding of the mechanisms underlying a newly observed enhanced germanium (Ge) diffusion process in silicon germanium (SiGe) semiconductor nanostructures during thermal oxidation. Using a combination of oxidationdiffusion experiments, high resolution imaging, and theoretical modeling, a model for the enhanced Ge diffusion mechanism was proposed. Additionally, a nanofabrication approach utilizing this enhanced Ge diffusion mechanism was shown to be applicable to arbitrary 3D shapes, leading to the fabrication of stacked silicon quantum dots embedded in SiGe nanopillars. A new wet etch-based method for preparing 3D nanostructures for highresolution imaging free of obscuring material or damage was also developed. These results enable a new method for the controlled and scalable fabrication of on-chip silicon nanostructures with sub-10 nm dimensions needed for next generation microelectronics, including low energy electronics, quantum computing, sensors, and integrated photonics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Extreme ultra-violet burst, particle heating, and whistler wave emission in fast magnetic reconnection induced by kink-driven Rayleigh-Taylor instability

A spatially localized energetic extreme ultra-violet (EUV) burst is imaged at the presumed position of fast magnetic reconnection in a plasma jet produced by a coaxial helicity injection source; this EUV burst indicates strong localized electron heating. A circularly polarized high frequency magnetic field perturbation is simultaneously observed at some distance from the reconnection region indicating that the reconnection emits whistler waves and that Hall dynamics likely governs the reconnection. Spectroscopic measurement also shows simultaneous fast ion heating. The electron heating is consistent with Ohmic dissipation, while the ion heating is consistent with ion trajectories becoming stochastic.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Evaluation of metal artifacts in MVCT systems using a model based correction method

Purpose: To evaluate the performance of a model based image reconstruction method in reducing metal artifacts in the megavoltage computed tomography (MVCT) images of a phantom representing bilateral hip prostheses and to compare with the filtered-backprojection (FBP) technique. Methods: An iterative maximum likelihood polychromatic algorithm for CT (IMPACT) is used with an additional model for the pair/triplet production process and the energy dependent response of the detectors. The beam spectra for an in-house bench-top and TomoTherapy Trade-Mark-Sign MVCTs are modeled for use in IMPACT. The empirical energy dependent response of detectors is calculated using a constrained optimization technique that predicts the measured attenuation of the beam by various thicknesses (0-24 cm) of solid water slabs. A cylindrical (19.1 cm diameter) plexiglass phantom containing various cylindrical inserts of relative electron densities 0.295-1.695 positioned between two steel rods (2.7 cm diameter) is scanned in the bench-top MVCT that utilizes the bremsstrahlung radiation from a 6 MeV electron beam passed through 4 cm solid water on the Varian Clinac 2300C and in the imaging beam of the TomoTherapy Trade-Mark-Sign MVCT. The FBP technique in bench-top MVCT reconstructs images from raw signal normalized to air scan and corrected for beam hardening using a uniform plexiglass cylinder (20 cm diameter). The IMPACT starts with a FBP reconstructed seed image and reconstructs the final image in 150 iterations. Results: In both MVCTs, FBP produces visible dark shading in the image connecting the steel rods. In the IMPACT reconstructed images this shading is nearly removed and the uniform background is restored. The average attenuation coefficients of the inserts and the background are very close to the corresponding values in the absence of the steel inserts. In the FBP images of the bench-top MVCT, the shading causes 4%-9.5% underestimation of electron density at the central inserts with an average of (6.3 {+-} 1.8)% for the range of electron densities studied. In the uniform plexiglass background, the shadow creates 0.8%-4.7% underestimation of electron density with an average of (2.9 {+-} 1.2)%. In the corresponding IMPACT images, the underestimation in the shaded plexiglass background is 0.3%-1.8% with an average of (0.9 {+-} 0.5)% and 1.4%-6.8% with an average of (2.8 {+-} 2.7)% in the central insert region. In the FBP images of the TomoTherapy Trade-Mark-Sign MVCT, this shading creates 2.6%-6.7% underestimation of electron density with an average of (3.7 {+-} 1.4)% at the central inserts and 5.9%-7.2% underestimation in the background with an average of (6.4 {+-} 0.5)%. In the IMPACT images, the uniform background between the steel rods is restored with 0.3%-1.0% underestimation of electron density with an average of (0.7 {+-} 0.3)%. The corresponding underestimation at the central inserts of the IMPACT images is -0.4%-0.1% with an average of (-0.1 {+-} 0.2)%. Conclusions: The shading metal artifact has been nearly removed in MVCT images using the IMPACT algorithm with the accurate geometry of the system, proper modeling of energy dependent response of detectors, and all relevant photon interaction processes. This results less than 1% difference in electron density in the background plexiglass and less than 3% averaged over the range of electron densities investigated.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Reconstruction dynamics of recorded holograms in photochromic glass

We have investigated the dynamics of the record-erase process of holograms in photochromic glass using continuum Nd:YVO{sub 4} laser radiation ({lambda}=532 nm). A bidimensional microgrid pattern was formed and visualized in photochromic glass, and its diffraction efficiency decay versus time (during reconstruction step) gave us information (D, {Delta}n) about the diffusion process inside the material. The recording and reconstruction processes were carried out in an off-axis setup, and the images of the reconstructed object were recorded by a CCD camera. Measurements realized on reconstructed object images using holograms recorded at a different incident power laser have shown a two-stage process involved in silver atom kinetics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Flexible Soft X-Ray Image Sensors based on Metal Halide Perovskites With High Quantum Efficiency

Soft X-ray imaging is a powerful tool to explore the structure of cells, probe material with nanometer resolution, and investigate the energetic phenomena in the universe. Conventional soft X-ray image sensors are by and large Si-based charge coupled devices that suffer from low frame rates, complex fabrication processes, mechanical inflexibility, and required cooling below -60 °C. Here, a soft X-ray photodiode is reported based on low-cost metal halide perovskite with comparable performance to commercial Si-based device. Nanothrough network electrode minimized the optical loss due to the shadowing of insensitive layers, while a multidimensional perovskite heterojunction is generated to reduce the photo-generated carrier loss. Further, this strategy promoted a record quantum efficiency of 8 × 10 3 % without cooling, several orders of magnitude greater than the previously achieved. Flexible and curved soft X-ray imaging arrays are fabricated based on this high-performance device structure, demonstrating stable soft X-ray response and sharp imaging capabilities. This work highlights the low-cost and efficient perovskite photodiode as a strong candidate for the next-generation soft X-ray image sensors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

High speed two-dimensional optical beam position detector

Disclosed is the design of a high speed two-dimensional optical beam position detector which outputs the X and Y displacement and total intensity linearly. The experimental detector measures the displacement from DC to 123 MHz and the intensity of an optical spot in a similar way as a conventional quadrant photodiode detector. The design uses four discrete photodiodes and simple dedicated optics for the position decomposition which enables higher spatial accuracy and faster electronic processing than conventional detectors. Measurements of the frequency response and the spatial sensitivity demonstrate high suitability for atomic force microscopy, scanning probe data storage applications, and wideband wavefront sensing. The operation principle allows for position measurements up to 20 GHz and more in bandwidth.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2017

Probing the conformal Calabrese-Cardy scaling with cold atoms

We demonstrate that current experiments using cold bosonic atoms trapped in one-dimensional optical lattices and designed to measure the second-order Rényi entanglement entropy S 2 can be used to verify detailed predictions of conformal field theory (CFT) and estimate the central charge c. We discuss the adiabatic preparation of the ground state at half filling and small hopping parameter J/U, where we expect a CFT with c = 1. We provide two complementary methods to estimate and subtract the classical entropy generated by the experimental preparation and imaging processes. We compare numerical calculations for the classical O(2) model with a chemical potential on a (1 + 1)-dimensional lattice, and the quantum Bose-Hubbard Hamiltonian implemented in the experiments. S 2 is very similar for the two models and follows closely the Calabrese-Cardy scaling, (c/8) ln (N s ) , for N s sites with open boundary conditions, provided that the large subleading corrections are taken into account.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2014

WE-E-18A-07: MAGIC: Multi-Acquisition Gain Image Correction for Mobile X-Ray Systems with Intrinsic Localization Crosshairs

Purpose: Gain calibration for X-ray imaging systems with movable flat panel detectors (FPD) and intrinsic crosshairs is a challenge due to the geometry dependence of the heel effect and crosshair artifact. This study aims to develop a gain correction method for such systems by implementing the multi-acquisition gain image correction (MAGIC) technique. Methods: Raw flat-field images containing crosshair shadows and heel effect were acquired in 4 different FPD positions with fixed exposure parameters. The crosshair region was automatically detected and substituted with interpolated values from nearby exposed regions, generating a conventional single-image gain-map for each FPD position. Large kernel-based correction was applied to these images to correct the heel effect. A mask filter was used to invalidate the original cross-hair regions previously filled with the interpolated values. A final, seamless gain-map was created from the processed images by either the sequential filling (SF) or selective averaging (SA) techniques developed in this study. Quantitative evaluation was performed based on detective quantum efficiency improvement factor (DQEIF) for gain-corrected images using the conventional and proposed techniques. Results: Qualitatively, the MAGIC technique was found to be more effective in eliminating crosshair artifacts compared to the conventional single-image method. The mean DQEIF over the range of frequencies from 0.5 to 3.5 mm-1 were 1.09±0.06, 2.46±0.32, and 3.34±0.36 in the crosshair-artifact region and 2.35±0.31, 2.33±0.31, and 3.09±0.34 in the normal region, for the conventional, MAGIC-SF, and MAGIC-SA techniques, respectively. Conclusion: The introduced MAGIC technique is appropriate for gain calibration of an imaging system associated with a moving FPD and an intrinsic crosshair. The technique showed advantages over a conventional single image-based technique by successfully reducing residual crosshair artifacts, and higher image quality with respect to DQE.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2024

Determination of Pion and Kaon Structure Using the Sullivan Process at Moderate to large Fractional Momentum

Significant progress has been made in describing the structure of hadrons in terms of Quantum ChromoDynamics (QCD) degrees of freedom. The recently developed framework of Generalized Parton Distribtions (GPDs) may provide the path towards three-dimensional imaging of the hadronic structure. Integrating the GPDs over the fractional momentum (x), the form factors are obtained which are integrally related to understanding the emergent hadron mass-generating mechanism (EHM) embedded in QCD and the mass-scale that characterizes the proton [Roberts (2016)]. The Sullivan process, in which one scatters electrons off the proton?s virtual meson cloud and thus creates a meson target, is used to probe this structure. Studies of kaon electroproduction offer unique opportunities in this. The last two decades saw a dramatic improvement in the precision of charged meson form factor data, and new results have become available on the transition form factor. The KaonLT experiment (E12-09-011) carried out in Hall C at Jefferson Lab (Jlab) was designed to measure longitudinal/transverse (L/T) separated kaon cross sections required to access form factors and GPDs [Bosted et al. (2008)]. KaonLT aimed to confirm the exclusive kaon electroproduction mechanism, which is essential for determining the kaon form factor and investigating GPDs. The results obtained from this experiment have provided the highest Q2 for L-T separated kaon electroproduction cross section, and it is the first time that a separated kaon cross-section measurement has been carried out above W = 2:2GeV.

Trotta, Richard↗
DOE OSTI2024

Massive all-atom analysis of 2D materials with quantum properties (Final report)

Improvements in microscopy have enabled the acquisition of data at a scale that is difficult to process manually, making automated machine learning approaches to analyzing experimental images essential. In this project, we developed and applied machine learning (ML) workflows for atomic resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) images. This development included improving both methodology as well as generating user-friendly codes. We developed machine learning architectures which, after training, automatically identify the location and types of defects throughout a material. We used these data to produce class-averaged images of 2D atomic coordinates with up to 0.3 pm precision, uncovering the structure and oscillations of long-range strain fields around point defects in WSe 2-2x Te 2x . We also resolved a long-standing problem in this field in the training of ML models, a lack of labeled experimental data, by developing a cycle-GAN that transformed simulated-generated labeled data into labeled data indistinguishable from experiment and therefore suitable for training. This removed the remaining parts of the ML data processing workflow where human intervention was still critical and therefore a bottleneck to working at scale. Codes have been developed and released for this full machine learning workflow. ML approaches to partially automate STEM acquisition were also developed. Finally we applied ML and other advanced data processing methods to several materials science problems in two-dimensional materials, including studying the evolution of hyperuniformity with defect concentration in WSe2, understanding phase transformations in transition metal dichalcogenides during in-situ heating in the STEM, and exploring how 2D interfaces transform from twisted into aligned structures.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2010

Clinical application and validation of an iterative forward projection matching algorithm for permanent brachytherapy seed localization from conebeam-CT x-ray projections

Purpose: To experimentally validate a new algorithm for reconstructing the 3D positions of implanted brachytherapy seeds from postoperatively acquired 2D conebeam-CT (CBCT) projection images. Methods: The iterative forward projection matching (IFPM) algorithm finds the 3D seed geometry that minimizes the sum of the squared intensity differences between computed projections of an initial estimate of the seed configuration and radiographic projections of the implant. In-house machined phantoms, containing arrays of 12 and 72 seeds, respectively, are used to validate this method. Also, four {sup 103}Pd postimplant patients are scanned using an ACUITY digital simulator. Three to ten x-ray images are selected from the CBCT projection set and processed to create binary seed-only images. To quantify IFPM accuracy, the reconstructed seed positions are forward projected and overlaid on the measured seed images to find the nearest-neighbor distance between measured and computed seed positions for each image pair. Also, the estimated 3D seed coordinates are compared to known seed positions in the phantom and clinically obtained VariSeed planning coordinates for the patient data. Results: For the phantom study, seed localization error is (0.58{+-}0.33) mm. For all four patient cases, the mean registration error is better than 1 mm while compared against the measured seed projections. IFPM converges in 20-28 iterations, with a computation time of about 1.9-2.8 min/iteration on a 1 GHz processor. Conclusions: The IFPM algorithm avoids the need to match corresponding seeds in each projection as required by standard back-projection methods. The authors' results demonstrate {approx}1 mm accuracy in reconstructing the 3D positions of brachytherapy seeds from the measured 2D projections. This algorithm also successfully localizes overlapping clustered and highly migrated seeds in the implant.

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Time-and-space resolved comparison of plasma expansion velocities in high-power diodes with velvet cathodes

Time-and-space resolved comparison of the expansion velocities of plasmas in the planar diode with cathodes made of carbon velvet and polymer velvet has been performed. The diode was powered by a 200 kV, 110 ns pulse, and the peak current density was nearly 477 A/cm{sup 2}. A four-channel high speed framing camera (HSFC) was used to observe the formation and subsequent movement of the cathode plasmas. More accurate and valuable information about the two-dimensional (radial and axial) velocity components of the cathode plasmas was also acquired by utilizing the digital image processing methods. Additionally, the perveance model based on the Child-Langmuir law was used to calculate the expansion velocities of the diode plasmas from voltage and current profiles. Results from the two diagnostics were compared. Comparing the average values of the radial and axial velocity components indicated that the former was much larger than the latter during the initial period of the current. It was also found that the radial velocity of the carbon velvet cathode (190 cm/{mu}s) was much larger than that (90 cm/{mu}s) of the polymer velvet cathode. Moreover, the average values of both the radial and axial velocity components of the carbon velvet cathode were typically in the range of 2.5 {+-} 1.5 cm/{mu}s, which were smaller than that of the polymer velvet cathode during the current flattop. These results, together with the comparison of calculated values from the perveance model, indicated that the diode with carbon velvet cathode was more robust as compared with the polymer velvet cathode for the same electron current densities.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Epitaxial lift-off of quantum dot enhanced GaAs single junction solar cells

InAs/GaAs strain-balanced quantum dot (QD) n-i-p solar cells were fabricated by epitaxial lift-off (ELO), creating thin and flexible devices that exhibit an enhanced sub-GaAs bandgap current collection extending into the near infrared. Materials and optical analysis indicates that QD quality after ELO processing is preserved, which is supported by transmission electron microscopy images of the QD superlattice post-ELO. Spectral responsivity measurements depict a broadband resonant cavity enhancement past the GaAs bandedge, which is due to the thinning of the device. Integrated external quantum efficiency shows a QD contribution to the short circuit current density of 0.23 mA/cm{sup 2}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Photon-Sparse, Poisson Light-Sheet Microscopy

Light-sheet microscopy has revolutionized bioimaging by enabling approximately an order of magnitude reduction in specimen irradiance compared to confocal imaging. Here, we introduce a light-sheet imaging system that enables an additional order of magnitude reduction in specimen irradiance by operating at the Poisson limit. To operate at this limit, we integrated classical illumination with single-photon detection and wavelet-based image reconstruction. This integration enabled brightness quantification and object recognition from fewer than one detected photon per image pixel, corresponding to more than 10-fold lower irradiance levels than modern systems. We demonstrate how such photon-sparse imaging can eradicate photobleaching and enable both dim and bright object imaging, thus, further enhancing the related gains of light-sheet microscopy.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

The thin section rock physics: Modeling and measurement of seismic wave velocity on the slice of carbonates

This paper discusses a new approach for investigating the seismic wave velocity of rock, specifically carbonates, as affected by their pore structures. While the conventional routine of seismic velocity measurement highly depends on the extensive laboratory experiment, the proposed approach utilizes the digital rock physics view which lies on the numerical experiment. Thus, instead of using core sample, we use the thin section image of carbonate rock to measure the effective seismic wave velocity when travelling on it. In the numerical experiment, thin section images act as the medium on which wave propagation will be simulated. For the modeling, an advanced technique based on artificial neural network was employed for building the velocity and density profile, replacing image's RGB pixel value with the seismic velocity and density of each rock constituent. Then, ultrasonic wave was simulated to propagate in the thin section image by using finite difference time domain method, based on assumption of an acoustic-isotropic medium. Effective velocities were drawn from the recorded signal and being compared to the velocity modeling from Wyllie time average model and Kuster-Toksoz rock physics model. To perform the modeling, image analysis routines were undertaken for quantifying the pore aspect ratio that is assumed to represent the rocks pore structure. In addition, porosity and mineral fraction required for velocity modeling were also quantified by using integrated neural network and image analysis technique. It was found that the Kuster-Toksoz gives the closer prediction to the measured velocity as compared to the Wyllie time average model. We also conclude that Wyllie time average that does not incorporate the pore structure parameter deviates significantly for samples having more than 40% porosity. Utilizing this approach we found a good agreement between numerical experiment and theoretically derived rock physics model for estimating the effective seismic wave velocity of rock.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Polychromatic sparse image reconstruction and mass attenuation spectrum estimation via B-spline basis function expansion

We develop a sparse image reconstruction method for polychromatic computed tomography (CT) measurements under the blind scenario where the material of the inspected object and the incident energy spectrum are unknown. To obtain a parsimonious measurement model parameterization, we first rewrite the measurement equation using our mass-attenuation parameterization, which has the Laplace integral form. The unknown mass-attenuation spectrum is expanded into basis functions using a B-spline basis of order one. We develop a block coordinate-descent algorithm for constrained minimization of a penalized negative log-likelihood function, where constraints and penalty terms ensure nonnegativity of the spline coefficients and sparsity of the density map image in the wavelet domain. This algorithm alternates between a Nesterov’s proximal-gradient step for estimating the density map image and an active-set step for estimating the incident spectrum parameters. Numerical simulations demonstrate the performance of the proposed scheme.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2012

A fully 3D approach for metal artifact reduction in computed tomography

Purpose: In computed tomography imaging metal objects in the region of interest introduce inconsistencies during data acquisition. Reconstructing these data leads to an image in spatial domain including star-shaped or stripe-like artifacts. In order to enhance the quality of the resulting image the influence of the metal objects can be reduced. Here, a metal artifact reduction (MAR) approach is proposed that is based on a recomputation of the inconsistent projection data using a fully three-dimensional Fourier-based interpolation. The success of the projection space restoration depends sensitively on a sensible continuation of neighboring structures into the recomputed area. Fortunately, structural information of the entire data is inherently included in the Fourier space of the data. This can be used for a reasonable recomputation of the inconsistent projection data. Methods: The key step of the proposed MAR strategy is the recomputation of the inconsistent projection data based on an interpolation using nonequispaced fast Fourier transforms (NFFT). The NFFT interpolation can be applied in arbitrary dimension. The approach overcomes the problem of adequate neighborhood definitions on irregular grids, since this is inherently given through the usage of higher dimensional Fourier transforms. Here, applications up to the third interpolation dimension are presented and validated. Furthermore, prior knowledge may be included by an appropriate damping of the transform during the interpolation step. This MAR method is applicable on each angular view of a detector row, on two-dimensional projection data as well as on three-dimensional projection data, e.g., a set of sequential acquisitions at different spatial positions, projection data of a spiral acquisition, or cone-beam projection data. Results: Results of the novel MAR scheme based on one-, two-, and three-dimensional NFFT interpolations are presented. All results are compared in projection data space and spatial domain with the well-known one-dimensional linear interpolation strategy. Conclusions: In conclusion, it is recommended to include as much spatial information into the recomputation step as possible. This is realized by increasing the dimension of the NFFT. The resulting image quality can be enhanced considerably.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗