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At least 253 records · Page 14

Experimental study of thin-walled composite beams

Thin-walled rectangular section composite beams are built out of graphite-epoxy prepreg tape using an autoclave molding technique. Cantilevered beams are tested under static loads using a specially-built apparatus and bending slope and elastic twist at a station are measured using a laser system. Measured bending slope and bending-induced twist distributions are correlated with predicted results obtained using a simple beam analysis as well as a refined finite element analysis. Natural vibration characteristics at different rotational speeds are determined experimentally by testing beams in a specially built 10 ft diameter vacuum chamber. The rotor is excited by piezo-electric crystals and response is determined from strain gages mounted on the surface. For composite beams with bending-twisting couplings (symmetric layup), effects of section warping and transverse shear on structural response are found to be substantial. These results were substantiated by the analyses.

Chandra, Ramesh↗

Positive position feedback control for large space structures

A new technique for vibration suppression in large space structures is investigated in laboratory experiments on a thin cantilever beam. This technique, called Positive Position Feedback, makes use of generalized displacement measurements to accomplish vibration suppression. Several features of Positive Position Feedback make it attractive for the large space structure control environment: The realization of the controller is simple and straightforward. Global stability conditions can be derived which are independent of the dynamical characteristics of the structure being controlled, i.e., all spillover is stabilizing. The method cannot be destabilized by finite actuator dynamics, and the technique is amenable to a strain-based sensing approach. The experiments control the first six bending modes of a cantilever beam, and make use of piezoelectric materials for actuators and sensors, simulating a piezoelectric active-member. The modal damping ratios are increased by factors ranging from 2 to 130.

Fanson, J. L.↗

Beam Shaping and Oscillation for Metals Additive Manufacturing

Additive Manufacturing (AM) is pivotal for next-generation industrial manufacturing but is hampered by process control challenges leading to unwanted defects and sub-optimal material properties. Our research builds on prior work that utilized beam oscillation techniques to mitigate these issues (Wu et al., 2023). We focus on investigating the influence of beam oscillation frequency on melt pool dynamics, utilizing in-situ synchrotron material characterization from the ESRF (Chen et al., 2026). Preliminary findings indicated that beam oscillation results in unique fluid flow patterns and enhanced melting stability. These findings suggested the possibility of optimized AM process control, including minimized defects and tailored thermal histories. We proposed further research to explore the effects of beam oscillation frequencies comprehensively, using the in-situ characterization capabilities at the ESRF. The goal was to quantify this relationship, offering a pathway to more precise AM process control and optimization. Our research is expected to offer new scientific insights into the fluid mechanics and thermal behaviour in AM, contributing to its broader applicability and commercial viability.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Alfven eigenmodes and fast ion transport in negative triangularity DIII-D plasmas

The first energetic particle experiments in negative triangularity tokamak plasmas have been carried out on DIII-D. Alfvén eigenmode (AE) activity and associated fast ion transport comparable to that in positive triangularity is observed during the current ramp portion of all plasmas with early beam heating indicating negative triangularity does not confer a special advantage with respect to AE induced transport. In these discharges, a range of mode activity driven by the sub-Alfvénic (Vbeam/VA < 0.5) 80 kV neutral beams is found including beta induced Alfvén acoustic eigenmodes, beta induced Alfvén eigenmodes, reversed shear Alfvén eigenmodes (RSAEs) and toroidicity induced Alfvén eigenmodes (TAEs). Mode intermittency and possibly chirping appears to be more common than comparable positive triangularity and/or oval discharges but overall, the unstable spectra and mode amplitudes observed on magnetics, CO2 interferometry, and electron cyclotron emission in a set of matched positive and negative triangularity cases at moderate beam power is similar. Large levels of Alfvén eigenmode induced fast ion transport are found in both positive and negative triangularity with up to 70% central fast ion pressure deficits relative to classical predictions early during the current ramp phase for discharges with 3 MW injected 80 kV neutral beam power. The deficit in both cases is reduced toward zero as the current penetrates and eventually reaches classical levels during current flattop with qmin ≈ 1. Fast ion transport in negative triangularity plasmas measured using a beam modulation technique show very similar levels to those measured in oval plasmas over the range of tested beam powers (Pbeam ≈ 2–7 MW). This similarity is found despite quite different unstable spectra in the highest beam power case where a mixture of coherent and quasi-coherent modes in the TAE frequency range are observed in negative triangularity and a spectrum of more typical narrowband TAEs and RSAEs is observed for the oval plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Electron Beam Could Probe Recombination Centers

Electron beam probe technique estimate electron/hole capture cross sections in semiconductors with wide band gaps. Amplitude-modulated electron beam induces short-circuit current collected by ohmic contacts. Phase shift between this current and electron-beam current measured as function of frequency. Results of measurements used to ascertain recombination rates and energy levels.

Vonroos, O.↗

Subsurface Characteristics of Metal-Halide Perovskites Polished by an Argon Ion Beam

Focused ion beam (FIB) techniques have been frequently used to section metal-halide perovskites for microstructural investigations. However, the ion beams directly irradiating the sample surface may alter its properties far different from those of pristine, potentially leading to modified deterioration mechanisms under aging stressors. Here, we combine complementary approaches to measure the subsurface characteristics of polished perovskites and identify the chemical species responsible for the measured properties. Analysis of the experimental results in conjunction with Monte Carlo simulations indicates that atomic displacements and local heating occur in the first ≈15 nm of the subsurface of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI 3 ) by glancing-angle Ar + beam irradiation (4 kV at 3°). The lead-rich, iodine-deficient surface promotes rapid phase segregation under thermal aging conditions. On the other hand, despite the subsurface modification, our experiments confirm that the rest of the MAPbI 3 bulk retains the material integrity. Our observation supports that polished perovskites could serve in studying the properties of bulk or buried junctions far away from the altered subsurface with care.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Experimental Generation of Extreme Electron Beams for Advanced Accelerator Applications

In this Letter, we report on the experimental generation of high energy (10 GeV), ultrashort (femtosecond-duration), ultrahigh current (∼ 0.1 MA), petawatt peak power electron beams in a particle accelerator. These extreme beams enable the exploration of a new frontier of high-intensity beam-light and beam-matter interactions broadly relevant across fields ranging from laboratory astrophysics to strong field quantum electrodynamics and ultrafast quantum chemistry. We demonstrate our ability to generate and control the properties of these electron beams by means of a laser-electron beam shaping technique. In conclusion, this experimental demonstration opens the door to on-the-fly customization of extreme beam current profiles for desired experiments and is poised to benefit a broad swath of cross-cutting applications of relativistic electron beams.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

In-situ Characterizations of Microstructural Degradation of Perovskite Solar Cells

Rapid progress has been achieved in perovskite solar cells (PSCs), and their efficiencies have improved from 3.8 % to 24.2 % in less than a decade. With low-cost processing, PSCs have shown exciting photovoltaic (PV) properties, such as effective optical absorption, a long carrier lifetime, and unique defect tolerance. While recent studies demonstrated improved stability up to 100 days, PSC technology is still challenged to meet the stringent industry requirements for commercialization. Despite considerable efforts, the underlying physical mechanisms for the inferior stability of PSCs are not well understood. One reason for this divergence is that many established measurement techniques (e.g., quantum efficiency, photoluminescence) probe the properties on length scales far greater than that of electronic and/or structural inhomogeneity (i.e., < 1 μm near grain boundaries) and therefore characterize convoluted and/or averaged properties. Ion/electron beam-based techniques have been extensively used to access the microstructures of PSCs, enabling atomic/nanoscale structural, chemical, optical, and electrical characterizations. For example, focused ion beam (FIB) milling produces an atomically smooth surface that minimizes the artifacts attributed to the surface roughness. FIB techniques can also create a well-defined cross-section of PSCs without mechanical damage in a physical cleaving sample preparation. While powerful, there are some concerns about possible beam damage of inorganic-organic perovskites via chemical-bond breakage and local heating. This project aims to comprehensively understand how the microstructural/interfacial properties of PSCs (e.g., Methylammonium Lead Iodide [MAPbI 3 ]) are modified under the irradiating ion beams. Specifically, we investigate the sub-surface properties of PSCs before and after Ar-ion beam injections. Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM) measures the contact potential differences (CPDs). Photoluminescence (PL) microscopy in conjunction with Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) simulations infers the formation of a “dead layer” (< 15 nm) on the subsurface of MAPbI 3 during Ar+ milling processes while preserving the initial bulk properties. The x-ray photoemission spectroscopy (XPS) confirms this modified surface is a lead-rich and iodine-deficient surface. We initiate customizing in-situ measurement setup while measuring the local optical and electrical properties of PSC under thermal (cooling, heating) and light stressors. Our results provide in-depth knowledge of the ion-beam impact on metal-halide perovskites and how this modified sub-surface impacts their properties under accelerated stressors of light and heat. Intensive Monte Carlo simulations of an electron beam interacting with PSCs provide the beam energy distribution in PSCs, proposing possible measurement conditions of using e-beam with minimizing beam damage. Our in-situ measurement platform can accommodate the diverse architecture of PSC devices for studying deterioration mechanisms under mixed environmental stressors.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Modeling of the amplified optical stochastic cooling experiment at IOTA

Optical Stochastic Cooling (OSC), a beam cooling technique based on Stochastic Cooling, is in the early stages of experimental development. It uses radiation produced by the beam in an undulator magnet (the pickup) to correct the momentum deviation of particles downstream in another undulator (the kicker). The OSC mechanism was recently demonstrated at Fermilab’s IOTA ring using a passive configuration. However, the cooling rate of OSC can be dramatically increased by first amplifying the undulator radiation before applying the corrective kick. In collaboration with the IOTA experiment, we developed a computational model of the OSC mechanism. This paper presents beam-dynamics simulations of the amplified-OSC configuration. We implement a model of intrabeam scattering and study the effects on beam equilibrium and diffusion rate as a function of bunch charge. Finally, we investigate the phase-space dynamics with various coupling configurations between the transverse and longitudinal planes.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗

Modeling the Amplfied OSC Experiment at IOTA

Optical Stochastic Cooling (OSC), a beam cooling technique based on Stochastic Cooling, is in the early stages of experimental development. It uses radiation produced by the beam in an undulator magnet (the pickup) to correct the momentum deviation of particles downstream in another undulator (the kicker). The OSC mechanism was recently demonstrated at Fermilabʼs IOTA ring using a passive configuration. However, the cooling rate of OSC can be dramatically increased by first amplifying the undulator radiation before applying the corrective kick. In collaboration with the IOTA experiment, we developed a computational model of the OSC mechanism. This work presents beam‐dynamics simulations of the amplified‐OSC configuration. We implement a model of intrabeam scattering and study the effects on beam equilibrium and diffusion rate as a function of bunch charge. Finally, we investigate the phase‐space dynamics with various coupling configurations between the transverse and longitudinal planes.

Dick, A. J.↗

Grating lobe characteristics and associated impacts upon the solar power satellite microwave system

The object of this investigation is to determine the grating lobe characteristics for the SPS (solar power satellite) microwave power beam. Using techniques of Fourier array decomposition, equations, and numerical results are given for the complete SPS microwave antenna pattern (main beam plus grating lobes). In order to ensure the grating lobe peaks are below the environmental guideline of 0.01 mW/sq cm, constraints are defined for the mechanical alignment (tilt) of the SPS antenna and the satellite attitude control system. Two conditions, phase control to the subarray level and to the power module (tube) level, are analyzed as to their effects upon grating lobes.

Kerwin, E. M.↗

Temperature and intensity dependence of photorefractive effect in GaAs

The photorefractive effect in semi-insulating Cr-doped GaAs as measured by the beam coupling technique was investigated as functions of temperature (295-386 K) and intensity (0.15-98 mW/sq cm of 1.15-micron light beams from a He-Ne laser). Results show that the photorefractive effect deteriorates rapidly over a narrow range of temperature as temperature rises, and that this characteristic temperature increases with the logarithm of beam intensity. The observed phenomenon is attributed to the competing effects of the dark- and light-induced conductivities.

Cheng, Li-Jen↗

Effects of deposition and annealing conditions on the crystallisation of NiTi thin films by e-beam evaporation

This Letter demonstrates the effects of deposition and annealing conditions on the crystallisation of nickel–titanium (NiTi) thin films deposited by the e-beam evaporation. NiTi thin films of 0.5 μm thick are fabricated on P-type (110) silicon substrates using the e-beam evaporation technique. We find that with the characterisations using the X-ray diffraction method, the results indicate that low e-beam deposition rate and argon employed annealing procedures can be beneficial to the formation of NiTi crystalline structure. Additionally, the as-deposited NiTi thin films without annealing procedures are amorphous, when deposited on the substrates at low temperatures. The differential scanning calorimetry studies show NiTi thin films formed by the e-beam evaporation are Ni-rich. Furthermore, SEM images illustrate that high-precision patterned NiTi thin film microstructures can be fabricated by combining with the e-beam evaporation and lift-off resist methods, without any wet or dry etching procedures. The proposed fabrication process for NiTi thin film microstructures shows great potential for application in shape memory alloy medical devices, as well as the micro-robotics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Design and performance evaluation of small, two- and four-stage depressed collectors for a 4.8 to 9.6 GHz high-performance traveling wave tube

A program to improve the efficiency of traveling wave tubes (TWT's) for use in electronic countermeasure (ECM) systems by applying multistage depressed collector (MDC) and spent beam refocusing techniques is studied. Three dimensional electron trajectories are computed through-out the slow wave structure of the TWT, the spent beam refocuser, and the depressed collector. Both TWT and MDC performances are analytically evaluated.

Ramins, P.↗

Beam steering system

A simple technique for steering the beam of a multimodule phased array MST (mesosphere, stratosphere, troposphere) radar antenna is described. It is desirable to be able to point the antenna in multiple directions, so as to derive all components of the horizontal velocity. This was done on an experimental basis by adding parallel wire line to the feed and achieving a southward tilt of the antenna. It is proved possible to steer the beam through most of the available range without adversely affecting the VSWR seen from the transmitter. Calibrating the antenna direction can be accomplished by observing radio sources, though there are an inadequate number to cover all directions. For various assumed values of the aspect sensitivity in dB/deg, and the calculated antenna pattern, it is possible to calculate the effective pointing angle of the antenna, defined as that angle which would give an identical location for the centroid of the power spectrum if aspect sensitivity were absent. Using averaged apparent steering directions, eastward and northward winds were calculated for special radar runs simultaneous with 14 balloon launches at Peoria and results are presented.

Bowhill, S. A.↗

Electron beam diagnostics.

Spectroscopic electron beam diagnostic technique, examining negligible effect elevated vibrational temperatures have on measured rotational temperatures of molecular nitrogen

ELECTRON BEAM↗