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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 253 records · Page 14
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2008

Single Wall Nanotube Type-Specific Functionalization and Separation

Metallic single-wall carbon nanotubes were selectively solubilized in THF and separated from semiconducting nanotubes. Once separated, the functionalized metallic tubes were de-functionalized to restore their metallic band structure. Absorption and Raman spectroscopy of the enriched samples support conclusions of the enrichment of nanotube samples by metallic type. A scalable method for enriching nanotube conductive type has been developed. Raman and UV-Vis data indicate SWCNT reaction with dodecylbenzenediazonium results in metallic enrichment. It is expected that further refinement of this techniques will lead to more dramatic separations of types and diameters.

Boul, Peter↗
NASA NTRS2008

Templates for Deposition of Microscopic Pointed Structures

Templates for fabricating sharply pointed microscopic peaks arranged in nearly regular planar arrays can be fabricated by a relatively inexpensive technique that has recently been demonstrated. Depending on the intended application, a semiconducting, insulating, or metallic film could be deposited on such a template by sputtering, thermal evaporation, pulsed laser deposition, or any other suitable conventional deposition technique. Pointed structures fabricated by use of these techniques may prove useful as photocathodes or field emitters in plasma television screens. Selected peaks could be removed from such structures and used individually as scanning tips in atomic force microscopy or mechanical surface profiling.

Pugel, Diane E.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Spray Chemical Vapor Deposition of Single-Source Precursors for Chalcopyrite I-III-VI2 Thin-Film Materials

Thin-film solar cells on flexible, lightweight, space-qualified substrates provide an attractive approach to fabricating solar arrays with high mass-specific power. A polycrystalline chalcopyrite absorber layer is among the new generation of photovoltaic device technologies for thin film solar cells. At NASA Glenn Research Center we have focused on the development of new single-source precursors (SSPs) for deposition of semiconducting chalcopyrite materials onto lightweight, flexible substrates. We describe the syntheses and thermal modulation of SSPs via molecular engineering. Copper indium disulfide and related thin-film materials were deposited via aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition using SSPs. Processing and post-processing parameters were varied in order to modify morphology, stoichiometry, crystallography, electrical properties, and optical properties to optimize device quality. Growth at atmospheric pressure in a horizontal hotwall reactor at 395 C yielded the best device films. Placing the susceptor closer to the evaporation zone and flowing a more precursor-rich carrier gas through the reactor yielded shinier-, smoother-, and denser-looking films. Growth of (112)-oriented films yielded more Cu-rich films with fewer secondary phases than growth of (204)/(220)-oriented films. Post-deposition sulfur-vapor annealing enhanced stoichiometry and crystallinity of the films. Photoluminescence studies revealed four major emission bands and a broad band associated with deep defects. The highest device efficiency for an aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposited cell was one percent.

Hepp, Aloysius F.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Thermoelectric Properties of Self Assembled TiO2/SnO2 Nanocomposites

Recent advances in improving efficiency of thermoelectric materials are linked to nanotechnology. Thermodynamically driven spinodal decomposition was utilized to synthesize bulk nanocomposites. TiO2/SnO2 system exhibits a large spinodal region, ranging from 15 to 85 mole % TiO2. The phase separated microstructures are stable up to 1400 C. Semiconducting TiO2/SnO2 powders were synthesized by solid state reaction between TiO2 and SnO2. High density samples were fabricated by pressureless sintering. Self assemble nanocomposites were achieved by annealing at 1000 to 1350 C. X-ray diffraction reveal phase separation of (Ti(x)Sn(1-x))O2 type phases. The TiO2/SnO2 nanocomposites exhibit n-type behavior; a power factor of 70 W/mK2 at 1000 C has been achieved with penta-valent doping. Seebeck, thermal conductivity, electrical resistivity and microstructure will be discussed in relation to composition and doping.

Dynys, Fred↗
NASA NTRS2008

Dual-Input AND Gate From Single-Channel Thin-Film FET

A regio-regular poly(3-hexylthiophene) (RRP3HT) thin-film transistor having a split-gate architecture has been fabricated on a doped silicon/silicon nitride substrate and characterized. RRP3HT is a semiconducting polymer that has a carrier mobility and on/off ratio when used in a field effect transistor (FET) configuration. This commercially available polymer is very soluble in common organic solvents and is easily processed to form uniform thin films. The most important polymer-based device fabricated and studied is the FET, since it forms the building block in logic circuits and switches for active matrix (light-emitting-diode) (LED) displays, smart cards, and radio frequency identification (RFID) cards.

Miranda, F. A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Non-Destructive Evaluation of Materials via Ultraviolet Spectroscopy

A document discusses the use of ultraviolet spectroscopy and imaging for the non-destructive evaluation of the degree of cure, aging, and other properties of resin-based composite materials. This method can be used in air, and is portable for field use. This method operates in reflectance, absorbance, and luminescence modes. The ultraviolet source is used to illuminate a composite surface of interest. In reflectance mode, the reflected response is acquired via the imaging system or via the spectrometer. The spectra are analyzed for organic compounds (conjugated organics) and inorganic compounds (semiconducting band-edge states; luminescing defect states such as silicates, used as adhesives for composite aerospace applications; and metal oxides commonly used as thermal coating paints on a wide range of spacecraft). The spectra are compared with a database for variation in conjugation, substitution, or length of molecule (in the case of organics) or band edge position (in the case of inorganics). This approach is useful in the understanding of material quality. It lacks the precision in defining the exact chemical structure that is found in other materials analysis techniques, but it is advantageous over methods such as nuclear magnetic resonance, infrared spectroscopy, and chromatography in that it can be used in the field to assess significant changes in chemical structure that may be linked to concerns associated with weaknesses or variations in structural integrity, without disassembly of or destruction to the structure of interest.

Pugel, Betsy↗
NASA NTRS2008

Disabling CNT Electronic Devices by Use of Electron Beams

Bombardment with tightly focused electron beams has been suggested as a means of electrically disabling selected individual carbon-nanotubes (CNTs) in electronic devices. Evidence in support of the suggestion was obtained in an experiment in which a CNT field-effect transistor was disabled (see figure) by focusing a 1-keV electron beam on a CNT that served as the active channel of a field-effect transistor (FET). Such bombardment could be useful in the manufacture of nonvolatile-memory circuits containing CNT FETs. Ultimately, in order to obtain the best electronic performances in CNT FETs and other electronic devices, it will be necessary to fabricate the devices such that each one contains only a single CNT as an active element. At present, this is difficult because there is no way to grow a single CNT at a specific location and with a specific orientation. Instead, the common practice is to build CNTs into electronic devices by relying on spatial distribution to bridge contacts. This practice results in some devices containing no CNTs and some devices containing more than one CNT. Thus, CNT FETs have statistically distributed electronic characteristics (including switching voltages, gains, and mixtures of metallic and semiconducting CNTs). According to the suggestion, by using a 1-keV electron beam (e.g., a beam from a scanning electron microscope), a particular nanotube could be rendered electrically dysfunctional. This procedure could be repeated as many times as necessary on different CNTs in a device until all of the excess CNTs in the device had been disabled, leaving only one CNT as an active element (e.g., as FET channel). The physical mechanism through which a CNT becomes electrically disabled is not yet understood. On one hand, data in the literature show that electron kinetic energy >86 keV is needed to cause displacement damage in a CNT. On the other hand, inasmuch as a 1-keV beam focused on a small spot (typically a few tens of nanometers wide) deposits a significant amount of energy in a small volume, the energy density may suffice to thermally induce structural and/or electronic changes that disable the CNT. Research may be warranted to investigate this effect in detail.

Petkov, Mihail↗
NASA NTRS2009

Yb14MnSb11 as a High-Efficiency Thermoelectric Material

Yb14MnSb11 has been found to be wellsuited for use as a p-type thermoelectric material in applications that involve hotside temperatures in the approximate range of 1,200 to 1,300 K. The figure of merit that characterizes the thermal-to-electric power-conversion efficiency is greater for this material than for SiGe, which, until now, has been regarded as the state-of-the art high-temperature ptype thermoelectric material. Moreover, relative to SiGe, Yb14MnSb11 is better suited to incorporation into a segmented thermoelectric leg that includes the moderate-temperature p-type thermoelectric material CeFe4Sb12 and possibly other, lower-temperature p-type thermoelectric materials. Interest in Yb14MnSb11 as a candidate high-temperature thermoelectric material was prompted in part by its unique electronic properties and complex crystalline structure, which place it in a class somewhere between (1) a class of semiconducting valence compounds known in the art as Zintl compounds and (2) the class of intermetallic compounds. From the perspective of chemistry, this classification of Yb14MnSb11 provides a first indication of a potentially rich library of compounds, the thermoelectric properties of which can be easily optimized. The concepts of the thermoelectric figure of merit and the thermoelectric compatibility factor are discussed in Compatibility of Segments of Thermo - electric Generators (NPO-30798), which appears on page 55. The traditional thermoelectric figure of merit, Z, is defined by the equation Z = alpha sup 2/rho K, where alpha is the Seebeck coefficient, rho is the electrical resistivity, and k is the thermal conductivity.

Snyder, G. Jeffrey↗
NASA NTRS2009

Silicon Nanowire Growth at Chosen Positions and Orientations

It is now possible to grow silicon nanowires at chosen positions and orientations by a method that involves a combination of standard microfabrication processes. Because their positions and orientations can be chosen with unprecedented precision, the nanowires can be utilized as integral parts of individually electronically addressable devices in dense arrays. Nanowires made from silicon and perhaps other semiconductors hold substantial promise for integration into highly miniaturized sensors, field-effect transistors, optoelectronic devices, and other electronic devices. Like bulk semiconductors, inorganic semiconducting nanowires are characterized by electronic energy bandgaps that render them suitable as means of modulating or controlling electronic signals through electrostatic gating, in response to incident light, or in response to molecules of interest close to their surfaces. There is now potential for fabricating arrays of uniform, individually electronically addressable nanowires tailored to specific applications. The method involves formation of metal catalytic particles at the desired positions on a substrate, followed by heating the substrate in the presence of silane gas. The figure illustrates an example in which a substrate includes a silicon dioxide surface layer that has been etched into an array of pillars and the catalytic (in this case, gold) particles have been placed on the right-facing sides of the pillars. The catalytic thermal decomposition of the silane to silicon and hydrogen causes silicon columns (the desired nanowires) to grow outward from the originally catalyzed spots on the substrate, carrying the catalytic particles at their tips. Thus, the position and orientation of each silicon nanowire is determined by the position of its originally catalyzed spot on the substrate surface, and the orientation of the nanowire is perpendicular to the substrate surface at the originally catalyzed spot.

Getty, Stephanie A.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Graded Index Silicon Geranium on Lattice Matched Silicon Geranium Semiconductor Alloy

A lattice matched silicon germanium (SiGe) semiconductive alloy is formed when a {111} crystal plane of a cubic diamond structure SiGe is grown on the {0001} C-plane of a single crystalline Al2O3 substrate such that a <110> orientation of the cubic diamond structure SiGe is aligned with a <1,0,-1,0> orientation of the {0001} C-plane. A lattice match between the substrate and the SiGe is achieved by using a SiGe composition that is 0.7223 atomic percent silicon and 0.2777 atomic percent germanium. A layer of Si(1-x), ,Ge(x) is formed on the cubic diamond structure SiGe. The value of X (i) defines an atomic percent of germanium satisfying 0.2277<X<1.0,(ii) is approximately 0.2777 where the layer of Si(1-x)Ge(x)interfaces with the cubic diamond structure SiGe, and (iii) increases linearly with the thickness of the layer of Si(1-x)Ge(x).

Park, Yeonjoon↗
NASA NTRS2007

Modeling Magnetic Properties in EZTB

A software module that calculates magnetic properties of a semiconducting material has been written for incorporation into, and execution within, the Easy (Modular) Tight-Binding (EZTB) software infrastructure. [EZTB is designed to model the electronic structures of semiconductor devices ranging from bulk semiconductors, to quantum wells, quantum wires, and quantum dots. EZTB implements an empirical tight-binding mathematical model of the underlying physics.] This module can model the effect of a magnetic field applied along any direction and does not require any adjustment of model parameters. The module has thus far been applied to study the performances of silicon-based quantum computers in the presence of magnetic fields and of miscut angles in quantum wells. The module is expected to assist experimentalists in fabricating a spin qubit in a Si/SiGe quantum dot. This software can be executed in almost any Unix operating system, utilizes parallel computing, can be run as a Web-portal application program. The module has been validated by comparison of its predictions with experimental data available in the literature.

Lee, Seungwon↗
NASA NTRS2006

FETs Based on Doped Polyaniline/Polyethylene Oxide Fibers

A family of experimental highly miniaturized field-effect transistors (FETs) is based on exploitation of the electrical properties of nanofibers of polyaniline/ polyethylene oxide (PANi/PEO) doped with camphorsulfonic acid. These polymer-based FETs have the potential for becoming building blocks of relatively inexpensive, low-voltage, highspeed logic circuits that could supplant complementary metal oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) logic circuits. The development of these polymerbased FETs offers advantages over the competing development of FETs based on carbon nanotubes. Whereas it is difficult to control the molecular structures and, hence, the electrical properties of carbon nanotubes, it is easy to tailor the electrical properties of these polymerbased FETs, throughout the range from insulating through semiconducting to metallic, through choices of doping levels and chemical manipulation of polymer side chains. A further advantage of doped PANi/PEO nanofibers is that they can be made to draw very small currents and operate at low voltage levels, and thus are promising for applications in which there are requirements to use many FETs to obtain large computational capabilities while minimizing power demands. Fabrication of an experimental FET in this family begins with the preparation of a substrate as follows: A layer of silicon dioxide between 50 and 200 nm thick is deposited on a highly doped (resistivity 0.01 W.cm) silicon substrate, then gold electrodes/contact stripes are deposited on the oxide. Next, one or more fibers of camphorsulphonic acid-doped PANi/PEO having diameters of the order of 100 nm are electrospun onto the substrate so as to span the gap between the gold electrodes (see Figure 1). Figure 2 depicts measured current-versus-voltage characteristics of the device of Figure 1, showing that saturation channel currents occur at source-todrain potentials that are surprisingly low, relative to those of CMOS FETs. The hole mobility in the depletion regime in this transistor was found to be 1.4 10(exp -4) sq cm/(V.s), while the one-dimensional charge density at zero gate bias was estimated to be approximately one hole per 50 two-ring repeat units of polyaniline, consistent with the rather high channel conductivity (approx. 10(exp -3) S/cm). Reducing or eliminating the PEO content of the fibers is expected to enhance the properties of future versions of this transistor.

Theofylaktos, Noulie↗
NASA NTRS2011

Nanoscale Deformable Optics

Several missions and instruments in the conceptual design phase rely on the technique of interferometry to create detectable fringe patterns. The intimate emplacement of reflective material upon electron device cells based upon chalcogenide material technology permits high-speed, predictable deformation of the reflective surface to a subnanometer or finer resolution with a very high degree of accuracy. In this innovation, a layer of reflective material is deposited upon a wafer containing (perhaps in the millions) chalcogenic memory cells with the reflective material becoming the front surface of a mirror and the chalcogenic material becoming a means of selectively deforming the mirror by the application of heat to the chalcogenic material. By doing so, the mirror surface can deform anywhere from nil to nanometers in spots the size of a modern day memory cell, thereby permitting realtime tuning of mirror focus and reflectivity to mitigate aberrations caused elsewhere in the optical system. Modern foundry methods permit the design and manufacture of individual memory cells having an area of or equal to the Feature (F) size of the design (assume 65 nm). Fabrication rules and restraints generally require the instantiation of one memory cell to another no closer than 1.5 F, or, for this innovation, 90 nm from its neighbor in any direction. Chalcogenide is a semiconducting glass compound consisting of a combination of chalcogen ions, the ratios of which vary according to properties desired. It has been shown that the application of heat to cells of chalcogenic material cause a large alteration in resistance to the range of 4 orders of magnitude. It is this effect upon which chalcogenidebased commercial memories rely. Upon removal of the heat source, the chalcogenide rapidly cools and remains frozen in the excited state. It has also been shown that the chalcogenide expands in volume because of the applied heat, meaning that the coefficient of expansion of chalcogenic materials is larger than 1. In this innovation, chalcogenidebased cells are addressed (as though they are a memory), and heated and cooled according to well-established criteria. In doing so, the exact size of chalcogenide cell deformation is known and predictable; therefore, the deformation of the reflective surface is, likewise, known and predictable. Control electronics can also be implemented so that a closed-loop feedback can be maintained. Changing the contents of the chalcogenide memory cells can compensate for any change in environmental effects that might cause a change in optical path. This real-time control provides significant control and stability in use conditions.

Strauss, Karl F.↗
NASA NTRS2011

High-Sensitivity, Broad-Range Vacuum Gauge Using Nanotubes for Micromachined Cavities

A broad-range vacuum gauge has been created by suspending a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWNT) (metallic or semiconducting) in a Schottky diode format or in a bridge conductor format, between two electrically charged mesas. SWNTs are highly sensitive to molecular collisions because of their extremely small diameters in the range of 1 to 3 nanometers. The measurement parameter will be the change in conductivity of SWNT due to decreasing rate of molecular collisions as the pressure inside a chamber decreases. The rate of heat removal approaches a saturation limit as the mean free path (m.f.p.) lengths of molecules increase due to decreasing pressure. Only those sensing elements that have a long relaxation time can produce a measureable response when m.f.p. of molecules increases (or time between two consecutive collisions increases). A suspended SWNT offers such a capability because of its one-dimensional nature and ultrasmall diameter. In the initial approach, similar architecture was used as that of a SWNT-Schottky diode that has been developed at JPL, and has its changing conductivity measured as the test chamber is pumped down from atmospheric pressure to high vacuum (10(exp -7) Torr). Continuous response of decreasing conductivity has been measured as a function of decreasing pressure (SWNT is a negative thermal coefficient material) from atmosphere to less than 10(exp -6) Torr. A measureable current change in the hundreds of nA range has been recorded in the 10(exp -6) Torr regime.

Manohara, Harish↗
NASA NTRS2003

Enhanced Raman Microprobe Imaging of Single-Wall Carbon Nanotubes

We explore Raman microprobe capabilities to visualize single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Although this technique is limited to a micron scale, we demonstrate that images of individual SWCNTs, bundles or their agglomerates can be generated by mapping Raman active elementary excitations. We measured the Raman response from carbon vibrations in SWCNTs excited by confocal scanning of a focused laser beam. Carbon vibrations reveal key characteristics of SWCNTs as nanotube diameter distribution (radial breathing modes, RBM, 100-300 cm(exp -1)), presence of defects and functional groups (D-mode, 1300-1350 cm(exp -1)), strain and oxidation states of SWCNTs, as well as metallic or semiconducting character of the tubes encoded in the lineshape of the G-modes at 1520-1600 cm(exp - 1). In addition, SWCNTs are highly anisotropic scatterers. The Raman response from a SWCNT is maximal for incident light polarization parallel to the tube axis and vanishing for perpendicular directions. We show that the SWCNT bundle shape or direction can be determined, with some limitations, from a set of Raman images taken at two orthogonal directions of the incident light polarization.

Hadjiev, V. G.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Thermally Conductive Tape Based on Carbon Nanotube Arrays

To increase contact conductance between two mating surfaces, a conductive tape has been developed by growing dense arrays of carbon nanotubes (CNTs, graphite layers folded into cylinders) on both sides of a thermally conductive metallic foil. When the two mating surfaces are brought into contact with the conductive tape in between, the CNT arrays will adhere to the mating surface. The van der Waals force between the contacting tubes and the mating surface provides adhesion between the two mating surfaces. Even though the thermal contact conductance of a single tube-to-tube contact is small, the tremendous amount of CNTs on the surface leads to a very large overall contact conductance. Interface contact thermal resistance rises from the microroughness and the macroscopic non-planar quality of mating surfaces. When two surfaces come into contact with each other, the actual contact area may be much less than the total area of the surfaces. The real area of contact depends on the load, the surface roughness, and the elastic and inelastic properties of the surface. This issue is even more important at cryogenic temperatures, where materials become hard and brittle and vacuum is used, which prevents any gas conduction through the interstitial region. A typical approach to increase thermal contact conductance is to use thermally conducting epoxies or greases, which are not always compatible with vacuum conditions. In addition, the thermal conductivities of these compounds are often relatively low. The CNTs used in this approach can be metallic or semiconducting, depending on the folding angle and diameter. The electrical resistivity of multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) has been reported. MWCNTs can pass a current density and remain stable at high temperatures in air. The thermal conductivity of a MWCNT at room temperature is measured to be approximately 3,000 W/m-K, which is much larger than that of diamond. At room temperature, the thermal conductance of a 0.3 sq cm array of CNTs was measured to be as high as 10 W/K. The high thermal conductivity and the nanoscale size make CNTs ideal as thermal interface materials. The CNT-based thermal tape can be used for the thermal management of microelectronic packages and electronic systems. It also can be integrated with current device technology and packaging. The material would allow for an efficient method to manage excess heat generation without requiring any additional power. Lastly, the CNT tape can be used to enhance thermal contact conductance across two mating surfaces on some NASA missions.

Kashani, Ali↗
NASA NTRS2011

Sputtering by the Solar Wind: Effects of Variable Composition

It has long been recognized that solar wind bombardment onto exposed surfaces in the solar system will produce an energetic component to the exospheres about those bodies. Laboratory experiments have shown that there is no increase in the sputtering yield caused by highly charged heavy ions for metallic and for semiconducting surfaces, but the sputter yield can be noticeably increased in the case of a good insulating surface. Recently measurements of the solar wind composition have become available. It is now known that the solar wind composition is highly dependent on the origin of the particular plasma. Using the measured composition of the slow wind, fast wind, solar energetic particle (SEP) population, and coronal mass ejection (CME), broken down into its various components, we have estimated the total sputter yield for each type of solar wind. Whereas many previous calculations of sputtering were limited to the effects of proton bombardment. we show that the heavy ion component. especially the He++ component. can greatly enhance the total sputter yield during times when the heavy ion population is enhanced. We will discuss sputtering of both neutrals and ions.

Killen, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Switching and Rectification in Carbon-Nanotube Junctions

Multi-terminal carbon-nanotube junctions are under investigation as candidate components of nanoscale electronic devices and circuits. Three-terminal "Y" junctions of carbon nanotubes (see Figure 1) have proven to be especially interesting because (1) it is now possible to synthesize them in high yield in a controlled manner and (2) results of preliminary experimental and theoretical studies suggest that such junctions could exhibit switching and rectification properties. Following the preliminary studies, current-versus-voltage characteristics of a number of different "Y" junctions of single-wall carbon nanotubes connected to metal wires were computed. Both semiconducting and metallic nanotubes of various chiralities were considered. Most of the junctions considered were symmetric. These computations involved modeling of the quantum electrical conductivity of the carbon nanotubes and junctions, taking account of such complicating factors as the topological defects (pentagons, heptagons, and octagons) present in the hexagonal molecular structures at the junctions, and the effects of the nanotube/wire interfaces. A major component of the computational approach was the use of an efficient Green s function embedding scheme. The results of these computations showed that symmetric junctions could be expected to support both rectification and switching. The results also showed that rectification and switching properties of a junction could be expected to depend strongly on its symmetry and, to a lesser degree, on the chirality of the nanotubes. In particular, it was found that a zigzag nanotube branching at a symmetric "Y" junction could exhibit either perfect rectification or partial rectification (asymmetric current-versus-voltage characteristic, as in the example of Figure 2). It was also found that an asymmetric "Y" junction would not exhibit rectification.

Srivastava, Deepak↗