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At least 271 records · Page 15

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DOE OSTI2025

Off-state magnetoresistance in long-channel germanium Schottky-barrier MOSFETs

An increasing magnetic field perpendicular to an undoped semiconductor surface at low temperature is known to strengthen the binding of localized electrons to stationary ions, as the wavefunction's tails evolve from exponential to Gaussian. It is also known that application of a high bias voltage to a depleted semiconductor can liberate bound charge and induce a large drop in electrical resistance. We connect these established results to experimental electrical transport measurements on off-state germanium Schottky-barrier metal–oxide–semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFETs) with an aluminum oxide insulating dielectric and platinum germanide contacts. We make measurements at the three distinct orientations of the magnetic field with respect to the substrate and the current. At 6 K, we observe sharp attenuation of current by more than 2 orders of magnitude, within 60 mT, at a crossover magnetic field perpendicular to the substrate. A 1 T magnetic field attenuates the current by more than 4 orders of magnitude. The strength of the attenuation and the value of the crossover field are controlled by both the gate–source and drain–source voltages. The attenuation is much weaker when the magnetic field is parallel to the current. Finally, we orient the magnetic field parallel to the substrate, but perpendicular to the current, allowing us to distinguish charge hopping at the oxide interface from charge hopping in the bulk. In conclusion, this large off-state magnetoresistance can be exploited for cryogenic magnetic- and photo-detection, and for high-bias, low-leakage MOSFETs.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

NASA NTRS2016

Meeting the Grand Challenge of Protecting Astronauts Health: Electrostatic Active Space Radiation Shielding for Deep Space Missions

This report describes the research completed during 2011 for the NASA Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) project. The research is motivated by the desire to safely send humans in deep space missions and to keep radiation exposures within permitted limits. To this end current material shielding, developed for low earth orbit missions, is not a viable option due to payload and cost penalties. The active radiation shielding is the path forward for such missions. To achieve active space radiation shielding innovative large lightweight gossamer space structures are used. The goal is to deflect enough positive ions without attracting negatively charged plasma and to investigate if a charged Gossamer structure can perform charge deflections without significant structural instabilities occurring. In this study different innovative configurations are explored to design an optimum active shielding. In addition, to establish technological feasibility experiments are performed with up to 10kV of membrane charging, and an electron flux source with up to 5keV of energy and 5mA of current. While these charge flux energy levels are much less than those encountered in space, the fundamental coupled interaction of charged Gossamer structures with the ambient charge flux can be experimentally investigated. Of interest are, will the EIMS remain inflated during the charge deflections, and are there visible charge flux interactions. Aluminum coated Mylar membrane prototype structures are created to test their inflation capability using electrostatic charging. To simulate the charge flux, a 5keV electron emitter is utilized. The remaining charge flux at the end of the test chamber is measured with a Faraday cup mounted on a movable boom. A range of experiments with this electron emitter and detector were performed within a 30x60cm vacuum chamber with vacuum environment capability of 10-7 Torr. Experiments are performed with the charge flux aimed at the electrostatically inflated membrane structure (EIMS) in both charged and uncharged configurations. The amount of charge shielding behind and around the EIMS was studied for different combinations of membrane structure voltages and electron energies. Both passive and active shielding were observed, with active shielding capable of deflecting nearly all incoming electrons. The pattern of charge distribution around the structure was studied as well as the stability of the structures in the charge flow. The charge deflection experiments illustrate that the EIMS remain inflated during charge deflection, but will experience small amplitude oscillations. Investigations were performed to determine a potential cause of the vibrations. It is postulated these vibrations are due to the charge flux causing local membrane charge distribution changes. As the membrane structure inflation pressure is changed, the shape responds, and causes the observed sustained vibration. Having identified this phenomenon is important when considering electrostatically inflated membrane structures (EIMS) in a space environment. Additionally, this project included a study of membrane material impacts, specifically the impact of membrane thickness. Extremely thin materials presented new challenges with vacuum preparation techniques and rapid charging. The thinner and lighter membrane materials were successfully inflated using electrostatic forces in a vacuum chamber. However, care must be taken when varying the potentials of such lighter structures as the currents can cause local heating and melting of the very thin membranes. Lastly, a preliminary analysis is performed to study rough order of magnitude power requirements for using EIMS for radiation shielding. The EIMS power requirement becomes increasingly more challenging as the spacecraft voltage is increased. As a result, the emphasis is on the deflection of charges away from the spacecraft rather than totally stopping them. This significantly alleviates the initial power requirements. With modest technological development(s) active shielding is emerging to be a viable option.

Radiation↗

NASA NTRS2006

Single-Event Upset and Scaling Trends in New Generation of the Commercial SOI PowerPC Microprocessors

SEU from heavy-ions is measured for SOI PowerPC microprocessors. Results for 0.13 micron PowerPC with 1.1V core voltages increases over 1.3V versions. This suggests that improvement in SEU for scaled devices may be reversed. In recent years there has been interest in the possible use of unhardened commercial microprocessors in space because of their superior performance compared to hardened processors. However, unhardened devices are susceptible to upset from radiation space. More information is needed on how they respond to radiation before they can be used in space. Only a limited number of advanced microprocessors have been subjected to radiation tests, which are designed with lower clock frequencies and higher internal core voltage voltages than recent devices [1-6]. However the trend for commercial Silicon-on-insulator (SOI) microprocessors is to reduce feature size and internal core voltage and increase the clock frequency. Commercial microprocessors with the PowerPC architecture are now available that use partially depleted SOI processes with feature size of 90 nm and internal core voltage as low as 1.0 V and clock frequency in the GHz range. Previously, we reported SEU measurements for SOI commercial PowerPCs with feature size of 0.18 and 0.13 m [7, 8]. The results showed an order of magnitude reduction in saturated cross section compared to CMOS bulk counterparts. This paper examines SEUs in advanced commercial SOI microprocessors, focusing on SEU sensitivity of D-Cache and hangs with feature size and internal core voltage. Results are presented for the Motorola SOI processor with feature sizes of 0.13 microns and internal core voltages of 1.3 and 1.1 V. These results are compared with results for the Motorola SOI processors with feature size of 0.18 microns and internal core voltage of 1.6 and 1.3 V.

Irom, Farokh↗

NASA NTRS1986

dc electric field meter with fiber-optic readout

The design of a dc electric field meter capable of measuring the magnitude and direction of the electric field at an arbitrary location above the ground plane is described. The meter is based on measuring induced charge on a split cylindrical electrode pair which is rotated around its axis of symmetry. Data readout is by fiber-optic cable using pulse frequency encoding. The sensing head is electrically isolated. Initial results are reported from a series of tests at General Electric's High Voltage Transmission Research Facility, Pittsfield, MA. The electric field was measured in a large test cage and under a dc test line. Measurement of field magnitude and direction around a human subject standing under the conductor was demonstrated.

Johnston, Alan R.↗

DOE OSTI2026

Enhancing the mass resolving power of FRIB’s proposed high-voltage MR-ToF mass separator and spectrometer: Addressing non-ideal conditions

Multi-reflection time-of-flight mass separators and spectrometers (MR-ToF MSs) are indispensable tools at radioactive ion beam (RIB) facilities. These electrostatic ion beam traps act as highly selective mass separators and high-precision mass spectrometers for rare and exotic nuclei. When well-tuned and designed to minimize higher-order flight-time aberrations, state-of-the-art MR-ToF MSs approach, and slightly exceed, mass resolving powers of m/Δm = 10 6 . Achieving m/Δm ≥ 3 ⋅ 10 6 would provide the ability to resolve > 90 % of all known isomeric states with half-lives above 10 ms. However, the ability to mass separate in all practical setups is limited by non-ideal conditions which place such resolving powers out of reach. Here, to this end, we present a simulated analysis of these conditions in the newly proposed high-voltage MR-ToF MS for the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams (FRIB). It is expected to store ions at 30 keV beam energy and increase ion throughput by two orders of magnitude compared to current devices. Existing efforts to mitigate the effects of non-ideal conditions employed for current MR-ToF devices storing ions at < 3 keV beam energy will already enable mass resolving powers approaching 10 6 for FRIB’s high-voltage MR-ToF device. Simulations of newly proposed mitigation strategies show that even mass resolving powers approaching 10 7 might become feasible.

Electrostatic ion beam traps↗

DOE OSTI2020

Decay of Electrostatic Force of Dust Particles on Photovoltaic Modules

Photovoltaic (PV) energy yield loss due to solar module soiling has become increasingly important as solar module deployment is now at the hundreds of gigawatts scale and continues to grow rapidly. We have reported on direct measurements-using atomic force microscopy (AFM)-of strong electric-field-induced attraction and adhesion force (Fes) of dust particles onto solar panel that are 1 to 2 orders of magnitude stronger than the van der Waals and water capillary forces, corroborated by observing the increase in system voltage-induced soiling rate. Here, we report another characteristic of Fes on soiling-long lasting or slow decay after turning off the high voltage applied to solar panels. The Fes decay time varies in a wide time range of 1 to 10 hours, depending on two factors: 1) either/both the cell or/and particle were charged with high voltage before the voltages were turned off; and 2) how the cell was connected to the ground after the voltage was turned off-either connected through the power supply electronics, directly connected to the ground, or electrically floated. The Fes decay is understood in terms of 1) net electrical charge dissipations in both particle and cell, 2) thermal disordering of dipole polarization in the module glass dielectrics, and 3) charge redistribution by the electrostatic interaction of particle and module glass. This long-lasting Fes for hours can significantly affect the solar panel soiling after sunset, especially combined with water condensation.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2025

Toward Establishing Uniqueness of Experimentally Determined Transference Numbers

The passage of current through a battery results in the development of concentration gradients in the electrolytic phase. For a fully characterized binary electrolyte, where the conductivity, salt diffusion coefficient, cation transference number, and the thermodynamic factor are known, concentration and potential gradients in the electrolytic phase can be modeled using Newman’s concentrated solution theory. We report two methods for measuring the transference number: the standard method based on electrochemical measurements ( t + , echem 0 ) and electrophoretic NMR ( t + , eNMR 0 ). The electrochemical approach requires combining measurements from multiple experiments; the equations used to determine the cation transference number and the thermodynamic factor are coupled, nonlinear algebraic equations. In the electrophoretic-NMR-based approach, however, the equations used to determine the cation transference number and the thermodynamic factor are decoupled. We find for a liquid electrolyte comprised of a lithium salt dissolved in tetraglyme, the values of the transference numbers obtained by these two methods are distinct. For example, at 30 °C, t + , echem 0 = −1.02 ± 1.11 and t + , eNMR 0 = 0.25 ± 0.04. The corresponding thermodynamic factors are also different. While the magnitude of the predicted concentration gradients based on the two sets of parameters are different, the predicted current-voltage relationships are similar.

Hickson, Darby T. (ORCID:0000000251339755)↗

NASA NTRS1994

Comparative transduction mechanisms of hair cells in the bullfrog utriculus. II. Sensitivity and response dynamics to hair bundle displacement

1. Hair cells in whole-mount in vitro preparations of the utricular macula of the bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) were selected according to their macular location and hair bundle morphology. The sensitivity and response dynamics of selected hair cells to natural stimulation were examined by recording their voltage responses to step and sinusoidal hair bundle displacements applied to their longest stereocilia. 2. The voltage responses of 31 hair cells to sinusoidal hair bundle displacements were characterized by their gains and phases, taken with respect to peak hair bundle displacement. The gains of Type B and Type C cells at both 0.5 and 5.0 Hz were markedly lower than those of Type F and Type E cells. Phases, with the exception of Type C cells, lagged hair bundle displacement at 0.5 Hz. Type C cells had phase leads of 25-40 degrees. At 5.0 Hz, response phases in all cells were phase lagged with respect to those at 0.5 Hz. Type C cells had larger gains and smaller phase leads at 5.0 Hz than at 0.5 Hz, suggesting the presence of low-frequency adaptation. 3. Displacement-response curves, derived from the voltage responses to 5.0-Hz sinusoids, were sigmoidal in shape and asymmetrical, with the depolarizing response having a greater magnitude and saturating less abruptly than the hyperpolarizing response. When normalized to their largest displacement the linear ranges of these curves varied from < 0.5 to 1.25 microns and were largest in Type B and smallest in Type F and Type E cells. Sensitivity, defined as the slope of the normalized displacement-response curve, was inversely correlated with linear range. 4. The contribution of geometric factors associated with the hair bundle to linear range and sensitivity were predicted from realistic models of utricular hair bundles created using morphological data obtained from light and electron microscopy. Three factors, including 1) the inverse ratio of the lengths of the kinocilium and longest stereocilia, representing the lever arm between kinociliary and stereociliary displacement; 2) tip link extension/linear displacement, largely a function of stereociliary height and separation; and 3) stereociliary number, an estimate of the number of transduction channels, were considered in this analysis. The first of these factors was quantitatively more important than the latter two factors and their total contribution was largest in Type B and Type C cells. Theoretical models were also used to calculate the relation between rotary and linear displacement.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS).

Non-NASA Center↗

NASA NTRS2014

Evaluation of Commercial Automotive-Grade BME Capacitors

Three Ni-BaTiO3 ceramic capacitor lots with the same specification (chip size, capacitance, and rated voltage) and the same reliability level, made by three different manufacturers, were degraded using highly accelerated life stress testing (HALST) with the same temperature and applied voltage conditions. The reliability, as characterized by mean time to failure (MTTF), differed by more than one order of magnitude among the capacitor lots. A theoretical model based on the existence of depletion layers at grain boundaries and the entrapment of oxygen vacancies has been proposed to explain the MTTF difference among these BME capacitors. It is the conclusion of this model that reliability will not be improved simply by increasing the insulation resistance of a BME capacitor. Indeed, Ni-BaTiO3 ceramic capacitors with a smaller degradation rate constant K will always give rise to a longer reliability life

capacitor↗

NASA NTRS2014

Evaluation of Commercial Automotive-Grade BME Capacitors

reliability↗

NASA NTRS2018

A Breakthrough Propulsion Architecture for Interstellar Precursor Missions: Phase I Final Report

Our breakthrough propulsion architecture is an innovative way to take advantage of kilometer-scale, multi-hundred megawatt, space-based, phased-array lasers to enable rapid transportation throughout the solar system. In this architecture, the laser would beam power over distances of up to 40 AU increasing the available power density relative to solar insolation by two orders of magnitude. The receiving vehicle would have a photovoltaic array with cells tuned to the laser frequency that outputs a voltage of 6 kV to directly-drive a lithium-fueled gridded ion thruster system at an ultra-high specific impulse of 40,000 s. Such a system could enable final spacecraft speeds of greater than 40 AU/year, potentially enabling missions to the solar gravity lens focus at 550 AU in less than 15 years. This is the propulsion architecture of the 22nd century.

Brophy, John↗

NASA NTRS2010

Reliability of High-Voltage Tantalum Capacitors. Parts 3 and 4)

Weibull grading test is a powerful technique that allows selection and reliability rating of solid tantalum capacitors for military and space applications. However, inaccuracies in the existing method and non-adequate acceleration factors can result in significant, up to three orders of magnitude, errors in the calculated failure rate of capacitors. This paper analyzes deficiencies of the existing technique and recommends more accurate method of calculations. A physical model presenting failures of tantalum capacitors as time-dependent-dielectric-breakdown is used to determine voltage and temperature acceleration factors and select adequate Weibull grading test conditions. This model is verified by highly accelerated life testing (HALT) at different temperature and voltage conditions for three types of solid chip tantalum capacitors. It is shown that parameters of the model and acceleration factors can be calculated using a general log-linear relationship for the characteristic life with two stress levels.

Teverovsky, Alexander↗

NASA NTRS1972

ASDTIC - A feedback control innovation.

The ASDTIC (analog signal to discrete time interval converter) control subsystem provides precise output control of high performance aerospace power supplies. The key to ASDTIC operation is that it stably controls output by sensing output energy change as well as output magnitude. The ASDTIC control subsystem and control module were developed to improve power supply performance during static and dynamic input voltage and output load variations, to reduce output voltage or current regulation due to component variations or aging, to maintain a stable feedback control with variations in the loop gain or loop time constants, and to standardize the feedback control subsystem for power conditioning equipment.

Lalli, V. R.↗

NASA NTRS1972

ASDTIC: A feedback control innovation

The ASDTIC (Analog Signal to Discrete Time Interval Converter) control subsystem provides precise output control of high performance aerospace power supplies. The key to ASDTIC operation is that it stably controls output by sensing output energy change as well as output magnitude. The ASDTIC control subsystem and control module were developed to improve power supply performance during static and dynamic input voltage and output load variations, to reduce output voltage or current regulation due to component variations or aging, to maintain a stable feedback control with variations in the loop gain or loop time constants, and to standardize the feedback control subsystem for power conditioning equipment.

Lalli, V. R.↗

NASA NTRS1980

Characteristics of edge breakdowns on Teflon samples

The characteristics of electrical discharges induced on silverbacked Teflon samples irradiated by a monoenergetic electron beam have been studied under controlled laboratory conditions. Measurements of breakdown threshold voltages indicate a marked anisotropy in the electrical breakdown properties of Teflon: differences of up to 10 kV in breakdown threshold voltage are observed depending on the sample orientation. The material anisotropy can be utilized in spacecraft construction to reduce the magnitude of discharge currents.

Yadlowsky, E. J.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Anode power deposition in applied-field MPD thrusters

Anode power deposition is the principle performance limiter of magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters. Current thrusters lose between 50 and 70 percent of the input power to the anode. In this work, anode power deposition was studied for three cylindrical applied magnetic field thrusters for a range of argon propellant flow rates, discharge currents, and applied-field strengths. Between 60 and 95 percent of the anode power deposition resulted from electron current conduction into the anode, with cathode radiation depositing between 5 and 35 percent of the anode power, and convective heat transfer from the hot plasma accounting for less than 5 percent. While the fractional anode power loss decreased with increasing applied-field strength and anode size, the magnitude of the anode power increased. The rise in anode power resulted from a linear rise in the anode fall voltage with applied-field strength and anode radius. The anode fall voltage also rose with decreasing propellant flow rate. The trends indicate that the anode fall region is magnetized, and suggest techniques for reducing the anode power loss in MPD thrusters.

Myers, Roger M.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Anode power deposition in applied-field MPD thrusters

Anode power deposition is the principal performance limiter of magnetoplasmadynamic (MPD) thrusters. Current thrusters lose between 50 and 70 percent of the input power to the anode. In this work, anode power deposition was studied for three cylindrical applied magnetic field thrusters for a range of argon propellant flow rates, discharge currents, and applied-field strengths. Between 60 and 95 percent of the anode power depositions resulted from electron current conduction into the anode, with cathode radiation depositing between 5 and 35 percent of the anode power, and convective heat transfer from the hot plasma accounting for less than 5 percent. While the fractional anode power loss decreased with increasing applied-field strength and anode size, the magnitude of the anode power increased. The rise in anode power resulted from a linear rise in the anode fall voltage with applied-field strength and anode radius. The anode fall voltage also rose with decreasing propellant flow rate. The trends indicate that the anode fall region is magnetized, and suggest techniques for reducing the anode power loss in MPD thrusters.

Myers, Roger M.↗

NASA NTRS1992

Negative Differential Resistance (NDR) frequency conversion with gain

The dependence of the I-V characteristic of the negative differential resistance (NDR) devices on the power level and frequency of the rf input signal has been theoretically analyzed with a modified large- and small-signal nonlinear circuit analysis program. The NDR devices we used in this work include both the tunnel diode (without the antisymmetry in the I-V characteristic) and resonant-tunneling devices (with the antisymmetry in the I-V characteristic). Absolute negative conductance can be found from a zero-biased resonant tunneling device when the applied pump power is within a small range. This study verifies the work of Sollner et al. Variable negative conductances at the fundamental and harmonic frequencies can also be obtained from both the unbiased and biased tunnel diodes. The magnitude of the negative conductances can be adjusted by varying the pump amplitude -- a very useful circuit property. However, the voltage range over which the negative conductance occurs moves towards the more positive side of the voltage axis with increasing frequency. Furthermore, the range of the pumping amplitude to obtain negative conductance varies with the parasitics (resistance and capacitance) of the device. The theoretical observation of the dependence of the I-V characteristic of the NDR devices on the power and frequency of the applied pump signal is supported by the experimental results. In addition, novel functions of a NDR device such as self-oscillating frequency multiplier and mixer with gain have been experimentally demonstrated. The unbiased oscillator have also been successfully realized with a NDR device with an antisymmetrical I-V characteristic. Finally, the applications of these device functions will be discussed.

Hwu, R. J.↗