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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 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Amplification and directional emission of surface acoustic waves by a two-dimensional electron gas

Amplification of surface acoustic waves (SAWs) by electron drift in a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) is analyzed analytically and confirmed experimentally. Calculations suggest that peak power gain per SAW radian occurs at a more practical carrier density for a 2DEG than for a bulk material. It is also shown that SAW emission with tunable directionality can be achieved by modulating a 2DEG's carrier density (to effect SAW generation) in the presence of an applied DC field that amplifies SAWs propagating in a particular direction while attenuating those propagating in the opposite direction.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Efficient surface plasmon amplification in gain-assisted silver nanotubes and associated dimers

SPASER (surface plasmon amplification by stimulated emission of radiation) properties in active SiO{sub 2}–Ag nanotubes and associated dimers have been investigated by using the scattering theory and the finite element method. In the active Ag nanotube, as the gain coefficient of the core increases to a critical value, a super-resonance occurs. The SPASER phenomenon also can be found in the active Ag nanotube dimer. The strong couplings between two nanotubes lead to larger gain threshold for the active Ag nanotube dimer compared with the active Ag nanotube. At the super-resonance, the maximal surface enhanced Raman scattering factor at the “hot spot” in the active Ag nanotube dimer can achieve about 8 × 10{sup 18}, which is large enough for single molecule detection. Furthermore, with increasing the separation between two Ag nanotubes, the gain threshold value for the super-resonance of the active Ag nanotube dimer decreases, while the corresponding super-resonance wavelength increases first and then decreases.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Enhanced traveling wave amplification of co-planar slow wave structure by extended phase-matching

The electron beam co-propagating with slow waves in a staggered double grating array (SDGA) efficiently amplifies millimeter and sub-millimeter waves over a wide spectrum. Our theoretical and numerical analyses show that the power amplification in the fundamental passband is enhanced by the extended beam-wave phase-matching. Particle-in-cell simulations on the SDGA slow wave structure, designed with 10.4 keV and 50–100 mA sheet beam, indicate that maintaining beam-wave synchronization along the entire length of the circuit improves the gain by 7.3% leading to a total gain of 28 dB, corresponding to 62 W saturated power at the middle of operating band, and a 3-dB bandwidth of 7 GHz with 10.5% at V-band (73.5 GHz center frequency) with saturated peak power reaching 80 W and 28 dB at 71 GHz. These results also show a reasonably good agreement with analytic calculations based on Pierce small signal gain theory.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Power-dependent spin amplification in (In, Ga)As/GaAs quantum well via Pauli blocking by tunnel-coupled quantum dot ensembles

Power-dependent time-resolved optical spin orientation measurements were performed on In{sub 0.1}Ga{sub 0.9}As quantum well (QW) and In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}As quantum dot (QD) tunnel-coupled structures with an 8-nm-thick GaAs barrier. A fast transient increase of electron spin polarization was observed at the QW ground state after circular-polarized pulse excitation. The temporal maximum of polarization increased with increasing pumping fluence owing to enhanced spin blocking in the QDs, yielding a highest amplification of 174% with respect to the initial spin polarization. Further elevation of the laser power gradually quenched the polarization dynamics, which was induced by saturated spin filling of both the QDs and the QW phase spaces.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Terahertz amplification in RTD-gated HEMTs with a grating-gate wave coupling topology

We theoretically analyze the operation of a terahertz amplifier consisting of a resonant-tunneling-diode gated high-electron-mobility transistor (RTD-gated HEMT) in a grating-gate topology. In these devices, the key element enabling substantial power gain is the efficient coupling of terahertz waves into and out of plasmons in the RTD-gated HEMT channel, i.e., the gain medium, via the grating-gate itself, part of the active device, rather than by an external antenna structure as discussed in previous works, therefore potentially enabling terahertz amplification with associated power gains >40 dB.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Plasmon resonant amplification of hot electron-driven photocatalysis

We discuss plasmon resonant excitation of hot electrons in a metal based photocatalyst in the oxygen evolution half reaction in aqueous solution. In this report, the photocatalyst consists of a 100-nm thick Au film deposited on a corrugated silicon substrate. Here, hot electrons photoexcited in the metal are injected into the solution, ultimately reversing the water oxidation reaction (O 2 +4H + +4e–⇌2H 2 O) and producing a photocurrent. In order to amplify this process, the gold electrode is patterned into a plasmon resonant grating structure with a pitch of 500 nm. The photocurrent (i.e., charge transfer rate) is measured as a function of incident angle using 633 nm wavelength light. We observe peaks in the photocurrent at incident angles of ±9° from normal when the light is polarized parallel to the incident plane (p-polarization) and perpendicular to the lines on the grating. Due to these peaks, we estimate an overall plasmonic gain (or amplification) factor of 2.1× in the charge transfer rate. At these same angles, we also observe sharp dips in the photoreflectance, corresponding to the condition when there is wavevector matching between the incident light and the plasmon mode in the grating. No angle dependence is observed in the photocurrent or photoreflectance when the incident light is polarized perpendicular to the incident plane (s-polarization) and parallel to the lines on the grating. Finite difference time domain simulations also predict sharp dips in the photoreflectance at ±9°, and the electric field intensity profiles show clear excitation of a plasmon-resonant mode when illuminated at those angles with p-polarized light.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Resonant amplification of enzymatic chemical oscillations by oscillating flow

Using theory and simulation, we analyzed the resonant amplification of chemical oscillations that occur due to externally imposed oscillatory fluid flows. The chemical reactions are promoted by two enzyme-coated patches located sequentially on the inner surface of a pipe that transports the enclosed chemical solution. In the case of diffusion-limited systems, the period of oscillations in chemical reaction networks is determined by the rate of the chemical transport, which is diffusive in nature and, therefore, can be effectively accelerated by the imposed fluid flows. In this work, we first identify the natural frequencies of the chemical oscillations in the unperturbed reaction–diffusion system and, then, use the frequencies as a forcing input to drive the system to resonance. We demonstrate that flow-induced resonance can be used to amplify the amplitude of the chemical oscillations and to synchronize their frequency to the external forcing. In particular, we show that even 10% perturbations in the flow velocities can double the amplitude of the resulting chemical oscillations. Particularly, effective control can be achieved for the two-step chemical reactions where during the first half-period, the fluid flow accelerates the chemical flux toward the second catalytic patch, while during the second half-period, the flow amplifies the flux to the first patch. The results can provide design rules for regulating the dynamics of coupled reaction–diffusion processes and can facilitate the development of chemical reaction networks that act as chemical clocks.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Energy amplification in plasma crystals due to multiple torsions

Interacting torsions are examined within a two-dimensional monolayer crystal suspended in an argon complex plasma for 1–10 W discharge powers and pressures of 135–155 mTorr. Two torsions embedded in a lattice are shown to amplify the kinetic energy and range of motion of particles located between the torsions to nearly three times that observed in single torsion systems. It is also shown that multiple torsions can interact via amplified particle energy when separated by up to 14 interparticle distances (Δ). The torsion separation distance also showed a positive linear trend with power and a slightly positive correlation with the pressure. This amplification of energy is possible due to the fact that multiple torsions in a lattice increase the interparticle distance of the lattice by 16% more than single torsion systems, leading to additional freedom of motion in the lattice plane. These combined findings show that multiple torsions heat the lattice differently depending on their separation from the other torsion. The midpoint particles between torsions absorb the majority of energy from the two torsions, and energy addition at the midpoint is nonlinear. The addition of more torsions to the lattice may lead to melting of the plasma crystal.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Amplification and generation of surface plasmon polaritons in a semiconductor film – dielectric structure

The peculiarities of propagation and amplification of surface waves of plasmon polariton type in a planar semiconductor film – dielectric structure are considered for the THz frequency region, with allowance for dissipation in a semiconductor. Two spectral regions are found, where the group velocity of surface plasmon polaritons is negative. It is shown that in these regions the structure can be considered as an amplifying waveguide with distributed feedback and a high gain with respect to the reflected and transmitted signals. The possibility of generation of electromagnetic radiation in such structures is established. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Possibilities of laser amplification and measurement of the field structure of ultrashort pulses in the range of 2.7 – 3μm in tellurite glass fibres doped with erbium ions

The amplification of ultrashort signals in the range 2.7 – 3 μm in active tellurite glass fibres with high Kerr nonlinearity and high concentration of erbium ions in the core is theoretically investigated under diode pumping at a wavelength of 0.975 μm. The possibility of producing pulses with the energy ∼10 nJ and the duration smaller than 100 fs with ∼20 dB gain is shown. Moreover, using a specially developed iterative computer algorithm, the possibility of determining the intensity and phase of the generated pulses by measuring their fundamental spectra and two additional spectra obtained by means of nonlinear-optical conversion in short pieces of these optical fibres is demonstrated. Optical fibre samples are made of high-purity TeO{sub 2} – ZnO – La{sub 2}O{sub 3} – Na{sub 2}O glasses with 10{sup 21} cm{sup −3} concentration of erbium ions in the core and a low content of hydroxyl groups that causes small losses in the spectral range under consideration. The group velocity dispersions, effective mode fields, nonlinear coefficients and field overlap integrals of the LP{sub 01} fundamental modes with a doped core for optical fibres with different core diameters are calculated, and the emission and absorption cross sections are calculated basing on the experimental luminescence spectrum. The optimal parameters of the amplifier are determined by numerically modelling the dynamics of ultrashort pulses using the measured and calculated characteristics. (paper)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Comparison of amplification via the acousto-electric effect of Rayleigh and Leaky-SAW modes in a monolithic surface InP:InGaAs/lithium niobate heterostructure

This work demonstrates a monolithic surface acoustic wave amplifier fabricated by state-of-the-art heterogenous integration of a III-V InGaAs-based epitaxial material stack and LiNbO 3 . We compare amplification of Raleigh-SAW and leaky-SAW modes on a on Y-cut, X-propagating delay line amplifier. Due to the superior properties of the materials employed, we observe a net terminal gain of 3dB for an LSAW overtone mode This platform enables further advances in active and non-reciprocal piezoelectric acoustic devices.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Amplification of primordial perturbations from the rise or fall of the inflaton

The next generation of cosmic microwave background, gravitational wave, and large scale structure, experiments will provide an unprecedented opportunity to probe the primordial power spectrum on small scales. An exciting possibility for what lurks on small scales is a sharp rise in the primordial power spectrum: this can lead to the formation of primordial black holes, providing a dark matter candidate or the black holes observed by the LIGO-Virgo collaboration. In this study we develop a mechanism for the amplification of the small-scale primordial power spectrum, in the context of single-field inflation with a step-like feature in the inflaton potential. Specifically, we consider both the upward and the downward step in the potential. We also discuss the possibility of the strong coupling between perturbations because the rapid changes of the potential derivatives with the time-dependent field value, caused by the step-like feature, could make the coupling stronger. As a result, we find that the perturbations can remain weakly coupled yet sufficiently enhanced if the step realizes the rapid changes of the potential derivatives in some fraction of an e-fold, Script O(P R 1/2) ≲ ΔN < 1, where P R is the power spectrum of the curvature perturbation at that time. We also discuss the PBH formation rate from the inflaton trapping at the local minimum, which can occur in the potential with an upward step.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Cryogenic light detectors with thermal signal amplification for 0 νββ search experiments

As a step towards the realization of cryogenic-detector experiments to search for neutrinoless double-beta decay (such as CROSS, BINGO, and CUPID), we investigated a batch of 10 Ge light detectors (LDs) assisted by Neganov-Trofimov-Luke (NTL) signal amplification. Each LD was assembled with a large cubic light-emitting crystal (45 mm side) using the recently developed CROSS mechanical structure. The detector array was operated at milli-Kelvin temperatures in a pulse-tube cryostat at the Canfranc underground laboratory in Spain. We achieved good performance with scintillating bolometers from CROSS, made of Li 2 100 MoO 4 crystals and used as reference detectors of the setup, and with all LDs tested (except for a single device that encountered an electronics issue). No leakage current was observed for 8 LDs with an electrode bias up to 100 V. Operating the LDs at an 80 V electrode bias applied in parallel, we obtained a gain of around 9 in the signal-to-noise ratio of these devices, allowing us to achieve a baseline noise RMS of O(10 eV). Thanks to the strong current polarization of the temperature sensors, the time response of the devices was reduced to around half a millisecond in rise time. The achieved performance of the LDs was extrapolated via simulations of pile-up rejection capability for several configurations of the CUPID detector structure. Despite the sub-optimal noise conditions of the LDs (particularly at high frequencies), we demonstrated that the NTL technology provides a viable solution for background reduction in CUPID.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Toward improved quantum simulations and sensing with trapped two-dimensional ion crystals via parametric amplification

Improving coherence is a fundamental challenge in quantum simulation and sensing experiments with trapped ions. Here we discuss, experimentally demonstrate, and estimate the potential impacts of two different protocols that enhance, through motional parametric excitation, the coherent spin-motion coupling of ions obtained with a spin-dependent force. The experiments are performed on two-dimensional crystal arrays of approximately 100 9 ⁢Be + ions confined in a Penning trap. By modulating the trapping potential at close to twice the center-of-mass mode frequency, we squeeze the motional mode and enhance the spin-motion coupling while maintaining spin coherence. With a stroboscopic protocol, we measure 5.4 ± 0.9 dB of motional squeezing below the ground-state motion, from which theory predicts a 10-dB enhancement in the sensitivity for measuring small displacements using a recently demonstrated protocol [K. A. Gilmore et al., Science 373, 673 (2021)]. With a continuous squeezing protocol, we measure and accurately calibrate the parametric coupling strength. Theory suggests this protocol can be used to improve quantum spin squeezing, limited in our system by off-resonant light scatter. Finally, we illustrate numerically the trade-offs between strong parametric amplification and motional dephasing in the form of center-of-mass frequency fluctuations for improving quantum spin squeezing in our setup.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Raman Amplification with a Flying Focus

Here, we propose a new laser amplifier scheme utilizing stimulated Raman scattering in plasma in conjunction with a "flying focus" - a chromatic focusing system combined with a chirped pump beam that provides spatiotemporal control over the pump's focal spot. Pump intensity isosurfaces are made to propagate at v=-c so as to be in sync with the injected counterpropagating seed pulse. By setting the pump intensity in the interaction region to be just about the ionization threshold of the background gas, an ionization wave is produced that travels at a fixed distance ahead of the seed. Simulations show that this will make it possible to optimize the plasma temperature and mitigate many of the issues that are known to have impacted previous Raman amplification experiments, in particular, the growth of precursors.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Laser Amplification in Strongly Magnetized Plasma

In this work, we consider backscattering of laser pulses in strongly magnetized plasma mediated by kinetic magnetohydrodynamic waves. Magnetized low-frequency (MLF) scattering, which can occur when the external magnetic field is neither perpendicular nor parallel to the laser propagation direction, provides an instability growth rate higher than Raman scattering and a frequency downshift comparable to Brillouin scattering. In addition to the high growth rate, which allows smaller plasmas, and the 0.1%–2% frequency downshift, which permits a wide range of pump sources, MLF scattering is an ideal candidate for amplification because the process supports an exceptionally large bandwidth, which particle-in-cell simulations show produces ultrashort durations. Under some conditions, MLF scattering also becomes the dominant spontaneous backscatter instability, with implications for magnetized laser-confinement experiments.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Magnetic Field Amplification by a Nonlinear Electron Streaming Instability

Magnetic field amplification by relativistic streaming plasma instabilities is central to a wide variety of high-energy astrophysical environments as well as to laboratory scenarios associated with intense lasers and electron beams. We report on a new secondary nonlinear instability which arises for relativistic dilute electron beams after the saturation of the linear Weibel instability. This instability grows due to the transverse magnetic pressure associated with the beam current filaments, which cannot be quickly neutralized due to the inertia of background ions. We show that it can amplify the magnetic field strength and spatial scale by orders of magnitude, leading to large-scale plasma cavities with strong magnetic field and to very efficient conversion of the beam kinetic energy into magnetic energy. The instability growth rate, saturation level, and scale length are derived analytically and shown to be in good agreement with fully-kinetic simulations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Femtosecond-Terawatt Hard X-Ray Pulse Generation with Chirped Pulse Amplification on a Free Electron Laser

Advances of high intensity lasers have opened up the field of strong field physics and led to a broad range of technological applications. Recent x ray laser sources and optics development makes it possible to obtain extremely high intensity and brightness at x ray wavelengths. In this paper, we present a system design that implements chirped pulse amplification for hard x ray free electron lasers. Numerical modeling with realistic experimental parameters show that near-transform-limit single-femtosecond hard x ray laser pulses with peak power exceeding 1 TW and brightness exceeding 4×10 35 s -1 mm -2 mrad -2 0.1\%bandwdith -1 can be consistently generated. In conclusion, realization of such beam qualities is essential for establishing systematic and quantitative understanding of strong field x-ray physics and nonlinear x ray optics phenomena.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗