Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “Josephson effect”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

312 records · Page 18

Effects of ferumoxytol on quantitative PET measurements in simultaneous PET/MR whole-body imaging: a pilot study in a baboon model

Background: Simultaneous PET/MR imaging depends on MR-derived attenuation maps (mu-maps) for accurate attenuation correction of PET data. Currently, these maps are derived from gradient-echo-based MR sequences, which are sensitive to susceptibility changes. Iron oxide magnetic nanoparticles have been used in the measurement of blood volume, tumor microvasculature, tumor-associated macrophages, and characterizing lymph nodes. Our aim in this study was to assess whether the susceptibility effects associated with iron oxide nanoparticles can potentially affect measured 18 F-FDG PET standardized uptake values (SUV) through effects on MR-derived attenuation maps. Methods: The study protocol was approved by the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Using a Siemens Biograph mMR PET/MR scanner, we evaluated the effects of increasing concentrations of ferumoxytol and ferumoxytol aggregates on MR-derived mu-maps using an agarose phantom. In addition, we performed a baboon experiment evaluating the effects of a single i.v. ferumoxytol dose (10 mg/kg) on the liver, spleen, and pancreas 18 F-FDG SUV at baseline (ferumoxytol-naïve), within the first hour and at 1, 3, 5, and 11 weeks. Results: Phantom experiments showed mu-map artifacts starting at ferumoxytol aggregate concentrations of 10 to 20 mg/kg. The in vivo baboon data demonstrated a 53% decrease of observed 18 F-FDG SUV compared to baseline within the first hour in the liver, persisting at least 11 weeks. Conclusions: A single ferumoxytol dose can affect measured SUV for at least 3 months, which should be taken into account when administrating ferumoxytol in patients needing sequential PET/MR scans.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Chiral quasiparticle tunneling between quantum Hall edges in proximity with a superconductor

We study a two-terminal graphene Josephson junction with contacts shaped to form a narrow constriction, less than 100 nm in length. The contacts are made from type-II superconducting contacts and able to withstand magnetic fields high enough to reach the quantum Hall regime in graphene. In this regime, the device conductance is determined by edge states, plus the contribution from the constricted region. In particular, the constriction area can support supercurrents up to fields of ~2.5 T. Additionally, enhanced conductance is observed through a wide range of magnetic fields and gate voltages. In conclusion, this additional conductance and the appearance of supercurrent is attributed to the tunneling between counterpropagating quantum Hall edge states along opposite superconducting contacts.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

The origin of selectivity in the conversion of glucose to fructose and mannose in Sn-BEA and Na-exchanged Sn-BEA zeolites

We investigate the isomerization and epimerization of glucose to fructose and mannose in Sn-BEA andNa-exchanged Sn-BEA using density-functional theory calculations on periodic BEA crystals. We comparereaction pathways both in the absence and presence of water molecules in the vicinity of the active siteand find that water effectively determines the selectivity in Na-Sn-BEA. We identify two competingepimerization pathways, one involving direct 1,2-carbon shift and the other involving 1,2-hydride shiftvia fructose. In Sn-BEA, the isomerization to fructose is the kinetically dominant pathway, while mannoseis formed via the indirect 1,2-hydride shift epimerization pathway. In Na-Sn-BEA, the kinetically domi-nant pathway is epimerization to mannose via the direct 1,2-carbon shift pathway (Bilik mechanism)only in the presence of water solvent in the vicinity of the active site, whereas isomerization is preferredin the absence of water. We argue that polar water molecules that coordinate around the Na cation screenstrong electrostatic interactions between Na+and the glucose backbone that are responsible for thestrong inhibition of the 1,2-carbon shift mechanism in the absence of water. In Sn-BEA, the presenceof water does not influence the selectivity. Our calculations resolve for the first time the role of waterand Na cations in the catalytic activity of Sn-BEA, and rationalize the experimental data.

Li, Sha↗

Cavity quantum electrodynamics using a near-resonance two-level system: Emergence of the Glauber state

Random tunneling two-level systems (TLSs) in dielectrics have been of interest recently because they adversely affect the performance of superconducting qubits. The coupling of TLSs to qubits has allowed individual TLS characterization, which has previously been limited to TLSs within (thin) Josephson tunneling barriers made from aluminum oxide. Here, we report on the measurement of an individual TLS within the capacitor of a lumped-element LC microwave resonator, which forms a cavity quantum electrodynamics (CQED) system and allows for individual TLS characterization in a different structure and material than demonstrated with qubits. Due to the reduced volume of the dielectric (80 μm{sup 3}), even with a moderate dielectric thickness (250 nm), we achieve the strong coupling regime as evidenced by the vacuum Rabi splitting observed in the cavity spectrum. A TLS with a coherence time of 3.2 μs was observed in a film of silicon nitride as analyzed with a Jaynes-Cummings spectral model, which is larger than seen from superconducting qubits. As the drive power is increased, we observe an unusual but explicable set of continuous and discrete crossovers from the vacuum Rabi split transitions to the Glauber (coherent) state.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Transmon Qubit Using Sn as a Junction Superconductor

Superconductor qubits typically use aluminum–aluminum oxide tunnel junctions to provide the nonlinear inductance. Junctions with semiconductor barriers make it possible to vary the superconductor material and explore beyond aluminum. We use InAs semiconductor nanowires coated with thin superconducting shells of β-Sn to realize transmon qubits. By tuning the Josephson energy with a gate voltage, we adjust the qubit frequency over a range of 3 GHz. The longest energy relaxation time, T 1 = 27 μs, is obtained at the lowest qubit frequencies, while the longest echo dephasing time, T 2 = 1.8 μs, is achieved at higher frequencies. Finally, we assess the possible factors limiting coherence times in these devices and discuss steps to enhance performance through improvements in materials fabrication and circuit design.

B-Sn↗

MCCCS-MN

The MCCCS‒MN (Monte Carlo for Complex Chemical Systems‒Minnesota) software is developed by the Siepmann research group at the University of Minnesota. MCCCS‒MN allows for the simulation of multi-component molecular systems in the canonical, isobaric-isothermal (including constant stress for solids), grand-canonical, semi-grand, and Gibbs (NVT, NPT, and more than two simulation boxes) ensembles. It uses the configurational-bias Monte Carlo method to efficiently sample phase space for linear, branched and cyclic chain molecules, the adiabatic nuclear and electronic sampling Monte Carlo method to treat many-body polarization effects, and the aggregation-volume-bias Monte Carlo algorithm to efficiently sample the spatial distribution of associating molecules. MCCCS-MN employs a molecular representation of the system where force fields contain bonded and non-bonded terms. Funding for the development of MCCCS-MN through grants from the National Science Foundation (simulation of fluid phase equilibria and chromatography) and the Department of Energy (simulation of adsorption equilibria) is gratefully acknowledged.

Siepmann, J.Ilja [University of Minnesota - Twin C↗