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At least 343 records · Page 19

Towards robust autonomous impedance spectroscopy analysis: A calibrated hierarchical Bayesian approach for electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) inversion

Distribution-based analyses, such as the distribution of relaxation times (DRT) and the distribution of diffusion times (DDT), present model-free alternatives to equivalent circuit modeling for analysis of electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) data. However, reconstructing such distributions from noisy impedance data is an ill-posed problem that must be solved with specialized inversion algorithms, requiring careful control and tuning. Furthermore, most inversion algorithms developed to date can only solve problems of limited complexity. Herein, we present a new hierarchical Bayesian method for EIS inversion, leveraging efficient algorithms for optimization and Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) sampling to solve models of arbitrary complexity. We overcome the challenge of ad-hoc parameter tuning by encoding intrinsic characteristics of the DRT and DDT into flexible prior distributions and “pre-calibrating” the model to simulated data. This approach is versatile, highly robust to noise, and provides quantitative estimates of both the error structure of the data and the uncertainty in the recovered distributions. The model is validated with simulated data to demonstrate accurate recovery of the DRT and the DDT. The method also shows promise for simultaneous recovery of multiple distributions, raising the intriguing possibility of semi-autonomous EIS analysis and ad-hoc model construction. Finally, the practical utility of the method is illustrated with experimental data. Throughout, we draw comparisons to several recently published EIS inversion methodologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

An iterative particle filter approach for coupled hydro-geophysical inversion of a controlled infiltration experiment

The modeling of unsaturated groundwater flow is affected by a high degree of uncertainty related to both measurement and model errors. Geophysical methods such as Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) can provide useful indirect information on the hydrological processes occurring in the vadose zone. In this paper, we propose and test an iterated particle filter method to solve the coupled hydrogeophysical inverse problem. We focus on an infiltration test monitored by time-lapse ERT and modeled using Richards equation. The goal is to identify hydrological model parameters from ERT electrical potential measurements. Traditional uncoupled inversion relies on the solution of two sequential inverse problems, the first one applied to the ERT measurements, the second one to Richards equation. This approach does not ensure an accurate quantitative description of the physical state, typically violating mass balance. To avoid one of these two inversions and incorporate in the process more physical simulation constraints, we cast the problem within the framework of a SIR (Sequential Importance Resampling) data assimilation approach that uses a Richards equation solver to model the hydrological dynamics and a forward ERT simulator combined with Archie's law to serve as measurement model. ERT observations are then used to update the state of the system as well as to estimate the model parameters and their posterior distribution. The limitations of the traditional sequential Bayesian approach are investigated and an innovative iterative approach is proposed to estimate the model parameters with high accuracy. The numerical properties of the developed algorithm are verified on both homogeneous and heterogeneous synthetic test cases based on a real-world field experiment.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Rational anode design for protonic ceramic fuel cells by a one-step phase inversion method

A one-step phase inversion method was applied to fabricate an optimized anode structure for protonic ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs). The phase inversion process utilized raw starting chemicals, instead of crystalline BaCe 0.7 Z r0.1 Y 0.1 Yb 0.1 O 3-δ (BCZYYb) powder in an energy and time saving process. The resulting large and fingerlike pores exhibited enhanced performance as compared to the disordered pores produced by conventional preparation of anode structures using dry pressing methods. The electrochemical performance of the rational designed anode supported cell were 491, 402, 302 and 200 mW cm -2 at 700, 650, 600 and 550 °C, respectively, which was nearly twice than the cell with dry pressing anode. An equivalent circuit modeling method was used to separate the anode polarization resistance from the single cell, confirming that the overall cell performance improvements were attributed to microstructural modifications of the anode by the phase inversion process. The one-step phase inversion method demonstrated great promise for improved processing of fuel cells and separation membranes.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Sol–gel preparation of well-adhered films and long range ordered inverse opal films of BaTiO{sub 3} and Bi{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7}

Highlights: • Highly adaptable sols are presented for processing of the electroceramic materials BaTiO{sub 3} and Bi{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7}. • High quality thin films are produced by dip coating with good phase control. • Infiltration of cross-linked polystyrene templates led to high quality inverse opals. - Abstract: Barium and bismuth titanate thin films and well-ordered inverse opal films are produced by dip coating from sols containing titanium alkoxides with acetic acid, acetylacetone, methoxyethanol and water. The inverse opal preparations used crosslinked polystyrene opal templates. Heat treatment in air produced tetragonal BaTiO{sub 3} or mixtures of the hexagonal and tetragonal phases, or phase pure Bi{sub 2}Ti{sub 2}O{sub 7}. Good quality films were obtained with a thickness of 5 μm from a single dipping, and the thickness could be increased by dipping multiple times. Inverse opals were well ordered and exhibited opalescence and photonic stop band effects.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Characterization of titania inverse opals prepared by two distinct infiltration approaches

Highlights: • Preparation, characterization, and comparison of two types of titania inverse opals (IOs). • Infiltration is the key-step for producing IOs with improved optical, photonic, mechanical, and photocatalytic properties. • An innovative methodology for the infiltration with already prepared dispersed titania nanoparticles. - Abstract: Titanium dioxide inverse opals were prepared by the typical method of infiltration with a liquid precursor (LP-IOs) and by an improved method in which the infiltration step is done with a suspension of TiO{sub 2} nanoparticles (NP-IOs). A thorough characterization study was performed on both types of preparations in order to highlight the differences between the resulting inverse opal samples. The formation of a compact overlayer in LP-IO samples inherent to the use of a liquid precursor proved to be detrimental for the optical and photonic properties of the inverse opals. NP-IO samples, on the other hand, showed improved optical, photonic, and mechanical properties. The photocatalytic degradation of a model compound (a well-known dye, methylene blue) revealed that NP-IO samples are able to degrade the model compound at a higher rate due to the absence of the compact overlayer which acts as a mass and light blocking barrier.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Inverse Catalysts for CO Oxidation: Enhanced Oxide–Metal Interactions in MgO/Au(111), CeO 2 /Au(111), and TiO 2 /Au(111)

Au(111) does not bind CO and O 2 well. The deposition of small nanoparticles of MgO, CeO 2 , and TiO 2 on Au(111) produces excellent catalysts for CO oxidation at room temperature. In an inverse oxide/metal configuration there is a strong enhancement of the oxide–metal interactions, and the inverse catalysts are more active than conventional Au/MgO(001), Au/CeO 2 (111), and Au/TiO 2 (110) catalysts. An identical trend was seen after comparing the CO oxidation activity of TiO2/Au and Au/TiO 2 powder catalysts. In the model systems, the activity increased following the sequence: MgO/Au(111) < CeO 2 /Au(111) < TiO 2 /Au(111). Ambient pressure X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (AP-XPS) was used to elucidate the role of the titania–gold interface in inverse TiO 2 /Au(111) model catalysts during CO oxidation. Stable surface intermediates such as CO(ads), CO 3 2– (ads), and OH(ads) were identified under reaction conditions. CO 3 2– (ads) and OH(ads) behaved as spectators. The concentration of CO(ad) initially increased and then decreased with increasing TiO 2 coverage, demonstrating a clear role of the Ti–Au interface and the size of the TiO 2 nanostructures in the catalytic process. Overall, our results show an enhancement in the strength of the oxide–metal interactions when working with inverse oxide/metal configurations, a phenomenon that can be utilized for the design of efficient catalysts useful for green and sustainable chemistry.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Surface-based inversions above central Greenland: SBI ABOVE CENTRAL GREENLAND

[1] Surface-based temperature inversions (SBIs) are studied at Summit Station in central Greenland during the period spanning July 2010 to May 2012. The frequency and intensity of SBI are examined using microwave radiometer (MWR) temperature retrievals, radiosonde profiles, and near-surface meteorological data. Using the MWRs' high temporal resolution, the diurnal, monthly, and annual cycles are investigated. Monthly mean values in SBI occurrence and intensity show that surface-based inversions are prevalent in the winter with decreasing values in the summer months. A case study on 20 February 2011 suggests that factors other than solar elevation angle influence the intensity of surface-based inversions. An increase in liquid water path corresponds to a decrease in SBI intensity, suggesting that liquid-bearing clouds, especially within the lowest 1 km, are associated with weaker surface-based inversions.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Regional Moment Tensor Inversion Using Rotational Observations

There are benefits from the addition of rotational motions to translational displacements for moment tensor (MT) inversions. The rotational radiation pattern is orthogonal to the shear radiation pattern, thus incorporating rotations is equivalent to gaining another observation point on the focal sphere. We demonstrated this by simulating curl and displacement wavefields for a regional distance station. Thus, one 6-C station (3-Component translational + 3-Component rotational) gathers the same information on radiation pattern as two 3-C stations at 90° azimuth from one another along the focal plane axis, which is sometimes difficult to obtain when restricted to surface sensors. We added rotational Green's functions to a regional MT inversion scheme (long-period, time-domain, and linear inversion) by computing spatial gradients from f-κ reflectivity synthetics. For rotational data, we used Array Derived Rotations (ADR) from Piñon Flats Observatory Array and Golay array deployed during IRIS Community Wavefield Demonstration Experiment. The hope is to ultimately use compact and field deployable broadband rotational seismometers instead of ADRs. Rotational motions were predicted from well-constrained deviatoric MT solutions of nine earthquakes recorded by the arrays and other seismic networks. Additionally, we formed three station sparse datasets with (3-C and 6-C) and without rotational ground motions (3-C only) for eight earthquakes testing the benefits of including rotational waveforms in MT inversions when they are equally weighted with translational waveforms. Adding rotational motions improved the double-couple components and reduced compensated-linear-vector-dipole and isotropic components in full-MT solutions using sparse datasets with poor coverage.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗

Abrupt structural transition in exotic molybdenum isotopes unveils an isospin-symmetric island of inversion

Like electrons in atoms, protons and neutrons in nuclei occupy orbitals in a shell structure with energy gaps at magic numbers. Radioactive-beam experiments revealed the disappearance of magic numbers in some neutron-rich isotopes. In these nuclei, configurations involving particles excited across the shell gap gain correlation energy, becoming the ground state. Neutron-rich regions of the nuclear chart that exhibit this property are known as “Islands of Inversion”. Here we present the lifetime measurement of the first 2 + states in 84 Mo (N = Z) and 86 Mo (N = Z + 2) revealing an unexpected sharp structural change between them defining the edge of the region of deformation around 80 Zr. Similarly to the neutron-rich N = 40 Island of Inversion near 64 Cr where cross-shell excitations dominate, we identify this region as an Island of Inversion with symmetrical proton and neutron excitations that we term “Isospin-Symmetric Island of Inversion”. Three-nucleon forces are suggested to drive Mo isotope structural changes.

experimental nuclear physics↗

A Continuous Action Space Tree search for INverse desiGn (CASTING) framework for materials discovery

Abstract Material properties share an intrinsic relationship with their structural attributes, making inverse design approaches crucial for discovering new materials with desired functionalities. Reinforcement Learning (RL) approaches are emerging as powerful inverse design tools, often functioning in discrete action spaces. This constrains their application in materials design problems, which involve continuous search spaces. Here, we introduce an RL-based framework CASTING (Continuous Action Space Tree Search for inverse design), that employs a decision tree-based Monte Carlo Tree Search (MCTS) algorithm with continuous space adaptation through modified policies and sampling. Using representative examples like Silver (Ag) for metals, Carbon (C) for covalent systems, and multicomponent systems such as graphane, boron nitride, and complex correlated oxides, we showcase its accuracy, convergence speed, and scalability in materials discovery and design. Furthermore, with the inverse design of super-hard Carbon phases, we demonstrate CASTING’s utility in discovering metastable phases tailored to user-defined target properties and preferences.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Inverse chirality-induced spin selectivity effect in chiral assemblies of π -conjugated polymers

Coupling of spin and charge currents to structural chirality in non-magnetic materials, known as chirality-induced spin selectivity, is promising for application in spintronic devices at room temperature. Although the chirality-induced spin selectivity effect has been identified in various chiral materials, its Onsager reciprocal process, the inverse chirality-induced spin selectivity effect, remains unexplored. Here we report the observation of the inverse chirality-induced spin selectivity effect in chiral assemblies of π-conjugated polymers. Using spin-pumping techniques, the inverse chirality-induced spin selectivity effect enables quantification of the magnitude of the longitudinal spin-to-charge conversion driven by chirality-induced spin selectivity in different chiral polymers. By widely tuning conductivities and supramolecular chiral structures via a printing method, we found a very long spin relaxation time of up to several nanoseconds parallel to the chiral axis. Furthermore, our demonstration of the inverse chirality-induced spin selectivity effect suggests possibilities for elucidating the puzzling interplay between spin and chirality, and opens a route for spintronic applications using printable chiral assemblies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

An approach to quantum-computational hydrologic inverse analysis

Making predictions about flow and transport in an aquifer requires knowledge of the heterogeneous properties of the aquifer such as permeability. Computational methods for inverse analysis are commonly used to infer these properties from quantities that are more readily observable such as hydraulic head. We present a method for computational inverse analysis that utilizes a type of quantum computer called a quantum annealer. While quantum computing is in an early stage compared to classical computing, we demonstrate that it is sufficiently developed that it can be used to solve certain subsurface flow problems. We utilize a D-Wave 2X quantum annealer to solve 1D and 2D hydrologic inverse problems that, while small by modern standards, are similar in size and sometimes larger than hydrologic inverse problems that were solved with early classical computers. Our results and the rapid progress being made with quantum computing hardware indicate that the era of quantum-computational hydrology may not be too far in the future.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗

Thermoelectric properties of highly doped n-type polysilicon inverse opals

Nanostructured single-crystal silicon exhibits a remarkable increase in the figure of merit for thermoelectric energy conversion. Here we theoretically investigate a similar enhancement for polycrystalline silicon inverse opals. An inverse opal provides nanoscale grains and a thin-film like geometry to scatter phonons preferentially over electrons. Using solutions to the Boltzmann transport equation for electrons and phonons, we show that the figure of merit at 300 K is fifteen times that of bulk single-crystal silicon. Our models predict that grain boundaries are more effective than surfaces in enhancing the figure of merit. We provide insight into this effect and show that preserving a grain size smaller than the shell thickness of the inverse opal increases the figure of merit by as much as 50% when the ratio between the two features is a third. At 600 K, the figure of merit is as high as 0.6 for a shell thickness of 10 nm. This work advances the fundamental understanding of charge and heat transport in nanostructured inverse opals. (C) 2012 American Institute of Physics. [http://dx.doi.org/10.1063/1.4758382]

Ma, J↗

Inversion by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition from N- to Ga-polar gallium nitride and its application to multiple quantum well light-emitting diodes

We demonstrate a metalorganic chemical vapor deposition growth approach for inverting N-polar to Ga-polar GaN by using a thin inversion layer grown with high Mg flux. The introduction of this inversion layer allowed us to grow p-GaN films on N-polar GaN thin film. We have studied the dependence of hole concentration, surface morphology, and degree of polarity inversion for the inverted Ga-polar surface on the thickness of the inversion layer. We then use this approach to grow a light emitting diode structure which has the MQW active region grown on the advantageous N-polar surface and the p-layer grown on the inverted Ga-polar surface.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Sapphire decomposition and inversion domains in N-polar aluminum nitride

Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques and potassium hydroxide (KOH) etching confirmed that inversion domains in the N-polar AlN grown on c-plane sapphire were due to the decomposition of sapphire in the presence of hydrogen. The inversion domains were found to correspond to voids at the AlN and sapphire interface, and transmission electron microscopy results showed a V-shaped, columnar inversion domain with staggered domain boundary sidewalls. Voids were also observed in the simultaneously grown Al-polar AlN, however no inversion domains were present. The polarity of AlN grown above the decomposed regions of the sapphire substrate was confirmed to be Al-polar by KOH etching and TEM.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Donor states in inverse opals

We calculate the binding energy of an electron bound to a donor in a semiconductor inverse opal. Inverse opals have two kinds of cavities, which we call octahedral and tetrahedral, according to their group symmetry. We put the donor in the center of each of these two cavities and obtain the binding energy. The binding energies become very large when the inverse opal is made from templates with small spheres. For spheres less than 50 nm in diameter, the donor binding can increase to several times its unconfined value. Then electrons become tightly bound to the donor and are unlikely to be thermally activated to the semiconductor conduction band. This conclusion suggests that inverse opals will be poor conductors.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Improve earthquake hypocenter using adaptive simulated annealing inversion in regional tectonic, volcano tectonic, and geothermal observation

Observation of earthquakes is routinely used widely in tectonic activity observation, and also in local scale such as volcano tectonic and geothermal activity observation. It is necessary for determining the location of precise hypocenter which the process involves finding a hypocenter location that has minimum error between the observed and the calculated travel times. When solving this nonlinear inverse problem, simulated annealing inversion method can be applied to such global optimization problems, which the convergence of its solution is independent of the initial model. In this study, we developed own program codeby applying adaptive simulated annealing inversion in Matlab environment. We applied this method to determine earthquake hypocenter using several data cases which are regional tectonic, volcano tectonic, and geothermal field. The travel times were calculated using ray tracing shooting method. We then compared its results with the results using Geiger’s method to analyze its reliability. Our results show hypocenter location has smaller RMS error compared to the Geiger’s result that can be statistically associated with better solution. The hypocenter of earthquakes also well correlated with geological structure in the study area. Werecommend using adaptive simulated annealing inversion to relocate hypocenter location in purpose to get precise and accurate earthquake location.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

The inverse problem of sensing the mass and force induced by an adsorbate on a beam nanomechanical resonator

The mass sensing superiority of a micro/nanomechanical resonator sensor over conventional mass spectrometry has been, or at least, is being firmly established. Because the sensing mechanism of a mechanical resonator sensor is the shifts of resonant frequencies, how to link the shifts of resonant frequencies with the material properties of an analyte formulates an inverse problem. Besides the analyte/adsorbate mass, many other factors such as position and axial force can also cause the shifts of resonant frequencies. The in-situ measurement of the adsorbate position and axial force is extremely difficult if not impossible, especially when an adsorbate is as small as a molecule or an atom. Extra instruments are also required. In this study, an inverse problem of using three resonant frequencies to determine the mass, position and axial force is formulated and solved. The accuracy of the inverse problem solving method is demonstrated and how the method can be used in the real application of a nanomechanical resonator is also discussed. Solving the inverse problem is helpful to the development and application of mechanical resonator sensor on two things: reducing extra experimental equipments and achieving better mass sensing by considering more factors.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗