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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 37 records · Page 2
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Spectral characterization and performance of SPT-SLIM on-chip filterbank spectrometers

The South Pole Telescope Shirokoff Line Intensity Mapper (SPT-SLIM) experiment is a pathfinder for demonstrating the use of on-chip spectrometers for millimeter (mm) Line Intensity Mapping (LIM). We present spectral bandpass measurements of the SPT-SLIM spectrometer channels made on site using a Fourier Transform Spectrometer during the first deployment of SPT-SLIM in the 2024-2025 Austral summer season. We note the effect of FTS systematics on measurements of on-chip filterbank spectrometer resolutions and demonstrate a technique for measuring the narrow band passes of the SPT-SLIM filterbanks that improves beyond the intrinsic resolution of a Fourier Transform Spectrometer.

Benson, C. S. [Cardiff U.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

Scalable multiplexed machine learning gas sensor chips for food classification

Multiplexed gas sensor arrays combined with machine learning have unlocked previously inaccessible applications for scent-based sensing. Current platforms are limited by overlapping sensing materials with similar compositions, leading to highly correlated responses, or multistep deposition processes that hinder scalability. In this work, we developed a 16-element monolithic chip with fully distinct sensing layers, enabling a truly heterogeneous array. The system consists of highly sensitive carbon nanotube field effect transistors that are functionalized through a single-step microdispensing method compatible with automated pipetting systems. The resulting chip produces characteristic signal patterns in response to object-specific scent profiles and, when combined with machine learning algorithms, can perform automated object identification. We demonstrate the classification of 16 different objects, including food spoilage and nut allergens, with a 92.6% overall prediction accuracy.

Bassil, Carla [University of California, Berkeley,↗
DOE OSTI2025

Scalable low-loss cryogenic packaging of quantum memories in CMOS-foundry processed photonic chips

Optically linked solid-state quantum memories such as color centers in diamond are a promising platform for distributed quantum information processing and networking. Photonic integrated circuits (PICs) have emerged as a crucial enabling technology for these systems, integrating quantum memories with efficient electrical and optical interfaces in a compact and scalable platform. Packaging these hybrid chips into deployable modules while maintaining low optical loss and resiliency to temperature cycling is a central challenge to their practical use. We demonstrate a packaging method for PICs using surface grating couplers and angle-polished fiber arrays that is robust to temperature cycling, offers scalable channel count, applies to a wide variety of PIC platforms and wavelengths, and offers pathways to automated high-throughput packaging. Using this method, we show optically and electrically packaged quantum memory modules integrating all required qubit controls on chip, operating at millikelvin temperatures with <3 dB losses achievable from fiber to quantum memory for the TE 0 mode at a wavelength of 737 nm.

Bernson, Robert [Tyndall National Institute, Cork ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Telecom-to-visible quantum frequency converter on a silicon nitride chip

Quantum frequency conversion serves a key role in the realization of hybrid quantum networks by interfacing between wavelength-incompatible platforms. Here we present what is believed to be the first quantum frequency converter connecting visible and telecom domains on a silicon nitride (SiN) chip, using Bragg-scattering four-wave mixing to upconvert heralded single photons from 1260 to 698 nm, which covers a 192 THz span. We examine the noise sources in SiN and devise approaches to suppress noise photons at the source and target frequencies to enable measurements at the single-photon level. We demonstrate an on-chip conversion efficiency of 5% in photon flux and describe design modifications that can be implemented to significantly improve it. Our results pave the way for the implementation of complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS)-compatible devices in quantum networks.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Beam test results for the Endcap Timing ReadOut Chip (ETROC2) for the CMS ETL upgrade

The Endcap Timing ReadOut Chip (ETROC) for the Compact Muon Solenoid (CMS) Minimum ionizing particle Timing Detector (MTD) is designed to process Low Gain Avalanche Diode (LGAD) signals with a time resolution of 40-50ps per hit, with 30-35 ps per charged particle using two layer detector. The ETROC2, is the first full size (16x16 pixels) and full functionally design that has been tested in hadron and electron beams at CERN and DESY (Sep 2023 - June 2024). Precision timing studies at these test beams are done using a self-referential beam telescope composed of up to 4 layers/chips. This talk describes the ETROC2 beam telescope and summarizes the performance of the ETROC2 chips bump-bonded to (16x16) Fondazione Bruno Kessler (FBK) and Hamamatsu Photonics K.K. (HPK) LGAD sensors using results from recent test beams. The experiences and lessons learned during the course of these test beams are also detailed in this talk.

Safdari, Murtaza↗
DOE OSTI2024

The Single Event Error (SEE) test and analysis of the CMS Endcap Timing Layer readout chip

The ETROC2, the first full size and full functionality prototype chip for the CMS Endcap Timing Layer readout, is strategically designed to meet the SEE immunity requirements of detector operation with the low power constraint. The triplicated periphery and pixel I2C configuration registers are designed with self-correction feature. The pixel readout control is centralized in the global readout and fully triplicated. The pixel readout is not triplicated, instead protected with power-efficient one-bit correction Hamming code. The TMR protection of the on-pixel threshold calibration can be turned off allowing the detection of the beam spot during the beam test by checking the bit-flips of the internal memory cells. In the initial proton beam test in January 2024, the chip readout process did not hang throughout the tests. The Hamming code correction strategy works because the error corrected TDC data were observed in the data frames. The error-injection simulation is performed to analy ze the small number of bit-flips in the configuration registers. We also performed SEE testing with a heavy ion beam in April and the data analysis is ongoing. The detailed design on the SEE immunity and the testing as well as simulation results will be presented, including follow-up SEE testing results in May and June 2024.

Gong, Datao↗
DOE OSTI2025

Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion of Magnesium Alloy Machining Chips

The Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) utilized Shear Assisted Processing and Extrusion (ShAPE) to convert magnesium alloy machining chips directly into wrought material. PNNL fabricated 0.25” and 0.50” round rod from cold compacted briquettes pressed from dry-machined chips by Loukus Technologies. The alloy composition is proprietary and protected by a Materials Transfer Agreement (MTA) between PNNL and Loukus. Extrusions were fabricated using the ShAPE 2.0 machine, tooling, and process. PNNL is evaluating tensile properties per ASTM E8 and microstructure for grain size, texture, and porosity using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Electron Backscatter Diffraction (EBSD). Tensile properties and microstructure results were not available at the time of writing this document. Extruded rods have also been sent to Loukus for evaluation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Automated Detection of Qubit Structures on Quantum Chips

In this study, YOLO (You Only Look Once), a well-known object detection and image segmentation model, is used to detect qubits on a quantum chip. The model is trained by exposing it to various images of objects of interest and by setting various training parameters to allow the model to learn in unconventional conditions. We were able to provide the model with numerous images of qubits and various prominent features of note located on a qubit. We then created a simple GUI to display the model's live detections that would be integrated with the SEMs. This allowed us to create various functions such as auto-imagery of the qubits across a chip, auto-focusing, auto-contrasting, automatic staging, and directional corrections, enabling users to scan and analyze qubit surfaces in a fast and effective manner.

Perjuste, Ruth [Wellesley Coll.]↗
DOE OSTI2024

Scalable DAQ system operating the CHIPS-5 neutrino detector

The CHIPS R&D project focuses on development of low-cost water Cherenkov neutrino detectors through novel design strategies and resourceful engineering. This work presents an end-to-end DAQ solution intended for a recent 5 kt CHIPS prototype, which is largely based on affordable mass-produced components. Much like the detector itself, the presented instrumentation is composed of modular arrays that can be scaled up and easily serviced. A single such array can carry up to 30 photomultiplier tubes (PMTs) accompanied by electronics that generate high voltage in-situ and deliver time resolution of up to 0.69 ns. In addition, the technology is compatible with the White Rabbit timing system, which can synchronize its elements to within 100 ps. While deployment issues did not permit the presented DAQ system to operate beyond initial evaluation, the presented hardware and software successfully passed numerous commissioning tests that demonstrated their viability for use in a large-scale neutrino detector, instrumented with thousands of PMTs.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Automated Detection of Qubit Structures on Quantum Chips

In this study, YOLO (You Only Look Once), a well-known object detection and image segmentation model, is used to detect qubits on a quantum chip. The model is trained by exposing it to various images of objects of interest and by tweaking various training parameters to allow the model to learn from a limited and highly specialized dataset of SEM imagery. The model was provided with numerous images of qubits and various prominent features of note located on a qubit. These detections were then integrated into a simple GUI, allowing for real-time feedback alongside SEM usage. This will allow us to create various functions enabling automated functions like chip-wide scanning, auto-focusing, and image correction.

Perjuste, Ruth [Wellesley Coll.]↗
DOE OSTI2026

A Hybrid Molecular–Nanophotonic Platform for On-Chip Cavity Quantum Electrodynamics and Collective Interactions

We present a hybrid solid-state cavity quantum electrodynamics (QED) platform that integrates a high density of coherent organic molecules with high-quality-factor nanophotonics. Thin anthracene crystals doped with dibenzoterrylene (DBT) are mechanically transferred onto prefabricated silicon nitride photonic crystal cavities, preserving both the cavity quality and molecular coherence. This approach decouples emitter synthesis from nanofabrication, providing a pathway for integrating other types of emitters. The high density of molecular emitters results in up to ten molecules being coupled to a single cavity. By tuning pairs of molecules into resonance within a single cavity mode, we observe cavity-mediated interactions in both dispersive and dissipative regimes. Furthermore, these results establish an accessible route to deterministic on-chip single- and multiphoton sources.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Slow-Light Mid-IR Silicon Photonic Chips for NO 2 and CH 4 Gas Detection

A compact, chip-scale mid-infrared gas sensor is demonstrated, leveraging a two-dimensional photonic crystal waveguide (PCW) fabricated on a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) platform. The PCW comprises a hexagonal lattice with lattice constant a = 860 nm and hole radius r = 0.22a, incorporating a central line defect of reduced-radius holes (r s = 0.7r) to induce slow-light propagation near the photonic band edge with a group index of approximately 73, thereby enhancing light-matter interaction. The sensor operates at fundamental absorption wavelengths of 3.42 μm for nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) and 3.40 μm for methane (CH 4 ), utilizing the strongest molecular vibrational transitions for maximum sensitivity. Experimental validation was conducted using dynamically diluted gas mixtures generated by mass flow controllers, with signal acquisition performed by a liquid nitrogen-cooled InSb detector. For NO 2 , the sensor exhibited excellent linear response over 5–25 ppm (part per million) with coefficient of determination R 2 = 0.9934, achieving a detection limit of 210 ppb (part per billion)─representing the first reported silicon photonic-based NO 2 detection. For CH 4 , exposure to 25 ppm resulted in a 6.4% decrease in transmitted intensity, demonstrating multigas sensing capability. The CMOS-compatible fabrication process and compact 3 mm device footprint establish this SOI-PCW platform as a scalable, low-power solution for integrated mid-infrared gas sensing, with significant potential for environmental monitoring and industrial safety applications.

Crystals↗
DOE OSTI2024

An integrated atom array-nanophotonic chip platform with background-free imaging

Arrays of neutral atoms trapped in optical tweezers have emerged as a leading platform for quantum information processing and quantum simulation due to their scalability, reconfigurable connectivity, and high-fidelity operations. Individual atoms are promising candidates for quantum networking due to their capability to emit indistinguishable photons that are entangled with their internal atomic states. Integrating atom arrays with photonic interfaces would enable distributed architectures in which nodes hosting many processing qubits could be efficiently linked together via the distribution of remote entanglement. However, many atom array techniques cease to work in close proximity to photonic interfaces, with atom detection via standard fluorescence imaging presenting a major challenge due to scattering from nearby photonic devices. Here, we demonstrate an architecture that combines atom arrays with up to 64 optical tweezers and a millimeter-scale photonic chip hosting more than 100 nanophotonic cavities. We achieve high-fidelity ( ~ 99.2%), background-free imaging in close proximity to nanofabricated cavities using a multichromatic excitation and detection scheme. The atoms can be imaged while trapped a few hundred nanometers above the dielectric surface, which we verify using Stark shift measurements of the modified trapping potential. Finally, we rearrange atoms into defect-free arrays and load them simultaneously onto the same or multiple devices.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2026

Nanophotonic waveguide chip-to-world beam scanning

A seamless chip-to-world photonic interface enables broad advancements in optical ranging, display, communication, computation and quantum information science. The ideal solution enables two-dimensional scanning of a diffraction-limited beam from anywhere on a photonic integrated circuit to a large number of resolvable spots. Current beam-scanning technologies are limited by a fundamental trade-off: photonic-integrated-circuits with diffractive optics offer scalability but have poor mode quality, whereas inertially limited micromechanical scanners provide high-quality beams but lack scalable integration. Here we report a photonic ski-jump—a nanoscale waveguide monolithically integrated on a piezoelectric cantilever—to overcome these limitations. It passively curls ~90° out-of-plane within a less-than-0.1 mm 2 footprint, emits a submicrometre, broadband diffraction-limited beam, and exhibits kilohertz-rate mechanical resonances with quality factors of over 10,000. Fabricated in a volume complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) foundry, our device enables scalable two-dimensional beam scanning. Driven on-resonance at CMOS-level voltages, it achieves a footprint-adjusted spot rate of 68.6 mega spots s –1 mm–², exceeding state-of-the-art micro-electro-mechanical systems mirrors by more than 50-fold, which is sufficient for one million pixels at 100 Hz from an approximately 1.5 mm diameter footprint. We demonstrate full-colour image and video projection, and single-photon initialization and readout from silicon vacancy centres in diamond. Finally, by demonstrating uniformity across a 64 ski-jump array, we establish a pathway to achieving greater than one gigaspot resolution at kilohertz rates within a sub-5-cm-diameter footprint, creating a seamless optical pipeline between integrated photonic processors and the free-space world.

Displays↗
DOE OSTI2024

Frontier system-on-chip (SoC) technology for microwave diagnostics (invited)

The next generation of fusion reactors, exemplified by projects such as the Demonstration Power Plant following the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, faces the monumental challenge of proving the viability of generating electricity through thermonuclear fusion. This pursuit introduces heightened complexities in diagnostic methodologies, particularly in microwave-based diagnostics. The increased neutron fluence necessitates significant reductions in vessel penetrations and the elimination of internal diagnostics, posing substantial challenges. SoC technology offers a promising solution by enabling the miniaturization, modularization, integration, and enhancing the reliability of microwave systems. After seven years of research, our team successfully pioneered the V- and W-band system-on-chip approach, leading to the development of active transmitters and passive receiver modules applied in practical settings, notably within the DIII-D tokamak project. Arrays of these modules have supported microwave imaging diagnostics. New physics measurement results from the Electron Cyclotron Emission Imaging system on DIII-D provide compelling evidence of improved diagnostics following the adoption of SoC technology. Furthermore, we achieved a breakthrough in developing an F-band SoC, advancing higher frequency capabilities for fusion devices. These achievements represent a significant leap forward in fusion diagnostic technology, marking substantial progress toward establishing reliable and efficient plasma diagnostics for future fusion reactors.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Monolithic optoelectronic circuit design for on-chip terahertz applications

We demonstrate a monolithic coplanar stripline platform for on-chip terahertz (THz) generation, transmission, and detection, addressing key challenges of mode purity, bandwidth, and referencing. Capacitive coupling of the photoconductive generator switch enforces pure odd-mode propagation, increases THz field strength, and extends the operational frequency range, achieving 0.05–1.4 THz. Our architecture enables fully monolithic fabrication with amorphous silicon switches, in situ field referencing, and galvanic isolation between generation and detection. Finite-element simulations and experiments confirm that suppressing parasitic modes improves signal integrity, providing a robust platform for high-fidelity THz spectroscopy, ultrafast electronics, and nanoscale quantum materials research.

Capacitive coupling↗
DOE OSTI2025

An integer- N frequency synthesizer for flexible on-chip clock generation

A low-power integer-N frequency synthesizer for flexible on-chip clock generation has been designed in a 65 nm CMOS process. The circuit can be programmed to generate two independent low-jitter clocks between 30 MHz and 3 GHz that are locked to a 10–50 MHz reference input. The design uses a phase-locked loop (PLL) with a dual-tuned LC voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO), programmable feedback divider, and dual output dividers. The total power consumption from 1.2 V and 0.8 V supplies is 4.0 mW. In conclusion, experimental results confirm the functionality of the proposed synthesizer over a wide range of output frequencies.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2026

On-Chip Cavity Electroacoustics Using Lithium Niobate Phononic Crystal Resonators

Mechanical systems are pivotal in quantum technologies because of their long coherent time and versatile coupling to qubit systems. So far, the coherent and dynamic control of gigahertz-frequency mechanical modes mostly relies on optomechanical coupling and piezoelectric coupling to superconducting qubits. Here, we demonstrate on-chip cavity electroacoustic dynamics using our microwave-frequency electrically modulated phononic crystal resonators on lithium niobate. Leveraging the high dispersion of phononic crystal, our acoustic modes space unevenly in the frequency spectrum, emulating atomic energy levels. Atomiclike transitions between different acoustic modes are selectively achieved by applying electrical fields to modulate acoustic modes via the nonlinear piezoelectricity of lithium niobate. Among two modes, we demonstrate Autler-Townes splitting, ac Stark shift, and Rabi oscillation with a maximum cooperativity of 4.18. Extending to three modes, we achieve nonreciprocal frequency conversions with an isolation up to 20 dB. Nonreciprocity can be tuned by the time delay between the two modulating pulses. Finally, our cavity electroacoustic platform could find broad applications in sensing, microwave signal processing, acoustic computing, and quantum acoustics.

Rabi model↗