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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

Millimeter-wave dielectric tunability driven by topological polar structure switching in PbTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices

Dielectric tunability induced by an external electric field in materials underpins radio frequency signal modulation devices such as phase shifters, which are critical components in wireless communication and sensing systems. However, the tunability and integrability of current devices have yet to be enhanced for emerging applications, particularly at millimeter-wave frequencies. Here, we demonstrate that topological polar structures formed in PbTiO 3 /SrTiO 3 superlattices exhibit large tunable in-plane dielectric properties, as determined by their multiscale structural configurations and polarization switching behaviors. Under a moderate field of 30 kV cm −1 , the dipole wave structure maintains a tunability exceeding 15% at 70 GHz and above 8% over the measured range up to 110 GHz, contrasting with the weakly tunable flux closure structure. Based on in situ structural characterizations and molecular dynamics simulations, we delineate the polarization switching processes and elucidate the mechanisms underlying the observed tunable millimeter-wave dielectric responses. Our results provide new insights into the high-frequency dielectric properties of topological polar phases, potentially broadening the versatility of these materials in next-generation integrated electronic applications.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Novel Quadratic High Gain Boost Converter With Adaptive Soft-Switching Scheme and Reduced Conduction Loss

In this article, an improved soft-switching quadratic boost converter is proposed. Instead of inserting an additional active clamp or auxiliary zero-voltage transition circuit at the switching node, the proposed topology connects the high-voltage switching node to the input diode node by replacing one of the input diodes with a low-rated switch. The proposed topology can attain soft-switching condition for all the switches and input diode turns- off under zero-current switching (ZCS). The operation of input-side switch not only aids zero-voltage switching (ZVS) turn- on for the main switch but also helps in reducing the conduction loss. Also, the input-side switch operates under ZCS turn- on and ZVS turn- off , making it a loss economical solution. An adaptive timing scheme for driving the input switch is proposed, which can ensure soft-switching condition under varying gain and load range. The detailed operational modes, analysis, and design considerations of the proposed topology are presented. A 250 W hardware prototype is built to validate the performance of the proposed converter operating at 100 kHz switching frequency. Results with adaptive soft-switching scheme shows that the converter is modulated to achieve its best efficiency condition under various system conditions. Furthermore, a peak efficiency of 96.1% at 155 W and efficiencies above 95.75% over a wide load range are achieved using all Si devices.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

A Wall-Modeled LES Perspective for the High Lift Common Research Model Using LAVA

A new immersed boundary Wall-Modelled Large Eddy Simulation (WMLES) formulation is developed to study high-lift aerodynamics on the NASA High-Lift Common Research Model (HL-CRM). A sequence of Cartesian Octree grids with sizes ranging from 100 Million through 2.02 Billion grid points is utilized to systematically assess grid-sensitivity and convergence for the in-tunnel (QinetiQ) configuration of the model, and remarkable agreement between the immersed boundary and the curvilinear body-aligned WMLES formulations is reported on grids with comparable resolutions. In the free-air configuration of the model, consistent predictions between the Curvilinear Overset and the Cartesian Octree formulations are reported for angles of attack up to C(L,max) at a=19.57. However, some differences in the onset of stall are seen between the two methods for a>20°: while the curvilinear WMLES experiences wing-root separation with increasing angle of attack (Topology A), the Cartesian Octree formulation shows a different flow topology characterized by boundary layer weakness on the main element, emanating from the pylon-wing attachment (Topology B). In order to obtain further insight into the two-distinct topologies, carefully designed numerical experiments to isolate effects of the model standoff and the tunnel wall-boundary layers are conducted using the immersed boundary WMLES formulation. The increased incidence angle-of-attack on the inboard portion of the wing due to the standoff is shown to be sufficient for triggering a switch from Topology B to Topology A in Cartesian WMLES. The role of the floor boundary layer is further examined in detail by identification of additional corner-flow vorticity generated by the viscous juncture flow interactions between the floor boundary layer and the standoff leading to formation of a strong coherent and persistent vortex on the belly-side of the fuselage. The intensity of this vortex is shown to increase with the thickness of the floor boundary layer. A further increase in the incidence angle of attack near the leading-edge strake caused by the presence of this belly-side vortex is quantified for two-distinct floor boundary layers. Both of the floor boundary layers considered result in the onset of large scale wing-root separation at a=21.47in non-confined (free-air) configurations.

TTT↗
DOE OSTI2026

Flashlamp drive system for a high-energy 10–100 kHz pulse-burst Nd:YAG laser

We present the design of the flashlamp drive system for the NG100 laser, a 1 J/pulse, 10–100 kHz, pulse-burst Nd:YAG laser system being developed for application in a Thomson scattering plasma diagnostic. This flashlamp drive system is under active development, with a prototype now being constructed. The flashlamp drive system is modular, with each module capable of driving a series pair of linear flashlamps. Each drive module contains and is controlled by a dedicated Analog Regulator Controller. Thus each module is independently operable and controllable. This modular approach imposes no intrinsic limit to the number of modules that may be applied to drive the flashlamp pairs in a laser system. Each flashlamp drive module has a switch-regulated topology. An 1800 V main capacitor bank provides 25 kJ of energy storage, while a lower voltage output capacitor bank provides filtering and the initial energy delivered to the flashlamps at the start of the drive pulse. The main bank is recharged after each flashlamp drive pulse. As energy is drawn from the output bank by the flashlamps, an IGBT switching regulator feeds current from the main bank through an inductor to replenish the output capacitor bank. The rate of replenishment is feedback-controlled to maintain a regulated supply of power to the flashlamp load, with a setpoint range of 0.07 to 1.65 MW. An Analog Regulator Controller produces two-state variable pulse width feedback switching of the regulator IGBT. The switching frequency is ≤ 20 kHz, dynamically adjusted to limit ripple of the flashlamp power to ±3% statistical standard deviation of mean. For development or troubleshooting, each module is operable independent of the laser digital control system (microcontroller and FPGA).

Plasma diagnostics - interferometry↗
DOE OSTI2023

Bending effects and optical properties of WSe 2 nanoribbons of topological phase

A WSe 2 monolayer of 1T' phase is a large band gap quantum spin Hall insulator, supporting dissipationless charge and spin transports through the topologically protected edge states. Here, in this work, we explore the nanoribbon forms of 1T' phase WSe 2 by first-principles density functional calculations and the many-body perturbation GW and Bethe-Salpeter equation method. We found that the 1T' WSe 2 nanoribbon can show topological edge states with a ribbon width of ~4-6 nm. Those edge bands show crossing through the Fermi level an odd number of times, with one kind of spin-polarization connecting the valence band continuum and conduction band continuum. The topological features of the edge bands hold even under small and medium bending in the nanoribbon, while large bending induces large band splitting, resulting in a topological switch-off in the edge bands. The semiconducting 1T' WSe2 nanoribbon shows a large tunability with bending in optical absorption spectra and exciton states. The lowest-energy exciton is changed from optically dark in the flat nanoribbon to bright in the bent nanoribbons. These properties in the 1T' WSe 2 nanoribbons suggest potential applications in controllable quantum electronics and exciton-based quantum information processes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Modular HF Isolated MV String Inverters Enable a New Paradigm for Large PV Farms

The “Modular HF Isolated MV String Inverters Enable a New Paradigm for Large PV Farms” project focuses on exploring alternative power converter and system-level plant configurations to achieve the lowest cost and highest energy output for a given solar plus storage (e.g., PV + battery) plant, including the use of medium voltage (MV) collection while taking into account detailed models of all elements. To realize this objective, four approaches were utilized (i) employ a novel Medium Voltage String Inverter (MVSI) topology (soft switching solid state transformer – S4T) to convert 1000 Vdc to 4.16 kVac; (ii) plant collection using standard, low-cost overhead MV distribution network; (iii) enable energy storage integration without additional converter cost to achieve dispatchability of the PV resource; and (iv) provide advanced functionality (autonomous operation, track ISO signals for dynamic balancing and ancillary services, and PV farm operation as a virtual grid resource). Subsequently and in alignment with the previously mentioned approaches, the project was structured in five efforts (i) S4T MVSI simulation and design; (ii) system analysis and storage optimization; (iii) financial analysis; (iv) power converter prototype build and test; and (v) regulatory and commercial impact study. The outcomes provided by each effort can be summarized as follows (i) Project explored the use of MV AC distribution architecture for hybrid PV+storage utility-scale PV farms; (ii) Detailed loss and LCOE analysis for AC and DC side BESS architecture, including multiple converter topologies, as well as for proposed MVSI/MDCT systems; (iii) MVSI was built and holds promise but needs lower-cost high-voltage Si-C devices, which does not seem possible in the near term; (iv) MDCT provides a simpler modular building block – validated through HIL and farm level modeling, simulation and experimental validation; (v) 300 kVA MDCT prototype built and tested, technology is being commercialized; and (vi) Regulatory model of utility building PV plants, where PV panels are treated as DC generation (IPP), seems viable and can allow improved grid integration.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

A Review of Quantum Computing Technologies in Power System Optimization

As modern power grids increasingly integrate variable renewable generation, distributed energy resources, and energy storage systems, classical optimization techniques are facing unprecedented challenges. This review examines the emerging application of quantum computing to overcome these challenges in power system optimization, including optimal power flow (OPF), unit commitment (UC), economic dispatch (ED), and intelligent switching and topology optimization (IS-TO). Recent research has introduced various quantum methodologies—such as gate-based, annealing-based, variational algorithms, and quantum-inspired algorithms—to address the combinatorial complexity inherent in grid reconfiguration and energy management. The review summaries the quantum algorithms, quantum devices and the power system test cases, highlighting hybrid quantum–classical strategies that leverage the complementary strengths of both paradigms. Some quantum advantages have been observed, including theoretical speedup, accurate simulation results, scalable qubit usage, efficient QUBO mapping. In particular, the review emphasizes the importance of integrating quantum optimization techniques with classical control frameworks, these hybrid approaches demonstrate the potential to improve real-time grid management and operational reliability. A significant portion of the analysis is devoted to the practical limitations of current quantum devices. Present-day quantum hardware, operating in the noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) era, remains highly sensitive to noise and limited in qubit connectivity, which constrains the scale and accuracy of implemented algorithms. The review delves into specific challenges such as the need for qubit-efficient encoding techniques and error mitigation strategies that are critical for handling real-world grid optimization problems. In addition, the work draws attention to the performance discrepancies between theoretical quantum speedups and experimental validations, underscoring the importance of rigorous benchmark studies using representative power grid test cases. In summary, this review highlights both the promise and limitations of quantum computing for power system optimization. It provides a comprehensive overview of the state-of-the-art technologies, categorizes recent advancements in algorithm design, and discusses practical considerations for implementation, and serves as an informative resource on current research. Future research directions include developing robust hybrid frameworks, advancing qubit-efficient formulations, and scaling up experimental demonstrations to confirm the theoretical advantages of quantum methods in large-scale power system operations.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Reversible non-volatile electronic switching in a near-room-temperature van der Waals ferromagnet

Abstract Non-volatile phase-change memory devices utilize local heating to toggle between crystalline and amorphous states with distinct electrical properties. Expanding on this kind of switching to two topologically distinct phases requires controlled non-volatile switching between two crystalline phases with distinct symmetries. Here, we report the observation of reversible and non-volatile switching between two stable and closely related crystal structures, with remarkably distinct electronic structures, in the near-room-temperature van der Waals ferromagnet Fe 5− δ GeTe 2 . We show that the switching is enabled by the ordering and disordering of Fe site vacancies that results in distinct crystalline symmetries of the two phases, which can be controlled by a thermal annealing and quenching method. The two phases are distinguished by the presence of topological nodal lines due to the preserved global inversion symmetry in the site-disordered phase, flat bands resulting from quantum destructive interference on a bipartite lattice, and broken inversion symmetry in the site-ordered phase.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1984

A Battery Charger and State of Charge Indicator

A battery charger which has a full wave rectifier in series with a transformer isolated 20 kHz dc-dc converter with high frequency switches, which are programmed to actively shape the input dc line current to be a mirror image of the ac line voltage is discussed. The power circuit operates at 2 kW peak and 1 kW average power. The BC/SCI has two major subsystems: (1) the battery charger power electronics with its controls; and (2) a microcomputer subsystem which is used to acquire battery terminal data and exercise the state of charge software programs. The state of charge definition employed is the energy remaining in the battery when extracted at a 10 kW rate divided by the energy capacity of a fully charged new battery. The battery charger circuit is an isolated boost converter operating at an internal frequency of 20 kHz. The switches selected for the battery charger are the single most important item in determining its efficiency. The combination of voltage and current requirements dictate the use of high power NPN Darlington switching transistors. The power circuit topology is a three switch design which utilizes a power FET on the center tap of the isolation transformer and the power Darlingtons on each of the two ends. An analog control system is employed to accomplish active input current waveshaping as well as the necessary regulation.

Latos, T. S.↗
DOE OSTI2025

AC to AC Solid State Transformer with Bidirectional Switches

This report details the work of the 3-year project for the AC-to-AC Solid State Transformer with Bidirectional Switches project devoted to developing and demonstrated a Type I Solid State Transformer. This report details the design, fabrication, and evaluation of both three-phase and single-phase versions of this solid state transformer operating as a single module, modules in parallel, and modules in cascade. Additionally, this report details the fabrication and evaluation of custom Silicon Carbide bidirectional switches to enable this topology with a comparison between monolithically integrated bidirectional switches as well as co-packaged back-to-back unidirectional devices. Finally, results for custom-fabricated Fe 4 N/ferrite laminated toroidal cores for high frequency transformers are present.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Topological steering of light by nematic vortices and analogy to cosmic strings

Liquid crystals are widely known for their technological uses in displays, electro-optics, photonics and nonlinear optics, but these applications typically rely on defining and switching non-topological spatial patterns of the optical axis. Here, we demonstrate how a liquid crystal’s optical axis patterns with singular vortex lines can robustly steer beams of light. External stimuli, including an electric field and light itself, allow us to reconfigure these unusual light–matter interactions. Here, periodic arrays of vortices obtained by photo-patterning enable the vortex-mediated fission of optical solitons, yielding their lightning-like propagation patterns. Predesigned patterns and spatial trajectories of vortex lines in high-birefringence liquid crystals can steer light into closed loops or even knots. Our vortex lattices might find technological uses in beam steering, telecommunications, virtual reality implementations and anticounterfeiting, as well as possibly offering a model system for probing the interaction of light with defects, including the theoretically predicted, imagination-capturing light-steering action of cosmic strings, elusive defects in cosmology.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Power Layout Design of a GaN HEMTs-Based High-Power High-Efficiency Three-Level ANPC Inverter for 800 V DC Bus System

Multiple commutation paths exist for switching devices in a three-level active neutral point clamped (3L-ANPC) inverter operation based on the selected switching state and current direction. In addition, the capacitive coupling path of the nonswitching device is a key design aspect for enabling high voltage and high current operation of gallium nitride (GaN) switches in 3L-ANPC topology. A comprehensive study of the switching transient events of inner, outer, and clamping devices of 3L-ANPC is presented in this article. The commutation mechanisms for worst-case transient voltage overshoots (TVOs) are identified. A simplified equivalent circuit model is presented to determine the design criteria for the power layout structure's parasitic inductances. A power layout strategy satisfying the design criteria is then proposed using an insulated metal substrate power printed circuit board (PCB) to enable efficient high-power operation. The proposed design minimizes the commutation and capacitive coupling path inductances to 6 nH and 11.5 nH, respectively. This enables the fast switching operation of GaN HEMTs at 800 V dc, 36 A with a low TVO of 31% verified through experimental three-level double pulse test results. Experimental evaluation of a three-phase 3L-ANPC hardware prototype based on the proposed power layout shows 99% efficiency at 800 V, 9.5 kVA and 50 kHz switching frequency. The proposed design achieves a low case-to-ambient thermal resistance of 2.3 °C/W.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2024

Hybrid Modeling of Three-Phase Grid-Supporting Inverters for Dynamic Studies

Grid technologies connected by power electronic converter (PEC) interfaces continually implement grid support functions mandated by grid codes and standards. The transition to converter-based generation demands precise PEC models to assess system dynamics, which have been previously overlooked in conventional power systems. This study proposes a hybrid method for analyzing grid-connected three-phase PEC dynamics with the IEEE standard 1547-2018 Volt-VAr mode that combines physics and data-driven techniques. The physics model reflects the PEC’s internal behavior, whereas the data-driven modeling technique evaluates the grid-supporting capabilities of the smart PEC. The system identification approach is used to generate dynamic PEC models based on changing grid voltage and measured current injected into the grid by the PEC. In the Volt-VAr support mode, a detailed topological model including switches is utilized to compare the goodness-of-fit of the extracted hybrid dynamic model. The results demonstrate that the hybrid PEC model in the Volt-VAr mode accurately matches the dynamics with the topological model.

Subedi, Sunil↗
NASA NTRS2013

Quasi-Linear Circuit

This work involved developing spacequalifiable switch mode DC/DC power supplies that improve performance with fewer components, and result in elimination of digital components and reduction in magnetics. This design is for missions where systems may be operating under extreme conditions, especially at elevated temperature levels from 200 to 300 degC. Prior art for radiation-tolerant DC/DC converters has been accomplished utilizing classical magnetic-based switch mode converter topologies; however, this requires specific shielding and component de-rating to meet the high-reliability specifications. It requires complex measurement and feedback components, and will not enable automatic re-optimization for larger changes in voltage supply or electrical loading condition. The innovation is a switch mode DC/DC power supply that eliminates the need for processors and most magnetics. It can provide a well-regulated voltage supply with a gain of 1:100 step-up to 8:1 step down, tolerating an up to 30% fluctuation of the voltage supply parameters. The circuit incorporates a ceramic core transformer in a manner that enables it to provide a well-regulated voltage output without use of any processor components or magnetic transformers. The circuit adjusts its internal parameters to re-optimize its performance for changes in supply voltage, environmental conditions, or electrical loading at the output

Bradley, William↗
DOE OSTI2024

Chiral, Topological, and Knotted Colloids in Liquid Crystals

The geometric shape, symmetry, and topology of colloidal particles often allow for controlling colloidal phase behavior and physical properties of these soft matter systems. In liquid crystalline dispersions, colloidal particles with low symmetry and nontrivial topology of surface confinement are of particular interest, including surfaces shaped as handlebodies, spirals, knots, multi-component links, and so on. These types of colloidal surfaces induce topologically nontrivial three-dimensional director field configurations and topological defects. Director switching by electric fields, laser tweezing of defects, and local photo-thermal melting of the liquid crystal host medium promote transformations among many stable and metastable particle-induced director configurations that can be revealed by means of direct label-free three-dimensional nonlinear optical imaging. The interplay between topologies of colloidal surfaces, director fields, and defects is found to show a number of unexpected features, such as knotting and linking of line defects, often uniquely arising from the nonpolar nature of the nematic director field. This review article highlights fascinating examples of new physical behavior arising from the interplay of nematic molecular order and both chiral symmetry and topology of colloidal inclusions within the nematic host. Furthermore, the article concludes with a brief discussion of how these findings may lay the groundwork for new types of topology-dictated self-assembly in soft condensed matter leading to novel mesostructured composite materials, as well as for experimental insights into the pure-math aspects of low-dimensional topology.

chirality↗
DOE OSTI2022

Robust and tunable Weyl phases by coherent infrared phonons in ZrTe5

Abstract Ultrafast control of structural and electronic properties of various quantum materials has recently sparked great interest. In particular, photoinduced switching between distinct topological phases has been considered a promising route to realize quantum computers. Here we use first-principles and effective Hamiltonian methods to show that in ZrTe 5 , lattice distortions corresponding to all three types of zone-center infrared optical phonon modes can drive the system from a topological insulator to a Weyl semimetal. Thus achieved Weyl phases are robust, highly tunable, and one of the cleanest due to the proximity of the Weyl points to the Fermi level and a lack of other carriers. We also find that Berry curvature dipole moment, induced by the dynamical inversion symmetry breaking, gives rise to various nonlinear effects that oscillate with the amplitude of the phonon modes. These nonlinear effects present an ultrafast switch for controlling the Weyltronics-enabled quantum system.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Flux-Closure Domain Structures in Ferroelectric K 0.5 Na 0.5 NbO 3 Thin Films

Topological domain structures in ferroelectric materials have garnered increasing attention due to their intriguing physical properties and promising applications. While most existing topological structures in ferroelectric perovskite oxides originate from tetragonal or rhombohedral bulk phases, much less is understood about their counterparts in orthorhombic ferroelectrics. Here, in this work, we employ ferroelectric K 0.5 Na 0.5 NbO 3 (KNN) thin films as a model system and leverage phase-field simulations to theoretically predict the static structures and dynamic behaviors of three types of flux-closure domain configurations: in-plane (Type-I), out-of-plane (Type-II), and superdomain (Type-III) flux-closure structures. We systematically investigate the effects of finite size, misfit strains, and electrical boundary conditions on the formation and switching of these topological structures. For the Type-I structure, size reduction or small misfit strain facilitates a transition of the flux-closure pattern to polar vortices. Type-II structures emerge under open-circuit electrical boundary conditions of the film, forming at the junctions of specific domain walls with the film surface or the film–substrate interface. The formation mechanisms of these two flux-closure structures are rationalized from an energy perspective. We demonstrated switching capabilities of Type-II and Type-III structures by obtaining polarization–electric field hysteresis loops. Our simulations also reveal a reversible electric-field-induced transition between the orthorhombic and rhombohedral ferroelectric phases with a checkerboard domain pattern, during which the integrity of the flux-closure structure is preserved. These findings provide theoretical insights and practical guidance for identifying and manipulating topological structures in low-symmetry ferroelectrics, paving the way for developing energy-efficient microelectronic devices based on topological structures.

P-E loop↗