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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 469 records · Page 26
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1995

He II Liquid/Vapor Phase Separator for Large Dynamic Range Operation

A phase separator, which separates helium vapor from liquid superfluid helium (He II), is an indispensable device for space cryogenics. The most recent approach to the Space Infrared Telescope Facility (SIRTF) uses a new design concept in which only the detector package is cold at launch, the remainder of the telescope being subsequently cooled to operating temperature on orbit. Therefore, a large dynamic operational range is required of the cryogen system. This is a report of initial laboratory test results with candidate porous plugs as phase separators. Mass flow rates and pressure and temperature differences across a porous plug were measured in this experiment. Relatively large mass flow rates were observed even at small pressure differences. In the high mass flow rate region, a hysteresis was observed with increases and decreases of the pressure difference. A linear theory is proposed and compared with experimental data to explain several phenomena observed in this system.

Phase Separator, Space Cryogenics↗
NASA NTRS2023

Fitting Leak Test Report: Ground-Based Cryogenic Leak Test of Fittings for Cryogenic Fluid Management

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Mechanically connected joints used in cryogenic fluid lines as part of space flight elements need to survive launch vibrations and remain leak-free to minimize the loss of on-board commodity and hazardous gas accumulation. In 2020, a cryogenic test apparatus was developed which can evaluate the leak performance of pressurized threaded fluid fittings. The fittings were mounted in the TVAC and cooled to cryogenic test temperature and pressurized with helium while the leak rate was measured using a calibrated GHe leak detector. The test articles for the initial proof of concept testing were ¼ and 1 inch Swagelok VCR fittings with three different types of seal rings copper, nickel, and Ni. Each fitting configuration (size/seal material) was subjected to two consecutive cryogenic thermal cycles, followed by exposure to a launch vibration profile at ambient temperature, after which two additional TVAC cycle tests were performed. The testing reported here is a continuation of the 2020 tests with a statistically significant large number of samples and test runs. Three Swagelok VCR fitting sizes were tested ¼, ½ and 1 inch, and five (5) samples of each fitting size, each sample was tested with SST and Ni seal rings (Total of 30 unique test articles). Each test article was subjected to four (4) thermal cycles. Half of these cycles were performed before vibration testing and half were performed after vibration testing. The vibration testing was performed to evaluate the ability of the fittings to survive launch-type vibration profiles and remain leak-free. Leak checking of each fitting was completed at temperatures between 20K – 30K. The test procedure in Section 8.0 was designed to facilitate a qualification test program by allowing a higher test throughput rate coupled with repeatable test profiles. Results were very positive and show that out of the 30 samples they all passed with leak rates a factor of 2-3 lower than the established 10-6sccs GHe leak threshold. The result showed the Ni seals had lower leak rate, but the SST was more rugged. There were two deviations where damage to the Ni seal ring during assembly resulted in a leaky fitting, this is discussed in Section 10.7 Test Deviations. These fittings show great promise for space flight use and further testing is recommended to fully qualify the fittings per the ASTM F1387-19 and/or other relevant NASA specifications. The test equipment hardware and software capability developed for this testing is generic and not restricted to VCR fittings. It can be employed to evaluate/qualify the leak performance of other types of fittings and a wide range of other cryogenic fluid components such as valves, gages, connectors, etc.

Cryogenic↗
NASA NTRS2002

Cryogenetically Cooled Field Effect Transistors for Low-Noise Systems

Recent tends in the design, fabrication and use of High-Electron-Mobility-Transistors (HEMT) in low noise amplifiers are reviewed. Systems employing these devices have achieved the lowest system noise for wavelengths greater than three millimeters with relatively modest cryogenic cooling requirements in a variety of ground and space based applications. System requirements which arise in employing such devices in imaging applications are contrasted with other leading coherent detector candidates at microwave wavelengths. Fundamental and practical limitations which arise in the context of microwave application of field effect devices at cryogenic temperatures will be discussed from a component and systems point of view.

Wollack, Edward J.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Cryogenically Cooled Field Effect Transistors for Low-Noise Systems

Recent tends in the design, fabrication and use of High-Electron-Mobility-Transistors (HEMT) in low noise amplifiers are reviewed. Systems employing these devices have achieved the lowest system noise for wavelengths greater than three millimeters with relatively modest cryogenic cooling requirements in a variety of ground and space based applications. System requirements which arise in employing such devices in imaging applications are contrasted with other leading coherent detector candidates at microwave wavelengths. Fundamental and practical limitations which arise in the context of microwave application of field effect devices at cryogenic temperatures will be discussed from a component and systems point of view.

Wollack, Edward J.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Conceptual design of the modular detector and readout system for the CMB-S4 survey experiment

We present the conceptual design of the modular detector and readout system for the Cosmic Microwave Background – Stage four (CMB-S4) ground-based survey experiment. CMB-S4 will map the cosmic microwave background (CMB) and the millimeter-wave sky to unprecedented sensitivity, using 500,000 superconducting detectors observing from Chile and Antarctica to map over 60% of the sky. The fundamental building block of the detector and readout system is a detector module package operated at 100 mK, which is connected to a readout and amplification chain that carries signals out to room temperature. It uses arrays of feedhorn-coupled orthomode transducers (OMT) that collect optical power from the sky onto dc-voltage-biased transition-edge sensor (TES) bolometers. The resulting current signal in the TESs is then amplified by a two-stage cryogenic Superconducting Quantum Interference Device (SQUID) system with a time-division multiplexer to reduce wire count, and matching room-temperature electronics to condition and transmit signals to the data acquisition system. Sensitivity and systematics requirements are being developed for the detector and readout system over wide range of observing bands (20 to 300 GHz) and optical powers to accomplish CMB-S4’s science goals. While the design incorporates the successes of previous generations of CMB instruments, CMB-S4 requires an order of magnitude more detectors than any prior experiment. This requires fabrication of complex superconducting circuits on over 10 m2 of silicon, as well as significant amounts of precision wiring, assembly and cryogenic testing

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Integration of Silica in G4CMP for Phonon Simulations: Framework and Tools for Material Integration

Superconducting detectors with sub-eV energy resolution have demonstrated success setting limits on Beyond the Standard Model (BSM) physics due to their unique sensitivity to low-energy events. G4CMP, a Geant4-based extension for condensed matter physics, provides a comprehensive toolkit for modeling phonon and charge dynamics in cryogenic materials. This paper introduces a technical formalism to support the superconducting qubit and low-threshold detector community in implementing phonon simulations in custom materials into the G4CMP. As a case study, we present the results of a detailed analysis of silica phonon transport properties relevant for simulating substrate backgrounds in Beryllium Electron capture in Superconducting Tunnel junctions (BeEST)-style experiments using G4CMP. Additionally, Python-based tools were developed to aid users in implementing their own materials and are available on the G4CMP repository.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2021

Improved Nondestructive Isotopic Analysis with Practical Microcalorimeter Gamma Spectrometers

Advances in both instrumentation and data analysis software are now enabling the first ultra-high-resolution microcalorimeter gamma spectrometers designed for implementation in nuclear facilities and analytical laboratories. With approximately ten times better energy resolution than high-purity germanium detectors, these instruments can overcome important uncertainty limits. Microcalorimeter gamma spectroscopy is intended to provide nondestructive isotopic analysis capabilities with sufficient precision and accuracy to reduce the need for sampling, chemical separations, and mass spectrometry to meet safeguards and security goals. Key milestones were the development of the SOFIA instrument (Spectrometer Optimized for Facility Integrated Applications) and the SAPPY software (Spectral Analysis Program in PYthon). SOFIA is a compact instrument that combines advances in large multiplexed transition-edge sensor arrays with optimized cryogenic performance to overcome many practical limitations of previous systems. With a 256-pixel multiplexed detector array capable of 5,000 counts per second, measurement time can be comparable to high-purity germanium detectors. SAPPY was developed to determine isotopic ratios in data from SOFIA and other microcalorimeter instruments with an approach similar to the widely-used FRAM software. SAPPY provides a flexible framework with rigorous uncertainty analysis for both microcalorimeter and high purity germanium (HPGe) data, allowing direct comparison. Here, we present current results from the SOFIA instrument, preliminary isotopic analysis using SAPPY, and describe how the technology is being used to explore uncertainty limits of nondestructive isotopic characterization, inform safeguards models, and extract improved nuclear data including gamma-ray branching ratios.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2025

Low-energy calibration of SuperCDMS HVeV cryogenic silicon calorimeters using Compton steps

Cryogenic calorimeters for low-mass dark matter searches have achieved sub-eV energy resolutions, driving advances in both low-energy calibration techniques and our understanding of detector physics. The energy deposition spectrum of gamma rays scattering off target materials exhibits step-like features, known as Compton steps, near the binding energies of atomic electrons. Here, we demonstrate a successful use of Compton steps for sub-keV calibration of cryogenic silicon calorimeters, utilizing four SuperCDMS High-Voltage eV-resolution detectors operated with 0 V bias across the crystal. This new calibration at 0 V is compared with the established high-voltage calibration using optical photons. The comparison indicates that the detector response at 0 V is about 30% weaker than expected, highlighting challenges in detector response modeling for low-mass dark matter searches.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Sensitive neutron transverse polarization analysis using a 3 He spin filter

Here we report an experimental implementation for neutron transverse polarization analysis that is capable of detecting a small angular change ($\ll$10 –3 rad) in neutron spin orientation. This approach is demonstrated for monochromatic beams, and we show that it could be extended to polychromatic neutron beams. Our approach employs a 3 He spin filter inside a solenoid with an analyzing direction perpendicular to the incident neutron polarization direction. The method was tested with polarized neutron beams and a spin rotator placed inside a μ -metal shield just upstream of the analyzer. No cryogenic superconducting shields or additional neutron spin manipulations are needed. With a counting detector, we experimentally show that the angular resolution δ θ = 1 / ( P n A N ) rad is only determined by the counting statistics for the total counts N and the product of the neutron polarization P n and the analyzing power A . With a high-flux neutron beam, 10 –6 rad angular sensitivity is feasible within a day. This simple, classical-quantum-limited transverse polarization analysis scheme may reduce the overall complexity of experimental implementation for applications requiring sensitive neutron polarimetry and improve the precision in fundamental science studies and polarized neutron imaging.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Characterizing and Modeling the Influence of Geometry on the Performance of Superconducting Nanowire Cryotrons

The scaling of superconducting nanowire detectors to larger arrays is often limited by room-temperature-readout cabling. Cryogenic integrated circuits constructed from nanowire cryotrons, or nanocryotrons, can address this limitation by performing signal processing on chip. In this study, we characterize key performance metrics of the nanocryotron to elucidate its potential as a logical element in cryogenic integrated circuits and develop an electro-thermal model to connect material parameters with device performance. We find that the performance of the nanocryotron depends on the device geometry, and trade-offs are associated with optimizing the gain, jitter, and energy dissipation. Here, we demonstrate that nanocryotrons fabricated on niobium nitride can achieve a grey zone less than 210 nA wide for a 5 ns long input pulse corresponding to a maximum achievable gain of 48 dB, an energy dissipation of less than 20 aJ per operation, and a jitter of less than 60 ps.

Superconductor↗
DOE OSTI2024

Cryogenic Platforms at Fermilab: Recent Results and Outlook

The Cosmic Quantum group at Fermilab operates three cryogenic facilities dedicated to the development and calibration of superconducting low-threshold detectors and qubits. One of which (LOUD) is located at the surface, while the other two (NEXUS and QUIET) are located 100 m underground enabling low-background device characterization and rare event searches. Recently, we have demonstrated world-leading resolution in the quasiparticle channel for kinetic inductance phonon-mediated detectors as well as the lowest rate of spatially- and temporally- correlated errors ( charge jumps ) in superconducting qubit chips. We have additionally made significant progress in expanding the suite of tools for simulating signal production and readout of these devices. In this talk, I will review these recent results, discuss some nascent projects focused on enhancing sensitivity of these detectors to sub-GeV dark matter, and highlight activities in these facilities over the next year.

Temples, Dylan J.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Integrated detector array preprocessing for infrared astronomical applications

On-board preprocessing of astronomical data from integrated infrared detector arrays and discrete detectors will allow increases in sensitivity and reductions in costs for observations from cryogenic space telescopes. A variety of preprocessing functions for this application, which could be implemented either through analog on-chip devices or through external microprocessors, is identified. Software simulations and laboratory evaluations are underway to determine the effectiveness of these preprocessing schemes.

Mccreight, C. R.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Design, production, and testing of field effect transistors

Cryogenic MOSFETS (CRYOFETS), specifically designed for low temperature preamplifier application with infrared extrinsic detectors were produced and comparatively tested with p-channel MOSFETs under matched conditions. The CRYOFETs exhibit lower voltage thresholds, high source-follower gains at lower bias voltage, and lower dc offset source voltage. The noise of the CRYOFET is found to be 2 to 4 times greater than the MOSFET with a correspondingly lower figure of merit (which is established for source-follower amplifiers). The device power dissipation at a gain of 0.98 is some two orders of magnitude lower than for the MOSFET. Further, CRYOFETs are free of low temperature I vs V character hysteresis and balky conduction turn-on effects and operate effectively in the 2.4 to 20 K range. These devices have promise for use on long term duration sensor missions and for on-focal-plane signal processing at low temperatures.

Sclar, N.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Effect of an electric field on liquid helium scintillation produced by fast electrons

The dependence on applied electric field (0–40 kV/cm) of the scintillation light produced by fast electrons and α particles stopped in liquid helium in the temperature range of 0.44 K to 3.12 K is reported. For both types of particles, the reduction in the intensity of the scintillation signal due to the applied field exhibits an apparent temperature dependence. Using an approximate solution of the Debye-Smoluchowski equation, we show that the apparent temperature dependence for electrons can be explained by the time required for geminate pairs to recombine relative to the detector signal integration time. This finding indicates that the spatial distribution of secondary electrons with respect to their geminate partners possesses a heavy, non-Gaussian tail at larger separations and has a dependence on the energy of the primary ionization electron. Here, we discuss the potential application of this result to pulse shape analysis for particle detection and discrimination.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Characterization of CdZnTeSe Nuclear Detector Chemically Etched in Bromine Methanol

Semiconductor nuclear radiation detectors made from tertiary and quaternary compounds of cadmium telluride (CdTe) can operate at room temperature without cryogenic cooling. One of such materials that have become of great interest is cadmium zinc telluride selenide (CdZnTeSe). Compared to other CdTe-based materials, such as cadmium zinc telluride (CdZnTe), CdZnTeSe can be grown with much less Te inclusions and sub-grain boundary networks. Chemical etching is often used to smoothen wafer surfaces during detector fabrication. This paper presents the characterization of CdZnTeSe that is chemically etched using bromine methanol solution. Infrared imaging shows that the wafer has no sub-grain boundary networks that often limit detector performance. The current-voltage (I-V) characterization experiment gave a resistivity of 4.6 × 10 10 Ω-cm for the sample. The I-V curve was linear in the ±10 to ±50 volts range. An energy resolution of 7.2% was recorded at 100 V for the 59.6-keV gamma line of 241 Am.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

u-Spec Spectrometers for the EXCLAIM Instrument

The EXperiment for Cryogenic Large-aperture Intensity Mapping (EXCLAIM) is a cryogenic balloon-borne instrument that will map carbon monoxide and singly-ionized carbon emission lines across redshifts from 0to 3.5, using an intensity mapping approach. EXCLAIM will broaden our understanding of these elemental and molecular gases, and the role they play in star formation processes across cosmic time scales. The focal plane of EXCLAIM’s cryogenic telescope features sixμ-Spec spectrometers.μ-Spec is a compact, integrated grating-analog spectrometer, which uses meandered superconducting niobium microstrip transmission lines on a single-crystal silicon dielectric to synthesize the grating. It features superconducting aluminum microwave kinetic inductance detectors (MKIDs), also in a microstrip architecture. The spectrometers for EXCLAIM couple to the telescope optics via a hybrid planar antenna coupled to a silicon lenslet. The spectrometers operate from420−540 GHz with a resolving power R=λ/∆λ= 512, and employ an array of 355 MKIDs on each spectrometer. The spectrometer design targets a noise equivalent power (NEP) of 2×10−18W/√Hz (defined at the input to the main lobe of the spectrometer lenslet beam, within a 9◦half width), enabled by the cryogenic telescope environment, the sensitive MKID detectors, and the low dielectric loss of single-crystal silicon. We report on these spectrometers under development for EXCLAIM, providing an overview of the spectrometer and component designs, the spectrometer fabrication process, fabrication developments since previous prototype demonstrations, and the current status of their development for the EXCLAIM mission.

EXCLAIM Instrument↗
DOE OSTI2021

Effect of interfacial structures on phonon transport across atomically precise Si/Al heterojunctions

Phonons are important carriers of energy and information in many cryogenic devices used for quantum information science and in fundamental physics experiments such as dark matter detectors. In these systems phonon behavior can be dominated by interfaces, hence there is increasing demand for a more detailed understanding of interfacial phonon transport in relevant material systems. Previous studies have focused on understanding thermal transport over the entire phonon spectrum at and above room temperature. At ultra-low temperatures, however, knowledge is missing regarding athermal phonon behavior due to the challenge in modeling the extreme conditions in micro-scale, heterogeneous cryogenic systems, as well as extracting single-phonon information from a large ensemble. In this work, we delineate interfacial phonon transport using a combination of classical molecular dynamics (MD) and phonon wave packet simulations, to illustrate the consistency and differences between the ensemble- and single-phonon dynamics. We consider three single-crystal Si surface reconstructions --- (1×1), (v3×v3) and (7×7) --- and model both experimentally observed Si(1×1)/Al interfaces and hypothesized Si(v3×v3)/Al and Si(7×7)/Al interfaces. The overall interfacial thermal conductance calculated from non-equilibrium MD shows that for the Si(1×1)/Al system, the presence of Al twin grain boundaries can hinder phonon transport and reduce thermal conductance by 2--12% relative to single-crystal Al; whereas the Si (v3×v3) and (7×7) reconstructions can enhance it by 6--19%. Normal mode decomposition reveals that both the increase and decrease in conductance are related to inelastic phonon scattering. Single-phonon wave packet simulations show results consistent with NEMD, while further suggesting that phonon polarization conversion is significant even when elastic transmission dominates, and that the interfacial structures have anisotropic impacts on atomic vibrations along different lattice directions. Our findings suggest alternative perspectives in achieving selective phonon transport through controlling interfacial structures of materials with atomically-precise fabrication techniques, and that the phonon wave packet formalism is a potentially powerful method for developing a detailed understanding of non-equilibrium phenomena in the low-temperature limit.

Lu, Zexi↗
NASA NTRS1990

Cryogenics - Its influence on the selection of the ASTROMAG superconducting magnet coils

ASTROMAG, a particle astrophysics experimental facility proposed for running alongside a Space Station, has a large superconducting magnet to analyze particles coming from deep space. Several types of magnets were investigated for use in the ASTROMAG central facility. The factors which influence the selection of the magnet coil design include: (1) the upper limit of particle momentum resolved (proportional to the integrated field) as a function of solid angle; (2)cryogenic design and its effect on cryogen lifetime for a given central facility mass; and (3) the overall cost of the magnet coils and cryostat. Four magnet types are analyzed in this paper. These include a simple two-coil solenoid (the baseline design),two disk coils at the ends of the helium tank, a two-coil toroid and a thin solenoid plus bucking coil. A balance must be struck between cryostat lifetime, total mass and the integrated field through the detectors. This balance tends to favor coils which are in the same vacuum vessel as the cryogen.

Green, M. A.↗