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At least 523 records · Page 29
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

Analysis of Individual Terrestrial Gamma‐Ray Flashes With Lightning Leader Models and Fermi Gamma‐Ray Burst Monitor Data

Abstract The Gamma‐ray Burst Monitor (GBM) onboard the Fermi spacecraft has observed many tens of sufficiently bright events, which are suitable for individual analysis. In our previous study, we fit individual, bright terrestrial gamma‐ray flashes (TGFs) with Relativistic Runaway Electron Avalanche (RREA) models for the first time. For relativistic‐feedback‐based models, the TGF‐producing electrons, which are seeded internally by a positive feedback effect, are usually accelerated in a large‐scale field with fully developed RREAs. Alternatively, lightning leader models may apply to either a large‐scale thunderstorm fields with fully developed RREAs or to inhomogeneous fields in front of lightning leaders where RREAs only develop partially. The predictions of the latter, inhomogeneous models for the TGF‐beaming geometry show some differences from estimations of the relativistic feedback models in homogeneous fields. In this work, we analyze a large sample of 66 bright Fermi GBM TGFs in the framework of lightning leader models, making comparisons with previous results from the homogeneous‐field RREA models. In most cases, the spectral analysis does not strongly favor one mechanism over the other, with 59% of the TGF events being best fit with the fully developed RREA mechanism, which corresponds to high‐potential leader models. The majority of the GBM‐measured TGFs can be best fit if the source altitude is below 15 km and 70% of events best fit by leader models cannot be satisfactorily modeled unless a tilted photon beam is used. For several spectrally soft TGFs, the tilted beam low‐potential leader model can best fit the data.

Mailyan, B. G.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Holes in Optical Lightning Flashes: Identifying Poorly Transmissive Clouds in Lightning Imager Data

Space-based optical lightning sensors including the lightning imaging sensor (LIS) and geostationary lightning mapper (GLM) are pixelated imagers that detect lightning as transient increases in cloud top illumination. Detection requires optical emissions to escape the cloud top to space with sufficient energy to trigger a pixel on the imaging array. Through scattering and absorption, certain clouds are able to block most light from reaching the instrument, causing a reduction in detection efficiency (DE) and possibly location accuracy (LA). Radiant lightning emissions that illuminate large cloud top areas are used to examine scenarios where clouds block light from reaching orbit. In some cases, these anomalies in the spatial radiance distribution from the lightning pulse lead to “holes” in the optical lightning flash where certain pixels fail to trigger. Such holes are identified algorithmically in the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission satellite LIS record and the microphysical properties of the coincident storm region are queried. We find that holes primarily occur in tall (IR T b < 235 K) convection (87%) and overhanging anvil clouds (10%). The remaining 3% of holes occur in moderate-to-weak convection or in clear air breaks between stormclouds. We further demonstrate how an algorithm that assesses the spatial radiance patterns from energetic lightning pulses might be used to construct an optical transmission gridded stoplight product for GLM that could help operators identify clouds with a potentially reduced DE and LA.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

First Time-Resolved Leader Spectra Associated With a Downward Terrestrial Gamma-Ray Flash Detected at the Telescope Array Surface Detector

Optical emissions associated with Terrestrial Gamma ray Flashes (TGFs) have recently become important subjects in space-based and ground-based observations as they can help us understand how TGFs are produced during thunderstorms. In this paper, we present the first time-resolved leader spectra of the optical component associated with a downward TGF. The TGF was observed by the Telescope Array Surface Detector (TASD) simultaneously with other lightning detectors, including a Lightning Mapping Array (LMA), an INTerFerometer (INTF), a Fast Antenna (FA), and a spectroscopic system. The spectroscopic system recorded leader spectra at 29,900 frames per second (33.44 μs time resolution), covering a spectral range from 400 to 900 nm, with 2.1 nm per pixel. The recordings of the leader spectra began 11.7 ms before the -18 kA return stroke and at a height of 2.37 km above the ground. These spectra reveal that optical emissions of singly ionized nitrogen and oxygen occur between 167 μs before and 267 μs after the TGF detection, while optical emissions of neutrals (H I, 656 nm; N I, 744 nm, and O I, 777 nm) occur right at the moment of the detection. The time-dependent spectra reveal differences in the optical emissions of lightning leaders with and without downward TGFs.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Flash healing of laser-induced graphene

The advancement of laser-induced graphene (LIG) technology has streamlined the fabrications of flexible graphene devices. However, the ultrafast kinetics triggered by laser irradiation generates intrinsic amorphous characteristics, leading to high resistivity and compromised performance in electronic devices. Healing graphene defects in specific patterns is technologically challenging by conventional methods. Herein, we report the rapid rectification of LIG’s topological defects by flash Joule heating in milliseconds (referred to as F-LIG), whilst preserving its overall structure and porosity. The F-LIG exhibits a decreased I D /I G ratio from 0.84 – 0.33 and increased crystalline domain from Raman analysis, coupled with a 5-fold surge in conductivity. Pair distribution function and atomic-resolution imaging delineate a broader-range order of F-LIG with a shorter C-C bond of 1.425 Å. The improved crystallinity and conductivity of F-LIG with excellent flexibility enables its utilization in high-performance soft electronics and low-voltage disinfections. Notably, our F-LIG/polydimethylsiloxane strain sensor exhibits a gauge factor of 129.3 within 10% strain, which outperforms pristine LIG by 800%, showcasing significant potential for human-machine interfaces.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Improving the performance of organic thin film transistors formed on a vacuum flash-evaporated acrylate insulator

A systematic investigation has been undertaken, in which thin polymer buffer layers with different ester content have been spin-coated onto a flash-evaporated, cross-linked diacrylate gate-insulator to form bottom-gate, top-contact organic thin-film transistors. The highest device mobilities, ∼0.65 cm{sup 2}/V s and ∼1.00 cm{sup 2}/V s for pentacene and dinaphtho[2,3-b:2′,3′-f]-thieno[3,2-b]thiophene (DNTT), respectively, were only observed for a combination of large-grain (∼1–2 μm) semiconductor morphology coupled with a non-polar dielectric surface. No correlation was found between semiconductor grain size and dielectric surface chemistry. The threshold voltage of pentacene devices shifted from −10 V to −25 V with decreasing surface ester content, but remained close to 0 V for DNTT.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Structural and optical properties of Sn{sub 1−x}Fe{sub x}O{sub 2} thin films prepared by flash evaporation technique

Sn{sub 1−x}Fe{sub X}O{sub 2} (x = 0, 0.05) thin films were prepared on glass substrate using the flash evaporation technique. The samples were annealed at 773 K for 2 hrs in air atmosphere. A systematic study was carried out on the structural and optical properties of the as deposited and annealed thin films. From the X-ray diffraction analysis it was found that the Sn{sub 1−x}Fe{sub X}O{sub 2} films deposited at 623 K were amorphous in nature and the Sn{sub 1−x}Fe{sub X}O{sub 2} films annealed at 773 K exhibited the tetragonal structure of the SnO{sub 2}. The optical band gap of the SnO{sub 2} thin films was found to be as 3.17 eV whereas the optical band gap of the Sn{sub 1−x}Fe{sub X}O{sub 2} films was found to be as 3.01 eV after air annealing.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Note: On the generation of sub-300 keV flash-X-rays using rod-pinch diode: An experimental investigation

Generation of flash X-rays (FXRs) at less than 500 keV is described with emphasis on experimental investigation. The pulser is a Tesla transformer-Water transmission line based pulsed power generator operating in double resonance mode to power a rod-pinch diode. The configuration of aspect ratio reported here falls much below the normally reported ratios for the rod-pinch diode operation. Experimental investigation at such low pulsed voltage has revealed “flowering” of the anode tip and “pitting” of the perspex window. A possible explanation in terms of Lorentz body force is discussed rather than the pinch mechanism generally suggested in literature. The experimental investigation for the FXR generation is corroborated by measuring the radiation dose using CaSO{sub 4} (Dy) thermo luminescent dosimeters.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

Development of all-solid-state flash x-ray generator with photoconductive semiconductor switches

A compact, low-jitter, and high repetitive rate all-solid-state flash x-ray generator making use of photo conductive semiconductor switches was developed recently for the diagnostic purpose of some hydrokinetical experiments. The generator consisted of twelve stages of Blumlein pulse forming networks, and an industrial cold cathode diode was used to generate intense x-ray radiations with photon energy up to 220 keV. Test experiments showed that the generator could produce >1 kA electron beam currents and x-ray pulses with ∼40 ns duration under 100 Hz repetitive rates at least (limited by the triggering laser on hand), also found was that the delay time of the cathode explosive emission is crucial to the energy transfer efficiency of the whole system. In addition, factors affecting the diode impedance, how the switching synchronization and diode impedance determining the allowable operation voltage were discussed.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

Generalizing the flash technique in the front-face configuration to measure the thermal diffusivity of semitransparent solids

In this work, we have extended the front-face flash method to retrieve simultaneously the thermal diffusivity and the optical absorption coefficient of semitransparent plates. A complete theoretical model that allows calculating the front surface temperature rise of the sample has been developed. It takes into consideration additional effects, such as multiple reflections of the heating light beam inside the sample, heat losses by convection and radiation, transparency of the sample to infrared wavelengths, and heating pulse duration. Measurements performed on calibrated solids, covering a wide range of absorption coefficients (from transparent to opaque) and thermal diffusivities, validate the proposed method.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2015

GaAs metal-oxide-semiconductor based non-volatile flash memory devices with InAs quantum dots as charge storage nodes

Ultra-thin InP passivated GaAs metal-oxide-semiconductor based non-volatile flash memory devices were fabricated using InAs quantum dots (QDs) as charge storing elements by metal organic chemical vapor deposition technique to study the efficacy of the QDs as charge storage elements. The grown QDs were embedded between two high-k dielectric such as HfO{sub 2} and ZrO{sub 2}, which were used for tunneling and control oxide layers, respectively. The size and density of the QDs were found to be 5 nm and 1.8×10{sup 11} cm{sup −2}, respectively. The device with a structure Metal/ZrO{sub 2}/InAs QDs/HfO{sub 2}/GaAs/Metal shows maximum memory window equivalent to 6.87 V. The device also exhibits low leakage current density of the order of 10{sup −6} A/cm{sup 2} and reasonably good charge retention characteristics. The low value of leakage current in the fabricated memory device is attributed to the Coulomb blockade effect influenced by quantum confinement as well as reduction of interface trap states by ultra-thin InP passivation on GaAs prior to HfO{sub 2} deposition.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2015

Spatial resolution of imaging plate with flash X-rays and its utilization for radiography

A flash X-ray source developed using pulsed electron accelerator with electron energy range of 400keV to 1030keV and a field emission cathode is characterized using X-ray imaging plates. Spatial resolution of the imaging system is measured using edge spread function fitted to data obtained from radiograph of Pb step wedge. A spatial resolution of 150±6 µm is obtained. The X-ray beam size is controlled by the anode-cathode configuration. Optimum source size of ∼13±2 mm diameter covering an area with intensity of ∼27000 PSL/mm{sup 2} is obtained on the imaging plate kept at a distance of ∼200 mm from the tip of the anode. It is used for recording radiographs of objects like satellite cable cutter, aero-engine turbine blade and variety of pyro-devices used in aerospace industry.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Liquid phase epitaxy of binary III–V nanocrystals in thin Si layers triggered by ion implantation and flash lamp annealing

The integration of III–V compound semiconductors in Si is a crucial step towards faster and smaller devices in future technologies. In this work, we investigate the formation process of III–V compound semiconductor nanocrystals, namely, GaAs, GaSb, and InP, by ion implantation and sub-second flash lamp annealing in a SiO{sub 2}/Si/SiO{sub 2} layer stack on Si grown by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Raman spectroscopy, Rutherford Backscattering spectrometry, and transmission electron microscopy were performed to identify the structural and optical properties of these structures. Raman spectra of the nanocomposites show typical phonon modes of the compound semiconductors. The formation process of the III–V compounds is found to be based on liquid phase epitaxy, and the model is extended to the case of an amorphous matrix without an epitaxial template from a Si substrate. It is shown that the particular segregation and diffusion coefficients of the implanted group-III and group-V ions in molten Si significantly determine the final appearance of the nanostructure and thus their suitability for potential applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Memristive behavior in a junctionless flash memory cell

We report charge storage based memristive operation of a junctionless thin film flash memory cell when it is operated as a two terminal device by grounding the gate. Unlike memristors based on nanoionics, the presented device mode, which we refer to as the flashristor mode, potentially allows greater control over the memristive properties, allowing rational design. The mode is demonstrated using a depletion type n-channel ZnO transistor grown by atomic layer deposition (ALD), with HfO{sub 2} as the tunnel dielectric, Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} as the control dielectric, and non-stoichiometric silicon nitride as the charge storage layer. The device exhibits the pinched hysteresis of a memristor and in the unoptimized device, R{sub off}/R{sub on} ratios of about 3 are presented with low operating voltages below 5 V. A simplified model predicts R{sub off}/R{sub on} ratios can be improved significantly by adjusting the native threshold voltage of the devices. The repeatability of the resistive switching is excellent and devices exhibit 10{sup 6 }s retention time, which can, in principle, be improved by engineering the gate stack and storage layer properties. The flashristor mode can find use in analog information processing applications, such as neuromorphic computing, where well-behaving and highly repeatable memristive properties are desirable.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Formation of shallow boron emitters in crystalline silicon using flash lamp annealing: Role of excess silicon interstitials

Shallow, Boron (B)-doped p{sup +} emitters have been realized using spin-on deposition and Flash Lamp Annealing (FLA) to diffuse B into monocrystalline float zone Silicon (Si). The emitters extend between 50 and 140 nm in depth below the surface, have peak concentrations between 9 × 10{sup 19 }cm{sup –3} and 3 × 10{sup 20 }cm{sup –3}, and exhibit sheet resistances between 70 and 3000 Ω/□. An exceptionally large increase in B diffusion occurs for FLA energy densities exceeding ∼93 J/cm{sup 2} irrespective of 10 or 20 ms pulse duration. The effect is attributed to enhanced diffusion of B caused by Si interstitial injection following a thermally activated reaction between the spin-on diffusant film and the silicon wafer.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Analysis of a four lamp flash system for calibrating multi-junction solar cells under concentrated light

It has been known for a long time that the precise characterization of multi-junction solar cells demands spectrally tunable solar simulators. The calibration of innovative multi-junction solar cells for CPV applications now requires tunable solar simulators which provide high irradiation levels. This paper describes the commissioning and calibration of a flash-based four-lamp simulator to be used for the measurement of multi-junction solar cells with up to four subcells under concentrated light.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Low laser power micro-Raman study of Co{sub (1−x)}Mn{sub (x)}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} prepared by flash combustion method

Manganese substituted Cobalt ferrites of composition with nominal formula Co{sub (1−x)}Mn{sub (x)}Fe{sub 2}O{sub 4} (x = 0.0, 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0) prepared by the Flash Combustion Method(FCM). The single phase spinel formation of nano ferrites was confirmed by X-ray diffraction techniques and micro - Raman spectroscopy. The particle size calculated from the Scherrer formula varied within 13 to 17 nm. Lattice parameter, nano particle size, and cation distribution were quantified as a function of the Mn-content in the range x = 0.0 to 1.0. Micro-Raman spectroscopic studies yielded convincing evidence for a transformation of the structure.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

The effect of millisecond flash lamp annealing on electrical and structural properties of ZnO:Al/Si structures

The effect of millisecond flash lamp annealing (FLA) on aluminum doped ZnO (AZO) films and their interface with Si have been studied. The AZO films were deposited by magnetron sputtering on Si (100) substrates. The electrical and structural properties of the film and AZO/Si structures were characterized by current–voltage, capacitance–voltage, and deep level transient spectroscopy measurements, X-ray diffraction, and secondary ion mass spectrometry. The resistivity of the AZO film is reduced to a close to state-of-the-art value of 2 × 10{sup −4} Ω cm after FLA for 3 ms with an average energy density of 29 J/cm{sup 2}. In addition, most of the interfacial defects energy levels are simultaneously annealed out, except for one persisting shallow level, tentatively assigned to the vacancy-oxygen complex in Si, which was not affected by FLA. Subsequent to the FLA, the samples were treated in N{sub 2} or forming gas (FG) (N{sub 2}/H{sub 2}, 90/10%{sub mole}) ambient at 200–500 °C. The latter samples maintained the low resistivity achieved after the FLA, but not the former ones. The interfacial defect level persisting after the FLA is removed by the FG treatment, concurrently as another level emerges at ∼0.18 eV below the conduction band. The electrical data of the AZO films are discussed in term of point defects controlling the resistivity, and it is argued that the FLA promotes formation of electrically neutral clusters of Zink vacancies (V{sub Zn}'s) rather than passivating/compensating complexes between the Al donors and V{sub Zn}'s.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗