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At least 55 records · Page 3

DIFMOS - A floating-gate electrically erasable nonvolatile semiconductor memory technology

Electrically alterable read-only memories (EAROM's) or reprogrammable read-only memories (RPROM's) can be fabricated using a single-level metal-gate p-channel MOS technology with all conventional processing steps. Given the acronym DIFMOS for dual-injector floating-gate MOS, this technology utilizes the floating-gate technique for nonvolatile storage of data. Avalanche injection of hot electrons through gate oxide from a special injector diode in each bit is used to charge the floating gates. A second injector structure included in each bit permits discharge of the floating gate by avalanche injection of holes through gate oxide. The overall design of the DIFMOS bit is dictated by the physical considerations required for each of the avalanche injector types. The end result is a circuit technology which can provide fully decoded bit-erasable EAROM-type circuits using conventional manufacturing techniques.

Gosney, W. M.↗

Shock tunnel studies of scramjet phenomena, supplement 5

A series of reports are presented on SCRAMjet studies, shock tunnel studies, and expansion tube studies. The SCRAMjet studies include: (1) Investigation of a Supersonic Combustion Layer; (2) Wall Injected SCRAMjet Experiments; (3) Supersonic Combustion with Transvers, Circular, Wall Jets; (4) Dissociated Test Gas Effects on SCRAMjet Combustors; (5) Use of Silane as a Fuel Additive for Hypersonic Thrust Production, (6) Pressure-length Correlations in Supersonic Combustion; (7) Hot Hydrogen Injection Technique for Shock Tunnels; (8) Heat Release - Wave Interaction Phenomena in Hypersonic Flows; (9) A Study of the Wave Drag in Hypersonic SCRAMjets; (10) Parametric Study of Thrust Production in the Two Dimensional SCRAMjet; (11) The Design of a Mass Spectrometer for use in Hypersonic Impulse Facilities; and (12) Development of a Skin Friction Gauge for use in an Impulse Facility. The shock tunnel studies include: (1) Hypervelocity flow in Axisymmetric Nozzles; (2) Shock Tunnel Development; and (3) Real Gas Efects in Hypervelocity Flows over an Inclined Cone. The expansion tube studies include: (1) Investigation of Flow Characteristics in TQ Expansion Tube; and (2) Disturbances in the Driver Gas of a Shock Tube.

Casey, R.↗

Numerical studies of collinear laser-assisted injection from a foil for plasma wakefield accelerators

We present a laser-assisted electron injection scheme for beam-driven plasma wakefield acceleration. The laser is collinear with the driver and triggers the injection of hot electrons into the plasma wake by interaction with a thin solid target. We present a baseline case using the AWAKE Run 2 parameters and then perform variations on key parameters to explore the scheme. It is found that the trapped witness electron charge may be tuned by altering laser parameters, with a strong dependence on the phase of the wake upon injection. Normalized emittance settles at the order of micrometres and varies with witness charge. The scheme is robust to misalignment, with a 1/10th plasma skin-depth offset ( 20 μ m for the AWAKE case) having a negligible effect on the final beam. The final beam quality is better than similar existing schemes, and several avenues for further optimization are indicated. The constraints on the AWAKE experiment are very specific, but the general principles of this mechanism can be applied to future beam-driven plasma wakefield accelerator experiments. Published by the American Physical Society 2024

Physics↗

Exponential Escape Rate of Filamentary Incubation in Mott Spiking Neurons

Mott materials such as vanadium oxides, when subject to a strong applied voltage, present an inhomogeneous insulator-to-metal transition with formation of metallic filaments within the insulating bulk. This property is enabling the development of compact and power-efficient neuromorphic devices known as Mott neurons. However, the nature of the transition has not been fully understood yet, as it may be attributed to different effects, including Joule self-heating and hot-carrier injection. Moreover, the experimental determination of the threshold voltage needed to induce the transition has proven to be challenging, as the transition becomes increasingly unpredictable when the threshold is approached. The physical understanding of these issues would not only deepen our understanding of Mott insulators, but would also be an important step toward the realization of neuromorphic devices based on such materials. In this work we use numerical simulations based on the Mott resistor network model to study the nature of the filament incubation and formation process. Here, we show that both electronic and thermal effects, in the form of current density focusing and Joule self-heating, respectively, contribute to the filamentary incubation and growth. Remarkably, we find that the percolation of the metallic filaments near the threshold is intrinsically stochastic, qualitatively similar to the familiar Arrhenius activated behavior and to the stochastic firing of biological neurons. More precisely, we characterize the filament percolation as a Poisson point process, which has the same probability distribution as mathematical models of neuronal firing with an exponential escape rate. Finally, we support the numerical simulation results by performing experiments in VO 2 that are in agreement with the exponential escape rate behavior. Thus, we establish a functionality of Mott insulators that opens a path toward implementing neuromorphic hardware with quantum materials.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Auroral electron beams near the magnetic equator

Intense beams of electrons traveling parallel to the local magnetic field have been observed at a magnetic latitude of 11 deg and a radial distance of 6.6 earth radii. The distribution function for electrons traveling within 8 deg of the field line direction is typically flat or slightly rising up to a break point beyond which it decreases as inversely as the 5-10th power of v. The energy corresponding to the break point velocity is usually between 0.1 and 10 keV. These beams are found to occur on closed field lines at the inner edge of the plasma sheet and thus at the root of the earth's magnetotail. Beams with break point energies greater than 2 keV seem to occur only within the first 10 minutes after the onset of hot plasma injection associated with a magnetospheric substorm.

Mcilwain, C. E.↗

Conceptual design study of an improved gas turbine powertrain

The conceptual design for an improved gas turbine (IGT) powertrain and vehicle was investigated. Cycle parameters, rotor systems, and component technology were reviewed and a dual rotor gas turbine concept was selected and optimized for best vehicle fuel economy. The engine had a two stage centrifugal compressor with a design pressure ratio of 5.28, two axial turbine stages with advanced high temperature alloy integral wheels, variable power turbine nozzle for turbine temperature and output torque control, catalytic combustor, and annular ceramic recuperator. The engine was rated at 54.81 kW, using water injection on hot days to maintain vehicle acceleration. The estimated vehicle fuel economy was 11.9 km/l in the combined driving cycle, 43 percent over the 1976 compact automobile. The estimated IGT production vehicle selling price was 10 percent over the comparable piston engine vehicle, but the improved fuel economy and reduced maintenance and repair resulted in a 9 percent reduction in life cycle cost.

Chapman, W. I.↗

A unique approach to fabricating precision space structures elements

A procedure of fabricating graphite epoxy columns used in the assembly of large space platforms is described. The requirement for precise dimensional control led to a unique hot resin injection process. Dry, high modulus fiber is wound over a vertically mounted steam-heated mandrel. A steam-heated sleeve or caul is slipped over the wound mandrel and resin is injected and cured in place. Approximately 200 column elements have been fabricated using this efficient process.

Cohan, H.↗

Dilution jet mixing program, supplementary report

The velocity and temperature distributions predicted by a 3-D numerical model and experimental measurements are compared. Empirical correlations for the jet velocity trajectory developed are presented. The measured velocity distributions for all test cases of phase through phase 3 are presented in the form of contour and oblique plots. quantification of the effects of the following on the jet mixing characteristics with a confined crossflow are: (1) orifice geometry momentum flux ratio and density ratio; (2) nonuniform mainstream temperature and velocity profiles upstream of dilution orifices; (3) cold versus hot jet injection; (4) cross-stream flow are a convergence as encountered in practical dilution zone geometries; (5) 2-D slot versus circular orifices; (6) discrete noncirculcer orifices; (7) single-sided versus opposed jets; (8) single row of jets.

Srinivasan, R.↗

Initiating Growth Of Crystals Away From Container Walls

Nucleation controlled to obtain better crystals. In technique proposed specifically for growing large protein crystals in microgravity (where no thermal convection), small region of high supersaturation created by injection of hot concentrated solution or by use of cold probe. Crystals nucleate preferably in this small region. Also conceivable technique applied on Earth to crystallizations in melts and solutions sufficiently viscous to suppress convection to extent necessary to prevent cooling-induced nucleation in undesired sites.

Kroes, Roger L.↗

Reassessing the Evidence for the Earliest Traces of Life

The isotopic composition of graphite is commonly used as a biomarker in the oldest (>3.5 Gyr ago) highly metamorphosed terrestrial rocks. Earlier studies on isotopic characteristics of graphite occurring in rocks of the approximately 3.8-Gyr-old Isua supracrustal belt (ISB) in southern West Greenland have suggested the presence of a vast microbial ecosystem in the early Archean. This interpretation, however, has to be approached with extreme care. Here we show that graphite occurs abundantly in secondary carbonate veins in the ISB that are formed at depth in the crust by injection of hot fluids reacting with older crustal rocks (metasomatism). During these reactions, graphite forms from the disproportionation of Fe(II)-bearing carbonates at high temperature. These metasomatic rocks, which clearly lack biological relevance, were earlier thought to be of sedimentary origin and their graphite association provided the basis for inferences about early life. The new observations thus call for a reassessment of previously presented evidence for ancient traces of life in the highly metamorphosed Early Archaean rock record.

vanZullen, Mark A.↗

Wide-Temperature-Range Integrated Operational Amplifier

A document discusses a silicon-on-insulator (SOI) complementary metal oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) integrated- circuit operational amplifier to be replicated and incorporated into sensor and actuator systems of Mars-explorer robots. This amplifier is designed to function at a supply potential less than or equal to 5.5 V, at any temperature from -180 to +120 C. The design is implemented on a commercial radiation-hard SOI CMOS process rated for a supply potential of less than or equal to 3.6 V and temperatures from -55 to +110 C. The design incorporates several innovations to achieve this, the main ones being the following: NMOS transistor channel lengths below 1 m are generally not used because research showed that this change could reduce the adverse effect of hot carrier injection on the lifetimes of transistors at low temperatures. To enable the amplifier to withstand the 5.5-V supply potential, a circuit topology including cascade devices, clamping devices, and dynamic voltage biasing was adopted so that no individual transistor would be exposed to more than 3.6 V. To minimize undesired variations in performance over the temperature range, the transistors in the amplifier are biased by circuitry that maintains a constant inversion coefficient over the temperature range.

Mojarradi, Mohammad↗

Hot-tail electrons’ impact on assimilation and injection penetration of D2 shattered pellet injections

The assimilation and the penetration of injected materials play significant roles in the mitigation efficiency of shattered pellet injection (SPI) as a disruption mitigation system (DMS), hence an accurate description of the fragment ablation rate is desirable. Current mainstream 3D MHD codes modelling SPIs mostly assume instantaneous thermalization between the previously hot ambient electrons and the newly released cold electrons. This could result in underestimation of the ablation rate if the hot electron thermalization time is comparable or even longer than the fragment flying time across flux tubes, putting the validity of these 3D SPI simulations into question. To resolve this doubt, we, in this study, investigate the thermalization dynamics and the overall hot-electron impact. The finite-time collisional thermalization of hot-tail electrons in a rapidly cooling plasma, as well as the so-called ‘self-limiting’ effect are considered. The former effect tends to deplete the colder population within a hot-tail species, while the latter is found to preferentially deplete the higher energy population. The combined result is found to cause an almost self-similar decay of the hot electron distribution function, while its shape does not deviate much from that of Maxwellian distribution and the mean energy does not change much during the thermalization process. Based on this observation, axisymmetric JOREK D2 SPI simulations were carried out with additional hot-tail contribution to evaluate their overall impact onto the injection assimilation and penetration. It is found that the hot-tail effect indeed causes enhanced assimilation and shallower penetration, although the overall effect depends on the exact injection configuration, with the slow injection showing negligible hot-tail effect while the fast single non-shattered pellet case shows drastic hot-tail ablation enhancement. For ITER-like SPI parameters, there is no significant deviation in the total assimilation, but some deviation in the injection penetration is observed for the fast injection velocity cases.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Reductions in Multi-Component Jet Noise by Water Injection

An experimental investigation was performed in the NASA Langley Low Speed Aeroacoustics Wind Tunnel to determine the extent of jet exhaust noise reduction that can be obtained using water injection in a hot jet environment. The effects of water parameters such as mass flow rate, injection location, and spray patterns on suppression of dominant noise sources in both subsonic and supersonic jets were determined, and extrapolations to full-scale engine noise reduction were made. Water jets and sprays were injected in to the shear layers of cold and hot circular jets operating at both subsonic and supersonic exhaust conditions. Use of convergent-divergent and convergent nozzles (2.7in. D) allowed for simulations of all major jet noise sources. The experimental results show that water injection clearly disrupts shock noise sources within the jet plume, with large reductions in radiated shock noise. There are smaller reductions in jet mixing noise, resulting in only a small decrease in effective perceived noise level when projections are made to full scale. The fact that the measured noise reduction in the direction upstream of the nozzle was consistently larger than in the noisier downstream direction contributed to keeping effective perceived noise reductions small. Variations in the operation of the water injection system clearly show that injection at the nozzle exit rather than further downstream is required for the largest noise reduction. Noise reduction increased with water pressure as well as with its mass flow, although the type of injector had little effect.

Norum, Thomas D.↗

A Dual-Plane PIV Study of Turbulent Heat Transfer Flows

Thin film cooling is a widely used technique in turbomachinery and rocket propulsion applications, where cool injection air protects a surface from hot combustion gases. The injected air typically has a different velocity and temperature from the free stream combustion flow, yielding a flow field with high turbulence and large temperature differences. These thin film cooling flows provide a good test case for evaluating computational model prediction capabilities. The goal of this work is to provide a database of flow field measurements for validating computational flow prediction models applied to turbulent heat transfer flows. In this work we describe the application of a Dual-Plane Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) technique in a thin film cooling wind tunnel facility where the injection air stream velocity and temperatures are varied in order to provide benchmark turbulent heat transfer flow field measurements. The Dual-Plane PIV data collected include all three components of velocity and all three components of vorticity, spanning the width of the tunnel at multiple axial measurement planes.

Turbulent heat transfer↗

Hot Electron-Driven Photocatalysis Using Sub-5 nm Gap Plasmonic Nanofinger Arrays

Semiconductor photocatalysis has received increasing attention because of its potential to address problems related to the energy crisis and environmental issues. However, conventional semiconductor photocatalysts, such as TiO2 and ZnO, can only be activated by ultraviolet light due to their wide band gap. To extend the light absorption into the visible range, the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect of noble metal nanoparticles (NPs) has been widely used. Noble metal NPs can couple incident visible light energy to strong LSPR, and the nonradiative decay of LSPR generates nonthermal hot carriers that can be injected into adjacent semiconductor material to enhance its photocatalytic activity. Here we demonstrate that nanoimprint-defined gap plasmonic nanofinger arrays can function as visible light-driven plasmonic photocatalysts. The sub-5 nm gaps between pairs of collapsed nanofingers can support ultra-strong plasmon resonance and thus boost the population of hot carriers. The semiconductor material is exactly placed at the hot spots, providing an efficient pathway for hot carrier injection from plasmonic metal to catalytic materials. This nanostructure thus exhibits high plasmon-enhanced photocatalytic activity under visible light. The hot carrier injection mechanism of this platform was systematically investigated. The plasmonic enhancement factor was calculated using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method and was consistent with the measured improvement of the photocatalytic activity. This platform, benefiting from the precise controllable geometry, provides a deeper understanding of the mechanism of plasmonic photocatalysis.

42 ENGINEERING↗