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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 577 records · Page 32
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2005

NASA Tech Briefs, January 2005

Topics covered include: Fiber-Optic Sensor Would Monitor Growth of Polymer Film; Sensors for Pointing Moving Instruments Toward Each Other; Pd/CeO2/SiC Chemical Sensors; Microparticle Flow Sensor; Scattering-Type Surface-Plasmon-Resonance Biosensors; Diode-Laser-Based Spectrometer for Sensing Gases; Improved Cathode Structure for a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell; X-Band, 17-Watt Solid-State Power Amplifier; Improved Anode for a Direct Methanol Fuel Cell; Tools for Designing and Analyzing Structures; Interactive Display of Scenes with Annotations; Solving Common Mathematical Problems; Tools for Basic Statistical Analysis; Program Calculates Forces in Bolted Structural Joints; Integrated Structural Analysis and Test Program; Molybdate Coatings for Protecting Aluminum Against Corrosion; Synthesizing Diamond from Liquid Feedstock; Modifying Silicates for Better Dispersion in Nanocomposites; Powder-Collection System for Ultrasonic/Sonic Drill/Corer; Semiautomated, Reproducible Batch Processing of Soy; Hydrogen Peroxide Enhances Removal of NOx from Flue Gases; Subsurface Ice Probe; Real-Time Simulation of Aeroheating of the Hyper-X Airplane; Using Laser-Induced Incandescence To Measure Soot in Exhaust; Method of Real-Time Principal-Component Analysis; Insect-Inspired Flight Control for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles; Domain Compilation for Embedded Real-Time Planning; Semantic Metrics for Analysis of Software; Simulation of Laser Cooling and Trapping in Engineering Applications; Large Fluvial Fans and Exploration for Hydrocarbons; Doping-Induced Interband Gain in InAs/AlSb Quantum Wells; Development of Software for a Lidar-Altimeter Processor; Upgrading the Space Shuttle Caution and Warning System; and Fractal Reference Signals in Pulse-Width Modulation.

Source record↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

NASA’s Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) Experiment Program: Characterization And Initial Operations

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration’s (NASA) Laser Communications Relay Demonstration (LCRD) completed the first 18 months of its Experiment Program in December 2023. The LCRD geosynchronous payload includes two laser communications terminals interconnected via an onboard electronic switch. The payload can relay information between any two of a set of three ground stations. Two optical ground stations are located in California and Hawaii, and an RF ground station is located in New Mexico. Experiments to date have included demonstration of optimetrics, demonstrations of Delay/Disruption Tolerant Networking (DTN), and measurements of the effects of the atmosphere (turbulence, weather) on the performance and availability of lasercom (pointing, tracking, communications, and adaptive optics). Furthermore, future operational scenarios including robotic and exploration missions with various network service configurations have been emulated. This paper provides an overview and highlights of the first 18 months of LCRD experiments, and a preview of the upcoming experiments, including relaying data to and from the Integrated LCRD Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) User Modem and Amplifier Terminal (ILLUMA-T) on the International Space Station. LCRD is a joint project involving NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), the California Institute of Technology Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), and Massachusetts Institute of Technology Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL).

David J. Israel↗
NASA NTRS1993

Quantum noise and squeezing in optical parametric oscillator with arbitrary output coupling

The redistribution of intrinsic quantum noise in the quadratures of the field generated in a sub-threshold degenerate optical parametric oscillator exhibits interesting dependences on the individual output mirror transmittances, when they are included exactly. We present a physical picture of this problem, based on mirror boundary conditions, which is valid for arbitrary transmittances. Hence, our picture applies uniformly to all values of the cavity Q factor representing, in the opposite extremes, both perfect oscillator and amplifier configurations. Beginning with a classical second-harmonic pump, we shall generalize our analysis to the finite amplitude and phase fluctuations of the pump.

Prasad, Sudhakar↗
DOE OSTI2025

Cage Balancing Enhances Optoelectronic and Lasing Performance in Stable Quasi-2D Tin Iodide Perovskites

Two-dimensional (2D) tin halide perovskites are highly tunable and low-toxicity semiconductors, promising for next-generation optoelectronics. However, achieving air stability and excellent photophysical properties simultaneously necessitates deliberate structure tuning using organic spacer cations and A-site cations. Here, we report a series of new quasi-2D Ruddlesden–Popper tin halide perovskites using a fluorinated aromatic spacer cation, 4-fluorophenethylammonium (4FPEA), and systematically investigate the impacts of layer thickness, spacer cation, and A-site cation on the crystal structures and optical properties of (4FPEA) 2 (A) n−1 S n I 3n+1 . These 4FPEA-based 2D tin perovskites, further tuned by the A-cations, exhibit uniquely undistorted 180° out-of-plane Sn–I–Sn bond angles and low octahedral distortions compared to other quasi-2D perovskites and demonstrate prolonged air stability, excellent photophysics, and amplified spontaneous emission and lasing in exfoliated microflakes. A comprehensive survey of reported n = 2 lead and tin iodide perovskites reveals that all structures can be classified into three types (tilted, balanced, and buckled) based on the structural distortion parameters of their perovskite cages. Notably, (4FPEA) 2 (A)Sn 2 I 7 are among the handful of “balanced” n = 2 perovskites with minimal distortion and excellent optoelectronic performance. Furthermore, the structural insights and cage-balancing approach revealed herein motivate the deliberate design of quasi-2D perovskites through the synergy of the spacer and cage cations, further paving the way for high-performance optoelectronic applications of stable tin halide perovskites.

Cations↗
NASA NTRS1992

Infrared readout electronics; Proceedings of the Meeting, Orlando, FL, Apr. 21, 22, 1992

The present volume on IR readout electronics discusses cryogenic readout using silicon devices, cryogenic readout using III-V and LTS devices, multiplexers for higher temperatures, and focal-plane signal processing electronics. Attention is given to the optimization of cryogenic CMOS processes for sub-10-K applications, cryogenic measurements of aerojet GaAs n-JFETs, inP-based heterostructure device technology for ultracold readout applications, and a three-terminal semiconductor-superconductor transimpedance amplifier. Topics addressed include unfulfilled needs in IR astronomy focal-plane readout electronics, IR readout integrated circuit technology for tactical missile systems, and radiation-hardened 10-bit A/D for FPA signal processing. Also discussed are the implementation of a noise reduction circuit for spaceflight IR spectrometers, a real-time processor for staring receivers, and a fiber-optic link design for INMOS transputers.

Fossum, Eric R.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Laser-induced fluorescence detection strategies for sodium atoms and compounds in high-pressure combustors

A variety of laser-induced fluorescence schemes were examined experimentally in atmospheric pressure flames to determine their use for sodium atom and salt detection in high-pressure, optically thick environments. Collisional energy transfer plays a large role in fluorescence detection. Optimum sensitivity, at the parts in 10 exp 9 level for a single laser pulse, was obtained with the excitation of the 4p-3s transition at 330 nm and the detection of the 3d-3p fluorescence at 818 nm. Fluorescence loss processes, such as ionization and amplified spontaneous emission, were examined. A new laser-induced atomization/laser-induced fluorescence detection technique was demonstrated for NaOH and NaCl. A 248-nm excimer laser photodissociates the salt molecules present in the seeded flames prior to atom detection by laser-induced fluorescence.

Weiland, Karen J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1979

Imaging proportional counter for X-ray astronomy

A position-sensitive proportional counter capable of imaging X-rays (0.1-3 keV) over a 10 cm x 10 cm aperture has been constructed. Positioning is obtained by sensing the signals induced by an X-ray event on the two orthogonal sets of cathode wires. Each cathode is divided into a series of cathode strips, each 0.5 cm wide. An X-ray event induces signals on several adjacent strips. Signals from each cathode strip are amplified separately and then added in an equally weighted and an unequally weighted summing amplifier. The position in each direction is obtained by dividing the output of the unequally weighted summer by that of the equally weighted summer. At 0.94 keV, the accuracy of the position sensing is 190 microns. At the same energy, the energy resolution is approximately 65% (FWHM). The proportional counter system is currently being incorporated into a sounding rocket payload having metal mirror optics, which is being constructed by the X-ray astronomy group at the California Institute of Technology.

Long, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Optoelectronic associative memory

An associative optical memory including an input spatial light modulator (SLM) in the form of an edge enhanced liquid crystal light valve (LCLV) and a pair of memory SLM's in the form of liquid crystal televisions (LCTV's) forms a matrix array of an input image which is cross correlated with a matrix array of stored images. The correlation product is detected and nonlinearly amplified to illuminate a replica of the stored image array to select the stored image correlating with the input image. The LCLV is edge enhanced by reducing the bias frequency and voltage and rotating its orientation. The edge enhancement and nonlinearity of the photodetection improves the orthogonality of the stored image. The illumination of the replicate stored image provides a clean stored image, uncontaminated by the image comparison process.

Chao, Tien-Hsin↗
NASA NTRS1984

Studies of new media radiation induced laser

Various lasants were investigated especially, 2-iodohepafluoropropane (i-C3F7I) for the direct solar pumped lasers. Optical pumping of iodine laser was achieved using a small flashlamp. Using i-C3F7I as a laser gain medium, threshold inversion density, small signal gain, and laser performance at the elevated temperature were measured. The experimental results and analysis are presented. The iodine laser kinetics of the C3F7I and IBr system were numerically simulated. The concept of a direct solar-pumped laser amplifier using (i-C3F7I) as the laser material was evaluated and several kinetic coefficients for i-C3F7I laser system were reexamined. The results are discussed.

Han, K. S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Optimal signal-to-noise in digital phase lock amplifiers

An expression for the optimal signal-to-noise ratio for linear phase lock amplifiers is derived. In its digital form the optimal method can be implemented by real-time signal processing techniques. The case of detector-noise-limited systems is analyzed in detail; it is found that the optimal technique can be used to eliminate effectively the detector's time constant from the set of parameters determining the overall efficiency. This has important implications for optical detection system design. Also reported is an experimental verification of the optimal method, thus establishing its practicality.

Doering, Charles R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Super Photon Counters

The perfect photon detector would measure the arrival time, the energy, the polarization, and the position of every arriving quantum, but that is easier said than done. Two groups have now succeeded in doing time-resolved spectroscopy on the Crab Nebula pulsar, measuring everything but the polarization, with reports from Romani et al. at Stanford and from Perryman et al. at ESTEC. Both groups use superconducting detectors to gain the necessary speed and sensitivity. The photon can heat the electrons in a superconductor biased in the middle of its resistive transition, or break bound superconducting electron-hole pairs, which can then be collected. Three years ago, Peacock et al. reported that they had detected single optical photons with a superconducting tunnel junction (STJ), and Paresce wrote a News and Views article. A tunnel junction uses two pieces of conductive material, separated by a tiny gap of insulating material or even vacuum. If the gap is thin enough, electrons can tunnel across anyway, and if the conductors are superconductors, the junction displays very useful quantum mechanical properties and electrical nonlinearities. Amplifiers, detectors, oscillators, and computer circuits can all be made from them. Their special advantage is that they operate at very low temperatures, dissipate very little power, operate very fast, and are very small.

Mather, John↗
NASA NTRS2007

Laser Sounder for Global Measurement of CO2 Concentrations in the Troposphere from Space

Measurements of tropospheric CO2 abundance with global-coverage, a few hundred km spatial and monthly temporal resolution are needed to quantify processes that regulate CO2 storage by the land and oceans. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory (OCO) is the first space mission focused on atmospheric CO2 for measuring total column CO, and O2 by detecting the spectral absorption in reflected sunlight. The OCO mission is an essential step, and will yield important new information about atmospheric CO2 distributions. However there are unavoidable limitations imposed by its measurement approach. These include best accuracy only during daytime at moderate to high sun angles, interference by cloud and aerosol scattering, and limited signal from CO2 variability in the lower tropospheric CO2 column. We have been developing a new laser-based technique for the remote measurement of the tropospheric CO2 concentrations from orbit. Our initial goal is to demonstrate a lidar technique and instrument technology that will permit measurements of the CO2 column abundance in the lower troposphere from aircraft. Our final goal is to develop a space instrument and mission approach for active measurements of the CO2 mixing ratio at the 1-2 ppmv level. Our technique is much less sensitive to cloud and atmospheric scattering conditions and would allow continuous measurements of CO2 mixing ratio in the lower troposphere from orbit over land and ocean surfaces during day and night. Our approach is to use the 1570nm CO2 band and a 3-channel laser absorption spectrometer (i.e. lidar used an altimeter mode), which continuously measures at nadir from a near polar circular orbit. The approach directs the narrow co-aligned laser beams from the instrument's lasers toward nadir, and measures the energy of the laser echoes reflected from land and water surfaces. It uses several tunable fiber laser transmitters which allowing measurement of the extinction from a single selected CO2 absorption line in the 1570 nm band. This band is free from interference from other gases and has temperature insensitive absorption lines. During the measurement the lasers are tuned on- and off- a selected CO2 line near 1572 nm and a selected O2 line near 768 nm in the Oxygen A band at kHz rates. The lasers use tunable diode seed lasers followed by fiber amplifiers, and have spectral widths much narrower than the gas absorption lines. The receiver uses a 1-m diameter telescope and photon counting detectors and measures the background light and energies of the laser echoes from the surface. The extinction and column densities for the CO2 and O2 gases are estimated from the ratio of the on and offline surface echo via the differential optical absorption technique. Our technique rapidly alternates between several on-line wavelengths set to the sides of the selected gas absorption lines. It exploits the atmospheric pressure broadening of the lines to weight the measurement sensitivity to the atmospheric column below 5 km. This maximizes sensitivity to CO2 in the boundary layer, where variations caused by surface sources and sinks are largest. Simultaneous measurements of O2 column will use an identical approach with an O2 line. Thee laser frequencies are tunable and have narrow (MHz) line widths. In combination with sensitive photon counting detectors these enables much higher spectral resolution and precision than is possible with passive spectrometer. 1aser backscatter profiles are also measured, which permits identifying measurements made to cloud tops and through aerosol layers. The measurement approach using lasers in common-nadir-zenith path allows retrieving CO2 column mixing ratios in the lower troposphere irrespective of sun angle. Pulsed laser signals, time gated receiver and a narrow receiver field-of-view are used to isolate the surface laser echo signals and to exclude photons scattered from clouds and aerosols. Nonetheless, the optical absorption change due to a change of a few ppO2 is small, <1 % which makes achieving the needed measurement sensitivities and stabilities quite challenging. Measurement SNRs and stabilities of >600:1 are needed to estimate CO2 mixing ratio at the 1-2 ppm level. We have calculated characteristics of the technique and have demonstrated aspects of the laser, detector and receiver approaches in th e laboratory We have also measured O2 in an absorption cell, and made C02 measurements over a 400 m long (one way) horizontal path using a sensor breadboard. We will describe these and more details of our approach in the paper.

Abshire, James B.↗
DOE OSTI2020

Laser induced damage in coatings for cryogenic Yb:YAG active mirror amplifiers

We report results of a study of the laser induced damage threshold (LIDT) behavior of ion beam sputtered H f O 2 / S i O 2 multilayer coatings on Yb:YAG using 1-on-1 and N-on-1 test protocols. The tests were conducted at ambient, vacuum, and cryogenic conditions using 280 ps pulses at λ <#comment/> = 1030 n m . The 1-on-1 LIDT of antireflection (AR) stacks is found to be only slightly reduced under vacuum and cryogenic conditions, while that of high reflectivity (HR) stacks is insensitive to environmental conditions within the uncertainty of the measurements. Cryogenic N-on-1 tests show the LIDT of the HR coating is almost the same as in the 1-on-1 tests. Conversely, the cryogenic N-on-1 test of the AR coating shows damage at ∼ <#comment/> 13 J / c m 2 , a fluence lower than the 20.4 J / c m 2 of 1-on-1 tests. The AR damage behavior is found to be affected by imperfections at the Yb:YAG surface. These findings show that high surface quality is required to increase energy extraction from active mirror laser amplifiers.

Wang, Hanchen↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Comprehensive Survey of Readout Strategies for SiPMs Used in Nuclear Imaging Systems

Silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) offer advantages such as lower relative cost, smaller size, and lower operating voltages compared to photomultiplier tubes. A SiPM’s readout circuit topology can significantly affect the characteristics of an imaging array. In nuclear imaging and detection, energy, timing, and position are the primary characteristics of interest. Nuclear imaging has applications in the medical, astronomy, and high energy physics fields, making SiPMs an active research area. This work is focused on the circuit topologies required for nuclear imaging. We surveyed the readout strategies including the front end preamplification topology choices of transimpedance amplifier, charge amplifier, and voltage amplifier. In addition, a review of circuit topologies suitable for energy, timing, and position information extraction was performed along with a summary of performance limitations and current challenges.

42 ENGINEERING↗
NASA NTRS2018

ILLUMA-T (Integrated LCRD LEO User Modem and Amplifier Terminal) Payload

Presentation on ILLUMA-T (Integrated LCRD LEO User Modem and Amplifier Terminal) Payload at the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM) External Payload Interface Coordination Meeting on May 9, 2018 at the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) in Tsukuba, Japan. Meeting to discuss details of installing payload on JEM.

Optical Communications↗
DOE OSTI2024

Electron Spin Polarization in Large Electric Fields

This project investigated the effects of large electric fields on electron spin polarization in semiconductors, which is of interest for spin-based electronics (“spintronics”) and quantum information processing. It has been theoretically proposed that large electric fields could potentially preserve or amplify electron spin polarization, which would make it easier to generate, transport, and detect spin polarization in spin-based devices; however, previous measurements had not measured the response of electron spin polarization at large electric fields. During this project, methods to perform measurements of electron spin polarization at large electric fields were developed and performed using ultrafast time- and spatially-resolved magneto-optical spectroscopy, high-voltage pulses, and lock-in detection. The device geometry was engineered to reduce the threshold voltage required to reach the Gunn threshold, and the effect of optical illumination on the sample conductivity and Gunn oscillations was investigated. Electron spin polarization measurements were performed at electric fields up to and beyond the Gunn threshold for the device. The measurements showed that the electron spin polarization magnitude decreased with increasing electric field in the devices measured, and a spin amplification effect was not observed. However, these effects could potentially exist in a different material or in a material with a different doping concentration or in a different device geometry.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2006

Thrust Stand for Electric Propulsion Performance Evaluation

An electric propulsion thrust stand capable of supporting testing of thrusters having a total mass of up to 125 kg and producing thrust levels between 100 microN to 1 N has been developed and tested. The design features a conventional hanging pendulum arm attached to a balance mechanism that converts horizontal deflections produced by the operating thruster into amplified vertical motion of a secondary arm. The level of amplification is changed through adjustment of the location of one of the pivot points linking the system. Response of the system depends on the relative magnitudes of the restoring moments applied by the displaced thruster mass and the twisting torsional pivots connecting the members of the balance mechanism. Displacement is measured using a non-contact, optical linear gap displacement transducer and balance oscillatory motion is attenuated using a passive, eddy-current damper. The thrust stand employs an automated leveling and thermal control system. Pools of liquid gallium are used to deliver power to the thruster without using solid wire connections, which can exert undesirable time-varying forces on the balance. These systems serve to eliminate sources of zero-drift that can occur as the stand thermally or mechanically shifts during the course of an experiment. An in-situ calibration rig allows for steady-state calibration before, during and after thruster operation. Thrust measurements were carried out on a cylindrical Hall thruster that produces mN-level thrust. The measurements were very repeatable, producing results that compare favorably with previously published performance data, but with considerably smaller uncertainty.

Polzin, Kurt A.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Quantum entanglement distribution coexisting with high-rate, broadband classical optical communications over a real-world fiber connecting remote, synchronized nodes

Compatibility with existing classical network infrastructure offers a scalable path towards deploying large-scale quantum networks. Here, we demonstrate O-band polarization-encoded quantum entanglement distribution over an installed 24.4-km fiber while coexisting with a state-of-the-art fully loaded C-band classical communications line system and a picosecond-level precision L-band synchronization signal. The classical system carries two 800-Gbps channels while the remainder of the C-band is filled with amplified spontaneous emission, as is standard for such state-of-the-art communications systems. We examine the spontaneous Raman scattering spectrum generated from this broadband C-band light and offer insights into wavelength allocation for O-band quantum channels. Optimal wavelength selection and narrow filtering enable well-preserved Bell state fidelity when coexisting with 21.4-dBm aggregate launch power across the C-band suitable for 36-Tbps transmission. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first implementation of entanglement-based quantum communications between two remote nodes coexisting with independent classical communications traffic. We demonstrate coexistence of quantum entanglement with ultra-high power levels and record classical bandwidth, offering promise for real-world entanglement-based networking integrated within high-capacity communications infrastructure.

Talcott, Gina M. [Northwestern U.] (ORCID:00000002↗