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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 631 records · Page 35
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

Room temperature deposition of superconducting NbN for superconductor-insulator-superconductor junctions

The deposition of stoichiometric B1-crystal-structure (111) NbN films on glass or sapphire substrates by reactive dc magnetron sputtering is reported. High-purity Ar-N2 mixtures are used in the apparatus described by Thakoor et al. (1985), and typical deposition parameters are given as background pressure about 10 ntorr, voltage -325 V, current 1 A, deposition rate 1.35 nm/s, film thickness 500 nm, P(Ar) 5-17 mtorr, initial P(N2) 2-6 mtorr, and room temperature. The N2 consumption-injection characteristics are studied and found to control NbN formation using well-conditioned Nb targets. Films with transition temperatures 15-16 K are obtained at P(Ar) = 12.9 + or - 0.2 mtorr and P(N2) = 3.7 + or - 0.1 mtorr. SIS junctions of area about 0.001 sq cm fabricated using the NbN films are shown to have I-V characteristics with nonlinearity parameter about 110 and NbN superconducting-gap parameter Delta = about 2.8 meV.

Thakoor, S.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Six-Axis Superconducting Accelerometer

Sensitivity and short-term stability high. Design combines superconductivity and magnetic levitation to achieve linear-acceleration sensitivity greater than conventional linear accelerometers, and short-term angular stability better than conventional gyroscopes. Improved accelerometer used to increase precision in inertial navigation and surveying, as sensitive multiple-axis seismic sensor, as component of tensor gravity gradiometer, or to sense accelerations of stabilized platforms or spacecraft.

Paik, Ho Jung↗
NASA NTRS1987

Interface circuitry for superconducting bolometer

The interface circuitry described links the computer with the superconducting bolometer array. This helps demonstrate the feasibility of the array. Using the circuitry and the array, imaging will be made possible. Initial imaging will be done on laboratory objects, and the pixel characteristics will be investigated experimentally.

Nelson, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Evidence for superconductivity above 40 K in the La-Ba-Cu-O compound system

An apparent superconducting transition with an onset temperature above 40 K has been detected under pressure in the La-Ba-Cu-O compound system synthesized directly from a solid-state reaction of La2O3, CuO, and BaCO3 followed by a decomposition of the mixture in a reduced atmosphere. The experiment is described and the results of effects of magnetic field and pressure are discussed.

Chu, C. W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Magnetic studies of high Tc superconducting (La0.9Sr0.1)2CuO4-y

The magnetic moment of La(0.9Sr0.1)2CuO4-y was measured as a function of temperature and magnetic field, and the onset of superconductivity was found to occur at a temperature of 35 K. At 2 K, the dc magnetic susceptibility was found to reach 83 percent of perfect diamagnetism. Field studies have shown that the sample is a type-II superconductor and that the temperature dependences of the critical fiedls are anomalous. Its critical fields, kappa, and lambda(eff) are much larger than those for (La0.9Ba0.1)2CuO4-y, and their temperature dependences cannot be explained in terms of BCS theory.

Zirngiebl, E.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Superconducting thin-film gyroscope readout for Gravity Probe-B

The high-resolution gyroscope readout system for the Stanford Gravity Probe-B experiment, whose purpose is to measure two general relativistic precessions of gyroscopes in earth orbit, is described. In order to achieve the required resolution in angle (0.001 arcsec), the readout system combines high-precision mechanical fabrication and measurement techniques with superconducting thin-film technology, ultralow magnetic fields, and SQUID detectors. The system design, performance limits achievable with current technology, and the results of fabrication and laboratory testing to date are discussed.

Lockhart, James M.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Study of the production of some superconducting and magnetic materials by solidification in the drop tube and drop tower

A systematic study on the relationship between the microstructure and physical properties of several superconducting materials prepared by solidification in low gravity was conducted. Further study of the materials, such as the applications of hydrostatic pressure which is known to be an effective mean to vary the electronic structure of materials, in conjunction with the detailed microstructure analysis of the samples was also performed to better understand the low gravity effects on the enhancement of the electronic properties. Results of the studies on the directionally solidified AlInSn alloys processed in the KC-135 aircraft and immiscible GaBi alloy prepared during free fall in the Marshall Space Flight Center Drop Tower are presented.

Wu, M. K.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Coexisting static magnetic ordering and superconductivity in CeCu2.1Si2 found by muon spin relaxation

Zero- and longitudinal-field muon spin relaxation measurements on a heavy fermion system CeCu2.1 Si2 have revealed an onset of static magnetic ordering below T(M) approximately 0.8 K, which coexists with superconductivity below T(c) = 0.7 K. The line shapes of the observed muon spin depolarization functions suggest an ordering in either spin glass or incommensurate spin-density-wave state, with a small averaged static moment of the order of 0.1 micro-B per formula unit at T approaches 0.

Uemura, Y. J.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Method of producing high T(subc) superconducting NBN films

Thin films of niobium nitride with high superconducting temperature (T sub c) of 15.7 K are deposited on substrates held at room temperature (approx 90 C) by heat sink throughout the sputtering process. Films deposited at P sub Ar 12.9 + or - 0.2 mTorr exhibit higher T sub c with increasing P sub N2,I with the highest T sub c achieved at P sub n2,I= 3.7 + or - 0.2 mTorr and total sputtering pressure P sub tot = 16.6 + or - 0.4. Further increase of N2 injection starts decreasing T sub c.

Thakoor, Sarita↗
NASA NTRS1988

Application of superconducting technology to earth-to-orbit electromagnetic launch systems

Benefits may occur by incorporating superconductors, both existing and those currently under development, in one or more parts of a large-scale electromagnetic launch (EML) system that is capable of delivering payloads from the surface of the Earth to space. The use of superconductors for many of the EML components results in lower system losses; consequently, reductions in the size and number of energy storage devices are possible. Applied high-temperature superconductivity may eventually enable novel design concepts for energy distribution and switching. All of these technical improvements have the potential to reduce system complexity and lower payload launch costs.

Hull, J. R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Distortion of the cosmic background radiation by superconducting strings

Superconducting cosmic strings can be significant energy sources, keeping the universe ionized past the commonly assumed epoch of recombination. As a result, the spectrum of the cosmic background radiation is distorted in the presence of heated primordial gas via the Suniaev-Zel'dovich effect. Thiis distortion can be relatively large: the Compton y parameter attains a maximum in the range 0.001-0.005, with these values depending on the mass scale of the string. A significant contribution to y comes from loops decaying at high redshift when the universe is optically thick to Thomson scattering. Moreover, the isotropic spectral distortion is large compared to fluctuations at all angular scales.

Ostriker, J. P.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Field-induced orientation of nonlevitated microcrystals of superconducting YBa2Cu3O(7-x)

X-ray diffraction patterns of superconducting YBa2Cu3O(7-x) particles which have typical dimensions D of less than 5 microns and do not levitate in an inhomogeneous magnetic field at T less than Tc show marked evidence of particle alignment when powder specimens are subjected to a 0.5-T field at T less than Tc, but reveal random orientation for T greater than Tc. A majority of the particles align preferentially with their antiphase twin boundary planes and a-b planes along the applied field, but a minority align with their b axes along the field.

Solin, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1988

Design of magnets inside cylindrical superconducting shields

The design of magnets inside closed, cylindrical, superconducting shields is discussed. The Green function is given for the magnetic vector potential for cylindrically symmetric currents inside such a shield. The magnetic field everywhere inside the shield can be obtained from this function, which includes the effects of the induced shield currents exactly. The field is given for a thin solenoid as an example and the convergence of the series solution for this case is discussed. The shield can significantly reduce the strength and improve the homogeneity of a magnet. The improvement in homogeneity is of particular importance in the design of correction coils. These effects, and the maximum field on the shield, are examined for a typical solenoid. The results given are also useful, although not exact, for long shields with one or two open ends.

Rigby, K. W.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Sequentially evaporated thin Y-Ba-Co-O superconducting films on microwave substrates

The development of high T sub c superconducting thin films on various microwave substrates is of major interest in space electronic systems. Thin films of YBa2Cu3O(7-Delta) were formed on SrTiO3, MgO, ZrO2 coated Al2O3, and LaAlO3 substrates by multi-layer sequential evaporation and subsequent annealing in oxygen. The technique allows controlled deposition of Cu, BaF2 and Y layers, as well as the ZrO buffer layers, to achieve reproducibility for microwave circuit fabrication. The three layer structure of Cu/BaF2/Y is repeated a minimum of four times. The films were annealed in an ambient of oxygen bubbled through water at temperatures between 850 C and 900 C followed by slow cooling (-2 C/minute) to 450 C, a low temperature anneal, and slow cooling to room temperature. Annealing times ranged from 15 minutes to 5 hrs. at high temperature and 0 to 6 hr. at 450 C. Silver contacts for four probe electrical measurements were formed by evaporation followed with an anneal at 500 C. The films were characterized by resistance-temperature measurements, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and scanning electron microscopy. Critical transition temperatures ranged from 30 K to 87 K as a function of the substrate, composition of the film, thicknesses of the layers, and annealing conditions. Microwave ring resonator circuits were also patterned on these MgO and LaAlO3 substrates.

Valco, G. J.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Operational parameters for the superconducting cavity maser

Tests of the superconducting cavity maser (SCM) ultra-stable frequency source have been made for the first time using a hydrogen maser for a frequency reference. In addition to characterizing the frequency stability, the sensitivity of the output frequency to several crucial parameters was determined for various operating conditions. Based on this determination, the refrigeration and thermal control systems of the SCM were modified. Subsequent tests showed substantially improved performance, especially at the longest averaging times.

Wang, R. T.↗
NASA NTRS1988

High-temperature processing of oxide superconductors and superconducting oxide-silver oxide composite

High temperature processing was found to partially convert the green 211 phase oxide to 123 phase. High Tc superconductivity was observed in Bi-Sr-Cu-O and Y-Sr-Cu-O systems prepared using the same heat treatment process. High temperature processing presents an alternative synthetic route in the search for new high Tc superconductors. An unusual magnetic suspension with enhancement in critical current density was observed in the 123 and AgO composite.

Wu, M. K.↗
NASA NTRS1989

Effective theory of the T- and P-breaking superconducting state

An effective theory of superconductivity based on a microscopic theory of the T- and P-breaking spin-liquid state is proposed. There are two independent gauge invariances broken by two separate condensates. The theory may be useful for phenomenological calculations. In particular, it is found that the H(c1) are different for magnetic fields with opposite orientations. It is also found that the polarization of an electromagnetic wave is rotated after reflection from these T- and P-breaking superconductors.

Wen, X. G.↗
NASA NTRS1989

An electomagnetic lunar launcher utilizing superconductivity technology

The application of superconductivity technology to the lunar launcher problem was considered, and a quenchgun concept was formulated to reduce the mass of the launcher system by incorporating the energy storage in the launcher itself and using the efficiency of the quenchgun to reduce the power requirements. A conceptual design for the quenchgun launcher is presented, and the integration of the system into a lunar base logistics model for evaluation is addressed. The results of these evaluations under the NASA Office of Exploration lunar base scenarios are reported.

Bilby, Curt↗