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At least 631 records · Page 35

A fully kinetic model for orphan gamma-ray flares in blazars

ABSTRACT Blazars emit a highly variable non-thermal spectrum. It is usually assumed that the same non-thermal electrons are responsible for the IR-optical-UV emission (via synchrotron) and the gamma-ray emission (via inverse Compton). Hence, the light curves in the two bands should be correlated. Orphan gamma-ray flares (i.e. lacking a luminous low-frequency counterpart) challenge our theoretical understanding of blazars. By means of large-scale two-dimensional radiative particle-in-cell simulations, we show that orphan gamma-ray flares may be a self-consistent by-product of particle energization in turbulent magnetically dominated pair plasmas. The energized particles produce the gamma-ray flare by inverse Compton scattering an external radiation field, while the synchrotron luminosity is heavily suppressed since the particles are accelerated nearly along the direction of the local magnetic field. The ratio of inverse Compton to synchrotron luminosity is sensitive to the initial strength of turbulent fluctuations (a larger degree of turbulent fluctuations weakens the anisotropy of the energized particles, thus increasing the synchrotron luminosity). Our results show that the anisotropy of the non-thermal particle population is key to modelling the blazar emission.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Polarization control in spin-transparent hadron colliders by weak-field navigators involving lattice enhancement effect

Hadron polarization control schemes for Spin Transparent (ST) synchrotrons are analyzed. The spin dynamics and beam polarization in such synchrotrons are controlled by spin navigators (SN) which are special small insertions of weak magnetic fields. An SN stabilizes the beam polarization and allows for setting any desirable spin orientation at an interaction point in the operational regime, including a frequent spin flip. We present a general approach to design of SNs. We distinguish different types of SNs, namely, those not causing closed orbit perturbation as well as those producing local and global orbit distortions. In the second case, the concept of the spin response function in an ST synchrotron is applied and expanded to reveal the effect of the SN strength enhancement by magnetic lattice of the synchrotron. We provide conceptual schemes for SN designs using longitudinal and transverse magnetic fields allowing for polarization control at low as well as high energies. We also develop the ST concept for ultra-high energies. This development may enable and stimulate interest in polarized beam experiments in possible polarized collider projects such as Large Hadron Collider (LHC), Future Circular Collider (FCC) and Super Proton Proton Collider (SPPC).

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗

Maximum Energy of Particles Accelerated in Gamma-Ray Burst Afterglow Shocks

Particle acceleration in relativistic collisionless shocks remains an open problem in high-energy astrophysics. Particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations predict that electron acceleration in weakly magnetized shocks proceeds via small-angle scattering, leading to a maximum electron energy significantly below the Bohm limit. This upper bound on electron energy manifests observationally as a characteristic synchrotron cutoff, providing a direct probe of the underlying acceleration physics. Gamma-ray burst (GRB) afterglows offer an exceptional laboratory for testing these predictions. Here, we model the spectral evolution of GRB afterglows during the relativistic deceleration phase, incorporating PIC-motivated acceleration prescriptions and self-consistently computing synchrotron and synchrotron self-Compton emission. We find that low-energy bursts in low-density environments, typical of short GRBs, exhibit a pronounced synchrotron cutoff in the GeV band within minutes to hours after the trigger. Applying our framework to GRB 190114C and GRB 130427A, we find that current observations are insufficient to discriminate between PIC-motivated acceleration and the Bohm limit, primarily due to poor photon statistics in the Fermi-Large Area Telescope band. Nevertheless, future MeV–TeV afterglow observations can break model degeneracies and place substantially tighter constraints on the mechanisms responsible for particle acceleration in relativistic shocks. To this end, we simulate a fiducial nearby short GRB as a promising probe of the cutoff location, for which the two acceleration scenarios are cleanly distinguishable and the detection of such an event in the near future remains feasible.

Wu, Zhao-Feng [Purdue University, West Lafayette, ↗

Dual Energy Electron Storage Ring Cooler Design for Relativistic Ion Beams

Collider experiments demand small beam emittances in order to achieve high luminosity. For light particles such as electrons, there exists a natural synchrotron radiation damping resulting in low emittance beams at equilibrium. In the case of heavy particle beams such as proton or ion beams, there is no significant synchrotron radiation damping effect and some cooling mechanism is needed to get to low emittance beams. A dual energy storage ring cooler is a novel concept proposed to cool hadron beams at higher energies. The design consists of two rings: a low energy ring and a high energy ring connected by the energy recovering linac (ERL) that provides the necessary energy difference. The low energy ring has an electron cooler where the cooling interaction takes place between the electron and hadron beams whereas electron beam going through the high energy ring undergoes synchrotron radiation damping. In this document, we present a possible design of a dual energy storage ring-based electron cooler for high energy proton beam cooling suitable for the Electron Ion Collider (EIC) to be built at Brookhaven National laboratory (BNL). A special feature of a dual energy storage ring cooler design is that the electron beam energy in the low energy section must be tuned to match the hadron beam velocity in the cooling section, and the electron beam energy in the high energy section is chosen to provide an adequate synchrotron radiation damping. In addition, the ring optics design is carried out considering chromaticity correction, dynamic aperture, momentum aperture, beam lifetime, radiation damping and the intrabeam scattering effect. Finally, the cooling performance is simulated for 275 GeV proton beams at the top energy of the EIC. In such a collider it is desirable to cool the hadron beams to balance the emittance growth rates due to intra-beam scattering (IBS) to maintain a high luminosity during the collision runs. In such a situation, a dual energy storage ring based cooler could be a practical approach to be used for hadron beam cooling.

Dhital, Bhawin↗

Development of a Superconducting Adaptive Gap Undulator Prototype for NSLS-II

The photon flux and brightness of synchrotron radiation, crucial parameters for any light source, vary significantly depending on the type of source employed. Among the 23 Insertion Device (ID) sources at the National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II) at Brookhaven National Lab (BNL), the 12-year-old 3m-long In-Vacuum Undulator (IVU20) stands out for its superior performance, although it no longer represents the cutting edge of technology. Recently, there has been a shift in focus towards developing next-generation sources, particularly Superconducting Undulators (SCUs), characterized by smaller gaps, shorter periods, and maximum lengths. However, despite ongoing research and development efforts, SCUs have yet to surpass their predecessors, the Cryogenic Permanent Magnet Undulators (CPMUs), in terms of performance. This is largely attributed to the limitations posed by traditional superconducting wire, as well as challenges in the design of the magnetic structure and vacuum chamber. In this paper, we aim to overcome such limitations through the development of a unique prototype Superconducting Adaptive Gap Undulator (SC-AGU) magnet core and vacuum chamber design. This paper will outline a novel technical approach aimed at constructing a compact prototype magnet array utilizing state-of-the-art superconducting wire technology. This approach provides a more efficient magnetic structure, allowing for enhanced magnetic field strength and stability.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Development of electron source feedback for enhanced X-ray beam stability at NSLS-II

Future synchrotron light sources are being designed to deliver significantly higher brightness and coherence, enabling faster scanning and more advanced imaging techniques. However, realizing these capabilities requires improved X-ray beam stability, as vibrations directly limit measurement accuracy and image quality. At the NSLS-II Hard X-ray Nanoprobe (HXN), a local mechanical feedback system mitigates low-frequency motion but provides only limited suppression of dominant vibrations at 27 Hz and 120 Hz. To address this limitation, this work explores the use of the electron beam itself as the actuator for feedback by integrating X-ray beam position monitor signals into the fast orbit feedback system through a dedicated electrometer. Experimental results show that this approach effectively suppresses the dominant vibration peaks and enhances stability at the focusing point. Benchmark ptychography measurements further confirm that electron-beam-based feedback reduces background fluctuations and mitigates vibration-induced artifacts under fast-scanning conditions. These results establish the feasibility of using the electron beam as a feedback actuator for next-generation synchrotron applications and provide an experimental assessment of its potential and limitations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Detailed characterization of runaway electron driven whistler waves in low-density DIII-D discharges

RE-driven whistler waves during quiescent DIII-D shots have been investigated further. The waves are confirmed to be mostly perpendicularly propagating and are observed for the first time with frequencies up to 700 MHz. Phase-spectral analysis has been used to infer their toroidal mode numbers, n, which are expected to scale with the wavenumber, k, of the mode. Though we derive a theoretical scaling of k ≈ 4n, the measured mode numbers are found to exhibit a very weak dependence on k. In addition, increases in synchrotron emission have been found to consistently lag whistler wave bursts by roughly 3–5 ms, suggesting the waves are causing pitch-angle scattering, since the emitted synchrotron radiation is a strong function of the REs' perpendicular energy. The stronger the wave bursts, the greater the subsequent increase in synchrotron emission. A predator-prey model is used to describe these nonlinear wave-particle interactions, from which the wave damping rates and the loss parameter can be inferred. The damping rates are found to be of the order of (1.6 ± 0.8) × 10 4 /s, and the unitless loss parameter is found to be approximately 2, suggesting that the loss mechanism is diffusive. These observations will serve to validate models of RE-driven waves in tokamak plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Probing extreme states of matter using ultra-intense x-ray radiation

Extreme states of matter, that is, matter at extremes of density (pressure) and temperature, can be created in the laboratory either statically or dynamically. In the former, the pressure–temperature state can be maintained for relatively long periods of time, but the sample volume is necessarily extremely small. When the extreme states are generated dynamically, the sample volumes can be larger, but the pressure–temperature conditions are maintained for only short periods of time (ps to μs). In either case, structural information can be obtained from the extreme states by the use of x-ray scattering techniques, but the x-ray beam must be extremely intense in order to obtain sufficient signal from the extremely-small or short-lived sample. In this article I describe the use of x-ray diffraction at synchrotrons and XFELs to investigate how crystal structures evolve as a function of density and temperature. After a brief historical introduction, I describe the developments made at the Synchrotron Radiation Source in the 1990s which enabled the almost routine determination of crystal structure at high pressures, while also revealing that the structural behaviour of materials was much more complex than previously believed. I will then describe how these techniques are used at the current generation of synchrotron and XFEL sources, and then discuss how they might develop further in the future at the next generation of x-ray lightsources.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

First multi-institutional systematic comparison of the neutron ambient dose equivalent produced by proton therapy systems

Objective. Isochronous cyclotrons, synchrocyclotrons, and synchrotrons are used to accelerate protons for proton therapy. An accurate measurement of neutron doses generated by these accelerators and associated delivery systems and its clinical relevance requires systematic protocols and proper neutron dosimetry for a meaningful assessment. We present the first comprehensive comparison of neutron ambient dose equivalent (H*(10)) produced by clinically operational proton therapy systems. Approach. Treatment plans with 10 cm modulation-depth and ranges of 10 cm (R10M10) and 25 cm (R25M10) were created to cover a 10 × 10 × 10 cm 3 water target. The pencil beam scanning proton therapy machines studied were: two gantry-mounted synchrocyclotrons (Hyperscan, Mevion, half-gantry), two isochronous cyclotrons (ProBeam, Varian, full-gantry), one isochronous cyclotron (Proteus, IBA, full-gantry), and two synchrotrons (PROBEAT, Hitachi, full- and half-gantry). Proton beams were delivered to 30 × 30 × 40 cm 3 plastic water phantoms. WENDI-II and LUPIN-BF3-NP neutron rem-meters were positioned at three angles (0°, 45°, 90°) relative to the beam direction to measure the neutron H*(10) at distances between 50–300 cm from the isocenter. Main results. H*(10) showed dependence on beam energy, machine type, and measurement location. The highest reading was for the gantry-mounted synchrocyclotron, whereas other systems produced approximately comparable neutron doses. In all cases, the H*(10) reduced with distance from the isocenter. The H*(10) drop at 2 m distance compared to that at 0.5 m was a factor of ∼5 for the gantry-mounted synchrocyclotron whereas in other systems the decrease was a factor of 10. The WENDI-II device suffered from dead-time-associated under-estimation of the dose by a factor of ∼2–3 under the synchrocyclotron beam due to its high dose-per-pulse. However, WENDI-II and LUPIN-BF3-NP results were within reasonable agreement in isochronous cyclotron and synchrotron beams, indicating that both devices are suitable for those systems. Significance. Neutron H*(10) is dependent on various parameters including beam energy, measurement location, as well as machine design. Caution must be exercised in choosing the appropriate neutron-dose-measurement device to be used for low-duty-factor, particularly in high-instantaneous-rate proton delivery systems. By delivering the same volumetric proton dose across different machines, this work provides a benchmark for inter-system comparisons and serves as a foundation for future studies.

LUPIN↗

Ultrabroadband Spacetime Nanoscopy of Terahertz Polaritons in a van der Waals Cavity

Guiding, storing, and processing light at the nanoscale hinges on understanding how polaritons — hybrid quasiparticles of light and matter — propagate and interfere in both space and time. This work introduces a synchrotron-based technique, SYnchrotron SpaceTimE Mapping (SYSTEM), which captures real-time evolution of polariton wave packets with ∼10 nm spatial and sub-100 fs temporal resolution across an ultrabroadband 5–50 THz range. Here, SYSTEM directly visualizes the creation, interference, and decay of multiple high-quality Fabry-Pérot phonon polariton cavity modes in an α-MoO 3 microcavity. These real-space, real-time observations reveal wave-packet dynamics and cavity resonances with record-high quality factors (Q ≈ 100) in the single-digit terahertz regime near 9 THz. SYSTEM thus offers a powerful and broadly applicable platform for probing and engineering ultraslow, deeply subwavelength polaritons, opening new avenues for tailoring light–matter interactions and advancing next-generation THz nanophotonic technologies.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Accelerating Discovery of Solid‐State Thin‐Film Metal Dealloying for 3D Nanoarchitecture Materials Design through Laser Thermal Gradient Treatment

Thin‐film solid‐state metal dealloying (thin‐film SSMD) is a promising method for fabricating nanostructures with controlled morphology and efficiency, offering advantages over conventional bulk materials processing methods for integration into practical applications. Although machine learning (ML) has facilitated the design of dealloying systems, the selection of key thermal treatment parameters for nanostructure formation remains largely unknown and dependent on experimental trial and error. To overcome this challenge, a workflow enabling high‐throughput characterization of thermal treatment parameters is demonstrated using a laser‐based thermal treatment to create temperature gradients on single thin‐film samples of Nb‐Al/Sc and Nb‐Al/Cu. This continuous thermal space enables observation of dealloying transitions and the resulting nanostructures of interest. Through synchrotron X‐ray multimodal and high‐throughput characterization, critical transitions and nanostructures can be rapidly captured and subsequently verified using electron microscopy. The key temperatures driving chemical reactions and morphological evolutions are clearly identified. While the oxidation may influence nanostructure formation during thin‐film treatment, the dealloying process at the dealloying front involves interactions solely between the dealloying elements, highlighting the availability and viability of the selected systems. Further, this approach enables efficient exploration of the dealloying process and validation of ML predictions, thereby accelerating the discovery of thin‐film SSMD systems with targeted nanostructures.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Role of Cation Ordering on Device Performance in (Ag,Cu)InSe 2 Solar Cells with KF Post-Deposition Treatment

CuInSe 2 (CIS) has been proposed as an attractive bottom cell candidate in tandem solar cells. However, to justify the coupling with high-performance top cells (e.g., perovskites, GaAs), significant work on improving the efficiency is required. To this extent, several authors have demonstrated the benefits of alkali post-deposition treatments (PDT) to increase device open-circuit voltage (V oc ) in CIS and how Ag alloying - (Ag,Cu)InSe 2 (ACIS) - reduces defect density and enhances current collection in devices. Herein, we present a detailed study of the role that KF-PDT plays on CIS and ACIS absorber composition and structure, and propose an explanation for the decreased V oc observed when silver and potassium coexist in the system (ACIS + KF). Through a suite of synchrotron-based techniques, we investigate the nanoscale chemical distribution of the films and the formation of secondary phases. Through photoluminescence imaging, we observed a high degree of passivation with the addition of KF, and synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction confirmed the absence of a KInSe 2 surface layer usually considered to be a passivating agent. Raman spectroscopy and synchrotron X-ray fluorescence show the increased presence of Cu- and Se-poor clusters in ACIS + KF, which are correlated to significantly reduced X-ray beam-induced current (XBIC). An increase in the intensity of the E/B 2 stretching mode of CIS is attributed to cation ordering near the junction and is found to track inversely to bulk V oc measurements. The cation ordering is hypothesized to arise from the formation and redistribution of defects that normally occur near the surfaces of CIS as a consequence of its polar character. Here, these defects compensate each other, and the overall inhomogeneity of the charge distribution generates electrostatic potential fluctuations that greatly increase the saturation current and hence reduce the open-circuit voltage of the device.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Elucidating the Discharge Behavior of Aqueous Zinc Sulfur Batteries in the Presence of Molybdenum(IV) Chalcogenide Catalyst: The Criticality of Interfacial Electrochemistry

The aqueous zinc-sulfur battery holds promise for significant capacity and energy density with low cost and safe operation based on environmentally benign materials. However, it suffers from the sluggish kinetics of the conversion reaction. Here, we highlight the efficacy of molybdenum(IV) sulfide (MoS 2 ) to reduce the overpotential of S-ZnS conversion in aqueous electrolytes and study the discharge products formed at the solid-solid and solid-liquid interfaces using experimental and theoretical approaches. Specifically, the MoS 2 -catalyzed electrochemical conversion reaction is characterized via ex situ X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), Raman spectroscopy, synchrotron-based Mo K-edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS), and in situ synchrotron-based X-ray computed tomography (XCT). Additionally, operando synchrotron-based S K-edge XAS and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) maps are collected to determine the spatial evolution of sulfur-based species at the electrode-electrolyte interface. Further, coupling the operando S K-edge XAS data with the simulated spectra and fitting the data suggested a possible ZnS 2 intermediate phase.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Evolution of dislocations during the rapid solidification in additive manufacturing

Materials processed by fusion-based additive manufacturing (AM) typically exhibit relatively high dislocation densities, along with cellular structures and elemental segregation. This representative structural feature significantly influences material performance; however, post-mortem microstructure characterizations of AM materials cannot capture the dynamic evolution of dislocations during the manufacturing process, thereby offering limited mechanism-based guidance for further advancing AM techniques and facilitating the qualification and certification of AM products. In this study, we conduct operando high-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction experiments on wire-laser directed energy deposition of 316 L stainless steel. Through a unique configuration, our operando synchrotron experiments semi-quantitatively probe the dislocation density in solid phases and their dynamic changes during solidification and subsequent cooling. By integrating this advanced synchrotron technique with multi-physics simulation, in-situ neutron diffraction, and multi-scale electron microscopy characterization, our mechanistic study aims to elucidate the effects of rapid cooling and subsequent thermal cycling on the dislocation generation and evolution.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Atomic resolution coherent x-ray imaging with physics-based phase retrieval

Coherent x-ray imaging and scattering from accelerator based sources such as synchrotrons continue to impact biology, medicine, technology, and materials science. Many synchrotrons around the world are currently undergoing major upgrades to increase their available coherent x-ray flux by approximately two orders of magnitude. The improvement of synchrotrons may enable imaging of materials in operando at the atomic scale which may revolutionize battery and catalysis technologies. Current algorithms used for phase retrieval in coherent x-ray imaging are based on the projection onto sets method. These traditional iterative phase retrieval methods will become more computationally expensive as they push towards atomic resolution and may struggle to converge. Additionally, these methods do not incorporate physical information that may additionally constrain the solution. In this work, we present an algorithm which incorporates molecular dynamics into Bragg coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI). This algorithm, which we call PRAMMol (Phase Retrieval with Atomic Modeling and Molecular Dynamics) combines statistical techniques with molecular dynamics to solve the phase retrieval problem. We present several examples where our algorithm is applied to simulated coherent diffraction from 3D crystals and show convergence to the correct solution at the atomic scale.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Unraveling the convoluted and dynamic interphasial mechanisms on Li metal anode

Accurate understanding of the chemistry of solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) is key to developing new electrolytes for high-energy batteries using lithium metal (Li-0) anodes(1). SEI is generally believed to be formed by the reactions between Li-0 and electrolyte(2,3). However, our new study shows this is not the whole story. Through synchrotron-based X-ray diffraction and pair distribution function analysis, we reveal a much more convoluted formation mechanism of SEI, which receives considerable contributions from electrolyte, cathode, moisture and native surface species on Li-0, with highly dynamic nature during cycling. Using isotope labelling, we traced the origin of LiH to electrolyte solvent, moisture and a new source: the native surface species (LiOH) on pristine Li-0. When lithium accessibility is very limited as in the case of anode-free cells, LiOH develops into plate-shaped large crystals during cycling. Alternatively, when the lithium source is abundant, as in the case of Li||NMC811 cells, LiOH reacts with Li-0 to form LiH and Li2O. While the desired anion-derived LiF-rich SEI is typically found in the concentrated electrolytes or their derivatives, we found it can also be formed in low-concentration electrolyte via the crosstalk effect, emphasizing the importance of formation cycle protocol and opening up opportunities for low-cost electrolyte development.

Polzin, Bryant J.↗

BeyondPlanck: XV. Limits on large-scale polarized anomalous microwave emission from Planck LFI and WMAP

We constrained the level of polarized anomalous microwave emission (AME) on large angular scales using Planck Low-Frequency Instrument (LFI) and WMAP polarization data within a Bayesian cosmic microwave background (CMB) analysis framework. We modeled synchrotron emission with a power-law spectral energy distribution, as well as the sum of AME and thermal dust emission through linear regression with the Planck High-Frequency Instrument (HFI) 353 GHz data. This template-based dust emission model allowed us to constrain the level of polarized AME while making minimal assumptions on its frequency dependence. We neglected CMB fluctuations, but show through simulations that these fluctuations have a minor impact on the results. We find that the resulting AME polarization fraction confidence limit is sensitive to the polarized synchrotron spectral index prior. In addition, for prior means β s < -3.1 we find an upper limit of p AME max ≲ 0.6% (95% confidence). In contrast, for means β s = -3.0, we find a nominal detection of p AME = 2.5 ± 1.0% (95% confidence). These data are thus not strong enough to simultaneously and robustly constrain both polarized synchrotron emission and AME, and our main result is therefore a constraint on the AME polarization fraction explicitly as a function of β s . Combining the current Planck and WMAP observations with measurements from high-sensitivity low-frequency experiments such as C-BASS and QUIJOTE will be critical to improve these limits further.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Characterizing Hidden Structures at NSLS-II: Strongly Correlated Electron Systems, Functional Ceramics, Batteries, and Beyond

Brookhaven National Laboratory (New York) launched its highenergy X-ray science program at the inception of the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS), a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Science User Facility. Built in the 1980s, the NSLS X17 beamline was the world’s first super-conducting wiggler facility and remained in service for more than 30 years. The NSLS facility was decommissioned in October 2014 and a third-generation synchrotron machine, DOE’s National Synchrotron Light Source II (NSLS-II), took over. Six years after completing construction, NSLS-II has a portfolio of 29 beamlines that includes two operating high-energy powder diffraction beamlines (XPD and PDF) and one high-energy imaging and diffraction beamline under construction (HEX).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗