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Results for “absorption coefficient”

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At least 685 records · Page 38
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Theory of photovoltaic characteristics of semiconductor quantum dot solar cells

We develop a comprehensive rate equations model for semiconductor quantum dot solar cells (QDSCs). The model is based on the continuity equations with a proper account for quantum dots (QDs). A general analytical expression for the total current density is obtained, and the current-voltage characteristic is studied for several specific situations. The degradation in the open circuit voltage of the QDSC is shown to be due to strong spontaneous radiative recombination in QDs. Due to small absorption coefficient of the QD ensemble, the improvement in the short circuit current density is negligible if only one QD layer is used. If spontaneous radiative recombination would be suppressed in QDs, a QDSC with multiple QD layers would have significantly higher short circuit current density and power conversion efficiency than its conventional counterpart. The effects of photoexcitation of carriers from discrete-energy states in QDs to continuum-energy states are discussed. An extended model, which includes excited states in QDs, is also introduced.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2021

Adaptive four-level modeling of laser cooling of solids

Laser cooling of rare-earth doped solids has been demonstrated across a wide range of material platforms, inspiring the development of simple phenomenological models such as the four-level model to elucidate the universal properties of laser cooling under various operating conditions. However, these models usually require the input of full absorption spectra that must be provided experimentally or by additional complicated atomic modeling. In this Letter, we propose that a four-level model, when extended to admit effective energy levels adaptive to the pumping photon energy, can accurately predict the cooling efficiency as a function of temperature and pumping frequency using only few inputs such as the absorption coefficient measured at a single frequency and temperature. Our model exploits the quasi-equilibrium properties of the excitation of rare-earth ions for the determination of the effective four energy levels. The model is validated against published experimental results for a span of materials including ytterbium/thulium-doped glass and crystals. With the verified model, we derive explicit expressions for the optimal frequency and the operating bandwidth of pumping lasers. Our model significantly simplifies the modeling process of laser cooling and is expected to stimulate further development of optical refrigeration.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Atmospheric Brown Carbon on the Tibetan Plateau: Regional Differences in Chemical Composition and Light Absorption Properties

In this work, fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ) filter samples were collected from two high-altitude remote sites located in the southern (QOMS) and northern (WLG) regions of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) to explore the regional differences in brown carbon (BrC) properties. Chemical differences in BrC composition representative of these two areas were inferred from molecular-level analysis of the PM 2.5 samples using high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with photodiode array and high-resolution mass spectrometry detectors. The results show that more polar BrC chromophores were abundant in QOMS samples, while contributions from polar and less polar chromophores were comparable in WLG samples. A higher mass absorption coefficient of BrC was observed at QOMS than at WLG. Strong BrC chromophores in QOMS samples were identified as oxygenated aromatics and nitrophenol compounds, while organosulfate compounds were found in the WLG sample. The results of this study indicate regional differences in BrC chromophores and provide insights into their sources and chemical processes, which should be considered for predictive understanding and modeling of the radiative forcing of aerosol in the TP area.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2015

Nanosecond and ultrafast optical power limiting in luminescent Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} hexagonal nanomorphotype

Nonlinear optical absorption and optical power limiting properties of Fe{sub 2}O{sub 3} hexagonal nanomorphotype are investigated using open aperture Z-scan technique with the 5 ns and 100 fs laser pulses, at 532 nm and 800 nm excitation domains. At relatively low pulse energies (below 5 μJ), sample shows saturable absorption (SA), but on going to the higher energies an interesting switchover from saturable absorption to effective two photon absorption is observed in both excitation domains. The magnitude of effective two photon absorption coefficients is calculated to be in the range of 10{sup −10} m/W for nanosecond and 10{sup −15} m/W for femtosecond laser pulse energies, respectively. XRD and TEM study reveals the polycrystalline nature, hexagonal morphology, and size of the nanostructure. The luminescence emission property is examined by photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL). It is found that some strange features exist in the luminescence spectra that are consistent with the nanoparticles size distribution. The PL emission lines are explained as originated from various optical band edges due to the size induced quantum confinement and band gap resonant PL absorption/emission behavior of semiconductor nanostructures.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Measurements of water molecule isotopomer concentrations in a discharge of inert gas with addition of H{sub 2}O and D{sub 2} vapours by the method of external-cavity diode laser spectroscopy

Discharge plasma in inert gases with added water vapours and deuterium is studied by using the optimised diode laser spectroscopy with an external cavity. Formation of a spectrally dense grid of cavity transverse mode eigenfrequencies allows one to determine the parameters of Doppler broadening for absorption lines, a kinetic temperature of molecules, and their statistical sums. By using these parameters and the value of an absorption coefficient, correlations of concentrations are found for H{sub 2}O and HDO isotopomers at various ratios of plasma-forming gas components. An important contribution of initial gas molecules adsorbed on walls into the formation of plasma composition is stressed. It is found that the ratio of H{sub 2}O and HDO concentrations is the same at various ratios of H{sub 2}O and D{sub 2} concentrations in plasma-forming gases and is constant during the discharge burning process. (laser applications and other topics in quantum electronics)

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Optical feedback cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy with a 3.24 μm interband cascade laser

The development of interband cascade lasers (ICLs) has made the strong C-H transitions in the 3 μm spectral region increasingly accessible. We present the demonstration of a single mode distributed feedback ICL coupled to a V-shaped optical cavity in an optical feedback cavity-enhanced absorption spectroscopy (OF-CEAS) experiment. We achieved a minimum detectable absorption coefficient, α{sub min}, of (7.1±0.2)×10{sup −8} cm{sup −1} for a spectrum of CH{sub 4} at 3.24 μm with a two second acquisition time (100 scans averaged). This corresponds to a detection limit of 3 ppb CH{sub 4} at atmospheric pressure, which is comparable to previously reported OF-CEAS instruments with diode lasers or quantum cascade lasers. The ability to frequency lock an ICL source in the important 3 μm region to an optical cavity holds great promise for future spectroscopic applications.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Laboratory Investigations into the Spectra and Origin of Propylene Oxide: A Chiral Interstellar Molecule

Propylene oxide was recently identified in the interstellar medium, but few laboratory results are available for this molecule to guide current and future investigations. To address this situation, here we report infrared spectra, absorption coefficients, and band strengths of solid propylene oxide along with the first measurement of its refractive index and a calculation of its density, all for the amorphous solid form of the compound. We present the first experimental results showing a low-temperature formation pathway for propylene oxide near 10 K in interstellar ice analogs. Connections are drawn between our new results and the interstellar molecules propanal and acetone, and predictions are made about several as yet unobserved vinyl alcohols and methylketene. Comparisons are given to earlier laboratory work and a few applications to interstellar and solar system astrochemistry are described.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2019

Transition metal-doped 3C-SiC as a promising material for intermediate band solar cells

In this report the un-surveyed domain of silicon-based intermediate band solar cell (IBSC) has been studied. Intermediate band (IB) has been created in 3C-SiC through substitution of cobalt (Co) atoms within super cell structures as a consequence of interaction between the crystalline potential and spin interaction with d orbitals of Co. The band structure, density of state and absorption coefficient of the new material have been extracted. Large band gap of 3C-SiC along with the proper selection of the guest Co atoms provides both high conversion efficiency and also, the possibility to reach the theoretical optimal band gap for photovoltaic applications. However, we demonstrated that a metallic narrow IB is formed whiten the forbidden band energy of 3C-SiC when Co atoms are located inside that. The maximum conversion efficiencies near 60% and 55% are obtained under AM1.5 and AM0 spectra, respectively. Our theoretical results provide a possible way to design high efficiency solar cell based on silicon carbide.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Thermonuclear targets for direct-drive ignition by a megajoule laser pulse

Central ignition of a thin two-layer-shell fusion target that is directly driven by a 2-MJ profiled pulse of Nd laser second-harmonic radiation has been studied. The parameters of the target were selected so as to provide effective acceleration of the shell toward the center, which was sufficient for the onset of ignition under conditions of increased hydrodynamic stability of the ablator acceleration and compression. The aspect ratio of the inner deuterium-tritium layer of the shell does not exceed 15, provided that a major part (above 75%) of the outer layer (plastic ablator) is evaporated by the instant of maximum compression. The investigation is based on two series of numerical calculations that were performed using one-dimensional (1D) hydrodynamic codes. The first 1D code was used to calculate the absorption of the profiled laser-radiation pulse (including calculation of the total absorption coefficient with allowance for the inverse bremsstrahlung and resonance mechanisms) and the spatial distribution of target heating for a real geometry of irradiation using 192 laser beams in a scheme of focusing with a cubo-octahedral symmetry. The second 1D code was used for simulating the total cycle of target evolution under the action of absorbed laser radiation and for determining the thermonuclear gain that was achieved with a given target.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Simulation of quantum dots size and spacing effect for intermediate band solar cell application based on InAs quantum dots arrangement in GaAs

Intermediate band solar cell (IBSC) has become a promising technology in increasing solar cell efficiency. In this work we compare absorption coefficient profile between InAs quantum dots with GaAs bulk. We calculate the efficiency of GaAs bulk and GaAs doped with 2, 5, and 10 nm InAs quantum dot. Effective distances in quantum dot arrangement based on electron tunneling consideration were also calculated. We presented a simple calculation method with low computing power demand. Results showed that arrangement of quantum dot InAs in GaAs can increase solar cell efficiency from 23.9 % initially up to 60.4%. The effective distance between two quantum dots was found 2 nm in order to give adequate distance to prevent electron tunneling and wave functions overlap.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Far-infrared collision-induced absorption in rare gas mixtures: Quantum and semi-classical calculations

We compare calculations of the translational collision-induced spectra and their integrated intensities of both He–Ar and Ne–Ar collisional complexes, using the quantum mechanical and a semiclassical formalism. Advanced potential energy and induced dipole functions are used for the calculations. The quantum method used is as described previously [L. Frommhold, Collision-induced Absorption in Gases (Cambridge University Press, 1993 and 2006)]. The semiclassical method is based on repeated classical atom-atom scattering calculations to simulate an ensemble average; subsequent Fourier transform then renders the binary absorption coefficient as a function of frequency. The problem of classical calculations is the violation of the principle of detailed balance, which may be introduced only artificially in classical calculations. Nevertheless, it is shown that the use of classical trajectories permits a fairly accurate reproduction of the experimental spectra, comparable to the quantum mechanical results at not too low temperatures and for collisional pairs of not too small reduced mass. Inexpensive classical calculations may thus be promising to compute spectra also of molecular pairs, or even of polyatomic collisional pairs with anisotropic intermolecular interactions, for which the quantum approach is still inefficient or impractical.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Energy loss of solar p modes due to the excitation of magnetic sausage tube waves: Importance of coupling the upper atmosphere

We consider damping and absorption of solar p modes due to their energy loss to magnetic tube waves that can freely carry energy out of the acoustic cavity. The coupling of p modes and sausage tube waves is studied in a model atmosphere composed of a polytropic interior above which lies an isothermal upper atmosphere. The sausage tube waves, excited by p modes, propagate along a magnetic fibril which is assumed to be a vertically aligned, stratified, thin magnetic flux tube. The deficit of p-mode energy is quantified through the damping rate, Γ, and absorption coefficient, α. The variation of Γ and α as a function of frequency and the tube's plasma properties is studied in detail. Previous similar studies have considered only a subphotospheric layer, modeled as a polytrope that has been truncated at the photosphere. Such studies have found that the resulting energy loss by the p modes is very sensitive to the upper boundary condition, which, due to the lack of an upper atmosphere, have been imposed in a somewhat ad hoc manner. The model presented here avoids such problems by using an isothermal layer to model the overlying atmosphere (chromosphere, and, consequently, allows us to analyze the propagation of p-mode-driven sausage waves above the photosphere. In this paper, we restrict our attention to frequencies below the acoustic cut off frequency. We demonstrate the importance of coupling all waves (acoustic, magnetic) in the subsurface solar atmosphere with the overlying atmosphere in order to accurately model the interaction of solar f and p modes with sausage tube waves. In calculating the absorption and damping of p modes, we find that for low frequencies, below ≈3.5 mHz, the isothermal atmosphere, for the two-region model, behaves like a stress-free boundary condition applied at the interface (z = –z{sub 0}).

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1995

Light response of phytoplankton in the South Atlantic Ocean: Interpretation of observations and application to remote sensing

A simplified, nonspectral derivation of a classical theory in plant physiology is presented and used to derive an absorption-based primary productivity algorithm. Field observations from a meridional transect (4 deg N to 42 deg S) in the Atlantic Ocean are then described and interpreted in this theoretical context. The observations include photosynthesis-irradiance curve parameters (alpha and P(sub max)), chlorophyll a and phaeopigment concentration, and estimated phytoplankton absorption coefficients at wavelength = 440 nm (a(sub ph)(440)). Observations near the top (50% I(sub 0)) and bottom (6% I(sub 0)) of the euphotic zone are contrasted. At both light levels, alpha, P(sub max), a(sub ph)(440), and pigment concentration varied similarly along the transect: values were highest at the equator and at the southern end of the transect and lowest in the central South Atlantic. It is concluded that this pattern was related to increased nutrient availability due to equatorial upwelling in the north, and increased wind mixing in the south. At the 50% light level, alpha increased relative to a(sub ph) at the southern end of the transect. This result appears to reflect a large-scale meridional (southward) increase in the average quantum efficiency of the photosynthetic units of the phytoplankton. A correlation analysis of the data reveals that at the 50% light level, variations in P(sub max) were more closely related to a(sub ph)(440) than chlorophyll concentration and that phytoplankton absorption explains 90% of the variability in P(sub max). In theory, this shows that the ratio of the average quantum efficiency of the photosynthetic units of the phytoplankton to the product of their average absorption cross section and turnover time is relatively constant. This result is used to simplify the absorption-based primary productivity algorithm derived previously. The feasibility of using this model to estimate production rate from satellite ocean color observations is discussed. It is concluded that an absorption-based algorithm should provide more accurate production rate estimates than one based upon chlorophyll (pigment) concentration.

Hood, Raleigh R.↗
DOE OSTI2014

In operando observation system for electrochemical reaction by soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy with potential modulation method

In order to investigate local structures of electrolytes in electrochemical reactions under the same scan rate as a typical value 100 mV/s in cyclic voltammetry (CV), we have developed an in operando observation system for electrochemical reactions by soft X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) with a potential modulation method. XAS spectra of electrolytes are measured by using a transmission-type liquid flow cell with built-in electrodes. The electrode potential is swept with a scan rate of 100 mV/s at a fixed photon energy, and soft X-ray absorption coefficients at different potentials are measured at the same time. By repeating the potential modulation at each fixed photon energy, it is possible to measure XAS of electrochemical reaction at the same scan rate as in CV. We have demonstrated successful measurement of the Fe L-edge XAS spectra of aqueous iron sulfate solutions and of the change in valence of Fe ions at different potentials in the Fe redox reaction. The mechanism of these Fe redox processes is discussed by correlating the XAS results with those at different scan rates.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2019

Modeling and design of tin doped group IV alloy based QWEAM

This work investigates vital characteristics of tin doped group IV based quantum well for its potential as an electroabsorption modulator (EAM). Absorption coefficient and refractive index variation in proposed EAM structure are evaluated and studied under variation of electric field. Performance parameters like extinction ratio, chirp factor, etc. are calculated for different electric fields and Sn content of GeSn quantum well. A significant negative chirp and high extinction ratio has been obtained at midinfrared range of wavelength. The result reveals that appropriate selection of external field and Sn content plays a decisive role in the performance of QWEAM. Moreover, there is a tradeoff between extinction ratio and insertion loss on increasing length of the modulator.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Research on calorimeter for high-power microwave measurements

Based on measurement of the volume increment of polar liquid that is a result of heating by absorbed microwave energy, two types of calorimeters with coaxial capacitive probes for measurement of high-power microwave energy are designed in this paper. The first is an “inline” calorimeter, which is placed as an absorbing load at the end of the output waveguide, and the second is an “offline” calorimeter that is placed 20 cm away from the radiation horn of the high-power microwave generator. Ethanol and high density polyethylene are used as the absorbing and housing materials, respectively. Results from both simulations and a “cold test” on a 9.3 GHz klystron show that the “inline” calorimeter has a measurement range of more than 100 J and an energy absorption coefficient of 93%, while the experimental results on a 9.3 GHz relativistic backward-wave oscillator show that the device’s power capacity is approximately 0.9 GW. The same experiments were also carried out for the “offline” calorimeter, and the results indicate that it can be used to eliminate the effects of the shock of the solenoid on the measurement curves and that the device has a higher power capacity of 2.5 GW. The results of the numerical simulations, the “cold tests,” and the experiments show good agreement.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

Optical properties of large-area ultrathin MoS{sub 2} films: Evolution from a single layer to multilayers

We investigated the optical properties of ultrathin MoS{sub 2} films (number of layers: N = 1, 2, 4, and 12) using Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy, and spectroscopic ellipsometry. We estimated the layer thicknesses based on Raman spectra. We characterized the microstructural properties of a single-layer MoS{sub 2} film using atomic force microscopy. We measured the lowest-energy A and B excitons using PL spectroscopy. We measured the ellipsometric angles (Ψ and Δ) of MoS{sub 2} thin films using spectroscopic ellipsometry, and obtained the dielectric functions as the films' thickness changed from a single layer to multi-layers. We determined the films' optical gap energies from the absorption coefficients. Applying the standard critical point model to the second derivative of the dielectric function (d{sup 2}ε(E)/dE{sup 2}), we determined several critical point energies. The d{sup 2}ε(E)/dE{sup 2} spectra showed doublet peaks around 3 eV corresponding to the C and D transitions, as well as doublet peaks around 2 eV corresponding to the A and B transitions. These doublet structures at 3 eV are attributed to the transitions in the Brillouin zone between the Γ and K points.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Applicability of the thin-film approximation in terahertz photoconductivity measurements

Thin mesoporous photoconductive layers are critically important for efficient water-spitting solar cells. A detailed understanding of photoconductivity in these materials can be achieved via terahertz transient absorption measurements. Such measurements are commonly interpreted using the thin-film approximation. We compare this approximation with a numerical solution of the transfer function without approximations using experimental results for thin-film mesoporous tin oxide (SnO 2 ) samples which range in thickness from 3.3 to 12.6 µm. These samples were sensitized with either a ruthenium polypyridyl complex or a porphyrin dye. The two sensitizers have markedly different absorption coefficients, resulting in penetration depths of 15 µm and 1 µm, respectively. The thin-film approximation results are in good agreement with the numerical work-up for the short penetration length dye. For the longer penetration length samples, the thin-film formula fails even for thicknesses of only 3 µm ≈ λ/100. The imaginary part of the conductivity calculated using the thin-film formula was significantly larger in magnitude than the value without approximations. This discrepancy between the commonly used thin-film approximation and the numerical solution demonstrates the need for a careful analysis of the thin-film formula.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗