Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “electronics”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 703 records · Page 39
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

Quantum fluctuations lead to glassy electron dynamics in the good metal regime of electron doped KTaO 3

One of the central challenges in condensed matter physics is to comprehend systems that have strong disorder and strong interactions. In the strongly localized regime, their subtle competition leads to glassy electron dynamics which ceases to exist well before the insulator-to-metal transition is approached as a function of doping. Here, we report on the discovery of glassy electron dynamics deep inside the good metal regime of an electron-doped quantum paraelectric system: KTaO 3 . We reveal that upon excitation of electrons from defect states to the conduction band, the excess injected carriers in the conduction band relax in a stretched exponential manner with a large relaxation time, and the system evinces simple aging phenomena—a telltale sign of glassy dynamics. Most significantly, we observe a critical slowing down of carrier dynamics below 35 K, concomitant with the onset of quantum paraelectricity in the undoped KTaO 3 . Our combined investigation using second harmonic generation technique, density functional theory and phenomenological modeling demonstrates quantum fluctuation-stabilized soft polar modes as the impetus for the glassy behavior. This study addresses one of the most fundamental questions regarding the potential promotion of glassiness by quantum fluctuations and opens a route for exploring glassy dynamics of electrons in a well-delocalized regime.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Characteristics of the dynamic shielding on the Wannier-ridge electron escapes by electron impact in weakly coupled plasmas

The influence of the dynamic shielding on the Wannier ridge electron escapes into the continuum states by the electron-impact is investigated in weakly coupled plasmas. The dynamically shielded renormalized electron charge and screened Wannier exponent are obtained by considering the equation of motion in the Wannier configuration mode with the effective interaction potential as functions of the charge of the residual ion, Debye length, projectile energy, and thermal energy. The result shows that the dynamic renormalized effective electron charge decreases with an increase of the thermal energy, especially for large distances. It is found that the dynamic shielding effect enhances the Wannier exponent for the double-electron escape. The variation of the dynamic shielding effect on the screened Wannier exponent is also discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

High-resolution electron spectroscopy of lanthanide (Ce, Pr, and Nd) complexes of cyclooctatetraene: The role of 4f electrons

Cerium, praseodymium, and neodymium complexes of 1,3,5,7-cyclooctatetraene (COT) complexes were produced in a laser-vaporization metal cluster source and studied by pulsed-field ionization zero electron kinetic energy spectroscopy and quantum chemical calculations. The computations included the second-order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory, the coupled cluster method with single, double, and perturbative triple excitations, and the state-average complete active space self-consistent field method. The spectrum of each complex exhibits multiple band systems and is assigned to ionization of several low-energy electronic states of the neutral complex. This observation is different from previous studies of M(COT) (M = Sc, Y, La, and Gd), for which a single band system was observed. The presence of the multiple low-energy electronic states is caused by the splitting of the partially filled lanthanide 4f orbitals in the ligand field, and the number of the low-energy states increases rapidly with increasing number of the metal 4f electrons. On the other hand, the 4f electrons have a small effect on the geometries and vibrational frequencies of these lanthanide complexes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Electron cascades in sensors for optical detection of ionizing radiation

A new class of high-speed detectors, called RadOptic detectors, measures ionizing radiation incident on a transparent semiconductor by sensing changes in the refractive index with an optical probe beam. We describe the role of radiation-initiated electron cascades in setting the sensitivity and the spatial and temporal resolution of RadOptic detectors. We model electron cascades with both analytical and Monte Carlo computational methods. We find that the timescale for the development of an electron cascade is less than of order 100 fs and is not expected to affect the time response of a detector. The characteristic size of the electron cloud is typically less than 2 μm, enabling high spatial resolution in imaging systems. The electron-hole pair density created by single x-rays is much smaller than the saturation density and, therefore, single events should not saturate the detector.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Determination of the maximum energy loss for electron stopping power calculations and its effect on backscattering electron yield in Monte-Carlo simulations applying continuous slowing-down approximation

The maximum energy loss for electron stopping power calculations by the full Penn algorithm within the dielectric formalism is determined with taking into account the contribution of electron and plasmon excitations. Use of these calculated electron stopping powers in Monte Carlo simulations applying continuous slowing down approximation gives the backscattering electron yields in much better agreement with experimental data than previous other theoretical results. The muffin-tin model is used to describe the electron elastic scattering by atom bound in solids with taking into account the exchange correlation and polarization effect.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Fluid aspects of electron streaming instability in electron-ion plasmas

Electrons streaming in a background electron and ion plasma may lead to the formation of electrostatic solitary wave (ESW) and hole structure which have been observed in various space plasma environments. Past studies on the formation of ESW are mostly based on the particle simulations due to the necessity of incorporating particle's trapping effects. In this study, the fluid aspects and thermodynamics of streaming instabilities in electron-ion plasmas including bi-streaming and bump-on-tail instabilities are addressed based on the comparison between fluid theory and the results from particle-in-cell simulations. The energy closure adopted in the fluid model is the polytropic law of d(pρ{sup −γ})/dt=0 with γ being a free parameter. Two unstable modes are identified for the bump-on-tail instability and the growth rates as well as the dispersion relation of the streaming instabilities derived from the linear theory are found to be in good agreement with the particle simulations for both bi-streaming and bump-on-tail instabilities. At the nonlinear saturation, 70% of the electrons are trapped inside the potential well for the drift velocity being 20 times of the thermal velocity and the pρ{sup −γ} value is significantly increased. Effects of ion to electron mass ratio on the linear fluid theory and nonlinear simulations are also examined.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Investigation of relativistic runaway electrons in electron cyclotron resonance heating discharges on Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research

The behavior of relativistic runaway electrons during Electron Cyclotron Resonance Heating (ECRH) discharges is investigated in the Korea Superconducting Tokamak Advanced Research device. The effect of the ECRH on the runaway electron population is discussed. Observations on the generation of superthermal electrons during ECRH will be reported, which will be shown to be consistent with existing theory for the development of a superthermal electron avalanche during ECRH [A. Lazaros, Phys. Plasmas 8, 1263 (2001)].

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Quasi-linear analysis of the extraordinary electron wave destabilized by runaway electrons

Runaway electrons with strongly anisotropic distributions present in post-disruption tokamak plasmas can destabilize the extraordinary electron (EXEL) wave. The present work investigates the dynamics of the quasi-linear evolution of the EXEL instability for a range of different plasma parameters using a model runaway distribution function valid for highly relativistic runaway electron beams produced primarily by the avalanche process. Simulations show a rapid pitch-angle scattering of the runaway electrons in the high energy tail on the 100–1000 μs time scale. Due to the wave-particle interaction, a modification to the synchrotron radiation spectrum emitted by the runaway electron population is foreseen, exposing a possible experimental detection method for such an interaction.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Dynamic behavior of ion acoustic waves in electron-positron-ion magnetoplasmas with superthermal electrons and positrons

The dynamic behavior of ion acoustic waves in electron-positron-ion magnetoplasmas with superthermal electrons and positrons has been investigated in the framework of perturbed and non-perturbed Kadomtsev-Petviashili (KP) equations. Applying the reductive perturbation technique, we have derived the KP equation in electron-positron-ion magnetoplasma with kappa distributed electrons and positrons. Bifurcations of ion acoustic traveling waves of the KP equation are presented. Using the bifurcation theory of planar dynamical systems, the existence of the solitary wave solutions and the periodic traveling wave solutions has been established. Two exact solutions of these waves have been derived depending on the system parameters. Then, using the Hirota's direct method, we have obtained two-soliton and three-soliton solutions of the KP equation. The effect of the spectral index κ on propagations of the two-soliton and the three-soliton has been shown. Considering an external periodic perturbation, we have presented the quasi periodic behavior of ion acoustic waves in electron-positron-ion magnetoplasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2015

Evidence for weakly bound electrons in non-irradiated alkane crystals: The electrons as a probe of structural differences in crystals

It is generally assumed that weakly bound (trapped) electrons in organic solids come only from radiolytical (or photochemical) processes like ionization caused by an excited positron entering the sample. This paper presents evidence for the presence of these electrons in non-irradiated samples of docosane. This can be due to the triboelectrification process. We argue that these electrons can be located (trapped) either in interlamellar gaps or in spaces made by non-planar conformers. Electrons from the former ones are bound more weakly than electrons from the latter ones. The origin of Vis absorption for the samples is explained. These spectra can be used as a probe indicating differences in the solid structures of hydrocarbons.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Modeling the high-energy electronic state manifold of adenine: Calibration for nonlinear electronic spectroscopy

Pump-probe electronic spectroscopy using femtosecond laser pulses has evolved into a standard tool for tracking ultrafast excited state dynamics. Its two-dimensional (2D) counterpart is becoming an increasingly available and promising technique for resolving many of the limitations of pump-probe caused by spectral congestion. The ability to simulate pump-probe and 2D spectra from ab initio computations would allow one to link mechanistic observables like molecular motions and the making/breaking of chemical bonds to experimental observables like excited state lifetimes and quantum yields. From a theoretical standpoint, the characterization of the electronic transitions in the visible (Vis)/ultraviolet (UV), which are excited via the interaction of a molecular system with the incoming pump/probe pulses, translates into the determination of a computationally challenging number of excited states (going over 100) even for small/medium sized systems. A protocol is therefore required to evaluate the fluctuations of spectral properties like transition energies and dipole moments as a function of the computational parameters and to estimate the effect of these fluctuations on the transient spectral appearance. In the present contribution such a protocol is presented within the framework of complete and restricted active space self-consistent field theory and its second-order perturbation theory extensions. The electronic excited states of adenine have been carefully characterized through a previously presented computational recipe [Nenov et al., Comput. Theor. Chem. 1040–1041, 295-303 (2014)]. A wise reduction of the level of theory has then been performed in order to obtain a computationally less demanding approach that is still able to reproduce the characteristic features of the reference data. Foreseeing the potentiality of 2D electronic spectroscopy to track polynucleotide ground and excited state dynamics, and in particular its expected ability to provide conformational dependent fingerprints in dimeric systems, the performances of the selected reduced level of calculations have been tested in the construction of 2D electronic spectra for the in vacuo adenine monomer and the unstacked adenine homodimer, thereby exciting the L{sub b}/L{sub a} transitions with the pump pulse pair and probing in the Vis to near ultraviolet spectral window.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2015

Effects of electron interference on temperature dependent transport properties of two dimensional electron gas at MgZnO/ZnO interfaces

We report the effects of electron interference on temperature dependent transport properties of two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) confined at the interface in polycrystalline MgZnO/ZnO heterostructures grown by pulsed laser deposition on c-alumina substrates. On increasing Mg concentration in the MgZnO layer, the sheet electron concentration was found to increase and the sheet resistance was found to decrease. In addition, the electron concentration and mobility were almost temperature independent in the range from 4.2 to 300 K, indicating the formation of 2DEG at the interface. The temperature dependent resistivity measurements showed a negative temperature coefficient of resistivity at low temperatures together with negative magnetoresistance. These were found to be caused by electron interference effects, and the experimental data could be explained using the models of quantum corrections to conductivity.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

A many-body states picture of electronic friction: The case of multiple orbitals and multiple electronic states

We present a very general form of electronic friction as present when a molecule with multiple orbitals hybridizes with a metal electrode. To develop this picture of friction, we embed the quantum-classical Liouville equation (QCLE) within a classical master equation (CME). Thus, this article extends our previous work analyzing the case of one electronic level, as we may now treat the case of multiple levels and many electronic molecular states. We show that, in the adiabatic limit, where electron transitions are much faster than nuclear motion, the QCLE-CME reduces to a Fokker-Planck equation, such that nuclei feel an average force as well as friction and a random force—as caused by their interaction with the metallic electrons. Finally, we show numerically and analytically that our frictional results agree with other published results calculated using non-equilibrium Green’s functions. Numerical recipes for solving this QCLE-CME will be provided in a subsequent paper.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2020

Electron-electron interactions in low-dimensional Si:P delta layers

Scientists have long studied the physics of highly disordered conducting systems, seeking to understand the multitude of quantum phenomena that govern how electrons move through material systems. Recently, research into silicon-based quantum computing has made disordered conducting systems, such as Si:P monolayers embedded in isotopically pure Si, technically relevant. Consequently, applying and advancing the theoretical frameworks developed to describe electron behavior in disordered systems is a necessary objective in this field of research. This study investigates key components of dopant-based Si quantum computing devices: embedded regions of highly doped delta layers (δ layers). We examine the transport behavior and the electron-electron interaction (EEI) physics in embedded Si:P δ layers by means of self-consistent magnetotransport measurements. Parameters associated with the electronic transport offer a meaningful quantitative characterization of δ-layer quality and dopant diffusion. In addition, by examining EEI behaviors in a set of samples with embedded Si:P δ layers produced with different PH3 exposure procedures prior to Si encapsulation, we show how details of material synthesis affect the dimensionality of charge carrier interactions in embedded Si:P δ layers. Furthermore, the relationship between δ-layer confinement and EEI screening lengths is established here. This understanding will help validate important models used for device simulation and design and lead to improvements in the control of electrostatic gating of and tunneling transport through Si:P single atom transistors.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

X-ray free electron laser studies of electron and phonon dynamics of graphene adsorbed on copper

Here, we report optical pumping and x-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments at the Pohang Accelerator Laboratory free electron laser that probes the electron dynamics of a graphene monolayer adsorbed on copper in the femtosecond regime. By analyzing the results with ab initio theory we infer that the excitation of graphene is dominated by indirect excitation from hot electron-hole pairs created in the copper by the optical laser pulse. However, once the excitation is created in graphene, its decay follows a similar path as in many previous studies of graphene adsorbed on semiconductors, i.e., rapid excitation of strongly coupled optical phonons and eventual thermalization. It is likely that the lifetime of the hot electron-hole pairs in copper governs the lifetime of the electronic excitation of the graphene.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

SU-E-T-775: Use of Electronic Portal Imaging Device (EPID) for Quality Assurance (QA) of Electron Beams On Varian Truebeam System

Purpose: In a previous study we have demonstrated the feasibility of using EPID to QA electron beam parameters on a single Varian TrueBeam LINAC. This study aims to provide further investigation on (1) reproducibility of using EPID to detect electron beam energy changes on multiple machines and (2) evaluation of appropriate calibration methods to compare results from different EPIDs. Methods: Ad-hoc mode electron beam images were acquired in developer mode with XML code. Electron beam data were collected on a total of six machines from four institutions. A custom-designed double-wedge phantom was placed on the EPID detector. Two calibration methods - Pixel Sensitivity Map (PSM) and Large Source-to-Imager Distance Flood Field (LSID-FF) - were used. To test the sensitivity of EPID in detecting energy drifts, Bending Magnet Current (BMC) was detuned to invoke energy changes corresponding to ∼±1.5 mm change in R50% of PDD on two machines from two institutions. Percent depth ionization (PDI) curves were then analyzed and compared with the respective baseline images using LSID-FF calibration. For reproducibility testing, open field EPID images and images with a standard testing phantom were collected on multiple machines. Images with and without PSM correction for same energies on different machines were overlaid and compared. Results: Two pixel shifts were observed in PDI curve when energy changes exceeded the TG142 tolerance. PSM showed the potential to correct the differences in pixel response of different imagers. With PSM correction, the histogram of images differences obtained from different machines showed narrower distributions than those images without PSM correction. Conclusion: EPID is sensitive for electron energy changes and the results are reproducible on different machines. When overlaying images from different machines, PSM showed the ability to partially eliminate the intrinsic variation of various imagers. Research Funding from Varian Medical Systems Inc.Dr. Sasa Mutic receives compensation for providing patient safety training services from Varian Medical Systems, the sponsor of this study.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Electron and Electron-Nuclear Dynamics of Open Quantum Subsystems

Leveraging an open-subsystem formulation of Density Functional Theory (DFT) we aim at describing periodic and molecular systems alike, including their electronic and nuclear dynamics. Subsystem DFT enables first principles simulations to approach realistic time- and length-scales, and most importantly sheds light on the dynamical behavior of complex systems. Taking subsystem DFT to the time domain allows us to inspect the electron dynamics of condensed-phase systems in real time. In liquids and interfaces, we observe all the relevant regimes proper of non-Markovian open quantum system dynamics, such as electronic energy transfer, and screening. In addition, the ab-initio modeling of system-bath interactions brought us to observe and justify the holographic time-dependent electron density theorem. Contrary to interactions between molecular (finite) systems, when molecules interact with metal or semiconductor surfaces the electron dynamics is strongly non-Markovian with dramatic repercussions to the molecule’s response to external perturbations. Metals and semiconductors typically have large polarizabilities, and even in a regime of low coupling their effect on impinging molecular species is significant–line broadening, peak shift, and intensity borrowing are observed, characterized, and explained in terms of inter-subsystem dynamical interactions and a many-body decomposition of the system’s density-density response function in a way that transcends the canons of Fermi Golden Rule.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Sensing Few Electrons Floating on Helium with High-Electron-Mobility Transistors

We report on low-frequency measurements of few electrons floating on superfluid helium using a bespoke cryogenic cascode amplifier circuit built with off-the-shelf GaAs high-electron-mobility transistors (HEMTs). We integrate this circuit with a charge-coupled device (CCD) to transport the electrons on helium and characterize its performance. Here, we show that this circuit has a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of ~ 2 $\frac{e}{√Hz}$ at 102 kHz, an order of magnitude improvement from previous implementations, and provides a compelling alternative to few electron sensing with high-frequency resonators.

Charge-Coupled Devices↗