SEARCH · Engineering Papers
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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BatteryDataExtractor is the first property-specific text-mining tool for auto-generating databases of materials and their property, device, and associated characteristics. The software has been constructed by embedding the BatteryBERT model.
Stimuli-responsive microgels, composed of small beads with soft, deformable polymer networks swollen through a combination of synthetic control over the polymer and its interaction with water, form a versatile platform for development of multifunctional and biocompatible sensors. The interfacial structural variation of such materials at a nanometer length scale is essential to their function, but not yet fully comprehended. Here, we take advantage of the plasmonic response of a gold nanorod embedded in a thermoresponsive microgel (AuNR@PNIPMAm) to monitor structural changes in the hydrogel directly near the nanorod surface. By direct comparison of the plasmon response against measurements of the hydrogel structure from dynamic light scattering and nuclear magnetic resonance, we find that the microgel shell of batch-polymerized AuNR@PNIPMAm exhibits a heterogeneous volume phase transition reflected by different onset temperatures for changes in the hydrodyanmic radius (R H ) and plasmon resonance, respectively. The new approach of contrasting plasmonic response (a measure of local surface hydrogel structure) with R H and relaxation times paves a new path to gain valuable insight for the design of plasmonic sensors based on stimuli-responsive hydrogels.
Single-atom metal embedded in nitrogen-doped carbon show high HER performance, with Co-NAC reaching 200 mA cm −2 at 310 mV overpotential.
Aims. This paper has two aims: the first aim is to build a large homogeneous spectrophotometric sample of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) from the second data release of the Zwicky Transient Facility (ZTF DR2). We used the spectrum sample from the low-resolution ( R ∼ 100) SEDmachine (SEDm) Integral Field Spectrograph (IFS) that gathered 3069 spectra. This is one of the largest samples of such collections that can attempt to reproduce the Twins Embedding (TE) spectrophotometric standardization method. This is our second objective. The method was developed based on high-quality spectra from 200 SNe Ia of the Nearby Supernova factory (SNfactory) and led to an exceptionally low value of 0.073 mag for the intrinsic scatter. Methods. As the SEDm is not designed as a spectrophotometric instrument, we first improved the flux-calibration accuracy of the SN Ia spectrum sample using the ZTF photometric data, which were calibrated at the percent level. We corrected the spectra for second-order polynomials, fitted by comparing the synthetic photometry in the ZTF g , r , i filters with the light-curve (LC) data. We then applied the three steps of the TE parameterization to a subset of 783 ZTF SN spectra near maximum light while comparing results from SNfactory and ZTF. We finally analyzed the standardization methods based on the TE parameters. Results. The precision of the phase-correction model, which is the first step of the TE, is estimated at 0.01 mag in g band based on ZTF data. Despite the challenge posed by the spectrum-extraction pipeline associated with the SEDm (flux calibration, leftover host signal, low signal-to-noise ratio, and low resolution), we applied a first standardization in color based on the second step of the TE, called read between the lines (RBTL), to the ZTF sample. We reached a Hubble residual scatter of 0.153 mag, all in normalized median absolute deviation, which is to be compared to the ∼0.11 mag obtained with the SNfactory data. The SALT color and stretch standardization reaches a scatter of 0.164 mag for the same ZTF SN Ia sample, and its host steps are ∼0.1 mag and zero for RBTL. When considering the scatter due to the redshift error and flux calibration error, we estimated a RBTL scatter of ∼0.129 mag for this ZTF sample as an upper limit because we identified an additional contribution from a systematic error in color. We tested the standardization based on the nonlinear TE parameters, and, as expected from the low spectrum quality, it did not improve the overall dispersion. Conclusions. We release 1897 flux calibrated spectra of 1607 SNe Ia with an estimated photometric accuracy of 0.07 mag. We further demonstrate that some amount of spectrophotometric SN Ia standardization can be done with limited-quality spectra. The RBTL standardization is more efficient than that of SALT with one parameter less, and the resulting host steps are consistent with zero. This makes it less prone to astrophysical bias. For future spectroscopic surveys, targeting the extraction pipeline for a thorough flux calibration and good signal-to-noise ratio would enable us to compute the full TE standardization, which would further reduce the scatter in the distance estimate.
As-grown light emitting self-assembled Ge nanocrystals (Ge-NCs) embedded in a SiO{sub 2} matrix were produced via a sequential deposition process of SiO{sub 2}/Ge/SiO{sub 2} layers employing a reactive radio frequency sputtering technique. Obtained Ge-NCs show a crystallographic phase, the proportion, size, quality, and specific orientation of which are determined by the oxygen partial pressure. Photoluminescence (PL) spectra indicate that the size distribution of Ge-NCs is reduced and centered on about 8 nm when higher oxygen partial pressure is employed; the formation of Ge-NCs is corroborated by transmission electron microscopy measurements, and their sizes are consistent with estimates from PL measurements. Resistivity measurements are explained by a near neighbors hopping process, with specific features depending on the Ge-NCs' size. The features of PL and resistivity measurements indicate that there is no appreciable dependence of the number of interfacial defects on the oxygen partial pressure.
We used a low energy electron irradiation technique to prepare graphene sheets embedded carbon (GSEC) film based on electron cyclotron resonance plasma. The particular {pi} electronic structure of the GSEC film similar to bilayer graphene was verified by Raman spectra 2D band analyzing. The phase transition from amorphous carbon to GSEC was initiated when electron irradiation energy reached 40 eV, and the growth mechanism of GSEC was interpreted as inelastic scattering of low energy electrons. This finding indicates that the GSEC film obtained by low energy electron irradiation can be excepted for widely applications with outstanding electric properties.
We have used conductive atomic force microscopy to investigate the influence of growth temperature on local current flow in GaAs pn junctions with embedded ErAs nanoparticles grown by molecular beam epitaxy. Three sets of samples, one with 1 ML ErAs deposited at different growth temperatures and two grown at 530 deg. C and 575 deg. C with varying ErAs depositions, were characterized. Statistical analysis of local current images suggests that the structures grown at 575 deg. C have about 3 times thicker ErAs nanoparticles than structures grown at 530 deg. C, resulting in degradation of conductivity due to reduced ErAs coverage. These findings explain previous studies of macroscopic tunnel junctions.
The structure of SiGe nanocrystals embedded in Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} formed by sequential deposition of Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}/Si/Ge/Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} and a subsequent annealing was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and its application for write-once-read-many-times (WORM) memory devices was explored in this study. By applying a -10 V pulse for 1 s, a large amount of holes injected from Si substrate are stored in the nanocrystals and consequently, the current at +1.5 V increases by a factor of 10{sup 4} as compared to that of the initial state. Even with a smaller -5 V pulse for 1 {mu}s, a sufficiently large current ratio of 36 can still be obtained, verifying the low power operation. Since holes are stored in nanocrystals which are isolated from Si substrate by Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} with good integrity and correspond to a large valence band offset with respect to Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, desirable read endurance up to 10{sup 5} cycles and excellent retention over 100 yr are achieved. Combining these promising characteristics, WORM memory devices are appropriate for high-performance archival storage applications.
Anomalous X-ray scattering is a unique technique to determine the composition profile of quantum dots embedded in buried interfaces of multilayer-structures. Here we present the results of MBE grown Si/Ge multilayer structures on Si(001) substrates having self-assembled Ge quantum dots in its buried interfaces. We performed grazing incidence diffraction measurements of (400) reflections along with (004) diffraction profiles exhibiting super-lattice reflections at and away from the germanium K-edge. Systematic analysis of the acquired data enabled us to extract average composition and strain profiles of the quantum dots.
The interaction of a dielectric nano-particle or nano-defect, embedded in the bulk of an optical material, with an intense and short laser pulse is addressed. Due to the finite size of the target and the possible large production of electrons in the conduction band, large electric field enhancement or surintensity may be induced inside the particle. Since ionization rates also depend on the instantaneous electric field, a strong time-dependent connection between electron production and surintensity may take place. Such a connection is shown to possibly lead to a nonlinear temporal increase in the free electron density relevant from an avalanche process, called optical avalanche, similar to the one induced by electron impact ionization. However, the present build-up in the electron density clearly exhibits more nonlinear features than traditional collisional avalanche, which is shown to induce an exponential growth of the density: when the optical avalanche is engaged, the temporal electron evolution exhibits an explosive behavior. That leads to a nanometric plasma at solid density whose subsequent laser heating may lead locally to matter under extreme conditions. Furthermore, we show that the defect induces a change in the ionization mechanism in the course of interaction: a transition from multiphoton to tunnel ionization may take place.
Electrically activated doping of boron (B) atoms into the Si-nanocrystals (Si-NCs) embedded silicon oxide film is achieved by co-sputtering technique following with the annealing treatment. The evolution of the size, the shape, and the density of Si-NCs with the doping of B atoms is investigated. The observation of x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of Si 2p and B 1s and the decrease in lattice spacing of Si (111) plane suggest that B atoms are doped into Si-NCs. The activated doping is confirmed by the Fano effect of the micro-Raman spectra for Si-NCs and the drastic decrease of the sheet resistance.
Ag nanoparticle (NP) embedded BaTiO{sub 3} (BTO) thin films on SrRuO{sub 3}-coated SrTiO{sub 3} (STO) substrates are prepared by the integrated nanocluster beam deposition and laser-molecular beam epitaxy. Enhanced resistive switching, up to an ON/OFF ration of 10{sup 4}, has been achieved at low switching voltage (less than 1 V) without a forming voltage. These characteristics make such nanocomposite film very promising for application of low voltage non-volatile random access memory. The enhanced resistive switching effect may be attributed to the charge storage effect of the Ag nanoparticles and easy formation of Ag filament inside the BTO film.
Scattering of positrons from the ground state of hydrogen atoms embedded in dense quantum plasma has been investigated by applying a formulation of the three-body collision problem in the form of coupled multi-channel two-body Lippmann-Schwinger equations. The interactions among the charged particles in dense quantum plasma have been represented by exponential cosine-screened Coulomb potentials. Variationally determined hydrogenic wave function has been employed to calculate the partial-wave scattering amplitude. Plasma screening effects on various possible mode of fragmentation of the system e{sup +}+H(1s) during the collision, such as 1s→1s and 2s→2s elastic collisions, 1s→2s excitation, positronium formation, elastic proton-positronium collisions, have been reported in the energy range 13.6-350 eV. Furthermore, a comparison has been made on the plasma screening effect of a dense quantum plasma with that of a weakly coupled plasma for which the plasma screening effect has been represented by the Debye model. Our results for the unscreened case are in fair agreement with some of the most accurate results available in the literature.
We present a detailed analysis of the plasma-induced resonance-like atomic structures near the ionization threshold in one- and two-photon ionization of hydrogen atom. Such resonance-like structures result from the migration of the upper bound excited states of bound-bound atomic transitions into the continuum due to the less attractive screened Coulomb potential which simulates the external environmental effect for an atom embedded in Debye plasma. The change from the resonance-like narrow structures into broad continuous spectra as the plasma effect increases could be accounted for by the overlap between the respective wavefunctions of the atomic electron in the initial state and its corresponding outgoing ionized state in the continuum.
ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) embedded in amorphous SiO{sub 2} were irradiated with 200 MeV Xe{sup 14+} swift heavy ions (SHIs) to a fluence of 5.0 × 10{sup 13} ions/cm{sup 2}. Optical linear dichroism was induced in the samples by the irradiation, indicating shape transformation of the NPs from spheres to anisotropic ones. Transmission electron microscopy observations revealed that some NPs were elongated to prolate shapes; the elongated NPs consisted not of ZnO but of Zn metal. The SHI irradiation induced deoxidation of small ZnO NPs and successive shape elongation of the deoxidized metal NPs.
This work presents the junction capacitance–voltage characteristics of highly textured/epitaxial Ni nanoparticle embedded in TiN matrix (TiN(Ni)) metal-insulator-semiconductor TiN(Ni)/SiO{sub 2}/p-Si (100) heterojunction in the temperature range of 10–300 K. This heterojunction behaves as metal-semiconductor junction with unavoidable leakage through native oxide SiO{sub 2} layer. The clockwise hysteresis loop has been observed in the capacitance-voltage characteristics measured at various frequencies mainly due to presence of trap centers at the TiN(Ni)/SiO{sub 2} interface and these are temperature dependent. The spin-dependent trap charge effect at the interface influences the quadratic nature of the capacitance with magnetic field. The junction magnetocapacitance (JMC) is observed to be dependent on both temperature and frequency. The highest JMC of this heterojunction has been observed at 200 K at higher frequencies (100 kHz–1 MHz). It is found that there is not much effect of band structure modification under magnetic field causing the JMC.
The optical and structural properties of In{sub 0.15}Ga{sub 0.85}As/In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub z}As/GaAs quantum wells with embedded InAs quantum dots (QDs) were investigated by the photoluminescence (PL), its temperature dependence, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and high resolution (HR-XRD) methods in dependence on the composition of capping In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub z}As layers. Three types of capping layers (Al{sub 0.3}Ga{sub 0.7}As, Al{sub 0.10}Ga{sub 0.75}In{sub 0.15}As, and Al{sub 0.40}Ga{sub 0.45}In{sub 0.15}As) have been used and their impact on PL parameters has been compared. Temperature dependences of PL peak positions in QDs have been analyzed in the range of 10–500 K and to compare with the temperature shrinkage of band gap in the bulk InAs crystal. This permits to investigate the QD material composition and the efficiency of Ga(Al)/In inter diffusion in dependence on the type of In{sub x}Al{sub y}Ga{sub z}As capping layers. XRD and HR-XRD used to control the composition of quantum well layers. It is shown that QD material composition is closer to InAs in the structure with the Al{sub 0.40}Ga{sub 0.45}In{sub 0.15}As capping layer and for this structure the emission 1.3 μm is detected at 300 K. The thermal decay of the integrated PL intensity has been studied as well. It is revealed the fast 10{sup 2}-fold thermal decay of the integrated PL intensity in the structure with the Al{sub 0.10}Ga{sub 0.75}In{sub 0.15}As capping layer in comparison with 10-fold decay in other structures. Finally, the reasons of PL spectrum transformation and the mechanism of PL thermal decay for different capping layers have been analyzed and discussed.
A low power zinc-oxide (ZnO) charge trapping memory with embedded silicon (Si) nanoparticles is demonstrated. The charge trapping layer is formed by spin coating 2 nm silicon nanoparticles between Atomic Layer Deposited ZnO steps. The threshold voltage shift (ΔV{sub t}) vs. programming voltage is studied with and without the silicon nanoparticles. Applying −1 V for 5 s at the gate of the memory with nanoparticles results in a ΔV{sub t} of 3.4 V, and the memory window can be up to 8 V with an excellent retention characteristic (>10 yr). Without nanoparticles, at −1 V programming voltage, the ΔV{sub t} is negligible. In order to get ΔV{sub t} of 3.4 V without nanoparticles, programming voltage in excess of 10 V is required. The negative voltage on the gate programs the memory indicating that holes are being trapped in the charge trapping layer. In addition, at 1 V the electric field across the 3.6 nm tunnel oxide is calculated to be 0.36 MV/cm, which is too small for significant tunneling. Moreover, the ΔV{sub t} vs. electric field across the tunnel oxide shows square root dependence at low fields (E < 1 MV/cm) and a square dependence at higher fields (E > 2.7 MV/cm). This indicates that Poole-Frenkel Effect is the main mechanism for holes emission at low fields and Phonon Assisted Tunneling at higher fields.