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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 721 records · Page 40
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1978

Elimination of the light shift in rubidium gas cell frequency standards using pulsed optical pumping

Changes in the intensity of the light source in an optically pumped, rubidium, gas cell frequency standard can produce corresponding frequency shifts, with possible adverse effects on the long-term frequency stability. A pulsed optical pumping apparatus was constructed with the intent of investigating the frequency stability in the absence of light shifts. Contrary to original expectations, a small residual frequency shift due to changes in light intensity was experimentally observed. Evidence is given which indicates that this is not a true light-shift effect. Preliminary measurements of the frequency stability of this apparatus, with this small residual pseudo light shift present, are presented. It is shown that this pseudo light shift can be eliminated by using a more homogeneous C-field. This is consistent with the idea that the pseudo light shift is due to inhomogeneity in the physics package (position-shift effect).

English, T. C.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Global auroral imaging instrumentation for the Dynamics Explorer Mission

The instrumentation for obtaining global images of the auroral oval from the high-altitude spacecraft of the Dynamics Explorer Mission is described. It is noted that the three spin-scan auroral imaging photometers are expected to be able to effectively view the dim emissions from earth in the presence of strong stray light sources near their fields-of-view along the sunlit portion of the spacecraft orbit. A special optical design that includes an off-axis parabolic mirror as the focusing element and super-reflecting mirror surfaces is used to minimize the effects of stray light. The rotation of the spacecraft and an instrument scanning mirror provide the two-dimensional array of pixels making up an image frame. It is pointed out that the full width of the fields-of-view of the photometers corresponding to a single pixel is 0.29 deg and that the angular dimensions of a typical full frame are 30 deg x 30 deg and span 14,400 pixels.

Frank, L. A.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Photoelectrochemically Self Improving Si/GaN Photocathode: Figure 2b Raw Data

Photoconductive atomic force microscopy (PC-AFM) measurements were conducted on Si/GaN samples. PeakForce TUNA mode was used to acquire the morphology and current simultaneously. A PtIr conductive probe with spring constant of 2.8 Nm-1 was used for the scanning. A white light source was used to illuminate the surface during the acquisition. Line scan extracting the topography and photocurrent from a as-received Si/GaN sample. The topography mapping is 2 × 2 µm2. The sample bias was 0.4V and this photoconductive AFM measurement was performed under white light front illumination with an angle.

photocathode↗
DOE OSTI2021

Photoelectrochemically Self Improving Si/GaN Photocathode: Figure 2d Raw Data

After 10 hrs of chronoamperometry (CA) photoconductive atomic force microscopy (PC-AFM) measurements were conducted on Si/GaN samples using a commercial AFM system (Bruker Dimension Icon). PeakForce TUNA mode was used to acquire the morphology and current simultaneously. A PtIr conductive probe with spring constant of 2.8 Nm-1 was used for the scanning. A white light source was used to illuminate the surface during the acquisition. Line scan extracting the topography and photocurrent from this 10 hour CA tested Si/GaN sample. The topography mapping is 2 × 2 µm2. No sample bias was applied and this photoconductive AFM measurement was performed under white light front illumination with an angle.

photocathode↗
DOE OSTI2025

Photoabsorption and Stability in Triple-Cation Perovskites Influenced by Interfacial Engineering of the Collector

Charge carrier dynamics in three-dimensional (3D) perovskites is critical to understand for enhancing device performance since the photoabsorption mechanism in perovskites influences key functional devices such as photodetectors and solar cells. Temperature-dependent optoelectronic transport measurements were conducted on our triple cation formulation for the first time from 4 K to 300 K to investigate the role of an interfacial Ti underlayer, beneath the conventional Au collector electrode. The photocurrent was 10X larger with the use of a Ti interfacial layer compared to only Au, where device measurements were made using a broadband white light source at room temperature. As temperature increased from 4 K, the photocurrent increased in both cases, consistent with the semiconducting nature of the triple-cation absorber. Besides computing the responsivity as a function of power and temperature, time-domain measurements with ON/OFF pulses of incident white light, showed the switching time constants to be in the tens to few hundred milliseconds range, and largely temperature-invariant for the two contacts examined. Finally, we constructed solar cells with the same triple cation absorber, in an n-i-p architecture with a Spiro-OMeTAD hole transport layer, but the collector was composed of both types of contacts. Exposing our devices to moisture-rich conditions of up to 70% relative humidity showed the Au/Ti contacted devices to be more robust. Here, our experimental results demonstrate that the addition of a Ti interlayer improves collector efficiency through the photoabsorption process while also potentially stabilizing the solar cells, compared to the bare Au, in moisture-rich environments

optoelectronics↗
DOE OSTI2023

Tunable Mid-Infrared Interband Emission from Tensile-Strained InGaAs Quantum Dots

We demonstrate the ability to tailor self-assembled growth of In 0.5 Ga 0.5 As quantum dots (QDs) on GaSb(111)A surfaces by molecular beam epitaxy. Spontaneous formation via the Volmer–Weber growth mode produces QDs with excellent structural and optical quality. By harnessing tensile strain to reduce their band gap energy, these QDs are characterized by light emission that extends into the midwave infrared wavelength range of 3.2–3.9 μm (0.318–0.388 eV). As we increase QD size, we can tune the band alignment from type-III to type-II, where light emission occurs due to interband recombination between quantum confined electrons in the InGaAs QDs and holes in the GaSb barriers. Of particular interest is an unusual blue-shift in emission wavelength with increasing QD size, which we attribute to the incorporation of Sb into the InGaAs QDs from the GaSb barriers. By expanding this approach to produce tensile-strained QDs from other narrow band gap semiconductors, we anticipate the development of a range of highly tunable mid-infrared light sources.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

Multichannel angular spectrometer

A multichannel angular spectrometer includes an array of fiber pickups having an arcuate arrangement and focused about a sample volume. A broadband light source is configured to illuminate a sample within the sample volume. At least one dispersion element is in optical communication with the array of fiber pickups. An imaging sensor is in optical communication with the array of fiber pickups. The imaging sensor is configured to image the broadband light received by the array of fiber pickups and dispersed by the at least one dispersion element. A processor is in electrical communication with the imaging sensor. The processor has a power supply and computer-readable memory.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS1998

Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) as a Remote Sensing Tool: A Review

Vegetational changes are primary indicators of the present and future ecological status of the globe. These are changes which not only impact upon the primary productivity, but the total of the biogeochemical processes occurring on the planet. The impacts of global climatic and other environmental changes on vegetation must be monitored by some means in order to develop models which will allow us to predict long term effects. Large scale monitoring is now possible only with remote sensing systems, primarily passive reflectance, obtained by the use of satellite and aircraft platforms. However, passive reflectance techniques at this time are limited in their ability to detect subtle changes in the concentration and oxidation states of the many compounds involved in the light reactions of photosynthesis. Knowledge of these changes we consider to be fundamental in the remote assessment of both the rate and efficiency of photosynthesis and also the early detection of stress damage. The above factors pointed to the desirability of a sensing technique with the sensitivity and specificity necessary for detecting and quantifying those biological entities involved in photosynthesis. Another optical technique for vegetation monitoring is fluorescence. Previously, the lack of adequate excitation light sources and detector technologies have limited the use of fluorescence on intact plant leaves in the field. It is only recently with the advent of lasers with short pulse duration and advanced detector technologies that fluorescence measurements in the remote mode have become possible in the presence of ambient light.

Chappelle, E. W.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Planar Particle Imaging and Doppler Velocimetry System and Method

A planar velocity measurement system (100) is operative to measure all three velocity components of a flowing fluid (106) across an illuminated plane (108) using only a single line of sight. The fluid flow is seeded with small particles which accurately follow the flow field fluctuations. The seeded flow field is illuminated with pulsed laser light source (102) and the positions of the particles in the flow are recorded on CCD cameras (122,124). The in-plane velocities are measured by determining the in-plane particle displacements. The out-of-plane velocity component is determined by measuring the Doppler shift of the light scattered by the particles. Both gas and liquid velocities can be measured, as well as two-phase flows.

Wernet, Mark P.↗
NASA NTRS2023

Object Detection and Pose Estimation Public Competition Sample Data

This data was created with open-source tooling for the purpose of running a public competition. This dataset is a sample of what can be generated for the commissioned competition runner to be able to set up their testing infrastructure. It contains images of publicly available spacecraft models in a Blender scene composed of a light source, a background image, and the spacecraft model with bounding box labels.

James Berck↗
DOE OSTI2022

High-Efficiency Quantum Dot Lasers as Comb Sources for DWDM Applications

The trend of data center transceivers is to increase bandwidth while simultaneously decreasing their size, power consumption, and cost. While data center links have previously relied on vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs) or in-plane lasers using coarse wavelength division multiplexing (WDM) to encode data, recently, dense WDM (DWDM) has moved to the forefront for next-generation links. Several approaches exist as light sources for DWDM links; DFB arrays, nonlinear microcombs, and semiconductor mode-locked lasers (MLLs). This paper focuses on quantum dot MLLs (QDMLLs), which currently offer the best efficiency, simplicity, and size. The efficiency of optical combs generated by QDMLLs is analyzed in depth in this study.

Dumont, Mario (ORCID:000000023956612X)↗
NASA NTRS2018

The Challenges of Measuring Methane from Space with a Lidar

The global and regional quantification of methane fluxes and identification of its sources and sinks has been highlighted as one of the goals of the NASA 2017 Earth Science Decadal Survey. Detecting methane from space and airborne platforms with an active (laser) remote sensing instrument presents several unique technology and measurement challenges. The instrument must have a single frequency, narrow-linewidth light source, and photon-sensitive detector at the right spectral region to make continuous measurements from orbit, day and night, all seasons and at all latitudes. It must have a high signal to noise ratio and must be relatively immune to biases from aerosol/cloud scattering, spectroscopic and meteorological data uncertainties, and instrument systematic errors. At Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), in collaboration with industry, we have developed an airborne instrument to measure methane. Our instrument is a nadir-viewing lidar that uses Integrated Path Differential Absorption (IPDA), to measure methane near 1.65 µm. We sample the absorption line using multiple wavelengths from a narrow linewidth laser source and a sensitive photodetector. This measurement approach provides maximum information content about the CH4 column, and minimizes biases in the XCH4 retrieval. In this paper, we will review our progress to date and discuss the technology challenges, options and tradeoffs to measure methane from space and airborne platforms.

airborne instruments↗
NASA NTRS2012

Variable Sampling Mapping

The performance of an optical system (for example, a telescope) is limited by the misalignments and manufacturing imperfections of the optical elements in the system. The impact of these misalignments and imperfections can be quantified by the phase variations imparted on light traveling through the system. Phase retrieval is a methodology for determining these variations. Phase retrieval uses images taken with the optical system and using a light source of known shape and characteristics. Unlike interferometric methods, which require an optical reference for comparison, and unlike Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensors that require special optical hardware at the optical system's exit pupil, phase retrieval is an in situ, image-based method for determining the phase variations of light at the system s exit pupil. Phase retrieval can be used both as an optical metrology tool (during fabrication of optical surfaces and assembly of optical systems) and as a sensor used in active, closed-loop control of an optical system, to optimize performance. One class of phase-retrieval algorithms is the iterative transform algorithm (ITA). ITAs estimate the phase variations by iteratively enforcing known constraints in the exit pupil and at the detector, determined from modeled or measured data. The Variable Sampling Mapping (VSM) technique is a new method for enforcing these constraints in ITAs. VSM is an open framework for addressing a wide range of issues that have previously been considered detrimental to high-accuracy phase retrieval, including undersampled images, broadband illumination, images taken at or near best focus, chromatic aberrations, jitter or vibration of the optical system or detector, and dead or noisy detector pixels. The VSM is a model-to-data mapping procedure. In VSM, fully sampled electric fields at multiple wavelengths are modeled inside the phase-retrieval algorithm, and then these fields are mapped to intensities on the light detector, using the properties of the detector and optical system, for comparison with measured data. Ultimately, this model-to-data mapping procedure enables a more robust and accurate way of incorporating the exit-pupil and image detector constraints, which are fundamental to the general class of ITA phase retrieval algorithms.

Smith, Jeffrey, S.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Wavefront Compensation Segmented Mirror Sensing and Control

The primary mirror of very large submillimeter-wave telescopes will necessarily be segmented into many separate mirror panels. These panels must be continuously co-phased to keep the telescope wavefront error less than a small fraction of a wavelength, to ten microns RMS (root mean square) or less. This performance must be maintained continuously across the full aperture of the telescope, in all pointing conditions, and in a variable thermal environment. A wavefront compensation segmented mirror sensing and control system, consisting of optical edge sensors, Wavefront Compensation Estimator/Controller Soft ware, and segment position actuators is proposed. Optical edge sensors are placed two per each segment-to-segment edge to continuously measure changes in segment state. Segment position actuators (three per segment) are used to move the panels. A computer control system uses the edge sensor measurements to estimate the state of all of the segments and to predict the wavefront error; segment actuator commands are computed that minimize the wavefront error. Translational or rotational motions of one segment relative to the other cause lateral displacement of the light beam, which is measured by the imaging sensor. For high accuracy, the collimator uses a shaped mask, such as one or more slits, so that the light beam forms a pattern on the sensor that permits sensing accuracy of better than 0.1 micron in two axes: in the z or local surface normal direction, and in the y direction parallel to the mirror surface and perpendicular to the beam direction. Using a co-aligned pair of sensors, with the location of the detector and collimated light source interchanged, four degrees of freedom can be sensed: transverse x and y displacements, as well as two bending angles (pitch and yaw). In this approach, each optical edge sensor head has a collimator and an imager, placing one sensor head on each side of a segment gap, with two parallel light beams crossing the gap. Two sets of optical edge sensors are used per segment-to-segment edge, separated by a finite distance along the segment edge, for four optical heads, each with an imager and a collimator. By orienting the beam direction of one edge sensor pair to be +45 away from the segment edge direction, and the other sensor pair to be oriented -45 away from the segment edge direction, all six degrees of freedom of relative motion between the segments can be measured with some redundancy. The software resides in a computer that receives each of the optical edge sensor signals, as well as telescope pointing commands. It feeds back the edge sensor signals to keep the primary mirror figure within specification. It uses a feed-forward control to compensate for global effects such as decollimation of the primary and secondary mirrors due to gravity sag as the telescope pointing changes to track science objects. Three segment position actuators will be provided per segment to enable controlled motions in the piston, tip, and tilt degrees of freedom. These actuators are driven by the software, providing the optical changes needed to keep the telescope phased.

Redding, David C.↗
DOE OSTI2021

Removal of spurious data in Bragg coherent diffraction imaging: an algorithm for automated data preprocessing

Bragg coherent diffraction imaging (BCDI) provides a powerful tool for obtaining high-resolution structural information from nanocrystalline materials. Here a BCDI sample consisting of a large number of randomly oriented nanoscale crystals is considered. Ideally, only one crystal is oriented to produce a Bragg peak on the detector. However, diffraction from other crystals often produces additional signals on the detector. Before the measured diffraction patterns can be processed into structural images, scientists routinely need to manually identify and remove the `alien' intensities from sources other than the intended crystal. With the development of modern high-coherence storage rings, such as the upgraded Advanced Photon Source (APS), the already slow process of manual preprocessing will be untenable for the large volumes of data that will be produced. An automated method of identifying and deleting alien intensities is proposed. This method exploits the fact that BCDI of a perfect crystal produces diffraction data with inversion symmetry around the Bragg peak. This approach uses the machine learning clustering method DBSCAN to distinguish between diffraction from multiple sources, and then calculates cluster size and inversion symmetry to assess whether clusters of intensity belong to desired data or alien signals. This approach can dramatically reduce the amount of time spent manually processing data, allowing BCDI data processing capabilities to keep pace with the technological advances of fourth-generation synchrotron light sources.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1981

Multijunction high-voltage solar cell

Multijunction cell allows for fabrication of high-voltage solar cell on single semiconductor wafer. Photovoltaic energy source using cell is combined on wafer with circuit it is to power. Cell consists of many voltage-generating regions internally or externally interconnected to give desired voltage and current combination. For computer applications, module is built on silicon wafer with energy for internal information processing and readouts derived from external light source.

Evans, J. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Power system applications of fiber optics

Power system applications of optical systems, primarily using fiber optics, are reviewed. The first section reviews fibers as components of communication systems. The second section deals with fiber sensors for power systems, reviewing the many ways light sources and fibers can be combined to make measurements. Methods of measuring electric field gradient are discussed. Optical data processing is the subject of the third section, which begins by reviewing some widely different examples and concludes by outlining some potential applications in power systems: fault location in transformers, optical switching for light fired thyristors and fault detection based on the inherent symmetry of most power apparatus. The fourth and final section is concerned with using optical fibers to transmit power to electric equipment in a high voltage situation, potentially replacing expensive high voltage low power transformers. JPL has designed small photodiodes specifically for this purpose, and fabricated and tested several samples. This work is described.

Kirkham, H.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Site and endmember spectra of terrestrial vegetation and soils for the Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study, June-July 2025

This dataset provides site and endmember spectra collected during the 2025 Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) campaign. The site spectra were collected to help validate airborne hyperspectral data acquired by the National Ecological Observatory Network's aerial observation platform (NEON AOP). Endmember spectra were collected to augment existing spectral libraries with additional samples of bare surfaces and non-photosynthetic vegetation. All measurements were acquired with an Analytical Spectral Devices (ASD) FieldSpec4 Hi-Res NG (Next Generation) spectroradiometer, which records radiance at 1nm (nanometer) intervals from the ultraviolet to the short-wave infrared (350-2500 nm). The dataset includes spectra measured at meadow sites where the CHESS team also collected vegetation samples for trait analyses. The site spectra were collected with the ASD FieldSpec4 palm grip attachment using an 8° field-of-view foreoptic. Site spectra are integrated measurements of the entire surface within the foreoptic’s field of view. For site-level spectra, the sun is the illumination source. A Spectralon panel mounted on a tripod was used for instrument optimization and white reference measurements for all site spectra. Site spectra were acquired within two hours of solar noon and within 48 hours of a NEON AOP overflight. Site spectra are labeled by date, sampling area, and site number according to the naming conventions of the CHESS campaign’s data management plan. The dataset also contains endmember spectra in the following categories: photosynthetic vegetation (PV), non-photosynthetic vegetation (NPV), bare (soil/rock), and flowers. Endmember measurements were acquired using either the contact probe or the leaf clip attachments of the ASD FieldSpec4. In these configurations, the bulb inside the spectrometer provides the light source for the measurements. The spectrometer was optimized and white reference measurements were recorded using the circular white pucks attached to the contact probe and leaf clip. Because they do not rely on solar illumination, contact probe and leaf clip measurements were collected during a broader time frame than the palm grip site spectra. Some endmembers were measured at CHESS meadow sites, while others were collected within the larger sampling area or in nearby locations (e.g. Gothic Townsite) with similar characteristics. Radiance, reflectance, and metadata files are split into three subfolders according to measurement type: proximal/palm grip (prx), contact probe (cp), and leaf clip (lc). Radiance spectra are provided in ASD file format (.asd file extension). All ASD files can be opened using the provided scripts. Metadata is provided in two formats: CSV file format (no geolocation) and GEOJSON file format (includes geolocation for each spectra). The dataset includes a set of pre-processed reflectance spectra as CSV files (yyyymmdd_rfl.csv). The python scripts and jupyter notebook used to calculate reflectance spectra from the ASD radiance data is included here and was previously published at: https://doi.org/10.3334/ORNLDAAC/2446. There is also a folder of JPEG photographs corresponding to selected spectra. We include a protocol document with detailed steps for ASD FieldSpec4 assembly and operations. This data additionally contains a file level metadata (flmd.csv) and data dictionary (dd.csv) file. Geospatial information: Geospatial data for mapping measurement site locations are in the files CHESS_polygons_lai_UTM.geojson, CHESS_polygons_shrub_UTM.geojson, and CHESS_polygons_meadow_UTM.geojson in the companion geospatial package for the 2025 CHESS campaign, ‘CHESS 2025: Location data for field observations and sampling’ (Henderson et al., 2026). CHESS Project Description: The Colorado Headwaters Ecological Spectroscopy Study (CHESS) comprised a multi-week airborne remote sensing and field observation campaign in the Upper Gunnison Basin, Colorado, conducted in June and July of 2025. Airborne remote sensing was conducted by the National Ecological Observatory Network Airborne Observation Platform (NEON AOP), concurrent with a field campaign run by the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory (RMBL), the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory Watershed Function Science Focus Area (SFA), and NASA-JPL (Jet Propulsion Laboratory) Earth Surface Mineral Dust Source Investigation (EMIT) program. Between June 10 and July 18, 2025, the NEON AOP flight team collected high-resolution aerial imaging spectroscopy and Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data over three domains: the Upper East River (CRBU), Almont Triangle (ALMO), and the Upper Taylor Basin (UPTA). In coordination with the flights, a field campaign acquired ground-truth observations, including observations of vegetation composition, foliar traits, forest demography, and subsurface properties in 18 core sampling areas within the domains. Additional surface water observations were taken at over 380 point locations. All CHESS campaign datasets can be found within the CHESS ESS-DIVE data portal: https://data.ess-dive.lbl.gov/portals/chess. Funding Acknowledgment: This research was carried out at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, under a contract with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (80NM0018D0004) and was funded by EMIT Extended Mission Phase E Science.

2018 NEON and 2025 CHESS Campaigns↗