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DOE OSTI2023

Accelerating Additive Manufacturing Process Design for Energy Conversion Materials using In-situ Sensing and Machine Learning

One promising candidate for manufacturing of the bismuth Telluride thermoelectric legs is laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) additive Manufacturing (AM). AM processing parameters highly influence the material properties, however current processing parameter development methods in AM are costly and time consuming. In-situ sensors allow for the capture of physically relevant process information on a layer-by-layer basis and will be used to aide process development. To optimize the AM process for the best thermoelectric performance, process variables, in-situ process sensor data and ex-situ material characterization data are collected. Several different interpretable machine learning (ML) approaches are used, and the performance of each method are assessed. Significant input process variables include laser focus, hatch spacing and laser power. The best performing models are used to determine the manufacturing parameters that maximize the power factor. AM of bismuth telluride material provides the ability to create complex geometries enabling more efficient energy conversion.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗

DOE OSTI2023

Simulation and Analysis on Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) subjected to Pressurized Thermal Shock (PTS) under SBLOCA scenario by using Cardinal to support the fracture mechanics analyses

The structural components that comprise nuclear reactors and their supporting structures are subjected to harsh operating environments that can challenge their integrity, especially after exposure for extended durations or under accident condition. As one of the most significant components of a Reactor, the Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) is exposed to an aggressive environment during the operation time (e.g. more than 40 years). Ageing degradation mechanisms (e.g. thermos-fatigue) could grow initial defects up to a critical size, increasing the susceptibility to failure in the RPV. The conventional methods are mostly based on simple crack and structure geometries. Very limited studies consider the real conditions of the RPV subjected to a thermal shock due to a Loss of Coolant Accident (LOCA). During a LOCA event, the most severe conditions take place when the emergency core cooling (ECC) water is injected inside the cold legs filled initially with hotter water and/or steam. The rapid cooling of the down-comer and the internal RPV surface followed probably by re-pressurization of the RPV causes large temperature gradients and variation of pressure which induces thermal-mechanical stresses. In order to develop the model for integrity assessment of a reactor pressure vessel (RPV) subjected to pressurized thermal shock (PTS), a multi-physics simulation, which includes the thermo-hydraulic, thermo-mechanical and fracture mechanics analyses is necessary. The multi-physics simulations are performed using Cardinal, a wrapping of the GPU-oriented spectral element Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) code NekRS and other multi-physics sub-modules within the MOOSE framework. Cardinal now fully supports MOOSE stochastic perturbations of NekRS models with varying boundary conditions, initial conditions, material properties, and any other quantity which is defined by a kernel (such as coefficients in a momentum source model). The implementation is designed in a flexible manner so that scalar values are sent from MOOSE into a user scratch space in NekRS, which can then be applied for any purpose within the NekRS case files (both on the host and device). When modeling PTS, several factors can impact the results significantly. In this report, the impacts of the geometry of the model, Reynolds number and buoyancy effect are investigated. Two geometry, i.e., a simplified model and a realistic RPV model, with both laminar and turbulent flow condition are adopted for the PTS simulation with and without buoyancy effect. The purpose of the investigation is to understand the impact of these factors on the prediction of temperature history of RPV. The accurate prediction on the temperature evolution, which will be exported to Grizzly code for further analyses on the progression of aging mechanisms and their effects on the integrity of RPV structures, is very crucial. Based on the understanding of these factors, a more sophisticated model is built to analysis the PTS under SBLOCA scenario. A literature survey is conducted to pick the SBLOCA scenario for the multi-physics simulation. The analysis helps to explain the form and the transformation of the cold plum when the ECC is activated under SBLOCA. This model can be can be applied to study the PTS effect for different RPV configurations. The results can help to assess structural component degradation for advanced reactors.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Reinforcement Learning for Small Autonomous Ground Vehicle

Microcontroller: • ESP-WROOM 32 control board • Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n Actuators: • 2 Futaba S3003 Servos • Commanded angles of 0 to 180 • Effectors • Piano wire “legs” and “feet” • Current, Voltage, Power Sensor: • Adafruit INA260 • Range Finder (1D LiDAR) Sensor: • SparkFun VL53L1X • Power Supply: • Battery powered, Adafruit UN3480 Li Ion Polymer 1200 mAh • Adafruit JST 2 PH power breakout board • Body: • Additively manufactured frame

Wells, William Willie↗

DOE OSTI2023

Boundary, SOL, and Divertor Physics Studies on TCV (Final Report for Research Funded by DoE Award DE-SC0020327)

Research supported under this grant was organized around two diagnostic systems installed on the TCV tokamak located at EPFL in Lausanne, Switzerland: Multi-Spectral Imaging (MSI) and Gas-Puff Imaging (GPI). MSI monitors 2-d time-history images of up to 10 spectral lines, in the visible, using identical views for all wavelengths. The primary application of MSI is to infer 2-d time histories of electron temperature and density in the Scrape-Off-Layer (SOL) of diverted plasmas, utilizing ratios of emission from multiple neutral helium lines. The atomic models are validated against 1-d Thomson scattering measurements. SOL density and temperature maps are analyzed to infer divertor dynamics, including particle and power flows, for a variety of divertor configurations, and specifically as flux expansion along the long-legged outboard divertor is systematically varied. GPI is used to measure details of edge fluctuations in the SOL, particularly as a function of plasma triangularity (δ), including both positive and negative δ. A threshold is found, whereby for δ<-0.3, edge turbulence in the far SOL is completely suppressed. Dynamics of the filamentary turbulence was also analyzed using advance machine learning techniques. Research in support of four PhD theses was carried out within the scope of this Award, including 2 at MIT and 2 at EPFL.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2022

Multi physics simulation on Reactor Pressure Vessel (RPV) subjected to Pressurized Thermal Shock (PTS) by using Cardinal

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2024

Strategic Analyses and Assessments Office Annual Report 2023

The past year has seen a significant increase in focus on strategic issues with the continued aggression by Russia, the rapid expansion of China’s military—particularly their nuclear capabilities, North Korea’s rapid improvements in intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) technology, and the increase in Iranian fuel enrichment. The U.S. continues to modernize Nuclear Command Control and Communication and all three legs of its nuclear Triad—Columbia-class submarines, Sentinel ICBMs, and B-21 bombers—for the Department of Defense (DOD). At the same time, the National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) is updating its stockpile, producing the B61-12, the new B61-13, the W88 Alteration, the W87-1—with new pits, and the W80-4. This rework of the nuclear enterprise represents the most aggressive expansion of our capabilities and infrastructure in the modern era. At the same time, the Strategic Posture Commission completed its report to Congress and reported that the current modernization program, although clearly necessary, is insufficient to meet the threats that are emerging.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗

DOE OSTI2024

Preliminary Workforce Development and Environmental and Co-use Management Plans for a Floating Offshore Wind Platform - CRADA 609 (Final Report)

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) provided technical assistance to Glosten, Inc. and its affiliate, PelaStar, LLC to advance the development of their floating offshore wind (FOSW) platform. PNNL provided guidance and assessment in two areas that are important to address in the development of FOSW platforms: (1) workforce development and (2) environmental impacts and ocean co-use considerations. This work was funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Wind Energy Technologies Office (WETO) through Phase 2 of the FLoating Offshore Wind ReadINess (FLOWIN) Prize. It should be noted that the Plans presented in this report are specific to the PelaStar tension-leg platform (TLP) and may not be applicable to all FOSW platforms. Workforce development and environmental/co-use impacts are highly dependent on the geographical region in which activities take place. At the request of PelaStar, PNNL focused on two regions where development may take place: the Gulf of Maine and Northern California. PNNL generated a preliminary Workforce Development Plan for PelaStar, which includes estimated job numbers and skillsets required to establish a workforce to manufacture, install, and operate their platform as part of FOSW projects. The Plan offers methods to increase diversity, equity, and inclusion practices when developing a new workforce and includes colleges and training centers for potential recruitment. Both positive and negative impacts to communities are evaluated, with potential mitigation strategies for reducing negative impacts. The structure of Community Benefit Agreements and Project Labor Agreements are discussed, noting the limitations of the role of a platform manufacturer versus the offshore wind developer. PNNL also drafted a preliminary Environmental and Co-Use Management Plan that serves as a guide to preparing an environmental assessment related to the installation and operation of PelaStar’s unique TLP design, including its potential ecological, socioeconomic, and emissions impacts. The Plan summarizes information on relevant regulatory requirements, potential impact producing factors, monitoring and mitigation measures, and physical and biological resources in the Gulf of Maine and Northern California. One of the primary perceived benefits of the PelaStar TLP is its reduced footprint due to its tensioned tendons versus catenary or taut moorings, but more research must be done as there are no studies on PelaStar’s TLP system to-date. The section also highlights ocean co-use considerations for PelaStar’s TLP system, specifically for fisheries, including existing perspectives, methods, examples, and limitations. The PNNL team established through this preliminary work and review of available literature and resources that there is not yet much research or planning around FOSW. With FOSW being a new industry, many of the findings and planning are adapted from fixed bottom offshore wind, which itself is only just taking off in the United States. More research is needed to establish best practices for workforce development and to assess environmental and ocean co-use impacts and mitigation approaches.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Low-Power Nuclear Heating Tests of UN Fuel Particles in Hydrogen Environment for Nuclear Thermal Propulsion

Recently, there has been a reemergence of interest within the space-exploration community regarding nuclear thermal propulsion (NTP) for interplanetary travel. NTP, as conceptualized, is a compact propulsion source, is relatively light because there is no need for an oxidizing agent and has a very high specific impulse compared to traditional forms of propulsion. These factors would reduce first-leg orbital-rocketry costs (by the source’s low weight and volume) and decrease overall travel time for astronauts with higher transit speeds. Idaho National Laboratory was provided bare, uncoated, and tungsten-coated uranium nitride fuel particles as part of a preliminary investigation. The fuel was fabricated by BWX Technologies and irradiated at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology research reactor. X-ray computed tomography and scanning electron microscopy and associated chemical analysis techniques were performed on these particles at Idaho National Laboratory. Both coated and uncoated forms were examined in the as-fabricated and as-irradiated conditions. The tungsten coating was found to be intact following the irradiation, indicating positive attributes for performance under these low-power-irradiation conditions. The irradiation of uncoated particles resulted in nitrogen enrichment at the edge of the particle.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗

DOE OSTI2023

ARCUS Vertical-Axis Wind Turbine (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

While land-based wind energy has become economically competitive with traditional energy generation sources in the U.S., offshore wind is not. For floating offshore wind this difference is even more substantial where the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) is projected to be around 3-5 times more expensive than land-based wind. The turbine capital costs represent around 50% of the LCOE for land-based wind sites, but the increased system costs for floating offshore wind reduce this to 20%. The platform and mooring costs are the single largest contributor to the LCOE for floating offshore wind where their mass must counteract the overturning moment caused by the turbine’s thrust force. Despite the high costs of the platform and relatively low cost of the turbine, current offshore wind turbines are designed essentially the same as for land-based sites. Reducing the LCOE is the greatest challenge to realize the benefits of sustained development of floating offshore wind in the U.S. Reducing the complicated system costs of floating offshore wind will enable the industry to continue to grow and outpace current projections if reduced cost curves can be reached. The ideal wind energy system would remove all mass and cost that is not directly capturing energy from the wind. For floating offshore wind energy systems, this objective is even more significant as increased mass above the water level must be supported by larger and more expensive floating platforms. For this reason, vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) are ideal for floating offshore sites and have several advantages over horizontal-axis wind turbines (HAWTs) at this scale. Large VAWTs offer opportunities for improved energy capture over HAWTs as single units and with reduced wind plant aerodynamic losses through enhanced wake recovery. Additionally, the platform-level placement of the VAWT drivetrain greatly reduces the demands placed on the floating platform and its mass and cost. The ARCUS vertical-axis wind turbine concept (U.S. 11,421,650 B2) is an iteration beyond traditional Darrieus-type VAWTs that replaces the rigid tower with blades that are bent into shape and held in place with tensioned center supports, like a bow. The ARCUS design has been shown to further decrease the VAWT rotor mass properties, with a 50% reduction over traditional Darrieus VAWTs quantified in the ATLANTIS program. The ARCUS VAWT’s efficient use of material for the rotor and turbine support structures combined with its lowered center of gravity enables a tension-leg platform (TLP) with simplified installation procedures. TLPs have been an emerging platform architecture in the Oil and Gas industry and demonstrated to have the lowest hull mass requirements while maintaining stability with minimal roll and pitch deflections in operation. A 22 MW ARCUS turbine has been designed with a three-column TLP that enables quayside integration of the turbine while maintaining system stability during tow-out and installation and having optimal mass and cost properties. A comprehensive analysis shows the optimal ARCUS TLP system design minimizes LCOE through efficient material usage and increased energy capture to yield a competitive LCOE estimate of $\$$55/MWh. A comparison with a reference HAWT, having the same swept area, quantifies the advantages that helped to produce this improved LCOE for the ARCUS concept: (1) 30% reduction in total turbine mass, (2) 70% reduction in turbine center of gravity, and (3) 45% increase in energy production over what is optimal for a HAWT. Intellectual property has been generated through the ATLANTIS program providing opportunities to further reduce the LCOE and improve the performance of the ARCUS turbine and TLP system, expanding the list of innovations to support commercial development of the ARCUS concept.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2026

Boride-based Ceramic Super-high Temperature Thermocouples in Harsh Environments (Final Scientific/Technical Report)

An electromotive force (emf) can be generated along a temperature gradient between the cold end and hot end of a thermoelectric material, termed the Seebeck effect. Based on the Seebeck effect, metallic alloys have been extensively employed to detect temperatures for centuries, named thermocouples. However, commercially available thermocouple alloys suffer from limitations, such as oxidation, chemical degradation, and poor long-term stability under high-temperature harsh environments. This DOE-funded project aimed to develop high-temperature, chemically tolerant thermocouples suitable for operation in extreme environments relevant to semiconducting thermoelectric materials. The research focused on boride-based semiconducting thermoelectric compounds as candidates for next-generation thermocouples with enhanced oxidation resistance, chemical stability, and thermal robustness under conditions representative of charcoal-fired electricity facilities. During the funded years, boride materials were synthesized using an arc-plasma technique under ambient air and argon atmospheres, enabling scalable and cost-effective production compared with conventional boride fabrication methods. The synthesized borides were processed into nanostructured powders, followed by consolidation into dense bulk materials using a spark plasma sintering (SPS) bottom-up approach. Comprehensive characterization was performed, including microstructural analysis, electrical transport measurements, and optical and thermal property evaluation. Both p-type and n-type boride electric legs were fabricated and integrated into boride-based thermocouples. The thermal and irradiation stabilities of the boride nanomaterials and bulk thermoelectric materials were systematically evaluated to assess suitability for long-term operation in harsh environments. Additionally, 12 students were broadly hands-on trained spanning the full research workflow, including word processing and technical editing (e.g., LATEX for manuscript and poster preparation), data collection and analysis (using Python and related libraries and hardware interfaces), sample preparation (including arc-plasma synthesis and spark plasma sintering), and advanced characterization techniques (such as X-ray diffraction, UV–vis spectroscopy, electron microscopy, differential thermal analysis (DTA), and Seebeck coefficient measurements, etc). Overall, this project demonstrated the feasibility of boride-based thermoelectric materials as durable high-temperature thermocouples, providing a promising pathway toward robust temperature sensing technologies aligned with DOE energy infrastructure and extreme-environment monitoring needs.

20 FOSSIL-FUELED POWER PLANTS↗

DOE OSTI2026

Burrowing Owl Survey Report for Sandia National Laboratories: 2025

The Burrowing Owl Survey Report for Sandia National Laboratories: 2025 provides data and analysis on occupancy surveys that were conducted during the 2025 survey season. The surveys were conducted in partnership with Kirtland Air Force Base’s Natural Resource Program and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service to maintain and expand on the long-term dataset on burrowing owls on base. Ecology Program biologists conducted roadside census surveys at survey areas previously identified by Kirtland Air Force Base along with several additional survey areas deemed suitable for occupancy. Remote sensor camera monitoring was also conducted on three nest burrows. In total, 12 breeding pairs of burrowing owls were confirmed in 2025. Several owls were confirmed to have leg bands, indicating previous captures and recurrence of these specific individuals on base. Occupancy surveys on burrowing owls continue to provide valuable information on ecosystem health and can serve to inform future management direction and decisions.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2024

Gulf of Mexico Turbulence Intensity Model Data

The dataset is a subset of simulations carried out for the Gulf of Mexico region using the revised Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model version 4.2 that incorporates the implementation of online turbulence intensity (TI) calculations (Tai et al. 2023). The simulated atmospheric profiles near the Shell Exploration and Production Corporation's Tension Leg Platforms Ursa and Mars are archived. Physics parameterizations chosen for the simulations include the Thompson microphysics parameterization, Mellor-Yamada-Nakanishi Niino (MYNN) boundary layer parameterization, Mellor-Yamada-Janjic surface layer parameterization, Unified Noah land-surface parameterization, and the RRTMG longwave and shortwave radiation parameterization. Initial and boundary conditions are taken from NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) product. The JPL 0.01-degree Level 4 Multiscale Ultrahigh Resolution (MUR) Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Analysis (V4.1) data are used as the model’s SST forcing. Simulations are performed from January through June in 2020 and output every 10 minutes, which permits comparison with corresponding lidar observations.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Gulf of Mexico Turbulence Intensity Model Data

The dataset is a subset of simulations carried out for the Gulf of Mexico region using the revised Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model version 4.2 that incorporates the implementation of online turbulence intensity (TI) calculations (Tai et al. 2023). The simulated atmospheric profiles near the Shell Exploration and Production Corporation's Tension Leg Platforms Ursa and Mars are archived. Physics parameterizations chosen for the simulations include the Thompson microphysics parameterization, Mellor-Yamada-Nakanishi Niino (MYNN) boundary layer parameterization, Mellor-Yamada-Janjic surface layer parameterization, Unified Noah land-surface parameterization, and the RRTMG longwave and shortwave radiation parameterization. Initial and boundary conditions are taken from the NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) product. The JPL 0.01-degree Level 4 Multiscale Ultrahigh Resolution (MUR) Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Analysis (V4.1) data are used as the model’s SST forcing. Simulations are performed from January through June in 2020 and output every 10 minutes, which permits comparison with corresponding lidar observations.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Mid-Atlantic Turbulence Intensity Data in Observational Space

The dataset archives observed and model-simulated turbulence intensity and meteorological profiles and timeseries at the Air-Sea Interaction Tower (ASIT) of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Martha’s Vineyard Coastal Observatory (MVCO). The observational data were measured by lidar and buoy deployed at ASIT. The simulated profiles and timeseries data are interpolated in time and/or space according to observations. Simulations were carried out for the mid-Atlantic region using the revised Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model version 4.2 that incorporates the implementation of online turbulence intensity (TI) calculations (Tai et al. 2023). The simulated atmospheric profiles at the Shell Exploration and Production Corporation's Tension Leg Platforms Ursa and Mars are archived. Physics parameterizations chosen for the simulations include the Thompson microphysics parameterization, Mellor-Yamada-Nakanishi Niino (MYNN) boundary layer parameterization, Mellor-Yamada-Janjic surface layer parameterization, Unified Noah land-surface parameterization, and the RRTMG longwave and shortwave radiation parameterization. Initial and boundary conditions are taken from NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) product. The JPL 0.01-degree Level 4 Multiscale Ultrahigh Resolution (MUR) Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Analysis (V4.1) data are used as the model’s SST forcing.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2024

Northern Pacific Turbulence Intensity Model Data in Observational Space

The dataset archives model-simulated turbulence intensity and meteorological profiles and timeseries at the lidar buoys sites off the coast of California (Humboldt and Morro Bay). The simulated data are interpolated in time and/or space according to observed quantities. The simulations were carried out for the north Pacific region using the revised Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model version 4.2 that incorporates the implementation of online turbulence intensity (TI) calculations (Tai et al. 2023). The simulated atmospheric profiles near the Shell Exploration and Production Corporation's Tension Leg Platforms Ursa and Mars are archived. Physics parameterizations chosen for the simulations include the Thompson microphysics parameterization, Mellor-Yamada-Nakanishi Niino (MYNN) boundary layer parameterization, Mellor-Yamada-Janjic surface layer parameterization, Unified Noah land-surface parameterization, and the RRTMG longwave and shortwave radiation parameterization. Initial and boundary conditions are taken from NOAA’s High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) product. The JPL 0.01-degree Level 4 Multiscale Ultrahigh Resolution (MUR) Global Foundation Sea Surface Temperature (SST) Analysis (V4.1) data are used as the model’s SST forcing.

17 WIND ENERGY↗

DOE OSTI2023

Scalar QED with Rydberg atoms

We review recent suggestions to quantum simulate scalar electrodynamics (the lattice Abelian Higgs model) in $1+1$ dimensions with rectangular arrays of Rydberg atoms. We show that platforms made publicly available recently allow empirical explorations of the critical behavior of quantum simulators. We discuss recent progress regarding the phase diagram of two-leg ladders, effective Hamiltonian approaches and the construction of hybrid quantum algorithms targeting hadronization in collider physics event generators.

Meurice, Yannick↗

DOE OSTI2020

Allometric Trophic Networks From Individuals to Socio-Ecosystems: Consumer–Resource Theory of the Ecological Elephant in the Room

A well-known parable is that of the blind men studying an elephant each of which assert the elephant is the part they first hold in their hands, e.g., “rope!” says the tail holder while the leg holder asserts “tree!” The various subdisciplines of ecology appear similar in that we each engage in our enthusiastic but at least somewhat myopic study with remarkably limited agreement or even discussion about the overall system which we all study. Allometric trophic network (ATN) theory offers a path out of this dilemma by integrating across scales, taxa, habitats and organizational levels from physiology to ecosystems based on consumer-resource interactions among co-existing organisms. The network architecture and the metabolic and behavioral processes that determine the structure and dynamics of these interactions form the first principles of ATN theory, which in turn provides a synthetic overview and powerfully predictive framework for ecology from organisms to ecosystems. Beyond ecology, ATN theory also synthesizes eco-evolutionary and socio-ecological research still largely based on consumer-resource mechanisms but respectively integrated with different processes including natural selection and market mechanisms. This paper briefly describes foundations, advances, and future directions of ATN theory including predicting an ecosystem’s phenotype from its community’s genotype in order to accelerate more predictive and unified understanding of the complex systems studied by ecologists and other environmental scientists.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

DOE OSTI2021

Topological Doping and Superconductivity in Cuprates: An Experimental Perspective

Hole doping into a correlated antiferromagnet leads to topological stripe correlations, involving charge stripes that separate antiferromagnetic spin stripes of opposite phases. The topological spin stripe order causes the spin degrees of freedom within the charge stripes to feel a geometric frustration with their environment. In the case of cuprates, where the charge stripes have the character of a hole-doped two-leg spin ladder, with corresponding pairing correlations, anti-phase Josephson coupling across the spin stripes can lead to a pair-density-wave order in which the broken translation symmetry of the superconducting wave function is accommodated by pairs with finite momentum. This scenario is now experimentally verified by recently reported measurements on La2−xBaxCuO4 with x=1/8. While pair-density-wave order is not common as a cuprate ground state, it provides a basis for understanding the uniform d-wave order that is more typical in superconducting cuprates.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗