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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 757 records · Page 42
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Improving the sensitivity of J coupling measurements in solids with application to disordered materials

It has been shown previously that for magic angle spinning (MAS) solid state NMR the refocused INADEQUATE spin-echo (REINE) experiment can usefully quantify scalar (J) couplings in disordered solids. This paper focuses on the two z filter components in the original REINE pulse sequence, and investigates by means of a product operator analysis and fits to density matrix simulations the effects that their removal has on the sensitivity of the experiment and on the accuracy of the extracted J couplings. The first z filter proves unnecessary in all the cases investigated here and removing it increases the sensitivity of the experiment by a factor ∼1.1–2.0. Furthermore, for systems with broad isotropic chemical shift distributions (namely whose full widths at half maximum are greater than 30 times the mean J coupling strength), the second z filter can also be removed, thus allowing whole-echo acquisition and providing an additional √2 gain in sensitivity. Considering both random and systematic errors in the values obtained, J couplings determined by fitting the intensity modulations of REINE experiments carry an uncertainty of 0.2–1.0 Hz (∼1−10 %).

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

High precision tilt stage as a key element to a universal test mirror for characterization and calibration of slope measuring instruments

The ultimate performance of surface slope metrology instrumentation, such as long trace profilers and auto-collimator based deflectometers, is limited by systematic errors that are increased when the entire angular range is used for metrology of significantly curved optics. At the ALS X-Ray Optics Laboratory, in collaboration with the HZB/BESSY-II and PTB (Germany) metrology teams, we are working on a calibration method for deflectometers, based on a concept of a universal test mirror (UTM) [V. V. Yashchuk et al., Proc. SPIE 6704, 67040A (2007)]. Potentially, the UTM method provides high performance calibration and accounts for peculiarities of the optics under test (e.g., slope distribution) and the experimental arrangement (e.g., the distance between the sensor and the optic under test). At the same time, the UTM calibration method is inherently universal, applicable to a variety of optics and experimental arrangements. In this work, we present the results of tests with a key component of the UTM system, a custom high precision tilt stage, which has been recently developed in collaboration with Physik Instrumente, GmbH. The tests have demonstrated high performance of the stage and its capability (after additional calibration) to provide angular calibration of surface slope measuring profilers over the entire instrumental dynamic range with absolute accuracy better than 30 nrad. The details of the stage design and tests are presented. We also discuss the foundation of the UTM method and calibration algorithm, as well as the possible design of a full scale UTM system.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2017

Determination of the resistivity anisotropy of orthorhombic materials via transverse resistivity measurements

Measurements of the resistivity anisotropy can provide crucial information about the electronic structure and scattering processes in anisotropic and low-dimensional materials, but quantitative measurements by conventional means often suffer very significant systematic errors. Here we describe a novel approach to measuring the resistivity anisotropy of orthorhombic materials, using a single crystal and a single measurement that is derived from a π/4 rotation of the measurement frame relative to the crystallographic axes. In this new basis, the transverse resistivity gives a direct measurement of the resistivity anisotropy, which combined with the longitudinal resistivity also gives the in-plane elements of the conventional resistivity tensor via a 5-point contact geometry. In conclusion, this is demonstrated through application to the charge-density wave compound ErTe 3 , and it is concluded that this method presents a significant improvement on existing techniques, particularly when measuring small anisotropies.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

Absolute Hugoniot measurements from a spherically convergent shock using x-ray radiography

Here, the canonical high pressure equation of state measurement is to induce a shock wave in the sample material and measure two mechanical properties of the shocked material or shock wave. For accurate measurements, the experiment is normally designed to generate a planar shock which is as steady as possible in space and time, and a single state is measured. A converging shock strengthens as it propagates, so a range of shock pressures is induced in a single experiment. However, equation of state measurements must then account for spatial and temporal gradients. We have used x-ray radiography of spherically converging shocks to determine states along the shock Hugoniot. The radius-time history of the shock, and thus its speed, was measured by radiographing the position of the shock front as a function of time using an x-ray streak camera. The density profile of the shock was then inferred from the x-ray transmission at each instant of time. Simultaneous measurement of the density at the shock front and the shock speed determines an absolute mechanical Hugoniot state. The density profile was reconstructed using the known, unshocked density which strongly constrains the density jump at the shock front. The radiographic configuration and streak camera behavior were treated in detail to reduce systematic errors. Measurements were performed on the Omega and National Ignition Facility lasers, using a hohlraum to induce a spatially uniform drive over the outside of a solid, spherical sample and a laser-heated thermal plasma as an x-ray source for radiography. Absolute shock Hugoniot measurements were demonstrated for carbon-containing samples of different composition and initial density, up to temperatures at which K-shell ionization reduced the opacity behind the shock. Here we present the experimental method using measurements of polystyrene as an example.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2018

A Faraday-effect polarimeter for fast magnetic dynamics measurement on DIII-D

A Faraday-effect-based radial-interferometer-polarimeter diagnostic has been developed to explore fast magnetic dynamics in high-performance DIII-D plasmas. The instrument measures radial magnetic field perturbations using three chords positioned near the magnetic axis. Newly developed solid-state sources operating at 650 GHz provide phase noise down to 0.01°/$\sqrt{kHz}$ and tunable bandwidth up to 10 MHz. Various systematic errors which can contaminate the polarimetric measurement have been investigated in detail. Distortion of circular polarization due to non-ideal optical components is calibrated using a rotating quarter wave plate technique. The impact of perpendicular magnetic field, i.e., the Cotton-Mouton effect, is evaluated. The error due to non-collinearity of probe beams is minimized to less than 0.5° for electron density up to 7 × 10 19 m -3 by alignment optimization. Optical feedback, due to multiple reflections induced by the double-pass configuration, is identified and reduced. Lastly, coherent and broadband high-frequency magnetic fluctuations for DIII-D H-mode plasmas are observed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Implementation of a 1-2 keV point-projection x-ray spectrometer on the National Ignition Facility

A point-projection soft X-ray Opacity Spectrometer (OpSpec) has been implemented to measure X-ray spectra from ~1 to 2 keV on the National Ignition Facility (NIF). Measurement of such soft X-rays with open-aperture point-projection detectors is challenging because only very thin filters may be used to shield the detector from the hostile environment. OpSpec diffracts X-rays from 540 to 2100 eV off a potassium (or rubidium) acid phthalate (KAP or RbAP) crystal onto either image plates or, most recently, X-ray films. A “sacrificial front filter” strategy is used to prevent crystal damage, while 2 or 3 rear filters protect the data. Since May 2017, OpSpec has been recording X-ray transmission data for iron-magnesium plasmas on the NIF, at “Anchor 1” plasma conditions (temperature ~150 eV, density ~7 × 10 21 e - /cm 3 ). Upgrades improved OpSpec’s performance on 6 NIF shots in August and December 2017, with reduced backgrounds and 100% data return using filter stacks as thin as 2.9 μm (total). We conclude that photometric noise is beginning to meet requirements, and further work will reduce systematic errors.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2018

High-energy differential-filtering photon spectrometer for ultraintense laser-matter interactions

Large quantities of ultrahigh-energy x-rays are produced by petawatt-class lasers; however, spectroscopy in this range of 0.1-1 MeV is difficult due to the long photon mean free path. A novel geometry step filter to measure the high-energy bremsstrahlung emission tail has been developed for use in high energy density, short-pulse laser-matter interaction experiments. The grid design of the filters allows for the independent determination of a local background, which reduces systematic errors in the reconstructed spectra. This spectrometer was used to measure x-ray spectra for various laser and target conditions at intensities near 1 × 10 18 W/cm 2 where single-exponential bremsstrahlung spectra were fit to the data and show an increasing photon temperature with pulse duration for a fixed laser intensity.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2019

Environmental influences on autocollimator-based angle and form metrology

Deflectometric profilometers are indispensable tools for the precision form measurement of beam-shaping optics of synchrotrons and x-ray free electron lasers. They are used in metrology labs for x-ray optics worldwide and are crucial for providing measurement accuracy dictated by the form tolerances for modern state-of-the-art x-ray optics. Deflectometric profilometers use surface slope (angle) to assess form, and they utilize commercial autocollimators for the contactless slope measurement. In this contribution, we discuss the influences of environmental parameters, such as temperature and air pressure, including their gradients, on high-accuracy metrology with autocollimators in profilometers. They can cause substantial systematic errors in form measurement, especially in the case of large and strongly curved optical surfaces of high dynamic range. Relative angle and form measuring errors of the order of 10 -4 are to be expected. We characterize environmental influences by extended theoretical and experimental investigations and derive strategies for correcting them. Additionally, we report on the possibility to minimize the contributions of some errors by the application of sophisticated experimental arrangements and methods. We aim at approaching fundamental limits in autocollimator-based slope and form metrology.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2019

Modeling L 2,3 -edge X-ray absorption spectroscopy with linear response exact two-component relativistic time-dependent density functional theory

X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) is a powerful tool that can provide physical insights into element-specific chemical processes and reactivities. Although relativistic time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) has been previously applied to model the L-edge region in XAS, there has not been a more comprehensive study of the choices of basis sets and density functional kernels available for variational relativistic excited state methods. In this work, we introduce the implementation of the generalized preconditioned locally harmonic residual algorithm to solve the complex-valued relativistic TDDFT for modeling the L-edge X-ray absorption spectra. Further, we investigate the L 2,3 -edge spectra of a series of molecular complexes using relativistic linear response TDDFT with a hybrid iterative diagonalization algorithm. A systematic error analysis was carried out with a focus on the energetics, intensities, and magnitude of L 2 –L 3 splitting compared to experiments. Additionally, the results from relativistic TDDFT calculations are compared to those computed using other theoretical methods, and the multideterminantal effects on the L-edge XAS were investigated.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2019

The POLARBEAR Fourier transform spectrometer calibrator and spectroscopic characterization of the POLARBEAR instrument

Here we describe the Fourier Transform Spectrometer (FTS) used for in-field testing of the POLARBEAR receiver, an experiment located in the Atacama Desert of Chile which measures the cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization. The POLARBEAR-FTS (PB-FTS) is a Martin-Puplett interferometer designed to couple to the Huan Tran Telescope (HTT) on which the POLARBEAR receiver is installed. The PB-FTS measured the spectral response of the POLARBEAR receiver with signal-to-noise ratio >20 for ~69% of the focal plane detectors due to three features: a high throughput of 15.1 sr cm 2 , optimized optical coupling to the POLARBEAR optics using a custom designed output parabolic mirror, and a continuously modulated output polarizer. The PB-FTS parabolic mirror is designed to mimic the shape of the 2.5 m-diameter HTT primary reflector, which allows for optimum optical coupling to the POLARBEAR receiver, reducing aberrations and systematics. One polarizing grid is placed at the output of the PB-FTS and modulated via continuous rotation. This modulation allows for decomposition of the signal into different harmonics that can be used to probe potentially pernicious sources of systematic error in a polarization-sensitive instrument. The high throughput and continuous output polarizer modulation features are unique compared to other FTS calibrators used in the CMB field. In-field characterization of the POLARBEAR receiver was accomplished using the PB-FTS in April 2014. We discuss the design, construction, and operation of the PB-FTS and present the spectral characterization of the POLARBEAR receiver. We introduce future applications for the PB-FTS in the next-generation CMB experiment, the Simons Array.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2019

Crosstalk in microwave SQUID multiplexers

Low-temperature detector technologies provide extraordinary sensitivity for applications ranging from precision measurements of the cosmic microwave background to high-resolution, high-rate x-ray, and γ-ray spectroscopy. To utilize this sensitivity, new instruments are being built, and new instruments are imagined, with ever greater pixel counts, but the scale of these instruments is limited by the capability of the readout electronics. Microwave SQUID multiplexing addresses the needs of these future instruments, exploiting gigahertz of bandwidths of coaxial cables and broadband components to combine hundreds to thousands of signals on a single readout line. A key feature of any multiplexer is the level of crosstalk between input channels. This crosstalk can degrade the sensitivity of the instrument, introduce systematic error, or simply confound data analysis. In this letter, we explain the primary mechanisms of crosstalk in a microwave SQUID multiplexer, calculate and measure their magnitude, and consider their effect and methods of mitigation.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Intrinsic thermal interfacial resistance measurement in bonded metal–polymer foils

Heat conduction through bonded metal–polymer interfaces often limits the overall heat transfer in electronic packaging, batteries, and heat recovery systems. To design the thermal circuit in such systems, it is essential to measure the thermal interfacial resistance (TIR) across ~1 µm to 100 µm junctions. Previously reported TIR of metal–polymer junctions utilize ASTM E1530-based two-block systems that measure the TIR by applying pressure across the interface through external heating and cooling blocks. Here, we report a novel modification of the ASTM-E1530 technique that employs integrated heaters and sensors to provide an intrinsic TIR measurement of an adhesively bonded metal–polymer junction. We design the measurement technique using finite element simulations to either passively suppress or actively compensate the lateral heat diffusion through the polymer, which can minimize the systematic error to ≲5%. Through proof-of-concept experiments, we report the TIR of metal–polymer interfaces made from DuPont’s Pyralux double-side copper-clad laminates, commonly used in flexible printed circuit boards. Our TIR measurement errors are <10%. We highlight additional sources of errors due to non-idealities in the experiment and discuss possible ways to overcome them. Our measurement technique is also applicable to interfaces that are electrically insulating such as adhesively joined metal–metal junctions and sputter-coated or welded metal–polymer junctions. Altogether, the technique is capable of measuring TIR ≳10 –5 m 2 KW –1 in bonded metal–polymer foils and can be tailored for in situ measurements in flexible electronics, circuit packaging, and other hybrid metal–polymer systems.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2023

Machine learning predictions of high-Curie-temperature materials

Technologies that function at room temperature often require magnets with a high Curie temperature, $T$ C , and can be improved with better materials. Discovering magnetic materials with a substantial $T$ C is challenging because of the large number of candidates and the cost of fabricating and testing them. Using the two largest known datasets of experimental Curie temperatures, we develop machine-learning models to make rapid $T$ C predictions solely based on the chemical composition of a material. We train a random-forest model and a k -NN one and predict on an initial dataset of over 2500 materials and then validate the model on a new dataset containing over 3000 entries. The accuracy is compared for multiple compounds' representations (“descriptors”) and regression approaches. A random-forest model provides the most accurate predictions and is not improved by dimensionality reduction or by using more complex descriptors based on atomic properties. Further, a random-forest model trained on a combination of both datasets shows that cobalt-rich and iron-rich materials have the highest Curie temperatures for all binary and ternary compounds. An analysis of the model reveals systematic error that causes the model to over-predict low-$T$ C materials and under-predict high-$T$ C materials. For exhaustive searches to find new high-$T$ C materials, analysis of the learning rate suggests either that much more data is needed or that more efficient descriptors are necessary.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

The Simons Observatory: A fully remote controlled calibration system with a sparse wire grid for cosmic microwave background telescopes

For cosmic microwave background (CMB) polarization observations, calibration of detector polarization angles is essential. We have developed a fully remote controlled calibration system with a sparse wire grid that reflects linearly polarized light along the wire direction. The new feature is a remote-controlled system for regular calibration, which has not been possible in sparse wire grid calibrators in past experiments. The remote control can be achieved by two electric linear actuators that load or unload the sparse wire grid into a position centered on the optical axis of a telescope between the calibration time and CMB observation. Furthermore, the sparse wire grid can be rotated by using a motor. A rotary encoder and a gravity sensor are installed on the sparse wire grid to monitor the wire direction. They allow us to achieve detector polarization angle calibration with an expected systematic error of 0.08°. The calibration system will be installed in small-aperture telescopes at Simons Observatory.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2017

A vacuum gauge based on an ultracold gas

We report the design and application of a primary vacuum gauge based on an ultracold gas of atoms in an optical dipole trap. The pressure is calculated from the confinement time for atoms in the trap. The relationship between pressure and confinement time is established from the first principles owing to elimination of all channels introducing losses, except for knocking out an atom from the trap due to collisions with a residual gas particle. The method requires the knowledge of the gas chemical composition in the vacuum chamber, and, in the absence of this information, the systematic error is less than that of the ionisation sensor. (paper)

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Extraction of mechanical properties of materials through deep learning from instrumented indentation

Instrumented indentation has been developed and widely utilized as one of the most versatile and practical means of extracting mechanical properties of materials. This method is particularly desirable for those applications where it is difficult to experimentally determine the mechanical properties using stress–strain data obtained from coupon specimens. Such applications include material processing and manufacturing of small and large engineering components and structures involving the following: three-dimensional (3D) printing, thin-film and multilayered structures, and integrated manufacturing of materials for coupled mechanical and functional properties. Here, we utilize the latest developments in neural networks, including a multifidelity approach whereby deep-learning algorithms are trained to extract elastoplastic properties of metals and alloys from instrumented indentation results using multiple datasets for desired levels of improved accuracy. We have established algorithms for solving inverse problems by recourse to single, dual, and multiple indentation and demonstrate that these algorithms significantly outperform traditional brute force computations and function-fitting methods. Moreover, we present several multifidelity approaches specifically for solving the inverse indentation problem which 1) significantly reduce the number of high-fidelity datasets required to achieve a given level of accuracy, 2) utilize known physical and scaling laws to improve training efficiency and accuracy, and 3) integrate simulation and experimental data for training disparate datasets to learn and minimize systematic errors. The predictive capabilities and advantages of these multifidelity methods have been assessed by direct comparisons with experimental results for indentation for different commercial alloys, including two wrought aluminum alloys and several 3D printed titanium alloys.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Simultaneous compression of NaCl, Au, and ruby: toward mutually consistent pressure scales

Here, we evaluate pressure consistency of equations of state (EOS) for NaCl and Au at 300 K. The simultaneous measurements of unit-cell volumes (V) with ruby R1 line shifts (Δλ) in a helium (He) loaded diamond cell effectively remove potential systematic errors. Compression and decompression data were automatically collected at 1 sec interval, yielding a dense dataset with >8,000 (V, Δλ) pairs each for NaCl and Au. Solidification of He has noticeable effects on both V and Delta lambda (hence P). Only data up to similar to 14 GPa, or 6000 (V, P) pairs, can be considered hydrostatic within the resolution. The P-V data are fitted to the Rydberg-Vinet and the 3 rd order Birch-Murnaghan EOS. Predicted pressures of these EOSs agree with those given by the Ruby2020 ruby scale to within +/- 0.05 GPa. Overall, pressures predicted by the Rydberg-Vinet EOS are in better agreement with the average of commonly used NaCl and Au pressure scales.

38 RADIATION CHEMISTRY, RADIOCHEMISTRY, AND NUCLEA↗
DOE OSTI2018

Uncertainty Analysis in 3D Equilibrium Reconstruction

Reconstruction is an inverse process where a parameter space is searched to locate a set of parameters with the highest probability of describing experimental observations. Due to systematic errors and uncertainty in experimental measurements, this optimal set of parameters will contain some associated uncertainty. This uncertainty in the optimal parameters leads to uncertainty in models derived using those parameters. V3FIT is a three-dimensional (3D) equilibrium reconstruction code that propagates uncertainty from the input signals, to the reconstructed parameters, and to the final model. Here in this paper, we describe the methods used to propagate uncertainty in V3FIT. Using the results of whole shot 3D equilibrium reconstruction of the Compact Toroidal Hybrid, this propagated uncertainty is validated against the random variation in the resulting parameters. Two different model parameterizations demonstrate how the uncertainty propagation can indicate the quality of a reconstruction. As a proxy for random sampling, the whole shot reconstruction results in a time interval that will be used to validate the propagated uncertainty from a single time slice.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗