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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 793 records · Page 44
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Comparative study of GaN mesa etch characteristics in Cl{sub 2} based inductively coupled plasma with Ar and BCl{sub 3} as additive gases

GaN thin film etching is investigated and compared for mesa formation in inductively coupled plasma (ICP) of Cl{sub 2} with Ar and BCl{sub 3} gas additives using photoresist mask. Etch characteristics are studied as a function of ICP process parameters, viz., ICP power, radio frequency (RF) power, and chamber pressure at fixed total flow rate. The etch rate at each ICP/RF power is 0.1–0.2 μm/min higher for Cl{sub 2}/Ar mixture mainly due to higher Cl dissociation efficiency of Ar additive that readily provides Cl ion/radical for reaction in comparison to Cl{sub 2}/BCl{sub 3} mixture. Cl{sub 2}/Ar mixture also leads to better photoresist mask selectivity. The etch-induced roughness is investigated using atomic force microscopy. Cl{sub 2}/Ar etching has resulted in lower root-mean-square roughness of GaN etched surface in comparison to Cl{sub 2}/BCl{sub 3} etching due to increased Ar ion energy and flux with ICP/RF power that enhances the sputter removal of etch product. The GaN surface damage after etching is also evaluated using room temperature photoluminescence and found to be increasing with ICP/RF power for both the etch chemistries with higher degree of damage in Cl{sub 2}/BCl{sub 3} etching under same condition.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Low-temperature growth of gallium nitride films by inductively coupled-plasma-enhanced reactive magnetron sputtering

Gallium nitride (GaN) films were grown on sapphire substrate by reactive magnetron sputtering. Inductively coupled-plasma (ICP) source was installed between the substrate holder and the sputtering target to increase the plasma density and the degree of ionization of nitrogen gas. Liquid Ga and Ar/N{sub 2} were used as the sputtering target and sputtering gases, respectively. X-ray diffraction measurements confirmed that the authors could grow high quality GaN crystallites at 500 °C. However, the crystalline GaN (0002) peak remained even by lowering the growth temperature down to 300 °C. The N:Ga ratio of the film grown at 500 °C was almost 1:1, and the nitrogen composition became higher toward the 1:1 N:Ga ratio with increasing the growth temperature. The high degree of ionization induced by ICP source was essential to the growth of high crystalline quality GaN films.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Anisotropic Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5} waveguide etching using inductively coupled plasma etching

Smooth and vertical sidewall profiles are required to create low loss rib and ridge waveguides for integrated optical device and solid state laser applications. In this work, inductively coupled plasma (ICP) etching processes are developed to produce high quality low loss tantalum pentoxide (Ta{sub 2}O{sub 5}) waveguides. A mixture of C{sub 4}F{sub 8} and O{sub 2} gas are used in combination with chromium (Cr) hard mask for this purpose. In this paper, the authors make a detailed investigation of the etch process parameter window. Effects of process parameters such as ICP power, platen power, gas flow, and chamber pressure on etch rate and sidewall slope angle are investigated. Chamber pressure is found to be a particularly important factor, which can be used to tune the sidewall slope angle and so prevent undercut.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Plasma dynamics in a discharge produced by a pulsed dual frequency inductively coupled plasma source

Using a Langmuir probe, time resolved measurements of plasma parameters were carried out in a discharge produced by a pulsed dual frequency inductively coupled plasma source. The discharge was sustained in an argon gas environment at a pressure of 10 mTorr. The low frequency (P{sub 2} {sub MHz}) was pulsed at 1 kHz and a duty ratio of 50%, while high frequency (P{sub 13.56} {sub MHz}) was maintained in the CW mode. All measurements were carried out at the center of the discharge and 20 mm above the substrate. The results show that, at a particular condition (P{sub 2} {sub MHz} = 200 W and P{sub 13.56} {sub MHz }= 600 W), plasma density increases with time and stabilizes at up to ∼200 μs after the initiation of P{sub 2} {sub MHz} pulse at a plasma density of (2 × 10{sup 17} m{sup −3}) for the remaining duration of pulse “on.” This stabilization time for plasma density increases with increasing P{sub 2} {sub MHz} and becomes ∼300 μs when P{sub 2} {sub MHz} is 600 W; however, the growth rate of plasma density is almost independent of P{sub 2} {sub MHz}. Interestingly, the plasma density sharply increases as the pulse is switched off and reaches a peak value in ∼10 μs, then decreases for the remaining pulse “off-time.” This phenomenon is thought to be due to the sheath modulation during the transition from “pulse on” to “pulse off” and partly due to RF noise during the transition period. The magnitude of peak plasma density in off time increases with increasing P{sub 2} {sub MHz}. The plasma potential and electron temperature decrease as the pulse develops and shows similar behavior to that of the plasma density when the pulse is switched off.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

F-atom kinetics in SF{sub 6}/Ar inductively coupled plasmas

The F-atom kinetics in SF{sub 6} and SF{sub 6}/Ar inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs) were investigated using a global model. This report particularly focuses on the effects of ICP power and Ar fraction on F-atom density and its main production and loss mechanisms. The results are presented for a relatively wide pressure range of 1–100 mTorr. Very different behaviors were observed for Ar fractions in the low- and high-pressure limits, which can be attributed to different electron kinetics. In addition, the authors found that increasing the Ar fraction in the SF{sub 6}/Ar plasma has almost the same effects on the F-atom kinetics as increasing the power in the SF{sub 6} plasma. This is because a high electron density occurs in both cases. Moreover, it was confirmed that, for both sample types, a cycle of F atoms formed in the bulk plasma. The source of these is F{sub 2} molecules that are first formed on the chamber wall and then emitted. Finally, the simulations of F-atom kinetics are validated by quantitatively comparing the calculated electron and F-atom densities with identical experimental discharge conditions.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2016

Electron density modulation in a pulsed dual-frequency (2/13.56 MHz) dual-antenna inductively coupled plasma discharge

The electron density, n{sub e}, modulation is measured experimentally using a resonance hairpin probe in a pulsed, dual-frequency (2/13.56 MHz), dual-antenna, inductively coupled plasma discharge produced in argon-C{sub 4}F{sub 8} (90–10) gas mixtures. The 2 MHz power is pulsed at a frequency of 1 kHz, whereas 13.56 MHz power is applied in continuous wave mode. The discharge is operated at a range of conditions covering 3–50 mTorr, 100–600 W 13.56 MHz power level, 300–600 W 2 MHz peak power level, and duty ratio of 10%–90%. The experimental results reveal that the quasisteady state n{sub e} is greatly affected by the 2 MHz power levels and slightly affected by 13.56 MHz power levels. It is observed that the electron density increases by a factor of 2–2.5 on increasing 2 MHz power level from 300 to 600 W, whereas n{sub e} increases by only ∼20% for 13.56 MHz power levels of 100–600 W. The rise time and decay time constant of n{sub e} monotonically decrease with an increase in either 2 or 13.56 MHz power level. This effect is stronger at low values of 2 MHz power level. For all the operating conditions, it is observed that the n{sub e} overshoots at the beginning of the on-phase before relaxing to a quasisteady state value. The relative overshoot density (in percent) depends on 2 and 13.56 MHz power levels. On increasing gas pressure, the n{sub e} at first increases, reaching to a maximum value, and then decreases with a further increase in gas pressure. The decay time constant of n{sub e} increases monotonically with pressure, increasing rapidly up to 10 mTorr gas pressure and at a slower rate of rise to 50 mTorr. At a fixed 2/13.56 MHz power level and 10 mTorr gas pressure, the quasisteady state n{sub e} shows maximum for 30%–40% duty ratio and decreases with a further increase in duty ratio.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2016

Inductively coupled BCl 3 /Cl 2 /Ar plasma etching of Al-rich AlGaN

Varying atomic ratios in compound semiconductors is well known to have large effects on the etching properties of the material. The use of thin device barrier layers, down to 25 nm, adds to the fabrication complexity by requiring precise control over etch rates and surface morphology. The effects of bias power and gas ratio of BCl 3 to Cl 2 for inductively coupled plasma etching of high Al content AlGaN were contrasted with AlN in this study for etch rate, selectivity, and surface morphology. Etch rates were greatly affected by both bias power and gas chemistry. Here we detail the effects of small variations in Al composition for AlGaN and show substantial changes in etch rate with regards to bias power as compared to AlN.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

SPT-3G+: mapping the high-frequency cosmic microwave background using kinetic inductance detectors

We present the design and science goals of SPT-3G+, a new camera for the South Pole Telescope, which will consist of a dense array of 34100 kinetic inductance detectors measuring the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at 220, 285 and 345 GHz. The SPT-3G+ dataset will enable new constraints on the process of reionization, including measurements of the patchy kinematic Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect and improved constraints on the optical depth due to reionization. At the same time, it will serve as a pathfinder for the detection of Rayleigh scattering, which could allow future CMB surveys to constrain cosmological parameters better than from the primary CMB alone. In addition, the combined, multi-band SPT-3G and SPT-3G+ survey data, will have several synergies that enhance the original SPT-3G survey, including: extending the redshift-reach of SZ cluster surveys to z > 2; understanding the relationship between magnetic fields and star formation in our Galaxy; improved characterization of the impact of dust on inflationary B-mode searches; and characterizing astrophysical transients at the boundary between mm and sub-mm wavelengths. Finally, the modular design of the SPT-3G+ camera allows it to serve as an on-sky demonstrator for new detector technologies employing microwave readout, such as the on-chip spectrometers that we expect to deploy during the SPT-3G+ survey. In this paper, we describe the science goals of the project and the key technology developments that enable its powerful yet compact design.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2016

SU-F-T-202: An Evaluation Method of Lifetime Attributable Risk for Comparing Between Proton Beam Therapy and Intensity Modulated X-Ray Therapy for Pediatric Cancer Patients by Averaging Four Dose-Response Models for Carcinoma Induction

Purpose: To examine how much lifetime attributable risk (LAR) as an in silico surrogate marker of radiation-induced secondary cancer would be lowered by using proton beam therapy (PBT) in place of intensity modulated x-ray therapy (IMXT) in pediatric patients. Methods: From 242 pediatric patients with cancers who were treated with PBT, 26 patients were selected by random sampling after stratification into four categories: a) brain, head, and neck, b) thoracic, c) abdominal, and d) whole craniospinal (WCNS) irradiation. IMXT was re-planned using the same computed tomography and region of interest. Using dose volume histogram (DVH) of PBT and IMXT, the LAR of Schneider et al. was calculated for the same patient. The published four dose-response models for carcinoma induction: i) full model, ii) bell-shaped model, iii) plateau model, and ix) linear model were tested for organs at risk. In the case that more than one dose-response model was available, the LAR for this patient was calculated by averaging LAR for each dose-response model. Results: Calculation of the LARs of PBT and IMXT based on DVH was feasible for all patients. The mean±standard deviation of the cumulative LAR difference between PBT and IMXT for the four categories was a) 0.77±0.44% (n=7, p=0.0037), b) 23.1±17.2%,(n=8, p=0.0067), c) 16.4±19.8% (n=8, p=0.0525), and d) 49.9±21.2% (n=3, p=0.0275, one tailed t-test), respectively. The LAR was significantly lower by PBT than IMXT for the the brain, head, and neck region, thoracic region, and whole craniospinal irradiation. Conclusion: In pediatric patients who had undergone PBT, the LAR of PBT was significantly lower than the LAR of IMXT estimated by in silico modeling. This method was suggested to be useful as an in silico surrogate marker of secondary cancer induced by different radiotherapy techniques. This research was supported by the Translational Research Network Program, JSPS KAKENHI Grant No. 15H04768 and the Global Institution for Collaborative Research and Education (GI-CoRE), Hokkaido University, founded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Japan.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2024

Induction of durable remission by dual immunotherapy in SHIV-infected ART-suppressed macaques

The eradication of the viral reservoir represents the major obstacle to the development of a clinical cure for established HIV-1 infection. Here, we demonstrate that the administration of N-803 (brand name Anktiva) and broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) results in sustained viral control after discontinuation of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in simian-human AD8 (SHIV-AD8)–infected, ART-suppressed rhesus macaques. N-803+bNAbs treatment induced immune activation and transient viremia but only limited reductions in the SHIV reservoir. Furthermore, upon ART discontinuation, viral rebound occurred in all animals, which was followed by durable control in approximately 70% of all N-803+bNAb–treated macaques. Viral control was correlated with the reprogramming of CD8 + T cells by N-803+bNAb synergy. Thus, complete eradication of the replication-competent viral reservoir is likely not a prerequisite for the induction of sustained remission after discontinuation of ART.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Capturing an Early Gene Induction Event during Wood Decay by the Brown Rot Fungus Rhodonia placenta

Brown rot fungi dominate wood decomposition in coniferous forests, and their carbohydrate-selective mechanisms are of commercial interest. Brown rot was recently described as a two-step, sequential mechanism orchestrated by fungi using differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and consisting of oxidation via reactive oxygen species (ROS) followed by enzymatic saccharification. There have been indications, however, that the initial oxidation step itself might require induction. To capture this early gene regulation event, here, we integrated fine-scale cryosectioning with whole-transcriptome sequencing to dissect gene expression at the single-hyphal-cell scale (tens of micrometers). This improved the spatial resolution 50-fold, relative to previous work, and we were able to capture the activity of the first 100 μm of hyphal front growth by Rhodonia placenta in aspen wood. This early decay period was dominated by delayed gene expression patterns as the fungus ramped up its mechanism. These delayed DEGs included many genes implicated in ROS pathways (lignocellulose oxidation [LOX]) that were previously and incorrectly assumed to be constitutively expressed. These delayed DEGs, which include those with and without predicted functions, also create a focused subset of target genes for functional genomics. However, this delayed pattern was not universal, with a few genes being upregulated immediately at the hyphal front. Most notably, this included a gene commonly implicated in hydroquinone and iron redox cycling: benzoquinone reductase.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Effect of inductive and capacitive coupling on the current–voltage characteristic and electromagnetic radiation from a system of Josephson junctions

We have studied the current–voltage characteristic of a system of long Josephson junctions taking into account the inductive and capacitive coupling. The dependence of the average time derivative of the phase difference on the bias current and spatiotemporal dependences of the phase difference and magnetic field in each junction are considered. The possibility of branching of the current–voltage characteristic in the region of zero field step, which is associated with different numbers of fluxons in individual Josephson junctions, is demonstrated. The current–voltage characteristic of the system of Josephson junctions is compared with the case of a single junction, and it is shown that the observed branching is due to coupling between the junctions. The intensity of electromagnetic radiation associated with motion of fluxons is calculated, and the effect of coupling between junctions on the radiation power is analyzed.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2017

Langmuir probe study of an inductively coupled magnetic-pole-enhanced helium plasma

This study reports the effects of RF power and filling gas pressure variation on the plasma parameters, including the electron number density n{sub e}, electron temperature T{sub e}, plasma potential V{sub p}, skin depth δ, and electron energy probability functions (EEPFs) in a low-pressure inductively coupled helium plasma source with magnetic pole enhancement. An RF compensated Langmuir probe is used to measure these plasma parameters. It is observed that the electron number density increases with both the RF power and the filling gas pressure. Conversely, the electron temperature decreases with increasing RF power and gas pressure. It is also noted that, at low RF powers and gas pressures, the EEPFs are non-Maxwellian, while at RF powers of ≥50 W, they evolve into a Maxwellian distribution. The dependences of the skin depth and plasma potential on the RF power are also studied and show a decreasing trend.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Effect of an External Magnetic Field on the Absorption Efficiency of the RF Power in a Spatially Bounded Inductive Plasma Source

The measured dependences of the equivalent plasma resistance on the external magnetic field (0–50 G) in a 46-cm-diameter RF inductive plasma source operating at frequencies of 2, 4, and 13.56 MHz and a power of 100–500 W are presented. The experiments were carried out in argon at pressures of 0.1–30 mTorr. The presence of the external magnetic field leads to the appearance of resonance domains of efficient RF power absorption corresponding to the conditions of resonance excitation of helicons coupled with Trivelpiece–Gould modes. It is shown that RF power absorption at frequencies of 2 MHz can be optimized by applying an external magnetic field corresponding to the domains of resonance absorption. The effect is enhanced with increasing operating frequency.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2017

Feedback control design for non-inductively sustained scenarios in NSTX-U using TRANSP

This paper examines a method for real-time control of non-inductively sustained scenarios in NSTX-U by using TRANSP,a time-dependent integrated modeling code for prediction and interpretive analysis of tokamak experimental data, as asimulator. The actuators considered for control in this work are the six neutral beam sources and the plasma boundaryshape. To understand the response of the plasma current, stored energy, and central safety factor to these actuatorsand to enable systematic design of control algorithms, simulations were run in which the actuators were modulated anda linearized dynamic response model was generated. A multi-variable model-based control scheme that accounts for thecoupling and slow dynamics of the system while mitigating the effect of actuator limitations was designed andsimulated. Simulations show that modest changes in the outer gap and heating power can improve the response time ofthe system, reject perturbations, and track target values of the controlled values.

Predictive simulations↗
DOE OSTI2019

The Sustained Induction of c-MYC Drives Nab-Paclitaxel Resistance in Primary Pancreatic Ductal Carcinoma Cells

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a highly aggressive disease with limited and, very often, ineffective medical and surgical therapeutic options. The treatment of patients with advanced unresectable PDAC is restricted to systemic chemotherapy, a therapeutic intervention to which most eventually develop resistance. Recently, nab-paclitaxel (n-PTX) has been added to the arsenal of first-line therapies, and the combination of gemcitabine and n-PTX has modestly prolonged median overall survival. However, patients almost invariably succumb to the disease, and little is known about the mechanisms underlying n-PTX resistance. In this study, using the conditionally reprogrammed (CR) cell approach, we established and verified continuously growing cell cultures from treatment-naïve patients with PDAC. To study the mechanisms of primary drug resistance, nab-paclitaxel–resistant (n-PTX-R) cells were generated from primary cultures and drug resistance was verified in vivo, both in zebrafish and in athymic nude mouse xenograft models. Molecular analyses identified the sustained induction of c-MYC in the n-PTX-R cells. Depletion of c-MYC restored n-PTX sensitivity, as did treatment with either the MEK inhibitor, trametinib, or a small-molecule activator of protein phosphatase 2a. Implications: The strategies we have devised, including the patient-derived primary cells and the unique, drug-resistant isogenic cells, are rapid and easily applied in vitro and in vivo platforms to better understand the mechanisms of drug resistance and for defining effective therapeutic options on a patient by patient basis.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2016

Analysis of Plant Leaves Using Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry: Use of Carbon to Compensate for Matrix Effects

Direct solid sampling by laser ablation into an inductively coupled plasma synchronous vertical dual view optical emission spectroscope (LA-SVDV-ICP-OES) was used for the elemental analysis of nutrient elements Ca, B, Mn, Mg, K, and Zn and essential (non-metallic) elements P and S in plant materials. The samples were mixed with paraffin as a binder, an approach that provides better cohesion of the particles in the pellets in addition to supplying carbon to serve as an internal standard (atomic line C I 193.027 nm) as a way to compensate for matrix effects, and/or variations in the ablation process. Precision was in the range of 1-8% relative standard deviation (RSD) with limit of detection in the range of 0.4 -1 mg/kg -1 and 25-640 mg/kg -1 for metallic and non-metallic elements, respectively.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Comparative RNA-Seq transcriptome analyses reveal dynamic time-dependent effects of 56 Fe, 16 O, and 28 Si irradiation on the induction of murine hepatocellular carcinoma

One of the health risks posed to astronauts during deep space flights is exposure to high charge, high-energy (HZE) ions (Z > 13), which can lead to the induction of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, little is known on the molecular mechanisms of HZE irradiation-induced HCC. We performed comparative RNA-Seq transcriptomic analyses to assess the carcinogenic effects of 600 MeV/n 56 Fe (0.2 Gy), 1 GeV/n 16 O (0.2 Gy), and 350 MeV/n 28 Si (0.2 Gy) ions in a mouse model for irradiation-induced HCC. C3H/HeNCrl mice were subjected to total body irradiation to simulate space environment HZE-irradiation, and liver tissues were extracted at five different time points post-irradiation to investigate the time-dependent carcinogenic response at the transcriptomic level. Our data demonstrated a clear difference in the biological effects of these HZE ions, particularly immunological, such as Acute Phase Response Signaling, B Cell Receptor Signaling, IL-8 Signaling, and ROS Production in Macrophages. Also seen in this study were novel unannotated transcripts that were significantly affected by HZE. To investigate the biological functions of these novel transcripts, we used a machine learning technique known as self-organizing maps (SOMs) to characterize the transcriptome expression profiles of 60 samples (45 HZE-irradiated, 15 non-irradiated control) from liver tissues. A handful of localized modules in the maps emerged as groups of co-regulated and co-expressed transcripts. The functional context of these modules was discovered using overrepresentation analysis. We found that these spots typically contained enriched populations of transcripts related to specific immunological molecular processes (e.g., Acute Phase Response Signaling, B Cell Receptor Signaling, IL-3 Signaling), and RNA Transcription/Expression. A large number of transcripts were found differentially expressed post-HZE irradiation. These results provide valuable information for uncovering the differences in molecular mechanisms underlying HZE specific induced HCC carcinogenesis. Additionally, a handful of novel differentially expressed unannotated transcripts were discovered for each HZE ion. Taken together, these findings may provide a better understanding of biological mechanisms underlying risks for HCC after HZE irradiation and may also have important implications for the discovery of potential countermeasures against and identification of biomarkers for HZE-induced HCC.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗