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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 811 records · Page 45
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Research Studies on Advanced Optical Module/Head Designs for Optical Data Storage

Preprints are presented from the recent 1992 Optical Data Storage meeting in San Jose. The papers are divided into the following topical areas: Magneto-optical media (Modeling/design and fabrication/characterization/testing); Optical heads (holographic optical elements); and Optical heads (integrated optics). Some representative titles are as follow: Diffraction analysis and evaluation of several focus and track error detection schemes for magneto-optical disk systems; Proposal for massively parallel data storage system; Transfer function characteristics of super resolving systems; Modeling and measurement of a micro-optic beam deflector; Oxidation processes in magneto-optic and related materials; and A modal analysis of lamellar diffraction gratings in conical mountings.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS1994

Spatial Phase Coding for Incoherent Optical Processors

In this paper we introduce spatial phase coding of incoherent optical signals for representing signed numbers in optical processors and present an experimental demonstration of this coding technique. If a diffraction grating, such as an acousto-optic cell, modulates a stream of light, the image of the grating can be recovered from the diffracted beam. The position of the grating image, or more precisely its phase, can be used to denote the sign of the number represented by the diffracted light. The intensity of the light represents the magnitude of the number. This technique is more economical than current methods in terms of the number of information channels required to represent a number and the amount of post processing required.

Tigin, D. V.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Optical Technologies for UV Remote Sensing Instruments

Over the last decade significant advances in technology have made possible development of instruments with substantially improved efficiency in the UV spectral region. In the area of optical coatings and materials, the importance of recent developments in chemical vapor deposited (CVD) silicon carbide (SiC) mirrors, SiC films, and multilayer coatings in the context of ultraviolet instrumentation design are discussed. For example, the development of chemically vapor deposited (CVD) silicon carbide (SiC) mirrors, with high ultraviolet (UV) reflectance and low scatter surfaces, provides the opportunity to extend higher spectral/spatial resolution capability into the 50-nm region. Optical coatings for normal incidence diffraction gratings are particularly important for the evolution of efficient extreme ultraviolet (EUV) spectrographs. SiC films are important for optimizing the spectrograph performance in the 90 nm spectral region. The performance evaluation of the flight optical components for the Solar Ultraviolet Measurements of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) instrument, a spectroscopic instrument to fly aboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission, designed to study dynamic processes, temperatures, and densities in the plasma of the upper atmosphere of the Sun in the wavelength range from 50 nm to 160 nm, is discussed. The optical components were evaluated for imaging and scatter in the UV. The performance evaluation of SOHO/CDS (Coronal Diagnostic Spectrometer) flight gratings tested for spectral resolution and scatter in the DGEF is reviewed and preliminary results on resolution and scatter testing of Space Telescope Imaging Spectrograph (STIS) technology development diffraction gratings are presented.

Keski-Kuha, R. A. M.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Understanding the p-doping of spiroOMeTAD by tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane

The solid-state organization of photoabsorber, hole and electron transporting layers, and interfaces between them plays an important role in governing the performance and stability of emerging optoelectronic devices such as perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The molecular organic semiconductor (OSC) 2,2' ,7,7' -tetrakis [N,N-di(4-methoxyphenyl)amino]-9,9'-spirobifluorene (spiroOMeTAD) is a promising hole-transporting material (HTM) for PSCs, which is p-doped by molecular dopants to augment the charge carrier mobility. Here, the p-type doping of spiroOMeTAD by tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane (BCF) is investigated by a combination of techniques including optical spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), solid-state (ss)NMR, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. BCF molecules interact with traces of water molecules to form BCF-water complexes. Optical spectroscopy analysis suggests that the BCF/BCF-water complexes oxidize spiroOMeTAD molecules and facilitate p-type doping of spiroOMeTAD molecules. The different distributions of BCF and BCF-water molecules in doped spiroOMeTAD are characterized by FTIR and 11B NMR spectroscopy. An NMR crystallography approach which combines two-dimensional (2D) ssNMR and crystallography modeling is employed to unravel the packing interactions in spiroOMeTAD, and this analysis is extended to probe the morphological and structural changes in spiroOMeTAD:BCF blends. The hyperfine interactions are characterized by 2D hyperfine sub-level correlation (HYSCORE) spectroscopy. In this way, insight into the complex spiroOMeTAD:BCF blend morphology is obtained and compared for different dopant concentrations. Further, molecular-level analysis of doped HTMs enabled by this study has much wider relevance for further investigation, for example, chemical design and interfacial engineering of p-type doped HTMs for stable and efficient hybrid perovskite photovoltaics.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2016

Synthesis, structure, spectroscopic investigations, and computational studies of optically pure β-ketoamide

Chemical preparation, X-ray single crystal diffraction, IR and NMR spectroscopic investigations of a novel nonlinear optical organic compound (C{sub 17}H{sub 22}NO{sub 2}Cl) are described. The compound crystallizes in the orthorhombic system with the non-centrosymmetric sp. gr. P2{sub 1}2{sub 1}2{sub 1}. In the crystal structure, molecules are interconnected by N–H…O hydrogen bonds forming infinite chains along a axis. The Hirshfeld surface and associated fingerprint plots of the compound are presented to explore the nature of intermolecular interactions and their relative contributions in building the solid-state architecture. The molecular HOMO–LUMO compositions and their respective energy gaps are also drawn to explain the activity of the compound. The first hyperpolarizability β{sub tot} of the title compound is determined using DFT calculations. The optical properties are also investigated by UV–Vis absorption spectrum.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Time‐Lapse Image Classification Using a Diffractive Neural Network

Diffractive deep neural networks (D 2 NNs), comprised of spatially engineered passive surfaces, collectively process optical input information at the speed of light propagation through a thin diffractive volume, without any external computing power. Diffractive networks were demonstrated to achieve all‐optical object classification and perform universal linear transformations. Herein, a “time‐lapse” image classification scheme using a diffractive network is demonstrated for the first time, significantly advancing its classification accuracy and generalization performance on complex input objects by using the lateral movements of the input objects and/or the diffractive network, relative to each other. In a different context, such relative movements of the objects and/or the camera are routinely being used for image super‐resolution applications; inspired by their success, a time‐lapse diffractive network is designed to benefit from the complementary information content created by controlled or random lateral shifts. The design space and performance limits of time‐lapse diffractive networks are numerically explored, revealing a blind testing accuracy of 62.03% on the optical classification of objects from the CIFAR‐10 dataset. This constitutes the highest inference accuracy achieved so far using a single diffractive network on the CIFAR‐10 dataset. Time‐lapse diffractive networks will be broadly useful for the spatiotemporal analysis of input signals using all‐optical processors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Nano-indentation and laser-induced damage testing in optical multilayer-dielectric gratings [Nanomechanics and laser-induced damage in optical multilayer dielectric gratings]

Here, we demonstrate how a nanomechanical test can be used to generate metrics to complement laser-induced–damage testing (LIDT) measurements and show that differences in optical performance of the gratings (arising from changes in cleaning process and/or fabrication methods) can be related to their mechanical reliability. Data are presented on LIDT measurements in diffractive gratings of silica deposited on optical multilayers. The nano-indentation response of the diffraction gratings is measured in a new mode that allows for the extraction of a measurable metric characterizing the brittleness of the gratings, as well as their ductility. We show that lower LIDT’s are positively correlated with an increased grating brittleness, and therefore identify a nanomechanical approach to describe LIDT’s. We present extensive numerical simulations of nano-indentation tests and identify different deformation modes including stretching, shear concentration, and bending as precursors to mechanical failure in the nano-indentation test. The effects of geometrical inhomogeneities on enhanced stress generation in these gratings are specifically examined and addressed.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Characteristics of InGaAsBi with various lattice mismatches on InP substrate

To develop bismuth-containing infrared optoelectronic devices, InGaAsBi/InP films with different lattice mismatches have been investigated. The lattice mismatch was tailored by changing the Bi content in conjunction with the In content simultaneously. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that alloy lattice constants have been extended positively by incorporation of Bi into the crystal lattice. Electrical and optical characteristics were investigated by Hall-effect, optical absorption and photoluminescence measurements. A bandgap shrinking of about 56.4 meV/Bi% was deduced by X-ray diffraction and optical absorption measurements. From the excitation dependent photoluminescence measurement at 10 K, the donor-acceptor pair emissions were inferred for samples containing moderate and high levels of Bi. The temperature dependence of the PL peak energy is as small as 0.06 meV/K in In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}As{sub 0.987}Bi{sub 0.013}, which is fairly low compared with that of In{sub 0.5}Ga{sub 0.5}As.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2017

Radiation damage free ghost diffraction with atomic resolution

The x-ray free electron lasers can enable diffractive structural determination of protein nanocrystals and single molecules that are too small and radiation-sensitive for conventional x-ray diffraction. However the electronic form factor may be modified during the ultrashort x-ray pulse due to photoionization and electron cascade caused by the intense x-ray pulse. For general x-ray imaging techniques, the minimization of the effects of radiation damage is of major concern to ensure reliable reconstruction of molecular structure. Here in this paper, we show that radiation damage free diffraction can be achieved with atomic spatial resolution by using x-ray parametric down-conversion and ghost diffraction with entangled photons of x-ray and optical frequencies. We show that the formation of the diffraction patterns satisfies a condition analogous to the Bragg equation, with a resolution that can be as fine as the crystal lattice length scale of several Ångstrom. Since the samples are illuminated by low energy optical photons, they can be free of radiation damage.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS1989

Super Smooth Optics for Extra-Solar Planet Detection

The goal of imaging planets around the nearby stars has important scientific significance but requires the use of advanced methods of controlling diffracted and scattered light. Over the last three years we have undertaken a study of coronagraphic methods of controlling diffracted light and of figuring hyper-contrast optics. Progress in these two general areas have led to a proposed space-based, 1.9 meter diameter coronagraphic telescope designed specifically for very high performance in the imaging of faint objects near bright sources. This instrument, called the Circumstellar Imaging Telescope (CIT), relies on a new high efficiency coronagraph design and the careful control of scattered light by extremely smooth optics. The high efficiency coronagraph uses focal plane apodization in order to concentrate diffracted light more efficiently in the pupil. This allows convenient removal of the diffracted light by masking off parts of the telescope pupil while not sacrificing the center of the field. Reductions of diffracted light by factors exceeding 1000 are not only possible but are required in order to detect extra-solar planets. Laboratory experiments with this new design have confirmed the theoretical diffraction reductions to the limits of the optics used (factors of about 300) . The extremely high efficiency of this coronagraph puts strong constraints on the narrow angle scattered light due to figure errors in the telescope mirror. Since planets orbiting nearby stars are expected at angular distances of about 1 arcsecond, it is in this small angular range in which scattering must be controlled. The figure errors responsible for scattering in this range come from mid-spatial frequencies corresponding to correlation lengths of about 10 cm on the primary mirror. A primary mirror about 15 times smoother than the Hubble Space Telescope mirror is required for the CIT. Laboratory experiments indicate that small test mirrors can be fabricated with existing technology which come within a factor of two of this requirement.

Terrile, Richard J.↗
DOE OSTI2019

Effect of Preheating and Water Cooling on the Performance of Friction-Stir-Welded Aviation-Grade Aluminum Alloy Joints

This paper examined the effect of preheating and water cooling on the thermal, mechanical, metallurgical, and texture properties of friction-stir-welded AA6082. Joints are fabricated under different preheating (FSW-P) and water cooling (FSW-C) conditions. The experimental outcomes indicate that the preheating and water cooling enhance the mechanical properties of the joint. The maximum tensile strength of 295 MPa is obtained for FSW-P1. It is also observed that preheating has more impact on microhardness. Microstructural analysis using optical microscope and electron backscatter diffraction analysis indicated that FSW produced fine equiaxed grains in the nugget zone due to dynamic recrystallization. Texture analysis shows that finer grain grains are obtained under preheating and water cooling conditions. The minimum grain size of 5.3 µm is obtained under FSW-P1. X-ray diffraction analysis shows that Mg{sub 2}Si phase in nugget zone that is an indication of dissolution and formation of strengthening precipitates. Fracture analysis indicates that preheating also improves the ductility of the joint.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2016

Structural and optical effects induced by gamma irradiation on NdPO{sub 4}: X-ray diffraction, spectroscopic and luminescence study

Highlights: • Inorganic NdPO{sub 4} crystal was grown first time using potassium polyphosphate (K{sub 6}P{sub 4}O{sub 13}) flux. • NdPO{sub 4} crystal is insoluble in water, non-hygroscopic and high radiation resistance favoring for actinides host. • Actinide immobilization can be made at 1273 K. • High yield of 1061 nm photon emission. - Abstract: Rare earth orthophosphate (NdPO{sub 4}) monazite single crystals were grown using high temperature flux growth method employing K{sub 6}P{sub 4}O{sub 13} (K{sub 6}) as molten solvent. Their structural parameters were studied using single crystal X-ray diffraction (XRD) method. The grown crystals were examined by SEM and EDX techniques for their homogeniousity and inclusion in the crystals. The influence of gamma irradiation in structural and optical absorption properties were studied by the powder XRD, FTIR and reflectance spectroscopy. The effect of gamma irradiation on luminescence properties was recorded. No significant structural change is observed up to 150 kGy gamma dose. The gamma ray induced charge trap in the crystal was saturated to 40 kGy dose. The luminescence intensity decreases with an increase in the irradiation. The emission of luminescence intensity stabilizes above 40 kGy gamma dose.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Structural properties of ZnO:Al films produced by the sol–gel technique

ZnO:Al films are produced by sol–gel deposition at temperatures of 350–550°C, using different types of reagents. Atomic-force microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, Raman spectroscopy, and optical transmittance measurements are used to study the dependence of the structural, morphological, and optical properties of the ZnO:Al coatings on the conditions of deposition. The optical conditions for the production of ZnO:Al layers with preferred orientation in the [001] direction and distinguished by small surface roughness are established. The layers produced in the study possess optical transmittance at a level of up to 95% in a wide spectral range and can be used in optoelectronic devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1990

Inflection point caustic problems and solutions for high-gain dual-shaped reflectors

The singular nature of the uniform geometrical theory of diffraction (UTD) subreflector scattered field at the vicinity of the main reflector edge (for a high-gain antenna design) is investigated. It is shown that the singularity in the UTD edge-diffracted and slope-diffracted fields is due to the reflection distance parameter approaching infinity in the transition functions. While the geometrical optics (GO) and UTD edge-diffracted fields exhibit singularities of the same order, the edge slope-diffracted field singularity is more significant and is substantial for greater subreflector edge tapers. The diffraction analysis of such a subreflector in the vicinity of the main reflector edge has been carried out efficiently and accurately by a stationary phase evaluation of the phi-integral, whereas the theta-integral is carried out numerically. Computational results from UTD and physical optics (PO) analysis of a 34-m ground station dual-shaped reflector confirm the analytical formulations for both circularly symmetric and offset asymmetric subreflectors. It is concluded that the proposed PO(theta)GO(phi) technique can be used to study the spillover or noise temperature characteristics of a high-gain reflector antenna efficiently and accurately.

Galindo-Israel, Victor↗
DOE OSTI2022

Toward Improved Charge Separation through Conformational Control in Copper Coordination Complexes

The continued development of solar energy as a renewable resource necessitates the design and study of new approaches to sustaining photodriven charge separation (CS). To this end, we present a bioinspired approach in which triggered conformational changes are used to control electron transfer (ET) events. We report, photo-induced conformational rearrangements of a ligand are translated into changes in the coordination geometry and environment about a bound metal ion. Taking advantage of the differential coordination properties of Cu I and Cu II , these dynamics facilitate intramolecular ET from Cu I to the ligand to create a CS state. The synthesis and photophysical characterization of CuCl(dpaa R ) (dpaa = dipicolylaminoacetophenone, with R = H and OMe) is presented. These ligands incorporate a fluorophore into their framework that gives rise to a twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT) excited state. Excited state ligand twisting provides a tetragonal coordination geometry capable of capturing Cu II in the CS state when an internal ortho-OMe binding site is present (as in dpaaOMe). We employ NMR, IR, EPR, and optical spectroscopies, X-ray diffraction, and electrochemical methods to establish the ground state properties of the Cu I and Cu II complexes. We then investigate the photophysical dynamics of these Cu I complexes via time-resolved photoluminescence (TR-PL), and optical transient absorption (OTA) spectroscopies. We show that relative to controls lacking a TICT-active ligand, the lifetime of the CS state is enhanced ~1000-fold. Further, the presence of the ortho-OMe substituent greatly enhances the lifetime of the TICT* state and biases the coordination environment toward Cu II . The presence of Cu I decreases photoinduced degradation from 14 to <2% but does not result in significant quenching via ET. Factors affecting CS in these systems are discussed, laying the groundwork for our strategy toward solar energy conversion.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2017

Time-resolved chemical imaging based on stimulated TERS (Final Scientific-Technical Report-Phase-II-DE-SC0013172)

This is the Final Scientific/Technical Report for the DOE FastTrack SBIR Grant from Fiscal Year 2015. The report details the work pursued to scientifically demonstrate ultrahigh spatial resolution in ultrafast spectroscopy and commercially develop a product offering that provides the similar capability to other researchers. Chemical and electronic information associated with molecular-scale processes can be interrogated via optical spectroscopy. By utilizing two ultrafast lasers, one to “pump” and the other to “probe” with time delay between them, researchers are able to study various molecular and electronic dynamics with time resolution in femtosecond range. Due to the diffraction limit associated with these optical techniques, these techniques measure average behavior of ensemble of molecules since individual molecules are typically much smaller than the wavelengths of the lasers being utilized. This report presents the successful demonstration of ultrafast spectroscopy (temporal resolution of 150 femtosecond limited by the laser pulse width) of electronic recovery in carbon nanotubes, revealing different recovery dynamics for individual carbon nanotubes with spatial resolution of ~ 10 nm, more than 50X smaller than the wavelengths used to study them. The report also details the required instrumentation for such measurements and how it plans to offer a turnkey solution to the research community to provide such capability in a user-friendly and low maintenance package.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1990

Optical scattering methods applicable to drops and bubbles

An overview of optical scattering properties of drops and bubbles is presented. The properties lead to unconventional methods for optically monitoring the size or shape of a scatterer and are applicable to acoustically levitated objects. Several of the methods are applicable to the detection and measurement of small amplitude oscillations. Relevant optical phenomena include: (1) rainbows; (2) diffraction catastrophes from spheroids; (3) critical angle scattering; (4) effects of coatings; (5) glory scattering; and (6) optical levitation.

Marston, Philip L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Techniques for writing and reading data on an optical disk which include formation of holographic optical gratings in plural locations on the optical disk

An optical memory for storing and/or reading data on an optical disk. The optical disk incorporates a material in which holographic gratings can be created, and subsequently detected, at plural locations within the disk by an electro-optical head. Creation and detection of holographic gratings with variable diffraction efficiency is possible with the electro-optical head. Multiple holographic gratings can also be created at each one of the plural locations via a beam of light which has a different wavelength or point of focus. These data elements can be read by the electro-optical head using a beam of light sequentially varied in wavelength or point of focus to correspond to the multiple holographic gratings to be recorded.

Liu, Tsuen-Hsi↗