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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 829 records · Page 46
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2010

Method for cooling nanostructures to microkelvin temperatures

We propose a new scheme aimed at cooling nanostructures to microkelvin temperature based on the well established technique of adiabatic nuclear demagnetization: we attach each device measurement lead to an individual nuclear refrigerator, allowing efficient thermal contact to a microkelvin bath. On a prototype consisting of a parallel network of nuclear refrigerators, temperatures of {approx}1 mK simultaneously on ten measurement leads have been reached upon demagnetization, thus completing the first steps toward ultracold nanostructures.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2010

Long-Time Feedback in the Formation of Self-Organized Nanostructures upon Multipulse Femtosecond Laser Ablation

The self-organization feedback in nanostructures (ripples) formation upon femtosecond laser ablation is investigated in detail, with particular emphasis on its dynamics. We study the influence of time separation between successive pulses on both the size and complexity of the nanostructures and on the size of the modified surface area. By varying the pulse separation between 1 ms and 1 s (rep. rate between 1 kHz and 1 Hz), we find that both modified area as well as pattern feature size and complexity decrease with increasing pulse-to-pulse delay, indicating that the coupling efficiency between laser and target increases with increasing repetition rate. Structure formation resulting from surface instability, induced by the laser impact, suggests that the laser-induced instability results in a transient increase of absorption probability, slowly decaying in time. The stronger this transient absorption, the better is the coupling for the succeeding pulse, thus resulting in a positive feedback. Experimental results indicate that the lifetime of the feedback can last up to one second and longer.In addition, a persisting modulated spatial modification of crystalline properties is observed well beyond the ablation spot, though no apparent influence on surface morphology is seen. Mapping the band-to-band photoluminescence from silicon indicates a dramatic increase of non-radiative recombination compared to unaffected material.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2010

Reversible ultraviolet light-manipulated superhydrophobic-to-superhydrophilic transition on a tubular SiC nanostructure film

We demonstrate the ultraviolet (UV) light-induced, reversible wettability behavior for tubular SiC nanostructure film. The as-synthesized tubular SiC nanostructure film shows the superhydrophilic nature with the water contact angle 152.4 deg. and low sliding angle. Moreover, the surface transition between superhydrophobicity and superhydrophilicity can be easily achieved by the alternation of UV irradiation and closed thermal heating. A possible mechanism is also proposed to explain the reversible wettability behavior.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2011

Direct current dielectric barrier discharges under voltages below the ionization potential of neutrals in electrode systems with one-dimensional nanostructures

We experimentally investigate the characteristics of dielectric barrier discharges in an electrode system with one-dimensional nanostructures of gap size at micrometer scale. Evidence of quasistationary direct current discharges in air has been observed under the applied voltage several times lower than the first ionization potential of O{sub 2}. The results qualitatively agree with the hypothesis on the ionization mechanism of stepwise inelastic collisions within a metastable pool, which is populated through field excitation and inelastic impact between the neutrals and the nanostructures.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2011

Laser ablation of polymer coatings allows for electromagnetic field enhancement mapping around nanostructures

Subdiffraction spatially resolved, quantitative mapping of strongly localized field intensity enhancement on gold nanostructures via laser ablation of polymer thin films is reported. Illumination using a femtosecond laser scanning microscope excites surface plasmons in the nanostructures. The accompanying field enhancement substantially lowers the ablation threshold of the polymer film and thus creates local ablation spots and corresponding topographic modifications of the polymer film. Such modifications are quantified straightforwardly via scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Thickness variation in the polymer film enables the investigation of either the initial ablation phase or ablation induced by collective enhancement effects.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2011

Laser Fabricated Nanostructures on Vanadium Foils

In this work we present our results concerning to the nanostructure generation on vanadium surfaces by ultrashort pulsed laser irradiation. The melting free formation of these structures is very important in many fields of science and industry too. We obtain that the nanostructure forming process on vanadium surface is Stransky Krastanov type. The surface covering and the nano-tower shape are depending on the ambient of the laser matter reaction.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Fabrication and Spark plasma sintering of nanostructured bismuth telluride (Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3})

Thermoelectric (TE) devices can harvest residual low-grade waste heat energy. Bismuth telluride (Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3}) and its alloys are mostly used TE materials in the bulk form for making TE modules. We report a simple, fast and very high yield synthetic process for the bulk Bi{sub 2}Te{sub 3} nanopowders with hexagonal plate like morphology. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) process has been optimized in order to preserve nanostructure while achieving a high compaction density of the pellets. Electron microscopy analysis was used to determine the effect of SPS parameters during compaction on the grain growth. Optimal conditions for the fabricated nanopowder was determined as 673 K, 70 MPa pressure with no holding time, which resulted in average lateral grain size in the range of 165-190 nm for a compact density of 98%. About 50% reduction of thermal conductivity was observed as compared to its bulk counterparts, revealing the feasibility of suggested route in the preservation of nanostructure and enhanced phonon scattering.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Ellipsometrically determined optical properties of nickel-containing tungsten oxide thin films: Nanostructure inferred from effective medium theory

Films of Ni{sub x}W{sub 1-x} oxide with 0.05 {<=} x {<=} 0.53 were produced by reactive dc magnetron co-sputtering onto Si. Such films have documented electrochromism. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to extract accurate data on the dielectric function in the photon range 0.062 to 5.62 eV. The results for 0.62 to 5.62 eV were compared with computations from the Bruggeman effective medium theory applied to two nanostructural models: one representing a random mixture of structural entities characterized by the dielectric functions of WO{sub 3} and NiWO{sub 4} and the other describing a random mixture of WO{sub 3} and NiO. Unambiguous evidence was found in favor of the former model, and hence the films are composed of nanosized tungsten oxide and nickel tungstate. This agrees excellently with an earlier investigation of ours on Ni{sub x}W{sub 1-x} oxide films, where nanostructure was inferred from Raman spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and x-ray diffraction.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Controlled nanostructuration of polycrystalline tungsten thin films

Nanostructured tungsten thin films have been obtained by ion beam sputtering technique stopping periodically the growing. The total thickness was maintained constant while nanostructure control was obtained using different stopping periods in order to induce film stratification. The effect of tungsten sublayers' thicknesses on film composition, residual stresses, and crystalline texture evolution has been established. Our study reveals that tungsten crystallizes in both stable {alpha}- and metastable {beta}-phases and that volume proportions evolve with deposited sublayers' thicknesses. {alpha}-W phase shows original fiber texture development with two major preferential crystallographic orientations, namely, {alpha}-W<110> and unexpectedly {alpha}-W<111> texture components. The partial pressure of oxygen and presence of carbon have been identified as critical parameters for the growth of metastable {beta}-W phase. Moreover, the texture development of {alpha}-W phase with two texture components is shown to be the result of a competition between crystallographic planes energy minimization and crystallographic orientation channeling effect maximization. Controlled grain size can be achieved for the {alpha}-W phase structure over 3 nm stratification step. Below, the {beta}-W phase structure becomes predominant.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Photocatalytic degradation mechanisms of self-assembled rose-flower-like CeO{sub 2} hierarchical nanostructures

Hierarchical rose-flower-like CeO{sub 2} nanostructures were formed by using solvothermal and thermal annealing processes. The CeCO{sub 3}OH thin film was transformed into CeO{sub 2} roses due to thermal annealing. CeO{sub 2} nanostructured roses exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity with a degradation rate of 65% for the azo dye acid orange 7 (AO7) under ultraviolet illumination. The fitting of the absorbance maximum versus time showed that the degradation of AO7 obeyed pseudo-first-order reaction kinetics. The enhancement of the photocatalytic activity for the CeO{sub 2} roses was attributed to the high adsorptivity resulting from the surface active sites and special 4f electron configuration.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2013

Origin and control of magnetic exchange coupling in between focused electron beam deposited cobalt nanostructures

We demonstrate the existence and control of inter-particle magnetic exchange coupling in densely packed nanostructures fabricated by focused electron beam induced deposition. With Xe beam post-processing, we have achieved the controlled reduction and eventual elimination of the parasitic halo-like cobalt deposits formed in the proximity of intended nanostructures, which are the identified source of the magnetic exchange coupling. The elimination of the halo-mediated exchange coupling is demonstrated by magnetic measurements using Kerr microscopy on Co pillar arrays. Electron microscopy studies allowed us to identify the mechanisms underlying this process and to verify the efficiency and opportunities of the described nano-scale fabrication approach.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Photoreduction of metal nanostructures on periodically proton exchanged MgO-doped lithium niobate crystals

Local reactivity on periodically proton exchanged lithium niobate (PPE:LN) surfaces is a promising route for the fabrication of regularly spaced nanostructures. Here, using MgO-doped PPE:LN templates, we investigate the influence of the doping on the nanostructure formation as a function of the proton exchange (PE) depth. The deposition is found to occur preferentially along the boundary between MgO-doped LN and the PE region when the PE depth is at least 1.73 μm, however, for shallower depths, deposition occurs across the entire PE region. The results are found to be consistent with an increased photoconductivity of the MgO-doped LN.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Fabrication of gold nanostructures through pulsed laser interference patterning

In this Letter, we report on the experimental development and computational modeling of a simple, one-step method for the fabrication of diverse 2D and 3D periodic nanostructures derived from gold films on silicon substrates and over areas spanning 1 cm{sup 2}. These nanostructures can be patterned on films of thickness ranging from 50 nm to 500 nm with pulsed interfering laser beams. A finite volume-based inhomogeneous multiphase model of the process shows reasonable agreement with the experimentally obtained topographies and provides insights on the flow physics including normal and radial expansion that results in peeling of film from the substrate.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2013

Ion-assisted phase separation in compound films: An alternate route to ordered nanostructures

In recent years, observations of highly ordered, hexagonal arrays of self-organized nanostructures on binary or impurity-laced targets under normal-incidence ion irradiation have excited interest in this phenomenon as a potential route to high-throughput, low-cost manufacture of nanoscale devices or nanostructured coatings. The currently prominent explanation for these structures is a morphological instability driven by ion erosion discovered by Bradley and Shipman; however, recent parameter estimates via molecular dynamics simulations suggest that this erosive instability may not be active for the representative GaSb system in which hexagonal structures were first observed. Motivated by recent experimental and numerical evidence suggesting the likely importance of phase separation during thin-film processing, we here generalize the Bradley-Shipman theory to include the effect of ion-assisted phase separation. The resulting system admits a chemically driven finite-wavelength instability that can explain the order of observed patterns even when the erosive Bradley-Shipman instability is inactive. In a relevant simplifying limit, it also provides an intuitive instability criterion similar to results in thin-film deposition, as well as predictions on pattern wavelengths that agree qualitatively with experimental observations. Finally, we identify a characteristic experimental signature that distinguishes the chemical and morphological instabilities and highlights the need for specific additional experimental data on the GaSb system.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2013

Direct production of nanostructured copper-nickel (Cu-Ni) alloy particles

Copper-Nickel (CuNi) nanostructured alloy particles were produced by Ultrasonic Spray Pyrolysis and Hydrogen Reduction Method (USP-HR) from high purity copper and nickel nitrate aqueous solutions. The effect of the precursor solution in the range of 0.1 and 0.5 mol/L on the morphology and crystallite size of CuNi nanoparticles were investigated under 2 h running time, 700 °C operating temperature and 0.5 L/min H{sub 2} flow rate. Particle size, morphology, composition and crystallite structure were characterized by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) and X-Ray Diffraction (XRD). Particle characterization studies show that nanostructured alloy particles have cubic crystal structure and they are in submicron size range with spherical morphology. The crystallite sizes of the particles calculated with Scherrer formula are 40 and 34 nm and average particles sizes observed from the SEM images are 300 and 510 nm for each experiment respectively.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Growth process and magnetic properties of α-FeSe nanostructures

Growth process and magnetic properties of PbO-type α-Fe{sub x}Se nanostructures with shape changing from nanocacti to nanopetals and then to nanosheets are investigated. With iron acetylacetonate [Fe(acac){sub 3}] and Se powder as raw materials, the diffusion process of Fe atoms dominates the synthesis of α-Fe{sub x}Se nanocacti following phase transitions from FeSe{sub 2} to Fe{sub 3}Se{sub 4} and finally to α-Fe{sub x}Se. When a mixed solution containing Se precursor and Fe(acac){sub 3} was used as the raw material, the formation of FeSe{sub 2} and Fe{sub 3}Se{sub 4} can be avoided and, bended α-Fe{sub x}Se nanopetals can be prepared at 345 °C, which became flat nanosheets with a [001] preferred orientation as extending the reaction time from 1 to 4 h. No superconducting transition occurs in the α-Fe{sub x}Se (0.84 ≤ x ≤ 1.05) nanostructures due to composition heterogeneity or size effect. Magnetic measurements indicate that an antiferromagnetic component with a Néel point at about 45 K dominates the magnetic properties of the α-Fe{sub 0.87}Se nanosheets.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Controlling magnetic anisotropy in La{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3} nanostructures

We have developed a chlorine based dry etching process for nanopatterning the ferromagnetic oxide La{sub 0.7}Sr{sub 0.3}MnO{sub 3} (LSMO). Large arrays of millions of identical structures have been fabricated from thin LSMO films by electron-beam lithography and reactive ion etching. SQUID magnetometry demonstrates that patterned nanostructures with lateral dimensions down to 100 nm retain their full magnetization and the Curie temperature of the bulk layer. In addition, their shape anisotropy is sufficient to overcome the crystalline anisotropy of the bulk. High resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy shows that crystallinity is preserved even at the edges of the nanostructures.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

AlN/Fe/AlN nanostructures for magnetooptic magnetometry

AlN/Fe/AlN/Cu nanostructures with ultrathin Fe grown by sputtering on Si substrates are evaluated as probes for magnetooptical (MO) mapping of weak currents. They are considered for a laser wavelength of λ = 410 nm (3.02 eV) and operate at oblique light incidence angles, φ{sup (0)}, to enable detection of both in-plane and out-of-plane magnetization. Their performance is evaluated in terms of MO reflected wave electric field amplitudes. The maximal MO amplitudes in AlN/Fe/AlN/Cu are achieved by a proper choice of layer thicknesses. The nanostructures were characterized by MO polar Kerr effect at φ{sup (0)} ≈ 5° and longitudinal Kerr effect spectra (φ{sup (0)} = 45°) at photon energies between 1 and 5 eV. The nominal profiles were refined using a model-based analysis of the spectra. Closed form analytical expressions are provided, which are useful in the search for maximal MO amplitudes.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗