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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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The goal is to develop a technological process for converting U.S. coals into high-value solid carbon products such as graphene and high-quality graphite.
Superconducting qubits show great promise for the realization of fault-tolerant quantum computing, but lossy, amorphous dielectrics limit current technology. Identifying highly crystalline and stoichiometric dielectrics with intrinsically low microwave loss is therefore a central materials challenge, yet experimentally validated platforms remain scarce. In this work, we integrate a crystalline dielectric into a heteroepitaxial TiN/$γ$-Al$_2$O$_3$/TiN trilayer grown via pulsed laser deposition. Correlative high-resolution imaging, diffraction, and spectroscopy measurements confirm the single-crystal quality and chemical integrity of all layers, with minimal defects and limited anion interdiffusion across the oxide-nitride interfaces. Using microwave lumped-element resonators with parallel-plate capacitors, we report the first direct measurement of the dielectric loss of epitaxial $γ$-Al$_2$O$_3$, for which we find a low intrinsic two-level system loss, $δ_{\text{TLS}}^0 = (2.8 \pm 0.1) \times 10^{-5}$. These results establish heteroepitaxial oxides on transition metal nitrides as an attractive materials platform for superconducting quantum circuits, particularly for integration into compact device architectures such as merged-element transmons and microwave kinetic inductance detectors.
Certifying that an n -qubit state synthesized in the laboratory is close to a given target state is a fundamental task in quantum information science. However, existing rigorous protocols applicable to general target states have potentially prohibitive resource requirements in the form of either deep quantum circuits or exponentially many single-qubit measurements. Here we prove that almost all n -qubit target states, including those with exponential circuit complexity, can be certified from only O ( n 2 ) single-qubit measurements. Given access to the target state’s amplitudes, our protocol requires only O ( n 3 ) classical computation. This result is established by a technique that relates certification to the mixing time of a random walk. Our protocol has applications for benchmarking quantum systems, for optimizing quantum circuits to generate a desired target state and for learning and verifying neural networks, tensor networks and various other representations of quantum states using only single-qubit measurements. We show that such verified representations can be used to efficiently predict highly non-local properties of a synthesized state that would otherwise require an exponential number of measurements on the state. We demonstrate these applications in numerical experiments with up to 120 qubits and observe an advantage over existing methods such as cross-entropy benchmarking.
There is considerable interest in the application of quantum information science to advance computations in plasma physics. A particular point of curiosity is whether it is possible to take advantage of quantum computers to speed up numerical simulations relative to conventional computers. Many of the topics in fusion plasma physics are classical in nature. In order to implement them on quantum computers it will require couching a classical problem in the language of quantum mechanics. Electromagnetic waves are routinely used in fusion experiments to heat a plasma or to generate currents in the plasma. The propagation of electromagnetic waves is described by Maxwell equations with an appropriate description of the plasma as a dielectric medium. Before advancing to the tensor dielectric of a magnetized plasma, this paper considers electromagnetic wave propagation in a one-dimensional inhomogeneous scalar dielectric. The classic theory of scattering of plane electromagnetic waves at a planar interface, separating two different dielectric media, leads to Fresnel equations for reflection and transmission coefficients. In contrast to plane waves, this paper is on the reflection and transmission of a spatially confined electromagnetic pulse. Following an analytical formulation for the scattering of a Gaussian pulse, it is deduced that the maximum transmission coefficient for a pulse is $\sqrt{n_2/n_1}$ times that for a plane wave; the incident and transmitted pulses propagating in dielectric media with refractive indices $n_1$ and $n_2$, respectively. The analytical theory is complemented by numerical simulations using a quantum lattice algorithm for Maxwell equations. The algorithm, based on the Riemann-Silberstein-Weber representation of the electromagnetic fields and expressed in term of qubits, is an interleaved sequence of entangling operators at each lattice site and unitary streaming operators which transmit information from one site to an adjacent lattice site. Besides substantiating results from the theory for Gaussian pulses, numerical simulations show their validity for non-Gaussian pulses. Apart from their time-asymptotic forms, the simulations display an interplay between the incident, reflected, and transmitted pulses in the vicinity of the transition region between two dielectric media.
Inkjet-based additive manufacturing (AM) technologies are highly versatile among manufacturing processes due to their ability to shape any material in powder or ink form. The two inkjet-based AM technologies are binder jetting and material jetting, and as each of their names suggest, the former uses inkjet to deposit binder into the actual build material and the latter uses inkjet to deposit the actual build material. With each of these technologies comes unique opportunities in the form of embedding functional components within the build, creating material gradients within parts by selectively layering feedstocks, shaping non-weldable materials, and creating low-cost tooling with conformal cooling channels. Dr. Amy Elliott at Oak Ridge National Laboratory has explored a variety of materials and approaches with inkjet-based manufacturing technologies, focusing on industry-relevant applications such as injection molding tooling and mining drills.
Motivated by recent discussions on the possible role of quantum computation in plasma simulations, here, we present different approaches to Koopman's Hilbert-space formulation of classical mechanics in the context of Vlasov–Maxwell kinetic theory. The celebrated Koopman–von Neumann construction is provided with two different Hamiltonian structures: one is canonical and recovers the usual Clebsch representation of the Vlasov density, the other is non-canonical and appears to overcome certain issues emerging in the canonical formalism. Furthermore, the canonical structure is restored for a variant of the Koopman–von Neumann construction that carries a different phase dynamics. Going back to van Hove's prequantum theory, the corresponding Koopman–van Hove equation provides an alternative Clebsch representation which is then coupled to the electromagnetic fields. Finally, the role of gauge transformations in the new context is discussed in detail.
Spin moiré superlattices (SMSs) have been proposed as a magnetic analog of crystallographic moiré systems and a source of electron minibands offering vector-field moiré tunability and Berry curvature effects. However, it has proven challenging to realize an SMS in which a large exchange coupling J is transmitted between conduction electrons and localized spins. Furthermore, most systems have carrier mean free paths l mfp shorter than their spin moiré lattice constant a spin , inhibiting miniband formation. Here, we discover that the layered magnetic semimetal EuAg 4 Sb 2 overcomes these challenges by forming an interface with J ~ 100 milli–electron volts transferred between a Eu triangular lattice and anionic Ag 2 Sb bilayers hosting a two-dimensional electron band in the ballistic regime (l mfp >> a spin ). The system realizes an SMS with a spin commensurate with the Fermi momentum, leading to a marked quenching of the transport response from miniband formation. Our findings demonstrate an approach to magnetically engineering moiré superlattices and a potential route to an emergent spin-driven quantum Hall state.
Quantum algorithms have been proposed to accelerate the simulation of the chaotic dynamical systems that are ubiquitous in the physics of plasmas. Quantum computers without error correction might even use noise to their advantage to calculate the Lyapunov exponent by measuring the Loschmidt echo fidelity decay rate. For the first time, digital Hamiltonian simulations of the quantum sawtooth map, performed on the IBM-Q quantum hardware platform, show that the fidelity decay rate of a digital quantum simulation increases during the transition from dynamical localization to chaotic diffusion in the map. The observed error per CNOT gate increases by $1.5{\times }$ as the dynamics varies from localized to diffusive, while only changing the phases of virtual RZ gates and keeping the overall gate count constant. A gate-based Lindblad noise model that captures the effective change in relaxation and dephasing errors during gate operation qualitatively explains the effect of dynamics on fidelity as being due to the localization and entanglement of the states created. Specifically, highly delocalized states that are entangled with random phases show an increased sensitivity to dephasing and, on average, a similar sensitivity to relaxation as localized states. In contrast, delocalized unentangled states show an increased sensitivity to dephasing but a lower sensitivity to relaxation. This gate-based Lindblad model is shown to be a useful benchmarking tool by estimating the effective Lindblad coherence times during CNOT gates and finding a consistent $2\unicode{x2013}3{\times }$ shorter $T_2$ time than reported for idle qubits. Thus, the interplay of the dynamics of a simulation with the noise processes that are active can strongly influence the overall fidelity decay rate.
Thermally activated photophysical processes are ubiquitous in numerous organic and metal-organic molecules, leading to chromophores with excited state properties that can be considered an equilibrium mixture of the available low-lying states. Relative populations of the equilibrated states are governed by temperature. Such molecules have been devised as high quantum yield emitters in modern organic light-emitting diode technology and for deterministic excited state lifetime control to enhance chemical reactivity in solar energy conversion and photocatalytic schemes. This recent discovery of thermally activated photophysics at CdSe nanocrystal-molecule interfaces enables a new paradigm wherein molecule-quantum dot constructs are used to systematically generate material with predetermined photophysical response and excited state properties. Semiconductor nanomaterials feature size-tunable energy level engineering, which considerably expands the purview of thermally activated photophysics beyond what is possible using only molecules. This Perspective is intended to provide a non-exhaustive overview of the advances that led to the integration of semiconductor quantum dots in thermally activated delayed photoluminescence (TADPL) schemes and to identify important challenges moving into the future. The initial establishment of excited state lifetime extension utilizing triplet-triplet excited-state equilibria is detailed. Next, advances involving the rational design of molecules composed of both metal-containing and organic-based chromophores that produce the desired TADPL are described. Lastly, the recent introduction of semiconductor nanomaterials into hybrid TADPL constructs is discussed, paving the way towards the realization of fine-tuned deterministic control of excited state decay. It is envisioned that libraries of synthetically facile composites will be broadly deployed as photosensitizers and light emitters for numerous synthetic and optoelectronic applications in the near future.
Here, continuum gyrokinetic simulations of electrostatic ion scale turbulence are presented for the case of a diverted (single-null) tokamak geometry. The simulation model, implemented in the finite-volume code COGENT, solves the long-wavelength limit of the full-F gyrokinetic equation for ion species coupled to a vorticity equation for electrostatic potential variations, where a fluid model is used for an electron response. The model describes the ion scale ion temperature gradient (ITG) and resistive drift modes as well as neoclassical ion physics effects. Different turbulence regimes are observed depending on the plasma profiles, and the roles of a self-consistent background electric field and an X-point geometry are explored. In particular, increasing the pedestal density gradient and the corresponding radial electric field is demonstrated to suppress the ITG turbulence, whereas the same edge plasma background can still be destabilized by the resistive modes when the plasma resistivity is increased. The effects of X-point geometry are assessed by comparing cross-separatrix simulations with counterpart calculations performed for a toroidal annulus geometry. For the simulation parameters considered, similar global behaviour is observed in both cases, whereas strong local suppression of turbulence fluctuations is demonstrated near the X-point for the case of a single-null geometry.
Atmospheric pressure, ambient temperature plasma jets have become a promising candidate for material processing in parallel with developments in additive manufacturing. Recent work has shown that plasma jets can be used to sinter printed nanoparticles at temperatures much lower than typically required for conventional thermal sintering. In this report we conduct a mechanistic study on plasma jet sintering that correlates specific energy input with the electrical conductivity of printed silver films after sintering. Increasing the specific energy input accelerated the sintering process following an Arrhenius-like exponential trend across a large range of conditions, including both helium and argon plasma jets. Although an exponential relationship is also found with the plasma heated substrate temperature, independent studies indicate that heating is not the primary mechanism. These results suggest there is a general behavior that couples the plasma jet with the surface.
We propose an adaptation of Entanglement Renormalization for quantum field theories that, through the use of discrete wavelet transforms, strongly parallels the tensor network architecture of the Multiscale Entanglement Renormalization Ansatz (a.k.a. MERA). Our approach, called wMERA, has several advantages of over previous attempts to adapt MERA to continuum systems. In particular, (i) wMERA is formulated directly in position space, hence preserving the quasi-locality and sparsity of entanglers; and (ii) it enables a built-in RG flow in the implementation of real-time evolution and in computations of correlation functions, which is key for efficient numerical implementations. As examples, we describe in detail two concrete implementations of our wMERA algorithm for free scalar and fermionic theories in (1+1) spacetime dimensions. Possible avenues for constructing wMERAs for interacting field theories are also discussed.
A new project is underway at the National Ignition Facility with the goal of applying a seed magnetic field to the fusion fuel in an indirect drive hohlraum implosion and quantifying the effect on the hot-spot temperature, shape and neutron yield. Magnetizing fusion fuel is calculated to reduce heat loss from the implosion core by constraining the motion of electrons and fusion-generated alpha particles; this can improve the chances of achieving high-gain fusion in a laboratory plasma. Here, we describe the goals of this project and the significant scientific and technological challenges which must be overcome for this project to succeed.
Quantum annealing has the potential to find low energy solutions of NP-hard problems that can be expressed as quadratic unconstrained binary optimization problems. However, the hardware of the quantum annealer manufactured by D-Wave Systems, which we consider in this work, is sparsely connected and moderately sized (on the order of thousands of qubits), thus necessitating a minor-embedding of a logical problem onto the physical qubit hardware. The combination of relatively small hardware sizes and the necessity of a minor-embedding can mean that solving large optimization problems is not possible on current quantum annealers. In this research, we show that a hybrid approach combining parallel quantum annealing with graph decomposition allows one to solve larger optimization problem accurately. We apply the approach to the Maximum Clique problem on graphs with up to 120 nodes and 6395 edges.
Organic near-infrared (NIR) lumiphores have been targeted for biological and technological applications; however, these dyes exhibit exponentially decreasing quantum yields with decreasing energy gaps. The accepted model of this phenomenon invokes C–H stretching modes as the dominant route of non-radiative energy dissipation. Reducing the number of these modes is a popular strategy for the design of bright NIR lumiphores, but quantitative experimental validation of this strategy is lacking. Here, we evaluate the role of C–H modes in non-radiative relaxation through isotopic labeling of a NIR-emitting complex. Measurements comparing relaxation between protonated and perdeuterated complexes indicate that C–H modes do not contribute significantly to non-radiative relaxation. We instead propose that skeletal modes may play a larger role and suggest that minimizing scaffold size is a promising route for bright NIR lumiphores. In conclusion, we demonstrate the promise of such strategies through the development of the reddest organic-based laser dye yet reported.
We report Future tokamaks will require robust technologies for the mitigation of heat exhaust onto the plasma-facing components. As a first step towards this development, a system has been developed at DIII-D that estimates and controls in real-time the heat flux to the PFCs. Real-time estimation of the peak power flux from this model-based approach is validated with off-line infra-red measurements for various DIII-D plasma discharges. A nonlinear free-boundary simulation code (GSevolve) is used for simulating the closed loop response and for the off-line determination of the control parameters. The implementation and first experimental results of the application during the DIII-D plasma campaign are reported.
A laser-driven accelerator generates protons with tens of MeV in energy by a compact, strong, and transient accelerating electric field produced as a result of laser–plasma interactions at relativistic intensities. In previous studies, two- and three-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations revealed that the application of a kT-level axial magnetic field results in an enhancement of proton acceleration via the target normal sheath acceleration mechanism due to reduced lateral electron divergence and improved electron heating efficiency. An experimental investigation of this scheme on the GEKKO-XII and the LFEX facilities found that the number and maximum energy of the accelerated protons decreased with increasing the temporal delay between the pulse driving the external magnetic-field and the pulse accelerating the protons, contrary to the theoretical and numerical expectations. Finally, we identify sources responsible for the degradation of the proton beam performance and we propose an alternative experimental setup to mitigate the degradation in future experiments.
A formula for supershell partition functions, which play a major role in the Super Transition Array approach to radiative-opacity calculations, is derived as a functional of the distribution of energies within the supershell. It consists in an alternative expansion for an arbitrary number of electrons or holes which also allows for quick approximate evaluations with truncated number of terms in the expansion.