SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “MAGNETIC FIELD REVERSAL”

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.

SourceResearch connectionFrom yearThrough year

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 847 records · Page 47

All sources NASA NTRS DOE OSTI

DOE OSTI2016

Quantum anomalous Hall effect in time-reversal-symmetry breaking topological insulators

The quantum anomalous Hall effect (QAHE), the last member of Hall family, was predicted to reflect quantized Hall conductivity ${{\sigma}_{yx}}=\frac{{{e}^{2}}}{h}$ without any external magnetic field. The QAHE shares a similar physical phenomenon with the integer quantum Hall effect (QHE), whereas its physical origin relies on the intrinsic topological inverted band structure and ferromagnetism. Since the QAHE does not require external energy input in the form of magnetic field, it is believed that this effect has unique potential for applications in future electronic devices with low-power consumption. More recently, the QAHE has been experimentally observed in thin films of the time-reversal symmetry breaking ferromagnetic (FM) topological insulators (TI), Cr- and V- doped (Bi,Sb)2Te3. Here, we review the history of TI based QAHE, the route to the experimental observation of the QAHE in the above two systems, the current status of the research of the QAHE, and finally the prospects for future studies.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2026

Divertor detachment characterization in negative triangularity discharges in DIII-D via 2D edge-plasma transport modeling

Edge fluid modeling of the first divertor-plasma detachment experiments in negative triangularity (NT) discharges in the DIII-D tokamak is presented using the 2D multifluid edge transport code UEDGE, including cross-field particle drifts. Experiments were performed where the lower single-null magnetic equilibrium had a strong NT (δ≈−0.5), that is, where the magnetic X-point is at a larger major radius than the core magnetic axis. Divertor-plasma detachment was induced by increasing the core plasma density in DIII-D via intrinsic gas puffing. Here density scans are performed with UEDGE to reach a detached plasma and to quantitatively recover the experimental rollover of the ion saturation current on the outer divertor target plate. The simulations cover experiments with both signs of the toroidal magnetic field, B T , where the ion magnetic Grad-B drifts are directed into (forward B T ) and out of (reverse B T ) the divertor region. Consistent with experiments with neutral beam power injection, the NT simulations reproduce: 40% higher density is needed to reach detachment onset with forward B T compared with reverse B T , and the absence of deep detachment is found with reverse B T . Similarly, comparison between Ohmic discharges in NT and positive triangularity (PT) shaping confirms that a substantially higher density is needed to achieve detachment in NT than in PT, with NT requiring an line-average density of at least the Greenwald density or higher. Simulation results suggest that higher densities are needed to reach detachment in negative compared to PT because these discharges have a shorter midplane-to-target distance along the total magnetic field B, a shorter outer divertor poloidal leg length (0.06 m vs 0.2 m), and reduced radial transport [near-scrape-off layer (SOL) D ⊥ /χ ⊥ =0.3/0.5 vs D ⊥ /χ ⊥ =1.0/1.0, all in (m 2 /s)].

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2016

RADIO POLARIZATION OBSERVATIONS OF THE SNAIL: A CRUSHED PULSAR WIND NEBULA IN G327.1–1.1 WITH A HIGHLY ORDERED MAGNETIC FIELD

Pulsar wind nebulae (PWNe) are suggested to be acceleration sites of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. While the magnetic field plays an important role in the acceleration process, previous observations of magnetic field configurations of PWNe are rare, particularly for evolved systems. We present a radio polarization study of the “Snail” PWN inside the supernova remnant G327.1−1.1 using the Australia Telescope Compact Array. This PWN is believed to have been recently crushed by the supernova (SN) reverse shock. The radio morphology is composed of a main circular body with a finger-like protrusion. We detected a strong linear polarization signal from the emission, which reflects a highly ordered magnetic field in the PWN and is in contrast to the turbulent environment with a tangled magnetic field generally expected from hydrodynamical simulations. This could suggest that the characteristic turbulence scale is larger than the radio beam size. We built a toy model to explore this possibility, and found that a simulated PWN with a turbulence scale of about one-eighth to one-sixth of the nebula radius and a pulsar wind filling factor of 50%–75% provides the best match to observations. This implies substantial mixing between the SN ejecta and pulsar wind material in this system.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2012

X-RAY EMISSION FROM SN 2004dj: A TALE OF TWO SHOCKS

Type IIP (Plateau) supernovae are the most commonly observed variety of core-collapse events. They have been detected in a wide range of wavelengths from radio, through optical to X-rays. The standard picture of a Type IIP supernova has the blastwave interacting with the progenitor's circumstellar matter to produce a hot region bounded by a forward and a reverse shock. This region is thought to be responsible for most of the X-ray and radio emission from these objects. Yet the origin of X-rays from these supernovae is not well understood quantitatively. The relative contributions of particle acceleration and magnetic field amplification in generating the X-ray and radio emission need to be determined. In this work, we analyze archival Chandra observations of SN 2004dj, one of the nearest supernovae since SN 1987A, along with published radio and optical information. We determine the pre-explosion mass-loss rate, blastwave velocity, electron acceleration, and magnetic field amplification efficiencies. We find that a greater fraction of the thermal energy goes into accelerating electrons than into amplifying magnetic fields. We conclude that the X-ray emission arises out of a combination of inverse Compton scattering by non-thermal electrons accelerated in the forward shock and thermal emission from supernova ejecta heated by the reverse shock.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2023

Single-shot switching in Tb/Co-multilayer based nanoscale magnetic tunnel junctions

Magnetic tunnel junctions (MTJs) are elementary units of magnetic memory devices. For high-speed and low-power data storage and processing applications, fast reversal of the magnetization by an ultrashort laser pulse is extremely important. Here we demonstrate single-shot switching of Tb/Co-multilayer based nanoscale MTJs by combining the optical writing and the electrical read-out methods. A 90-fs-long laser pulse switches the magnetization of the storage layer (SL). The change in the tunneling magnetoresistance (TMR) between the SL and a reference layer (RL) is probed electrically across the oxide barrier. Single-shot switching is demonstrated by varying the cell diameter from 300 nm to 20 nm. The anisotropy, magnetostatic coupling, and switching probability exhibit cell-size dependence. By suitable association of laser fluence and magnetic field, successive commutation between high-resistance and low-resistance states is achieved. The nature of the magnetization reversal of both SL and RL in a continuous film is probed with a depth-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect (MOKE) magnetometry. The ultrafast dynamics in the continuous full-MTJ stack is investigated with the time-resolved pump–probe technique. Our experimental findings provide strong support for the growing interest in ultrafast spintronic devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2010

Two-chord interferometry using 3.39 {mu}m He-Ne laser on a flux-coil-generated FRC

A two-chord {lambda}{sub IR}{approx}3.39 {mu}m He-Ne laser interferometer system was developed for a flux-coil-generated field-reversed configuration to estimate the electron density and the total temperature of the field-reversed configuration (FRC) plasma. This two-chord heterodyne interferometer system consists of a single {approx}2 mW infrared He-Ne laser, a visible ({lambda}{sub vis}{approx}632.8 nm) He-Ne laser for the alignment, a 40 MHz acousto-optic modulator, photodetectors, and quadrature phase detectors. Initial measurement was performed and the measured average electron densities were 2-10x10{sup 19} m{sup -3} at two different radial positions in the midplane. A time shift in density was observed as the FRC expands radially. The time evolution of the line-averaged density agrees with the density estimated from the in situ internal magnetic probes, based on a rigid-rotor profile model.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗

NASA NTRS1995

Suprathermal electron loss cone distributions in the solar wind: Ulysses observations

Solar wind suprathermal electron distributions in the solar wind generally carry a field-aligned antisunward heat flux. Within coronal mass ejections and upstream of strong shocks driven by corotating interaction regions (CIRs), counterstreaming electron beams are observed. We present observations by the Ulysses solar wind plasma experiment of a new class of suprathermal electron signatures. At low solar latitudes and heliocentric distances beyond 3.5 AU Ulysses encountered several intervals, ranging in duration from 1 hour to 22 hours, in which the suprathermal distributions included an antisunward field-aligned beam and a return population with a flux dropout typically spanning +/- 60 deg from the sunward field-aligned direction. All events occurred within CIRs, downstream of the forward and reverse shocks or waves bounding the interaction regions. We evaluate the hypothesis that the sunward-moving electrons result from reflection of the antisunward beams at magnetic field compressions downstream from the observations, with wide loss cones caused by the relatively weak compression ratio. This hypothesis requires that field magnitude within the CIRs actually increase with increasing field-aligned distance from the Sun. Details of the electron distributions and ramifications for CIR and shock geometry will be presented.

Phillips, J. L.↗

NASA NTRS1987

Energetic ion and electron beams at the plasma-sheet boundary in the distant tail

Several energetic particle bursts observed by ISEE 3 in the distant tail are analyzed. The energetic particle data are supplemented by the electron plasma and magnetic field measurements. These bursts are characterized by large velocity-dispersion effects, with energetic electrons observed first, followed by ions with continuously lower velocities. Both ions and electrons stream in the tailward direction. Protons and alpha particles of the same energy per nucleon are observed at the same time. The dispersion effects are observed in reverse order when the spacecraft leaves from the boundary layer into the lobe. No obvious signature indicating the passage of a plasmoid has been observed in the particle or magnetic field data during or immediately following these bursts. It is concluded that these beams at the plasma-sheet boundary originate at a steady source, presumably close to a neutral line, and not at a time varying source. The velocity filter effect in a dawn-dusk electric field arranges particles with progressively lower velocity further inside the wedge-shaped region of reconnected field lines. The plasma electron distribution exhibits a tailward directed heat flux within this layer.

Scholer, M.↗

DOE OSTI2018

Switching of Coercivity Process in MnBi Alloys

MnBi-based alloys represent an interesting choice for developing rare earth-free permanent magnets due to the high magnetocrystalline anisotropy of their characteristic low-temperature intermetallic phase (LTIP) with hexagonal structure. In this work, we discuss the switching of coercivity mechanism in MnBi alloys by modulation of their phase distribution and microstructure. As-cast MnBi alloys obtained by suction-casting technique exhibited LTIP interspersed within Bi- and Mn-rich areas. A noticeable coercivity field of 282 kA/m was observed. The coercivity mechanism for this alloy was explained in terms of the nucleation of reverse domains after saturation, by means of the Kronmüller equation, which incorporates the detrimental effect of microstructure defects through fitting parameters associated to reduced intrinsic magnetic properties at grain size boundaries, interfaces, and local demagnetizing fields. Subsequent annealing at 583 K for 24 h produced a marked reduction of coercivity (down to 16 kA/m), reflecting a switching of coercivity process from nucleation to pinning of domain walls. The key microstructural feature determining this variation is the formation/suppression of Bi-rich areas, which promotes the nucleation and growth of the initial MnBi intermetallic phase.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

NASA NTRS1972

Large-scale solar magnetic fields and H-alpha patterns

Coronal and interplanetary magnetic fields computed from measurements of large-scale photospheric magnetic fields suffer from interruptions in day-to-day observations and the limitation of using only measurements made near the solar central meridian. Procedures were devised for inferring the lines of polarity reversal from H-alpha solar patrol photographs that map the same large-scale features found on Mt. Wilson magnetograms. These features may be monitored without interruption by combining observations from the global network of observatories associated with NOAA's Space Environment Services Center. The patterns of inferred magnetic fields may be followed accurately as far as 60 deg from central meridian. Such patterns will be used to improve predictions of coronal features during the next solar eclipse.

Mcintosh, P. S.↗

DOE OSTI2013

SOLAR MAGNETIC ACTIVITY CYCLES, CORONAL POTENTIAL FIELD MODELS AND ERUPTION RATES

We study the evolution of the observed photospheric magnetic field and the modeled global coronal magnetic field during the past 3 1/2 solar activity cycles observed since the mid-1970s. We use synoptic magnetograms and extrapolated potential-field models based on longitudinal full-disk photospheric magnetograms from the National Solar Observatory's three magnetographs at Kitt Peak, the Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun vector spectro-magnetograph, the spectro-magnetograph and the 512-channel magnetograph instruments, and from Stanford University's Wilcox Solar Observatory. The associated multipole field components are used to study the dominant length scales and symmetries of the coronal field. Polar field changes are found to be well correlated with active fields over most of the period studied, except between 2003 and 2006 when the active fields did not produce significant polar field changes. Of the axisymmetric multipoles, only the dipole and octupole follow the poles whereas the higher orders follow the activity cycle. All non-axisymmetric multipole strengths are well correlated with the activity cycle. The tilt of the solar dipole is therefore almost entirely due to active-region fields. The axial dipole and octupole are the largest contributors to the global field except while the polar fields are reversing. This influence of the polar fields extends to modulating eruption rates. According to the Computer Aided CME Tracking, Solar Eruptive Event Detection System, and Nobeyama radioheliograph prominence eruption catalogs, the rate of solar eruptions is found to be systematically higher for active years between 2003 and 2012 than for those between 1997 and 2002. This behavior appears to be connected with the weakness of the late-cycle 23 polar fields as suggested by Luhmann. We see evidence that the process of cycle 24 field reversal is well advanced at both poles.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2014

An Electrically Switchable Metal-Organic Framework

Crystalline metal organic framework (MOF) materials containing interconnected porosity can be chemically modified to promote stimulus-driven (light, magnetic or electric fields) structural transformations that can be used in a number of devices. Innovative research strategies are now focused on understanding the role of chemical bond manipulation to reversibly alter the free volume in such structures of critical importance for electro-catalysis, molecular electronics, energy storage technologies, sensor devices and smart membranes. In this letter, we study the mechanism for which an electrically switchable MOF composed of Cu(TCNQ) (TCNQ = 7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane) transitions from a high-resistance state to a conducting state in a reversible fashion by an applied potential. The actual mechanism for this reversible electrical switching is still not understood even though a number of reports are available describing the application of electric-field-induced switching of Cu(TCNQ) in device fabrication.

Fernandez, CA↗

DOE OSTI2021

Emerging nonlinear Hall effect in Kane-Mele two-dimensional topological insulators

We report the recent observations of nonlinear Hall effect in time-reversal symmetry protected systems and on the surface of three-dimensional topological insulators due to an in-plane magnetic field have attracted immense experimental and theoretical investigations in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides and Weyl semimetals. The origin of this type of second order effect has been attributed to the emergence of a Berry curvature dipole, which requires a low-symmetry environment. Here, we propose a mechanism for generating such a second order nonlinear Hall effect in Kane-Mele two-dimensional topological insulators due to spatial and time reversal symmetry breaking in the presence of Zeeman and Rashba couplings. By actively tuning the energy gaps with external electromagnetic fields we also demonstrate that the nonlinear Hall effect shows remarkable signatures of topological phase transitions existing in the considered two-dimensional systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

DOE OSTI2023

Deterministic Current–Induced Perpendicular Switching in Epitaxial Co/Pt Layers without an External Field

Current–induced spin–orbit torques (SOTs) have emerged as a powerful tool to control magnetic elements and non–uniform magnetic textures such as domain walls and skyrmions. SOT–induced switching of perpendicular magnetization generally requires an external field to break the rotational symmetry of the spin–orbit effective fields responsible for the deterministic reversal. The proposed mechanisms to eliminate this requirement often rely on complex multilayer structures that necessitate laborious optimization in the material and spin transport properties, making them less attractive for applications. Herein, current–induced, external field–free switching of an epitaxial MgO/Pt/Co trilayer with an extremely large perpendicular anisotropy in excess of 3 Tesla is reported. It is found that switching occurs due to the interplay of strong SOTs, local anisotropy fluctuations, and the Dzyaloshinkii–Moriya interaction inherent to this epitaxial system. Finally, given that these layers constitute the base stack of a magnetic tunnel junction, this switching mechanism offers the most technologically viable path toward devices such as field–free SOT–based magnetic random–access memories.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

NASA NTRS1976

Ion and electron pulses observed in the magnetotail and rapid annihilation of magnetic field lines

Hydrogen, helium, and CNO ion and electron pulses were detected in the magnetotail, and in the upstream region from the earth's bow shock. It was found that, in the magnetotail, ions appeared more frequently in the dusk than in the dawn quarter whereas the electron population had a reversed asymmetry. This spatial distribution - a polarization in the same direction as the electric field in the neutral sheet - suggests that these particles are accelerated by the electric field induced by a rapid annihilation of magnetic field lines. From the observed particle energies, the annihilation speed was estimated and found to be as high as 0.2 times the Alfven speed.

Fan, C. Y.↗

DOE OSTI2021

Noncollinear ferromagnetic Weyl semimetal with anisotropic anomalous Hall effect

An emerging frontier in condensed matter physics involves novel electromagnetic responses, such as the anomalous Hall effect (AHE), in ferromagnetic Weyl semimetals (FM-WSMs). Candidate FM-WSMs have been limited to materials that preserve inversion symmetry and generate Weyl crossings by breaking the time-reversal symmetry. These materials share three common features: a centrosymmetric lattice, a collinear FM ordering, and a large AHE observed when the field is parallel to the magnetic easy axis. Here, we present CeAlSi as a new type of FM-WSM in which the Weyl nodes are stabilized by breaking the inversion symmetry, but their positions are tuned by breaking the time-reversal symmetry. Unlike the other FM-WSMs, CeAlSi has a noncentrosymmetric lattice, a noncollinear FM ordering, and a novel AHE that is anisotropic between the easy and hard magnetic axes. It also exhibits large FM domains that are promising for exploring both device applications and the interplay between the Weyl nodes and FM domain walls.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

DOE OSTI2025

Observation of Persistent Zero Modes and Superconducting Vortex Doublets in UTe 2

Superconducting vortices can reveal electron pairing details and nucleate topologically protected states. Yet, vortices of bulk spin-triplet superconductors have never been visualized at the atomic scale. Recently, UTe 2 has emerged as a prime spin-triplet superconductor, but its superconducting order parameter is elusive, and whether time-reversal symmetry (TRS) is broken remains unsettled. Here, in this work, we visualize vortices on the (011) surface of ultraclean UTe 2 single crystals (T c = 2.1 K) using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). We introduce $\frac{d^{2}𝐼}{d𝑉^{2}}$ imaging as an effective technique for vortex visualization in superconductors with substantial residual zero-energy density of states (DOS), as in UTe 2 . Anisotropic single-flux-quantum vortices, with coherence lengths of ∼12 nm (4 nm) parallel (perpendicular) to the a -axis, form a triangular vortex lattice (VL) under a small out-of-plane magnetic field. The invariance of vortex structures and VL under changes of field polarity and cooling history strongly supports time-reversal invariant superconductivity under zero field. At vortex cores (VCs), nonsplit, spectrally sharp zero-bias conductance peaks (ZBPs) persist up 8 T that are consistent with symmetry-protected Majorana zero modes (MZMs) in a topological vortex line. Close examination of vortex structures reveals a mirror-asymmetric doublet─one with ZBPs and another with an enhanced apparent gap, possibly originating from a field-induced multicomponent order parameter.

UTe2↗

DOE OSTI2013

High coercivity sized controlled cobalt–gold core–shell nano-crystals prepared by reverse microemulsion

Graphical abstract: - Highlights: • Calculating the crystallinity percentage and percentage of phases presented in Co–Au core–shell nanoparticles. • Magnetic properties of four groups nanogarin: 5, 10, 15, 20 nm. • Single domain ferromagnetic materials with high coercivity at room temperature. • Intrinsic blocking temperature measured in zero field cooled-warmed (ZFC-W). - Abstract: Size-controlled cobalt–gold core–shell nanoparticles were synthesized via the reverse-micelle microemulsion method. In order to control the size of the nanoparticles, the nucleation and growth process were performed within a confined space by adjusting the water to surfactant ratio of reverse micelles solution during synthesis. The crystallinity percentage and percentage of phases presented in Co–Au core–shell nanoparticles were calculated using X-ray diffraction data. The results from transmission electron microscopy provide direct evidence for core–shell structure nanomaterials. Magnetic properties of the samples were investigated using a vibrating sample magnetometer. The as-prepared samples showed significant coercivity at room temperature. The intrinsic blocking temperature was experimentally deduced from zero-field-cooled warmed (ZFC-W) curves by a simple method without employing an external magnetic field. The B-field dependence temperature data of Co–Au nanoparticles exhibited an intrinsic blocking temperature at 45 K. Annealing these samples at 400 °C caused an increase in particle size, crystallinity percentage and further enhanced their magnetic properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗