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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 847 records · Page 47
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2016

Spiral growth of few-layer MoS{sub 2} by chemical vapor deposition

Growth spirals exhibit appealing properties due to a preferred layer stacking and lack of inversion symmetry. Here, we report spiral growth of MoS{sub 2} during chemical vapor deposition on SiO{sub 2}/Si and epitaxial graphene/SiC substrates, and their physical and electronic properties. We determine the layer-dependence of the MoS{sub 2} bandgap, ranging from 2.4 eV for the monolayer to a constant of 1.3 eV beyond the fifth layer. We further observe that spirals predominantly initiate at the step edges of the SiC substrate, based on which we propose a growth mechanism driven by screw dislocation created by the coalescence of two growth fronts at steps.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Experimental investigation of sound generation by a protuberance in a laminar boundary layer

Sound radiation from a two-dimensional protuberance glued on the wall in a laminar boundary layer was investigated experimentally at low Mach numbers. When the protuberance was as high as the boundary-layer thickness, a feedback-loop mechanism set in between protuberance-generated sound and Tollmien-Schlichting (T-S) waves generated by the leading-edge receptivity to the upstream-propagating sound. Although occurrence of a separation bubble immediately upstream of the protuberance played important roles in the evolution of instability waves into vortices interacting with the protuberance, the frequency of tonal vortex sound was determined by the selective amplification of T-S waves in the linear instability stage upstream of the separation bubble and was not affected by the instability of the separation bubble.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Highly effective strain-induced band-engineering of (111) oriented, direct-gap GeSn crystallized on amorphous SiO{sub 2} layers

We demonstrate highly effective strain-induced band-engineering of (111) oriented direct-gap Ge{sub 1−x}Sn{sub x} thin films (0.074 < x < 0.085) crystallized on amorphous SiO{sub 2} towards 3D photonic integration. Due to a much smaller Poisson's ratio for (111) vs. (100) orientation, 0.44% thermally induced biaxial tensile strain reduces the direct-gap by 0.125 eV towards enhanced direct-gap semiconductor properties, twice as effective as the tensile strain in Ge(100) films. Correspondingly, the optical response is extended to λ = 2.8 μm. A dilatational deformation potential of a = −12.8 ± 0.8 eV is derived. These GeSn films also demonstrate high thermal stability, offering both excellent direct-gap optoelectronic properties and fabrication/operation robustness for integrated photonics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Understanding the Applicability of Gas/Particle Partitioning Theory to SOA using Novel Chemically-Speciated Partitioning Measurements (Final Report)

The main objective of this research grant project was to investigate the physical-chemical processes and properties of particles and partitioning gases that influence gas/particle (G/P) partitioning and timescales for equilibration, to directly determine the conditions under which equilibrium G/P partitioning theory can be applied to secondary organic aerosol (SOA). SOA constitutes a major component of submicron particles in the atmosphere, which have important implications for air quality, human and ecosystem health, radiation balance, and climate; however SOA formation, evolution and losses are not well understood. Use of novel on-line measurements of chemically-speciated partitioning measurements of both gas-phase and particle-phase components was a central component to advancing these scientific goals. The key approach was to conduct environmental chamber studies with systems of increasing complexity to determine G/P partitioning rates and equilibrium states for chemically-speciated SOA components. The project builds on our previous work on gas-wall partitioning that must be understood in order to study G/P partitioning in chambers, and to help extrapolate the results to be atmospherically relevant. The goal was to employ measurements and modeling to systematically determine when G/P partitioning theory accurately describes the distribution of oxidized organic compounds in the gas and aerosol phases, and when and why it does not (e.g., aerosol phase-state kinetic limitations, non-ideal mixing, phase separation, oligomer formation,), for chemical and physical conditions typically found throughout the continental boundary layer.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2014

Arc spot grouping: An entanglement of arc spot cells

In recent experiments, clear transitions in velocity and trail width of an arc spot initiated on nanostructured tungsten were observed on the boundary of the thick and thin nanostructured layer regions. The velocity of arc spot was significantly decreased on the thick nanostructured region. It was suggested that the grouping decreased the velocity of arc spot. In this study, we try to explain the phenomena using a simple random walk model that has properties of directionality and self-avoidance. And grouping feature was added by installing an attractive force between spot cells with dealing with multi-spots. It was revealed that an entanglement of arc spot cells decreased the spot velocity, and spot cells tend to stamp at the same location many times.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS2011

Recommendations for Hypersonic Boundary Layer Transition Flight Testing

Much has been learned about the physics underlying the transition process at supersonic and hypersonic speeds through years of analysis, experiment and computation. Generally, the application of this knowledge has been restricted to simple shapes like plates, cones and spherical bodies. However, flight reentry vehicles are in reality never simple. They typically are highly complex geometries flown at angle of attack so three-dimensional effects are very important, as are roughness effects due to surface features and/or ablation. This paper will review our present understanding of the physics of the transition process and look back at some of the recent flight test programs for their successes and failures. The goal of this paper is to develop rationale for new hypersonic boundary layer transition flight experiments. Motivations will be derived from both an inward look at what we believe constitutes a good flight test program as well as an outward review of the goals and objectives of some recent US based unclassified proposals and programs. As part of our recommendations, this paper will address the need for careful experimental work as per the guidelines enunciated years ago by the U.S. Transition Study Group. Following these guidelines is essential to obtaining reliable, usable data for allowing refinement of transition estimation techniques.

Berry, Scott A.↗
DOE OSTI2021

A pushered capsule implosion as an alternate approach to the ignition regime for inertial confinement fusion

We report in inertial confinement fusion, the threshold for ignition is a highly dynamic quantity as the sources and sinks of power in the hot spot can vary rapidly. In this article, we consider the ignition condition as a race between heating and disassembly rates and make use of a prior solution to the fusion hot-spot thermodynamics to develop a Lawson-like ignition criteria for pressure × confinement time (p-τ) vs temperature. Low-Z capsule designs reach the temperature for this threshold using as much of the shell as feasible as ablator but then are limited in τ by low stagnated mass. An alternate approach, the pushered single shell (PSS) design [D. D.-M. Ho, S. MacLaren, and Y. Wang, “High-yield implosions via radiation trapping and high rho-R,” paper presented at the 60th Annual Meeting of the APS Division of Plasma Physics, 2018], introduces a dense inner layer of Mo-Be alloy that is smoothly graded outward to pure Be, increasing the confinement time at stagnation and lowering the temperature requirement at the ignition threshold. Here, we describe a PSS ignition design for the National Ignition Facility and use the theory as well as simulations to compare it with the low-Z capsule approach. Additionally, we show how an adjustment to the design is used to anticipate the effects of mixing at the fuel–ablator interface.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1998

Purification and Crystal Growth of Lead Iodide by Physical Vapor Transport Method

Lead iodide (PbI2) is a layered compound semiconductor being developed as room temperature x- and gamma-ray detector. Compared to the more studied material, mercuric iodide, PbI2 has a higher melting temperature and no phase transition until liquid phase which are indications of better mechanical properties. In this study, the source material was purified by the zone-refining process, and the purest section was extracted from center of the the zone-refined ingot to be grown by physical vapor transport (PVT) method. The zone-refined material and as-grown crystals were characterized by optical microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to reveal the surface morphology, purity and stoichiometry. The results shows that both materials are near-stoichiometric composition, with the purity of the as-grown crystals higher than zone-refined materials. The resistivity of the as-grown crystal (10" Omega-cm) was derived from current-voltage (I-V) measurement, and is 10 times higher than the zone-refined materials. Detail results will be presented and discussed.

Wright, G. W.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Minimization of the Total Depth of Internal Saw-Tooth Reliefs of a Two-Layer Relief-Phase Diffraction Microstructure

Results of studying the possibility to decrease the total depth of reliefs of a two-layer microstructure having two internal saw-tooth microreliefs reducing the dependence of the diffraction efficiency of the microstructure on the radiation wavelength and angle of radiation incidence on the microstructure are presented. These results allow one to minimize the complexity of obtaining optimum microrelief depths depending on requirements applicable to the diffraction optical element in the framework of the electromagnetic-diffraction theory. Optimum depths provide in the specified spectral range and interval of angles of radiation incidence the maximum possible (for the chosen width of the narrowest zone of the saw-tooth microrelief) value of the diffraction efficiency at the point of its minimum.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Effect of Width of Kerf on Machining Accuracy and Subsurface Layer After WEDM

Wire electrical discharge machining is an unconventional machining technology that applies physical principles to material removal. The material is removed by a series of recurring current discharges between the workpiece and the tool electrode, and a ‘kerf’ is created between the wire and the material being machined. The width of the kerf is directly dependent not only on the diameter of the wire used, but also on the machine parameter settings and, in particular, on the set of mechanical and physical properties of the material being machined. To ensure precise machining, it is important to have the width of the kerf as small as possible. The present study deals with the evaluation of the width of the kerf for four different metallic materials (some of which were subsequently heat treated using several methods) with different machine parameter settings. The kerf is investigated on metallographic cross sections using light and electron microscopy.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Conversion efficiency improvement of inverted CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite solar cells with room temperature sputtered ZnO by adding the C{sub 60} interlayer

We have demonstrated the performance of inverted CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite-based solar cells (SCs) with a room temperature (RT) sputtered ZnO electron transport layer by adding fullerene (C{sub 60}) interlayer. ZnO exhibits a better matched conduction band level with perovskite and Al work function and around energy offset of 2.2 eV between highest occupied molecular orbital level of CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite and valance band level of ZnO. However, the CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite layer will be damaged during direct RT sputtering deposition of ZnO. Therefore, the C{sub 60} interlayer having matched conduction band level with ZnO and CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite added between the CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite and RT sputtered ZnO layers for protection prevents sputtering damages on the CH{sub 3}NH{sub 3}PbI{sub 3} perovskite layer. The short-circuit current density (J{sub SC}, 19.41 mA/cm{sup 2}) and open circuit voltage (V{sub OC}, 0.91 V) of the SCs with glass/ITO/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene-sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS)/perovskite/C{sub 60}/RT sputtered ZnO/Al structure is higher than the J{sub SC} (16.23 mA/cm{sup 2}) and V{sub OC} (0.90 V) of the reference SC with glass/ITO/PEDOT:PSS/perovskite/C{sub 60}/bathocuproine (BCP)/Al structure. Although the SCs with the former structure has a lower fill factor (FF%) than the SCs with the latter structure, its conversion efficiency η% (10.93%) is higher than that (10.6%) of the latter.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Transitional regimes of natural convection in a differentially heated cubical cavity under the effects of wall and molecular gas radiation

The transition to unsteadiness and the dynamics of weakly turbulent natural convection, coupled to wall or gas radiation in a differentially heated cubical cavity with adiabatic lateral walls, are studied numerically. The working fluid is air with small contents of water vapor and carbon dioxide whose infrared spectral radiative properties are modelled by the absorption distribution function model. A pseudo spectral Chebyshev collocation method is used to solve the flow field equations and is coupled to a direct ray tracing method for radiation transport. Flow structures are identified by means of either the proper orthogonal decomposition or the dynamic mode decomposition methods. We first retrieve the classical mechanism of transition to unsteadiness without radiation, characterized by counter-rotating streamwise-oriented vortices generated at the exit of the vertical boundary layers. Wall radiation through a transparent medium leads to a homogenization of lateral wall temperatures and the resulting transition mechanism is similar to that obtained with perfectly conducting lateral walls. The transition is due to an unstable stratification upstream the vertical boundary layers and is characterized by periodically oscillating transverse rolls of axis perpendicular to the main flow. When molecular gas radiation is accounted for, no periodic solution is found and the transition to unsteadiness displays complex structures with chimneys-like rolls whose axes are again parallel to the main flow. The origin of this instability is probably due to centrifugal forces, as suggested previously for the case without radiation. Above the transition to unsteadiness, at Ra = 3 × 10{sup 8}, it is shown that both wall and gas radiation significantly intensify turbulent fluctuations, decrease the thermal stratification in the core of the cavity, and increase the global circulation.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2014

WENO schemes on arbitrary unstructured meshes for laminar, transitional and turbulent flows

This paper presents the development and implementation of weighted-essentially-non-oscillatory (WENO) schemes for viscous flows on arbitrary unstructured grids. WENO schemes up to fifth-order accurate have been implemented in conjunction with hybrid and non-hybrid unstructured grids. The schemes are investigated with reference to numerical and experimental results for the Taylor–Green vortex, as well as for laminar and turbulent flows around a sphere, and the turbulent shock-wave boundary layer interaction flow problem. The results show that the accuracy of the schemes depends on the arbitrariness of shape and orientation of the unstructured mesh elements, as well as the compactness of directional stencils. The WENO schemes provide a more accurate numerical framework compared to second-order and third-order total variation diminishing (TVD) methods, however, the fifth-order version of the schemes is computationally too expensive to make the schemes practically usable. On the other hand, the third-order variant offers an excellent numerical framework in terms of accuracy and computational cost compared to the fifth-order WENO and second-order TVD schemes. Parallelisation of the CFD code (henceforth labelled as UCNS3D), where the schemes have been implemented, shows that the present methods offer very good scalable performance.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2015

Effect of stacking order on device performance of bilayer black phosphorene-field-effect transistor

We investigate the effect of stacking order of bilayer black phosphorene on the device properties of p-MOSFET and n-MOSFET. Two layers of black phosphorus are stacked in three different orders and are used as channel material in both n-MOSFET and p-MOSFET devices. The effects of different stacking orders on electron and hole effective masses and output characteristics of MOSFETs, such as ON currents, ON/OFF ratio, and transconductance are analyzed. Our results show that about 1.37 times and 1.49 times increase in ON current is possible along armchair and zigzag directions, respectively, 55.11% variation in transconductance is possible along armchair direction, by changing stacking orders (AA, AB, and AC) and about 8 times increase in ON current is achievable by changing channel orientation (armchair or zigzag) in p-MOSFET. About 14.8 mV/V drain induced barrier lowering is observed for both p-MOSFET and n-MOSFET, which signifies good immunity to short channel effects.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2020

Sample Dependence of Magnetism in the Next-Generation Cathode Material LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2

We present a structural and magnetic study of two batches of polycrystalline LiNi 0.8 Mn 0.1 Co 0.1 O 2 (commonly known as Li NMC 811), a Ni-rich Li ion battery cathode material, using elemental analysis, X-ray and neutron diffraction, magnetometry, and polarized neutron scattering measurements. We find that the samples, labeled S1 and S2, have the composition Li 1–x Ni 0.9+x–y Mn y Co 0.1 O 2 , with x = 0.025(2), y = 0.120(2) for S1 and x = 0.002(2), y = 0.094(2) for S2, corresponding to different concentrations of magnetic ions and excess Ni 2+ in the Li + layers. Both samples show a peak in the zero-field-cooled (ZFC) dc susceptibility at 8.0(2) K, but the temperature at which the ZFC and FC (field-cooled) curves deviate is substantially different: 64(2) K for S1 and 122(2) K for S2. The ac susceptibility measurements show that the transition for S1 shifts with frequency whereas no such shift is observed for S2 within the resolution of our measurements. Our results demonstrate the sample dependence of magnetic properties in Li NMC 811, consistent with previous reports on the parent material LiNiO 2 . Here, we further establish that a combination of experimental techniques is necessary to accurately determine the chemical composition of next-generation battery materials with multiple cations.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2013

Reduction of leakage current in In{sub 0.53}Ga{sub 0.47}As channel metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect-transistors using AlAs{sub 0.56}Sb{sub 0.44} confinement layers

We compare the DC characteristics of planar In{sub 0.53}Ga{sub 0.47}As channel MOSFETs using AlAs{sub 0.56}Sb{sub 0.44} barriers to similar MOSFETs using In{sub 0.52}Al{sub 0.48}As barriers. AlAs{sub 0.56}Sb{sub 0.44}, with ∼1.0 eV conduction-band offset to In{sub 0.53}Ga{sub 0.47}As, improves electron confinement within the channel. At gate lengths below 100 nm and V{sub DS} = 0.5 V, the MOSFETs with AlAs{sub 0.56}Sb{sub 0.44} barriers show steeper subthreshold swing (SS) and reduced drain-source leakage current. We attribute the greater leakage observed with the In{sub 0.52}Al{sub 0.48}As barrier to thermionic emission from the N + In{sub 0.53}Ga{sub 0.47}As source over the In{sub 0.53}Ga{sub 0.47}As/In{sub 0.52}Al{sub 0.48}As heterointerface. A 56 nm gate length device with the AlAs{sub 0.56}Sb{sub 0.44} barrier exhibits 1.96 mS/μm peak transconductance and SS = 134 mV/dec at V{sub DS} = 0.5 V.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2014

Spectral Dependence of MODIS Cloud Droplet Effective Radius Retrievals for Marine Boundary Layer Clouds

Low-level warm marine boundary layer (MBL) clouds cover large regions of Earth's surface. They have a significant role in Earth's radiative energy balance and hydrological cycle. Despite the fundamental role of low-level warm water clouds in climate, our understanding of these clouds is still limited. In particular, connections between their properties (e.g. cloud fraction, cloud water path, and cloud droplet size) and environmental factors such as aerosol loading and meteorological conditions continue to be uncertain or unknown. Modeling these clouds in climate models remains a challenging problem. As a result, the influence of aerosols on these clouds in the past and future, and the potential impacts of these clouds on global warming remain open questions leading to substantial uncertainty in climate projections. To improve our understanding of these clouds, we need continuous observations of cloud properties on both a global scale and over a long enough timescale for climate studies. At present, satellite-based remote sensing is the only means of providing such observations.

Cloud physics↗
DOE OSTI2014

Continuous ultra-thin MoS{sub 2} films grown by low-temperature physical vapor deposition

Uniform growth of pristine two dimensional (2D) materials over large areas at lower temperatures without sacrifice of their unique physical properties is a critical pre-requisite for seamless integration of next-generation van der Waals heterostructures into functional devices. This Letter describes a vapor phase growth technique for precisely controlled synthesis of continuous, uniform molecular layers of MoS{sub 2} on silicon dioxide and highly oriented pyrolitic graphite substrates of over several square centimeters at 350 °C. Synthesis of few-layer MoS{sub 2} in this ultra-high vacuum physical vapor deposition process yields materials with key optical and electronic properties identical to exfoliated layers. The films are composed of nano-scale domains with strong chemical binding between domain boundaries, allowing lift-off from the substrate and electronic transport measurements from contacts with separation on the order of centimeters.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗