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At least 865 records · Page 48
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Direct observation of coherence transfer and rotational-to-vibrational energy exchange in optically centrifuged CO2 super-rotors

Abstract Optical centrifuges are laser-based molecular traps that can rotationally accelerate molecules to energies rivalling or exceeding molecular bond energies. Here we report time and frequency-resolved ultrafast coherent Raman measurements of optically centrifuged CO 2 at 380 Torr spun to energies beyond its bond dissociation energy of 5.5 eV ( J max = 364, E rot = 6.14 eV, E rot / k B = 71, 200 K). The entire rotational ladder from J = 24 to J = 364 was resolved simultaneously which enabled a more accurate measurement of the centrifugal distortion constants for CO 2 . Remarkably, coherence transfer was directly observed, and time-resolved, during the field-free relaxation of the trap as rotational energy flowed into bending-mode vibrational excitation. Vibrationally excited CO 2 ( ν 2 > 3) was observed in the time-resolved spectra to populate after 3 mean collision times as a result of rotational-to-vibrational (R-V) energy transfer. Trajectory simulations show an optimal range of J for R-V energy transfer. Dephasing rates for molecules rotating up to 5.5 times during one collision were quantified. Very slow decays of the vibrational hot band rotational coherences suggest that they are sustained by coherence transfer and line mixing.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Direct observation of twisted stacking domains in the van der Waals magnet CrI 3

Van der Waals (vdW) stacking is a powerful technique to achieve desired properties in condensed matter systems through layer-by-layer crystal engineering. A remarkable example is the control over the twist angle between artificially-stacked vdW crystals, enabling the realization of unconventional phenomena in moiré structures ranging from superconductivity to strongly correlated magnetism. Here, we report the appearance of unusual 120° twisted faults in vdW magnet CrI 3 crystals. In exfoliated samples, we observe vertical twisted domains with a thickness below 10 nm. The size and distribution of twisted domains strongly depend on the sample preparation methods, with as-synthesized unexfoliated samples showing tenfold thicker domains than exfoliated samples. Cooling induces changes in the relative populations among different twisting domains, rather than the previously assumed structural phase transition to the rhombohedral stacking. The stacking disorder induced by sample fabrication processes may explain the unresolved thickness-dependent magnetic coupling observed in CrI 3 .

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2025

Observation of interface piezoelectricity in superconducting devices on silicon

The development of superconducting quantum processors relies on understanding and mitigating decoherence in superconducting qubits. Piezoelectric coupling contributes to decoherence by mediating energy exchange between microwave photons and acoustic phonons. Although bulk centrosymmetric materials like silicon and sapphire are non-piezoelectric and commonly used as qubit substrates, the lack of centrosymmetry at interfaces may induce piezoelectric losses. This effect was predicted decades ago but never experimentally observed in superconducting devices. Here, we report interface piezoelectricity at aluminum-silicon junctions and demonstrate it as a significant loss channel in superconducting devices. Using aluminum interdigital transducers on silicon, we observe piezoelectric transduction from room to millikelvin temperatures, with an effective electromechanical coupling factor K 2 ≈ (3 ± 0.4) × 10−5%, comparable to weakly piezoelectric substrates. Modeling shows this mechanism limits qubit quality factors to Q ~ 10 4 − 10 8 , depending on surface participation and mode matching. These findings reveal interface piezoelectricity as a major dissipation channel and highlight the need for heterostructure and phononic engineering in next-generation superconducting qubits.

Zhou, Haoxin [University of California, Berkeley, ↗
DOE OSTI2026

Observation of quantum effects on radiation reaction in strong fields

Radiation reaction, the force experienced by an accelerated charge due to radiation emission, has long been the subject of extensive theoretical and experimental research. Experimental verification of a quantum, strong-field description of radiation reaction is fundamentally important, and has wide-ranging implications for astrophysics, laser-driven particle acceleration, next-generation particle colliders and inverse-Compton photon sources for medical and industrial applications. However, the difficulty of accessing regimes where strong field and quantum effects dominate inhibited previous efforts to observe quantum radiation reaction in charged particle dynamics with high significance. We report the first high significance (> 5σ) observation of strong-field radiation reaction on electron spectra where quantum effects are substantial. We obtain the first, quantitative, strong evidence favouring the quantum-continuous and quantum-stochastic models over the classical model; the quantum models perform comparably. The lower electron energy losses predicted by the quantum models accounts for their improved performance. Model comparison was performed using a novel Bayesian framework which has widespread utility for laser-particle collision experiments, including those utilising conventional accelerators, where some collision parameters cannot be measured directly.

Los, Eva E. [Imperial College London (United Kingd↗
DOE OSTI2022

A classical equation that accounts for observations of non-Arrhenius and cryogenic grain boundary migration

Observations of microstructural coarsening at cryogenic temperatures, as well as numerous simulations of grain boundary motion that show faster migration at low temperature than at high temperature, have been troubling because they do not follow the expected Arrhenius behavior. This work demonstrates that classical equations, that are not simplified, account for all these oddities and demonstrate that non-Arrhenius behavior can emerge from thermally activated processes. According to this classical model, this occurs when the intrinsic barrier energies of the processes become small, allowing activation at cryogenic temperatures. Additional thermal energy then allows the low energy process to proceed in reverse, so increasing temperature only serves to frustrate the forward motion. This classical form is shown to reconcile and describe a variety of diverse grain boundary migration observations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Exploration of two surfaces observed in Weyl semimetal BaMnSb 2

Single crystalline BaMnSb 2 is considered as a 3D Weyl semimetal with the 2D electronic structure containing Dirac cones from the Sb sheet. We report experimental investigation of low-temperature cleaved BaMnSb 2 surfaces using scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and low energy electron diffraction. By natural cleavage, we find two terminations: one is Ba (above the orthorhombically distorted Sb sheet) and another Sb2 (at the surface of the Sb/Mn/Sb sandwich layer). Both terminations show the 2×1 surface reconstructions, with drastically different morphologies and electronic properties, however. The reconstructed structures, defect types and nature of the electronic structures of the two terminations are extensively studied. The quasiparticle interference (QPI) analysis is conducted at the energy range between -2 V and 2 V, although no interesting states are observed near the Fermi level, the surface-projected electronic band structures strongly depend on the surface termination above 1.6 V. The existence of defects can greatly modify the local density of states to create electronic phase separations on the surface in the order of tens of nm scale. Our observation on the atomic structures of the terminations and the corresponding electronic structures provides critical information towards an understanding of topological properties of BaMnSb 2 .

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

HAWC observations of the acceleration of very-high-energy cosmic rays in the Cygnus Cocoon

We report cosmic rays with energies up to a few PeV are known to be accelerated within the Milky Way. Traditionally, it has been presumed that supernova remnants were the main source of these very-high-energy cosmic rays, but theoretically it is difficult to accelerate protons to PeV energies and observationally there simply is no evidence of the remnants being sources of hadrons with energies above a few tens of TeV. One possible source of protons with those energies is the Galactic Centre region9. Here, we report observations of 1–100 TeV γ rays coming from the ‘Cygnus Cocoon’, which is a superbubble that surrounds a region of massive star formation. These γ rays are likely produced by 10–1,000 TeV freshly accelerated cosmic rays that originate from the enclosed star-forming region Cyg OB2. Until now it was not known that such regions could accelerate particles to these energies. The measured flux likely originates from hadronic interactions. The spectral shape and the emission profile of the Cocoon changes from GeV to TeV energies, which reveals the transport of cosmic particles and historical activity in the superbubble.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Observational constraints on low cloud feedback reduce uncertainty of climate sensitivity

Marine low clouds strongly cool the planet. How this cooling effect will respond to climate change is a leading source of uncertainty in climate sensitivity, the planetary warming resulting from CO 2 doubling. In this study, we observationally constrain this low cloud feedback at a near-global scale. Satellite observations are used to estimate the sensitivity of low clouds to interannual meteorological perturbations. Combined with model predictions of meteorological changes under greenhouse warming, this permits quantification of spatially resolved cloud feedbacks. We predict positive feedbacks from midlatitude low clouds and eastern ocean stratocumulus, nearly unchanged trade cumulus and a near-global marine low cloud feedback of 0.19 ± 0.12 W m -2 K -1 (90% confidence). These constraints imply a moderate climate sensitivity (~3 K). Despite improved midlatitude cloud feedback simulation by several current-generation climate models, their erroneously positive trade cumulus feedbacks produce unrealistically high climate sensitivities. Conversely, models simulating erroneously weak low cloud feedbacks produce unrealistically low climate sensitivities.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Observed changes in dry-season water availability attributed to human-induced climate change

Human-induced climate change impacts the hydrological cycle and thus the availability of water resources. However, previous assessments of observed warming-induced changes in dryness have not excluded natural climate variability and show conflicting results due to uncertainties in our understanding of the response of evapotranspiration. Here in this paper, we employ data-driven and land-surface models to produce observation-based global reconstructions of water availability from 1902 to 2014, a period during which our planet experienced a global warming of approximately 1°C. Our analysis reveals a spatial pattern of changes in average water availability during the driest month of the year over the past three decades compared with the first half of the twentieth century, with some regions experiencing increased and some decreased water availability. The global pattern is consistent with climate model estimates that account for anthropogenic effects, and it is not expected from natural climate variability, supporting human-induced climate change as the cause. There is regional evidence of drier dry seasons predominantly in extratropical latitudes and including Europe, western North America, northern Asia, southern South America, Australia and eastern Africa. We also find that the intensification of the dry season is generally a consequence of increasing evapotranspiration rather than decreasing precipitation.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2021

Atomistic observation on diffusion-mediated friction between single-asperity contacts

Super-lubricity, a sliding regime in which friction almost vanishes, has been well-documented with the advent of atomic force microscopy (AFM) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation due to its enormous implications for manufacturing micro-/nano-electromechanical systems (MEMS/NEMS). Nevertheless, the atomistic mechanisms for super-lubricious behaviors are still elusive, primarily due to a lack of direct observation of interface at atomic resolution during frictional process. Here by using in situ high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) coupled with AFM, we report diffusion-mediated formation of a loosely-packed interfacial layer between two metallic asperities at infinitesimal normal forces, which is responsible for the sliding regime, super-lubricity exhibiting ultra-low friction forces and continuous sliding. By contrast, the loosely-packed interfacial layer vanishes along with the super-lubricity, leading to typical stick-slip friction. Additionally, in situ TEM observation and MD simulations reveals the crucial role that atom diffusion plays in atomic friction, and provides new insights into the fundamental mechanisms of super-lubricity.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2020

Direct observation of two-dimensional magnons in atomically thin CrI 3

Magnons are collective spin excitations in crystals with long-range magnetic order. The emergent van der Waals magnets provide a highly tunable platform to explore magnetic excitations in the two-dimensional limit with intriguing properties, manifesting from their honeycomb lattice structure and switchable magnetic configurations. Here, we report the direct observation of two-dimensional magnons through magneto-Raman spectroscopy with optical selection rules determined by the interplay between crystal symmetry, layer number and magnetic states in atomically thin CrI 3 . In monolayers, we observe an acoustic magnon mode at ~0.3 meV. It has strict cross-circularly polarized selection rules locked to the magnetization direction that originates from the conservation of angular momentum of photons and magnons dictated by three-fold rotational symmetry. Additionally, we reveal optical magnon modes at ~17 meV. This mode is Raman silent in monolayers, but optically active in bilayers and bulk due to a relaxation of the parity criterion resulting from the layer index. In the layered antiferromagnetic states, we directly resolve two degenerate optical magnon modes with opposite angular momentum and conjugate optical selection rules. From these measurements, we quantitatively extract the spin-wave gap, magnetic anisotropy and intralayer and interlayer exchange constants, and establish two-dimensional magnets as a new platform for exploring magnon physics.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Direct observation of anyonic braiding statistics

Anyons are quasiparticles that, unlike fermions and bosons, show fractional statistics when two of them are exchanged. Here, we report experimental observation of anyonic braiding statisticsfor the ν 1/3 fractional quantum Hall state using a device that is equivalent to a Fabry-Perot interferometer. Strong Aharonov-Bohm interference of the edge mode is punctuated by discrete phase slips that indicate an anyonic phase of $\theta$ anyon = 2π/3. Here, our results are consistent with a recent theory for an interferometer operated in a regime in which device charging energy is small compared to the energy of formation of charged quasiparticles, indicating that we have observed anyonic braiding.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Observation of magnetic islands in tokamak plasmas during the suppression of edge-localized modes

In tokamaks, a leading platform for fusion energy, periodic filamentary plasma eruptions known as edge-localized modes occur in plasmas with high-energy confinement and steep pressure profiles at the plasma edge. These edge-localized modes could damage the tokamak wall but can be suppressed using small three-dimensional magnetic perturbations. Here we demonstrate that these magnetic perturbations can change the magnetic topology just inside the steep gradient region of the plasma edge. We identify signatures of a magnetic island, and their observation is linked to the suppression of edge-localized modes. We compare high-resolution measurements of perturbed magnetic surfaces with predictions from ideal magnetohydrodynamic theory where the magnetic topology is preserved. Although ideal magnetohydrodynamics adequately describes the measurements in plasmas exhibiting edge-localized modes, it proves insufficient for plasmas where these modes are suppressed. Nonlinear resistive magnetohydrodynamic modelling supports this observation. Our study experimentally confirms the predicted role of magnetic islands in inhibiting the occurrence of edge-localized modes. This will be beneficial for physics-based predictions in future fusion devices to control these modes.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Observations of grain-boundary phase transformations in an elemental metal

The theory of grain boundary (the interface between crystallites, GB) structure has a long history 1 and the concept of GBs undergoing phase transformations was proposed 50 years ago 2,3 . The underlying assumption was that multiple stable and metastable states exist for different GB orientations 4,5,6 . The terminology ‘complexion’ was recently proposed to distinguish between interfacial states that differ in any equilibrium thermodynamic property 7 . Different types of complexion and transitions between complexions have been characterized, mostly in binary or multicomponent systems 8,9,10,11,12,13,14,15,16,17,18,19 . Simulations have provided insight into the phase behaviour of interfaces and shown that GB transitions can occur in many material systems 20,21,22,23,24 . However, the direct experimental observation and transformation kinetics of GBs in an elemental metal have remained elusive. In this work we demonstrate atomic-scale GB phase coexistence and transformations at symmetric and asymmetric $[11\bar{1}]$ tilt GBs in elemental copper. Atomic-resolution imaging reveals the coexistence of two different structures at Σ19b GBs (where Σ19 is the density of coincident sites and b is a GB variant), in agreement with evolutionary GB structure search and clustering analysis 21,25,26 . We also use finite-temperature molecular dynamics simulations to explore the coexistence and transformation kinetics of these GB phases. Our results demonstrate how GB phases can be kinetically trapped, enabling atomic-scale room-temperature observations. Our work paves the way for atomic-scale in situ studies of metallic GB phase transformations, which were previously detected only indirectly 9,15,27,28,29 , through their influence on abnormal grain growth, non-Arrhenius-type diffusion or liquid metal embrittlement.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Observation of the effect of gravity on the motion of antimatter

Einstein’s general theory of relativity from 1915 remains the most successful description of gravitation. From the 1919 solar eclipse to the observation of gravitational waves, the theory has passed many crucial experimental tests. However, the evolving concepts of dark matter and dark energy illustrate that there is much to be learned about the gravitating content of the universe. Singularities in the general theory of relativity and the lack of a quantum theory of gravity suggest that our picture is incomplete. It is thus prudent to explore gravity in exotic physical systems. Antimatter was unknown to Einstein in 1915. Dirac’s theory appeared in 1928; the positron was observed in 1932. There has since been much speculation about gravity and antimatter. The theoretical consensus is that any laboratory mass must be attracted by the Earth, although some authors have considered the cosmological consequences if antimatter should be repelled by matter. In the general theory of relativity, the weak equivalence principle (WEP) requires that all masses react identically to gravity, independent of their internal structure. Here we show that antihydrogen atoms, released from magnetic confinement in the ALPHA-g apparatus, behave in a way consistent with gravitational attraction to the Earth. Repulsive ‘antigravity’ is ruled out in this case. This experiment paves the way for precision studies of the magnitude of the gravitational acceleration between anti-atoms and the Earth to test the WEP.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Heavy-element production in a compact object merger observed by JWST

The mergers of binary compact objects such as neutron stars and black holes are of central interest to several areas of astrophysics, including as the progenitors of gamma-ray bursts (GRBs), sources of high-frequency gravitational waves (GWs) and likely production sites for heavy-element nucleosynthesis by means of rapid neutron capture (the r -process). Here we present observations of the exceptionally bright GRB 230307A. We show that GRB 230307A belongs to the class of long-duration GRBs associated with compact object mergers and contains a kilonova similar to AT2017gfo, associated with the GW merger GW170817. We obtained James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) mid-infrared imaging and spectroscopy 29 and 61 days after the burst. The spectroscopy shows an emission line at 2.15 microns, which we interpret as tellurium (atomic mass A = 130) and a very red source, emitting most of its light in the mid-infrared owing to the production of lanthanides. These observations demonstrate that nucleosynthesis in GRBs can create r -process elements across a broad atomic mass range and play a central role in heavy-element nucleosynthesis across the Universe.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2025

Observation of the axion quasiparticle in 2D MnBi 2 Te 4

The axion is a hypothetical fundamental particle that is conjectured to correspond to the coherent oscillation of the θ field in quantum chromodynamics. Its existence would solve multiple fundamental questions, including the strong CP problem of quantum chromodynamics and dark matter, but the axion has never been detected. Electrodynamics of condensed-matter systems can also give rise to a similar θ, so far studied as a static, quantized value to characterize the topology of materials. Coherent oscillation of θ in condensed matter has been proposed to lead to physics directly analogous to the high-energy axion particle—the dynamical axion quasiparticle (DAQ). Here we report the observation of the DAQ in MnBi 2 Te 4 . By combining a two-dimensional electronic device with ultrafast pump–probe optics, we observe a coherent oscillation of θ at about 44 gigahertz, which is uniquely induced by its out-of-phase antiferromagnetic magnon. This represents direct evidence for the presence of the DAQ, which in two-dimensional MnBi 2 Te 4 is found to arise from the magnon-induced coherent modulation of the Berry curvature. The DAQ also has implications in light–matter interaction and coherent antiferromagnetic spintronics, as it might lead to axion polaritons and electric control of ultrafast spin polarization. Finally, the DAQ could be used to detect axion particles. We estimate the detection frequency range and sensitivity in the millielectronvolt regime, which has so far been poorly explored.

topological matter↗
DOE OSTI2026

Direct observation of the superallowed α-decay of 104 Te

The radioactivity of the α particle is among the most compelling evidence for the existence of cluster structures in atomic nuclei. During the decay process, a pre-existing α particle tunnels through the potential barrier formed by the residual nucleus1,2. The degree of preformation of the α particle, a strongly bound system of two protons and two neutrons, is extracted from the data by dividing the α-decay probability by the barrier penetrability for a given particle energy. The preformation probability changes rapidly near nuclear shell closures, which is direct evidence that clustering is connected to nuclear structure3. Enhanced preformation was observed in the lightest α-particle emitters, spherical tellurium and xenon isotopes decaying to magic isotopes of tin. Here we show the most extreme case of α-particle preformation from the measurement of the decay of tellurium-104 (104Te). With a half-life of , 104Te is the fastest ground-state α-emitting nucleus known so far. The deduced preformation demonstrates that the enhancement is greater for 104Te than for any other nucleus. One nuclear model that can explain our observation postulates that the α particle can exist only in the low-nuclear-matter-density regions on the surface of the nucleus. The uniquely high preformation for 104Te is attributed to its relation to doubly magic tin-100 (100Sn), creating conditions conducive to form an α particle.

Cox, Ian↗