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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 865 records · Page 48
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Nonlinear van der Waals Metasurfaces with Resonantly Enhanced Light Generation

Efficient nonlinear wave mixing is of paramount importance for a wide range of applications. However, weak optical nonlinearities pose significant challenges for accessing nonlinear light–matter interaction in compact systems. Here, we experimentally study second harmonic generation in deeply subwavelength 3R-MoS 2 metasurfaces (<λ/13 thick). Our measurements, supported by theoretical analysis, reveal a complex interplay and coupling between geometric resonances, optical extinction, and exciton-driven strong nonlinear susceptibility dispersion. We further demonstrate >150-fold enhancement in second harmonic signal at 740 nm mediated by the A exciton resonance. Additionally, our theoretical studies predict an enhancement of more than 10 6 in second harmonic generation in <100 nm thick structures exhibiting bound states in the continuum resonance. These findings provide insight into accessing and harnessing the unprecedented 3R-MoS 2 nonlinearities at a subwavelength scale, paving the way to ultracompact nonlinear photonic devices.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Synthesis, Crystal Growth, and Transport Properties of van der Waals Tetrel Pnictide GeAs 2

Here, bulk GeAs 2 was synthesized utilizing a vapor transport reaction with iodine. Thermal stability tests under dynamic conditions show that GeAs 2 decomposes below 700 K, in contrast to the reported congruent melting at 1029 K measured at saturated As vapor pressure. GeAs 2 is a p-type narrow bandgap (~0.4 eV) semiconductor. From a thermoelectric standpoint, GeAs 2 outperforms previous computational predictions in thermopower and thermal conductivity. Yet, electrical resistivity is significantly higher than predicted values, resulting in the low overall thermoelectric figure of merit. Aliovalent doping strategies for GeAs 2 should be developed to achieve reasonable thermoelectric performance.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2023

van der Waals Epitaxy, Superlubricity, and Polarization of the 2D Ferroelectric SnS

Tin monosulfide (SnS) is a two-dimensional layered semiconductor that exhibits in-plane ferroelectric order at very small thicknesses and is of interest in highly scaled devices. Here, in this study, we report the epitaxial growth of SnS on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) using a pulsed metal-organic chemical vapor deposition process. Lattice matching is observed between the SnS($100$) and hBN{$1\bar{10}$} planes, with no evidence of strain. Atomic force microscopy reveals superlubricity along the commensurate direction of the SnS/hBN interface, and first-principles calculations suggest that friction is controlled by the edges of the SnS islands, rather than interface interactions. Differential phase contrast imaging detects remnant polarization in SnS islands with domains that are not dictated by step-edges in the SnS. The growth of ferroelectric SnS on high quality hBN substrates is a promising step toward electrically switchable ferroelectric semiconducting devices.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2022

Short-Range Crystalline Order-Tuned Conductivity in Cr 2 Si 2 Te 6 van der Waals Magnetic Crystals

Two-dimensional magnetic materials (2DMMs) are significant not only for studies on the nature of 2D long-range magnetic order but also for future spintronic devices. Of particular interest are 2DMMs where spins can be manipulated by electrical conduction. Whereas Cr 2 Si 2 Te 6 exhibits magnetic order in few-layer crystals, its large band gap inhibits electronic conduction. Here we show that the defect-induced short-range crystal order in Cr 2 Si 2 Te 6 , on the length scale below 0.6 nm, induces a substantially reduced band gap and robust semiconducting behavior down to 2 K that turns to metallic above 10 GPa. Our results in this work will be helpful in designing conducting states in 2DMMs and call for spin-resolved measurement of the electronic structure in exfoliated ultrathin crystals.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Downscaling of Non-Van der Waals Semimetallic W 5 N 6 with Resistivity Preservation

The bulk phase of transition metal nitrides (TMNs) has long been a subject of extensive investigation due to their utility as coating materials, electrocatalysts, and diffusion barriers, attributed to their high conductivity and refractory properties. Downscaling TMNs into two-dimensional (2D) forms would provide valuable members to the existing 2D materials repertoire, with potential enhancements across various applications. Moreover, calculations have anticipated the emergence of uncommon physical phenomena in TMNs at the 2D limit. Here, in this study, we use the atomic substitution approach to synthesize 2D W 5 N 6 with tunable thicknesses from tens of nanometers down to 2.9 nm. The obtained flakes exhibit high crystallinity and smooth surfaces. Electrical measurements on 15 samples show an average electrical conductivity of 161.1 S/cm, which persists while thickness decreases from 45.6 to 2.9 nm. The observed weak gate-tuning effect suggests the semimetallic nature of the synthesized 2D W 5 N 6 . Further investigation of the conversion mechanism elucidates the crucial role of chalcogen vacancies in the precursor for initiating the reaction and strain in propagating the conversion. Our work introduces a desired semimetallic crystal to the 2D material library with mechanistic insights for future design of the synthesis.

2D electronics↗
DOE OSTI2025

Magnon-mediated exciton–exciton interaction in a van der Waals antiferromagnet

Excitons are fundamental excitations that govern the optical properties of semiconductors. Interactions between excitons can lead to various emergent phases of matter and large nonlinear optical responses. In most semiconductors, excitons interact via exchange interactions or phase-space filling. Correlated materials that host excitons coupled to other degrees of freedom could offer pathways for controlling these interactions. Here, in this study, we demonstrate magnon-mediated interactions between excitons in CrSBr, an antiferromagnetic semiconductor. These interactions manifest as the dependence of the exciton energy on the exciton density via a magnonic adjustment of the spin canting angle. Our study demonstrates the emergence of quasiparticle-mediated interactions in correlated quantum materials, leading to large nonlinear optical responses and potential device concepts such as magnon-mediated quantum transducers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2026

Excitons in van der Waals magnetic materials

Two-dimensional magnetic semiconductors provide a unique platform where long-range magnetic order coexists with strongly bound excitons. Because excitonic states and magnetic moments originate from the same electronic orbitals and couple via intrinsic exchange interactions, optical excitations in these systems exhibit pronounced sensitivity to magnetic order. Recent experiments show unusually strong magneto-optical responses and direct exciton–magnon coupling, establishing new routes for controlling light–matter interactions with spin degrees of freedom. Here, this Review surveys key developments, focusing on representative material systems, experimental signatures, and theoretical frameworks used to describe these phenomena. We conclude with perspectives on how this rapidly evolving field could enable next-generation optoelectronic and quantum technologies leveraging the coupled dynamics of light, charge and spin.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Density functional theory study of the interaction of vinyl radical, ethyne, and ethene with benzene, aimed to define an affordable computational level to investigate stability trends in large van der Waals complexes

Our purpose is to identify a computational level sufficiently dependable and affordable to assess trends in the interaction of a variety of radical or closed shell unsaturated hydro-carbons A adsorbed on soot platelet models B. These systems, of environmental interest, would unavoidably have rather large sizes, thus prompting to explore in this paper the performances of relatively low-level computational methods and compare them with higher-level reference results. To this end, the interaction of three complexes between non-polar species, vinyl radical, ethyne, or ethene (A) with benzene (B) is studied, since these species, involved themselves in growth processes of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and soot particles, are small enough to allow high-level reference calculations of the interaction energy ΔE{sub AB}. Counterpoise-corrected interaction energies ΔE{sub AB} are used at all stages. (1) Density Functional Theory (DFT) unconstrained optimizations of the A−B complexes are carried out, using the B3LYP-D, ωB97X-D, and M06-2X functionals, with six basis sets: 6-31G(d), 6-311 (2d,p), and 6-311++G(3df,3pd); aug-cc-pVDZ and aug-cc-pVTZ; N07T. (2) Then, unconstrained optimizations by Møller-Plesset second order Perturbation Theory (MP2), with each basis set, allow subsequent single point Coupled Cluster Singles Doubles and perturbative estimate of the Triples energy computations with the same basis sets [CCSD(T)//MP2]. (3) Based on an additivity assumption of (i) the estimated MP2 energy at the complete basis set limit [E{sub MP2/CBS}] and (ii) the higher-order correlation energy effects in passing from MP2 to CCSD(T) at the aug-cc-pVTZ basis set, ΔE{sub CC-MP}, a CCSD(T)/CBS estimate is obtained and taken as a computational energy reference. At DFT, variations in ΔE{sub AB} with basis set are not large for the title molecules, and the three functionals perform rather satisfactorily even with rather small basis sets [6-31G(d) and N07T], exhibiting deviation from the computational reference of less than 1 kcal mol{sup −1}. The zero-point vibrational energy corrected estimates Δ(E{sub AB}+ZPE), obtained with the three functionals and the 6-31G(d) and N07T basis sets, are compared with experimental D{sub 0} measures, when available. In particular, this comparison is finally extended to the naphthalene and coronene dimers and to three π−π associations of different PAHs (R, made by 10, 16, or 24 C atoms) and P (80 C atoms)

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

Including screening in van der Waals corrected density functional theory calculations: The case of atoms and small molecules physisorbed on graphene

The Density Functional Theory (DFT)/van der Waals-Quantum Harmonic Oscillator-Wannier function (vdW-QHO-WF) method, recently developed to include the vdW interactions in approximated DFT by combining the quantum harmonic oscillator model with the maximally localized Wannier function technique, is applied to the cases of atoms and small molecules (X=Ar, CO, H{sub 2}, H{sub 2}O) weakly interacting with benzene and with the ideal planar graphene surface. Comparison is also presented with the results obtained by other DFT vdW-corrected schemes, including PBE+D, vdW-DF, vdW-DF2, rVV10, and by the simpler Local Density Approximation (LDA) and semilocal generalized gradient approximation approaches. While for the X-benzene systems all the considered vdW-corrected schemes perform reasonably well, it turns out that an accurate description of the X-graphene interaction requires a proper treatment of many-body contributions and of short-range screening effects, as demonstrated by adopting an improved version of the DFT/vdW-QHO-WF method. We also comment on the widespread attitude of relying on LDA to get a rough description of weakly interacting systems.

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

Toward transferable interatomic van der Waals interactions without electrons: The role of multipole electrostatics and many-body dispersion

We estimate polarizabilities of atoms in molecules without electron density, using a Voronoi tesselation approach instead of conventional density partitioning schemes. The resulting atomic dispersion coefficients are calculated, as well as many-body dispersion effects on intermolecular potential energies. We also estimate contributions from multipole electrostatics and compare them to dispersion. We assess the performance of the resulting intermolecular interaction model from dispersion and electrostatics for more than 1300 neutral and charged, small organic molecular dimers. Applications to water clusters, the benzene crystal, the anti-cancer drug ellipticine—intercalated between two Watson-Crick DNA base pairs, as well as six macro-molecular host-guest complexes highlight the potential of this method and help to identify points of future improvement. The mean absolute error made by the combination of static electrostatics with many-body dispersion reduces at larger distances, while it plateaus for two-body dispersion, in conflict with the common assumption that the simple 1/R{sup 6} correction will yield proper dissociative tails. Overall, the method achieves an accuracy well within conventional molecular force fields while exhibiting a simple parametrization protocol.

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

The HCO{sup +}–H{sub 2} van der Waals interaction: Potential energy and scattering

We compute the rigid-body, four-dimensional interaction potential between HCO{sup +} and H{sub 2}. The ab initio energies are obtained at the coupled-cluster single double triple level of theory, corrected for Basis Set Superposition Errors. The ab initio points are fit onto the spherical basis relevant for quantum scattering. We present elastic and rotationally inelastic coupled channels scattering between low lying rotational levels of HCO{sup +} and para-/ortho-H{sub 2}. Results are compared with similar earlier computations with He or isotropic para-H{sub 2} as the projectile. Computations agree with earlier pressure broadening measurements.

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

Spintronics with graphene-hexagonal boron nitride van der Waals heterostructures

Hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a large bandgap insulating isomorph of graphene, ideal for atomically thin tunnel barrier applications. In this letter, we demonstrate large area chemical vapor deposited (CVD) h-BN as a promising spin tunnel barrier in graphene spin transport devices. In such structures, the ferromagnetic tunnel contacts with h-BN barrier are found to show robust tunneling characteristics over a large scale with resistances in the favorable range for efficient spin injection into graphene. The non-local spin transport and precession experiments reveal spin lifetime ≈500 ps and spin diffusion length ≈1.6 μm in graphene with tunnel spin polarization ≈11% at 100 K. The electrical and spin transport measurements at different injection bias current and gate voltages confirm tunnel spin injection through h-BN barrier. These results open up possibilities for implementation of large area CVD h-BN in spintronic technologies.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2015

Atomic radii for atoms with the 6s shell outermost: The effective atomic radius and the van der Waals radius from {sub 55}Cs to {sub 80}Hg

We consider, for atoms from {sub 55}Cs to {sub 80}Hg, the effective atomic radius (r{sub ear}), which is defined as the distance from the nucleus at which the magnitude of the electric field is equal to that in He at one half of the equilibrium bond length of He{sub 2}. The values of r{sub ear} are about 50% larger than the mean radius of the outermost occupied orbital of 6s, . The value of r{sub ear} decreases from {sub 55}Cs to {sub 56}Ba and undergoes increases and decreases with rising nuclear charge from {sub 57}La to {sub 70}Y b. In fact r{sub ear} is understood as comprising two interlaced sequences; one consists of {sub 57}La, {sub 58}Ce, and {sub 64}Gd, which have electronic configuration (4f{sup n−1})(5d{sup 1})(6s{sup 2}), and the remaining atoms have configuration (4f{sup n})(6s{sup 2}). The sphere defined by r{sub ear} contains 85%–90% of the 6s electrons. From {sub 71}Lu to {sub 80}Hg the radius r{sub ear} also involves two sequences, corresponding to the two configurations 5d{sup n+1}6s{sup 1} and 5d{sup n}6s{sup 2}. The radius r{sub ear} according to the present methodology is considerably larger than r{sub vdW} obtained by other investigators, some of who have found values of r{sub vdW} close to .

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2015

Influences of the propyl group on the van der Waals structures of 4-propylaniline complexes with one and two argon atoms studied by electronic and cationic spectroscopy

4-propylaniline complexes with one and two argon atoms formed in the molecular beam were studied in the first excited electronic state, S{sub 1}, using resonance enhanced two-photon ionization spectroscopy and in the cation ground state, D{sub 0}, using mass analyzed threshold ionization spectroscopy. The combination of electronic and cationic spectra of the clusters allows two conformations to be identified in both aniline-Ar{sub 1} and aniline-Ar{sub 2}, which are assigned to either the gauche configuration or anti-configuration of 4-propylaniline. The gauche isomer exhibits complex bands shifted 29 cm{sup −1} and 89 cm{sup −1} from the S{sub 1} origin bands and 83 cm{sup −1} and 148 cm{sup −1} from the ionization potential assigned to the Ar{sub 1} and Ar{sub 2} complexes, respectively. For the anti-rotamer, the corresponding shifts actually become nearly additive, 53 cm{sup −1} and 109 cm{sup −1} for the S{sub 1} origin bands, and 61 cm{sup −1} and 125 cm{sup −1} for the ionization potentials. Ab initio calculations provide insights into the influences of the propyl and amino groups on the positions of the argon atoms within the clusters. In addition, the binding energy of one argon with the gauche isomer of 4-propylaniline has been measured to be 550 ± 5 cm{sup −1} in the D{sub 0} state, 496 ± 5 cm{sup −1} in the S{sub 1} state, and 467 ± 5 cm{sup −1} in the neutral ground state, S{sub 0}.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗