Engineering Papers⌕ Search

SEARCH · Engineering Papers

Results for “tunable light”

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.

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

At least 865 records · Page 48

Polariton hyperspectral imaging of two-dimensional semiconductor crystals

Atomically thin crystals of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) host excitons with strong binding energies and sizable light-matter interactions. Coupled to optical cavities, monolayer TMDs routinely reach the regime of strong light-matter coupling, where excitons and photons admix coherently to form polaritons up to room temperature. Here, we explore the two-dimensional nature of TMD polaritons with scanning-cavity hyperspectral imaging. We record a spatial map of polariton properties of extended WS2 monolayers coupled to a tunable micro cavity in the strong coupling regime, and correlate it with maps of exciton extinction and fluorescence taken from the same fake with the cavity. We find a high level of homogeneity, and show that polariton splitting variations are correlated with intrinsic exciton properties such as oscillator strength and linewidth. Moreover, we observe a deviation from thermal equilibrium in the resonant polariton population, which we ascribe to non-Markovian polariton-phonon coupling. Our measurements reveal a promisingly consistent polariton landscape, and highlight the importance of phonons for future polaritonic devices.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Fine tunable red-green upconversion luminescence from glass ceramic containing 5%Er{sup 3+}:NaYF{sub 4} nanocrystals under excitation of two near infrared femtosecond lasers

In this paper, we report fine tunable red-green upconversion luminescence of glass ceramic containing 5%Er{sup 3+}: NaYF{sub 4} nanocrystals excited simultaneously by two near infrared femtosecond lasers. When the glass ceramic was irradiated by 800 nm femtosecond laser, weak red emission centered at 670 nm was detected. Bright red light was observed when the fs laser wavelength was tuned to 1490 nm. However, when excited by the two fs lasers simultaneously, the sample emitted bright green light centered at 550 nm, while the red light kept the same intensity. The dependences of the red and the green light intensities on the two pump lasers are much different, which enables us to manipulate the color emission by adjusting the two pump laser intensities, respectively. We present a theoretical model of Er{sup 3+} ions interacting with two fs laser fields, and explain well the experimental results.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Facile fabrication of a ultraviolet tunable MoS{sub 2}/p-Si junction diode

Chemical vapor deposition grown MoS{sub 2} single crystals were transferred onto the edge of a p-Si/SiO{sub 2} wafer, forming an abrupt heterogeneous junction diode at the MoS{sub 2}/p-Si interface. When electrically characterized as a field effect transistor, MoS{sub 2} exhibits an n-type response and can be doped in the presence of ultraviolet (UV) light. As a diode, it operates satisfactorily in air, but has higher currents in vacuum with a turn on voltage of ∼1.3 V and an on/off ratio of 20 at ±2 V. UV irradiation increases the diode on state current, decreases the turn-on voltage, and reduces the ideality parameter below 2. These changes are reversible after annealing in air as desorption of electron trapping species like O{sub 2}{sup −} and H{sub 2}O{sup −} are believed responsible for this effect. A circuit integrating this diode was used to rectify a 1 kHz signal with an efficiency of 12%. Its simple design, coupled with the ability to clip AC signals, sense UV light, and reversibly tune these diodes, makes them inexpensive, multifunctional, and usable as active or passive circuit components in complex electronics.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Observation of electron states of small period artificial graphene in nano-patterned GaAs quantum wells

Engineered honeycomb lattices, called artificial graphene (AG), are tunable platforms for the study of novel electronic states related to Dirac physics. Here in this work, we report the achievement of electronic bands of the honeycomb topology with the period as low as 40 nm on the nano-patterned modulation-doped AlGaAs/GaAs quantum wells. Resonant inelastic light scattering spectra reveal peaks which are interpreted as combined electronic transitions between subbands of the quantum well confinement with a change in the AG band index. Spectra lineshapes are explained by joint density of states obtained from the calculated AG electron band structures. These results provide a basis for further advancements in AG physics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Super Metalated Frameworks as Hydrogen Sponges

The most promising strategy towards the development of practical on-board hydrogen fuel cells for light-duty-vehicles is the application of materials that store hydrogen via physisorption. Such materials require high hydrogen storage capacities and stabilities. Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are crystalline porous materials comprised of metal clusters linked by organic struts where each component can be systematically altered or functionalized. This tunability coupled with their highly porous nature make MOFs ideal candidates for gas storage applications. The state-of-the-art MOF based absorbent (MOF-74 analogue) utilizes coordinatively unsaturated metal sites (open metal sites) which exhibit strong interactions with H 2 (Qst = 13 KJ/mol) producing the record figure of merit (12 g/L and 0.9 wt% at 25 ºC 100 bar) [3]. However, these values remain below the DOE 2025 target for hydrogen storage. To increase the interaction strength between the framework and H 2 , we have prepared a highly porous, functionalizable MOF (Mg-IRMOF-74-III). The organic linker of this MOF was functionalized with primary amines that were used to install metal-binding ligands for subsequent metalation. The newly installed open metal sites have slightly improved H 2 storage capacity at 77 K via weak interactions. However, the primary amines of the organic linkers have lead to a dramatic decrease in the H 2 capacity due to the interaction of the amines with the open metal-sites of the inorganic nodes. The conclusions of the present project pave the way for design of supermetalated crystalline materials for hydrogen storage to meet the DOE 2025 target in the future

08 HYDROGEN↗

3D Printing of High Viscosity Reinforced Silicone Elastomers

Recent advances in additive manufacturing, specifically direct ink writing (DIW) and ink-jetting, have enabled the production of elastomeric silicone parts with deterministic control over the structure, shape, and mechanical properties. These new technologies offer rapid prototyping advantages and find applications in various fields, including biomedical devices, prosthetics, metamaterials, and soft robotics. Stereolithography (SLA) is a complementary approach with the ability to print with finer features and potentially higher throughput. However, all high-performance silicone elastomers are composites of polysiloxane networks reinforced with particulate filler, and consequently, silicone resins tend to have high viscosities (gel- or paste-like), which complicates or completely inhibits the layer-by-layer recoating process central to most SLA technologies. Herein, the design and build of a digital light projection SLA printer suitable for handling high-viscosity resins is demonstrated. Further, a series of UV-curable silicone resins with thiol-ene crosslinking and reinforced by a combination of fumed silica and MQ resins are also described. The resulting silicone elastomers are shown to have tunable mechanical properties, with 100–350% elongation and ultimate tensile strength from 1 to 2.5 MPa. Three-dimensional printed features of 0.4 mm were achieved, and complexity is demonstrated by octet-truss lattices that display negative stiffness.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

White light emission and energy transfer in Dy{sup 3+}/Eu{sup 3+} co-doped BaLa{sub 2}WO{sub 7} phosphors

Highlights: • BaLa{sub 2}WO{sub 7}:Dy{sup 3+}, Eu{sup 3+} phosphors were synthesized by solid-state reaction. • Eu{sup 3+} compensated the red emission component of the BaLa{sub 2}WO{sub 7}:Dy{sup 3+} phosphor. • The observed emission lifetimes indicates the energy transfer from Dy{sup 3+} to Eu{sup 3+}. • BaLa{sub 2}WO{sub 7}:Dy{sup 3+}, Eu{sup 3+} are potential phosphors used in n-UV pumped white LEDs. - Abstract: Tunable full color emissive BaLa{sub 1.75−x}WO{sub 7}:0.25Dy{sup 3+}, xEu{sup 3+} phosphors which peaked at 484 nm (blue), 572 nm (yellow), 593 nm (orange), and 617 nm (red) were synthesized by the traditional solid-state reaction method. The as-synthesized phosphors were characterized by X-ray power diffraction, diffused reflectance spectra, photoluminescence decay curves, photoluminescence excitation and emission spectra. The photoluminescence excitation spectra range from 200 to 500 nm, including an O{sup 2−}⟶W{sup 6+} charge transfer band and several 4f–4f transition peaks of Dy{sup 3+} and Eu{sup 3+}. Co-doping with Eu{sup 3+} compensated the red emission component of the BaLa{sub 2}WO{sub 7}:Dy{sup 3+} phosphor. Furthermore, the energy transfer from Dy{sup 3+} to Eu{sup 3+} was confirmed based on the luminescence spectra and decay curves. The intense white light emissions are suggestive exploration for the potential phosphor for optical materials applications used in the ultraviolet excited white light emitting diodes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The Role of SnO2 Processing on Ionic Distribution in Double-Cation-Double Halide Perovskites

Moving toward a future of efficient, accessible, and less carbon-reliant energy devices has been at the forefront of energy research innovations for the past 30 years. Metal-halide perovskite (MHP) thin films have gained significant attention due to their flexibility of device applications and tunable capabilities for improving power conversion efficiency. Serving as a gateway to optimize device performance, consideration must be given to chemical synthesis processing techniques. Therefore, how does common substrate processing techniques influence the behavior of MHP phenomena such as ion migration and strain? Here, we demonstrate how a hybrid approach of chemical bath deposition (CBD) and nanoparticle SnO2 substrate processing significantly improves the performance of (FAPbI3)0.97(MAPbBr3)0.03 by reducing micro-strain in the SnO2 lattice, allowing distribution of K+ from K-Cl treatment of substrates to passivate defects formed at the interface and produce higher current in light and dark environments. X-ray diffraction reveals differences in lattice strain behavior with respect to SnO2 substrate processing methods. Through use of conductive atomic force microscopy (c-AFM), conductivity is measured spatially with MHP morphology, showing higher generation of current in both light and dark conditions for films with hybrid processing. Additionally, time-of-flight secondary ionization mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) observed the distribution of K+ at the perovskite/SnO2 interface, indicating K+ passivation of defects to improve the power conversion efficiency (PCE) and device stability. We show how understanding the role of ion distribution at the SnO2 and perovskite interface can help reduce the creating of defects and promote a more efficient MHP device.

conductive atomic force microscopy↗

Miniature Tunable Laser Spectrometer for Detection of a Trace Gas

An open-path laser spectrometer (OPLS) for measuring a concentration of a trace gas, the OPLS including an open-path multi-pass analysis region including a first mirror, a second mirror at a distance and orientation from the first mirror, and a support structure for locating the mirrors, a laser coupled to the analysis region and configured to emit light of a wavelength range and to enable a plurality of reflections of the emitted light between the mirrors, a detector coupled to the analysis region and configured to detect a portion of the emitted light impinging on the detector and to generate a corresponding signal, and an electronic system coupled to the laser and the detector, and configured to adjust the wavelength range of the emitted light from the laser based on the generated signal, and to measure the concentration of the trace gas based on the generated signal.

Christensen, Lance E.↗

Grayscale projection two-photon lithography using sub-diffraction motifs for ultrafast and precise nanoscale 3D printing

Rapid and high-fidelity nanoscale 3D printing is highly desirable, but it is difficult due to the tradeoff between speed and accuracy. Although optical projection techniques can massively scale up printing, fidelity is compromised due to the difficulty in precisely controlling the light dosage over the entire field. This challenge is typically addressed by using multiple projections, but it slows down printing. Here, we present grayscale projection two-photon lithography to overcome this tradeoff. Despite using a binary mask, it enables projecting more than 15,000 focal spots, each with independently tunable intensity. It advantageously leverages constraints imposed by optical diffraction to achieve grayscale tuning over the entire field at once. By directly tuning the focal spot intensities, we demonstrate suppression of proximity effects, compensation of non-uniform illumination, compensation of stitching artefacts, and rapid 3D printing with a single femtosecond pulse per layer. We demonstrate printing of nanowires as thin as 55 nm and achieve rates of 1.7 billion voxels/s and 215 mm 3 /hr.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Airborne water vapor DIAL system development

A differential absorption lidar (DIAL) system developed at NASA Langley Research Center for the remote measurement of atmospheric H2O and aerosols from an aircraft is briefly discussed. This DIAL system utilizes a Nd:YAG laser-pumped dye laser as the off-line transmitter and a narrowband, tunable Alexandrite laser as the on-line transmitter. A 1-m monochromator and a multipass absorption cell are used to position the on-line laser to the center of the H2O line. The receiver system has a 14-in. diameter, f/7 Celestron telescope to collect the backscattered laser light and focus in into the detector optics. Return signals are converted to electrical signals by the optical detector and are digitalized and stored on magnetic tape. The results of fligh tests of the system are shown.

Higdon, Noah S.↗

Resonance lamp absorption technique for simultaneous determination of the OH concentration and temperature at 10 spatial positions in combustion environments

A rugged, easy to implement, line-of-sight absorption instrument which utilizes a low pressure water vapor microwave discharge cell as the light source, has been developed to make simultaneous measurements of the OH concentration and temperature at 10 spatial positions. The design, theory, and capability of the instrument are discussed. Results of the measurements obtained on a methane/air flat flame burner are compared with those obtained using a single-frequency, tunable dye laser system.

Shirinzadeh, B.↗

Electro-optical tunable birefringent filter

An electrically tunable Lyot type filter is a Lyot that include one or more filter elements. Each filter element may have a planar, solid crystal comprised of a material that exhibits birefringence and is electro-optically active. Transparent electrodes may be coated on each face of the crystal. An input linear light polarizer may be located on one side of the crystal and oriented at 45 degrees to the optical axis of the birefringent crystal. An output linear light polarizer may be located on the other side of the crystal and oriented at -45 degrees with respect to the optical axis of the birefringent crystal. When an electric voltage is applied between the electrodes, the retardation of the crystal changes and so does the spectral transmission of the optical filter.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Tunable Second Harmonic Generation in Twisted Bilayer Graphene

Twisted stacking of van der Waals (vdW) materials introduces a new way in bandstructure engineering and has given rise to numerous extraordinary physical phenomena. Despite the absence of second harmonic generation (SHG) in non-gated monolayer graphene, artificially twisted bilayer graphene (tBLG) possesses more possible point-group symmetries including those with broken inversion-symmetry. Here, we report twist-angle-dependent SHG from tBLG, which is the first demonstration of an elemental material with intrinsically tunable nonlinearity. We show that depending on the twist angle, the susceptibility of the dominant chiral tensor component of tBLGs can vary from 0 to 28×10 4 pm 2 /V, which is at the same order of magnitude as on-resonance susceptibility of monolayer MoS 2 . These results shed light on the underlying symmetry of tBLG systems and electronic band-structure near van Hove singularities (vHs). More importantly, they introduce a new degree of freedom, the twisting, in creating efficient second-order nonlinear material form centrosymmetric constituents

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Regulating off-centering distortion maximizes photoluminescence in halide perovskites

Abstract Metal halide perovskites possess unique atomic and electronic configurations that endow them with high defect tolerance and enable high-performance photovoltaics and optoelectronics. Perovskite light-emitting diodes have achieved an external quantum efficiency of over 20%. Despite tremendous progress, fundamental questions remain, such as how structural distortion affects the optical properties. Addressing their relationships is considerably challenging due to the scarcity of effective diagnostic tools during structural and property tuning as well as the limited tunability achievable by conventional methods. Here, using pressure and chemical methods to regulate the metal off-centering distortion, we demonstrate the giant tunability of photoluminescence (PL) in both the intensity (>20 times) and wavelength (>180 nm/GPa) in the highly distorted halide perovskites [CH3NH3GeI3, HC(NH2)2GeI3, and CsGeI3]. Using advanced in situ high-pressure probes and first-principles calculations, we quantitatively reveal a universal relationship whereby regulating the level of off-centering distortion towards 0.2 leads to the best PL performance in the halide perovskites. By applying this principle, intense PL can still be induced by substituting CH3NH3+ with Cs+ to control the distortion in (CH3NH3)1-xCsxGeI3, where the chemical substitution plays a similar role as external pressure. The compression of a fully substituted sample of CsGeI3 further tunes the distortion to the optimal value at 0.7 GPa, which maximizes the emission with a 10-fold enhancement. This work not only demonstrates a quantitative relationship between structural distortion and PL property of the halide perovskites but also illustrates the use of knowledge gained from high-pressure research to achieve the desired properties by ambient methods.

halide perovskites↗

A Case Study of Luminaire-Level Lighting Control: Lighting the Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) Office in Portland, OR

What happens when advanced lighting and control systems are installed in the real world? Are the advantages and energy savings realized? By observing the design, installation, commissioning, and ongoing use of connected lighting systems in real-world settings, it is possible to identify the strengths, challenges, and points of human-technology interaction that may be new or unfamiliar to those responsible for implementing or maintaining the lighting system. Ultimately, understanding and experiencing each stakeholder’s interaction with the technology can allow the research team to synthesize feedback for manufacturers, improve industry understanding of the technology, and increase adoption. The Northwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (NEEA) office in Portland, OR, is a single-floor installation that puts tunable-white, interoperability, and luminaire-level advanced control capabilities to the test. Compared to simpler, “out-of-the-box” systems that minimize field-adjustable settings, the system utilized in this space allowed for granular field adjustments which required the system specifier, client, and programming agent to make additional decisions regarding system operation while the system was being programmed. This report communicates the observational findings from the installation, programming, and ongoing operation of an advanced office LLLC system.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

High Absorptance Coatings for THz Applications

High absorptance materials find application throughout the electromagnetic spectrum as radiation terminations, calibration standards, and glint reduction coatings. Successful use of materials at millimeter through submillimeter wavelengths requires an accurate knowledge and control over their thermal, mechanical, and electromagnetic properties in order to achieve the desired response while minimizing mass and volume. In practice, the achieved blackness is intimately linked to the material properties and geometry. Here, we summarize the characteristics of a variety of tunable artificial dielectric mixtures appropriate for THz applications at room and cryogenic temperatures. Theoretical guidelines for their application will be provided in the context of the effective-medium mean-field-approximation. The performance of these coatings as elements of reflectance standards, radiometric flux calibrators, passive thermal radiators, and stray light suppression baffles for imaging systems will be reviewed.

Wollack, Edward J.↗