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At least 91 records · Page 5
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1985

Heat and detachment in core-complex extension

It is proposed here that the Miocene to Recent structural and volcanic features of the Basin and Range Province can be explained by a single thermotectonic process acting through time. This process consists of a thermal pulse resulting in a high-temperature regime that includes a steep thermal front moving first up toward the topographic surface, then down owing to cooling induced by a combination of convection and conduction. Within the front is a condition defining a critical surface that separates brittle from ductile behavior, and is marked by a nearly horizonal detachment fault. The most prominent and structurally highest position of the detachment results from interaction between the critical surface and a hydrothermal system near the topographic surface. These various features can be superposed on older ones through thermal remobilization or structural reactivation.

Lucchitta, I.↗
NASA NTRS1990

Tertiary basin development and tectonic implications, Whipple detachment system, Colorado River extensional corridor, California and Arizona

This paper reports on geologic mapping, stratigraphic and structural observations, and radiometric dating of Miocene deposits of the Whipple detachment system, Colorado River extensional corridor of California and Arizona. From these data, four regions are distinguished in the study area that correspond to four Miocene depositional basins. It is shown that these basins developed in about the same positions, relative to each other and to volcanic sources, as they occupy at present. They formed in the early Miocene from a segmentation of the upper crust into blocks bounded by high-angle faults that trended both parallel and perpendicular to the direction of extension and which were terminated at middle crustal depths by a low-angle detachment fault.

Nielson, J. E.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Detached and Floating-Zone Growth of Semiconductor Crystals on the ISS

Understanding the mechanism of detached Bridgman growth and establishing the growth of large scale germanium-silicon crystals by the float-zone technique are the key points of the project "RDGS - Reduction of Defects in Germanium-Silicon". The contact angle of the melt and the growth angle of the crystal are essential parameters which allow a controlled use of detached growth. The contact angle was determined for a variety of different substrates and melt compositions; pBN showed the highest value for pure germanium as well as for germanium-rich GeSi melts. The growth angle of Ge(sub 0.95) Si(sub 0.05) was measured to be 8.5-10.5 degrees which concurs with the values of pure germanium and silicon, respectively. The temperature dependence and the concentration dependence of the surface tension were determined for concentrations up to 10at% silicon (partial derivative (gamma)/partial derivative T=-0.08 (raised dot) 10(exp -3)N/m (raised dot) K, partial derivative (gamma)/partial derivative (C)=2.2 (raised dot) 10(exp -3)N/m (raised dot) at%). Using these values, the critical Marangoni number indicating the transition to time-dependent thermocapillary flow will be exceeded for the growth of large scale float-zone crystals onboard the ISS. Therefore, suitable tools for flow control are required.

Dold, P.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Bridgman Growth of Detached GeSi Crystals

Ge(1-x)Si(x)(0 less than x less than 0.12) has been grown by the vertical Bridgman technique using adjustments in the applied temperature profile to control the pressure difference between the bottom and top of the melt. Using this technique, a pressure difference is created by decreasing the temperature in the gas volume above the melt while the sample is molten but prior to growth. A maximum pressure difference approximately equal to the hydrostatic pressure of the molten sample can thus be obtained. Several GeSi crystals were grown in pyrolitic boron nitride ampoules. When a pressure difference was applied, samples were reproducibly grown mostly detached. For comparison, samples were also grown in a configuration in which gas could flow freely between the gap below the melt and the volume above the melt and no pressure difference could be established. These samples were initially attached. Existence of detachment was determined both by measuring the surface roughness of the samples with a profilometer and by observations of the sample surfaces with optical and electron microscopy.

Volz, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS2002

Bridgman Growth of Detached GeSi Crystals

Ge(1-x)Si(x) (0 less than x less than 0.12) has been grown by the vertical Bridgman technique using adjustments in the applied temperature profile to control the pressure difference between the bottom and top of the melt. Using this technique. a pressure difference is created by decreasing the temperature in the gas volume above the melt while the sample is molten but prior to growth. A maximum pressure difference approximately equal to the hydrostatic pressure of the molten sample can thus be obtained. Several GeSi crystals were grown in pyrolitic boron nitride ampoules. When a pressure difference was applied, samples were reproducibly grown mostly detached. For comparison, samples were also grown in a configuration in which gas could flow freely between the gap below the melt and the volume above the melt and no pressure difference could be established. These samples were initially attached. Existence of detachment was determined both by measuring the surface roughness of the samples with a profilometer and by observations of the sample surfaces with optical and electron microscopy.

Volz, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Detached Solidification of InSb on Earth

Detached solidification of lightly gallium-doped indium antimonide was achieved in the laboratory only when the ampoule was coated with hexagonal boron nitride and when the material appeared to be oxide-free. A furnace was constructed with the temperature increasing with height in order to minimize bouyancy-driven convection, so as to maximize transport of segregated dissolved gases into the gap between the growing solid and the ampoule wall. There appeared to be no difference in results with freezing rates of 5 mmh and 10 mm/h. Best results were obtained when the ampoule was backfilled with 20 kPa of Ar-10%H2 prior to sealing. The detached portions were depressed by several pm from adjacent attached regions, were rough, and sometimes had microfacets and steps.

Wang, Jianbin↗
NASA NTRS2000

Influence of Contact Angle, Growth Angle and Melt Surface Tension on Detached Solidification of InSb

We extended the previous analysis of detached solidification of InSb based on the moving meniscus model. We found that for steady detached solidification to occur in a sealed ampoule in zero gravity, it is necessary for the growth angle to exceed a critical value, the contact angle for the melt on the ampoule wall to exceed a critical value, and the melt-gas surface tension to be below a critical value. These critical values would depend on the material properties and the growth parameters. For the conditions examined here, the sum of the growth angle and the contact angle must exceed approximately 130, which is significantly less than required if both ends of the ampoule are open.

Wang, Yazhen↗
NASA NTRS2004

Detached Growth of Germanium by Directional Solidification

Detached crystal growth technique (dewetting) offers improvement in the quality of the grown crystals by preventing sticking to the walls of the crucible and thus reducing the possibility of parasitic nucleation and formation of lattice defects upon cooling. One of the factors relevant for the phenomena is the pressure differential across the meniscus at the crystal-melt interface. We investigated this effect experimentally. The growth took place in closed ampoules under the pressure of an inert gas (forming gas: 96% Ar + 4% H2). The pressure above the melt was adjustable and allowed for a control of the pressure difference between the top and bottom menisci. The crystals were characterized, particularly by taking profilometer measurements along the grown crystals surface. The effects of the experimental conditions on the detachment were compared with those predicted based on the theory of Duffar et al.

Palosz, W.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Residual Gas Effects on Detached Solidification in Microgravity

Our long term goal has been to make detached solidification reproducible, which requires a full understanding of the mechanisms underlying it. Our Moving Meniscus Model of steady-state detachment predicts that it depends strongly on the surface tension of the melt and the advancing contact angle with the ampoule wall. Thus, the objective of the current project was to determine the influence of residual gases on the surface tension and contact angle of molten semiconductors on typical ampoule materials. Our focus was on the influence of oxygen on indium antimonide on clean silica ("quartz"). The research was performed by three chemical engineering graduate students, the third of whom will complete his research in the summer of 2005. Originally, we had planned to use a sealed silica cell containing a zirconia electrochemical element to control the oxygen partial pressure. However, zirconia requires an operating temperature above the 530 C melting point of InSb and is difficult to form a gas-tight seal with silica. Thus, we decided instead to flow an oxygen-containing gas through the cell. A special apparatus was designed, built and perfected. A piece of InSb was placed on a horizontal silica plate in a quartz cell. High purity argon, helium or hydrogen-containing gas is passed continuously through the cell while the oxygen concentration in the effluent gas is measured. The shape of the resulting drop was used to determine contact angle and surface tension of Ga-doped and high purity InSb. Oxygen appeared to decrease the contact angle, and definitely did not increase it. The following section gives the background for the research. Section 2 summarizes the results obtained on Ga-doped InSb with relatively high oxygen concentrations. Section 3 describes recent improvements made to the apparatus and methods of analysis. Section 4 gives recent results for high-purity InSb at low oxygen concentrations. Final results will be obtained only this summer (2005). Each section has its own references.

Wilcox, William R.↗
NASA NTRS2005

X-ray Characterization of Detached-Grown Germanium Crystals

Germanium (111)-oriented crystals have been grown by the vertical Bridgman technique, in both detached and attached configurations. Microstructural characterization of these crystals has been performed using synchrotron white beam x-ray topography (SWBXT) and double axis x-ray diffraction. Dislocation densities were measured from x-ray topographs obtained using the reflection geometry. For detached-grown crystals, the dislocation density is 4-6 x 10(exp 4) per square centimeter in the seed region, and decreases in the direction of growth to less than 10(exp 3) per square centimeter, and in some crystals reaches less than 10(exp 2) per square centimeter. For crystals grown in the attached configuration, dislocation densities were on the order of 10(exp 4) per square centimeter in the middle of the crystals, increasing to greater than 10(exp 5) per square centimeter near the edge. The measured dislocation densities are in excellent agreement with etch pit density results. The rocking curve linewidths were relatively insensitive to the dislocation densities. However, broadening and splitting of the rocking curves were observed in the vicinity of subgrain boundaries identified by x-ray topography in some of the attached-grown crystals.

Volz, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Development of Numerical Tools for the Investigation of Plasma Detachment from Magnetic Nozzles

A multidimensional numerical simulation framework aimed at investigating the process of plasma detachment from a magnetic nozzle is introduced. An existing numerical code based on a magnetohydrodynamic formulation of the plasma flow equations that accounts for various dispersive and dissipative processes in plasmas was significantly enhanced to allow for the modeling of axisymmetric domains containing three.dimensiunai momentum and magnetic flux vectors. A separate magnetostatic solver was used to simulate the applied magnetic field topologies found in various nozzle experiments. Numerical results from a magnetic diffusion test problem in which all three components of the magnetic field were present exhibit excellent quantitative agreement with the analytical solution, and the lack of numerical instabilities due to fluctuations in the value of del(raised dot)B indicate that the conservative MHD framework with dissipative effects is well-suited for multi-dimensional analysis of magnetic nozzles. Further studies will focus on modeling literature experiments both for the purpose of code validation and to extract physical insight regarding the mechanisms driving detachment.

Sankaran, Kamesh↗
NASA NTRS2010

Meniscus Shapes in Detached Bridgman Growth

In detached Bridgman crystal growth, most of the melt is in contact with the ampoule wall, but the crystal is separated from the wall by a small gap, typically 1-100 micrometers. A liquid free surface, or meniscus, bridges across this gap at the position of the melt-crystal interface. Meniscus shapes have been calculated for the case of detached Bridgman growth in cylindrical ampoules by solving the Young-Laplace equation. Key parameters affecting meniscus shapes are the growth angle, contact angle of the meniscus to the ampoule wall, the pressure differential across the meniscus, and the Bond number, a measure of the ratio of gravitational to capillary forces. In general, for specified values of growth and contact angles, solutions exist only over a finite range of pressure differentials. For intermediate values of the Bond number, there are multiple solutions to the Young-Laplace equations. There are also cases where, as a function of pressure differential, existence intervals alternate with intervals where no solutions exist. The implications of the meniscus shape calculations on meniscus stability are discussed.

Volz, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Electric Field Effect on Bubble Detachment in Variable Gravity Environment

The subject of the present study, the process of bubble detachment from an orifice in a plane surface, shows some resemblance to bubble departure in boiling. Because of the high heat transfer coefficients associated with phase change processes, boiling is utilized in many industrial operations and is an attractive solution to cooling problems in aerospace engineering. In terrestrial conditions, buoyancy is responsible for bubble removal from the surface. In space, the gravity level being orders of magnitude smaller than on earth, bubbles formed during boiling remain attached at the surface. As a result, the amount of heat removed from the heated surface can decrease considerably. The use of electric fields is proposed to control bubble behavior and help bubble removal from the surface on which they form. The objective of the study is to investigate the behavior of individual air bubbles injected through an orifice into an electrically insulating liquid under the influence of a static electric field. Bubble cycle life were visualized in terrestrial conditions and for several reduced gravity levels. Bubble volume, dimensions and contact angle at detachment were measured and analyzed for different parameters as gravity level and electric field magnitude. Situations were considered with uniform or non-uni form electric field. Results show that these parameters significantly affect bubble behavior, shape, volume and dimensions.

Iacona, Estelle↗
NASA NTRS2011

On Transients in Detached Bridgman Growth

In detached Bridgman growth, a gap exists between the growing crystal and the crucible wall. According to crystal shape stability theory, only specific gap widths will be dynamically stable. Beginning with a crystal diameter that differs from stable conditions, the transient crystal growth process is analyzed. The transient shapes are calculated assuming that the growth angle is constant. Anisotropy and dynamic contact angle effects are considered. In microgravity, dynamic stability depends only on capillary effects and is decoupled from heat transfer. However, heat transfer will influence the crystal-melt interface shape. The local angles and the crystal-melt-vapor triple junction are analyzed and the applicability of the Herring formula is discussed. A potential microgravity experiment is proposed which would enhance our understanding of the detached growth dynamic stability problem.

Mazuruk, K.↗
NASA NTRS2012

Detachment of Tertiary Dendrite Arms during Controlled Directional Solidification in Aluminum - 7 wt Percent Silicon Alloys: Observations from Ground-based and Microgravity Processed Samples

Electron Back Scattered Diffraction results from cross-sections of directionally solidified aluminum 7wt% silicon alloys unexpectedly revealed tertiary dendrite arms that were detached and mis-oriented from their parent arm. More surprisingly, the same phenomenon was observed in a sample similarly processed in the quiescent microgravity environment aboard the International Space Station (ISS) in support of the joint US-European MICAST investigation. The work presented here includes a brief introduction to MICAST and the directional solidification facilities, and their capabilities, available aboard the ISS. Results from the ground-based and microgravity processed samples are compared and possible mechanisms for the observed tertiary arm detachment are suggested.

Grugel, Richard N.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Shape Evolution of Detached Bridgman Crystals Grown in Microgravity

Detached (or dewetted) Bridgman crystal growth defines that process in which a gap exists between a growing crystal and the crucible wall. In microgravity, the parameters that influence the existence of a stable gap are the growth angle of the solidifying crystal, the contact angle between the melt and the crucible wall, and the pressure difference across the meniscus. During actual crystal growth, the initial crystal radius will not have the precise value required for stable detached growth. Beginning with a crystal diameter that differs from stable conditions, numerical calculations are used to analyze the transient crystal growth process. Depending on the initial conditions and growth parameters, the crystal shape will either evolve towards attachment at the crucible wall, towards a stable gap width, or inwards towards eventual collapse of the meniscus. Dynamic growth stability is observed only when the sum of the growth and contact angles exceeds 180 degrees.

Volz, M. P.↗
NASA NTRS2019

The Nearby Evolved Stars Survey – I. JCMT/SCUBA-2 Submillimeter Detection of the Detached Shell of U Antliae

We present the highest resolution single-dish submillimetre observations of the detached shell source U Antliae to date. The observations were obtained at 450 and 850μm with SCUBA-2 instrument on the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope as part of the Nearby Evolved Stars Survey. The emission at 850μm peaks at 40 arcsec with hints of a second peak seen at ∼20 arcsec. The emission can be traced out to a radius of 56 arcsec at a 3σ level. The outer peak observed at 850μm aligns well with the peak observed at Herschel/PACS wavelengths. With the help of spectral energy distribution fitting and radiative transfer calculations of multiple-shell models for the circumstellar envelope, we explore the various shell structures and the variation of grain sizes along the in the circumstellar envelope. We determine a total shell dust mass of (2.0 ± 0.3) × 10−5 M⊙ and established that the thermal pulse that gave rise to the detached shell occurred 3500 ± 500 yr ago.

Dharmawardena, Thavisha E.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Simultaneous ELM suppression and divertor detachment via synergistic boron powder and neon injection in EAST

A novel approach for simultaneous power exhaust and edge-localized mode (ELM) control is presented in the Experimental Advanced Superconducting Tokamak discharges, which utilize an ITER-like tungsten divertor. Real-time injection of boron (B) powder and neon (Ne) gas overcomes their limitations encountered when used separately. Pure Ne seeding leads to a narrow operational window constrained by core impurity accumulation and H-mode to L-mode back transitions, while pure solid B injection (SBI) is insufficient for effective divertor cooling. In comparison, their combined use achieves a stable, stationary, ELM-suppressed H-mode with adequate power exhaust. This synergistic scenario features partial energy detachment at the outer divertor while maintaining good plasma confinement (H 98 ∼ 1) with minimal degradation. Two key features of this scenario are: (1) the SBI triggers a persistent Edge Harmonic Mode (EHM), which provides a crucial continuous particle transport channel, preventing Ne and tungsten/molybdenum accumulation without flushing out by ELM, and (2) the B + Ne mixture allows for active optimization of the radiated power profile. Core radiation can be reduced by substituting a portion of the Ne with B, leveraging their complementary non-coronal equilibrium radiation efficiencies. This combined B + Ne injection scheme presents a promising pathway toward integrated core-edge scenarios, offering the potential to minimize total impurity throughput while leveraging an actuator (powder injection) already being considered for ITER.

Boron↗