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At least 973 records · Page 54
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2026

Comparative Dissolution of Iron-Bearing Minerals by Catecholate and Hydroxamate Siderophores under Oxic and Anoxic Conditions

Siderophores play a crucial role in biological iron (Fe) acquisition and mobilization by promoting Fe mineral and rock weathering. While the effects of the hydroxamate siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFOB) have been extensively studied, the role of catecholates in the dissolution of Fe mineral and rock under varying redox conditions remain limited. Moreover, despite Fe being one of the most redox-active metals, the siderophore-mediated redox transformations of solid-phase Fe and their impact on mineral dissolution are not well understood. Herein, this study systematically investigated dissolution behavior of both Fe(II) and Fe(III)-bearing minerals and rocks (Fe(II)- bearing basalt and olivine, and Fe(III)- bearing nontronite and goethite), by two structurally distinct biological siderophores, catecholate protochelin and hydroxamate DFOB, under both oxic and anoxic conditions. Batch experiments quantified Fe and transition metals (Mn, Ni, Zn, Mo) released from the tested minerals in the presence of siderophores. Throughout the dissolution experiments, siderophore concentrations and Fe-siderophore complexation in solutions were measured using UV-vis spectrometry. Fe redox changes under oxic and anoxic conditions by siderophores were determined, and mineral surface alterations following siderophore treatments were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS). Results revealed distinct interplays of dissolution mechanisms, including ligand-exchange promoted dissolution and reductive dissolution, along with Fe(III) reduction and Fe(II) oxidation, contributing to the Fe(II)- and Fe(III)-rich mineral weathering under varying redox conditions. Under oxic conditions, both protochelin and DFOB enhanced Fe release from Fe(II)-rich basalt and olivine more effectively than from Fe(III)-rich minerals. DFOB induced greater Fe(II)-mineral dissolution than protochelin. This difference was attributed to a higher level of Fe(II) oxidation by DFOB in contrast to protochelin, as well as the protochelin oxidation with the loss of Fe binding groups (catechols). Under anoxic conditions, both siderophores significantly reduced Fe(III) in nontronite and goethite, with protochelin demonstrating substantially stronger Fe(III) reduction capacity than DFOB. However, Fe(III) reduction negatively impacted Fe release from Fe(III)-rich minerals. Instead, Fe release from Fe(II)-rich minerals was enhanced under anoxic conditions due to the absence of Fe(II) oxidation and labile Fe(II). Variations in siderophore adsorption also contributed to dissolution differences. Beyond iron, the release of transition metals from tested minerals was influenced by elemental contents, mineral compositions, and siderophore types, revealing distinct metal- and siderophore-dependent patterns. This systematic investigation highlights the roles of siderophores in Fe redox cycling and metal mobilization, enhancing our understanding of different siderophore behaviors in siderophore-mediated microbial metal acquisition within redox-dynamic environments, with implications for bioleaching industries and applications in agriculture and climate change mitigation.

Guo, Dongyi↗
NASA NTRSDate not supplied

Impact of Traffic-Following on Order of Autonomous Airspace Operations

We investigate the dynamic emergence of traffic order in a distributed multi-agent system, aiming to minimize inefficiencies that stem from unnecessary structural impositions. We introduce a methodology for developing a dynamically updating traffic pattern map of the airspace by leveraging information about the consistency and frequency of flow directions used by current as well as preceding traffic. Informed by this map, an agent can discern the degree to which it is advantageous to follow traffic by trading off utilities such as time and order. We show that for the traffic levels studied, for low degrees of traffic-following behavior, there is minimal penalty in terms of aircraft travel times while improving the overall orderliness of the airspace. On the other hand, heightened traffic-following behavior may result in increased aircraft travel times, while marginally reducing the overall entropy of the airspace. Ultimately, the methods and metrics presented in this paper can be used to optimally and dynamically adjust an agent’s traffic-following behavior based on these trade-offs.

Airspace Operations↗
DOE OSTI2017

HSX as an example of a resilient non-resonant divertor

This study describes an initial description of the resilient divertor properties of quasi-symmetric (QS) stellarators using the HSX (Helically Symmetric eXperiment) configuration as a test-case. Divertors in high-performance QS stellarators will need to be resilient to changes in plasma configuration that arise due to evolution of plasma pressure profiles and bootstrap currents for divertor design. Resiliency is tested by examining the changes in strike point patterns from the field line following, which arise due to configurational changes. A low strike point variation with high configuration changes corresponds to high resiliency. The HSX edge displays resilient properties with configuration changes arising from the (1) wall position, (2) plasma current, and (3) external coils. The resilient behavior is lost if large edge islands intersect the wall structure. The resilient edge properties are corroborated by heat flux calculations from the fully 3-D plasma simulations using EMC3-EIRENE. Additionally, the strike point patterns are found to correspond to high curvature regions of magnetic flux surfaces.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1990

An investigation into the flow behavior of a single phase gas system and a two phase gas/liquid system in normal gravity with nonuniform heating from above

The fluid behavior in normal gravity of a single phase gas system and a two phase gas/liquid system in an enclosed circular cylinder heated suddenly and nonuniformly from above was investigated. Flow visualization was used to obtain qualitative data on both systems. The use of thermochromatic liquid crystal particles as liquid phase flow tracers was evaluated as a possible means of simultaneously gathering both flow pattern and temperature gradient data for the two phase system. The results of the flow visualization experiments performed on both systems can be used to gain a better understanding of the behavior of such systems in a reduced gravity environment and aid in the verification of a numerical model of the system.

Disimile, Peter J.↗
NASA NTRS1995

Effect of Microgravity on Material Undergoing Melting and Freezing: the TES Experiment

This experiment is the first to melt and freeze a high temperature thermal energy storage (TES) material under an extended duration of microgravity. It is one of a series to validate an analytical computer program that predicts void behavior of substances undergoing phase change under microgravity. Two flight experiments were launched in STS-62. The first, TES-1, containing lithium fluoride in an annular volume, performed flawlessly in the 22 hours of its operation. Results are reported in this paper. A software failure in TES-2 caused its shutdown after 4 seconds. A computer program, TESSIM, for thermal energy storage simulation is being developed to analyze the phenomena occurring within the TES containment vessel. The first order effects, particularly the surface tension forces, have been incorporated into TESSIM. TESSIM validation is based on two types of results. First is the temperature history of various points of the containment structure, and second, upon return from flight, the distribution of the TES material within the containment vessel following the last freeze cycle. The temperature data over the four cycles showed a repetition of results over the third and fourth cycles. This result is a confirmation that any initial conditions prior to the first cycle had been damped out by the third cycle. The TESSIM simulation showed a close comparison with the flight data. The solidified TES material distribution within the containment vessel was obtained by a tomography imaging process. The frozen material was concentrated toward the colder end of the annular volume. The TESSIM prediction showed the same pattern. With the general agreement of TESSIM and the data, a computerized visual representation can be shown which accurately shows the movement and behavior of the void during the entire freezing and melting cycles.

Namkoong, David↗
DOE OSTI2018

Fracture Effects on Explosive Response (FEER); FY2018 Report

It is known that the violence of explosive response is affected by inertial and mechanical confinement. In a mechanical insult, the impact location creates a contact pressure that can act as confinement surrounding the ignition location, as has been observed in the Skid Test experiment. Under certain conditions — the details of which have not been well characterized — the ignition can produce cracking in the explosive, down which flames are observed to propagate. Cracks serve to simultaneously provide additional surface area for accelerating the reaction, as well as vent paths for quenching the reaction. These are competing behaviors, and the factors which govern the outcome are poorly described. A new experiment was devised to examine the effect of a controlled pre-load pressure on the explosive response. Sixteen experiments were performed on 1-inch thick discs of PBX 9501, with diameters of 1 in ch, 4.25 in ch, and 5 in ch. The explosive was compressed to a known pre-load between two clear windows and ignited at the center of the bottom surface with a focused laser impinging on a graphite inclusion. The ensuing reaction was imaged through the windows used to compress the sample, and from the side. A speckle pattern was applied to some samples for performing DIC (digital image correlation) for the purpose of quantifying the strain field and tracking crack growth. A threshold behavior was observed, in which higher-pressure pre-load resulted in cracks forming, while lower-pressure pre-load vented across the face of the explosive. This report presents the preliminary results, discusses the observations, enumerates hypotheses regarding the observed behavior, identifies lessons learned, and outlines a path forward for the next round of testing. Proof testing was only recently concluded and considerable additional analysis is required. These data will be valuable for the ongoing development of a constitutive mechanical and cracking failure model that will aid in predicting explosive response in mechanical impact scenarios.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2016

Research and Development Opportunities for Technologies to Influence Water Consumption Behavior

In April 2015, Argonne National Laboratory hosted a two-day workshop that convened water experts and stakeholders from across industry, government, and academia to undertake three primary tasks: 1) identify technology characteristics that are favorable for motivating behavioral change, 2) identify barriers that have prevented the development and market adoption of technologies with these characteristics in the water sector, and 3) identify concrete research and development pathways that could be undertaken to overcome these barriers, increase the penetration of technologies that influence water consumption behavior, and ultimately reduce domestic water consumption. While efforts to reduce water consumption have gained momentum in recent years, there are a number of key barriers that have limited the effectiveness of such efforts. Chief among these is the fact that many consumers have limited awareness of their water consumption patterns because of poor data availability, and/or are unmotivated to reduce their consumption because of low costs and split incentives. Without improved data availability and stronger price signals, it will be difficult to effect true transformative behavioral change. This report also reviews a number of technology characteristics that have successfully motivated behavioral change in other sectors, as well as several technologies that could be developed specifically for the water sector. Workshop participants discussed how technologies that provide active feedback and promote measurable goals and social accountability have successfully influenced changes in other types of behavior. A range of regulatory and policy actions that could be implemented to support such efforts are also presented. These include institutional aggregation, revenue decoupling, and price structure reforms. Finally, several R&D pathways were proposed, including efforts to identify optimal communication strategies and to better understand consumer perceptions and psychology as they relate to human behavior regarding water consumption. The findings presented here can help to inform policy makers as they develop new policies and seek to support new research to help consumers use water more efficiently. It is our hope that these findings will also be utilized to prioritize topics for additional follow-up workshops to address individual issues and barriers more directly and in more detail. The goal of such future workshops will be to develop specific solutions, research plans, and technology development pathways that can be undertaken to increase the market penetration of technologies that effect behavioral change and reduce water consumption.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2017

Ultrahigh Elastic Strain Energy Storage in Metal-Oxide-Infiltrated Patterned Hybrid Polymer Nanocomposites

Modulus of resilience, the measure of a material’s capacity to store and release elastic strain energy, is critical for realizing advanced mechanical actuation technologies in micro/nanoelectromechanical systems. In general, engineering the modulus of resilience is difficult because it requires asymmetrically increasing yield strength and Young’s modulus against their mutual scaling behavior. This task becomes further challenging if it needs to be carried out at the nanometer scale. Here, we demonstrate organic–inorganic hybrid composite nanopillars with one of the highest modulus of resilience per density by utilizing vapor-phase aluminum oxide infiltration in lithographically patterned negative photoresist SU-8. In situ nanomechanical measurements reveal a metal-like high yield strength (~500 MPa) with an unusually low, foam-like Young’s modulus (~7 GPa), a unique pairing that yields ultrahigh modulus of resilience, reaching up to ~24 MJ/m 3 as well as exceptional modulus of resilience per density of ~13.4 kJ/kg, surpassing those of most engineering materials. The hybrid polymer nanocomposite features lightweight, ultrahigh tunable modulus of resilience and versatile nanoscale lithographic patternability with potential for application as nanomechanical components which require ultrahigh mechanical resilience and strength.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2001

Near-Horizontal, Two-Phase Flow Patterns of Nitrogen and Hydrogen at Low Mass Heat and Flux (on CD-ROM)

One reason for NASA's interest in cryogenic two-phase flow with low mass and heat flux is the need to design spacecraft heat exchangers used for vaporizing cryogenic propellants. The CD-ROM provides digitized movies of particular flow patterns observed in experimental work. The movies have been provided in (QuickTime9Trademark) format, encoded at 320w x 240h pixels, 15 fps, using the Sorenson(Trademark) Video Codec for compression. Experiments were conducted to obtain data on the two-phase (liquid and vapor) flow behavior of cryogenic nitrogen and hydrogen under low mass and heat flux conditions. Tests were performed in normal gravity with a 1.5 degree up flow configuration. View ports in the apparatus permitted visual observation of the two-phase flow patterns. Computer codes to predict flow patterns were developed from theoretical/empirical models reported in the literature. Predictions from the computer codes were compared with experimental flow pattern observations. Results are presented employing the traditional two-dimensional flow pattern map format using the liquid and gas superficial velocities as coordinates. In general, the agreement between the experimental results and the analytical predictive methods is reasonably good. Small regions of the flow pattern maps are identified where the models are deficient as a result of neglecting phase change phenomena. Certain regions of the maps were beyond the range of the experiments and could not be completely validated. Areas that could benefit from further work include modeling of the transition from separated flow, collection of additional data in the bubble and annular flow regimes, and collection of experimental data at other inclination angles, tube diameters and high heat flux.

TWO PHASE FLOW↗
DOE OSTI2015

Discrete Modeling of Early-Life Thermal Fracture in Ceramic Nuclear Fuel

Fracturing of ceramic fuel pellets heavily influences performance of light water reactor (LWR) fuel. Early in the life of fuel, starting with the initial power ramp, large thermal gradients cause high tensile hoop and axial stresses in the outer region of the fuel pellets, resulting in the formation of radial and axial cracks. Circumferential cracks form due to thermal gradients that occur when the power is ramped down. These thermal cracks cause the fuel to expand radially, closing the pellet/cladding gap and enhancing the thermal conductance across that gap, while decreasing the effective conductivity of the fuel in directions normal to the cracking. At lower length scales, formation of microcracks is an important contributor to the decrease in bulk thermal conductivity that occurs over the life of the fuel as the burnup increases. Because of the important effects that fracture has on fuel performance, a realistic, physically based fracture modeling capability is essential to predict fuel behavior in a wide variety of normal and abnormal conditions. Modeling fracture within the context of the finite element method, which is based on continuous interpolations of solution variables, has always been challenging because fracture is an inherently discontinuous phenomenon. Work is underway at Idaho National Laboratory to apply two modeling techniques model fracture as a discrete displacement discontinuity to nuclear fuel: The extended finite element method (XFEM), and discrete element method (DEM). XFEM is based on the standard finite element method, but with enhancements to represent discontinuous behavior. DEM represents a solid as a network of particles connected by bonds, which can arbitrarily fail if a fracture criterion is reached. This paper presents initial results applying the aforementioned techniques to model fuel fracturing. This work has initially focused on early life behavior of ceramic LWR fuel. A coupled thermal-mechanical XFEM method that includes discontinuities in both temperature and displacement fields at crack locations has been developed and is being applied to thermal fracture of LWR fuel. A DEM model of coupled heat conduction and solid mechanics has been developed and used to simulate random initiation and propagation of thermally driven cracks during initial power cycles. This DEM model predicts the formation of realistic radial cracking patterns during power rise and circumferential cracks as power is ramped down. These initial results are very encouraging, and these techniques are expected to provide improved understanding of fuel behavior in a wide variety of conditions.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Adversarial Ensemble Modeling of Multi-modal Mechanical Properties for Iron-Based Alloys

Mechanical properties of alloys are controlled by their microstructure; and microstructure evolution is controlled by internal and external stressors. Chemical complexity during the alloy processing may result in heterogeneity and observation of multimodal performance patterns. Thus, to ensure the desired performance of stressed components it is important to understand the origin and mechanisms of such behavior. Adversarial ensemble modeling was introduced here to explain multimodal mechanical properties of the iron-based alloys. The modeling results showed that the areas of a single mechanism predominance were contiguous across the alloy compositions clustered by similarity, with sharp and persistent boundaries separating the single-mechanism domains. The marginal compositions resulted in increased competition between the adversarial models but only led to the multimodal behavior when the competing models diverged. Transparency of the clustering method allowed explicit interpretation of the chemistries leading to such competition. The adversarial ensemble was interpreted through transition from ductile to brittle microstructure.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2019

Effects of polymeric binders on the cracking behavior of silicon composite electrodes during electrochemical cycling

Mechanical degradation caused by lithiation/delithiation-induced stress and large volume change is the primary cause of fast capacity fading of silicon (Si)-based electrodes. Although intensive efforts have been devoted to understanding electromechanically induced fractures of electrodes made of Si alone (e.g., Si particles, Si thin films, and Si wafers), the cracking behavior of Si/polymeric binders/carbon black composite electrodes is unclear and poorly understood. Here, we investigate, by in situ and ex situ techniques, the cracking behavior of Si composite electrodes made with different binders, including polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF), sodium-alginate (SA), sodium-carboxymethyl cellulose (Na-CMC), and Nafion. We found that extensive cracks form during the 1st delithiation process, which periodically open and close during subsequent lithiation/delithiation cycles at the same locations in the Si composite electrodes made with SA, Na-CMC, and Nafion. In contrast, a significantly fewer number of cracks form in the Si/PVDF electrodes after electrochemical cycling. A possible mechanism is proposed to help understand the effects of binders on the cracking behavior (e.g., crack spacing and island size) of Si composite electrodes. We also suggest possible approaches, including reducing the electrode thickness, patterning electrodes, and using highly recoverable binders, to inhibit cracks and improve the mechanical integrity of Si composite electrodes.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2015

Stabilization of gene expression and cell morphology after explant recycling during fin explant culture in goldfish

The development of fin primary cell cultures for in vitro cellular and physiological studies is hampered by slow cell outgrowth, low proliferation rate, poor viability, and sparse cell characterization. Here, we investigated whether the recycling of fresh explants after a first conventional culture could improve physiological stability and sustainability of the culture. The recycled explants were able to give a supplementary cell culture showing faster outgrowth, cleaner cell layers and higher net cell production. The cells exhibited a highly stabilized profile for marker gene expression including a low cytokeratin 49 (epithelial marker) and a high collagen 1a1 (mesenchymal marker) expression. Added to the cell spindle-shaped morphology, motility behavior, and actin organization, this suggests that the cells bore stable mesenchymal characteristics. This contrast with the time-evolving expression pattern observed in the control fresh explants during the first 2 weeks of culture: a sharp decrease in cytokeratin 49 expression was concomitant with a gradual increase in col1a1. We surmise that such loss of epithelial features for the benefit of mesenchymal ones was triggered by an epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) process or by way of a progressive population replacement process. Overall, our findings provide a comprehensive characterization of this new primary culture model bearing mesenchymal features and whose stability over culture time makes those cells good candidates for cell reprogramming prior to nuclear transfer, in a context of fish genome preservation. - Highlights: • Recycled fin explants outgrow cells bearing stable mesenchymal traits. • Cell production and quality is enhanced in the recycled explant culture system. • Fresh fin primary culture is highly variable and loose epithelial traits over time.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2020

Zero Crossing Steps and Anomalous Shapiro Maps in Graphene Josephson Junctions

The AC Josephson effect manifests itself in the form of “Shapiro steps” of quantized voltage in Josephson junctions subject to radio frequency (RF) radiation. This effect presents an early example of a driven–dissipative quantum phenomenon and is presently utilized in primary voltage standards. Shapiro steps have also become one of the standard tools to probe junctions made in a variety of novel materials. Here we study Shapiro steps in a widely tunable graphene-based Josephson junction in which the high- frequency dynamics is determined by the on-chip environment. We investigate the variety of patterns that can be obtained in this well-understood system depending on the carrier density, temperature, RF frequency, and magnetic field. Although the patterns of Shapiro steps can change drastically when just one parameter is varied, the overall trends can be understood and the behaviors straightforwardly simulated, showing some key differences from the conventional RCSJ model. The resulting understanding may help interpret similar measurements in more complex materials.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Nanoscale Magnetic Domains in Polycrystalline Mn 3 Sn Films Imaged by a Scanning Single-Spin Magnetometer

Noncollinear antiferromagnets with novel magnetic orders, vanishingly small net magnetization, and exotic spin related properties hold enormous promise for developing next-generation, transformative spintronic applications. A major ongoing research focus of this community is to explore, control, and harness unconventional magnetic phases of this emergent material system to deliver state-of-the-art functionalities for modern microelectronics. Here we report direct imaging of magnetic domains of polycrystalline Mn 3 Sn films, a prototypical noncollinear antiferromagnet, using nitrogen-vacancy-based single-spin scanning microscopy. Nanoscale evolution of local stray field patterns of Mn 3 Sn samples are systematically investigated in response to external driving forces, revealing the characteristic “heterogeneous” magnetic switching behaviors in polycrystalline textured Mn 3 Sn films. Furthermore, our results contribute to a comprehensive understanding of inhomogeneous magnetic orders of noncollinear antiferromagnets, highlighting the potential of nitrogen-vacancy centers to study microscopic spin properties of a broad range of emergent condensed matter systems.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Magnetic properties of Ni substituted Y-type barium ferrite

Y-type barium hexaferrite is attractive material for various applications, such as high frequency antennas and RF devices, because of its interesting magnetic properties. Especially, Ni substituted Y- type hexaferrites have higher magnetic ordering temperature than other Y-type. We have investigated macroscopic and microscopic properties of Y-type barium hexaferrite. Ba{sub 2}Co{sub 2−x}Ni{sub x}Fe{sub 12}O{sub 22} (x = 0, 0.5, 1.0, 1.5, and 2.0) samples are prepared by solid-state reaction method and studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD), vibrating sample magnetometer, and Mössbauer spectroscopy, as well as a network analyzer for high frequency characteristics. The XRD pattern is analyzed by Rietveld refinement method and confirms the hexagonal structure with R-3m. The hysteresis curve shows ferrimagnetic behavior. Saturation magnetization (M{sub s}) decreases with Ni contents. Ni{sup 2+}, which preferentially occupies the octahedral site with up-spin sub-lattice, has smaller spin value S of 1 than Co{sup 2+} having S = 3/2. The zero-field-cooled (ZFC) measurement of Ba{sub 2}Co{sub 1.5}Ni{sub 0.5}Fe{sub 12}O{sub 22} shows that Curie and spin transition temperatures are found to be 718 K and 209 K, respectively. The Curie temperature T{sub C} is increased with Ni contents, while T{sub S} is decreased with Ni. The Mössbauer spectra were measured at various temperatures and fitted by using a least-squares method with six sextet of six Lorentzian lines for Fe sites, corresponding to the 3b{sub VI}, 6c{sub IV}*, 6c{sub VI}, 18h{sub VI}, 6c{sub IV}, and 3a{sub IV} sites at below T{sub C}. From Mössbauer measurements, we confirmed the spin state of Fe ion to be Fe{sup 3+} and obtained the isomer shift (δ), magnetic hyperfine field (H{sub hf}), and the occupancy ratio of Fe ions at six sub-lattices. The complex permeability and permittivity are measured between 100 MHz and 4 GHz, suggesting that Y-type barium hexaferrite is promising for antenna applications in UHF band.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Fano interference and a slight fluctuation of the Majorana hallmark

According to the Liu and Baranger [Phys. Rev. B 84, 201308(R) (2011)], an isolated Majorana state bound to one edge of a long enough Kitaev chain in the topological phase and connected to a quantum dot, results in a robust transmittance of 1/2 at zero-bias. In this work, we show that the removal of such a hallmark can be achieved by using a metallic surface hosting two adatoms in a scenario where there is a lack of symmetry in the Fano effect, which is feasible by coupling the Kitaev chain to one of these adatoms. Thus in order to detect this feature experimentally, one should apply the following two-stage procedure: (i) first, attached to the adatoms, one has to lock AFM tips in opposite gate voltages (symmetric detuning of the levels Δε) and measure by an STM tip, the zero-bias conductance; (ii) thereafter, the measurement of the conductance is repeated with the gates swapped. For |Δε| away from the Fermi energy and in the case of strong coupling tip-host, this approach reveals in the transmittance, a persistent dip placed at zero-bias and immune to the aforementioned permutation, but characterized by an amplitude that fluctuates slightly around 1/2. However, in the case of a tip acting as a probe, the adatom decoupled from the Kitaev chain becomes completely inert and no fluctuation is observed. Therefore, the STM tip must be considered in the same footing as the “host+adatoms” system. As a result, we have found that despite the small difference between these two Majorana dips, the zero-bias transmittance as a function of the symmetric detuning yields two distinct behaviors, in which one of them is unpredictable by the standard Fano's theory. Therefore, to access such a non trivial pattern of Fano interference, the hypothesis of the STM tip acting as a probe should be discarded.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Photosensitive response of azobenzene containing films towards pure intensity or polarization interference patterns

In this paper, we report on differences in the response of photosensitive azobenzene containing films upon irradiation with the intensity or polarization interference patterns. Two materials are studied differing in the molecular weight: an azobenzene-containing polymer and a molecular glass formed from a much smaller molecule consisting of three connected azobenzene units. Topography changes occurring along with the changes in irradiation conditions are recorded using a homemade set-up combining an optical part for generation and shaping of interference patterns and an atomic force microscope for acquiring the kinetics of film deformation. In this way, we could reveal the unique behavior of photosensitive materials during the first few minutes of irradiation: the change in topography is initially driven by an increase in the azobenzene free volume along with the trans-cis isomerization, followed by the mass transport finally resulting in the surface relief grating. This study demonstrates the great potential of our setup to experimentally highlight puzzling processes governing the formation of surface relief gratings.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗