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Results for “VISIBLE RADIATION”

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 109 records · Page 6
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2011

Formation of metallic colloids in CaF{sub 2} by intense ultraviolet light

Highest purity CaF{sub 2} single crystals are irreversibly modified when irradiated with millions of pulses of 193 nm light at fluences of 120 mJ/cm{sup 2}. Mie theory explains the observed haze by attributing the wavelength dependent extinction and the ratio between absorption and scattering to metallic colloids with radii in the range of 20 to 30 nm and a fractional volume of up to 2.8{center_dot}10{sup -7}. Non-contact scanning force microscopy (NC-AFM) measurements performed on a surface produced by in-vacuo cleavage reveals that laser irradiation additionally produces a 10{sup 4} times higher volume density of colloids with a radius of 1 to 2 nm.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Metal-assisted electroless fabrication of nanoporous p-GaN for increasing the light extraction efficiency of light emitting diodes

We report metal-assisted electroless fabrication of nanoporous p-GaN to improve the light extraction efficiency of GaN-based light emitting diodes (LEDs). Although it has long been believed that p-GaN cannot be etched at room temperature, in this study we find that Ag nanocrystals (NCs) on the p-GaN surface enable effective etching of p-GaN in a mixture of HF and K{sub 2}S{sub 2}O{sub 8} under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. It is further shown that the roughened GaN/air interface enables strong scattering of photons emitted from the multiple quantum wells (MQWs). The light output power measurements indicate that the nanoporous LEDs obtained after 10 min etching show a 32.7% enhancement in light-output relative to the conventional LEDs at an injection current of 20 mA without significant increase of the operating voltage. In contrast, the samples etched for 20 min show performance degradation when compared with those etched for 10 min, this is attributed to the current crowding effect and increased surface recombination rate.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Surface modification by subsurface pressure induced diffusion

Polycrystalline Ag, covered with a nm thin siloxane layer, was irradiated with ultraviolet light in vacuum at 500 K. Ag particles of different aspect ratios, 50-1000 nm in size, formed on the surface, including a small fraction of nanorods. Pressurized water vapor bubbles are created in the subsurface region by hydrogen radicals photo-chemically released by the siloxane layer. They provide the driving force for a diffusive material flux along grain boundaries to the surface. This mechanism was modeled and found to agree with the experimental timescale: approximately 300 h are required for a 1000 nm particle to form.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Is it effective to harvest visible light by decreasing the band gap of photocatalytic materials?

In situ variations in the electron work function and photo-current of TiO{sub 2} nanotubes demonstrate that long-wavelength illumination only has a minor effect on the excitation of electrons in the nanotubes after being exposed to short-wavelength light or when the short-wavelength light coexisted, indicating that the solar spectrum may not be utilized as efficiently as expected by extending the absorption spectrum of the photocatalytic material to visible light range with decreased band gaps.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

The electronic and optical properties of Eu/Si-codoped anatase TiO{sub 2} photocatalyst

The electronic and optical properties of Eu/Si-codoped anatase TiO{sub 2} are investigated using the density functional theory. The calculated results show that the synergistic effects of Eu/Si codoping can effectively extend the optical absorption edge, which can lead to higher visible-light photocatalytic activities than pure anatase TiO{sub 2}. To verify the reliability of our calculated results, nanocrystalline Eu/Si-codoped TiO{sub 2} is prepared by a sol-gel-solvothermal method, and the experimental results also indicate that the codoping sample exhibits better absorption performance and higher photocatalytic activities than pure TiO{sub 2}.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Band gap engineering in BiNbO{sub 4} for visible-light photocatalysis

We have investigated the electronic structure of anionic mono- (S, N, and C) and co-doping (N-N, C-N, S-C, and S-N) on BiNbO{sub 4} for the visible-light photocatalysis. The maximum band gap reduction of pure BiNbO{sub 4} is possible with the (C-S) co-doping and minimum with N mono-doping. The calculated binding energies show that the co-doped systems are more stable than their mono-doped counterparts. Our optical absorption curves indicate that the mono- (C) and co-anionic doped (N-N and C-S) BiNbO{sub 4} systems are promising materials for visible light photocatalysis.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Novel sol-gel synthesis of cerium-doped ZnO thin films for photocatalytic activity

The Ce-doped ZnO films on silica glass plates were prepared by sol-gel dip coating technique. The surface morphology of thin films was characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Optical properties of films have been investigated using UV-visible spectroscopy. The photocatalytic activity was established by testing the degradation of Alizarin Red (AR) from aqueous solution. The test of photocatalytic activity of the heat-treated Ce-doped ZnO films were also carried out under visible light irradiation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

A beam intensity monitor for the evaluation beamline for soft x-ray optical elements

Evaluation Beamline for Soft X-Ray Optical Elements (BL-11) at the SR Center of Ritsumeikan University has been operated to measure the wavelength and angular characteristics of soft x-ray optical components in a wavelength range of 0.65-25 nm using a reflecto-diffractometer (RD). The beam intensity monitor that has been equipped in BL-11 has observed the signal of the zero-th order light. For the purpose of more accurate evaluation of the performance of optical components, a new beam intensity monitor to measure the intensity of the first order light from the monochromator in BL-11 has been developed and installed in just front of RD. The strong positive correlation between the signal of the beam monitor and a detector equipped in the RD is shown. It is successful that the beam intensity of the first order light can be monitored in real time.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Towards nanometer period gratings for hard x-ray phase-contrast imaging

Transmission grating-based x-ray interferometers have been developed into wide-field imaging devices that are sensitive to x-ray refraction and diffraction in the sample. While current grating designs rely on UV and x-ray lithography processes to produce periodic vertical structures, it becomes prohibitively difficult to make the grating periods below 1 - 2 microns due to the high aspect ratios of the structures. Since the phase-contrast sensitivity is inversely related to the grating period, we describe a new grating design for sub-micron to nanometer grating periods. In this design, multiple bi-layers of two alternating materials are deposited on a stair like substrate, and mostly on the floor surfaces of the steps only. The incident x-ray beam is parallel to the planes of the layers (side illumination). Thus, the multilayer structure on each step serves as a micro grating whose grating period is the thickness of a bi-layer. The array of micro gratings over the whole length of the stair can act as a single continuous grating, when certain continuity conditions between neighboring steps are met. Since the layer thickness can be as small as tens of nanometers, as has been demonstrated in multilayer x-ray zone plates, this design allows nanometer grating periods over large grating areas. Here we describe a prototype intensity grating of 440 nm period. We show x-ray projection images of the grating which were obtained by contact lithography.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Design aspects of X-ray grating interferometry

Considerations are made for the design of X-ray grating interferometers in general and, in particular, for the case of a parallel beam with a high degree of spatial coherence. We specifically discuss the properties of different types of gratings and the interdependence of instrument parameters and performance characteristics.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2012

X-ray phase laminography with a grating interferometer using iterative reconstruction

X-ray phase computed laminography is performed using a Talbot interferometer and synchrotron radiation. An iterative reconstruction algorithm which includes prior information about limited support, range of values and sparsity of the imaged object has been developped. It allows the reconstruction of objects with an improved resolution of the unsampled frequencies, compared to the classical filtered backprojection. The imaging method, demonstrated for a nylon mesh sample and a leaf sample, shows promising results for the imaging of flat, laterally extended objects made of low absorbing elements.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2012

Tailoring plasmon resonances in the deep-ultraviolet by size-tunable fabrication of aluminum nanostructures

Localized surface plasmon resonances were controlled at deep-ultraviolet (DUV) wavelengths by fabricating aluminum (Al) nanostructures in a size-controllable manner. Plasmon resonances were obtained at wavelengths from near-UV down to 270 nm (4.6 eV) depending on the fabricated structure size. Such precise size control was realized by the nanosphere lithography technique combined with additional microwave heating to shrink the spaces in a close-packed monolayer of colloidal nanosphere masks. By adjusting the microwave heating time, the sizes of the Al nanostructures could be controlled from 80 nm to 50 nm without the need to use nanosphere beads of different sizes. With the outstanding controllability and versatility of the presented fabrication technique, the fabricated Al nanostructure is promising for use as a DUV plasmonic substrate, a light-harvesting platform for mediating strong light-matter interactions between UV photons and molecules placed near the metal nanostructure.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2012

Driving high-gain shock-ignited inertial confinement fusion targets by green laser light

Standard direct-drive inertial confinement fusion requires UV light irradiation in order to achieve ignition at total laser energy of the order of 1 MJ. The shock-ignition approach opens up the possibility of igniting fusion targets using green light by reducing the implosion velocity and laser-driven ablation pressure. An analytical model is derived, allowing to rescale UV-driven targets to green light. Gain in the range 100-200 is obtained for total laser energy in the range 1.5-3 MJ. With respect to the original UV design, the rescaled targets are less sensitive to irradiation asymmetries and hydrodynamic instabilities, while operating in the same laser-plasma interaction regime.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Monitoring detachment and diffusion of metallic species in polycarbonate

Photon absorption is known to create peroxy radicals in polymers, in a process that entails the removal of hydrogen atoms and the subsequent breakage of bonds. Bond-breaking is found to free, from the polymeric matrix, metallic additives which are then able to diffuse out, as evidenced by the change in both the metallic fluorescence yield and the XPS profiles of C, N, and O. Polycarbonate was artificially weathered using UV radiation from mercury emission lines at 365, 405 and 435 nm, followed by thermal treatment. The UV wavelengths used have energies comparable to those of covalent bonds found in polymeric chains. Both processes, light exposure and thermal, have the purpose of stimulating the degradation of polycarbonate.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2013

Radio-transparent multi-layer insulation for radiowave receivers

In the field of radiowave detection, enlarging the receiver aperture to enhance the amount of light detected is essential for greater scientific achievements. One challenge in using radio transmittable apertures is keeping the detectors cool. This is because transparency to thermal radiation above the radio frequency range increases the thermal load. In shielding from thermal radiation, a general strategy is to install thermal filters in the light path between aperture and detectors. However, there is difficulty in fabricating metal mesh filters of large diameters. It is also difficult to maintain large diameter absorptive-type filters in cold because of their limited thermal conductance. A technology that maintains cold conditions while allowing larger apertures has been long-awaited. We propose radio-transparent multi-layer insulation (RT-MLI) composed from a set of stacked insulating layers. The insulator is transparent to radio frequencies, but not transparent to infrared radiation. The basic idea for cooling is similar to conventional multi-layer insulation. It leads to a reduction in thermal radiation while maintaining a uniform surface temperature. The advantage of this technique over other filter types is that no thermal links are required. As insulator material, we used foamed polystyrene; its low index of refraction makes an anti-reflection coating unnecessary. We measured the basic performance of RT-MLI to confirm that thermal loads are lowered with more layers. We also confirmed that our RT-MLI has high transmittance to radiowaves, but blocks infrared radiation. For example, RT-MLI with 12 layers has a transmittance greater than 95% (lower than 1%) below 200 GHz (above 4 THz). We demonstrated its effects in a system with absorptive-type filters, where aperture diameters were 200 mm. Low temperatures were successfully maintained for the filters. We conclude that this technology significantly enhances the cooling of radiowave receivers, and is particularly suitable for large-aperture systems. This technology is expected to be applicable to various fields, including radio astronomy, geo-environmental assessment, and radar systems.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2014

Optical properties of titanium dioxide nanotube arrays

We present experimental measurements and a theoretical analysis of the near UV to NIR optical properties of free standing titania nanotube arrays. An improved understanding of the optical physics of this type of nanostructure is important to several next generation solar energy conversion technologies. We measured the transmission, reflection, and absorption of the electromagnetic spectrum from 300 nm to 1000 nm (UV to NIR) of titania nanotube arrays. We measured the total, specular, and diffuse reflection and transmission using both single point detection and an integrating sphere spectrometer. We find that the transmission, but not the reflection, of light (UV to NIR) through the nanotube array is well-explained by classic geometric optics using an effective medium model taking into account the conical geometry of the nanotubes. For wavelengths shorter than ∼500 nm, we find the surprising result that the reflection coefficient for light incident on the open side of the nanotube array is greater than the reflection coefficient for light incident on the closed “floor” of the nanotube array. We consider theoretical models based on the eikonal approximation, photonic crystal band theory, and a statistical treatment of scattering to explain the observed data. We attribute the fact that light with wavelengths shorter than 500 nm is more highly reflected from the open than the closed tube side as being due to disorder scattering inside the nanotube array.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Hydrogen negative ion production in a 14 GHz electron cyclotron resonance compact ion source with a cone-shaped magnetic filter

The plasma electrode structure of a 14 GHz ECR ion source was modified to enlarge the plasma volume of low electron temperature region. The result shows that the extracted beam current reached about 0.6 mA/cm{sup 2} with about 40 W microwave power. To investigate the correlation between the volume of the low electron temperature region and the H{sup −} current, a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) spectrometer had been installed to observe light emission in the VUV wavelength range from the plasma. From the results of the negative ion beam current and that from VUV spectrometry, production rate of vibrationally excited hydrogen molecule seems to be enhanced by increasing the volume of low electron temperature region.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2014

Electronic excitations in a dielectric continuum solvent with quantum Monte Carlo: Acrolein in water

We investigate here the vertical n → π{sup *} and π → π{sup *} transitions of s-trans-acrolein in aqueous solution by means of a polarizable continuum model (PCM) we have developed for the treatment of the solute at the quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) level of the theory. We employ the QMC approach which allows us to work with highly correlated electronic wave functions for both the solute ground and excited states and, to study the vertical transitions in the solvent, adopt the commonly used scheme of considering fast and slow dielectric polarization. To perform calculations in a non-equilibrium solvation regime for the solute excited state, we add a correction to the global dielectric polarization charge density, obtained self consistently with the solute ground-state wave function by assuming a linear-response scheme. For the solvent polarization in the field of the solute in the ground state, we use the static dielectric constant while, for the electronic dielectric polarization, we employ the solvent refractive index evaluated at the same frequency of the photon absorbed by the solute for the transition. This choice is shown to be better than adopting the most commonly used value of refractive index measured in the region of visible radiation. Our QMC calculations show that, for standard cavities, the solvatochromic shifts obtained with the PCM are underestimated, even though of the correct sign, for both transitions of acrolein in water. Only by reducing the size of the cavity to values where more than one electron is escaped to the solvent region, we regain the experimental shift for the n → π{sup *} case and also improve considerably the shift for the π → π{sup *} transition.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗