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At least 1,117 records · Page 62
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1991

Radiation resistance of thin-film solar cells for space photovoltaic power

Copper indium diselenide, cadmium telluride, and amorphous silicon alloy solar cells have achieved noteworthy performance and are currently being studied for space power applications. Cadmium sulfide cells had been the subject of much effort but are no longer considered for space applications. A review is presented of what is known about the radiation degradation of thin film solar cells in space. Experimental cadmium telluride and amorphous silicon alloy cells are reviewed. Damage mechanisms and radiation induced defect generation and passivation in the amorphous silicon alloy cell are discussed in detail due to the greater amount of experimental data available.

Woodyard, James R.↗
NASA NTRS1990

A demonstration of chill block melt spinning of metal

One of the most exciting adventures in materials in recent times has been the discovery of amorphous metals and the pursuit of methods of manufacturing various alloys into various shapes which are amorphous. Some of these alloys possess electrical properties which are extremely beneficial, whereas others offer different benefits such as corrosion resistence and no solidification shrinkage anomalies. There are a number of techniques for producing such amorphous shapes, but one of the earliest systems used is referred to as chill block melt spinning. The object of this demonstration is to show the simplicity of the process. The equipment and procedures are described.

Pond, Robert B.↗
NASA NTRS1991

The development and evaluation of an alternative powder prepregging technique for use with LaRC-TPI/graphite composites

An alternative powder prepregging method for use with LaRC-TPI (a thermoplastic polyimide)/graphite composites is investigated. The alternative method incorporates the idea of moistening the fiber prior to powder coating. Details of the processing parameters are given and discussed. The material was subsequently laminated into small coupons which were evaluated for processing defects using electron microscopy. After the initial evaluation of the material, no major processing defects were encountered but there appeared to be an interfacial adhesion problem. As a result, prepregging efforts were extended to include an additional fiber system, XAS, and a semicrystalline form of the matrix. The semicrystalline form of the matrix was the result of a complex heat treating cycle. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), the fiber/matrix adhesion was evaluated in these systems relative to the amorphous/XAS coupons. Based on these results, amorphous and semicrystalline/AS-4 and XAS materials were prepregged and laminated for transverse tensile testing. The results of these tests are presented, and in an effort to obtain more information on the effect of the matrix, remaining semicrystalline transverse tensile coupons were transformed back to the amorphous state and tested. The mechanical properties of the transformed coupons returned to the values observed for the original amorphous coupons, and the interfacial adhesion, as observed by SEM, was better than in any previous sample.

Ogden, Andrea L.↗
NASA NTRS1991

Fabrication of nanometer single crystal metallic CoSi2 structures on Si

Amorphous Co:Si (1:2 ratio) films are electron gun-evaporated on clean Si(111), such as in a molecular beam epitaxy system. These layers are then crystallized selectively with a focused electron beam to form very small crystalline Co/Si2 regions in an amorphous matrix. Finally, the amorphous regions are etched away selectively using plasma or chemical techniques.

Nieh, Kai-Wei↗
NASA NTRS1992

Design and optimization of a self-deploying single axis tracking PV array

This study was performed in order to design a tracking photovoltaic (PV) array and optimize the design for maximum specific power. The design considerations were minimal deployment time, high reliability, and small stowage volume. The array design was self-deployable, from a compact stowage configuration, using a passive pressurized gas deployment mechanism. The array structural components consist of a combination of beams, columns, and cables used to deploy and orient a flexible PV blanket. Each structural component of the design was analyzed to determine the size necessary to withstand the various forces to which it would be subjected. An optimization was performed to determine the array dimensions and blanket geometry which produce the maximum specific power. The optimization was performed for both lunar and Martian environments with 4 types of PV blankets (silicon, GaAs/Ge, GaAs CLEFT, and amorphous silicon). For the lunar environment, the amorphous silicon array produced the highest specific power, whereas, for Mars the GaAs CLEFT array produced the highest specific power. A comparison was made to a fixed PV tent array of similar design. The tracking array produced a higher specific power with all types of the PV blankets examined except amorphous silicon at both locations.

Colozza, Anthony J.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Far-infrared spectral studies of phase changes in water ice induced by proton irradiation

Changes in the FIR spectrum of crystalline and amorphous water ice as a function of temperature are reported. The dramatic differences between the spectra of these ices in the FIR are used to examine the effect of proton irradiation on the stability of the crystalline and amorphous ice phases from 13 to 77 K. In particular, the spectra near 13 K show interconversion between the amorphous and crystalline ice phases beginning at doses near 2 eV/molecule and continuing cyclically with increased dose. The results are used to estimate the stability of irradiated ices in astronomical environments.

Moore, Marla H.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Design and optimization of a self-deploying single axis tracking PV array

This study was performed in order to design a tracking photovoltaic (PV) array and optimize the design for maximum specific power. The design considerations were minimal deployment time, high reliability, and small stowage volume. The array design was self-deployable, from a compact stowage configuration, using a passive pressurized gas deployment mechanism. The array structural components consist of a combination of beams, columns, and cables used to deploy and orient a flexible PV blanket. Each structural component of the design was analyzer to determine the size necessary to withstand the various forces to which it would be subjected. An optimization was performed to determine the array dimensions and blanket geometry which produce the maximum specific power. The optimization was performed for both lunar and Martian environments with 4 types of PV blankets (silicon, GaAs/Ge, GaAs CLEFT, and amorphous Silicon). For the lunar environment, the amorphous silicon array produced the highest specific power, whereas, for Mars the GaAs CLEFT array produced the highest specific power. A comparison was made to a fixed PV tent array of similar design. The tracking array produced a higher specific power with all types of the PV blankets examined except amorphous silicon at both locations.

Colozza, Anthony J.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Synthesis and thermal evolution of structure in alkoxide-derived niobium pentoxide gels

Niobium pentoxide gels in the form of transparent monoliths and powder have been synthesized from the controlled hydrolysis and polycondensation of niobium pentaethoxide under different experimental conditions using various mole ratios of Nb(OC2H5)5:H2O:C2H5OH:HCl. Alcohol acted as the mutual solvent and HCl as the deflocculating agent. In the absence of HCl, precipitation of colloidal particles was encountered on the addition of any water to the alkoxide. The gels were subjected to various thermal treatments and characterized by differential thermal analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, x-ray diffraction, and infrared spectroscopy. After drying at 400 C, the gels were amorphous to x-rays. The amorphous powder crystallized into the low-temperature orthorhombic form of Nb2O5 at approximately 500 C, which transformed irreversibly into the high-temperature monoclinic alpha-Nb2O5 between 900 to 1000 C. The kinetics of crystallization of the amorphous niobium pentoxide have been investigated by non-isothermal differential scanning calorimetry. The crystallization activation energy was determined to be 399 kJ/mol.

Bansal, Narottam P.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Discovery of vapor deposits in the lunar regolith

Lunar soils contain micrometer-sized mineral grains surrounded by thin amorphous rims. Similar features have been produced by exposure of pristine grains to a simulated solar wind, leading to the widespread belief that the amorphous rims result from radiation damage. Electron microscopy studies show, however, that the amorphous rims are compositionally distinct from their hosts and consist largely of vapor-deposited material generated by micrometeorite impacts into the lunar regolith. Vapor deposits slow the lunar erosion rate by solar wind sputtering, influence the optical properties of the lunar regolith, and may account for the presence of sodium and potassium in the lunar atmosphere.

Keller, Lindsay P.↗
NASA NTRS1993

High-pressure infrared sepctra of alpha-quartz, coesite, stishovite and silica glass

High-pressure infrared absorption spectra of alpha-quatz, coesite, stishovite, and SiO2 glass are consistent with the primary compression mechanism of the initially tetrahedrally bonded phases being the bending of the Si-O-Si angle at pressures less than 10-20 GPa. At higher pressures, up to 40 GPa, we observe a decline in the intensity of the infrared SiO4 asymmetric-stretching vibrations of all three phases, with an increase in the relative amplitude between 700 and 900/cm. This change in intensities is attributed to an increase in the average coordination number of silicon through extreme distortion of tetrahedra. At pressures above approximately 20 GPa, the low-pressure crystalline polymorphs gradually become amorphous, and the infrared spectra provide evidence for an increase in silicon coordination in these high-density amorphous phases. The pressure-amorphized samples prepared from quartz and coesite differ structurally both from each other and from silica glass that has been compressed, and the high pressure spectra indicate that these materials are considerably more disordered than stishovite under comparable pressure conditions. Average mode Grueneisen parameters calculated for quartz, stishovite and fused silica from both infrared and Raman spectra are compatible with the corresponding thermodynamic value of the Grueneisen parameter, however, that of coesite is significantly discrepant.

Williams, Q.↗
NASA NTRS1995

The growth of cubic silicon carbide on a compliant substrate

Research has shown that silicon carbide grown on silicon and 6H silicon carbide has problems associated with these substrates. This is because silicon and silicon carbide has a 20% lattice mismatch and cubic silicon carbide has not been successfully achieved on 6H silicon carbide. We are investigating the growth of silicon carbide on a compliant substrate in order to grow defect free silicon carbide. This compliant substrate consists of silicon/silicon dioxide with 1200 A of single crystal silicon on the top layer. We are using this compliant substrate because there is a possibility that the silicon dioxide layer and the carbonized layer will allow the silicon lattice to shrink or expand to match the lattice of the silicon carbide. This would improve the electrical properties of the film for the use of device fabrication. When trying to grow silicon carbide, we observed amorphous film. To investigate, we examined the process step by step using RHEED. RHEED data showed that each step was amorphous. We found that just by heating the substrate in the presence of hydrogen it changed the crystal structure. When heated to 1000 C for 2 minutes, RHEED showed that there was an amorphous layer on the surface. We also heated the substrate to 900 C for 2 minutes and RHEED data showed that there was a deterioration of the single crystalline structure. We assumed that the presence of oxygen was coming from the sides of the silicon dioxide layer. Therefore, we evaporated 2500 A of silicon to all four edges of the wafer to try to enclose the oxygen. When heating the evaporated wafer to 900 C the RHEED data showed single crystalline structure however at 1000 C the RHEED data showed deterioration of the single crystalline structure. We conclude that the substrate itself is temperature dependent and that the oxygen was coming from the sides of the silicon dioxide layer. We propose to evaporate more silicon on the edges of the wafer to eliminate the escape of oxygen. this will allow us to grow single crystal cubic silicon carbide.

Mitchell, Sharanda↗
NASA NTRS1997

Laboratory Measurements of Celestial Solids

Our experimental study has focused on laboratory measurements of the low temperature optical properties of a variety of astronomically significant materials in the infrared and mm-wave region of the spectrum. Our far infrared measurements of silicate grains with an open structure have produced a variety of unusual results: (1) the low temperature mass opacity coefficient of small amorphous 2MgO(central dot)SiO2 and MgO(central dot)2SiO2 grains are many times larger than the values previously used for interstellar grain material; (2) all of the amorphous silicate grains studied possess the characteristic temperature dependent signature associated with two level systems in bulk glass; and (3) a smaller but nonzero two level temperature dependence signature is also observed for crystalline particles, its physical origin is unclear. These laboratory measurements yield surprisingly large and variable values for the mm-wave absorption coefficients of small silicate particles similar to interstellar grains, and suggest that the bulk absorptivity of interstellar dust at these long wavelengths will not be well known without such studies. Furthermore, our studies have been useful to better understand the physics of the two level absorption process in amorphous and crystalline grains to gain confidence in the wide applicability of these results.

Sievers, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Comparative Wide Temperature Core Loss Characteristics of Two Candidate Ferrites for the NASA/TRW 1500 W PEBB Converter

High frequency core loss and magnetization properties of commercial type MN8CX and PC40, high resistivity, MnZn based, power ferrites are presented over the temperature range of -l50 C to 150 C, at selected values of peak flux density (B (sub p)). Most of the data is at 100 kHz, with some data extended to 200 and 300 kHz for the MN8CX. Plots of the specific Core loss against temperature exhibit the minimal characteristic of such ferrites. These plots show that the MN8CX is optimized for minimum loss at about 25 C, whereas the PC40 is optimized at about 80 C. At the points of minimum loss and for the same B (sub p), the MN8CX has roughly half the losses of the PC40 at the lower flux densities. This loss ratio continues down to cryogenic temperatures. However, above about 80 C the losses are practically equal. The lowest 100 kHz loss recorded, 50 mW/cm3 for the MNGCX at a B (sub p) of 0.1T, equals that of a very low loss, Co based, transverse magnetically annealed, amorphous ribbon material. Except possibly at lower B (sub p) or much higher frequencies, these ferrites are not competitive for low losses over a wide temperature range with certain specialty amorphous materials. Permeability is computed from a linear model, plots against temperature are presented and again compared to the specialty amorphous materials.

Niedra, Janis M.↗
NASA NTRS1996

Structure of Water Ice in the Solar System

Nearly all of the properties of solar system ices (chemical reaction rates, volatile retention and release, vaporization behavior, thermal conductivity, infrared spectral characteristics and the like) are a direct consequence of ice structure. However, the characterization of astrophysical ices and their laboratory analogs has typically utilized indirect measurements which yield phenomenological interpretations. When water ice is vapor-deposited at 14 K and warmed until it volatilizes in moderate vacuum, the ice undergoes a series of amorphous to amorphous and amorphous to crystalline structural transitions which we have characterized by diffraction methods. These structural transitions correlate with and underlie many phenomena observed in laboratory infrared and gas release experiments. The elucidation of the dynamic structural changes which occur in vapor-deposited water ice as a function of time, temperature and radiation history allows for the more complete interpretation of remote observations of astrophysical ices and their laboratory analogs.

Blake, David↗
NASA NTRS2003

Investigation of Celestial Solid Analogs

Our far infrared studies of both hydrophobic and hydrophilic aerogel grains have demonstrated that the mm and sub-mm wave absorption produced by the fundamental two level systems (TLS) mechanism represents a more significant contribution for these open grain structures than for bulk amorphous silicate grains. We found that the region with the anomalous temperature dependence of the spectral index due to the TLS excitations can extend in a fluffy material up to 80 per cm, which is well beyond its typical upper limit for bulk glasses. Currently there is no theoretical explanation for this surprising result. The effects of reduced dimensionality on the optical properties of carbonaceous grains have been studied with a systematic investigation of carbon aerogels. This spectroscopic approach has permitted a more reliable determination of the single grain mass normalized absorption coefficient based on the experimentally determined characteristics of the fluffy material rather than on first principles calculations involving the bulk properties of the substance. Our finding is that the electrical connectivity of the material is the main factor affecting its far infrared absorption coefficient. Another one of the main constituents of the interstellar dust, amorphous ice, has been investigated in the mm-wave region both in the high (HDA) and low (LDA) density amorphous phases and as a function of impurities. We found that doping either phase with ionic (LiCl) or molecular (methanol) impurities decreases the difference in the mm-wave absorption coefficient between the HDA and LDA ice phases so that the HDA spectrum can be used as an analog for impure ice absorption in the far infrared spectral region.

Sievers, A. J.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Space Qualification Test of a-Silicon Solar Cell Modules

The basic requirements of solar cell modules for space applications are generally described in MIL-S-83576 for the specific needs of the USAF. However, the specifications of solar cells intended for use on space terrestrial applications are not well defined. Therefore, this qualifications test effort was concentrated on critical areas specific to the microseismometer probe which is intended to be included in the Mars microprobe programs. Parameters that were evaluated included performance dependence on: illuminating angles, terrestrial temperatures, lifetime, as well as impact landing conditions. Our qualification efforts were limited to these most critical areas of concern. Most of the tested solar cell modules have met the requirements of the program except the impact tests. Surprisingly, one of the two single PIN 2 x 1 amorphous solar cell modules continued to function even after the 80000G impact tests. The output power parameters, Pout, FF, Isc and Voc, of the single PIN amorphous solar cell module were found to be 3.14 mW, 0.40, 9.98 mA and 0.78 V, respectively. These parameters are good enough to consider the solar module as a possible power source for the microprobe seismometer. Some recommendations were made to improve the usefulness of the amorphous silicon solar cell modules in space terrestrial applications, based on the results obtained from the intensive short term lab test effort.

Kim, Q.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Irradiation Effects in Fosterrite and the Nature of Interstellar Grains: A Coordinated Spectroscopy and Electron Microscopy Study

Crystalline and amorphous silicates condense in the outflows of low mass evolved stars and massive red supergiant stars and are injected into the interstellar medium (ISM) where they are rendered almost completely amorphous by a multitude of destructive processes (e.g. shock, grain-grain collisions, and irradiation). Irradiation effects in particular may have played an important role in the genesis and modification of primitive grains in cometary dust, but unraveling those effects requires controlled experiments under appropriate conditions and with an emphasis on materials relevant to the ISM. Here we report our infrared (IR) microspectroscopy and trans-mission electron microscope (TEM) measurements on forsterite that was amorphized through irradiation by high energy heavy ions.

Keller, Lindsay P.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Space Plasma Ion Processing of the Lunar Soil: Modeling of Radiation-Damaged Rim Widths on Lunar Grains

Chemically and microstructurally complex altered rims around grains in the finest size fraction (<20 micron) of the lunar regolith are the result of multi-stage processes involving both solar ion radiation damage and nanoscale deposition of impact or sputter-derived vapors. The formation of the rims is an important part of the space weathering process, and is closely linked to key changes in optical reflectance and other bulk properties of the lunar surface. Recent application of field-emission scanning transmission electron microscope techniques, including energy dispersive X-ray spectral imaging, is making it easier to unravel the "nano-stratigraphy" of grain rims, and to delineate the portions of rims that represent Radiation-Amorphized (RA) host grain from overlying amorphous material that represents vapor/sputter deposits. For the portion of rims formed by host grain amorphization (henceforth called RA rims), we have been investigating the feasibility of using Monte Carlo-type ion-atom collision models, combined with experimental ion irradiation data, to derive predictive numerical models linking the width of RA rims to the grain s integrated solar ion radiation exposure time.

Chamberlin, S.↗