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At least 1,153 records · Page 64
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2024

CMOS photonic integrated source of broadband polarization-entangled photons

We showcase a fully on-chip CMOS-fabricated silicon photonic integrated circuit employing a bidirectionally pumped microring and polarization splitter-rotators tailored for the generation of broadband (>9 THz), high-fidelity (90–98%) polarization-entangled photons. Spanning the optical C+L-band and producing over 116 frequency-bin pairs on a 38.4-GHz-spaced grid, this source is ideal for flex-grid wavelength-multiplexed entanglement distribution in multiuser networks.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2025

Integrated photonic Galton board and its application for photon counting

The Galton board is a desktop probability machine traditionally used to visualize the principles of statistical physics from classical particles. Here, we demonstrate a photonic Galton board that enables on-chip observation of statistics from single-photon interference. The photonic Galton board consists of a directional coupler matrix terminated by an array of superconducting nanowire detectors to provide spatiotemporal resolution. This design also allows for photon-number-resolving capability, making it suitable for high-speed photon counting. Our results demonstrate the compatibility between single-photon detector array and photonic integrated circuits, paving the way for implementing on-chip large-scale quantum optics experiments and photonic quantum computing.

Qin, Hezheng (ORCID:0009000139348800)↗
DOE OSTI2026

CMOS-fabricated ultraviolet light modulator using low-loss alumina piezo-optomechanical photonics

Ultra-violet (UV) and near-UV wavelengths are necessary for many important optical transitions for quantum technologies and various sensing mechanisms for biological and chemical detection. However, all well-known photonic platforms have excessively high losses in the UV, which has prevented photonic integrated circuits (PICs) being used to address these and other important application spaces. Photonic waveguides using low-loss alumina cores and silicon dioxide cladding have emerged as a promising solution because of alumina’s large optical bandgap and the high quality of films enabled by atomic layer deposition. These properties allow passive, low-loss waveguide operation down to at least 266 nm using multimode widths. However, to the best of our knowledge, active alumina PICs have only been realized using thermo-optic tuning, which precludes switching speeds shorter than approximately 100 microseconds, high circuit densities, and cryogenically compatible operation. Here, we introduce a CMOS-fabricated, piezo-optomechanical PIC platform using alumina waveguides and piezoelectric aluminum nitride strain actuators. The platform allows for sub-microsecond switching times, high circuit densities, and cryogenic operation which is desired in many UV PIC applications. We demonstrate a high-performance, reconfigurable optical filter operating at wavelengths as low as 320 nm. The filter has a 6-nanosecond switching time, a loaded linewidth of 3.3 GHz, tuning rate of 28 V/linewidth, and a hold power of less than 20 nW at one linewidth detuning. This work establishes the foundations for a new class of CMOS-fabricated, rapidly reconfigurable, and low-power UV photonic circuits compatible with wavelengths as low as 225 nm.

Castillo, Zachary A. [Sandia National Laboratories↗
DOE OSTI2021

Dynamic performance and reflection sensitivity of quantum dot distributed feedback lasers with large optical mismatch

This work reports on a high-efficiency InAs/GaAs distributed feedback quantum dot laser. The large optical wavelength detuning at room temperature between the lasing peak and the gain peak causes the static, dynamic, and nonlinear intrinsic properties to all improve with temperature, including the lasing efficiency, the modulation dynamics, the linewidth enhancement factor, and consequently the reflection insensitivity. Results reported show an optimum operating temperature at 75°C, highlighting the potential of the large optical mismatch assisted single-frequency laser for the development of uncooled and isolator-free high-speed photonic integrated circuits.

Dong, Bozhang (ORCID:0000000158266723)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Eliminating Signal Bias Caused by Vacuum System Backstreaming in the Diagnostic Residual Gas Analyzer of ITER

In fusion neutral gas analysis, such as with the Diagnostic Residual Gas Analyzer (DRGA) for ITER, the primary measurement range of interest comprises the low-amu species (1 to 6), especially deuterium and helium. The challenge in successfully obtaining accurate measurements is two-fold. First, the sensitivity of the method must be sufficient to resolve trace amounts accurately; typically, one percent or less. Second, the gas signal from the fusion processes must be free of bias caused by the latent presence (from system outgassing and/or vacuum backstreaming) of these gases to enable accurate interpretation of the measured signal. This latter criterion can be problematic for the lightest gases since there is a propensity for some fraction of the pumped gas load to undergo a phenomenon known as backstreaming. This behavior is manifested in pumping systems for gas properties related to relative atomic weight (lightest) and size (smallest). Backstreaming results in a significant amount of the pumped gas undertaking a reverse flow and re-entering the measurement region; thus, contaminating the forward, real-time measurement. To fully eliminate this adverse effect, a conductance-limiting device – or orifice – has been installed in the high-vacuum pumping system of the present ITER DRGA prototype. The system was already equipped with a secondary turbomolecular pump (TMP), but with limited effectiveness against backstreaming in the inter-pump volume (IPV). This orifice is placed within the suction inlet coupling of the secondary TMP, which is downstream of the IPV. Its objective is to eliminate the backstreaming phenomenon by increasing the back pressure in the IPV. However, the orifice sizing must take into consideration other factors, such as the diagnostic measurement objectives. For example, in the ITER DRGA, one of the measurement requirements is a dynamic response time of ~1s. Fortunately, an added benefit of the pumping restriction created by the orifice is that the upstream pressure increase is beneficial for the DRGA’s optical gas analysis (OGA) sensors. These sensors are attached to the IPV in the present design. The glow discharges, when used as an OGA light source, will typically have a brighter light emission with increasing plasma cell pressure. In addition to the fusion machine research sector, there are other potential applications of this pumping technique where the monitoring of lighter gas concentrations is essential, such as the photolithography process for the semiconductor fabrication of integrated circuits. This presentation will describe the vacuum system used to demonstrate a process to eliminate backstreaming as well as show test results to verify the accomplishment of this critical objective.

Marcus, Chris↗
DOE OSTI2020

Study of Fluctuations in Undulator Radiation in the IOTA Ring at Fermilab

We study turn-by-turn fluctuations in the number of emitted photons in an undulator, installed in the IOTA electron storage ring at Fermilab, with an InGaAs PIN photodiode and an integrating circuit. In this paper, we present a theoretical model for the experimental data from previous similar experiments and in our present experiment, we attempt to verify the model in an independent and a more systematic way. Moreover, in our experiment we consider the regime of very small fluctuation when the contribution from the photon shot noise is significant, whereas we believe it was negligible in the previous experiments. Accordingly, we present certain critical improvements in the experimental setup that let us measure such a small fluctuation.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Report from the Inaugural Meeting on the Opportunities at the SEEMS Facility June 11-12, 2019

The Inaugural Meeting on the Opportunities at the Single Event Effects—Muon Spectroscopy (SEEMS) facility was held June 11–12, 2019, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL). Capabilities of the SEEMS facility concept were reviewed, with emphasis on particle beams for single event effects (SEE) testing of electronic devices (integrated circuits) and systems—a topic of growing interest and concern in aerospace avionics, satellites, supercomputing, autonomous cars, unmanned aerial vehicles and more. Participants from these industries and their regulators attended. A clear consensus on the growing and urgent need for SEE test capabilities like those offered by SEEMS was expressed. Subsequent to the meeting, letters of support for SEEMS were sent by The Boeing Company and Honeywell to the ORNL Laboratory Director, Thomas Zacharia.

72 PHYSICS OF ELEMENTARY PARTICLES AND FIELDS↗
DOE OSTI2020

Xyce Case Study

With the elimination of underground nuclear testing and declining defense budgets, science-based stockpile stewardship requires increased reliance on high performance modeling and simulation of weapon systems. Today's weapon systems are comprised of various electrical components and systems. As a result, there is a need for tools that will allow the use of massively parallel modeling and simulation techniques on high performance computers in existing and future weapons' electrical systems models. The Xyce Parallel Electronic Simulator is a SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis)- compatible circuit simulator designed to run on large-scale parallel computing platforms, though it can also execute efficiently on a variety of architectures including single processor workstations. As a mature platform for large-scale parallel circuit simulation, Xyce supports standard capabilities available in commercial simulators, in addition to various devices and models specific to Sandia's needs. Specifically, Xyce aids in the design and verification of electrical and electronic circuits and systems prior to weapons' manufacturing and deployment.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2020

Xyce Case Study

With the elimination of underground nuclear testing and declining defense budgets, science-based stockpile stewardship requires increased reliance on high performance modeling and simulation of weapon systems. Today's weapon systems are comprised of various electrical components and systems. As a result, there is a need for tools that will allow the use of massively parallel modeling and simulation techniques on high performance computers in existing and future weapons' electrical systems models. The Xyce Parallel Electronic Simulator is a SPICE (Simulation Program with Integrated Circuit Emphasis)- compatible circuit simulator designed to run on large-scale parallel computing platforms, though it can also execute efficiently on a variety of architectures including single processor workstations. As a mature platform for large-scale parallel circuit simulation, Xyce supports standard capabilities available in commercial simulators, in addition to various devices and models specific to Sandia's needs. Specifically, Xyce aids in the design and verification of electrical and electronic circuits and systems prior to weapons' manufacturing and deployment.

45 MILITARY TECHNOLOGY, WEAPONRY, AND NATIONAL DEF↗
DOE OSTI2020

Combined Environments: Driving multiple loads on Z

Pulsed power drivers such as the Z generator of Sandia National Laboratories typically deliver high current (>20MA) to single experiments. This project is intended to develop and assess ways to simultaneously drive multiple targets on a single pulsed power driver (specifically a neutron and an x-ray producing target driven in a single experiment). The combined x-ray/neutron environment produced will then be used to investigate potential synergistic effects in integrated circuits. A pre-requisite for being able to design and study multiple targets on Z is first adapting simulation tools to be able to model them effectively. This will enable us to assess the tradeoffs between the different ways multiple targets can be combined, and to better understand how existing and future pulsed power machines can be used to generate combined testing environments. This report is limited to documenting the initial development of a parallel load modeling capability that is presently being applied to design experiments to produce combined neutron/x-ray environments on Z.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2020

Advanced CMOS Reliability Update: Sub 20nm FinFET Assessment

Advances in FinFET design and fabrication enable manufacturing of denser, more compact integrated circuits (ICs) with substantially reduced leakage while shortening the channel-lengths. The same stress-induced leakage and breakdown degradation mechanisms that affect planar transistors also impact FinFET devices. Reliability concerns such as Bias Temperature Instability (BTI), Time Dependent Dielectric Breakdown (TDDB), and Hot Carrier Injection (HCI) become very important with changes to transistor geometry and fin sidewall crystal orientation. Recent testing has shown that FinFETs respond differently to radiation (radiation effects such as total ionizing dose) when compared to planar transistors. These reliability and radiation effects issues become very important when changing transistor geometry and scaling FinFETs towards smaller feature sizes (22-nm, 16-nm, 14- nm, 10-nm, and smaller critical dimensions). The comparable 2019 state of the art transistor densities in current high-volume manufacturing silicon-based foundries is 7-nm (ISMC, Samsung) and 10-nm (Intel) [www.anandtech.com,fuse.wikichip.org]. Released products include supporting components for the cellphone and commercial microprocessor markets respectively. Extensive development in the foundry industry is driving to a 5-nm technology node in late 2020.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2021

A Low Cost SIPM Evaluation and Control Prototyping System including accurate bias voltage generation, leakage current measurement, and temperature control using Peltier cooling

We describe an electronics system to operate SIPMs in the laboratory. The system is comprised of a single channel amplifier board (SIPM Amp) and a 4-channel control board to which up to 4 SIPM Amp boards can be connected. The control board supplies a common low voltage power for the amplifiers. All channels feature individually regulated bias and Peltier power voltages, along withPt10K RTD readout. A graphical user interface allows control of the bias voltages, amplifier voltage, Peltier voltages, and also provides for readback of leakage currents and other voltages. The GUI app has a feedback loop to measure the SIPM temperature (with the PT10K) and generate correction voltages to the Peltier to regulate the temperature. The temperatures, which can be achieved by Peltier cooling depend on the thermal design of the setup, the practical limit being about 50C below ambient. The SIPM Amp. board is a small (3x5cm) PCB that has a single SIPM readout channel. The SIPM scan be surface mounted on the pcb or connected to a 2-pin 0.100" socket. The area around the SIPM footprint is thermally isolated by perforations in the PCB. The RTD is located inside the thermal break. Onboard is BV and LV filtering. The 10X amplifier is based on MiniCircuits' GALI-S66+ integrated circuit, tweaked for a 6V power. The amplifier was selected for a combination of high bandwidth, low noise, and low power. An accoupled amplifier output is connected to an SMA connector. For best operation of this inverting amplifier the output signal should be in the range of 0 to -1V.The Amplifier board is connected to the Control board with a 10-conductor 0.025" pitch ribbon cable, carrying all the services. Peltier power for currents more than 1A should use a separate 2-contact connector.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2021

High-resolution magnetic microscopy applications using nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamond

Magnetic microscopy with high spatial resolution helps to solve a variety of technical problems in condensed-matter physics, electrical engineering, biomagnetism, and geomagnetism. In this work we used quantum diamond magnetic microscope (QDMM) setups, which use a dense uniform layer of magnetically-sensitive nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond to image an external magnetic field using a fluorescence microscope. We used this technique for imaging few-micron ferromagnetic needles used as a physically unclonable function (PUF) and to passively interrogate electric current paths in a commercial 555 timer integrated circuit (IC). As part of the QDMM development, we also found a way to calculate ion implantation recipes to create diamond samples with dense uniform NV layers at the surface. This work opens the possibility for follow-up experiments with 2D magnetic materials, ion implantation, and electronics characterization and troubleshooting.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Nanosecond Gated CMOS Camera (NSGCC) ICD (Rev. 2.1)

The Ultra-Fast X-ray Imager (UXI) program is an ongoing effort at Sandia National Laboratories to create high speed, multi-frame, time-gated Read Out Integrated Circuits (ROICs), and a corresponding suite of photodetectors to image a wide variety of High Energy Density (HED) physics experiments on both Sandia’s Z-Machine and LLNL’s National Ignition Facility (NIF). Several cameras have been designed over the length of the program; one of the most recent is the Icarus, which is an improvement on past imagers (Furi and Hippogriff). A second sensor that can be connected is the Daedalus sensor. The Icarus is a 1024 × 512-pixel array with either 25 μm or 8 µm spatial resolution containing four frames of storage per pixel and has improved timing generation and distribution components while achieved 2 ns time gating. The Daedalus sensor is also a 1024 x 512-pixel array with 25 µm special resolution containing three frames of storage per pixel and has an increased set of features for a wider variety of applications from interlacing of rows in each frame to configurability of all shutters. See Section 14 for details regarding the Icarus implementation of the firmware and Section 15 for details regarding the Daedalus implementation. Due to the unique test environments UXI sensors are targeted for, full custom hardware was required to physically mount an Icarus or Daedalus sensor, manage its various functions, and read out pixel data for transfer to a host computer. Beyond experimental functionality, the hardware also needed to accommodate sensor characterization requirements. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory’s ‘Version 4.0 Board’ was the result of these efforts. It mounts all the components required to fully utilize the Icarus and Daedalus sensors including analog to digital converters to convert pixel data and various system voltages to digital form for readout and analysis, DAC channels for remote configuration of critical bias voltages, static random-access memories to buffer pixel data, RS422 and Gigabit Ethernet communications for remote access, and an FPGA to tie these components together. This document describes the FPGA electrical interfaces in detail to allow the reader a greater understanding of the device, and to facilitate implementation of custom software to control and manage it. The Version 4.0 Board is a continuation of the Nano-second Gated CMOS hardware design that retains much of the functionality of the Version 1.0 Board while adding features including a DAC instead of digital potentiometers, as well as sensors for pressure and radiation. The Version 4.0 board is intended for applications requiring tight form-factor enclosures. It is composed of two stacking boards; one holds the FPGA and regulators to power the various components of the board while the other contains the mating connector to the sensor, image-readoff ADCs, the DAC, and other components.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Real-Time Seismic System for Monitoring, Imaging, and Characterization (RT-SEISMIC)

The goal of this Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) project was to develop a borehole seismic source and sensor array to enable real-time seismic imaging at scales and conditions relevant to the energy industry including both fossil-energy and geothermal. In FY21 and FY22, we designed, built, and tested both a prototype impulse source module for generating seismic energy and a sensing module for recording ground motions generated by the source module array. A pneumatically driven vibratory source was also designed. The source modules were fabricated with all high temperature components and the team has worked to incorporate the current RT-SEISMIC electronics design into a commercially available, high temperature silicon-on-insulator chip integrated circuit. Several issues were identified during fabrication and lab testing that led to redesign of several system components and subsequent retesting. The final round of testing showed that while metal/graphite-based seals worked quite well for static seals, they were unable to provide an adequate gas seal for dynamic, reciprocating part movements which necessitated a final redesign using Kalrez. This change will result in a continuous temperature rating of approximately 275 degrees C for the system. While a field test of the RT-SEISMIC system was targeted in FY22, due to the extended lab testing and redesign efforts, field testing was not achieved. As a result of this LDRD investment, several sponsors have expressed interest in RT-SEISMIC and we expect to continue towards a field demonstration of the full system in the future.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2023

Final Report DE-SC0020773

The DOE/NNSA sought development of innovative portable neutron/x-ray cameras for imaging and, when coupled with a portable source, also for radiography. This project focused on developing such a device that promises to have excellent resolution, while also providing neutron/gamma separation. We developed an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) to be employed in conjunction with existing sensor technologies and modern assembly techniques. The concepts developed were a combination of new novel techniques and an innovative implementation of existing methods boosted by technological advances in ASIC performance.

61 RADIATION PROTECTION AND DOSIMETRY↗
DOE OSTI2023

A Digital System-On-Chip CO 2 Sensor (Final Report)

The overall goal of the project was to build a low-cost digital CO 2 sensor made of N5’s patented sensing architecture using a digital application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) to reduce the amount of energy usage in residential and commercial buildings. The proposed small form-factor CO 2 monitoring device contains a molecular sieve membrane filter capable of monitoring indoor air quality which indicates the content of CO 2 inside a residential or commercial building.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Radiation-Hardened GaN-Based Wireless Communications Architectures for Terrestrial Nuclear Reactor Sensing and Instrumentation

Wireless technologies have become increasingly common in applications, ranging from close proximity inductive communication links in medical devices to short-range Bluetooth and WiFi communications and longer-range cellular communications. Nonetheless, these technologies are unsuitable for use in or around nuclear reactors due to the extreme radiation and temperatures inherent in these environments and their associated significant degradative effects on electronics hardware. However, recent work in wide bandgap– based electronics has shown promise for gallium nitride (GaN) as an emerging technology for the realization of practical wireless communications systems for use in harsh environments. This report presents initial progress on the development of wireless communications architectures designed specifically for nuclear reactor application, based on inherently radiation-hardened (rad-hard) GaN technology. Prior work on rad-hard analog communications topologies is reviewed, and several digital modulation and encoding schemes that utilize GaN-based electronics devices are newly proposed for application in reactor environments. Continuous-time and discrete-time system simulations were performed, and results are presented for the preliminary transmitter and receiver designs, respectively. In addition, an overview of a software-defined radio testbed, designed for communications protocol development, is provided. Future work will focus on implementing candidate radiation-resistant wireless architectures using a research AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) integrated circuit process, which is available at the Ohio State University, and irradiation studies will be carried out to assess the true potential of this technology for reactor application.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗