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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 1,189 records · Page 66
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1986

Variation of refractive index in strained In(x)Ga(1-x)As-GaAs heterostructures

In(x)Ga(1-x)As-GaAs heterostructures and strained-layer superlattices can be used as optical waveguides. For such applications it is important to know explicitly the refractive index variation with mismatch strain and with alloying in the ternary layer. Starting from the Kramers-Kronig integral dispersion relations, a model has been developed from which the refractive index change in the ternary layer of In(x)Ga(1-x)As-GaAs heterojunctions can be calculated. The results are presented and discussed. The expected changes in a superlattice have been qualitatively predicted.

Das, U.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Lateral coherence properties of broad-area semiconductor quantum well lasers

The lateral coherence of broad-area lasers fabricated from a GaAs/GaAlAs graded index waveguide separate confinement and single quantum well heterostructure grown by molecular-beam epitaxy was investigated. These lasers exhibit a high degree of coherence along the junction plane, thus producing a stable and very narrow far field intensity distribution.

Larsson, A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Deep levels in as-grown and Si-implanted In(0.2)Ga(0.8)As-GaAs strained-layer superlattice optical guiding structures

Trap levels in about 2-micron In(0.2)Ga(0.8)As(94 A)/GaAs(25 A) strained-layer superlattices, suitable for optical waveguides, have been identified and characterized by deep-level transient spectroscopy and optical deep-level transient spectroscopy measurements. Several dominant electron and hole traps with concentrations of approximately 10 to the 14th/cu cm, and thermal ionization energies Delta-E(T) varying from 0.20 to 0.75 eV have been detected. Except for a 0.20-eV electron trap, which might be present in the In(0.2)Ga(0.8)As well regions, all the other traps have characteristics similar to those identified in molecular-beam epitaxial GaAs. Of these, a 0.42-eV hole trap is believed to originate from Cu impurities, and the others are probably related to native defects. Upon Si implantation and halogen lamp annealing, new deep centers are created. These are electron traps with Delta-E(T) = 0.81 eV and hole traps with Delta-E(T) = 0.46 eV. Traps occurring at room temperature may present limitations for optical devices.

Dhar, S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Laser heterodyne system for obtaining height profiles of minor species in the atmosphere

An infrared laser heterodyne system for obtaining height profiles of minor constituents of the atmosphere was developed and erected. A brief discription of the system is given. The system consists of a tunable CO2 waveguide laser in the 9 to 11 micrometer band, that is used as a local oscillator and a heliostat that follows the sun and brings in solar radiation, that is mixed with the laser beam in a high speed liquid nitrogen cooled mercury cadmium telluride detector. The detected signal is analysed in a RF spectrum analyser that allows tracing absorption line profiles. Absorption lines of a number of minor constituents in the troposphere and stratosphere, such as O3, NH3, H2O, SO2, ClO, N2O, are in the 9 to 11 micrometer band and overlap with that of CO2 laser range. The experimental system has been made operational and trial observations taken. Current measurements are limited to ozone height profiles. Results are presented.

Jain, S. L.↗
NASA NTRS1986

A prototype DSN X/S-band feed: Model 3 development

The development of a prototype X/S-band common aperture Cassegrain feedhorn for Deep Space Network (DSN) use is discussed. A Model 3 combiner has been developed to increase S-band bandwidth to include the Highly Elliptical Earth Orbiter band from 2025 to 2110 MHz, and to provide a 400-kW CW S-band uplink and a possible planetary radar band near 2320 MHz. The combiner uses eight S-band waveguide injection slots arranged in four pairs. The problems of this design geometry associated with rejection filtering and X/S-band matching are discussed.

Bathker, D. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Array feed synthesis for correction of reflector distortion and Vernier Beamsteering

An algorithmic procedure for the synthesis of planar array feeds for paraboloidal reflectors is described which simultaneously provides electronic correction of systematic reflector surface distortions as well as a Vernier electronic beamsteering capability. Simple rules of thumb for the optimum choice of planar array feed configuration (i.e., number and type of elements) are derived from a parametric study made using the synthesis procedure. A number of f/D ratios and distortion models were examined that are typical of large paraboloidal reflectors. Numerical results are presented showing that, for the range of distortion models considered, good on-axis gain restoration can be achieved with as few as seven elements. For beamsteering to +/- 1 beamwidth (BW), 19 elements are required. For arrays with either 7 or 19 elements, the results indicate that the use of high-aperture-efficiency elements (e.g., disk-on-rod and short backfire) in the array yields higher system gain than can be obtained with elements having lower aperture efficiency (e.g., open-ended waveguides). With 37 elements, excellent gain and beamsteering performance to +/- 1.5 BW are obtained independent of the assumed effective aperture of the array element. An approximate expression is derived for the focal-plane field distribution of the distorted reflector. Contour plots of the focal-plane fields are also presented for various distortion and beam scan angle cases. The results obtained show the effectiveness of the array feed approach.

Blank, S. J.↗
NASA NTRS1986

RF switch positioner for communications satellite network

The RF switch positioner is a simple, lightweight, redundant positioning mechanism used to reconfigure the antenna beam on the INTELSAT VI satellite. It simultaneously rotates approximately 100 squareax waveguide switches through a full 360 deg. The RF switch positioner has been space qualified and has performed to expectations in conjunction with the feed networks in range testing.

Storaasli, A. G.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Laser materials for the 0.67-microns to 2.5-microns range

Basic requirements for obtaining injection laser action in III-V semiconductors are discussed briefly. A detailed review is presented of materials suitable for lasers emitting at 0.67, 1.44, 1.93, and 2.5 microns. A general approach to the problem is presented, based on curves of materials properties published by Sasaki et al. It is also shown that these curves, although useful, may need correction in certain ranges. It is deduced that certain materials combinations, either proposed in the literature or actually tried, are not appropriate for double heterostructure lasers, because the refractive index of the cladding material is higher than the index of the active material, thus resulting in no waveguiding, and high threshold currents. Recommendations are made about the most promising approach to the achievement of laser action in the four wavelengths mentioned above.

Toda, Minoru↗
NASA NTRS1987

Use of a 2.3-GHz traveling-wave maser on the Usuda 64-meter antenna

A 2.3 GHz traveling-wave maser/closed-cycle refrigeration system was installed on the 64 m antenna at Usuda, Japan. This was done to evaluate the beam-waveguide antenna noise performance, and to support the International Cometary Explorer's (ICE's) comet flyby mission. System noise temperature at 2270 MHz was measured to be 15 K, including the maser noise contribution of 2.5 K. Maser installation and noise performance are described. The Usuda 64 m antenna is of high quality with a system operating noise temperature better than the DSN 64 m antennas.

Neff, D.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Research in millimeter wave techniques

The areas of millimeter wave (MMW) research include atmospheric propagation and radiometry, advanced MMW component design with emphasis on quasi-optical techniques, and the development of MMW receivers, especially those using subharmonic mixers. Calculations of atmospheric attenuation and radiometric antenna temperature were made in the range 100 to 700 GHz, together with measurements of atmospheric antenna temperature near 95 and 183 GHz. Quasi-optical components designed include lenses, mirrors, and wire grid devices, as well as feedhorns for interference with waveguide components. Subharmonic mixers with state-of-the-art performance at 183 GHz were also developed. Each of these areas of research is summarized.

Mcmillan, R. W.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Method and means for generation of tunable laser sidebands in the far-infrared region

A method for generating tunable far-infrared radiation is described. The apparatus includes a Schottky-barrier diode which has one side coupled through a conductor to a waveguide that carries a tunable microwave frequency; the diode has an opposite side which is coupled through a radiating whisker to a bias source. Infrared light is directed at the diode, and infrared light with tunable sidebands is radiated by the whisker through an open space to a reflector. The original infrared is separated from a tunable infrared sideband by a polarizing Michelson interferometer.

Pickett, Herbert M.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Dynamic characteristics of far-field radiation of current modulated phase-locked diode laser arrays

A versatile and powerful streak camera/frame grabber system for studying the evolution of the near and far field radiation patterns of diode lasers was assembled and tested. Software needed to analyze and display the data acquired with the steak camera/frame grabber system was written and the total package used to record and perform preliminary analyses on the behavior of two types of laser, a ten emitter gain guided array and a flared waveguide Y-coupled array. Examples of the information which can be gathered with this system are presented.

Elliott, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS1987

X-band phase calibration generator coupler

A new type of phase calibration generator (PCG) coupler was developed for the Deep Space Network (DSN) X-band antennas that can be located directly behind the feedhorn. The advantage of this is that the calibration includes more of the system. The disadvantage is that the overmoded waveguide at this location must be coupled in a mode-selective manner. Low-power and high-power PCG couplers have been successfully produced, and the RF test results from a PCG coupler are given.

Stanton, P. H.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Nondestructive evaluation of composite materials by pulsed time domain methods in imbedded optical fibers

The application of fiber-optical time domain reflectometry (OTDR) to nondestructive quantitative measurements of distributed internal strain in graphite-epoxy composites, using optical fiber waveguides imbedded between plies, is discussed. The basic OTDR measurement system is described, together with the methods used to imbed optical fibers within composites. Measurement results, system limitations, and the effect of the imbedded fiber on the integrity of the host composite material are considered.

Claus, R. O.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Antennas for spacecraft synthetic aperture radars

Future SAR missions will require light weight, multifrequency, multipolarization spacecraft antennas. NASA has conducted an investigation of possible antenna technologies, and has identified two promising technologies: interleaved open-ended waveguide antennas constructed from metallized graphite epoxy and distributed microstrip antennas. The investigation and candidate technologies are described in this paper.

Davidson, S. E.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Millimeter-band oscillations based on resonant tunneling in a double-barrier diode at room temperature

A double-barrier diode at room temperature has yielded oscillations with fundamental frequencies up to 56 GHz and second harmonics up to 87 GHz. The output powers at these frequencies were about 60 and 18 microW, respectively. These results are attributed to a recent improvement in the material parameters of the device and to the integration of the device into a waveguide resonator. The most successful diode to date has thin (about 1.5 nm) AlAs barriers, a 4.5-nm-wide GaAs quantum well, and 2 x 10 to the 17th/cu cm doping concentration in the n-GaAs outside the barriers. This particular diode is expected to oscillate at frequencies higher than those achieved by any reported p-n tunnel diode.

Brown, E. R.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Raman-shifted dye laser for water vapor DIAL measurements

For improved DIAL measurements of water vapor in the upper troposphere or lower stratosphere, narrowband (about 0.03/cm) laser radiation at 720- and 940-nm wavelengths was generated by stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), using the narrow linewidth (about 0.02/cm) output of a Nd:YAG-pumped dye laser. For a hydrogen pressure of 350 psi, the first Stokes conversion efficiencies to 940 nm were 20 percent and 35 percent, when using a conventional and waveguide Raman cell, respectively. The linewidth of the first Stokes line at high cell pressures, and the inferred collisional broadening coefficients, agree well with those previously measured in spontaneous Raman scattering.

Grossmann, B. E.↗
NASA NTRS1987

An analysis of electromagnetic coupling and eigenfrequencies for microwave electrothermal thruster discharges

This paper discusses the basic approach to developing a comprehensive electromagnetic model for a microwave electrothermal discharge. The discharge and surrounding region are modeled as a section of waveguide loaded with a uniform, cold, lossy plasma. A characteristic equation has been derived describing all possible system modes. In particular the TM(01) mode is numerically solved. Propagation and attenuation constants for the TM(01) mode are found numerically for a given range of electron-neutral collision frequencies and plasma densities. Results are used to interpret a number of experimental observations in helium. Specifically, they are used to explain high coupling efficiencies and ease of cavity tuning at high pressures.

Frasch, L. L.↗