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At least 1,369 records · Page 76
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2021

Correlated oxide Dirac semimetal in the extreme quantum limit

Quantum materials (QMs) with strong correlation and nontrivial topology are indispensable to next-generation information and computing technologies. Exploitation of topological band structure is an ideal starting point to realize correlated topological QMs. Here, we report that strain-induced symmetry modification in correlated oxide SrNbO 3 thin films creates an emerging topological band structure. Dirac electrons in strained SrNbO 3 films reveal ultrahigh mobility (μ max ≈ 100,000 cm 2 /Vs), exceptionally small effective mass (m* ~ 0.04m e ), and nonzero Berry phase. Strained SrNbO 3 films reach the extreme quantum limit, exhibiting a sign of fractional occupation of Landau levels and giant mass enhancement. Our results suggest that symmetry-modified SrNbO 3 is a rare example of correlated oxide Dirac semimetals, in which strong correlation of Dirac electrons leads to the realization of a novel correlated topological QM.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Increasing the hardness of posiform planting using random QUBOs for programmable quantum annealer benchmarking

Posiform planting is a method for constructing QUBO instances with a unique planted solution that can be tailored to arbitrary connectivity graphs. In this study we investigate making posiform planted QUBOs computationally harder by fusing many smaller random Ising models, whose global minimum is computed classically, with posiform planted QUBOs. The unique ground state of the resulting QUBO is the concatenation of (exactly one of) the ground states of each smaller problem. Our method generates QUBO instances that have a unique solution, are native to the hardware graph, and have tunable computational hardness. We use our QUBOs to benchmark three D-Wave quantum annealing processors (with 563–5627 qubits), and compare them against simulated annealing and Gurobi. Surprisingly, we find that the D-Wave ground state sampling success rate is not dependent on the glued random QUBO size, and that some QUBO classes are solved at high success rates at short annealing times on the Zephyr processors.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1988

Sensor technology

The objective is to provide necessary expertise and technology to advance space remote sensing of terrestrial, planetary, and galactic phenomena through the use of electromagnetic and electro-optic properties of gas, liquid, and solid state materials technology. The Sensor Technology Program is divided into two subprograms: a base research and development part and a Civil Space Technology Initiative (CSTI) part. The base research and development consists of research on artificially grown materials such as quantum well and superlattice structure with the potential for new and efficient means for detecting electromagnetic phenomena. Research is also being done on materials and concepts for detector components and devices for measuring high energy phenomena such as UV, X-, and gamma rays that are required observables in astrophysis and solar physics missions. The CSTI program is more mission driven and is balanced among four major disciplines: detector sensors; submillimeter wave sensors; LIDAR/DIAL sensors; and cooler technology.

Sokoloski, Martin M.↗
DOE OSTI2026

Testing Classical Properties from Quantum Data

Many properties of Boolean functions can be tested far more efficiently than the function itself can be learned. However, this dramatic advantage often disappears when testers are limited to random samples of ƒ instead of adaptively chosen queries to f. In this work we investigate the quantum version of this restriction: quantum algorithms that test properties of a Boolean function f solely from copies of either the function state |ƒ⟩ ∝ ∑ x |x, ƒ(x)⟩ or the phase state |(-1) ƒ ⟩ ∝ ∑ x (-1) ƒ(x) |x⟩. For monotonicity, symmetry, and triangle-freeness, we show passive quantum testers are unboundedly or super-polynomially better than their classical passive testing counterparts. They are competitive with classic query -based testers in each case. Our new testers use techniques beyond quantum Fourier sampling, and it turns out this is necessary: we show a certain class of bent functions can be tested from 𝒪(1) function states but has a sample complexity lower bound of 2 Ω(n) for any tester relying exclusively on Fourier and classical samples. Our passive quantum testers are competitive with classical query -based testers, but this isn't universal: we exhibit a testing problem that can be solved from 𝒪(1) classical queries but requires Ω(2 n/2 ) function state copies. The Forrelation problem provides a separation of the same magnitude in the opposite direction, so we conclude that quantum data and classical queries are "maximally incomparable" resources for testing. We also begin the study of lower bounds for testing from quantum data. For quantum monotonicity testing, we prove that the ensembles of [Goldreich et al., 2000; Black, 2024], which give exponential lower bounds for classical sample-based testing, do not yield any nontrivial lower bounds for testing from quantum data. New insights specific to quantum data will be required for proving copy complexity lower bounds for testing in this model.

Boolean Functions↗
DOE OSTI2025

Imaging the Acceptor Wave Function Anisotropy in Silicon

We present the first scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) image of hydrogenic acceptor wave functions in silicon. These acceptor states appear as square-ring-like features in STM images and originate from near-surface defects introduced by high-energy bismuth implantation into a silicon (001) wafer. Scanning tunneling spectroscopy confirms the formation of a p-type surface. Effective-mass and tight-binding calculations provide an excellent description of the observed square-ring-like features, confirming their acceptor character and attributing their symmetry to the light- and heavy-hole band degeneracy in silicon. A detailed understanding of the energetic and spatial properties of acceptor wave functions in silicon is essential for engineering large-scale acceptor-based quantum devices.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2023

Quantum computing Floquet energy spectra

Quantum systems can be dynamically controlled using time-periodic external fields, leading to the concept of Floquet engineering, with promising technological applications. Computing Floquet energy spectra is harder than only computing ground state properties or single time-dependent trajectories, and scales exponentially with the Hilbert space dimension. Especially for strongly correlated systems in the low frequency limit, classical approaches based on truncation break down. Here, we present two quantum algorithms to determine effective Floquet modes and energy spectra. We combine the defining properties of Floquet modes in time and frequency domains with the expressiveness of parametrized quantum circuits to overcome the limitations of classical approaches. We benchmark our algorithms and provide an analysis of the key properties relevant for near-term quantum hardware.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Unravelling the room temperature growth of two-dimensional h-BN nanosheets for multifunctional applications

The room temperature growth of two-dimensional van der Waals (2D-vdW) materials is indispensable for state-of-the-art nanotechnology. Low temperature growth supersedes the requirement of elevated growth temperatures accompanied with high thermal budgets. Moreover, for electronic applications, low or room temperature growth reduces the possibility of intrinsic film-substrate interfacial thermal diffusion related deterioration of the functional properties and the consequent deterioration of the device performance. Here, we demonstrated the growth of ultrawide-bandgap boron nitride (BN) at room temperature by using the pulsed laser deposition (PLD) process, which exhibited various functional properties for potential applications. Comprehensive chemical, spectroscopic and microscopic characterizations confirmed the growth of ordered nanosheet-like hexagonal BN (h-BN). Functionally, the nanosheets show hydrophobicity, high lubricity (low coefficient of friction), and a low refractive index within the visible to near-infrared wavelength range, and room temperature single-photon quantum emission. In conclusion, our work unveils an important step that brings a plethora of potential applications for these room temperature grown h-BN nanosheets as the synthesis can be feasible on any given substrate, thus creating a scenario for “h-BN on demand” under a frugal thermal budget.

2D h-BN↗
DOE OSTI2024

Harmonic and Subharmonic RF Injection Locking of THz Metasurface Quantum-Cascade VECSEL

Harmonic and subharmonic RF injection locking is demonstrated in a terahertz (THz) quantum-cascade vertical-external-cavity surface-emitting laser (QC-VECSEL). By tuning the RF injection frequency around integer multiples and submultiples of the cavity round-trip frequency, different harmonic and subharmonic orders can be excited in the same device. Modulation-dependent behavior of the device has been studied with recorded lasing spectral broadening and locking bandwidths in each case. In particular, harmonic injection locking results in the observation of harmonic spectra with bandwidths over 200 GHz. A semiclassical Maxwell-density matrix formalism has been applied to interpret QC-VECSEL dynamics, which aligns well with experimental observations.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS2019

Lynx x-ray microcalorimeter

Lynx is an x-ray telescope, one of four large satellite mission concepts currently being studied by NASA to be a flagship mission. One of Lynx’s three instruments is an imaging spectrometer called the Lynx x-ray microcalorimeter (LXM), an x-ray microcalorimeter behind an x-ray optic with an angular resolution of 0.5 arc sec and ∼2 sq. m of area at 1 keV. The LXM will provide unparalleled diagnostics of distant extended structures and, in particular, will allow the detailed study of the role of cosmic feedback in the evolution of the Universe. We discuss the baseline design of LXM and some parallel approaches for some of the key technologies. The baseline sensor technology uses transition-edge sensors, but we also consider an alternative approach using metallic magnetic calorimeters. We discuss the requirements for the instrument, the pixel layout, and the baseline readout design, which uses microwave superconducting quantum interference devices and high-electron mobility transistor amplifiers and the cryogenic cooling requirements and strategy for meeting these requirements. For each of these technologies, we discuss the current technology readiness level and our strategy for advancing them to be ready for flight. We also describe the current system design, including the block diagram, and our estimate for the mass, power, and data rate of the instrument.

Simon R. Bandler↗
DOE OSTI2025

A tweezer array with 6,100 highly coherent atomic qubits

Optical tweezer arrays have transformed atomic and molecular physics, now forming the backbone for a range of leading experiments in quantum computing, simulation and metrology. Typical experiments trap tens to hundreds of atomic qubits and, recently, systems with around 1,000 atoms were realized without defining qubits or demonstrating coherent control. However, scaling to thousands of atomic qubits with long coherence times and low-loss and high-fidelity imaging is an outstanding challenge and critical for progress in quantum science, particularly towards quantum error correction (QEC). Here we experimentally realize an array of optical tweezers trapping more than 6,100 neutral atoms in around 12,000 sites, simultaneously surpassing state-of-the-art performance for several metrics that underpin the success of the platform. Specifically, while scaling to such a large number of atoms, we demonstrate a coherence time of 12.6(1) s, a record for hyperfine qubits in an optical tweezer array. We show room-temperature trapping lifetimes of about 23 min, enabling record-high imaging survival of 99.98952(1)% with an imaging fidelity of more than 99.99%. We present a plan for zone-based quantum computing and demonstrate necessary coherence-preserving qubit transport and pick-up/drop-off operations on large spatial scales, characterized through interleaved randomized benchmarking. Our results, along with recent developments, indicate that universal quantum computing and QEC with thousands to tens of thousands of physical qubits could be a near-term prospect.

atomic and molecular physics↗
DOE OSTI2020

Plasma stopping-power measurements reveal transition from non-degenerate to degenerate plasmas

Physically realized electron gas systems usually reside in either the quantum non-degenerate or fully degenerate limit, where the average de Broglie wavelength of the thermal electrons becomes comparable with the interparticle distance between electrons. A few systems, such as young brown dwarfs and the cold dense fuels created in imploded cryogenic capsules at the National Ignition Facility, lie between these two limits and are partially degenerate. The National Ignition Facility has the unique capability of varying the electron quantum degeneracy by adjusting the laser drive used to implode the capsules. This allows experimental studies of the effects of the degeneracy level on plasma transport properties. By measuring rare nuclear reactions in these cold dense fuels, we show that the electron stopping power, which is the rate of energy loss per unit distance travelled by a charged particle, changes with increasing electron density. We observe a quantum-induced shift in the peak of the stopping power using diagnostics that measure above and below this peak. The observed changes in the stopping power are shown to be unique to the transition region between non-degenerate and degenerate plasmas. Furthermore, our results support the screening models applied to partially degenerate astrophysical systems such as young brown dwarfs.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Harnessing Quantum Capacitance in 2D Material/Molecular Layer Junctions for Novel Electronic Device Functionality

Two-dimensional (2D) materials promise advances in electronic devices beyond Moore’s scaling law through extended functionality, such as non-monotonic dependence of device parameters on input parameters. However, the robustness and performance of effects like negative differential resistance (NDR) and anti-ambipolar behavior have been limited in scale and robustness by relying on atomic defects and complex heterojunctions. In this paper, we introduce a novel device concept that utilizes the quantum capacitance of junctions between 2D materials and molecular layers. We realized a variable capacitance 2D molecular junction (vc2Dmj) diode through the scalable integration of graphene and single layers of stearic acid. The vc2Dmj exhibits NDR with a substantial peak-to-valley ratio even at room temperature and an active negative resistance region. The origin of this unique behavior was identified through thermoelectric measurements and ab initio calculations to be a hybridization effect between graphene and the molecular layer. The enhancement of device parameters through morphology optimization highlights the potential of our approach toward new functionalities that advance the landscape of future electronics.

2D materials↗
DOE OSTI2025

Roadmap on thermodynamics and thermal metamaterials

Thermal metamaterials represent a transformative paradigm in modern physics, synergizing thermodynamic principles with metamaterial engineering to master heat flow at will. As next-generation technologies demand multi-scale thermal control, this field urgently requires systematic frameworks to unify its multidisciplinary advances. Curated through a global collaboration involving over 50 specialists across 25 subdisciplines, this review primarily summarizes two decades of advancements, ranging from theoretical breakthroughs to functional implementations. The review reveals groundbreaking innovations in heat manipulation through the exploration of both classical and non-classical transport regimes, topological thermal control mechanisms, and quantum-informed phonon engineering strategies. By bridging physical insights like non-Hermitian thermal dynamics and valleytronic phonon transport with cutting-edge applications, we demonstrate paradigm-shifting capabilities: environment-adaptive thermal cloaks, AI-optimized metamaterials, and nonlinear thermal circuits enabling heat-based computation. Experimental milestones include 3D thermal null media with reconfigurable invisibility and thermal designs breaking classical conductivity limits. Here, this collaborative effort establishes an indispensable roadmap for physicists, highlighting pathways to quantum thermal management, entropy-controlled energy systems, and topological devices. As thermal metamaterials transition from laboratory marvels to technological cornerstones, this work provides the foundational lexicon and design principles for the coming era of intelligent thermal matter.

heat conduction control↗
DOE OSTI2019

Complex envelope Faber polynomial method for the solution of Maxwell’s equations

A complex envelope approach for the numerical solution of Maxwell’s equations based on Faber polynomial expansions is investigated. The Faber polynomial expansion used for the approximation of the exponential time propagator offers a highly accurate and efficient calculation while allowing the application of large time steps. The complex envelope approach incorporates only the envelope around a carrier frequency. This is especially beneficial when bandlimited source field distributions are investigated as it is the case for many applications from terahertz technology or photonics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2026

Laser–plasma amplification of an ultrabroadband laser pulse to 0.3 TW

Producing on-target laser intensities much greater than 10 23 W cm −2 with current laser technologies is a roadblock to accessing new regimes of physics such as strong-field quantum electrodynamics. Laser–plasma amplifiers show promise to realize these intensities by augmenting the final amplifier and compressor in traditional chirped-pulse-amplification architectures with a plasma-based amplification and compression stage that operates at a much higher damage threshold. Here we demonstrate amplification of an ultrabroadband (>60 nm) pulse in a laser–plasma Raman amplifier. We directly amplified seed intensities up to 3.7 × 10 15 W cm −2 and measured efficiencies up to 8.7%. Single-shot SPIDER measurements show a factor-of-2 reduction in the amplified pulse duration with final powers up to 0.3 TW, a 10× improvement over previous results. Final pulse durations of 64 fs are measured. Energy transfers greater than 220 mJ from the picosecond pump into the seed result in a 30× energy amplification of a 7.6 mJ seed. These results set the stage for a compact plasma afterburner based on Raman amplification that could extend the scientific capability of existing petawatt-class laser facilities to enable experiments at the intensity frontier.

Shaw, J. L. [Univ. of Rochester, NY (United States↗
DOE OSTI2020

A Quantum Analog Coprocessor for Correlated Electron Systems Simulation

Analog quantum simulation is an approach for studying physical systems that might otherwise be computationally intractable to simulate on classical high-performance computing (HPC) systems. The key idea behind analog quantum simulation is the realization of a physical system with a low-energy effective Hamiltonian that is the same as the low-energy effective Hamiltonian of some target system to be studied. Purpose-built nanoelectronic devices are a natural candidate for implementing the analog quantum simulation of strongly correlated materials that are otherwise challenging to study using classical HPC systems. However, realizing devices that are sufficiently large to study the properties of a non-trivial material system (e.g., those described by a Fermi-Hubbard model) will eventually require the fabrication, control, and measurement of at least 0(10) quantum dots, or other engineered quantum impurities. As a step toward large-scale analog or digital quantum simulation platforms based on nanoelectronic devices, we propose a new approach to analog quantum simulation that makes use of the large Hilbert space dimension of the electronic baths that are used to adjust the occupancy of one or a few engineered quantum impurities. This approach to analog quantum simulation allows us to study a wide array of quantum impurity models. We can further augment the computational power of such an approach by combining it with a classical computer to facilitate dynamical mean-field theory (DMFT) calculations. DMFT replaces the solution of a lattice impurity problem with the solution of a family of localized impurity problems with bath couplings that are adjusted to satisfy a self-consistency condition between the two models. In DMFT, the computationally challenging task is the high-accuracy solution of an instance of a quantum impurity model that is determined self-consistently in coordination with a mean-field calculation. We propose using one or a few engineered quantum impurities with adjustable couplings to baths to realize an analog quantum coprocessor that effects the solution of such a model through measurements of a physical quantum impurity, operating in coordination with a classical computer to achieve a self-consistent solution to a DMFT calculation. We focus on implementation details relevant to a number of technologies for which Sandia has design, fabrication, and measurement expertise. The primary technical advances outlined in this report concern the development of a supporting modeling capability. As with all analog quantum simulation platforms, the successful design and operation of individual devices depends critically on one's ability to predict the effective low-energy Hamiltonian governing its dynamics Our project has made this possible and lays the foundation for future experimental implementations.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2022

Radiographic Imaging and Tomography

Radiographic imaging and tomography (RadIT) come in many flavors such as X-ray imaging and tomography (IT), proton IT, neutron IT, muon IT, neutrino IT, etc. We identify five RadIT themes: Physics, Sources, Detectors, Methods, and Data Science, which are integral parts of image interpretation and three-dimensional (3D) tomographic reconstruction. Traditionally, RadIT have been driven by medicine, non-destructive testing, material sciences, and security applications. The latest thrusts of growth come from automation, machine vision, additive manufacturing and virtual reality (‘metaverse’). The five RadIT themes parallel their counterparts in optical IT. Synergies among different forms of RadIT and with optical IT motivate further advances towards multi-modal IT and quantum IT.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2023

LH CO 2 MENT Colorado Project (Final Report)

The objective of Electricore’s pre-FEED project “LH CO 2 MENT COLORADO PROJECT” is to accelerate the implementation of a 1.5 million tonnes per year (TPY), and first-of-a-kind (FOAK) at world scale, Svante VeloxoTherm™ carbon capture plant. This project represents a quantum leap to a large-scale facility that will launch Svante’s carbon capture technology into the next era of accomplishments and market acceptance. By completing the Front-End Loading (FEL) Feasibility Study Report (FEL-2) for a fit-for-purpose design at the HOLCIM cement plant, located near Florence Colorado, USA, this technology can be proven as the future of large-scale deployment for carbon capture and storage. This carbon capture plant was designed with the goal of reaching a target of near Net Zero Emissions by capturing 90% of the carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions from the HOLCIM cement plant and from the boiler which produces steam required to regenerate the adsorbent. Additionally, this project will be leveraging a renewable Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) using solar energy to acquire power at the target price of 0.04 $/kWh or less. In its current configuration CO 2 emissions from the HOLCIM cement plant is around 700 – 800 kg/ton of clinker produced. The proposed new carbon capture plant will allow a reduction of CO 2 emissions to about 100 kg/ton of clinker produced. The scope of work consists of the process design and capital & operating cost estimation (Class IV) for a total plant capacity of 4,750 TPD of pipeline grade CO 2 . The Svante VeloxoTherm™ technology is comprised of a Rotary Adsorption Machine (RAM) for intensified Thermal Swing Adsorption (TSA) using Structured Adsorbent Beds (SABs) and related Balance of Plant (BOP), including CO 2 compression. A business case (financial analysis) evaluation has been undertaken for the Owner’s management review. Recommendations on how best to proceed to the next stage of the project have been conveyed and are documented within this report. This analysis has relied on a detailed and comprehensive Project Financial Model, evaluating the Total Project IRR (after tax, unlevered, and including all forecast 45Q PTCs and 100% tax efficiency) – the project financial analysis (as opposed to standard TEA analysis) only considered a 12 year plant economic lifetime as a result of 45Q being the sole driver considered at this stage. The Total Project IRR was evaluated across a large number of potential scenarios. The evaluation demonstrated that if the 45Q PTD is increased to $85/MT for sequestration, there are a large number of feasible scenarios which demonstrate economic returns.

01 COAL, LIGNITE, AND PEAT↗