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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 1,423 records · Page 79
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2015

Compact nanomechanical plasmonic phase modulators [Ultracompact nano-mechanical plasmonic phase modulators]

Highly confined optical energy in plasmonic devices is advancing miniaturization in photonics. However, for mode sizes approaching ≈10 nm, the energy increasingly shifts into the metal, raising losses and hindering active phase modulation. Here, we propose a nanoelectromechanical phase-modulation principle exploiting the extraordinarily strong dependence of the phase velocity of metal–insulator–metal gap plasmons on dynamically variable gap size. We experimentally demonstrate a 23-μm-long non-resonant modulator having a 1.5π rad range, with 1.7 dB excess loss at 780 nm. Analysis shows that by simultaneously decreasing the gap, length and width, an ultracompact-footprint π rad phase modulator can be realized. This is achieved without incurring the extra loss expected for plasmons confined in a decreasing gap, because the increasing phase-modulation strength from a narrowing gap offsets rising propagation losses. Here, such small, high-density electrically controllable components may find applications in optical switch fabrics and reconfigurable plasmonic optics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2019

A compact tunable quadrupole lens for brighter and sharper ultra-fast electron diffraction imaging

In this article, we report our proof-of-principle design and experimental commissioning of a broadly tunable and low-cost transverse focusing lens system for MeV-energy electron beams. The lens system based on electromagnetic (EM) quadrupoles has been built as a part of the existing instrument for ultra-fast electron diffraction (UED) experiments at the Accelerator Test Facility II (ATF-II) at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL). We experimentally demonstrated the independent control of the size and divergence of the beam with the charge ranging from 1 to 13 pC. The charge density and divergence of the beam at the sample are the most important factors determining the quality of the Bragg-diffraction image (BDI). By applying the Robust Conjugate Directional Search (RCDS) algorithm for online optimization of the quadrupoles, the transverse beam size can be kept constant down to 75 µm from 1 to 13 pC. The charge density is nearly two orders of magnitude higher than the previously achieved value using a conventional solenoid. Using the BDI method we were able to extract the divergence of the beam in real-time and apply it to the emittance measurement for the first time. Our results agree well with simulations and with the traditional quadrupole scan method. The real-time divergence measurement opens the possibility of online optimization of the beam divergence (< 0.2 mrad) at the sample with the increased beam charge. This optimization is crucial for the future development of single-shot ultra-fast electron microscope (UEM). Finally, we demonstrated BDI with significant improvement, up to 3 times higher peak intensity and 2 times sharper Bragg-diffraction peaks at 13 pC. The charge is now limited by the laser power and increasing charge may improve the quality of BDI further. The capability we demonstrated here provides us with opportunities for new sciences using near-parallel, bright and ultrafast electron beams for single-shot imaging, to directly visualize the dynamics of defects and nanostructured materials, or even record molecular movie, which are impossible using present electron-beam technologies.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

An adaptive approach to machine learning for compact particle accelerators

Abstract Machine learning (ML) tools are able to learn relationships between the inputs and outputs of large complex systems directly from data. However, for time-varying systems, the predictive capabilities of ML tools degrade if the systems are no longer accurately represented by the data with which the ML models were trained. For complex systems, re-training is only possible if the changes are slow relative to the rate at which large numbers of new input-output training data can be non-invasively recorded. In this work, we present an approach to deep learning for time-varying systems that does not require re-training, but uses instead an adaptive feedback in the architecture of deep convolutional neural networks (CNN). The feedback is based only on available system output measurements and is applied in the encoded low-dimensional dense layers of the encoder-decoder CNNs. First, we develop an inverse model of a complex accelerator system to map output beam measurements to input beam distributions, while both the accelerator components and the unknown input beam distribution vary rapidly with time. We then demonstrate our method on experimental measurements of the input and output beam distributions of the HiRES ultra-fast electron diffraction (UED) beam line at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and showcase its ability for automatic tracking of the time varying photocathode quantum efficiency map. Our method can be successfully used to aid both physics and ML-based surrogate online models to provide non-invasive beam diagnostics.

97 MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTING↗
DOE OSTI2023

Highly transferable atomistic machine-learning potentials from curated and compact datasets across the periodic table

Machine learning atomistic potentials trained using density functional theory (DFT) datasets allow for the modeling of complex material properties with near-DFT accuracy while imposing a fraction of its computational cost. The curation of the DFT datasets can be extensive in size and time-consuming to train and refine. In this study, we focus on addressing these barriers by developing minimalistic and flexible datasets for many elements in the periodic table regardless of their mass, electronic configuration, and ground state lattice. These DFT datasets have on average, ~4000 different structures and 27 atoms per structure, which we found sufficient to maintain the predictive accuracy of DFT properties and notably with high transferability. We envision these highly curated training sets as starting points for the community to expand, modify, or use with other machine learning atomistic potential models, whatever may suit individual needs, further accelerating the utilization of machine learning as a tool for material design and discovery.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2011

X-ray phase contrast imaging of biological specimens with femtosecond pulses of betatron radiation from a compact laser plasma wakefield accelerator

We show that x-rays from a recently demonstrated table top source of bright, ultrafast, coherent synchrotron radiation [Kneip et al., Nat. Phys. 6, 980 (2010)] can be applied to phase contrast imaging of biological specimens. Our scheme is based on focusing a high power short pulse laser in a tenuous gas jet, setting up a plasma wakefield accelerator that accelerates and wiggles electrons analogously to a conventional synchrotron, but on the centimeter rather than tens of meter scale. We use the scheme to record absorption and phase contrast images of a tetra fish, damselfly and yellow jacket, in particular highlighting the contrast enhancement achievable with the simple propagation technique of phase contrast imaging. Coherence and ultrafast pulse duration will allow for the study of various aspects of biomechanics.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2011

Compact x-ray microradiograph for in situ imaging of solidification processes: Bringing in situ x-ray micro-imaging from the synchrotron to the laboratory

A laboratory based high resolution x-ray radiograph was developed for the investigation of solidification dynamics in alloys. It is based on a low-power microfocus x-ray tube and is potentially appropriate for x-ray diagnostics in space. The x-ray microscope offers a high spatial resolution down to approximately 5 {mu}m. Dynamic processes can be resolved with a frequency of up to 6 Hz. In reference experiments, the setup was optimized to yield a high contrast for AlCu-alloys. With samples of about 150 {mu}m thickness, high quality image sequences of the solidification process were obtained with high resolution in time and space.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Design of a compact electron cyclotron resonance ion source for medium charge state light ions

At the Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organization we are developing a new isotope ratio mass spectrometer based on the measurement of multiple charge state ions. We have carried out a review of our existing ECR ion source and identified a number of design flaws. For the new instrument, we are producing a new ECR source and have refined the design, in particular by using 3D simulations to improve the magnetic confinement field and by a combination of simulations and experiments to improve the design of the microwave coupling.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Extraction of negative hydrogen ions from a compact 14 GHz microwave ion source

A pair of permanent magnets has formed enough intensity to realize electron cyclotron resonance condition for a 14 GHz microwave in a 2 cm diameter 9 cm long alumina discharge chamber. A three-electrode extraction system assembled in a magnetic shielding has formed a stable beam of negative hydrogen ions (H{sup -}) in a direction perpendicular to the magnetic field. The measured H{sup -} current density was about 1 mA/cm{sup 2} with only 50 W of discharge power, but the beam intensity had shown saturation against further increase in microwave power. The beam current decreased monotonically against increasing pressure.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Note: Development of a compact x-ray particle image velocimetry for measuring opaque flows. II. Three-dimensional velocity field reconstruction

An x-ray particle image velocimetry (PIV) system using a cone-beam type x-ray was developed. The field of view and the spatial resolution are 36 x 24.05 mm{sup 2} and 20 {mu}m, respectively. The three-dimensional velocity field was reconstructed by adopting the least squares minimum residue and simultaneous multiplicative algebraic reconstruction techniques. According to a simulation study with synthetic images, the reconstructions were acceptable with 7 projections and 50 iterations. The reconstructed and supplied flow rates differed by only about 6.49% in experimental verification. The x-ray tomographic PIV system would be useful for 3D velocity field information of opaque flows.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2012

Compact, low power radio frequency cavity for femtosecond electron microscopy

Reported here is the design, construction, and characterization of a small, power efficient, tunable dielectric filled cavity for the creation of femtosecond electron bunches in an existing electron microscope without the mandatory use of femtosecond lasers. A 3 GHz pillbox cavity operating in the TM{sub 110} mode was specially designed for chopping the beam of a 30 keV scanning electron microscope. The dielectric material used is ZrTiO{sub 4}, chosen for the high relative permittivity ({epsilon}{sub r}= 37 at 10 GHz) and low loss tangent (tan {delta}= 2 x 10{sup -4}). This allows the cavity radius to be reduced by a factor of six, while the power consumption is reduced by an order of magnitude compared to a vacuum pillbox cavity. These features make this cavity ideal as a module for existing electron microscopes, and an alternative to femtosecond laser systems integrated with electron microscopes.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2012

Demonstration of charge breeding in a compact room temperature electron beam ion trap

For the first time, a small room-temperature electron beam ion trap (EBIT), operated with permanent magnets, was successfully used for charge breeding experiments. The relatively low magnetic field of this EBIT does not contribute to the capture of the ions; single-charged ions are only caught by the space charge potential of the electron beam. An over-barrier injection method was used to fill the EBIT's electrostatic trap with externally produced, single-charged potassium ions. Charge states as high as K{sup 19+} were reached after about a 3 s breeding time. The capture and breeding efficiencies up to 0.016(4)% for K{sup 17+} have been measured.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Spent fuel utilization in a compact traveling wave reactor

In recent years, several innovative designs of nuclear reactors are proposed. One of them is Traveling Wave Reactor (TWR). The unique characteristic of a TWR is the capability of breeding its own fuel in the reactor. The reactor is fueled by mostly depleted, natural uranium or spent nuclear fuel and a small amount of enriched uranium to initiate the fission process. Later on in the core, the reactor gradually converts the non-fissile material into the fissile in a process like a traveling wave. In this work, a TWR with spent nuclear fuel blanket was studied. Several parameters such as reactivity coefficients, delayed neutron fraction, prompt neutron generation lifetime, and fission power, were analyzed. The discharge burnup composition was also analyzed. The calculation is performed by a continuous energy Monte Carlo code McCARD.

11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
DOE OSTI2012

Materials analysis and particle probe: A compact diagnostic system for in situ analysis of plasma-facing components (invited)

The objective of the materials analysis particle probe (MAPP) in NSTX is to enable prompt and direct analysis of plasma-facing components exposed to plasma discharges. MAPP allows multiple samples to be introduced to the level of the plasma-facing surface without breaking vacuum and analyzed using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), ion-scattering and direct recoil spectroscopy, and thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS) immediately following the plasma discharge. MAPP is designed to operate as a diagnostic within the {approx}12 min NSTX minimum between-shot time window to reveal fundamental plasma-surface interactions. Initial calibration demonstrates MAPP's XPS and TDS capabilities.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2012

Compact solid-state neutral particle analyzer in current mode

Solid state neutral particle analyzer (ssNPA) arrays are operated in current mode on the DIII-D tokamak and the National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). Compared with conventional pulse-counting NPAs, current-mode operation sacrifices energy resolution to obtain economical, high-bandwidth, pitch-angle resolved measurements. With the success from a new three-channel near-vertical-view current mode ssNPA on DIII-D, the apertures on an existing array on NSTX were expanded to increase the particle influx. The sightlines of both arrays intersect heating beams, enabling both active and passive charge exchange measurements. The spatial resolution at beam intersection is typically 5 cm on both devices. Directly deposited ultra-thin foils on the detector surface block stray photons below the energy of 1 keV and also set low energy threshold about 25 keV for deuterium particle detection. Oscillations in neutral flux produced by high frequency magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) instabilities are readily detected.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗