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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 1,495 records · Page 83
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2017

Jitter-correction for IR/UV-XUV pump-probe experiments at the FLASH free-electron laser

In pump-probe experiments employing a free-electron laser (FEL) in combination with a synchronized optical femtosecond laser, the arrival-time jitter between the FEL pulse and the optical laser pulse often severely limits the temporal resolution that can be achieved. Here, we present a pump-probe experiment on the UV-induced dissociation of 2,6-difluoroiodobenzene C 6 H 3 F 2 I) molecules performed at the FLASH FEL that takes advantage of recent upgrades of the FLASH timing and synchronization system to obtain high-quality data that are not limited by the FEL arrival-time jitter. Here, we discuss in detail the necessary data analysis steps and describe the origin of the time-dependent effects in the yields and kinetic energies of the fragment ions that we observe in the experiment.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Science with the space-based interferometer eLISA. III: probing the expansion of the universe using gravitational wave standard sirens

We investigate the capability of various configurations of the space interferometer eLISA to probe the late-time background expansion of the universe using gravitational wave standard sirens. We simulate catalogues of standard sirens composed by massive black hole binaries whose gravitational radiation is detectable by eLISA, and which are likely to produce an electromagnetic counterpart observable by future surveys. The main issue for the identification of a counterpart resides in the capability of obtaining an accurate enough sky localisation with eLISA. This seriously challenges the capability of four-link (2 arm) configurations to successfully constrain the cosmological parameters. Conversely, six-link (3 arm) configurations have the potential to provide a test of the expansion of the universe up to z ∼ 8 which is complementary to other cosmological probes based on electromagnetic observations only. In particular, in the most favourable scenarios, they can provide a significant constraint on H{sub 0} at the level of 0.5%. Furthermore, (Ω{sub M}, Ω{sub Λ}) can be constrained to a level competitive with present SNIa results. On the other hand, the lack of massive black hole binary standard sirens at low redshift allows to constrain dark energy only at the level of few percent.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2016

Intervalley energy of GaN conduction band measured by femtosecond pump-probe spectroscopy

Time-resolved transmission and reflection measurements were performed for bulk GaN at room temperature to evaluate the energy of the first conduction band satellite valley. From this, the measurements showed clear threshold-like spectra for transmission decay and reflection rise times. The thresholds were associated with the onset of the intervalley electron scattering. Transmission measurements with pump and probe pulses in the near infrared produced an intervalley energy of 0.97 ± 0.02 eV. Ultraviolet pump and infrared probe reflection provided a similar value. Comparison of the threshold energies obtained in these experiments allowed estimating the hole effective mass in the upper valence band to be 1.4m 0 .Modeling of the reflection transients with rate equations has allowed estimating electron–LO (longitudinal optical) phonon scattering rates and the satellite valley effective mass.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Ultrafast Adsorbate Excitation Probed with Subpicosecond-Resolution X-Ray Absorption Spectroscopy

We use a pump-probe scheme to measure the time evolution of the C K-edge x-ray absorption spectrum from CO/Ru(0001) after excitation by an ultrashort high-intensity optical laser pulse. Because of the short duration of the x-ray probe pulse and precise control of the pulse delay, the excitation-induced dynamics during the first picosecond after the pump can be resolved with unprecedented time resolution. By comparing with density functional theory spectrum calculations, we find high excitation of the internal stretch and frustrated rotation modes occurring within 200 fs of laser excitation, as well as thermalization of the system in the picosecond regime. The ~100 fs initial excitation of these CO vibrational modes is not readily rationalized by traditional theories of nonadiabatic coupling of adsorbates to metal surfaces, e.g., electronic frictions based on first order electron-phonon coupling or transient population of adsorbate resonances. Finally, we suggest that coupling of the adsorbate to nonthermalized electron-hole pairs is responsible for the ultrafast initial excitation of the modes.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Optical tuning of the diamond Fermi level measured by correlated scanning probe microscopy and quantum defect spectroscopy

Quantum technologies based on quantum point defects in crystals require control over the defect charge state. Here we tune the charge state of shallow nitrogen-vacancy and silicon-vacancy centers by locally oxidizing a hydrogenated surface with moderate optical excitation and simultaneous spectral monitoring. The loss of conductivity and change in work function due to oxidation are measured in atmosphere using conductive atomic force microscopy and Kelvin probe force microscopy (KPFM). We correlate these scanning probe measurements with optical spectroscopy of the nitrogen-vacancy and silicon-vacancy centers created via implantation 15–25 nm beneath the diamond surface and annealing. The observed charge state of the defects as a function of optical exposure demonstrates that laser oxidation provides a way to precisely tune the Fermi level over a range of at least 2.00 eV. We also observe a significantly larger oxidation rate for implanted surfaces compared to unimplanted surfaces under ambient conditions. Here, combined with knowledge of the electron affinity of a surface, these results suggest KPFM is a powerful, high-spatial-resolution technique to advance surface Fermi level engineering for charge stabilization of quantum defects.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2020

Cathode Electrolyte Diagnostics Based on Scanning Probe Microscopy

Various processes lead to degradation of cathodes in lithium-ion batteries. Questions remain regarding mechanisms of many of these processes. Probe microscopy methods including scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) are capable of directly probing processes at the cathode/electrolyte interface. SECM uses a small electrode to perform rapid electrochemical analysis of transient species generated at an active cathode/electrolyte interface. This paper discusses the background of the SECM instrument and its application to lithium-ion battery research. We also describe the application of SECM methods to the study of cathode degradation processes observed in lithium-ion batteries. Specifically, we focus on characterizing the dissolution of manganese from LiMn2O4 (LMO) based on recent debate in the literature. We describe experiments to observe and characterize the electrochemical properties of manganese complexes emerging from degrading LMO electrode materials.

cathode/electrolyte interface↗
DOE OSTI2018

Microbial rRNA Synthesis and Growth Compared through Quantitative Stable Isotope Probing with H 2 18 O

Growing bacteria have a high concentration of ribosomes to ensure sufficient protein synthesis, which is necessary for genome replication and cellular division. To elucidate whether metabolic activity of soil microorganisms is coupled with growth, we investigated the relationship between rRNA and DNA synthesis in a soil bacterial community using quantitative stable isotope probing (qSIP) with H 2 18 O. Most soil bacterial taxa were metabolically active and grew, and there was no significant difference between the isotopic composition of DNA and RNA extracted from soil incubated with H 2 18 O. The positive correlation between 18 O content of DNA and rRNA of taxa, with a slope statistically indistinguishable from 1 (slope = 0.96; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.90 to 1.02), indicated that few taxa made new rRNA without synthesizing new DNA. There was no correlation between rRNA-to-DNA ratios obtained from sequencing libraries and the atom percent excess (APE) 18 O values of DNA or rRNA, suggesting that the ratio of rRNA to DNA is a poor indicator of microbial growth or rRNA synthesis. Our results support the notion that metabolic activity is strongly coupled to cellular division and suggest that nondividing taxa do not dominate soil metabolic activity. IMPORTANCE: Utilizing quantitative stable isotope probing of microbial RNA and DNA with H 2 18 O, we show that most soil taxa are metabolically active and grow because their nucleic acids are significantly labeled with 18 O. A majority of the populations that make new rRNA also grow, which argues against the common paradigm that most soil taxa are dormant. Moreover, our results indicate that relative sequence abundance-based RNA-to-DNA ratios, which are frequently used for identifying active microbial populations in the environment, underestimate the number of metabolically active taxa within soil microbial communities.

environmental microbiology↗
DOE OSTI2023

A standardized quantitative analysis strategy for stable isotope probing metagenomics

ABSTRACT Stable isotope probing (SIP) facilitates culture-independent identification of active microbial populations within complex ecosystems through isotopic enrichment of nucleic acids. Many DNA-SIP studies rely on 16S rRNA gene sequences to identify active taxa, but connecting these sequences to specific bacterial genomes is often challenging. Here, we describe a standardized laboratory and analysis framework to quantify isotopic enrichment on a per-genome basis using shotgun metagenomics instead of 16S rRNA gene sequencing. To develop this framework, we explored various sample processing and analysis approaches using a designed microbiome where the identity of labeled genomes and their level of isotopic enrichment were experimentally controlled. With this ground truth dataset, we empirically assessed the accuracy of different analytical models for identifying active taxa and examined how sequencing depth impacts the detection of isotopically labeled genomes. We also demonstrate that using synthetic DNA internal standards to measure absolute genome abundances in SIP density fractions improves estimates of isotopic enrichment. In addition, our study illustrates the utility of internal standards to reveal anomalies in sample handling that could negatively impact SIP metagenomic analyses if left undetected. Finally, we present SIPmg , an R package to facilitate the estimation of absolute abundances and perform statistical analyses for identifying labeled genomes within SIP metagenomic data. This experimentally validated analysis framework strengthens the foundation of DNA-SIP metagenomics as a tool for accurately measuring the in situ activity of environmental microbial populations and assessing their genomic potential. IMPORTANCE Answering the questions, “who is eating what?” and “who is active?” within complex microbial communities is paramount for our ability to model, predict, and modulate microbiomes for improved human and planetary health. These questions can be pursued using stable isotope probing to track the incorporation of labeled compounds into cellular DNA during microbial growth. However, with traditional stable isotope methods, it is challenging to establish links between an active microorganism’s taxonomic identity and genome composition while providing quantitative estimates of the microorganism’s isotope incorporation rate. Here, we report an experimental and analytical workflow that lays the foundation for improved detection of metabolically active microorganisms and better quantitative estimates of genome-resolved isotope incorporation, which can be used to further refine ecosystem-scale models for carbon and nutrient fluxes within microbiomes.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2017

Efficiency of Tungsten Dust Collection of Different Types of Dust Particles by Electrostatic Probe

Formation of dust particles and clusters is observed in almost every modern thermonuclear facility. Accumulation of dust in the next generation thermonuclear installations can dramatically affect the plasma parameters and lead to the accumulation of unacceptably large amounts of tritium. Experiments on collection of dust particles by a model of electrostatic probe developed for collection of metallic dust at ITER are described in the article. Experiments on the generation of tungsten dust consisting of flakes formed during the destruction of tungsten layers formed on the walls of the plasma chamber sputtered from the surface of the tungsten target by plasma ions were conducted. The nature of dust degassing at elevated temperatures and the behavior of dust in an electric field were studied. The results obtained are compared with the results of the experiments with dust consisting of crystal particles of simple geometric shapes. The effectiveness of collection of both types of dust using the model of an electrostatic probe is determined.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2016

Spectroscopic and probe measurements of the electron temperature in the plasma of a pulse-periodic microwave discharge in argon

A pulse-periodic 2.45-GHz electron-cyclotron resonance plasma source on the basis of a permanent- magnet mirror trap has been constructed and tested. Variations in the discharge parameters and the electron temperature of argon plasma have been investigated in the argon pressure range of 1 × 10{sup –4} to 4 × 10{sup –3} Torr at a net pulsed input microwave power of up to 600 W. The plasma electron temperature in the above ranges of gas pressures and input powers has been measured by a Langmuir probe and determined using optical emission spectroscopy (OES) from the intensity ratios of spectral lines. The OES results agree qualitatively and quantitatively with the data obtained using the double probe.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2016

Self-synchronization of the modulation of energy-levels population with electrons in GaAs induced by picosecond pulses of probe radiation and intrinsic stimulated emission

Picosecond optical pumping leads to the initiation of intrinsic picosecond stimulated emission in GaAs. As was established previously, due to the interaction of pulses of probe radiation with those of intrinsic emission, the dependence of the absorption α of the probe pulse on its delay τ with respect to the pump pulse is modulated with oscillations. It is found that the oscillatory dependences α(τ) have a similar shape only in the case of certain combinations of energies of the interacting pulses. As a result, it is assumed that the above interaction is, in fact, a synchronization of modulations (formed by pulses) of charge-carrier populations at energy levels; this synchronization occurs in the direction of the reconstruction of detailed equilibrium. The real-time picosecond self-modulation of the absorption α is measured for the first time. The characteristics of this self-modulation as well as absorption α and intrinsic emission self-modulation characteristics measured previously by correlation methods are now accounted for by the concept of synchronization.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

Reversible electrochemical modification of the surface of a semiconductor by an atomic-force microscope probe

A technique for reversible surface modification with an atomic-force-microscope (AFM) probe is suggested. In this method, no significant mechanical or topographic changes occur upon a local variation in the surface potential of a sample under the AFM probe. The method allows a controlled relative change in the ohmic resistance of a channel in a Hall bridge within the range 20–25%.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2017

New Possibilities of Probe Detection of Anisotropic Charged-Particle Distribution Functions in an Arbitrary-Symmetry Plasma

We have analyzed the precision and systematic errors of the familiar method of a plane single-ended probe for measuring the anisotropic distribution functions for electrons and ions in plasma. Analytic relations that connect the plasma parameters and the required number of terms in a series are obtained under the conditions when anisotropy is due to the presence of an electric field in the plasma. It has been shown that ten terms of the series are usually sufficient to adequately describe the ion distribution function, except for the case of strong fields. For strongly anisotropic charged particle distribution functions, the spline interpolation technique for experimental data is proposed and tested, which substantially reduces the systematic error for a preset number of terms in the series. It has been shown for abundant actual plasma objects with the mirror symmetry that the number of required orientations of a plane probe for the experimental distribution function can be reduced by half compared to the most general case of the absence of any symmetry for a fixed number of terms in the Legendre series, while for the same number of orientations, the number of terms in the series, which are determined from these measurements, doubled accordingly.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2018

Simulation of Properties of Images with Atomic Resolution in a Scanning Probe Microscope

A method for simulation of images in a scanning probe microscope (SPM) using simultaneous wavelet transform and median filtering is proposed. The wavelet transform with the fourth-order Daubechies kernel is used. Such a transform makes it possible to select details of different scales in the SPM image and, hence, study fractal properties of surfaces. Simulation is used to show that ultrahigh (atomic) resolution is possible in SPM provided that the size of the contact region in the probe–sample system is significantly greater than atomic size and the lattice atoms are randomly distributed. Contrast inversion in the SPM images in the multiscan mode is interpreted.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2019

Simulation of the Interaction of a Magnetic Resonance Force Microscope Probe with a Ferromagnetic Sample

We propose an algorithm and present results of micromagnetic simulation of the resonant response of a probe pickup (cantilever) of a magnetic resonance force microscope. Simulation of induced oscillations of sample magnetization makes it possible to calculate the varying component of the force exerted on the probe by the sample and to construct spectra in the form of dependences of the amplitude of oscillations of the cantilever on the external magnetic field strength. Simulation of time dependences of all magnetization field components makes it possible to analyze the spatial distributions of spin-wave resonances of samples. For test objects in the form of rectangular permalloy microstrips, good agreement between model and experimental spectra is achieved.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2018

A New Limitation of the Depth Resolution in TOF-SIMS Elemental Profiling: the Influence of a Probing Ion Beam

New data concerning the influence of a probing beam of bismuth ions on the depth resolution in elemental depth profiling by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) have been obtained on a TOF.SIMS-5 system using the principle of two separate ion beams. It is established that the existing criterion of nondestructive character of the probing beam, on which this principle is based, is insufficient. Additional processes must be taken into account so as to formulate a more adequate criterion. A regime of depth profiling is proposed that allows the depth resolution to be improved at low energies of sputtering ions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2019

Perspectives on deterministic control of quantum point defects by scanned probes

Control over individual point defects in solid-state systems is becoming increasingly important, not only for current semiconductor industries but also for next generation quantum information science and technologies. To realize the potential of these defects for scalable and high-performance quantum applications, precise placement of defects and defect clusters at the nanoscale is required, along with improved control over the nanoscale local environment to minimize decoherence. These requirements are met using scanned probe microscopy in silicon and III-V semiconductors, which suggests the extension to hosts for quantum point defects such as diamond, silicon carbide, and hexagonal boron nitride is feasible. Here we provide a perspective on the principal challenges toward this end, and new opportunities afforded by the integration of scanned probes with optical and magnetic resonance techniques.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Development of Automated Atom Probe Tomography capability to study the influence of applied voltage and laser power on the final apparent composition of the analyzed specimen

This study presents the development and implementation of an autonomous Bayesian optimization (BO) framework for controlling and optimizing experimental parameters in Atom Probe Tomography (APT). Using commercial silicon needle samples as a benchmark system, we demonstrate that BO can efficiently navigate the complex parameter space of voltage and laser power to achieve target charge state ratios (specifically Si + /(Si + +Si 2+ )) with minimal experimental evaluations. Our implementation integrates Gaussian Process modeling with the CAMECA atom probe control framework, enabling autonomous adjustment of experimental conditions in real-time. Results show that the algorithm successfully converges to target ratios under different scenarios: maintaining a reference ratio, increasing the ratio (favoring Si 1+ ), and decreasing the ratio (favoring Si 2+ ). The system adapts to specimen evolution during analysis, compensating for changes in apex geometry while maintaining optimization targets. This work establishes a proof of concept for AI-driven optimization in APT, addressing the traditional challenges of manual parameter tuning and paving the way for applications to more complex materials where compositional accuracy is critical.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗