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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 1,549 records · Page 86
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2014

Electromagnetic particle in cell modeling of the plasma focus: Current sheath formation and lift off

The shaping and formation of the current sheath takes place in the breakdown phase of a plasma focus device and critically controls the device performance. Electrostatic particle in cell codes, with magnetic effects ignored, have been used to model the breakdown phase. This Letter reports the successful development and implementation of an electromagnetic particle in cell (EMPIC) code, including magnetic effects self-consistently, to simulate the breakdown phase; from the ionization, localization and gliding discharge along the insulator to the time instant of current sheath lift off. The magnetic field was found to be appreciable from the time the current sheath came into contact with the anode with increased local current, initiating the voltage breakdown of the device as a result.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Current leakage relaxation and charge trapping in ultra-porous low-k materials

Time dependent dielectric failure has become a pivotal aspect of interconnect design as industry pursues integration of sub-22 nm process-technology nodes. Literature has provided key information about the role played by individual species such as electrons, holes, ions, and neutral impurity atoms. However, no mechanism has been shown to describe how such species interact and influence failure. Current leakage relaxation in low-k dielectrics was studied using bipolar field experiments to gain insight into how charge carrier flow becomes impeded by defects within the dielectric matrix. Leakage current decay was correlated to injection and trapping of electrons. We show that current relaxation upon inversion of the applied field can be described by the stretched exponential function. The kinetics of charge trapping events are consistent with a time-dependent reaction rate constant, k=k{sub 0}⋅(t+1){sup β−1}, where 0 < β < 1. Such dynamics have previously been observed in studies of charge trapping reactions in amorphous solids by W. H. Hamill and K. Funabashi, Phys. Rev. B 16, 5523–5527 (1977). We explain the relaxation process in charge trapping events by introducing a nonlinear charge trapping model. This model provides a description on the manner in which the transport of mobile defects affects the long-tail current relaxation processes in low-k films.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Analysis of dominant carrier recombination mechanisms depending on injection current in InGaN green light emitting diodes

Two kinds of green InGaN light emitting diodes (LEDs) have been investigated in order to understand the different slopes in logarithmic light output power-current (L-I) curves. Through the analysis of the carrier rate equation and by considering the carrier density-dependent the injection efficiency into quantum wells, the slopes of the logarithmic L-I curves can be more rigorously understood. The low current level, two as the tunneling current is initially dominant. The high current level beyond the peak of the external quantum efficiency (EQE) diminishes below one as the carrier overflow becomes dominant. In addition, the normalized carrier injection efficiency can be obtained by analyzing the slopes of the logarithmic L-I curves. The carrier injection efficiency decreases after the EQE peak of the InGaN LEDs, determined from the analysis of the slopes of the logarithmic L-I curves.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Analysis of single-event upset of magnetic tunnel junction used in spintronic circuits caused by radiation-induced current

This paper describes the possibility of a switching upset of a magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) caused by a terrestrial radiation-induced single-event-upset (SEU) current in spintronic integrated circuits. The current waveforms were simulated by using a 3-D device simulator in a basic circuit including MTJs designed using 90-nm CMOS parameters and design rules. The waveforms have a 400 -μA peak and a 200-ps elapsed time when neutron particles with a linear energy transfer value of 14 MeV cm{sup 2}/mg enter the silicon surface. The authors also found that the SEU current may cause soft errors with a probability of more than 10{sup −12} per event, which was obtained by approximate solution of the ordinary differential equation of switching probability when the intrinsic critical current (I{sub C0}) became less than 30 μA.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Current-induced electrical self-oscillations across out-of-plane threshold switches based on VO{sub 2} layers integrated in crossbars geometry

Electrically activated metal-insulator transition (MIT) in vanadium dioxide (VO{sub 2}) is widely studied from both fundamental and practical points of view. It can give valuable insights on the currently controversial phase transition mechanism in this material and, at the same time, allows the development of original MIT-based electronic devices. Electrically triggered insulator-metal transitions are demonstrated in novel out-of-plane, metal-oxide-metal type devices integrating a VO{sub 2} thin film, upon applying moderate threshold voltages. It is shown that the current-voltage characteristics of such devices present clear negative differential resistance effects supporting the onset of continuous, current-driven phase oscillations across the vanadium dioxide material. The frequencies of these self-sustained oscillations are ranging from 90 to 300 kHz and they may be tuned by adjusting the injected current. A phenomenological model of the device and its command circuit is developed, and allows to extract the analytical expressions of the oscillation frequencies and to simulate the electrical oscillatory phenomena developed across the VO{sub 2} material. Such out-of-plane devices may further contribute to the general understanding of the driving mechanism in metal-insulator transition materials and devices, a prerequisite to promising applications in high speed/high frequency networks of oscillatory or resistive memories circuits.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Effect of discharge current and deposition temperature on roughness and density of NbC films fabricated by ion beam sputtering technique

NbC films were prepared using Ion beam sputtering system at various discharges current from 0.4 amps to 1.2 amps at room temperature. Effect of temperature on NbC films were also studied by depositing NbC films at various temperatures from room temperature to 200,300,400 and 600°C. X-ray reflectivity (XRR) study shows that surface roughness of the film decreases with decrease in discharge current. The optimum lowest roughness 3.2Å having density 92% of bulk was achieved at discharge current 0.6 amps at 3.0 cm{sup 3}/min Ar gas flow. X-ray study also shows that film roughness decreases with increase in temperature of the film and after a certain temperature it increases with increase in temperature. The lowest surface roughness 2.1Å was achieved at 300°C with density 83% of bulk NbC at constant discharge current 0.6 amps.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Generation and coherent control of pure spin currents via terahertz pulses

We inspect the time and spin-dependent, inelastic tunneling in engineered semiconductor-based double quantum well driven by time-structured terahertz pulses. An essential ingredient is an embedded spin-active structure with vibrational modes that scatter the pulse driven carriers. Due to the different time scales of the charge and spin dynamics, the spin-dependent electron-vibron coupling may result in pure net spin current (with negligible charge current). Heating the vibrational site may affect the resulting spin current. Furthermore, by controlling the charge dynamics, the spin dynamics and the generated spin current can be manipulated and switched on and off coherently.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2014

Effect of current compliance and voltage sweep rate on the resistive switching of HfO{sub 2}/ITO/Invar structure as measured by conductive atomic force microscopy

The electrical characterization of HfO{sub 2}/ITO/Invar resistive switching memory structure was studied using conductive atomic force microscopy (AFM) with a semiconductor parameter analyzer, Agilent 4156C. The metal alloy Invar was used as the metal substrate to ensure good ohmic contact with the substrate holder of the AFM. A conductive Pt/Ir AFM tip was placed in direct contact with the HfO{sub 2} surface, such that it acted as the top electrode. Nanoscale current-voltage (I-V) characteristics of the HfO{sub 2}/ITO/Invar structure were measured by applying a ramp voltage through the conductive AFM tip at various current compliances and ramp voltage sweep rates. It was found that the resistance of the low resistance state (RLRS) decreased with increasing current compliance value, but resistance of high resistance state (RHRS) barely changed. However, both the RHRS and RLRS decreased as the voltage sweep rate increased. The reasons for this dependency on current compliance and voltage sweep rate are discussed.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Joint measurement of current-phase relations and transport properties of hybrid junctions using a three junctions superconducting quantum interference device

We propose a scheme to measure both the current-phase relation and differential conductance dI/dV of a superconducting junction, in the normal and the superconducting states. This is done using a dc Superconducting Quantum Interference Device with two Josephson junctions in parallel with the device under investigation and three contacts. As a demonstration, we measure the current-phase relation and dI/dV of a small Josephson junction and a carbon nanotube junction. In this latter case, in a regime where the nanotube is well conducting, we show that the non-sinusoidal current phase relation we find is consistent with the theory for a weak link, using the transmission extracted from the differential conductance in the normal state. This method holds great promise for future investigations of the current-phase relation of more exotic junctions.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Degradation and decoloration of textiles wastewater by electron beam irradiation: Effect of energy, current and absorbed dose

In this study, electron beam accelerator (EB) was used to treat textiles wastewater from Rawang Industrial Park, Selangor. The objectives were to determine effective energy, beam current and absorbed dose required for decoloration and degradation of the textiles effluent. The textiles effluent was irradiated in a batch with various energy of 1MeV to 3MeV at constant beam current of 30mA. It was observed that removal of color and COD increases with higher beam energy. The EB energy of 1MeV effectively to removed 58% color and 19% COD. For textile effluent sample irradiated at fix energy of 1MeV and 3Mev but at different beam current 10mA, 20mA and 30mA. It was observed that removal of color and COD increases with the increased of beam current at each energy. However removal of color was significantly better at 1Mev as compared to 3Mev. In the case of textiles effluent, irradiated at doses of 17, 20,25,30, 35, 100 and 200kGy using 30 kW power of EB (1Mev, 30mA), results shows removal of BOD{sub 5}, COD and color were in the range 9%-33%, 14%-38% and 43%-78% respectively.

07 ISOTOPE AND RADIATION SOURCES↗
DOE OSTI2014

Dynamic topology and flux rope evolution during non-linear tearing of 3D null point current sheets

In this work, the dynamic magnetic field within a tearing-unstable three-dimensional current sheet about a magnetic null point is described in detail. We focus on the evolution of the magnetic null points and flux ropes that are formed during the tearing process. Generally, we find that both magnetic structures are created prolifically within the layer and are non-trivially related. We examine how nulls are created and annihilated during bifurcation processes, and describe how they evolve within the current layer. The type of null bifurcation first observed is associated with the formation of pairs of flux ropes within the current layer. We also find that new nulls form within these flux ropes, both following internal reconnection and as adjacent flux ropes interact. The flux ropes exhibit a complex evolution, driven by a combination of ideal kinking and their interaction with the outflow jets from the main layer. The finite size of the unstable layer also allows us to consider the wider effects of flux rope generation. We find that the unstable current layer acts as a source of torsional magnetohydrodynamic waves and dynamic braiding of magnetic fields. The implications of these results to several areas of heliophysics are discussed.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Enhancement of current collection in epitaxial lift-off InAs/GaAs quantum dot thin film solar cell and concentrated photovoltaic study

We report the fabrication of a thin film InAs/GaAs quantum dot solar cell (QD cell) by applying epitaxial lift-off (ELO) approach to the GaAs substrate. We confirmed significant current collection enhancement (∼0.91 mA/cm{sup 2}) in the ELO-InAs QD cell within the wavelength range of 700 nm–900 nm when compared to the ELO-GaAs control cell. This is almost six times of the sub-GaAs bandgap current collection (∼0.16 mA/cm{sup 2}) from the wavelength range of 900 nm and beyond, we also confirmed the ELO induced resonance cavity effect was able to increase the solar cell efficiency by increasing both the short circuit current and open voltage. The electric field intensity of the resonance cavity formed in the ELO film between the Au back reflector and the GaAs front contact layer was analyzed in detail by finite-differential time-domain (FDTD) simulation. We found that the calculated current collection enhancement within the wavelength range of 700 nm–900 nm was strongly influenced by the size and shape of InAs QD. In addition, we performed concentrated light photovoltaic study and analyzed the effect of intermediate states on the open voltage under varied concentrated light intensity for the ELO-InAs QD cell.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Measurements of the volt-ampere characteristics and the breakdown voltages of direct-current helium and hydrogen discharges in microgaps

The discharge phenomena for micro meter gap sizes include many interesting problems from engineering and physical perspectives. In this paper, the authors deal with the experimental and theoretical results of the breakdown voltage and current-voltage characteristics of the direct-current helium and hydrogen discharges. The measurements were performed at a constant pressure of around one atmosphere, while varying the gap size between two parallel plane tungsten electrodes between 1 μm and 100 μm. From the measured breakdown voltage curves, the effective yields and the ionization coefficients were derived for both gases. Present data for the ionization coefficients correlate with the data obtained for the breakdown voltage curves measured for fixed 100 μm interelectrode separation. The current-voltage characteristics were plotted for the various gap sizes illustrating the role of the field emission effects in the microgaps. Based on the Fowler-Nordheim theory, the enhancement factors were determined. The gap spacing dependence of the field emission current can be explained by the introduction of two ideas, the first being a space charge effect by emitted electrons, and the second a change in the breakdown mechanism. Experimental results, presented here, demonstrate that Townsend phenomenology breaks down when field emission becomes the key mechanism affecting the breakdown and deforming the left hand side of the breakdown voltage curves.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

The effects of applied current on one-dimensional interdiffusion between copper and nickel in spark plasma sintering

Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is a powder metallurgy technique that employs the use of fast sintering kinetics to produce final consolidated components in a matter of minutes. In order to use blended powders in SPS to obtain fully alloyed parts, diffusion during sintering must be understood. An investigation into the effects of current on the diffusion of copper and nickel was performed using SPS. Bulk specimens were used to generate diffusion couples in SPS in alternating orientations with respect to the direction of the current. Control samples were produced using a horizontal insertion vacuum furnace. Experiments were performed at temperatures between 850°C and 1000°C for 3 h. Concentration profiles were obtained by the use of both energy-dispersive spectroscopy and a Monte Carlo simulated correction curve. Diffusion coefficients and activation energies were calculated for samples produced by SPS and annealing without current. It was shown that, at temperatures near 0.9 T{sub m}, the application of current in SPS inhibits diffusion between copper and nickel due to the re-orientation of electrons caused by the loss of ferromagnetism in nickel. Activation energy for diffusion is, however, decreased due to the temperature gradients arising from the difference in resistivity between the two species.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Current-driven spin orbit field in LaAlO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} heterostructures

We demonstrate a current tunable Rashba spin orbit interaction in LaAlO{sub 3}/SrTiO{sub 3} (LAO/STO) quasi two dimensional electron gas system. Anisotropic magnetoresistance measurements are employed to detect and understand the current-induced Rashba field. The effective Rashba field scales with the current and a value of 2.35 T is observed for a dc-current of 200 μA. The results suggest that LAO/STO heterostructures can be considered for spin orbit torque based magnetization switching.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Heat generation by electronic current in a quantum dot spin-valve

Electric-current-induced heat generation in an interacting single-level quantum dot connected to ferromagnetic leads with noncollinear magnetizations is theoretically investigated. We find that when the two leads' spin polarization rates are identical and much smaller than unit, the magnitude of the heat generation is almost monotonously enhanced as the angle between the leads' magnetic moments is varied from zero to π, while the magnitude of the electric current is continuously suppressed. Moreover, the properties of the heat generation depend on the lead's spin polarization rate in different ways when the angle is varied. If at least one of the leads' spin polarization rate approaches to unit, the spin-valve effect of the heat generation is identical to that of the electric current. Now the previously found negative differential of the heat generation disappears when the angle approaches to π. As compared to the current, the heat generation is more sensitive to the system's asymmetry when one of the electrodes is half-metallic in noncollinear configurations.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Physics of gate leakage current in N-polar InAlN/GaN heterojunction field effect transistors

A physics based model of the gate leakage current in N-polar InAlN/GaN heterojunction field effect transistors is demonstrated. The model is based on the space charge limited current flow dominated by the effects of deep traps in the InAlN surface layer. The model predicts accurately the gate-leakage measurement data of the N-polar InAlN/GaN device with InAlN cap layer. In the pinch-off state, the gate leakage current conduction through the surface of the device in the drain access region dominates the current flow through the two dimensional electron gas channel. One deep trap level and two levels of shallow traps are extracted by fitting the model results with measurement data.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2014

Transforming dielectric coated tungsten and platinum wires to gaseous state using negative nanosecond-pulsed-current in vacuum

With the help of thin dielectric coatings, corona free explosions were achieved in the region of about half a wire length (2 cm) for tungsten wires and nearly the whole wire length for platinum wires under a fast rising (46–170 A/ns) negative polarity current in vacuum. Expansion velocity of the tungsten gas was over 10 km/s. Current waveforms from exploding coated wires were similar to those from bare wires in the air including a current pause stage. Coated wires with different coating parameters had a similar joule energy deposition before voltage collapsed, but a quite different scenario in the region near the electrodes. The axial field under negative current was the main reason for the axial inhomogeneity of coated tungsten wires. Tungsten or platinum gases in the vaporized region were tightly encompassed by the dielectric coating, while gaps or probably low density gases, were observed between the coating and the edge of the dense wire core in the core-corona structure region.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗