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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 163 records · Page 9
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2019

Broadband and linear polarization metasurface carpet cloak in the visible

In the past few years, carpet cloaking has attracted interest because of its feasibility at optical frequencies and potential in stealth technologies. Metasurfaces have been proposed as a method to engineer ultra-thin carpet cloaking surfaces due to their abilities to manipulate wavefronts, polarization, and phase at subwavelength scale. However, achieving broadband carpet cloaking with a significant bandwidth is one of the key remaining challenges for metasurface designs. To date, broadband carpet cloaking based on metasurfaces has not been achieved, and operation has been limited to discrete wavelengths. In this work, we propose and numerically demonstrate a novel metasurface design for broadband carpet cloaking with linear polarization at visible wavelengths from 650 nm to 800 nm. Overall, our proposed method is a promising approach for broadband structured interfaces.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2015

Elastodynamic metasurface: Depolarization of mechanical waves and time effects

We report the concept of microstructured surfaces with inner resonance in the field of elastodynamics, so-called elastodynamic metasurfaces. Such metasurfaces allow for wavefield manipulation of mechanical waves by tuning the boundary conditions at specific frequencies. In particular, they can be used to depolarize elastic waves without introducing heterogeneities in the medium itself; the physical means to do so in homogeneous elastic media used to remain, surprisingly, an open question while depolarization is commonplace in electromagnetism. The principle relies on the anisotropic behaviour of a subwavelength array of resonators: Their subwavelength configuration confines the Bragg interferences scattered by resonators into a boundary layer. The effective behaviour of the resonating array is expressed with homogenization as an unconventional impedance, the frequency-dependence, and anisotropy of which lead to depolarization and time effects. The concept of the elastodynamic metasurface is tested experimentally and results bear testament to its efficacy and robustness. Elastodynamic metasurfaces are easily realized and analytically predictable, opening new possibilities in tomography techniques, ultrasonics, geophysics, vibration control, materials and structure design.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

Far-field speckle correlations as a function of object position for microscopically distinguishing objects hidden in a randomly scattering medium

Super-resolution optical sensing is of critical importance in science and technology and has required prior information about an imaging system or obtrusive near-field probing. Additionally, coherent imaging and sensing in heavily scattering media such as biological tissue has been challenging, and practical approaches have either been restricted to measuring the field transmission of a single point source, or to where the medium is thin. We present the concept of far-subwavelength spatial sensing with relative object motion in speckle as a means to coherently sense through heavy scatter. Experimental results demonstrate the ability to distinguish nominally identical objects with nanometer-scale translation while hidden in randomly scattering media, without the need for precise or known location and with imprecise replacement. The theory and supportive illustrations presented provide the basis for super-resolution sensing and the possibility of virtually unlimited spatial resolution, including through thick, heavily scattering media with relative motion of an object in a structured field. This work provides enabling opportunities for material inspection, security, and biological sensing.

Hastings, Ryan L. (ORCID:0009000095977807)↗
DOE OSTI2018

Super Subwavelength Guiding and Rejecting of Terahertz Spoof SPPs Enabled by Planar Plasmonic Waveguides and Notch Filters Based on Spiral-Shaped Units

In this study, we numerically simulate novel planar plasmonic waveguides and notch filters with excellent guiding and rejection of terahertz (THz) waves with super subwavelength confinement. Our design is based on spoof surface plasmon polaritons-surface plasmon polaritons with a frequency that has been tuned using patterned conductive surfaces. We find that by using patterns of periodically arranged spiral-shaped units, the dispersion characteristics can be engineered at will by tuning the parameters of the spirals. We find that the resulting plasmonic waveguides have much lower asymptotic frequencies and much tighter terahertz field confinement when compared with conventional rectangular-grooved plasmonic waveguides. We show it is possible to design a structure with lateral dimensions that are only 25% the size of the conventional spoof surface plasmon polariton waveguides but with the same asymptotic frequency. Finally, we combined this architecture with broadband couplers to design an ultrawideband low-pass filter with sharp roll-off (cut-off frequency at 1.29 THz) and low insertion loss (<;3 dB). Furthermore, by introducing double ring resonators based on spiral-shaped units, a planar plasmonic notch filter with rejection of more than 17 dB between 0.97 and 0.99 THz is demonstrated. Finally, the proposed waveguides and notch filters may have great potential applications in the promising terahertz integrated plasmonic circuits and systems.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2021

Ultrafast optical switching and power limiting in intersubband polaritonic metasurfaces

Highly nonlinear optical materials with fast third-order nonlinear optical response are crucial for the operation of all-optical photonic devices, such as switches for signal processing and computation, power limiters, and saturable absorbers. The nonlinear response of traditional optical materials is weak, thus requiring large light intensities to induce significant changes in their properties. Here we show that optical control of the coupling rate in subwavelength patch antennas coupled to intersubband transitions in multi-quantum-well semiconductor heterostructures can provide a giant third-order nonlinear response, on the order of 3.4 × <#comment/> 10 − <#comment/> 13 m 2 / V 2 , with a response time < <#comment/> 2 p s . We utilize this effect to realize intersubband polaritonic metasurfaces and demonstrate their operation as highly nonlinear saturable and reverse saturable absorbers, enabling optical power limiters and other elements for all-optical modulation and control. Our approach enables a plethora of compact, low-power, highly nonlinear devices with spectral, temporal, and structured wavefront responses tailored by design.

Mann, Sander A. (ORCID:0000000277420615)↗
NASA NTRS2019

Nanopore-Templated Silver Nanoparticle Arrays Photopolymerized in Zero-Mode Wavelengths

In situ fabrication of nanostructures within a solid-polymer electrolyte confined to subwavelength-diameter nanoapertures is a promising approach for producing nanomaterials for nanophotonic and chemical sensing applications. The solid-polymerelectrolyte can be patterned by lithographic photopolymerization of poly(ethyleneglycol) diacrylate (PEGDA)-based silver cation (Ag+)-containing polyelectrolyte. Here, we present a new method for fabricating nanopore-templated Ag nanoparticle (AgNP)arrays by in situ photopolymerization using a zero-mode waveguide (ZMW) array to simultaneously template embedded AgNPs and control the spatial distribution of the optical field used for photopolymerization. The approach starts with an array of nanopores fabricated by sequential layer-by-layer deposition and focused ion beam milling. These structures have an optically transparent bottom, allowing access of the optical radiation to the attoliter-volume ZMW region to photopolymerize a PEGDA monomer solution containing AgNPs and Ag+. The electric field intensity distribution is calculated for various ZMW optical cladding layer thicknesses using finite-element simulations, closely following the light-blocking efficiency of the optical cladding layer. The fidelity of the polyelectrolyte nanopillar pattern was optimized with respect to experimental conditions, including the presence or absence of Ag+ and AgNPs and the concentrations of PEGDA and Ag+. The self-templated approach for photo patterning high-resolution photolabile polyelectrolyte nanostructures directly within a ZMW array could lead to a new class of metamaterials formed by embedding metal nanoparticles within a dielectric in a well-defined spatial array.

Zero-mode waveguide↗
DOE OSTI2022

Computational Imaging for Intelligence in Highly Scattering Aerosols (Final Report)

Natural and man-made degraded visual environments pose major threats to national security. The random scattering and absorption of light by tiny particles suspended in the air reduces situational awareness and causes unacceptable down-time for critical systems and operations. To improve the situation, we have developed several approaches to interpret the information contained within scattered light to enhance sensing and imaging in scattering media. These approaches were tested at the Sandia National Laboratory Fog Chamber facility and with tabletop fog chambers. Computationally efficient light transport models were developed and leveraged for computational sensing. The models are based on a weak angular dependence approximation to the Boltzmann or radiative transfer equation that appears to be applicable in both the moderate and highly scattering regimes. After the new model was experimentally validated, statistical approaches for detection, localization, and imaging of objects hidden in fog were developed and demonstrated. A binary hypothesis test and the Neyman-Pearson lemma provided the highest theoretically possible probability of detection for a specified false alarm rate and signal-to-noise ratio. Maximum likelihood estimation allowed estimation of the fog optical properties as well as the position, size, and reflection coefficient of an object in fog. A computational dehazing approach was implemented to reduce the effects of scatter on images, making object features more readily discernible. We have developed, characterized, and deployed a new Tabletop Fog Chamber capable of repeatably generating multiple unique fog-analogues for optical testing in degraded visual environments. We characterized this chamber using both optical and microphysical techniques. In doing so we have explored the ability of droplet nucleation theory to describe the aerosols generated within the chamber, as well as Mie scattering theory to describe the attenuation of light by said aerosols, and correlated the aerosol microphysics to optical properties such as transmission and meteorological optical range (MOR). This chamber has proved highly valuable and has supported multiple efforts inclusive to and exclusive of this LDRD project to test optics in degraded visual environments. Circularly polarized light has been found to maintain its polarization state better than linearly polarized light when propagating through fog. This was demonstrated experimentally in both the visible and short-wave infrared (SWIR) by imaging targets made of different commercially available retroreflective films. It was found that active circularly polarized imaging can increase contrast and range compared to linearly polarized imaging. We have completed an initial investigation of the capability for machine learning methods to reduce the effects of light scattering when imaging through fog. Previously acquired experimental long-wave images were used to train an autoencoder denoising architecture. Overfitting was found to be a problem because of lack of variability in the object type in this data set. The lessons learned were used to collect a well labeled dataset with much more variability using the Tabletop Fog Chamber that will be available for future studies. We have developed several new sensing methods using speckle intensity correlations. First, the ability to image moving objects in fog was shown, establishing that our unique speckle imaging method can be implemented in dynamic scattering media. Second, the speckle decorrelation over time was found to be sensitive to fog composition, implying extensions to fog characterization. Third, the ability to distinguish macroscopically identical objects on a far-subwavelength scale was demonstrated, suggesting numerous applications ranging from nanoscale defect detection to security. Fourth, we have shown the capability to simultaneously image and localize hidden objects, allowing the speckle imaging method to be effective without prior object positional information. Finally, an interferometric effect was presented that illustrates a new approach for analyzing speckle intensity correlations that may lead to more effective ways to localize and image moving objects. All of these results represent significant developments that challenge the limits of the application of speckle imaging and open important application spaces. A theory was developed and simulations were performed to assess the potential transverse resolution benefit of relative motion in structured illumination for radar systems. Results for a simplified radar system model indicate that significant resolution benefits are possible using data from scanning a structured beam over the target, with the use of appropriate signal processing.

58 GEOSCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2018

Resonant-Plasmon-Assisted Subwavelength Ablation by a Femtosecond Oscillator

Here, we experimentally demonstrate the use of subwavelength optical nanoantennas to assist a direct nanoscale ablation using the ultralow fluence of a Ti:sapphire oscillator through the excitation of surface plasmon waves. The mechanism is attributed to nonthermal transient unbonding and electrostatic ablation, which is triggered by the surface plasmon-enhanced field electron emission and acceleration in vacuum. We show that the electron-driven ablation appears for both nanoscale metallic as well as dielectric materials. While the observed surface plasmon-enhanced local ablation may limit the applications of nanostructured surfaces in extreme nonlinear nanophotonics, it, nevertheless, also provides a method for nanomachining, manipulation, and modification of nanoscale materials. Lastly, collateral thermal damage to the antenna structure can be suitably avoided, and nonlinear conversion processes can be stabilized by a dielectric overcoating of the antenna.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

First Annual Report on Development of Microwave Resonant Cavity Transducer for Fluid Flow Sensing: Development of Sensor Performance Model of Microwave Cavity Flow Meter for Advanced Reactor High Temperature Fluids

We are investigating a microwave cavity-based transducer for in-core high-temperature fluid flow sensing in molten salt cooled reactors (MSCR) and sodium fast reactors (SFR). This sensor is a hollow metallic cylindrical cavity, which can be fabricated from stainless steel, and as such is expected to be resilient to radiation, high temperature and corrosive environment of MSCR and SFR. The principle of sensing consists of making one wall of the cylindrical cavity flexible enough so that dynamic pressure, which is proportional to fluid velocity, will cause membrane deflection. Membrane deflection causes cavity volume change, which leads to a shift in the resonant frequency. Feasibility of the sensor was initially investigated with analytical derivations and with COMSOL RF Module computer simulations of resonant frequency spectral shift due to uniform load. We also investigated the mechanical integrity of the flowmeter’s membrane through analytical modelling and COMSOL Structural Mechanics Module computer simulations. Both the analytic model and COMSOL model showed that maximum stresses on the plate, which are at the radial boundary of the plate, are three orders of magnitude smaller than the material’s yield strength and ultimate tensile strength. This indicates that the sensor is at a low risk of mechanical failure. Using results from models, we have developed an initial design for a microwave K-band sensor. A cylindrical resonator prototype was fabricated from brass for the initial tests. The external dimensions of the cavity are matched to the flange of a standard WR-42 waveguide. Microwave field is coupled into the resonant cavity through a subwavelength-size aperture. A test article was developed consisting of a piping Tee with a bulkhead WR-42 microwave waveguide installed in a leak-proof assembly. A microwave waveguide circulator was installed in the setup to suppress the effect of reflections at the cavity entrance by increasing the isolation between the input and the output port. Preliminary spectral characterization of cavity spectral response was performed with a portable PXIe chassis microwave VNA with a custom GUI. Preliminary dry tests of the transducer response were conducted with a set of calibrated weights. Transducer frequency shift was shown to be monotonically increasing with increasing pressure. The next steps will involve investigation of the transducer performance for water flow sensing.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Simons Observatory: broadband metamaterial antireflection cuttings for large-aperture alumina optics

Here we present the design, fabrication, and measured performance of metamaterial antireflection cuttings (ARCs) for large-format alumina filters operating over more than an octave of bandwidth to be deployed at the Simons Observatory (SO). The ARC consists of subwavelength features diced into the optic’s surface using a custom dicing saw with near-micrometer accuracy. The designs achieve percent-level control over reflections at angles of incidence up to 20°. The ARCs were demonstrated on four 42 cm diameter filters covering the 75 to 170 GHz band and a 50 mm diameter prototype covering the 200 to 300 GHz band. The reflection and transmission of these samples were measured using a broadband coherent source that covers frequencies from 20 GHz to 1.2 THz. These measurements demonstrate percent-level control over reflectance across the targeted pass-bands and a rapid reduction in transmission as the wavelength approaches the length scale of the metamaterial structure where scattering dominates the optical response. The latter behavior enables use of the metamaterial ARC as a scattering filter in this limit.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
DOE OSTI2015

A parity-time symmetric coherent plasmonic absorber-amplifier

Non-Hermitian parity-time (PT)-symmetric optical potentials have led to a new class of unidirectional photonic components based on the spatially symmetric and balanced inclusion of loss and gain. While most proposed and implemented PT-symmetric optical devices have wavelength-scale dimensions, no physical constraints preclude development of subwavelength PT-symmetric components. We theoretically demonstrate a nanoscale PT-symmetric, all-optical plasmonic modulator capable of phase-controlled amplification and directional absorption. The modulator consists of two deeply subwavelength channels composed of either gain or loss dielectric material, embedded in a metallic cladding. When illuminating on-resonance by two counter-propagating plane waves, the aperture's total output can be modulated by changing the phase offset between the two waves. Modulation depths are greater than 10 dB, with output power varying from less than one half of the incident power to more than six times amplification. Off-resonance, the aperture possesses strong phase-controlled directionality with the output from one side varying from perfect absorption to strong scattering and transmission. The device design provides a platform for nanoscale all-optical modulators with gain while potentially enabling coherent perfect absorption and lasing in a single, compact structure.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2018

Lamb Wave Focusing Transducer for Efficient Coupling to Wavelength-Scale Structures in Thin Piezoelectric Films

This study describes the theoretical and experimental investigation of interdigitated transducers (IDTs) capable of producing focused acoustical beams in thin film piezo-electric materials. A mathematical formalism describing focused acoustical beams, Lamb beams, is presented and related to their optical counterparts in two- and three-dimensions. A novel Fourier domain transducer design methodology was developed and utilized to produce near diffraction limited focused beams with in a thin film AlN membrane. The properties of the acoustic beam formed by the transducer were studied by means of Doppler vibrometry implemented with a scanning confocal balanced homodyne interferometer. Fourier domain modal analysis confirmed that 85% of the acoustical power was delivered to the targeted focused beam which was constituted from the lowest order symmetric mode, while 2% was delivered unintentionally to the beam formed from the anti-symmetric mode, and the remaining power was isotropically scattered. The transmission properties of the acoustic beams as they interact with devices with wavelength scale features were also studied, demonstrating minimal insertion loss for devices in which a subwavelength, pinhole apertures was included.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2025

Carrier-Envelope Phase Control in Terahertz Pulse Generation Using InAs Ribbon Metasurfaces

Generation of broadband terahertz (THz) pulses with variable polarization and carrier-envelope phase can enable the tailoring of THz beam wavefronts for advanced applications in THz imaging and spectroscopy and for strong THz field optics. While metasurfaces composed of deeply subwavelength THz emitters have recently been demonstrated to define the polarization and spatial profile of the generated THz fields, precise phase control or synthesis of THz pulse waveforms remains a challenging problem. Here, we propose and demonstrate metasurfaces composed of indium arsenide (InAs) nanoscale ribbon arrays capable of generating THz pulses with variable carrier-envelope phase. We show that different THz generation mechanisms, each contributing distinct phases, can be activated in the ribbons, enabling carrier-envelope phase control spanning a range of π over a wide band of frequencies (∼1–3 THz). This is achieved solely through the ribbon array geometry using linearly polarized optical excitation of the ribbons. The arrays enable precise control of the THz phase and amplitude, opening the door to advanced structured THz wavefront synthesis using ultrathin dielectric metasurfaces.

carrier-envelope phase↗
DOE OSTI2014

Nondestructive millimeter wave imaging and spectroscopy using dielectric focusing probes

A tool for interrogating objects over a wide band of frequencies with subwavelength resolution at small standoff distances (near field region) in the transmission mode using a single source and detector measurement setup in the millimeter wave band is presented. The design utilizes optics like principles for guiding electromagnetic millimeter waves from large cross-sectional areas to considerably smaller sub-wavelength areas. While plano-convex lenses can be used to focus waves to a fine resolution, they usually require a large stand-off distance thus resulting in alignment and spacing issues. The design procedure and simulation analysis of the focusing probes are presented in this study along with experimental verification of performance and imaging and spectroscopy examples. Nondestructive evaluation will find benefit from such an apparatus including biological tissue imaging, electronic package integrity testing, composite dielectric structure evaluation for defects and microfluidic sensing.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2023

Nanoscale reshaping of resonant dielectric microstructures by light-driven explosions

Femtosecond-laser-assisted material restructuring employs extreme optical intensities to localize the ablation regions. To overcome the minimum feature size limit set by the wave nature of photons, there is a need for new approaches to tailored material processing at the nanoscale. Here, we report the formation of deeply-subwavelength features in silicon, enabled by localized laser-induced phase explosions in prefabricated silicon resonators. Using short trains of mid-infrared laser pulses, we demonstrate the controllable formation of high aspect ratio (>10:1) nanotrenches as narrow as ~ $λ / 80$. The trench geometry is shown to be scalable with wavelength, and controlled by multiple parameters of the laser pulse train, such as the intensity and polarization of each laser pulse and their total number. Particle-in-cell simulations reveal localized heating of silicon beyond its boiling point and suggest its subsequent phase explosion on the nanoscale commensurate with the experimental data. The observed femtosecond-laser assisted nanostructuring of engineered microstructures (FLANEM) expands the nanofabrication toolbox and opens exciting opportunities for high-throughput optical methods of nanoscale structuring of solid materials.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2015

Photoconductive terahertz near-field detector with a hybrid nanoantenna array cavity

Nanoscale structuring of optical materials leads to modification of their properties and can be used for improving efficiencies of photonic devices and for enabling new functionalities. In ultrafast optoelectronic switches for generation and detection of terahertz (THz) radiation, incorporation of nanostructures allows us to overcome inherent limitations of photoconductive materials. We propose and demonstrate a nanostructured photoconductive THz detector for sampling highly localized THz fields, down to the level of λ/150. The nanostructure that consists of an array of optical nanoantennas and a distributed Bragg reflector forms a hybrid cavity, which traps optical gate pulses within the photoconductive layer. The effect of photon trapping is observed as enhanced absorption at a designed wavelength. This optically thin photoconductive THz detector allows us to detect highly confined evanescent THz fields coupled through a deeply subwavelength aperture as small as 2 μm (λ/150 at 1 THz). As a result, by monolithically integrating the THz detector with apertures ranging from 2 to 5 μm we realize higher spatial resolution and higher sensitivity in aperture-type THz near-field microscopy and THz time-domain spectroscopy.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2019

Mie-Resonant Membrane Huygens' Metasurfaces

All-dielectric metasurfaces have become a new paradigm for flat optics as they allow flexible engineering of the electromagnetic space of propagating waves. Such metasurfaces are usually composed of individual subwavelength elements embedded into a host medium or placed on a substrate, which often diminishes the quality of the resonances. The substrate imposes limitations on the metasurface functionalities, especially for infrared and terahertz frequencies. Here a novel concept of membrane Huygens' metasurfaces is introduced. The metasurfaces feature an inverted design, and they consist of arrays of holes made in a thin membrane of high-index dielectric material, with the response governed by the electric and magnetic Mie resonances excited within dielectric domains of the membrane. Highly efficient transmission combined with the 2π phase coverage in the freestanding membranes is demonstrated. Several functional metadevices for wavefront control are designed, including beam deflector, a lens, and an axicon. Lastly, such membrane metasurfaces provide novel opportunities for efficient large-area metadevices, whose advanced functionality is defined by structuring rather than by chemical composition.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗