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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 OSTI2018

A metasurface optical modulator using voltage-controlled population of quantum well states

We present that the ability to control the light-matter interaction with an external stimulus is a very active area of research since it creates exciting new opportunities for designing optoelectronic devices. Recently, plasmonic metasurfaces have proven to be suitable candidates for achieving a strong light-matter interaction with various types of optical transitions, including intersubband transitions (ISTs) in semiconductor quantum wells (QWs). For voltage modulation of the light-matter interaction, plasmonic metasurfaces coupled to ISTs offer unique advantages since the parameters determining the strength of the interaction can be independently engineered. In this work, we report a proof-of-concept demonstration of a new approach to voltage-tune the coupling between ISTs in QWs and a plasmonic metasurface. In contrast to previous approaches, the IST strength is here modified via control of the electron populations in QWs located in the near field of the metasurface. By turning on and off the ISTs in the semiconductor QWs, we observe a modulation of the optical response of the IST coupled metasurface due to modulation of the coupled light-matter states. Because of the electrostatic design, our device exhibits an extremely low leakage current of ~6 pA at a maximum operating bias of +1 V and therefore very low power dissipation. Finally, our approach provides a new direction for designing voltage-tunable metasurface-based optical modulators.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2024

Visibility-enhanced model-free deep reinforcement learning algorithm for voltage control in realistic distribution systems using smart inverters

Increasing integration of distributed solar photovoltaic (PV) into distribution networks could result in adverse effects on grid operation. Traditional model-based control algorithms require accurate model information that is difficult to acquire and thus are challenging to implement in practice. Here, this paper proposes a surrogate model-enabled grid visibility scheme to empower deep reinforcement learning (DRL) approach for distribution network voltage regulation using PV inverters with minimal system knowledge. In contrast to existing DRL methods, this paper presents and corroborates the adverse impact of missing load information on DRL performance and, based on this finding, proposes a surrogate model methodology to impute load information utilizing observable data. Additionally, a multi-fidelity neural network is utilized to construct the DRL training environment, chosen for its efficient data utilization and enhanced robustness to data uncertainty. The feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed algorithm are assessed by considering DRL testing across varying degrees of observable load information and diverse training environments on a realistic power system.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2014

Voltage-controlled inversion of tunnel magnetoresistance in epitaxial nickel/graphene/MgO/cobalt junctions

We report on the fabrication and characterization of vertical spin-valve structures using a thick epitaxial MgO barrier as spacer layer and a graphene-passivated Ni film as bottom ferromagnetic electrode. The devices show robust and scalable tunnel magnetoresistance, with several changes of sign upon varying the applied bias voltage. These findings are explained by a model of phonon-assisted transport mechanisms that relies on the peculiarity of the band structure and spin density of states at the hybrid graphene|Ni interface.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Improving Cycling Performance of Anode-Free Lithium Batteries by Pressure and Voltage Control

The anode-free lithium (Li) batteries (AFLBs) have great potential to provide higher energy density than most other batteries. However, the performance of AFLBs is very sensitive to pressure and other operating parameters, especially for coin cells widely used in AFLB investigations. Therefore, optimizing cell assembly parameters and test protocol is critical to get reliable and comparable results in this field. In this work, the operating voltage range of AFLBs using a localized high concentration electrolyte has been optimized. The morphology of the deposited Li in AFLBs is much more indicting to the pressure than other type of batteries due to the absence of anode active material (i.e. Li) as a pressure cushion layer in the as prepared cells. With an optimized cycling protocol, a thin layer of uniform nucleation sites can be formed in the initial cycle which will facilitate smooth Li desposition/stripping in the subsequent cycles of AFLBs. The solid electrolyte interphase layer formed under optimized pressure and uniform pressure distribution exhibits a good mechanical stability even after long-term cycling. In conclusion, with an optimized cell configuration, the internal pressure in the coin cells has been optimized to improve the cycling performance of AFLBs (Cu||NMC811) with 72% of capacity retention in 100 cycles.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Voltage-controllable generator of pure spin current: A three-terminal model

Three-terminal devices have been frequently proposed to generate the pure spin current. However, the controllability and stability of pure spin current still needs to be improved. In this paper, a three-terminal device, composed of a ferromagnetic metallic lead and two nonmagnetic semiconductor leads coupled with a quantum dot, is employed to study the properties of electron spin transport. The results show that when the external voltage on one of nonmagnetic semiconductor leads is adjusted to a proper range, a pure spin current plateau or a fully spin-polarized current plateau appears in another nonmagnetic semiconductor lead. In a wide range of external voltage, the pure spin current or the spin-polarized current is kept unchanged. Since the change of temperature may considerably influence the spin-polarization of current and is inevitable actually, we studied the corresponding compensation to keep the pure spin current unchanged. Furthermore, the effect of device parameters on the pure spin current is also investigated.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

Imaging of voltage-controlled switching of magnetization in highly magnetostrictive epitaxial Fe–Ga microstructures

The magnetoelectric behavior of epitaxial Fe–Ga microstructures on top of a (001)-oriented PMN–PT piezoelectric substrate is imaged with magnetic X-ray microscopy. Additionally, the micron-scale strain distribution in PMN–PT is characterized by X-ray microdiffraction and examined with respect to the results of the Fe–Ga magnetoelectric switching. The magnetic reorientation of Fe–Ga is found to be strongly correlated with size, shape, and crystallographic orientation of the microstructures. In the case of square-shaped structures, size dictates the influence of the strain distribution on both the initialization of the ground state and on the magnetic reorientation during application of voltage. On the other hand, elliptical microstructures demonstrate completely different magnetic responses depending on the relative orientation of their long axis with respect to the crystallographic directions of the PMN–PT. This study demonstrates that engineering the behavior of highly magnetostrictive epitaxial microdevices is possible. It further elucidates that voltage-induced actuation can be largely tuned to achieve the desired type of magnetic switching ranging from vortex circulation reversal, domain wall motion, to a large rotation of magnetization. Because of the outstanding properties of the investigated material system, the reported findings are expected to be of great interest for the realization of next-generation energy-efficient magnetic memory and logic devices.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2013

Oxygen vacancies and ordering of d-levels control voltage suppression in oxide cathodes: the case of spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4-δ

Spinel Li-Mn rich oxides form one of the most promising classes of high voltage cathode materials for next generation Li-ion batteries for electric vehicle applications. Our simulations for spinel LiNi0.5Mn1.5O4 (LNMO) show that neutral oxygen vacancies promote formation of Ni-rich regions, which are negatively charged with respect to the lattice. This makes the electrons associated with these vacancies to localize on Mn3+ eg states of two types: shallow states in the Ni-rich regions and deep states in the Ni-poor regions. The positive electrostatic potential produced by the oxygen vacancies and the existence of the shallow and deep Mn3+ states result in appearance of the low-voltage region at high Li content and high-voltage region at low Li content. This is consistent with characteristic changes in the voltage capacity curves observed experimentally during electrochemical cycling. We propose that doping LNMO with judiciously selected cations can help to remedy voltage suppression effects. This approach may also be used to enhance the electrochemical stability of Li-Mn rich oxides, which tend to experience continuous voltage fade.

Sushko, Petr V.↗
DOE OSTI2018

Voltage-Controlled Bistable Thermal Conductivity in Suspended Ferroelectric Thin-Film Membranes

Ferroelastic domain walls in ferroelectric materials possess two properties that are known to affect phonon transport: a change in crystallographic orientation and a lattice strain. Changing populations and spacing of nanoscale-spaced ferroelastic domain walls lead to the manipulation of phonon-scattering rates, enabling the control of thermal conduction at ambient temperatures. In the present work, lead zirconate titanate (PZT) thin-film membrane structures were fabricated to reduce mechanical clamping to the substrate and enable a subsequent increase in the ferroelastic domain wall mobility. Under application of an electric field, the thermal conductivity of PZT increases abruptly at ~100 kV/cm by ~13% owing to a reduction in the number of phonon-scattering domain walls in the thermal conduction path. The thermal conductivity modulation is rapid, repeatable, and discrete, resulting in a bistable state or a “digital” modulation scheme. The modulation of thermal conductivity due to changes in domain wall configuration is supported by polarization-field, mechanical stiffness, and in situ microdiffraction experiments. In conclusion, this work opens a path toward a new means to control phonons and phonon-mediated energy in a digital manner at room temperature using only an electric field.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2014

Voltage controlled biaxial strain in VO{sub 2} films grown on 0.72Pb(Mg{sub 1∕3}Nb{sub 2∕3})-0.28PbTiO{sub 3} crystals and its effect on the transition temperature

Vanadium oxide thin films (VO{sub 2}) were deposited on 0.72Pb(Mg{sub 1∕3}Nb{sub 2∕3})-0.28PbTiO{sub 3} (PMN-PT) crystalline substrates using pulsed laser deposition method. Due to their huge piezoelectric coefficients in the order of 2500 pm/V, the PMN-PT substrates are used to impose additional amount of biaxial strain to the VO{sub 2} films by applying an external bias to the substrates. The influence of the biaxial strain on the transition temperature and on the conductive properties of the VO{sub 2} films is investigated in this work. Thus, a change in the biaxial strain of −0.8 × 10{sup −3} applied in the (110) plane of the rutile cell of the VO{sub 2} lowered the metal-to-insulator transition temperature by 1.35 °C.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2016

Voltage-controlled low-energy switching of nanomagnets through Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida interactions for magnetoelectric device applications

In this article, we consider through simulation low-energy switching of nanomagnets via electrostatically gated inter-magnet Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida (RKKY) interactions on the surface of three-dimensional topological insulators, for possible memory and nonvolatile logic applications. We model the possibility and dynamics of RKKY-based switching of one nanomagnet by coupling to one or more nanomagnets of set orientation. Potential applications to both memory and nonvolatile logic are illustrated. Sub-attojoule switching energies, far below conventional spin transfer torque (STT)-based memories and even below CMOS logic appear possible. Switching times on the order of a few nanoseconds, comparable to times for STT switching, are estimated for ferromagnetic nanomagnets, but the approach also appears compatible with the use of antiferromagnets which may allow for faster switching.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗