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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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All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Broadband Solenoidal Haloscope for Terahertz Axion Detection

We introduce the Broadband Reflector Experiment for Axion Detection (BREAD) conceptual design and science program. This haloscope plans to search for bosonic dark matter across the [ 10 - 3 , 1 ] eV ([0.24, 240] THz) mass range. BREAD proposes a cylindrical metal barrel to convert dark matter into photons, which a novel parabolic reflector design focuses onto a photosensor. This unique geometry enables enclosure in standard cryostats and high-field solenoids, overcoming limitations of current dish antennas. A pilot 0.7 m 2 barrel experiment planned at Fermilab is projected to surpass existing dark photon coupling constraints by over a decade with one-day runtime. Axion sensitivity requires < 10 - 20 W / Hz sensor noise equivalent power with a 10 T solenoid and 10 m 2 barrel. We project BREAD sensitivity for various sensor technologies and discuss future prospects.

Liu, Jesse↗
DOE OSTI2025

Interlayer Exciton Polarons in Mesoscopic V 2 O 5 for Broadband Optoelectronic Synapses

Persistent photoconductivity and optoelectronic synaptic behavior are demonstrated in solution-processed mesoscopic α-phase vanadium pentoxide (V 2 O 5 ) thin films. First-principles simulations coupled with the two-site Holstein polaron hopping model show that vacancies at the terminal oxygen position lead to long recombination times because photoexcited electrons and holes reside on different layers separated by the van der Waals gap, forming a weakly coupled interlayer exciton polaron. Mid-gap polaronic states also significantly broaden the photoresponse of the films to span across visible and infrared wavelengths. By controlling the amplitude/intensity, duration, and/or number of optical pulses, tunable optoelectronic memory functions, such as short-term and long-term plasticity, are experimentally established in V 2 O 5 -based optoelectronic synapses. Furthermore, device fabrication was extended to mechanically flexible ultrathin glass substrates. Flexible optoelectronic synapses maintained high performance after 150 bending cycles.

Phan, Thanh Luan [National Renewable Energy Labora↗
DOE OSTI2022

Monolayer Plasmonic Nanoframes as Large‐Area, Broadband Metasurface Absorbers

Abstract Broadband absorbers are useful ultraviolet protection, energy harvesting, sensing, and thermal imaging. The thinner these structures are, the more device‐relevant they become. However, it is difficult to synthesize ultrathin absorbers in a scalable and straightforward manner. A general and straightforward synthetic strategy for preparing ultrathin, broadband metasurface absorbers that do not rely on cumbersome lithographic steps is reported. These materials are prepared through the surface‐assembly of plasmonic octahedral nanoframes (NFs) into large‐area ordered monolayers via drop‐casting with subsequent air‐drying at room temperature. This strategy is used to produce three types of ultrathin broadband absorbers with thicknesses of ≈200 nm and different lattice symmetries (loose hexagonal, twisted hexagonal, dense hexagonal), all of which exhibit efficient light absorption (≈90%) across wavelengths ranging from 400–800 nm. Their broadband absorption is attributed to the hollow morphologies of the NFs, the incorporation of a high‐loss material (i.e., Pt), and the strong field enhancement resulting from surface assembly. The broadband absorption is found to be polarization‐independent and maintained for a wide range of incidence angles (±45°). The ability to design and fabricate broadband metasurface absorbers using this high‐throughput surface‐based assembly strategy is a significant step toward the large‐scale, rapid manufacturing of nanophotonic structures and devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2024

Decoding the Broadband Emission of 2D Pb-Sn Halide Perovskites through High-Throughput Exploration

Unlike single-component 2D metal halide perovskites (MHPs) exhibiting sharp excitonic photoluminescence (PL), a broadband PL emerges in mixed Pb-Sn 2D lattices. Two physical models –self-trapped exciton and defect-induced Stokes-shift – are proposed to explain this unconventional phenomenon. However, the explanations provide limited rationalizations without consideration of the formidable compositional space, and thus, the fundamental origin of broadband PL remains elusive. Herein, the high-throughput automated experimental workflow is established to systematically explore the broadband PL in mixed Pb-Sn 2D MHPs, employing PEA (Phenethylammonium) as a model cation known to work as a rigid organic spacer. Spectrally, the broadband PL becomes further broadened with rapid PEA 2 PbI 4 phase segregation with increasing Pb concentrations during early-stage crystallization. Counterintuitively, MHPs with high Pb concentrations exhibit prolonged PL lifetimes. Hyperspectral microscopy identifies substantial PEA 2 PbI 4 phase segregation in those films, hypothesizing that the establishment of charge transfer excitons by the phase segregation upon crystallization at high-Pb compositions results in distinctive PL properties. In conclusion, these results indicate that two independent mechanisms—defect-induced Stoke-shifts and the establishment of charge transfer excitons by phase segregation—coexist which significantly correlates with the Pb:Sn ratio, thereby simultaneously contributing to the broadband PL emission in 2D mixed Pb-Sn HPs.

2D Pb-Sn halide perovskites↗
DOE OSTI2022

Broadband piezoelectric energy harvesting microgyroscopes: Design and nonlinear analysis

Small devices in remote or difficult-to-reach areas can benefit from harvesting energy from mechanical wasted energy, which reduces the requirement for a new power source. A multi-purpose energy harvesting microgyroscope system based on piezoelectric materials is suggested. The necessity of taking spatially varying electrostatic forces is examined. Considering the effects of the system's width and thickness, DC voltage, and angular speed the systems inherent frequencies are found. The partial differential equations describing the system's dynamics are numerically solved by using the differential quadrature method. Further, the numerical analysis enables to identify the optimal system design for broadband energy harvesting. The simulation results reveal that a system with a non-symmetric beam design is adequate for broadband energy harvesting. This is associated with the applied DC voltage, which may be modified to improve the broadband frequency of the system. It is concluded that the nonlinear softening effects create a broadband frequency response with high voltage output. However, DC and AC voltages need to be carefully selected in order to avoid the dynamic pull-in.

30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION↗
DOE OSTI2026

Terahertz Chiral Metamaterials Enabling Broadband Polarization Conversion Using Polarization Guiding Effect

Polarization control plays a vital role in terahertz (THz) photonics, enabling a wide range of applications from imaging and spectroscopy to sensing and wireless communication. However, conventional polarization control methods at THz frequencies are limited by narrow operational bandwidths and excessive absorption losses. In this work, we present a broadband THz polarization control based on the polarization guiding effect. We design and fabricate a THz polarization rotator capable of rotating incident linear polarization by 90°. The device consists of 24 twistingly stacked silicon–air metagrating layers that introduce a large degree of form birefringence, with each metagrating layer being 280 µm thick and sequentially twisted by 3.75°. Numerical simulations using the Berreman 4 × 4 method predict broadband operation of the device. Experimental validation using THz time-domain spectroscopy confirms efficient and broadband 90° polarization rotation from 0.2 to 1.25 THz. Based on this concept, we further propose THz Q-plates for the generation of broadband structured vector beams with radial and azimuthal polarization states. This work offers a scalable, material-agnostic platform for advanced THz polarization manipulation and vector beam engineering, opening new pathways for next-generation THz photonic devices.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2021

Broadband titanium nitride disordered metasurface absorbers

We experimentally demonstrate titanium nitride (TiN) broadband metasurface perfect absorbers by conformally coating plasmonic TiN films onto disordered anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanotemplates. The disordered metasurface absorbers exhibit polarization-insensitive and weak angle-dependent perfect absorption over the entire visible and near-infrared spectral regions (300 < λ < 2500 nm). We show from experimental results and numerical simulations that the light scattering induced by the strong disorder of the AAO nanopores and the strong absorption of the TiN deposited on their sidewall are of critical importance for achieving broadband perfect absorption. The TiN disordered metasurface perfect absorbers are superior to many other types of broadband perfect absorbers previously reported and are more suitable for practical applications especially in harsh environments. The device concept for broadband perfect absorption based on plasmonic metal-nitride film coated disordered dielectric media could potentially be extended to significantly enhance the efficiency of solar energy harvesting and the performance of hot-carrier based optoelectronics.

Chang, Chun-Chieh (ORCID:0000000337282454)↗
DOE OSTI2022

Correlating Broadband Photoluminescence with Structural Dynamics in Layered Hybrid Halide Perovskites

The emission of white light from a single material is atypical and is of interest for solid-state lighting applications. Broadband light emission has been observed in some layered perovskite derivatives, A 2 PbBr 4 (A = R-NH 3 + ), and correlates with static structural distortions corresponding to out-of-plane tilting of the lead bromide octahedra. While materials with different organic cations can yield distinct out-of-plane tilts, the underlying origin of the octahedral tilting remains poorly understood. Using high energy resolution (e.g., quasi-elastic) neutron scattering, this contribution details the rotational dynamics of the organic cations in A 2 PbBr 4 materials where A = n-butylammonium (nBA), 1,8-diaminooctammonium (ODA), and 4-aminobutyric acid (GABA). The organic cation dynamics differentiate (nBA) 2 PbBr 4 from (ODA)PbBr 4 or (GABA) 2 PbBr 4 in that the larger spatial extent of dynamics of nBA yields a larger effective cation radius. The larger effective volume of the nBA cation in (nBA) 2 PbBr 4 yields a closer to ideal A-site geometry, preventing the out-of-plane tilt and broadband luminescence. In all three compounds, we observe hydrogen dynamics attributed to rotation of the ammonium headgroup and at a time scale faster than the white light photoluminescence studied by time-correlated single photon counting spectroscopy. This supports a previous assignment of the broadband emission as resulting from a single ensemble, such that the emissive excited state experiences many local structures faster than the emissive decay. Furthermore, the findings presented here highlight the role of the organic cation and its dynamics in hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites and white light emission.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2025

Broadband unidirectional visible imaging using wafer-scale nano-fabrication of multi-layer diffractive optical processors

We present a broadband and polarization-insensitive unidirectional imager that operates at the visible part of the spectrum, where image formation occurs in one direction, while in the opposite direction, it is blocked. This approach is enabled by deep learning-driven diffractive optical design with wafer-scale nano-fabrication using high-purity fused silica to ensure optical transparency and thermal stability. Our design achieves unidirectional imaging across three visible wavelengths (covering red, green, and blue parts of the spectrum), and we experimentally validated this broadband unidirectional imager by creating high-fidelity images in the forward direction and generating weak, distorted output patterns in the backward direction, in alignment with our numerical simulations. This work demonstrates wafer-scale production of diffractive optical processors, featuring 16 levels of nanoscale phase features distributed across two axially aligned diffractive layers for visible unidirectional imaging. This approach facilitates mass-scale production of ~0.5 billion nanoscale phase features per wafer, supporting high-throughput manufacturing of hundreds to thousands of multi-layer diffractive processors suitable for large apertures and parallel processing of multiple tasks. Beyond broadband unidirectional imaging in the visible spectrum, this study establishes a pathway for artificial-intelligence-enabled diffractive optics with versatile applications, signaling a new era in optical device functionality with industrial-level, massively scalable fabrication.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Ultra broadband yellow emitting lead-free metal halide perovskite like compounds with near-unity emission quantum yields

Metal halide perovskites (MHPs) are interesting semiconductor materials with potential for use in optoelectronic and photonic devices. Their practical applications are hindered due to the negative environmental effects of the lead ions (Pb 2+ ) used in these materials and stability issues. Exploring new environmentally friendly materials with lead-free metal halides and investigating the factors affecting their optical properties and stability are essential. The broadband emission and high (near-unity; ~100%) photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of low-dimensional copper(I) halides make them great candidates for the next-generation luminescent materials for lighting applications. Here, a Cu(I) iodide based organic/inorganic hybrid halide (benzo-15-crown-5) 2 NaH 2 OCu 4 I 6 (BCNCI) with a zero-dimensional (0D) cluster was prepared. The BCNCI has a broadband yellow emission peaked at 548 nm with a near-unity PLQY (99.1%) upon excitation at 365 nm (ultraviolet). Upon excitation at 450 nm (blue), a high PLQY of 82% was also achieved. The luminescence mechanism was discussed in detail. Interestingly, BCNCI exhibits ultra-broad band excitation in the 300–500 nm range, which matches commercially available UV and blue-emitting chips. Compared to commercial YAG:Ce 3+ phosphors, the emission spectrum is sufficiently broad to cover the visible spectral region. This work illustrates a good example of developing an environmentally friendly white light source, using high-performance copper halides with adequate broadband excitation and emission.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2024

Insights into the broadband emission of the TeV blazar Mrk 501 during the first X-ray polarization measurements

Aims.We present the first multiwavelength study of Mrk 501 that contains simultaneous very-high-energy (VHE)γ-ray observations and X-ray polarization measurements from the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE). Methods.We used radio-to-VHE data from a multiwavelength campaign carried out between March 1, 2022, and July 19, 2022 (MJD 59639 to MJD 59779). The observations were performed by MAGIC,Fermi-LAT,NuSTAR,Swift(XRT and UVOT), and several other instruments that cover the optical and radio bands to complement the IXPE pointings. We characterized the dynamics of the broadband emission around the X-ray polarization measurements through its multiband fractional variability and correlations, and compared changes observed in the polarization degree to changes seen in the broadband emission using a multi-zone leptonic scenario. Results.During the IXPE pointings, the VHE state is close to the average behavior, with a 0.2–1 TeV flux of 20%–50% of the emission of the Crab Nebula. Additionally, it shows low variability and a hint of correlation between VHEγ-rays and X-rays. Despite the average VHE activity, an extreme X-ray behavior is measured for the first two IXPE pointings, taken in March 2022 (MJD 59646 to 59648 and MJD 59665 to 59667), with a synchrotron peak frequency > 1 keV. For the third IXPE pointing, in July 2022 (MJD 59769 to 59772), the synchrotron peak shifts toward lower energies and the optical/X-ray polarization degrees drop. All three IXPE epochs show an atypically low Compton dominance in theγ-rays. The X-ray polarization is systematically higher than at lower energies, suggesting an energy stratification of the jet. While during the IXPE epochs the polarization angles in the X-ray, optical, and radio bands align well, we find a clear discrepancy in the optical and radio polarization angles in the middle of the campaign. Such results further support the hypothesis of an energy-stratified jet. We modeled broadband spectra taken simultaneous to the IXPE pointings, assuming a compact zone that dominates in the X-rays and the VHE band, and an extended zone stretching farther downstream in the jet that dominates the emission at lower energies.NuSTARdata allow us to precisely constrain the synchrotron peak and therefore the underlying electron distribution. The change between the different states observed in the three IXPE pointings can be explained by a change in the magnetization and/or the emission region size, which directly connects the shift in the synchrotron peak to lower energies with the drop in the polarization degree.

Astronomy & Astrophysics↗
DOE OSTI2023

Ray-based cross-beam energy transfer modeling for broadband lasers

Broadband lasers have the potential to mitigate cross-beam energy transfer (CBET) in direct-drive inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments. Furthermore, a quantitative assessment of the bandwidth required for CBET mitigation necessitates the development of broadband ray-based CBET models that can be implemented in the radiation-hydrodynamic codes that are used to design ICF experiments. Two different approaches to broadband ray-based CBET modeling (discrete and fixed spectrum) are developed and compared to wave-based calculations. Both approaches give good agreement with wave-based calculations in ICF-relevant configurations. Full-scale 3D calculations show that the bandwidth required for adequate CBET mitigation increases with increasing scale and drive intensity.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Efficient Broadband Terahertz Generation by Above‐Band‐Gap Excitation of the Pyroelectric ZnSnN 2

Terahertz (THz) radiation is a powerful probe of low-energy excitations in all phases of matter. However, it remains a challenge to find materials that efficiently generate THz radiation in a broad range of frequencies following optical excitation. Here, we investigate a pyroelectric material, ZnSnN 2 , and find that its above-band-gap excitation results in the efficient formation of an ultrafast photocurrent generating THz radiation. The resulting THz electric field spans a frequency range from below 1 THz to above 30 THz. The results suggest that the photocurrent is primarily driven by an ultrafast pyroelectric effect where the photo-excited carriers screen the spontaneous electric polarization of ZnSnN 2 . Strong structural disorder reduces the photocarrier lifetime significantly and, thus, enables broadband operation. ZnSnN2 shows a similar THz-emitter performance as the best spintronic THz emitters regarding bandwidth and amplitude. The study unveils the large potential of pyroelectric materials as efficient and broadband THz emitters with built-in bias fields.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Broadband‐Tunable Third‐Harmonic Generation Using Phase‐Change Chalcogenides

Despite remarkable progress in passive nonlinear nanophotonics, dynamically controlled ultracompact nonlinear optical sources with high efficiency remain elusive. Nonvolatility, large refractive index contrast between amorphous and crystalline phases, low thermal threshold for crystallization, and particularly high‐third‐order nonlinear optical susceptibility of phase‐change alloy Ge 2 Sb 2 Te 5 (GST) make it a promising candidate for active subwavelength metaphotonic structures for realization of third‐harmonic generation (THG) devices. Herein, a GST‐based asymmetric Fabry–Perot cavity is numerically designed and experimentally demonstrated to show a dynamically reconfigurable structure with a large shift of the THG resonant band. In addition, continuous resonant spectral shifting bridged by a precisely controlled semicrystalline phase of GST is realized. Tunable THG with the fundamental wavelength ranging from 1150 to 1400 nm is presented, which corresponds to a broadband THG source in the violet‐blue visible wavelength range. Herein, the potential of GST subwavelength structures as a reliable platform for realization of the broadband‐tunable frequency‐conversion sources for applications such as THG microscopy and optical communication is indicated.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

On the broadband vibration isolation performance of nonlocal total-internal-reflection metasurfaces

The concept of a nonlocal elastic metasurface has been recently proposed and experimentally demonstrated in Zhu et al. (2020). When implemented in the form of a total-internal-reflection (TIR) interface, the metasurface can act as an elastic wave barrier that is impenetrable to deep subwavelength waves over an exceptionally wide frequency band. The underlying physical mechanism capable of delivering this broadband subwavelength performance relies on an intentionally nonlocal design that leverages long-range connections between the units forming the fundamental supercell. This paper explores the design and application of a nonlocal TIR metasurface to achieve broadband passive vibration isolation in a structural assembly made of multiple dissimilar elastic waveguides. The specific structural system comprises shell, plate, and beam waveguides, and can be seen as a prototypical structure emulating mechanical assemblies of practical interest for many engineering applications. The study also reports the results of an experimental investigation that confirms the significant vibration isolation capabilities afforded by the embedded nonlocal TIR metasurface. We report these results are particularly remarkable because they show that the performance of the nonlocal metasurface is preserved when applied to a complex structural assembly and under non-ideal incidence conditions of the incoming wave, hence significantly extending the validity of the results presented in Zhu et al. (2020). Results also confirm that, under proper conditions, the original concept of a planar metasurface can be morphed into a curved interface while still preserving full wave control capabilities.

42 ENGINEERING↗
DOE OSTI2022

Nanoporous Titanium (Oxy)nitride Films as Broadband Solar Absorbers

Broadband absorption of solar light is a key aspect in many applications that involve an efficient conversion of solar energy to heat. Titanium nitride (TiN)-based materials, in the form of periodic arrays of nanostructures or multilayers, can promote significant heat generation upon illumination thanks to their efficient light absorption and refractory character. In this work, pulsed laser deposition was chosen as a synthesis technique to shift metallic bulk-like TiN to nanoparticle-assembled hierarchical oxynitride (TiO x N y ) films by increasing the background gas deposition pressure. The nanoporous hierarchical films exhibit a tree-like morphology, a strong broadband solar absorption (~90% from the UV to the near-infrared range), and could generate temperatures of ~475 °C under moderate light concentration (17 Suns). The high heat generation achieved by treelike films is ascribed to their porous morphology, nanocrystalline structure, and oxynitride composition, which overall contribute to a superior light trapping and dissipation to heat. These properties pave the way for the implementation of such films as solar absorber structures.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Broadband 920-nm mirror thin film damage competition

The 2023 Laser Damage conference thin-film damage competition was devoted to a survey on the state-of-the-art broadband near-IR multilayer dielectric (MLD) mirrors designed for ultra-short pulsed laser applications. The requirements for the coatings were a minimum reflection of 99.5% at 45-deg incidence angle for S-polarization from 830 nm to 1010 nm and group delay dispersion (GDD) < ± 50fs 2 . The participants were allowed to select the coating materials, coating design, and coating deposition method. Samples were damage tested at a single testing facility to enable direct comparison among the participants using a 25 ± 5 fs optical parametric chirped-pulse amplification (OPCPA) laser system operating at 5 Hz. The testing results from this set of 37 samples showed that dense coatings by ion-beam sputtering (IBS), magnetron sputtering (MS), and electron-beam ion assisted deposition (e-beam IAD) exhibited highest damage initiation onset (laser-induced damage threshold or LIDT) while e-beam coatings were low performers. In addition, multilayer coatings using tantala and/or hafnia as high index materials were top performers. Furthermore, this competition included for the first time the measurement of the damage growth onset (laser-induced damage growth threshold or LDGT). This latter performance metric plays an important role in establishing the safe operational conditions for larger aperture ultrashort pulsed lasers. Information pertaining to the morphology of the damage sites and their evolution under subsequent exposure to different laser fluences leading to damage growth is presented. Finally, not all coating samples in the survey met the GDD requirements stated above and associated measurements are discussed in the context of the present and past thin-film damage competitions focused on similar broadband near-IR MLD coatings.

23 broadband high reflectors↗