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Results for “layered crystals”

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 19 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1992

Fate of a perched crystal layer in a magma ocean

The pressure gradients and liquid compressibilities of deep magma oceans should sustain the internal flotation of native crystals owing to a density crossover between crystal and liquid. Olivine at upper mantle depths near 250 km is considered. The behavior of a perched crystal layer is part of the general question concerning the fate of any transient crystal carried away from a cooling surface, whether this be a planetary surface or the roof of an intrusive magma body. For magma bodies thicker than a few hundred meters at modest crustal depths, the major cooling surface is the roof even when most solidification occurs at the floor. Importation of cool surroundings must also be invoked for the generation of a perched crystal layer in a magma ocean, but in this case the perched layer is deeply embedded in the hot part of the magma body, and far away from any cooling surface. Other aspects of this study are presented.

Morse, S. A.↗
NASA NTRS1984

Thermal oxidation of 3C silicon carbide single-crystal layers on silicon

Thermal oxidation of thick single-crystal 3C SiC layers on silicon substrates was studied. The oxidations were conducted in a wet O2 atmosphere at temperatures from 1000 to 1250 C for times from 0.1 to 50 h. Ellipsometry was used to determine the thickness and index of refraction of the oxide films. Auger analysis showed them to be homogeneous with near stoichiometric composition. The oxide growth followed a linear parabolic relationship with time. Activation energy of the parabolic rate constant was found to be 50 kcal/mole, while the linear rate constant was 74 kcal/mole. The latter value corresponds approximately to the energy required to break a Si-C bond. Electrical measurements show an effective density of 4-6 x 10 to the 11th per sq cm for fixed oxide charges at the oxide-carbide interface, and the dielectric strength of the oxide film is aproximately 6 x 10 to the 6th V/cm.

Fung, C. D.↗
NASA NTRS1976

Transmission characteristics of a twisted nematic liquid-crystal layer

An approximate analytical expression is calculated for the transmission of thin twisted nematic layers situated between a polarizer/analyzer pair. The approximation assumes that the twist angle of the nematic liquid crystal is smaller than the maximum retardation of the cell. The direction of the incident light is assumed to be parallel to the normal of the electrode. This configuration is analyzed for a general arrangement of polarizer and analyzer; the general result is evaluated for the case of the polarizer parallel and analyzer perpendicular to the liquid-crystal optical axis on the input and output electrodes, respectively. The results show that in the case of a thin twisted nematic layer the transmission depends on the thickness of the layer, on the birefringence of the liquid crystal, and on the wavelength of the light. This is a departure from the well-known independence of the transmission on these parameters for a thick twisted nematic layer.

Grinberg, J.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Incorporation of superlattice crystal layers in multijunction solar cells

Superlattice layers are effective in decreasing the density of dislocations in lattice mismatched heterostructures at least four orders of magnitude. Hence it was proposed to utilize this feature of superlattices to alleviate the problems due to misfit dislocations generated in the regions between two or more photovoltaic collecting junctions. A further advantage is that the possibility is presented for using silicon as a low cost substrate as well as for the low band gap junction. In the test case, a silicon low gap cell was connected to a GaAs.7P.3 high gap cell through a connecting region containing a GaAs/GaP superlattice.

Blackslee, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1976

A real-time optical data processing device

A novel liquid-crystal electro-optical device useful as a real-time input device in coherent optical data processing is described. The device is a special adaptation of an ac photoactivated liquid-crystal light valve, and utilizes a hybrid field effect (45 deg twisted nematic effect in OFF state and pure optical birefringence of the liquid crystal in ON state). A thin-film sandwich exerts photoelectric control over the optical birefringence of a thin liquid-crystal layer. Liquid-crystal layer thickness is successfully reduced without image degradation. The device offers high resolution (better than 100 lines/mm), contrast (better than 100/1), high speed (10 msec ON, 15 msec OFF), high input sensitivity, low power input, low fabrication cost, and can be operated at below 10 V rms. Preliminary measurements on device performance in level slicing, filtering, contrast reversal, and edge enhancement are under way.

Jacobson, A.↗
NASA NTRS1993

Organometallic chemical vapor deposition and characterization of ZnGeP2/GaP multiple heterostructures on GaP substrates

The growth of ZnGeP2/GaP double and multiple heterostructures on GaP substrates by organometallic chemical vapor deposition is reported. These epitaxial films were deposited at a temperature of 580 C using dimethylzinc, trimethylgallium, germane, and phosphine as source gases. With appropriate deposition conditions, mirror smooth epitaxial GaP/ZnGeP2 multiple heterostructures were obtained on (001) GaP substrates. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and secondary ion mass spectroscopy (SIMS) studies of the films showed that the interfaces are sharp and smooth. Etching study of the films showed dislocation density on the order of 5x10(exp 4)cm(sup -2). The growth rates of the GaP layers depend linearly on the flow rates of trimethylgallium. While the GaP layers crystallize in zinc-blende structure, the ZnGeP2 layers crystallize in the chalcopyrite structure as determined by (010) electron diffraction pattern. This is the first time that multiple heterostructures combining these two crystal structures were made.

Xing, G. C.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Method of increasing minority carrier lifetime in silicon web or the like

A silicon dendrite is grown as a ribbon forming two silicon crystal layers which are separated by an interface layer which contains a large number of defects. Significant increase of minority carrier lifetime with homogeneous distribution at the outer surfaces of the two silicon crystal layers is achieved by processing the web in an atmosphere of a selected gas, e.g., oxygen, nitrogen or an inert gas, for about 30 minutes to several hours at a temperature preferably on the order of 900 to 1200 C.

Liu, J. K.↗
NASA NTRS1983

Production of large-area single-crystal wafers of cubic SiC for semiconductor devices

A reproducible process is described for growing a thick single-crystal layer of cubic SiC on a single-crystal Si wafer by chemical vapor deposition. A buffer layer, grown in situ, is used between the cubic SiC and the Si substrate to minimize the effect of lattice mismatch. Layers of up to 34 microns thick and several sq cm in area have been grown. Wafers are obtained by chemically removing the Si substrates from the grown layers. Excellent electron channeling patterns produced by these wafers indicate very good crystal quality. Preliminary electrical measurements have yielded electron mobilities up to 380 sq cm/Vs.

Nishino, S.↗
NASA NTRS1985

Making Cubic Silicon Carbide Semiconductors

Thin buffer layer of SiC minimizes effects of lattice mismatch. Approach consists of growing single-crystal layer of cubic SiC on single-crystal silicon (Si) wafer by chemical-vapor deposition (CVD). Process developed for production of large-area single-crystal wafers of cubic silicon carbide (SiC) for semiconductor devices; also used to make devices themselves. Applications include electronics for high temperature (up to 900 C) and electronics for very high frequencies.

Powell, J.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Magnetically confined surface and bulk excitons in a layered antiferromagnet

The discovery of two-dimensional van der Waals magnets has greatly expanded our ability to create and control nanoscale quantum phases. A unique capability emerges when a two-dimensional magnet is also a semiconductor that features tightly bound excitons with large oscillator strengths that fundamentally determine the optical response and are tunable with magnetic fields. Here, in this study, we report a previously unidentified type of optical excitation-a magnetic surface exciton-enabled by the antiferromagnetic spin correlations that confine excitons to the surface of CrSBr. Magnetic surface excitons exhibit stronger Coulomb attraction, leading to a higher binding energy than excitons confined in bulk layers, and profoundly alter the optical response of few-layer crystals. Distinct magnetic confinement of surface and bulk excitons is established by layer- and temperature-dependent exciton reflection spectroscopy and corroborated by ab initio many-body perturbation theory calculations. By quenching interlayer excitonic interactions, the antiferromagnetic order of CrSBr strictly confines the bound electron-hole pairs within the same layer, regardless of the total number of layers. Our work unveils unique confined excitons in a layered antiferromagnet, highlighting magnetic interactions as a vital approach for nanoscale quantum confinement, from few layers to the bulk limit.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS1982

Layered transition metal thiophosphates /MPX3/ as photoelectrodes in photoelectrochemical cells

Layered crystals of the transition metal thiophosphates were synthesized and characterized for use as photoelectrodes in photoelectrochemical cells. Crystals incorporating tin and manganese show n-type response while those with iron and nickel show p-type response. These materials have a measured indirect bandgap of about 2.1 eV. They show ability to photoelectrolyze water in acid solutions with onset potentials which change in a Nernstian way as the PH of the solution changes. The onset potential is near zero volts versus a saturated calomel electrode at pH 2. At n-type crystals, oxygen could be evolved upon irradiation at underpotentials of 850 mV and at p-type crystals, hydrogen could be evolved at underpotentials of 400 mV, indicating a net gain in energy conversion. All crystals were unstable in basic solution. Liquid junction photovoltaic cells in iodide-triiodide acid solution using these layered materials were also constructed and found to have low efficiences.

Byvik, C. E.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Pyrochlore NaYbO2: A Potential Quantum Spin Liquid Candidate

The search for quantum spin liquids (QSL) and chemical doping in such materials to explore superconductivity have continuously attracted intense interest. Here, we report the discovery of a potential QSL candidate, pyrochlore-lattice β-NaYbO2. Colorless and transparent NaYbO2 single crystals, layered α-NaYbO2 (∼250 μm on edge) and octahedral β-NaYbO2 (∼50 μm on edge), were grown for the first time. Synchrotron X-ray single-crystal diffraction unambiguously determined that the newfound β-NaYbO2 belongs to the three-dimensional pyrochlore structure characterized by the R3̅m space group, corroborated by synchrotron X-ray and neutron powder diffraction and pair distribution function. Magnetic measurements revealed no long-range magnetic order or spin glass behavior down to 0.4 K with a low boundary spin frustration factor of 17.5, suggesting a potential QSL ground state. Under high magnetic fields, the potential QSL state was broken and spins order. Our findings reveal that NaYbO2 is a fertile playground for studying novel quantum states.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1992

A new hue capturing technique for the quantitative interpretation of liquid crystal images used in convective heat transfer studies

A new image processing based color capturing technique for the quantitative interpretation of liquid crystal images used in convective heat transfer studies is presented. This method is highly applicable to the surfaces exposed to convective heating in gas turbine engines. It is shown that, in the single-crystal mode, many of the colors appearing on the heat transfer surface correlate strongly with the local temperature. A very accurate quantitative approach using an experimentally determined linear hue vs temperature relation is found to be possible. The new hue-capturing process is discussed in terms of the strength of the light source illuminating the heat transfer surface, the effect of the orientation of the illuminating source with respect to the surface, crystal layer uniformity, and the repeatability of the process. The present method is more advantageous than the multiple filter method because of its ability to generate many isotherms simultaneously from a single-crystal image at a high resolution in a very time-efficient manner.

Camci, C.↗