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Brown, C. A.

Publications and source records attributed to Brown, C. A..

8 records
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

Using 3D position sensitivity to reveal response non-uniformities in CdZnTe, TlBr, and CsPbBr 3 detectors

Position sensitivity enables the correction of response non-uniformities in room-temperature semiconductor detectors caused by crystal defects and other factors. It can also be used to pinpoint the exact location of crystal defects responsible for the response variations. This work describes a technique for revealing and visualizing the detector regions affecting the charge collection efficiency in CdZnTe (CZT), TlBr, and CsPbBr 3 detectors configured as position-sensitive virtual Frisch-grid (VFG) devices. The technique correlates the photopeak events in energy spectra with their spatial distributions inside the detectors using the position information. By selecting the events from narrow energy intervals within a photopeak, we can visualize the detector volumes with particular charge collection efficiencies, which, in turn, correlate with the locations of electrode and crystal defects. Here, we demonstrate this technique in several examples. Columnar structures in the volume plots (position distribution maps) are consistent with signal losses near or at the anode in selected samples of CZT and TlBr. Structures exhibiting a distinct depth dependence are consistent with grain boundaries or other crystal defects.

98 NUCLEAR DISARMAMENT, SAFEGUARDS, AND PHYSICAL P↗
DOE OSTI2022

Multi-channel front-end ASIC for a 3D position-sensitive detector

Arrays of 3D position-sensitive detectors (3DPSD), operating at room temperature and using cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) and thallium bromide (TIBr) sensors, are suitable for gamma-ray spectrometry in many applications. One detector configuration, the 3D position-sensitive Virtual Frisch-Grid detector (VFG), is particularly advantageous for integrating into large area arrays. The signals generated inside each detector of the array are captured with the anode, cathode and four pads that enable the reconstruction of the position and energy of the ionizing interaction by measurements of amplitude and timing of the signals. For these applications, a low-noise front-end ASIC has been developed, capable of processing bipolar signals (needed because of AC-coupling of certain electrodes). The ASIC can be coupled to an ADC in order to form a compound “waveform digitizer” capable of post-processing the analog signals and determining amplitude and timing information. This paper describes a 32-channel front-end ASIC that is suitable for reading out a 3 × 3 or 4 × 4 element matrix in the VFG configuration. Each channel is composed of a low-noise charge amplifier with an adaptive continuous reset feedback circuit suitable for both positive and negative charge, a first order shaper and a single-to-differential converter output stage. Voltage and current references are all internally generated by 10-bit DACs and the chip is fully controllable with the I 2 C communication protocol. The readout channel response has been verified using the implemented injection circuit. Linear behavior up to ~75 ke ± with the gain of ~80 mV/fC, and up to ~200 ke ± with the gain of ~30 mV/fC was demonstrated. In conclusion, the first test result waveforms using a 137 Cs radioactive source on a 5 × 5 × 12 mm 3 TIBr crystal are reported.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
NASA NTRS2016

An Experimental Investigation of Jet Noise from Septa Nozzles

Results of an experimental study with a large aspect ratio rectangular nozzle, divided into multiple compartments or septa, as pertinent to distributed propulsion, are presented. Noise measurements at high-subsonic conditions show that the nozzle with the septa is quieter than the corresponding baseline nozzle without the septa. At relatively lower Mach numbers a high-frequency tone is heard. This is shown to be due to Karmann vortex shedding from the trailing edge of the partitions that separate a septum from the adjacent ones. Flowfield measurements for a six septa case show that the cellular flow structure, issuing from the nozzle, goes through a curious coalescence with increasing downstream distance (x) from the nozzle. Adjacent cells pair to yield a three-cell structure by x/D =2, where D is the equivalent diameter of the baseline nozzle. By about x/D =16, both the septa case and the baseline case evolve to yield axisymmetric flowfields.

turbulence↗
NASA NTRS2015

Investigating the Feedback Path in a Jet-Surface Resonant Interaction

A resonant interaction between an 8:1 aspect ratio rectangular jet and flat-plates, placed parallel to the jet, is studied experimentally. For certain locations of the plate relative to the jet, the resonance takes place with a loud accompanying tone. The sound pressure level spectra are often marked by multiple peaks. The frequencies of the spectral peaks are studied as a function of the streamwise length of the plate, its relative location to the jet as well as the jet Mach number. It is demonstrated that the tones are not due to a simple feedback between the plate's trailing edge and the nozzle's exit; the leading edge of the plate also comes into play in the frequency selection. With parametric variation, it is found that there is an order in the most energetic spectral peaks; their frequencies cluster in distinct bands. The 'fundamental', i.e., the lowest frequency band is explained by an acoustic feedback involving diffraction at the plate's leading edge.

Resonance↗
NASA NTRS2014

Resonant Interaction of a Rectangular Jet with a Flat-Plate

A resonant interaction between a large aspect ratio rectangular jet and a flat-plate is addressed in this experimental study. The plate is placed parallel to but away from the direct path of the jet. At high subsonic conditions and for certain relative locations of the plate, the resonance accompanied by an audible tone is encountered. The trends of the tone frequency variation exhibit some similarities to, but also marked differences from, corresponding trends of the well-known edge-tone phenomenon. Under the resonant condition flow visualization indicates a periodic flapping motion of the jet column. Phase-averaged Mach number data obtained near the plate's trailing edge illustrate that the jet cross-section goes through large contortions within the period of the tone. Farther downstream a clear 'axis switching' takes place. These results suggest that the assumption of two-dimensionality should be viewed with caution in any analysis of the flow.

Zaman, K. B. M. Q.↗
NASA NTRS2013

Interaction of a Rectangular Jet with a Flat-Plate Placed Parallel to the Flow

An experimental study is carried out addressing the flowfield and radiated noise from the interaction of a large aspect ratio rectangular jet with a flat plate placed parallel to but away from the direct path of the jet. Sound pressure level spectra exhibit an increase in the noise levels for both the 'reflected' and 'shielded' sides of the plate relative to the free-jet case. Detailed cross-sectional distributions of flowfield properties obtained by hot-wire anemometry are documented for a low subsonic condition. Corresponding mean Mach number distributions obtained by Pitot-probe surveys are presented for high subsonic conditions. In the latter flow regime and for certain relative locations of the plate, a flow resonance accompanied by audible tones is encountered. Under the resonant condition the jet cross-section experiences an 'axis-switching' and flow visualization indicates the presence of an organized 'vortex street'. The trends of the resonant frequency variation with flow parameters exhibit some similarities to, but also marked differences with, corresponding trends of the well-known edgetone phenomenon.

Zaman, K. B. M. Q.↗
NASA NTRS2006

Flow and Noise Control in High Speed and High Reynolds Number Jets Using Plasma Actuators

The idea of manipulating flow to change its characteristics is over a century old. Manipulating instabilities of a jet to increase its mixing and to reduce its radiated noise started in the 1970s. While the effort has been successful in low-speed and low Reynolds number jets, available actuators capabilities in terms of their amplitude, bandwidth, and phasing have fallen short in control of high-speed and high Reynolds number jets of practical interest. Localized arc filament plasma actuators have recently been developed and extensively used at Gas Dynamics and Turbulence Laboratory (GDTL) for control of highspeed and high Reynolds number jets. While the technique has been quite successful and is very promising, all the work up to this point had been carried out using small high subsonic and low supersonic jets from a 2.54 cm diameter nozzle exit with a Reynolds number of about a million. The preliminary work reported in this paper is a first attempt to evaluate the scalability of the technique. The power supply/plasma generator was designed and built in-house at GDTL to operate 8 actuators simultaneously over a large frequency range (0 to 200 kHz) with independent control over phase and duty cycle of each actuator. This allowed forcing the small jet at GDTL with azimuthal modes m = 0, 1, 2, 3, plus or minus 1, plus or minus 2, and plus or minus 4 over a large range of frequencies. This power supply was taken to and used, with minor modifications, at the NASA Nozzle Acoustic Test Rig (NATR). At NATR, 32 actuators were distributed around the 7.5 in. nozzle (a linear increase with nozzle exit diameter would require 60 actuators). With this arrangement only 8 actuators could operate simultaneously, thus limiting the forcing of the jet at NATR to only three azimuthal modes m = plus or minus 1, 4, and 8. Very preliminary results at NATR indicate that the trends observed in the larger NASA facility in terms of the effects of actuation frequency and azimuthal modes are similar in both small GDTL and larger NASA jets. However, the actuation authority seems to fall short in the larger jet at higher Mach numbers, resulting in decreased amplitude response compared to the small jet, which is attributed at this point to the lack of sufficient number of actuators. The preliminary results seem also to suggest that amplitude of actuation tones is similar in both the small and larger jets.

Samimy, M.↗