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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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A multilevel metal interconnection system for very large scale integration (VLSI) systems utilizing polyimides as the interlayer dielectric material is described. A complete characterization of polyimide materials is given as well as experimental methods accomplished using a double level metal test pattern. A low temperature, double exposure polyimide patterning procedure is also presented.
Effects of radiation (principally, electrons and protons) on dielectric materials summarized in report. Report based on radiation tests of optical coatings, temperature-control coatings, adhesives, radomes, thermal insulators, and light-control surfaces. Materials are primarily polymers and metal/organic coatings.
Nature, extent, and possible prevention of radiation damage discussed. Report summarizes likely effects of high-energy radiation in outer space on variety of commercially-available dielectric materials used in spacecraft. Effects reported on basis of recent Galileo tests, unpublished tests involving proton or electron irradiation, and published information. In general, organic materials with carbon or inorganic fillers most resistant to radiation.
Data gathered on key design parameters. Report discusses study of electrical and mechanical properties of irradiated polymer dielectric materials. Data compiled for use by designers of high-energy-density capacitors that operate in presence of ionizing radiation. Study focused on polycarbonates, polyetheretherketones, polymethylpentenes, polyimides (including polyetherimide), polyolefins, polysulfones (including polyethersulfone and polyphenylsulfone), and polyvinylidene fluorides.
Simple fixture quickly shows whether high-voltage transformer has excessive voids in dielectric materials and whether high-voltage lead wires too close to transformer case. Fixture is "go/no-go" indicator; corona appears if transformer contains such faults. Nests in wire mesh supported by cap of clear epoxy. If transformer has defects, blue glow of corona appears in mesh and is seen through cap.
The charging properties of 127 micron thick polyimide, (a commonly used spacecraft dielectric material) was measured under conditions of irradiation by a low-current-density electron beam with energy between 2 and 14 keV. The observed charging characteristics were consistent with predictions of the NASCAP computer model. The use of low electron current density results in a nonlinearity in the sample-potential versus beam-energy characteristic which is attributed to conduction leakage through the sample. Microdischarges were present at relatively low beam energies.
Tutorial paper reviews state of art in fiber-optic sensors of alternating electric fields. Because such sensors are made entirely of dielectric materials, they are relatively transparent to incident electric fields; they do not distort fields significantly. Paper presents equations that express relationships among stress, strain, and electric field in piezoactive plastic and equations for phase shift in terms of photoelastic coefficients and strains in optical fiber.
Planar antennas with receiving and/or transmitting circuits integrated at focal point. Reflectors formed from shaped dielectric material with metallized parabolic surface serve as basis for wide variety of planar, integrated receiver and transmitter circuits operating at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths. Used over wide range of frequencies and in variety of modes: as receiver or transmitter, in heterodyne or direct-detection mode, with single element, or with array.
A circularly polarized microstrip array antenna utilizing a honeycomb substrate made of dielectric material to support on one side the microstrip patch elements in an array, and on the other side a stripline circuit for feeding the patch elements in subarray groups of four with angular orientation and phase for producing circularly polarized radiation, preferably at a 0, 90, 180, and 270 degree relationship is described. The probe used for coupling each feed point in the stripline circuit to a microstrip patch element is teardrop shaped in order to introduce capacitance between the coupling probe and the metal sheet of the stripline circuit that serves as an antenna ground plane. The capacitance thus introduced tunes out inductance of the probe. The shape of the teardrop probe is not critical. The probe capacitance required is controlled by the maximum diameter for the teardrop shaped probe, which can be empirically determined for the operating frequency. An aluminum baffle around each subarray blocks out surface wave between subarrays.
The familiar physical optics (PO) approximation is no longer valid when the perfectly conducting scatterer is coated with dielectric material. This paper reviews several possible PO formulations. By comparing the PO formulation with the moment method solution based on the impedance boundary condition for the case of the coated cone-sphere, a PO formulation using both electric and magnetic currents consistently gives the best numerical results. Comparisons of the exact moment method with the PO formulations using the impedance boundary condition and the PO formulation using the Fresnel reflection coefficient for the case of scattering from the cone-ellipsoid demonstrate that the Fresnel reflection coefficient gives the best numerical results in general.
Apparatus tests thin conductive films for continuity without touching them. Specimen irradiated with 10-keV electrons; then noncontacting electrostatic probe scans specimen and measures charge on spot directly under it. Avoids damage to film and error from contact resistance resulting from touching film with conventional probe. Developed to determine integrity of conductive coats applied to surfaces of dielectric materials to inhibit accumulation of electrostatic charges.
The synthesis of polymers is discussed. It includes: (1) the synthesis of fluorine-containing crosslinked poly(ether ketones); (2) the synthesis and characterization of poly(imide amides) and their N-methylated analogues; (3) the synthesis of fluorine-containing aromatic polyethers; (4) the synthesis of novel fluorine-containing aromatic polysiloxanes; and (5) the conversion of 6F-containing polythioethers to polysulfones. It is hoped that these polymers will find use as low dielectric materials in electronic applications, function as thermal control coatings, or be suitable elastomeric sealants for extreme service conditions.
A piezoelectrostatic generator includes a plurality of elongated piezoelectric elements having first and second ends, with the first ends fixedly mounted in a cylindrical housing and the second extending radially inwardly toward an axis. A shaft movable along the axis is connected to the inner ends of the elements to produce bending forces in piezoelectric strips within the elements. Each element includes a pair of strips mounted in surface contact and in electrical series to produce a potential upon bending. Electrodes spaced from the strips by a solid dielectric material act as capacitor plates to collect the potential charge.
Thin sheets of resistive or dielectric material are commonly encountered in radar cross section calculations. Analysis of such sheets is simplified by using sheet impedances. In this paper it is shown that sheet impedances can be modeled easily and accurately using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) methods.
Ion focusing by a biased pinhole is studied numerically. Laplace's equation is solved in 3-D for cylindrical symmetry on a constant grid to determine the potential field produced by a biased pinhole in a dielectric material. Focusing factors are studied for ions of uniform incident velocity with a 3-D Maxwellian distribution superimposed. Ion currents to the pinhole are found by particle tracking. The focusing factor of positive ions as a function of initial velocity, temperature, injection radius, and hole size is reported. For a typical Space Station Freedom environment (oxygen ions having a 4.5 eV ram energy, 0.1 eV temperature, and a -140 V biased pinhole), a focusing factor of 13.35 is found for a 1.5 mm radius pinhole.
Thin sheets of resistive or dielectric material are commonly encountered in radar cross section calculations. Analysis of such sheets is simplified by using sheet impedances. It is shown that sheet impedances can be modeled easily and accurately using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) methods. These sheets are characterized by a discontinuity in the tangential magnetic field on either side of the sheet but no discontinuity in tangential electric field. This continuity, or single valued behavior of the electric field, allows the sheet current to be expressed in terms of an impedance multiplying this electric field.
NASA is currently involved in research that utilizes a capacitive sensor that is used for proximity detection of objects. This sensor is sensitive to conductive and dielectric materials including metal objects and humans. The range of the sensor has been found to be about twelve inches. It is the goal of this research project to further characterize the sensor so that it can be tailored to specific requirements. The characterization of the sensor should be with respect to shield size, sensor size, object size, and object distance. The method of finite elements to calculate the capacitance of the sensor while varying different parameters was used. Each of the parameters was varied in turn, often by selecting data points from different runs. The plotted results are shown and an apparent functionality developed for each.
Zone plate lenses are a type of focusing element which function essentially as differential phase shifters, having a relatively few, coarsely quantized phase delays across the incident beam of radiation. The major advantages are ease of fabrication and much reduced thickness, compared to conventional refractive focusing elements. These considerations are both of particular importance for the submillimeter range, in which manufacturing tolerances for curved optical elements can pose significant problems, and where the absorption of readily available dielectric materials is quite large. In this presentation we briefly review the theory of zone plate lens operations, present a relatively simple method for calculating the aperture efficiency of zone plate lenses used as antennas, and show some theoretical and measured results in the 100 GHz range.