Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “Layered oxides”

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.

Quote a phrase for an exact phrase match. Source license links do not imply unrestricted reuse.

At least 235 records · Page 13
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS1999

Mars Solar Balloon Landed Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer

A Mars surface lander Gas Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (GCMS) is described to measure the chemical composition of abundant and trace volatile species and isotope ratios for noble gases and other elements. These measurements are relevant to the study of atmospheric evolution and past climatic conditions. A Micromission plan is under study where a surface package including a miniaturized GCMS would be delivered to the surface by a solar heated hot air balloon based system. The balloon system would be deployed about 8 km above the surface of Mars, wherein it would rapidly fill with Martian atmosphere and be heated quickly by the sun. The combined buoyancy and parachuting effects of the solar balloon result in a surface package impact of about 5 m/sec. After delivery of the package to the surface, the balloon would ascend to about 4 km altitude, with imaging and magnetometry data being taken for the remainder of the daylight hours as the balloon is blown with the Martian winds. Total atmospheric entry mass of this mission is estimated to be approximately 50 kg, and it can fit as an Ariane 5 piggyback payload. The GCMS would obtain samples directly from the atmosphere at the surface and also from gases evolved from solid phase material collected from well below the surface with a Sample Acquisition and Transport Mechanism (SATM). The experiment envisioned in the Mars Micromission described would obtain samples from a much greater depth of up to one meter below the surface, and would search for organic molecules trapped in ancient stratified layers well below the oxidized surface. Insitu instruments on upcoming NASA missions working in concert with remote sensing measurement techniques have the potential to provide a more detailed investigation of mineralogy and the extent of simple volatiles such as CO2 and H2O in surface and subsurface solid phase materials. Within the context of subsequent mission opportunities such as those provided by the Ariane 5 piggyback payload based Micromissions, it is essential to implement an even broader chemical analysis and to enable a significant extension of previous isotope measurements. Such a development would enhance the presently very active study of questions of atmospheric evolution and loss and past climatic conditions. The method selected to implement this program can be based on well-established mass spectrometry techniques. Sampled gas is chemically and physically processed to separate the gas mixture into components using gas chromatograph and related enrichment techniques. This allows trace species to be identified and reveals isotopic distributions in many cases with improved precision. Samples of interest, such as organic molecules, may lie deep below the highly oxidized surface layer and the suggested program includes enhanced sampling techniques to measure volatiles preserved in solid phase material deep below the surface as well as gas from the well mixed atmosphere.

Mahaffy, P.↗
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 NTRS1993

Testing and evaluation of oxide-coated iridium/rhenium chambers

Iridium-coated rhenium provides long life operation of radiation-cooled rockets at temperatures up to 2200 C. Ceramic oxide coatings could be used to increase iridium/rhenium rocket lifetimes and allow operation in highly oxidizing environments. Ceramic oxide coatings promise to serve as both thermal and diffusion barriers for the iridium layer. Seven ceramic oxide-coated iridium/rhenium, 22 N rocket chambers were tested on gaseous hydrogen/gaseous oxygen propellants. Five chambers had thick (over 10 mils), monolithic coatings of either hafnia or zirconia. Two chambers had coatings with thicknesses less than 5 mils. One of these chambers had a thin-walled coating of zirconia infiltrated with sol gel hafnia. The other chamber had a coating composed of an iridium/oxide composite. The purpose of this test program was to assess the ability of the oxide coatings to withstand the thermal shock of combustion initiation, adhere under repeated thermal cycling, and operate in aggressively oxidizing environments. All of the coatings survived the thermal shock of combustion and demonstrated operation at mixture ratios up to 11. The iridium/oxide composite coated chamber included testing for over 29 minutes at mixture ratio 16. The thicker-walled coatings provided the larger temperature drops across the oxide layer (up to 570 C), but were susceptible to macrocracking and eventual chipping at a stress concentrator. The cracks apparently resealed during firing, under compression of the oxide layer. The thinner-walled coatings did not experience the macrocracking and chipping of the chambers seen with the thick, monolithic coatings. However, burnthroughs in the throat region did occur in both of the thin-walled chambers at mixture ratios well above stochiometric. The burn-throughs were probably the result of oxygen-diffusion through the oxide coating that allowed the underlying iridium and rhenium layers to be oxidized. The results of this test program indicated that the thin-walled oxide coatings are better suited for repeated thermal cycling than the thick-walled coating, while thicker coatings may be required for operation in aggressively oxidizing environments.

Reed, Brian D.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Evaluation of oxide-coated iridium-rhenium chambers

Iridium-coated rhenium (Ir-Re) provides long life operation of radiation-cooled rockets at temperatures up to 2200 C. Ceramic oxide coatings could be used to increase Ir-Re rocket lifetimes and allow operation in highly oxidizing environments. Ceramic oxide coatings promise to serve as both thermal and diffusion barriers for the iridium layer. Seven ceramic oxide-coated Ir-Re, 22-N rocket chambers were tested with gaseous hydrogen/gaseous oxygen (GHz/G02) propellants. Five chambers had thick (over 10 mils), monolithic coatings of either hafnia (HfO2) or zirconia (ZrO2). Two chambers had coatings with thicknesses less than 5 mils. One of these chambers had a thin-walled coating of ZrO2 infiltrated with sol gel HfO2. The other chamber had a coating composed of an Ir-oxide composite. The purpose of this test program was to assess the ability of the oxide coatings to withstand the thermal shock of combustion initiation, adhere under repeated thermal cycling, and operate in aggressively oxidizing environments. All of the coatings survived the thermal shock of combustion and demonstrated operation at mixture ratios up to 11. Testing the Ir-oxide composite-coated chamber included over 29 min at mixture ratio 16. The thicker walled coatings provided the larger temperature drops across the oxide layer (up to 570 C), but were susceptible to macrocracking and eventual chipping at a stress concentrator. The cracks apparently resealed during firing, under compression of the oxide layer. The thinner walled coatings did not experience the macrocracking and chipping of the chambers that was seen with the thick, monolithic coatings. However, burn-throughs in the throat region did occur in both of the thin-walled chambers at mixture ratios well above stoichiometric. The burn-throughs were probably the result of oxygen diffusion through the oxide coating that allowed the underlying Ir and Re layers to be oxidized. The results of this test program indicated that the thin-walled oxide coatings are better suited for repeated thermal cycling than the thick-walled coating, while thicker coatings may be required for operation in aggressively oxidizing environments.

Reed, Brian D.↗
NASA NTRS2004

Cyclic Oxidation of High-Temperature Alloy Wires in Air

High-temperature alloy wires are proposed for use in seal applications for future re-useable space vehicles. These alloys offer the potential for improved wear resistance of the seals. The wires must withstand the high temperature environments the seals are subjected to as well as maintain their oxidation resistance during the heating and cooling cycles of vehicle re-entry. To model this, the wires were subjected to cyclic oxidation in stagnant air. of this layer formation is dependent on temperature. Slow growing oxides such as chromia and alumina are desirable. Once the oxide is formed it can prevent the metal from further reacting with its environment. Cyclic oxidation models the changes in temperature these wires will undergo in application. Cycling the temperature introduces thermal stresses which can cause the oxide layer to break off. Re-growth of the oxide layer consumes more metal and therefore reduces the properties and durability of the material. were used for cyclic oxidation testing. The baseline material, Haynes 188, has a Co base and is a chromia former while the other two alloys, Kanthal A1 and PM2000, both have a Fe base and are alumina formers. Haynes 188 and Kanthal A1 wires are 250 pm in diameter and PM2000 wires are 150 pm in diameter. The coiled wire has a total surface area of 3 to 5 sq cm. The wires were oxidized for 11 cycles at 1204 C, each cycle containing a 1 hour heating time and a minimum 20 minute cooling time. Weights were taken between cycles. After 11 cycles, one wire of each composition was removed for analysis. The other wire continued testing for 70 cycles. Post-test analysis includes X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (EDS) for phase identification and morphology.

Reigel, Marissa M.↗
NASA NTRS1978

Solar cell collector and method for producing same

A transparent, conductive collector layer containing conductive metal channels is formed as a layer on a photovoltaic substrate by coating a photovoltaic substract with a conductive mixed metal layer. A heat sink having portions protruding from one of its surfaces is attached. These protruding portions define a continuous pattern in combination with recessed regions among them such that they are in contact with the conductive layer of the photovoltaic substrate. Heating the substrate while simultaneously oxidizing the portions of the conductive layer exposed to a gaseous oxidizing substance forced into the recessed regions of the heat sink, creates a transparent metal oxide layer on the substrate. A continous pattern of highly conductive metal channels is contained in the metal oxide layer.

Evans, J. C., Jr.↗
NASA NTRS2000

Combustion Chamber/Nozzle Assembly and Fabrication Process Therefor

An integral lightweight combustion chamber/nozzle assembly for a rocket engine has a refractory metal shell defining a chamber of generally frusto-conical contour. The shell communicates at its larger end with a rocket body, and terminates at its smaller end in a tube of generally cylindrical contour, which is open at its terminus and which serves as a nozzle for the rocket engine. The entire inner surface of the refractory metal shell has a thermal and oxidation barrier layer applied thereto. An ablative silica phenolic insert is bonded to the exposed surface of the thermal and oxidation barrier layer. The ablative phenolic insert provides a chosen inner contour for the combustion chamber and has a taper toward the open terminus of the nozzle. A process for fabricating the integral, lightweight combustion chamber/nozzle assembly is simple and efficient, and results in economy in respect of both resources and time.

Myers, W. Neill↗
NASA NTRS2001

Fabrication process for combustion chamber/nozzle assembly

An integral, lightweight combustion chamber/nozzle assembly for a rocket engine has a refractory metal shell defining a chamber of generally frusto-conical contour. The shell communicates at its smaller end with a rocket body, and terminates at its larger end in a generally contact contour, which is open at its terminus and which serves as a nozzle for the rocket engine. The entire inner surface of the refractory metal shell has a thermal and oxidation barrier layer applied thereto. An ablative silica phenolic insert is bonded to the exposed surface of the thermal and oxidation barrier layer. The ablative phenolic insert provides a chosen inner contour for the combustion chamber and has a taper toward the open terminus of the nozzle. A process for fabricating the integral, lightweight combustion chamber/nozzle assembly is simple and efficient, and results in economy in respect of both resources and time.

Myers, W. Neill↗
NASA NTRS1985

Advanced detectors and signal processing for bubble memories

The feasibility of combining silicon and magnetic bubble technologies is demonstrated. Results of bubble film annealing indicate that a low temperature silicon on garnet technology is the most likely one to succeed commercially. Annealing ambients are also shown to have a major effect on the magnetic properties of bubble films. Functional MOSFETs were fabricated on bubble films coated with thick (approximately 1 micron) SiO2 layers. The two main problems with these silicon on garnet MOSFETs are low electron mobilities and large gate leakage currents. Results indicate that the laser recrystallized silicon and gate oxide (SiO2) layers are contaminated. The data suggest that part of the contaminating ions originate in the sputtered oxide spacer layer and part originates in the bubble film itself. A diffusion barrier, such as silicon nitride, placed between the bubble film and the silicon layer should eliminate the contamination induced problem.

Kryder, M. H.↗
NASA NTRS2009

Improved Starting Materials for Back-Illuminated Imagers

An improved type of starting materials for the fabrication of silicon-based imaging integrated circuits that include back-illuminated photodetectors has been conceived, and a process for making these starting materials is undergoing development. These materials are intended to enable reductions in dark currents and increases in quantum efficiencies, relative to those of comparable imagers made from prior silicon-on-insulator (SOI) starting materials. Some background information is prerequisite to a meaningful description of the improved starting materials and process. A prior SOI starting material, depicted in the upper part the figure, includes: a) A device layer on the front side, typically between 2 and 20 m thick, made of p-doped silicon (that is, silicon lightly doped with an electron acceptor, which is typically boron); b) A buried oxide (BOX) layer (that is, a buried layer of oxidized silicon) between 0.2 and 0.5 m thick; and c) A silicon handle layer (also known as a handle wafer) on the back side, between about 600 and 650 m thick. After fabrication of the imager circuitry in and on the device layer, the handle wafer is etched away, the BOX layer acting as an etch stop. In subsequent operation of the imager, light enters from the back, through the BOX layer. The advantages of back illumination over front illumination have been discussed in prior NASA Tech Briefs articles.

Pain, Bedabrata↗
NASA NTRS1981

Chlorine oxide in the stratospheric ozone layer Ground-based detection and measurement

Stratospheric chlorine oxide, a significant intermediate product in the catalytic destruction of ozone by atomic chlorine, has been detected and measured by a ground-based 204 GHz, millimeter-wave receiver. Data taken at latitude 42 deg N on 17 days between January 10 and February 18, 1980 yield an average chlorine oxide column density of approximately 1.05 x 10 to the 14th/sq cm or approximately 2/3 that of the average of eight in situ balloon flight measurements (excluding the anomalously high data of July 14, 1977) made over the past four years at 32 deg N. Less chlorine oxide below 35 km and a larger vertical gradient than predicted by theoretical models of the stratospheric ozone layer are found.

Parrish, A.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Addressing the Limit of Detectability of Residual Oxide Discontinuities in Friction Stir Butt Welds of Aluminum using Phased Array Ultrasound

This activity seeks to estimate a theoretical upper bound of detectability for a layer of oxide embedded in a friction stir weld in aluminum. The oxide is theoretically modeled as an ideal planar layer of aluminum oxide, oriented normal to an interrogating ultrasound beam. Experimentally-measured grain scattering level is used to represent the practical noise floor. Echoes from naturally-occurring oxides will necessarily fall below this theoretical limit, and must be above the measurement noise to be potentially detectable.

Johnston, P. H.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Nano-Multiplication-Region Avalanche Photodiodes and Arrays

Nano-multiplication-region avalanche photodiodes (NAPDs), and imaging arrays of NAPDs integrated with complementary metal oxide/semiconductor (CMOS) active-pixel-sensor integrated circuitry, are being developed for applications in which there are requirements for high-sensitivity (including photoncounting) detection and imaging at wavelengths from about 250 to 950 nm. With respect to sensitivity and to such other characteristics as speed, geometric array format, radiation hardness, power demand of associated circuitry, size, weight, and robustness, NAPDs and arrays thereof are expected to be superior to prior photodetectors and arrays including CMOS active-pixel sensors (APSs), charge-coupled devices (CCDs), traditional APDs, and microchannelplate/ CCD combinations. Figure 1 depicts a conceptual NAPD array, integrated with APS circuitry, fabricated on a thick silicon-on-insulator wafer (SOI). Figure 2 presents selected aspects of the structure of a typical single pixel, which would include a metal oxide/semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) integrated with the NAPD. The NAPDs would reside in silicon islands formed on the buried oxide (BOX) layer of the SOI wafer. The silicon islands would be surrounded by oxide-filled insulation trenches, which, together with the BOX layer, would constitute an oxide embedding structure. There would be two kinds of silicon islands: NAPD islands for the NAPDs and MOSFET islands for in-pixel and global CMOS circuits. Typically, the silicon islands would be made between 5 and 10 m thick, but, if necessary, the thickness could be chosen outside this range. The side walls of the silicon islands would be heavily doped with electron-acceptor impurities (p+-doped) to form anodes for the photodiodes and guard layers for the MOSFETs. A nanoscale reach-through structure at the front (top in the figures) central position of each NAPD island would contain the APD multiplication region. Typically, the reach-through structure would be about 0.1 microns in diameter and between 0.3 and 0.4 nm high. The top layer in the reach-through structure would be heavily doped with electron-donor impurities (n+-doped) to make it act as a cathode. A layer beneath the cathode, between 0.1 and 0.2 nm thick, would be p-doped to a concentration .10(exp 17)cu cm. A thin n+-doped polysilicon pad would be formed on the top of the cathode to protect the cathode against erosion during a metal-silicon alloying step that would be part of the process of fabricating the array.

Zheng, Xinyu↗
NASA NTRS1993

Design and fabrication of a reflection far ultraviolet polarizer and retarder

New methods have been developed for the design of a far ultraviolet multilayer reflection polarizer and retarder. A MgF2/Al/MgF2 three-layer structure deposited on a thick opaque Al film (substrate) is used for the design of polarizers and retarders. The induced transmission and absorption method is used for the design of a polarizer and layer-by-layer electric field calculation method is used for the design of a quarterwave retarder. In order to fabricate these designs in a conventional high vacuum chamber, we have to minimize the oxidation of the Al layers and somehow characterize the oxidized layer. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is used to investigate the amount and profile of oxidation. Depth profiling results and a seven layer oxidation model are presented.

Kim, Jongmin↗
NASA NTRS1988

Temperature stability of Al(x)Ga(1-x)As (x = 0-1) thermal oxide masks for selective-area epitaxy

The use of thermal oxides of Al(x)Ga(1-x)As (x = 0-1) as masking materials for selective-area epitaxy by a organometallic chemical-vapor deposition has been investigated. It was found that the thermal oxide of GaAs is only applicable for low growth temperatures (less than or equal to 600 C), and the addition of aluminum significantly improves the thermal stability of the oxide. The oxide of Al(0.4)Ga(0.6)As is suitable for high-temperature deposition, but there are criteria for the thickness and oxidation temperature. Thin layers of AlAs oxidized at 475 C are excellent masks and allow precise thickness control. Promising results of selective-area deposition using these aluminum oxide masks have been obtained. High-quality single crystal grew in mask openings uniformly surrounded by dense and fine-grain polycrystalline deposits, producing a planar duplication of the original pattern.

Jones, Stephen H.↗
NASA NTRS1993

High Tech Art: Chameleon Glass

Dichroic Glass is a technology wherein extremely thin films of metal are vacuum deposited on a glass surface. The coated glass shields spacecraft instruments from cosmic radiation and protects human vision from unfiltered sunlight in space. Because the coating process allows some wavelengths of light and color to reflect and others to pass through, a chameleon effect is produced. Murray Schwartz, a former aerospace engineer, has based his business KROMA on this NASA optical technology. He produces dichroic stained glass windows, mobiles and jewelry. The technique involves deposition of super thin layers of metal oxides applied one layer at a time in a specific order and thickness for the desired effect. His product line is unique and has been very successful.

Source record↗
NASA NTRS2005

Making Wide-IF SIS Mixers with Suspended Metal-Beam Leads

A process that employs silicon-on-insulator (SOI) substrates and silicon (Si) micromachining has been devised for fabricating wide-intermediate-frequency-band (wide-IF) superconductor/insulator/superconductor (SIS) mixer devices that result in suspended gold beam leads used for radio-frequency grounding. The mixers are formed on 25- m-thick silicon membranes. They are designed to operate in the 200 to 300 GHz frequency band, wherein wide-IF receivers for tropospheric- chemistry and astrophysical investigations are necessary. The fabrication process can be divided into three sections: 1. The front-side process, in which SIS devices with beam leads are formed on a SOI wafer; 2. The backside process, in which the SOI wafer is wax-mounted onto a carrier wafer, then thinned, then partitioned into individual devices; and 3. The release process, in which the individual devices are separated using a lithographic dicing technique. The total thickness of the starting 4-in. (10.16-cm)-diameter SOI wafer includes 25 m for the Si device layer, 0.5 m for the buried oxide (BOX) layer, and 350 m the for Si-handle layer. The front-side process begins with deposition of an etch-stop layer of SiO2 or AlN(x), followed by deposition of a Nb/Al- AlN(x) /Nb trilayer in a load-locked DC magnetron sputtering system. The lithography for four of a total of five layers is performed in a commercial wafer-stepping apparatus. Diagnostic test dies are patterned concurrently at certain locations on the wafer, alongside the mixer devices, using a different mask set. The conventional, self-aligned lift-off process is used to pattern the SIS devices up to the wire level.

Kaul, Anupama↗