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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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At least 253 records · Page 14

Processing and Prolonged 500 C Testing of 4H-SiC JFET Integrated Circuits with Two Levels of Metal Interconnect

Complex integrated circuit (IC) chips rely on more than one level of interconnect metallization for routing of electrical power and signals. This work reports the processing and testing of 4H-SiC junction field effect transistor (JFET) prototype IC's with two levels of metal interconnect capable of prolonged operation at 500 C. Packaged functional circuits including 3- and 11-stage ring oscillators, a 4-bit digital to analog converter, and a 4-bit address decoder and random access memory cell have been demonstrated at 500 C. A 3-stage oscillator functioned for over 3000 hours at 500 C in air ambient. Improved reproducibility remains to be accomplished.

JFET↗

Interconnection of Semiconductor Devices in Extreme Environment Microelectronic Integrated Circuit Chips

A process of fabrication and the resulting integrated circuit device is made of patterned metal electrical interconnections between semiconductor devices residing on and forming extremely harsh environment integrated circuit chips. The process enables more complicated wide band gap semiconductor integrated circuits with more than one level of interconnect to function for prolonged time periods (over 1000 hours) at much higher temperatures (500 C).

Spry, David J.↗

Pt: Ti Diffusion Barrier, Interconnect, and Simultaneous Ohmic Contacts to n- and p-type 4H-SiC

We report the initial results of using co-sputtered Pt:Ti 80:20 at. % composition ratio metallization as a diffusion barrier against gold (Au) and oxygen (O), as an interconnect layer, as well as forming simultaneous ohmic contacts to n-and p-type 4H-SiC. Having a single conductor with such combined multi-functional attributes would appreciably reduce the fabrication costs, processing time and complexity that are inherent in the production of SiC based devices. Auger Electron Spectroscopy, Focused Ion Beam-assisted Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy analyses revealed no Au and O migration to the SiC contact surface and minimal diffusion through the Pt:Ti barrier layer after 15 minutes of exposure at 800 °C in atmosphere, thus offering potential long term stability of the ohmic contacts. Specific contact resistance values of 7 x 10(exp -5) and 7.4 x 10(exp -4) Ω-sq.cm were obtained on the n (N(sub d)=7 x 10(exp 18) per cu.cm and p (N(sub a)=2 x 10(exp 20) per cu. cm) -type 4H-SiC, respectively. The resistivity of 75 μΩ-cm was obtained for the Pt:Ti layer that was sandwiched between two SiO2 layers and annealed in pure O ambient up to 900 °C, which offers promise as a high temperature interconnect metallization.

Simultaneous Ohmic Contact↗

Synchronized Eruptions on Io: Possible Evidence of Interconnected Subsurface Magma Reservoirs

On 27 December 2024, Juno's JIRAM (Jovian InfraRed Auroral Mapper) instrument observed an unprecedented volcanic event in Io's southern hemisphere, covering a vast region of ∼65,000 km2, near 73°S, 140°E. Within the imaged region, only one hot spot was previously known (Pfd454). This feature was earlier estimated to cover an area of 300 km2 with a total power output of 34 GW. JIRAM results show that the region produces a power output of 140–260 TW, over 1,000 times higher than earlier estimates and likely exceeding the brightest eruption ever recorded on Io, that of Surt in 2001 (∼80 TW). Three adjacent hot spots also exhibited dramatic power increases: P139, PV18, and an unnamed feature south of the main one that surged to ∼1 TW, placing all of them among the top 10 most powerful hot spots observed on Io. A temperature analysis of the features supports the simultaneous onset of these brightenings and suggests a single eruptive event propagating beneath the surface across hundreds of kilometers; this is the first time this has been observed on Io. This in turn would imply a connection among the hotspots' magma reservoirs, while other nearby hotspots that have been known to be active in the recent past, such as Kurdalagon Patera, appear unaffected. The simultaneity supports models of massive, interconnected magma reservoirs. The topology of these regional magma systems may resemble that of a large-scale sponge, in which the massive reservoirs are the pores, interconnected through a largely solid outer shell.

A Mura↗

Fuel cell system including multilayer interconnect

In some examples, a fuel cell comprising a first electrochemical cell including a first anode and a first cathode; a second electrochemical cell including a second anode and a second cathode; and an interconnect configured to conduct a flow of electrons from the first anode to the second cathode, wherein the interconnect comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the first portion is closer to the anode than the second portion, and the second portion is closer to the cathode than the first portion, wherein the first portion comprises one or more of doped ceria, doped lanthanum chromite, and doped yttrium chromite, and wherein the second portion comprises one or more of a Co—Mn spinel and a ABO3 perovskite.

Liu, Zhien↗

Properties of the Inter-area Modes of the U.S. Eastern Interconnection System

With an increase in the oscillation events observed in the U.S. Eastern Interconnection (EI), it has become increasingly important to have a good understanding of the EI system oscillatory behavior. However, as compared to the Western Interconnection system (WI), not much work has been done in this regard for the EI system. Therefore, in this paper, a thorough analysis is carried out to identify inter-area modes and their properties for the EI system using model-based approach. Multi-channel Prony method is used in this paper for estimating system modes and mode-shapes.

Agrawal, Urmila↗

Online Tracking of Two Dominant Inter-Area Modes of Oscillation in the Eastern Interconnection

Reliable power system operation requires that small-signal stability be maintained at all times. Mode meters are measurement-based tools that provide operators with situational awareness of the system's stability margin. They operate by continually tracking the inter-area modes of oscillation that govern small-signal stability. This paper reports on the deployment of mode meters for online monitoring of two dominant modes of oscillation in the United States' Eastern Interconnection (EI). The use of measurements from system operators across the interconnection to provide continuous tracking is novel in the EI. Results from over four months of analysis reveal diurnal patterns in the modes and demonstrate that they can be tracked through a variety of system conditions. The results from this study continue to build an understanding of the EI's modes that will inform future modeling and monitoring efforts.

Follum, James D.↗

Method of additively manufacturing an integrated circuit of an interconnect packaging structure

A method of manufacturing an interconnect packaging structure is provided. In one aspect, the method includes forming a first body defining a cavity around at least one integrated circuit using an additive manufacturing machine, depositing a conductive transmission line on the first body and electrically coupling the conductive transmission line and the at least one integrated circuit with a conductive interconnect.

Papapolymerou, Ioannis↗

Experimental review of the performances of protective coatings for interconnects in solid oxide fuel cells

Ferritic stainless-steel interconnects are used in solid oxide fuel cells; however, coatings are required to improve their performance. Although several types of coatings have been proposed, they have been scarcely investigated under similar conditions. This study compares the characteristics of uncoated Crofer 22 APU and eight different coatings on Crofer 22 APU for up to 3,000 hours at 800°C. The coatings were deposited at various research laboratories around the world, and the experiments were performed at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. Cross-sections of the samples were analysed using scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The (Co,Mn)-based coated steels showed more than 50-fold lower chromium evaporation and at least 3 times thinner Cr 2 O 3 scale thickness compared to uncoated steel. The coated steel samples showed lower area-specific resistance (ASR) values than the uncoated steel after 3,000 hours of exposure, irrespective of the coating thickness, composition and deposition method.

25 ENERGY STORAGE↗

Grid Strength Analysis for Integrating 30 GW of Offshore Wind Generation by 2030 in the U.S. Eastern Interconnection

Offshore wind is a key player in the transition to a decarbonized electric gird, and the United States has set ambitious goals of integrating 30 GW of offshore wind capacity by 2030 and 110 GW by 2050. To facilitate this integration, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory are conducting the Atlantic Offshore Wind Transmission Study to assess transmission solutions. To achieve the 110-GW target by 2050, meticulous planning for network expansion and resource allocation is essential; however, meeting the 2030 goals requires integrating offshore wind power with minimal system upgrades, thus necessitating a careful study of grid strength and stability. The study team developed the Automated System-wide Strength Evaluation Tool (ASSET) to assess system strength under various operating conditions and contingencies, focusing on the proposed integration of 30 GW of offshore wind power by 2030. In this paper, we provide a summary of key features of the ASSET software and results of the grid strength analysis for integrating 30 GW of offshore wind generation by 2030 in the U.S. Eastern Interconnection.

Automated System-wide Strength Evaluation Tool (AS↗

Statistical Analysis of Inter-Area Oscillations in the U.S. Eastern Interconnection: A 2017-2023 Perspective

Recent advancements and the accumulation of high-resolution, long-term phasor measurement unit (PMU) data have provided detailed insights into inter-area oscillations in power grids. This study conducts a comprehensive statistical analysis of inter-area oscillations within the United States Eastern Interconnection from 2017 to 2023. Utilizing data captured by the advanced wide-area Frequency Monitoring Network (FNET/GridEye), this investigation examines the occurrence patterns, dominant frequencies, damping ratios, and excitation mechanisms of these oscillations. Our analysis sheds light on the evolving statistical behaviors of inter-area oscillations, offering updated and critical information for grid operators and planners. The insights gained from this study can be instrumental in enhancing the operational resilience of the power network and guiding strategic developments in grid infrastructure to accommodate future challenges. Additionally, the study discusses emerging challenges associated with the modernization of the power grid, including increased renewable penetration, dynamic load variability, and cyber-physical vulnerabilities that complicate oscillation monitoring and control.

Inter-area oscillations↗

SpectralFly: Ramanujan Graphs as Flexible and Efficient Interconnection Networks

In recent years, graph theoretic considerations have become increasingly important in the design of HPC interconnection topologies. One approach is to seek optimal or near-optimal families of graphs with respect to a particular graph theoretic property, such as diameter. For example, the SlimFly topology is based on a construction of McKay, Miller, and \v{S}ir\'{a}\v{n} which produces a diameter two graph on a number of nodes approaching the Moore bound, i.e. the largest possible diameter two graph with a fixed radix. Motivated by recent work of Aksoy, Bruillard, Young, and Raugas, we consider topologies which optimize the spectral gap rather than the diameter. In particular, we introduce a novel HPC topology, SpectralFly, designed around the Ramanujan graph construction of Lubotzky, Phillips, and Sarnak (LPS). In this work, we show that the combinatorial properties, such as diameter, bisection bandwidth, average path length, and resilience to link failure, of SpectralFly topologies are better than, or comparable to, similarly constrained DragonFly, SlimFly, and BundleFly topologies. Additionally, we simulate the performance of SpectralFly topologies on a representative sample of physics-inspired HPC workloads using the Structure Simulation Toolkit Macroscale Element Library simulator and demonstrate considerable benefit to using LPS construction as the basis of the SpectralFly topology.

graphs and networks, network topology, interconnec↗

Decentralized Filtering Adaptive Neural Network Control for Uncertain Switched Interconnected Nonlinear Systems

This article presents a novel decentralized filtering adaptive neural network control framework for uncertain switched interconnected nonlinear systems. Each subsystem has its own decentralized controller based on the established decentralized state predictor. For each subsystem, the nonlinear uncertainties are approximated by a Gaussian radial basis function (GRBF) neural network incorporated with a piecewise constant adaptive law, where the adaptive law will update adaptive parameters from the error dynamics between the host system and the decentralized state predictor by discarding the unknowns, whereas a decentralized filtering control law is derived to cancel both local and mismatched uncertainties from other subsystems, as well as achieve the local objective tracking of the host system. The achievement of global objective depends on the achievement of local objective for each subsystem. The matched uncertainties are canceled directly by adopting their opposite in the control signal, whereas a dynamic inversion of the system is required to eliminate the effect of the mismatched uncertainties on the output. By exploiting the average dwell time principle, the error bounds between the real system and the virtual reference system, which defines the best performance that can be achieved by the closed-loop system, are derived. A numerical example is given to illustrate the effectiveness of the decentralized filtering adaptive neural network control architecture by comparing against the model reference adaptive control (MRAC).

Average dwell time, decentralized, filtering adapt↗

Providencia Island White Papers: Overview of Technical Requirements for Interconnection

This issue brief provides an overview of key technical requirements for inverter-based resources - including distributed energy resources (DERs) - to support the reliable and safe operation of the Providencia Island electrical grid, and other island or isolated area mini-grid applications. With the planned increase in inverter-based resources and the introduction of energy storage, adopting Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) Std 1547-2018, including the more advanced performance capabilities for voltage and frequency ride-through, will simplify interconnection as well as help to maintain a safe, reliable grid on Providencia Island.

24 POWER TRANSMISSION AND DISTRIBUTION↗

Data Analytics for Residential PV from Permit to Interconnect (Final Technical Report)

The main objective of this research is to provide novel insights into the effects of permitting, inspection, and interconnection (PII) processes on PV system installations—and in particular, into the relationship between PII processes and adoption timelines. This research can then be used to clarify the potential effect of various process changes on reducing PII timelines, customer cancellation rates, and related costs nationwide. NREL completed this research by assembling a data set of distributed, largely residential rooftop solar systems less than 50 kilowatts in size from participating solar installers. NREL produced five publications describing the effects that PII processes can have on adoption timelines nationwide, in addition to publishing an interactive data viewer with five years of PII cycle time data. This tool can be used by stakeholders to identify potential adoption timelines by local government.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

GMLC Technical Assistance to States: DER Interconnection Workshop #2 [Slides]

NREL hosted this workshops to help state public utility commissions (PUCs) understand the materials and support available to assist in distributed energy resource (DER) interconnection activities. This workshop focused on "Modern DER Capabilities and Deployment Concerns" and included four speakers, whose material will be posted at https://www.nrel.gov/grid/ieee-standard-1547/workshops.html. The slides in this deck were for the facilitator to provide context to the attendees, as well as additional resources on the topics discussed.

1547↗