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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
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Hydroscaling indirect-drive implosions on the National Ignition Facility

A goal of the laser-based National Ignition Facility (NIF) is to increase the liberated fusion energy “yield” in inertial confinement fusion experiments well past the ignition threshold and the input laser energy. One method of increasing the yield, hydrodynamic scaling of current experiments, does not rely on improving compression or implosion velocity, but rather increases the scale of the implosion to increase hotspot areal density and confinement time. Indirect-drive (Hohlraum driven) implosions carried out at two target sizes, 12.5% apart, have validated hydroscaling expectations. Moreover, extending comparisons to the best-performing implosions at five different capsule sizes shows that their performance also agrees well with hydroscaling expectations even though not direct hydroscales of one another. In the future, by switching to a reduced loss Hohlraum geometry, simulations indicate that we can drive 20% larger-scale implosions within the current power and energy limitations on the NIF. Finally, at the demonstrated compression and velocity of these smaller-scale implosions, these 1.2× hydroscaled implosions should put us well past the ignition threshold.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2026

Microwave-photonic control of optically accessible spin defects in diamond

A growing variety of optically accessible spin qubits have emerged in recent years as key components for quantum sensors, computers, and memories. However, the scalability of conventional spin-based quantum architectures remains limited by direct microwave delivery, which introduces thermal noise, electromagnetic crosstalk, and design constraints for cryogenic, high-field, and distributed systems. In this work, we present a unified framework for RF-over-fiber (RFoF) control of spins accessible through optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) spectroscopy of nitrogen-vacancy (NV) centers in diamond. The RFoF platform relies on an intensity-modulated 1310 nm laser carrying microwave signals over fiber and a high-speed photodiode for optical-to-electrical conversion to drive NV spin transitions. We report an RFoF power-conversion efficiency of 3.42% for an RF output PRF,out=-5.5 dBm at 2.87 GHz, enabling clear resolution of Zeeman splitting in

Rahman, M Reefaz [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000323541611)↗
DOE OSTI2024

Exact wave solver for nonparaxial laser beam propagation

Simulations of inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments require high-fidelity models for laser beam propagation in a nonuniform plasma with varying index of refraction. We describe a new numerical wave solver that is applicable to centimeter-scale length plasmas encountered in indirect drive ICF applications. The one-way Helmholtz equation (OHE) generalizes the time-harmonic paraxial wave equation to large angles. Here, we present a methodology to numerically evaluate the exact solution to the OHE. This solution is computed by analytically advancing eigenfunctions of the one-way Helmholtz operator along a propagation direction and is applicable to any given index of a refraction profile. We compare our exact method with a commonly used approximate split-step technique for solving the OHE. As a test problem, we consider nonparaxial propagation of Gaussian and speckled beams in a plasma density channel with internal reflection. We find that the split-step approach incurs significant errors compared to the exact solution computed using the novel algorithm.

Belyaev, Mikhail A. (ORCID:0000000224908887)↗
NASA NTRS1999

Cloud Thickness from Diffusion of Lidar Pulses in Clouds

Measurements of the distribution of reflected light from a laser beam incident on an aqueous suspension of particles or "cloud" with known thickness and particle size distribution are reported. The distribution is referred to as the "cloud radiative Green's function", G. In the diffusion domain, G is sensitive to cloud thickness, allowing that important quantity to be retrieved. The goal of the laboratory simulation is to provide preliminary estimates of sensitivity of G to cloud thickness,for use in the optimal design of an offbeam Lidar instrument for remote sensing of cloud thickness (THOR, Thickness from Offbeam Returns). These clouds of polystyrene microspheres suspended in water are analogous to real clouds of water droplets suspended in air. The microsphere size distribution is roughly lognormal, from 0.5 microns to 25 microns, similar to real clouds. Density of suspended spheres is adjusted so mean-free-path of visible photons is about 10 cm, approximately 1000 times smaller than in real clouds. The light source is a ND:YAG laser at 530 nm. Detectors are flux and photon-counting Photomultiplier Tube (PMTS), with a glass probe for precise positioning. A Labview 5 VI controls positioning, and data acquisition, via an NI Motion Control board connected to a stepper motor driving an Edmund linear slider, and a 16-channel 16-bit NI-DAQ board. The stepper motor is accurate to 10 microns, and step size is selectable from the VI software. Far from the incident beam, the rate of exponential increase as the direction of the incident beam is approached scales as expected from diffusion theory, linearly with the cloud thickness, and inversely as the square root of the reduced optical thickness, and is independent of particle size. Near the beam the signal begins to increase faster than exponential, due to single and low-order scattering near the backward direction, and here the distribution depends on particle size. Results are being used to verify 3D Monte Carlo radiative transfer simulations, used to estimate signal-to-noise ratios for remotely sensed off beam returns, for both homogeneous and inhomogeneous clouds. Signal-to-noise estimates show that unfiltered observations are straight forward at night, while narrow band pass filters are being studied for day.

Cahalan, Robert F.↗
DOE OSTI2024

A compact and portable gamma-ray spectrometer (GRASP) for inertial confinement fusion and basic science experiments

A compact and portable gamma-ray spectrometer has been designed to diagnose different components of the inertial confinement fusion-relevant γ-ray spectrum with energies between ∼3.7–17.9 MeV. The system is designed to be as compact as possible for convenient transportation and fielding in diagnostic ports on the OMEGA laser, the National Ignition Facility, and other photon-source facilities. The system consists of a conversion foil for Compton scattering in front of four magnetic spectrometer “arms,” each covering a different energy range and constructed out of cylindrical permanent magnet Halbach arrays. Monte Carlo simulations have been used to optimize and assess the performance of the conversion foil, and COSY INFINITY ion-optical simulations have been used to optimize the spectrometer magnets. The performance of the design is assessed for a simulated direct-drive γ-ray spectrum. Spanning its total γ-ray energy bandwidth and using a 1.7 mm thick boron conversion foil, the system’s total energy resolution and efficiency are ∼15.8%–4.5% and 5.4 × 10−7–3.7 × 10−7e−/γ, respectively, with room for improvement. Spectral γ-ray measurements will provide guidance to the inertial confinement fusion program toward achieving high-energy gain relevant to inertial fusion energy and enable new measurement capabilities for basic discovery science.

Instruments & Instrumentation↗
DOE OSTI2025

Harnessing Ultra-Intense Long-Wave Infrared Lasers: New Frontiers in Fundamental and Applied Research

This review explores two main topics: the state-of-the-art and emerging capabilities of high-peak-power, ultrafast (picosecond and femtosecond) long-wave infrared (LWIR) laser technology based on CO2 gas laser amplifiers, and the current and advanced scientific applications of this laser class. The discussion is grounded in expertise gained at the Accelerator Test Facility (ATF) of Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), a leading center for ultrafast, high-power CO2 laser development and a National User Facility with a strong track record in high-intensity physics experiments. We begin by reviewing the status of 9–10 μm CO2 laser technology and its applications, before exploring potential breakthroughs, including the realization of 100 terawatt femtosecond pulses. These advancements will drive ongoing research in electron and ion acceleration in plasma, along with applications in secondary radiation sources and atmospheric energy transport. Throughout the review, we highlight how wavelength scaling of physical effects enhances the capabilities of ultra-intense lasers in the LWIR spectrum, expanding the frontiers of both fundamental and applied science.

43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS↗
NASA NTRS2001

Design and Integration of a Rotor Alone Nacelle for Acoustic Fan Testing

A brief summary of the design, integration and testing of a rotor alone nacelle (RAN) in NASA Glenn's 9'x 15' Low Speed Wind Tunnel (LSWT) is presented. The purpose of the RAN system was to provide an "acoustically clean" flow path within the nacelle to isolate that portion of the total engine system acoustic signature attributed to fan noise. The RAN design accomplished this by removing the stators that provided internal support to the nacelle. In its place, two external struts mounted to a two-axis positioning table located behind the tunnel wall provided the support. Nacelle-mounted lasers and a closed-loop control system provided the input to the table to maintain nacelle to fan concentricity as thermal and thrust loads displaced the strut-mounted fan. This unique design required extensive analysis and verification testing to ensure the safety of the fan model, propulsion simulator drive rig, and facility, along with experimental consistency of acoustic data obtained while using the RAN system. Initial testing was used to optimize the positioning system and resulted in concentricity errors of +/- 0.0031 in. in the horizontal direction and +0.0035/-0.0013 in, in the vertical direction. As a result of successful testing, the RAN system will be transitioned into other acoustic research programs at NASA Glenn Research Center.

Shook, Tony D.↗
DOE OSTI2025

Light control of intramolecular nuclear dynamics by vortex electron localization

In strong-field ionization of molecules, intense light pulses are thought to have a negligible direct influence on atomic nuclei. Molecular dissociation is thus expected to be determined by the geometrical configuration of the molecular ion at the ionization instant. Contrary to this picture, we observe a counterintuitive electron-proton angular correlation and the formation of proton vortices following strong-field ionization of H 2 molecules by bicircularly polarized two-color laser fields. We explain this phenomenon by the pathway interference and localization of the residual H 2 ⁡+ electron in different angular-momentum states formed in the tail of the driving laser pulse. We validate this interpretation by combining a quantum-mechanical numerical simulation of the field-driven coupled electronic-nuclear dynamics and a semiclassical-trajectory model for the phase accumulation of the laser-driven electronic-nuclear wave packet. Our joint experimental and theoretical study reveals a general picture of vortex electron localization which can be used for controlling molecular-bond breaking with circularly polarized laser fields.

Atomic & molecular processes in external fields↗
NASA NTRS2008

Digital Receiver Phase Meter

The software of a commercially available digital radio receiver has been modified to make the receiver function as a two-channel low-noise phase meter. This phase meter is a prototype in the continuing development of a phase meter for a system in which radiofrequency (RF) signals in the two channels would be outputs of a spaceborne heterodyne laser interferometer for detecting gravitational waves. The frequencies of the signals could include a common Doppler-shift component of as much as 15 MHz. The phase meter is required to measure the relative phases of the signals in the two channels at a sampling rate of 10 Hz at a root power spectral density <5 microcycle/(Hz)1/2 and to be capable of determining the power spectral density of the phase difference over the frequency range from 1 mHz to 1 Hz. Such a phase meter could also be used on Earth to perform similar measurements in laser metrology of moving bodies. To illustrate part of the principle of operation of the phase meter, the figure includes a simplified block diagram of a basic singlechannel digital receiver. The input RF signal is first fed to the input terminal of an analog-to-digital converter (ADC). To prevent aliasing errors in the ADC, the sampling rate must be at least twice the input signal frequency. The sampling rate of the ADC is governed by a sampling clock, which also drives a digital local oscillator (DLO), which is a direct digital frequency synthesizer. The DLO produces samples of sine and cosine signals at a programmed tuning frequency. The sine and cosine samples are mixed with (that is, multiplied by) the samples from the ADC, then low-pass filtered to obtain in-phase (I) and quadrature (Q) signal components. A digital signal processor (DSP) computes the ratio between the Q and I components, computes the phase of the RF signal (relative to that of the DLO signal) as the arctangent of this ratio, and then averages successive such phase values over a time interval specified by the user.

Marcin, Martin↗
NASA NTRS1989

Coherent communication link using diode-pumped lasers

Work toward developing a diffraction limited, single frequency, modulated transmitter suitable for coherent optical communication or direct detection communication is discussed. Diode pumped, monolithic Nd:YAG nonplanar ring oscillators were used as the carrier beam. An external modulation technique which can handle high optical powers, has moderate modulation voltage, and which can reach modulation rates of 1 GHz was invented. Semiconductor laser pumped solid-state lasers which have high output power (0.5 Watt) and which oscillate at a single frequency, in a diffraction limited beam, at the wavelength of 1.06 microns were built. A technique for phase modulating the laser output by 180 degrees with a 40-volt peak to peak driving voltage is demonstrated. This technique can be adapted for amplitude modulation of 100 percent with the same voltage. This technique makes use of a resonant bulk modulator, so it does not have the power handling limitations of guided wave modulators.

Kane, Thomas J.↗
NASA NTRS1999

Differential Absorption Measurements of Atmospheric Water Vapor with a Coherent Lidar at 2050.532 nm

Wind and water vapor are two major factors driving the Earth's atmospheric circulation, and direct measurement of these factors is needed for better understanding of basic atmospheric science, weather forecasting, and climate studies. Coherent lidar has proved to be a valuable tool for Doppler profiling of wind fields, and differential absorption lidar (DIAL) has shown its effectiveness in profiling water vapor. These two lidar techniques are generally considered distinctly different, but this paper explores an experimental combination of the Doppler and DIAL techniques for measuring both wind and water vapor with an eye-safe wavelength based on a solid-state laser material. Researchers have analyzed and demonstrated coherent DIAL water vapor measurements at 10 micrometers wavelength based on CO2 lasers. The hope of the research presented here is that the 2 gm wavelength in a holmium or thulium-based laser may offer smaller packaging and more rugged operation that the CO2-based approach. Researchers have extensively modeled 2 um coherent lasers for water vapor profiling, but no published demonstration is known. Studies have also been made, and results published on the Doppler portion, of a Nd:YAG-based coherent DIAL operating at 1.12 micrometers. Eye-safety of the 1.12 micrometer wavelength may be a concern, whereas the longer 2 micrometer and 10 micrometer systems allow a high level of eyesafety.

Koch, Grady J.↗
NASA NTRS1998

Precise Image-Based Motion Estimation for Autonomous Small Body Exploration

Space science and solar system exploration are driving NASA to develop an array of small body missions ranging in scope from near body flybys to complete sample return. This paper presents an algorithm for onboard motion estimation that will enable the precision guidance necessary for autonomous small body landing. Our techniques are based on automatic feature tracking between a pair of descent camera images followed by two frame motion estimation and scale recovery using laser altimetry data. The output of our algorithm is an estimate of rigid motion (attitude and position) and motion covariance between frames. This motion estimate can be passed directly to the spacecraft guidance and control system to enable rapid execution of safe and precise trajectories.

Johnson, Andrew E.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Noncolinear Synthesis of Picosecond Flat-Top Laser Pulses to Increase Electron Photoinjector Brightness

Next-generation electron photoinjector accelerators, such as the LCLS-II photoinjector, have increasingly tight requirements on the excitation lasers, often calling for tens of picosecond, temporally flat-top, ultraviolet (UV) pulse trains to be delivered at up to 1 MHz[1]. We present a numerical and experimental implementation of a non-colinear sum frequency generation scheme wherein the incident optical pulses have equal and opposite amounts of spectral dispersion resulting in a spectrally narrowband pulse with flat-top temporal profile[2]. In preliminary experiments we achieve upwards of 40% conversion efficiency with this process. We additionally demonstrate the ability for the narrowband pulses to be directly upconverted to the UV for driving a photocathode.

Lemons, R.↗
DOE OSTI2022

Pathways towards break even for low convergence ratio direct-drive inertial confinement fusion

Following indirect-drive experiments which demonstrated promising performance for low convergence ratios (below 17), previous direct-drive simulations identified a fusion-relevant regime which is expected to be robust to hydrodynamic instability growth. This paper expands these results with simulated implosions at lower energies of 100 and 270 kJ, and ‘hydrodynamic equivalent’ capsules which demonstrate comparable convergence ratio, implosion velocity and in-flight aspect ratio without the need for cryogenic cooling, which would allow the assumptions of one-dimensional-like performance to be tested on current facilities. A range of techniques to improve performance within this regime are then investigated, including the use of two-colour and deep ultraviolet laser pulses. Finally, further simulations demonstrate that the deposition of electron energy into the hotspot of a low convergence ratio implosion through auxiliary heating also leads to significant increases in yield. Results include break even for 1.1 MJ of total energy input (including an estimated 370 kJ of short-pulse laser energy to produce electron beams for the auxiliary heating), but are found to be highly dependent upon the efficiency with which electron beams can be created and transported to the hotspot to drive the heating mechanism.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2025

Sensitivity of the dynamic-shell target to laser drive nonuniformities

The dynamic-shell concept for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) uses an initially homogeneous target and a carefully shaped laser pulse to form a shell and implode it. The laser pulse consists of a series of pickets that drive shocks into the target. The first few shocks converge inwards and rebound from the center of the target, creating an expanding, low-density plasma. Subsequent shocks are launched into the expanding plasma and eventually coalesce to form a shell, which is then imploded with a traditional ICF laser pulse. This study describes radiation-hydrodynamic simulations that investigate the sensitivity of dynamic-shell targets to imperfections in the laser drive. A one-dimensional (1D) study looks at mistiming and power variations in the pickets and a two-dimensional (2D) study examines irradiation perturbations imposed by the laser-beam geometry. Simulations show that less than ~2% power imbalance or 200 ps timing variation in the pickets is sufficient to keep the yield above 90% of the maximum. Additionally, the 2D simulations show that 72 or more beams are required to keep irradiation nonuniformities low enough to obtain fusion yields close to that of 1D simulations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2022

Particle deceleration for collective QED signatures

Frequency upshifts have been proposed as a first experimental signature of collective effects in quantum electrodynamic cascade generated electron–positron pair plasmas. Since the high effective masses of generated pairs will reduce any frequency change, stopped pairs at a minimal Lorentz factor in the lab frame were thought to be the dominant contribution to the laser upshift. However, we demonstrate that only considering stopped particles unduly neglects the contributions of particles re-accelerated in the laser propagation direction. Re-accelerated particles should, on a per particle basis, affect the laser more strongly and over a much longer timescale. To maximize particle contributions to the laser upshift, we consider a Laguerre–Gaussian (LG) mode laser beam to better reflect generated pairs. Furthermore, the LG mode does not have an advantage in particle deceleration and re-acceleration when compared against a Gaussian beam, but the LG mode can maintain particle contributions for a longer duration, allowing for more pair density accumulation. Deceleration with a structured beam to keep pairs within the laser should create a larger upshift, thereby lowering the demands on the driving laser.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1997

An Experimental Study of Swirling Flows as Applied to Annular Combustors

This thesis presents an experimental study of swirling flows with direct applications to gas turbine combustors. Two separate flowfields were investigated: a round, swirling jet and a non-combusting annular combustor model. These studies were intended to allow both a further understanding of the behavior of general swirling flow characteristics, such as the recirculation zone, as well as to provide a base for the development of computational models. In order to determine the characteristics of swirling flows the concentration fields of a round, swirling jet were analyzed for varying amount of swirl. The experimental method used was a light scattering concentration measurement technique known as marker nephelometry. Results indicated the formation of a zone of recirculating fluid for swirl ratios (rotational speed x jet radius over mass average axial velocity) above a certain critical value. The size of this recirculation zone, as well as the spread angle of the jet, was found to increase with increase in the amount of applied swirl. The annular combustor model flowfield simulated the cold-flow characteristics of typical current annular combustors: swirl, recirculation, primary air cross jets and high levels of turbulence. The measurements in the combustor model made by the Laser Doppler Velocimetry technique, allowed the evaluation of the mean and rms velocities in the three coordinate directions, one Reynold's shear stress component and the turbulence kinetic energy: The primary cross jets were found to have a very strong effect on both the mean and turbulence flowfields. These cross jets, along with a large step change in area and wall jet inlet flow pattern, reduced the overall swirl in the test section to negligible levels. The formation of the strong recirculation zone is due mainly to the cross jets and the large step change in area. The cross jets were also found to drive a four-celled vortex-type motion (parallel to the combustor longitudinal axis) near the cross jet injection plane.

Seal, Michael Damian, II↗
NASA NTRS2000

All-Optical Micro Motors Based on Moving Gratings in Photosensitive Media

An all-optical micro motor with a rotor driven by a traveling wave of surface deformation of a stator being in contact with the rotor is being studied. Instead of an ultrasonic wave produced by an electrically driven piezoelectric actuator as in ultrasonic motors, the wave is a result of a photo induced surface deformation of a photosensitive material produced by a traveling holographic grating. Two phase modulated coherent optical beams generate the grating. Several types of photosensitive materials are studied such as photorefractive crystals, photosensitive piezoelectric ceramics, and side-chain liquid crystalline polyesters. In order to be considered as a possible candidate for micro motors, the material should exhibit surface deformation produced by moving grating of the order of 10 micron. Deformations produced by static holographic gratings are studied in photorefractive crystals of LiNbO3 using high vertical resolution surface profilometer Dektak 3 and surface interferometer WYKO. An experimental set-up with moving grating has been developed. The set-up uses a two-beam interferometry configuration with one beam being reflected by a thin mirror mounted on a loud speaker. A ramp voltage signal generator drives the speaker. Changing voltage, polarity, and frequency of the signal can easily generate vibrating gratings or moving gratings in both directions. A vibrating grating has been applied to a photorefractive crystal of BSO controlled by an external electric field of the order of 104 V/cm. We have additionally studied effects of moving grating interaction with light absorbing fluids such as solutions of 2,9,16,23-Tetrakis(phenylthio)-29H, 31 Hphthalocyanine in chlorobenzene in capillary tubes. The purpose of using a liquid is to show that the moving gratings can force a liquid to shift. The interaction of a single low power focused laser beam at 633 nm with such fluid produced an intensive circular motion, which also might be applied to all-optical micro motors or actuators.

Curley, M.↗