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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 271 records · Page 15
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2020

Modeling of Impact Ionization and Charge Trapping in SuperCDMS HVeV Detectors

A model for charge trapping and impact ionization, and an experiment to measure these parameters is presented for the SuperCDMS HVeV detector. A procedure to isolate and quantify the main sources of noise (bulk and surface charge leakage) in the measurements is also describe. This sets the stage to precisely measure the charge trapping and impact ionization probabilities in order to incorporate this model into future dark matter searches.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS1990

Double ionization of helium by particle impact

Experimental results are reviewed of the ratio, R sq., of double to single ionization of He by proton, antiproton, electron and positron impact in the energy range from 0.15 to about 10 MeV/amu. At high velocities (greater than 1 to 2 MeV/amu) values of R sq. caused by electron impact merge with those for the proton with the antiproton, electron values being up to a factor of 2 greater than that for the p, positron. At these velocities the single ionization cross sections caused by impact of any of these four particles are indistinguishable.

Jacobsen, Finn M.↗
NASA NTRS1972

Electron deposition in water vapor, with atmospheric applications.

Examination of the consequences of electron impact on water vapor in terms of the microscopic details of excitation, dissociation, ionization, and combinations of these processes. Basic electron-impact cross-section data are assembled in many forms and are incorporated into semianalytic functions suitable for analysis with digital computers. Energy deposition in water vapor is discussed, and the energy loss function is presented, along with the 'electron volts per ion pair' and the efficiencies of energy loss in various processes. Several applications of electron and water-vapor interactions in the atmospheric sciences are considered, in particular, H2O comets, aurora and airglow, and lightning.

Olivero, J. J.↗
NASA NTRS1970

Photoionization mass spectrometer

Photoionization source with a vacuum UV monochromator is used in ion reaction kinetics. Monochromator passes only the photon energies near the threshold of the selected ionization process. Absence of electron impact alleviates creation of different type ions that result in ion fragmentation.

Warneck, P.↗
NASA NTRS1990

An assessment of the conditions for critical velocity ionization at the weakly magnetized planets

It has been proposed that critical velocity ionization (CVI) may occur in the magnetosheaths of weakly magnetized planets where the solar wind flows through the planets' upper atmospheres. One can examine this possibility for Venus and Mars by using magnetosheath flow and exosphere models to determine whether the criteria for CVI are met. These criteria include Brenning's empirical condition on the cross-field flow velocity (it must not exceed the local magnetosonic velocity) and the 'Townsend condition' requiring that the integrated probability of impact ionization by a hot electron be greater than 1 along a streamline past the planet. Application of the Spreiter-Stahara gas dynamic flow model and the Nagy and coworkers' models for the exospheres lead to the conclusion that the conditions can be met in a limited region near Venus. However, evidence for CVI has not been identified in in-situ data. Since key details of the planet-solar wind interaction can be explained in terms of photoionization alone, other signatures of the process must be sought in the observations if the presence of CVI is to be positively inferred.

Luhmann, J. G.↗
NASA NTRS2005

Surface charging and x-ray emission from insulator surfaces induced by collisions with highly charged ions : relevance to cometary and planetary sp

Characteristic X-ray emission lines are detected from simulants of comet surfaces as they undergo collisions with highly charged ions (HCIs). The HCI projectiles are O+2-O+7. Ion energies are varied in the range (2-7)q keV, where q is the ion charge state. The targets are the insulator minerals olivine, augite, and quartz. It is found that the emission of characteristic K-L, K-M X-rays appears to proceed during positive charging of the surface by the HCI beam. When one uses low-energy, flood-gun electrons to neutralize the surface charge, the X-ray emission is eliminated or greatly reduced, depending on the flood-gun current. Acceleration of background electrons onto the charged surface results in excitation of elemental transitions, including the K-L2 and K-L3 target X-ray emission lines of Mg and Si located spectroscopically at 1253.6 and 1739.4 eV, respectively. Also observed are emission lines from O, Na, Ca, Al, and Fe atoms in the target and charge-exchange lines via surface extraction of electrons by the O+q electric field. Good agreement is found in the ratio of the measured X-ray yields for Mg and Si relative to the ratio of their electron-impact K-shell ionization cross sections. The present study may serve as a guide to astronomers as to specific observing X-ray energies indicative of solar/stellar wind or magnetospheric ion interactions with a comet, planetary surface, or circumstellar dust.

comets↗
NASA NTRS1986

Integrated development facility for the calibration of low-energy charged particle flight instrumentation

The design of a low-energy ion facility for development and calibration of thermal ion instrumentation is examined. A directly heated cathode provides the electrons used to produce ions by impact ionization and an applied magnetic field increases the path length followed by the electrons. The electrostatic and variable geometry magnetic mirror configuration in the ion source is studied. The procedures for the charge neutralization of the beam and the configuration and function of the 1.4-m drift tube are analyzed. A microcomputer is utilized to control and monitor the beam energy and composition, and the mass- and angle-dependent response of the instrument under testing. The facility produces a high-quality ion beam with an adjustable range of energies up to 150 eV; the angular divergence and uniformity of the beam is obtained from two independent retarding potential analyzers. The procedures for calibrating the instrument being developed are described.

Biddle, A. P.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Electron-Impact Excitation Cross Sections for Modeling Non-Equilibrium Gas

In order to provide a database for modeling hypersonic entry in a partially ionized gas under non-equilibrium, the electron-impact excitation cross sections of atoms have been calculated using perturbation theory. The energy levels covered in the calculation are retrieved from the level list in the HyperRad code. The downstream flow-field is determined by solving a set of continuity equations for each component. The individual structure of each energy level is included. These equations are then complemented by the Euler system of equations. Finally, the radiation field is modeled by solving the radiative transfer equation.

Electron↗
NASA NTRS1985

Vacuum ultraviolet studies of electron impact of helium Excitation of He n1P0 Rydberg series and ionization-excitation of He(+) nl Rydberg series

The cross sections for the He I 1s2 1S-1snp 1P0 series have been measured using a relative flow method, with the absolute scale fixed by the H Ly-alpha dissociative excitation cross section standard. The results are compared with those obtained using a relative cross section data analysis by modified Born approximation, and good agreement is found. Cross sections for the ionization-excitation of the He II 121.51 nm and He II 164.04 nm transmissions have been measured, and the results strongly suggest that theoretical calculations of the reactions differ fundamentally from physical reality. The failure of the theory to describe experimental results stems from the neglect in the theory of electron correlation effects between the two orbital electrons.

Shemansky, D. E.↗
NASA NTRS2015

Pathways for Energization of Ca in Mercury's Exosphere

We investigate the possible pathways to produce the extreme energy observed in the calcium exosphere of Mercury. Any mechanism must explain the facts that Ca in Mercury's exosphere is extremely hot, that it is seen almost exclusively on the dawnside of the planet, and that its content varies seasonally, not sporadically. Simple diatomic molecules or their clusters are considered, focusing on calcium oxides while acknowledging that Ca sulfides may also be the precursor molecules. We first discuss impact vaporization to justify the assumption that CaO and Ca-oxide clusters are expected from impacts on Mercury. Then we discuss processes by which the atomic Ca is energized to a 70,000 K gas. The processes considered are (1) electron-impact dissociation of CaO molecules, (2) spontaneous dissociation of Ca-bearing molecules following impact vaporization, (3) shock-induced dissociative ionization, (4) photodissociation and (5) sputtering. We conclude that electron-impact dissociation cannot produce the required abundance of Ca, and sputtering cannot reproduce the observed spatial and temporal variation that is measured. Spontaneous dissociation is unlikely to result in the high energy that is seen. Of the two remaining processes, shock induced dissociative ionization produces the required energy and comes close to producing the required abundance, but rates are highly dependent on the incoming velocity distribution of the impactors. Photodissociation probably can produce the required abundance of Ca, but simulations show that photodissociation cannot reproduce the observed spatial distribution.

Sulfides↗
NASA NTRS1974

The interaction between an impact-produced neutral gas cloud and the solar wind at the lunar surface

On Apr. 15, 1970, the Apollo 13 S-IVB stage impacted the nighttime lunar surface. Beginning 20 sec after impact, the Suprathermal Ion Detector Experiment and the Solar Wind Spectrometer observed a large flux of positive ions (maximum flux of about 3 x 10 to the 8th ions/sq cm/sec/ster) and electrons. Two separate streams of ions were observed: a horizontal flux that appeared to be deflected solar wind ions and a smaller vertical flux of predominantly heavy ions (greater than 10 amu), which probably were material vaporized from the S-IVB stage. An examination of the data shows that collisions between neutral molecules and hot electrons (50 eV) were probably an important ionization mechanism in the impact-produced neutral gas cloud. These electrons, which were detected by the Solar Wind Spectrometer, are thought to have been energized in a shock front or some form of intense interaction region between the cloud and the solar wind. Thus strong ionization and acceleration are seen under conditions approaching a collisionless state.

Lindeman, R. A.↗
NASA NTRS2011

Regarding the Possible Generation of a Lunar Nightside Exo-Ionosphere

The non-condensing neutral helium exosphere is at its most concentrated levels on the cold lunar nightside. We show herein that these He atoms are susceptible to impact ionization from primary and secondary electrons flowing in the vicinity of the negatively-charged nightside lunar surface. The secondary electron beams are a relatively recent discovery and are found to be emitted from the nightside surface at energies consistent with the negative surface potential. The effect is to create an electron impact-created ionosphere in nightside regions. possibly especially potent within polar craters.

Farrell, W. M.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Collision strengths for the intercombination lines of S III

The collision strengths of intercombination lines of S III ions observed in the Io torus are calculated on the basis of data gathered by Voyager instruments, the IUE and the Faint Object Telescope. The doubly ionized ions are excited by electron impacts and move from the 3P2P(3) ground state to excited 3s3P3(1)PO, (1)DO, 3p3d(1)PO, and 3p4s(1)PO states. Excitational cross sections are calculated with a two-state close-coupling approximation for the energy range up to 1,000,000 K, with target states being represented by multiconfiguration interaction wave functions. The close-coupling approximation regarded as an accurate technique because of the dominance of the Coulomb factor in the ionized state. The wave function calculations are estimated to yield values accurate to within 30 percent. Further work is need to quantify the magnitude of error introduced by resonance contributions to the collision strengths.

Ho, Y. K.↗
DOE OSTI2023

On the importance of excited state species in low pressure capacitively coupled plasma argon discharges

In the past three decades, first principles-based fully kinetic particle-in-cell Monte Carlo collision (PIC/MCC) simulations have been proven to be an important tool for the understanding of the physics of low pressure capacitive discharges. However, there is a long-standing issue that the plasma density determined by PIC/MCC simulations shows quantitative deviations from experimental measurements, even in argon discharges, indicating that certain physics may be missing in previous modeling of the low pressure radio frequency (rf) driven capacitive discharges. In this work, we report that the energetic electron-induced secondary electron emission (SEE) and excited state atoms play an important role in low pressure rf capacitive argon plasma discharges. The ion-induced secondary electrons are accelerated by the high sheath field to strike the opposite electrode and produce a considerable number of secondary electrons that lead to additional ionizing impacts and further increase of the plasma density. Importantly, the presence of excited state species even further enhances the plasma density via excited state neutral and resonant state photon-induced SEE on the electrode surface. The PIC/MCC simulation results show good agreement with the recent experimental measurements in the low pressure range (1–10 Pa) that is commonly used for etching in the semiconductor industry. At the highest pressure (20 Pa) and driving voltage amplitudes 250 and 350 V explored here, the plasma densities from PIC/MCC simulations considering excited state neutrals and resonant photon-induced SEE are quantitatively higher than observed in the experiments, requiring further investigation on high pressure discharges.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
NASA NTRS1973

A field ionization study of octan-2-one

Electron-impact studies on deuterated aliphatic ketones have demonstrated that partial H/D randomization tends to occur prior to fragmentation. The scope of the studies is extended to include the kinetics and mechanisms of the fragmentation processes induced by field ionization of octan-2-one at very short times within the very high field in the vicinity of the blade emitter and at longer times in the low field regions.

Derrick, P. J.↗
NASA NTRS1981

Photoexcitation and ionization in carbon dioxide - Theoretical studies in the separated-channel static-exchange approximation

Vertical-electronic static-exchange photoexcitation and ionization cross sections are reported which provide a first approximation to the complete dipole spectrum of CO2. Separated-channel static-exchange calculations of vertical-electronic transition energies and oscillator strengths, and Stieltjes-Chebyshev moment methods were used in the development. Detailed comparisons were made of the static-exchange excitation and ionization spectra with photoabsorption, electron-impact excitation, and quantum-defect estimates of discrete transition energies and intensities, and with partial-channel photoionization cross sections obtained from fluorescence measurements and from tunable-source and (e, 2e) photoelectron spectroscopy. Results show that the separate-channel static-exchange approximation is generally satisfactory in CO2.

Padial, N.↗