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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 307 records · Page 17
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2022

Decentralized Interleaving of Cascaded H-Bridge Multi-Level Converters

This document proposes a simple method to decentralize the interleaving for cascaded H bridge (CHB) converters. In the proposed approach, a single signal sent from the Central controller (CC) to Local Controllers (LC) contains information about the desired pulse width and is synchronized with respect to other LC. While centralized controllers need individual signals for each of the CHB modules, the proposed method requires a single signal per phase which decreases the number of PWM channels needed. A detailed explanation of the proposed method is presented. Experimental results are presented that show the interleaving of two CHB modules for an example DC to AC application.

Montes, Oscar Andres↗
NASA NTRS1993

Computing Bandwidths Of PCM/PSK/PM Signals

Analysis of spectral properties of class of pulse-code-modulated, phase-shift-keyed (PSK) radio signals shows one can obtain approximate, simple, closed-form equations for widths of frequency bands occupied by such signals. These equations reduce amount of computation and time needed to determine allocations of frequency and power among competing radio-communication systems or to determine whether two different radio-communication systems compatible.

Nguyen, Tien M.↗
DOE OSTI2016

A wearable sensor based on CLYC scintillators

We developed a wearable radiation sensor using Cs 2 LiYCl 6 :Ce (CLYC) for simultaneous gamma-ray and neutron detection. The system includes two ø2.5×2.5 cm 3 crystals coupled to small, metal-body photomultiplier tubes. A custom, low-power electronics base digitizes the output signal at three time points and enables both pulse height and pulse shape discrimination of neutrons and gamma-rays. Data, including spectra, can be transferred via a wired or wireless connection. The total gamma-ray and neutron counts, anomaly detection metrics, and identified isotopes are displayed on a small screen on the device. Users may leave the system in unattended mode to collect long-dwell energy spectra. The prototype system has overall dimensions of 13×7.5×18 cm 3 and weight of 1.3 kg, not including the protective pouch, and runs on six AA alkaline batteries for 29 hours with a 1% wireless transmission duty cycle and 41 hours with the wireless turned off . In this paper, we summarize the system design and present characterization results from the detector modules. The energy resolution is about 6.5% full width at half maximum at 662 keV due to the small photomultiplier tube selected, and the linearity and pulse shape discrimination performance are very good.

46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
NASA NTRS2011

Range Resolved CO2 Atmospheric Backscattering Measurements Using Fiber Lasers and RZPN Code Modulation

We report the use of a return-to- zero (RZPN) pseudo noise modulation technique for making range resolved measurements of CO2 within the planetary boundary layer (PBL) using commercial, off-the-shelf, components. Conventional, range resolved, DIAL measurements require laser pulse widths that are significantly shorter than the desired spatial resolution and necessitate using pulses whose temporal spacing is such that scattered returns from only a single pulse are observed by the receiver at any one time (for the PBL pulse separations must be greater than approximately 20 microseconds). This imposes significant operational limitations when using currently available fiber lasers because of the resulting low duty cycle (less than approximately 0.0005) and consequent low average laser output power. The RZPN modulation technique enables a fiber laser to operate at much higher duty cycles (approaching 0.04) thereby more effectively utilizing the amplifier's output. This increases the counts received by approximately two orders of magnitude. Our approach involves employing two distributed feedback lasers (DFB), each modulated by a different RPZN code, whose outputs are then amplified by a CW fiber amplifier. One laser is tuned to a CO2 absorption line; the other operates offline thereby permitting the simultaneous acquisition of both on and offline signals using independent RZPN codes. This minimizes the impact of atmospheric turbulence on the measurement. The on and offline signals are retrieved by deconvolving the return signal using the appropriate kernels.

Burris, John↗
DOE OSTI2026

Flashlamp drive system for a high-energy 10–100 kHz pulse-burst Nd:YAG laser

We present the design of the flashlamp drive system for the NG100 laser, a 1 J/pulse, 10–100 kHz, pulse-burst Nd:YAG laser system being developed for application in a Thomson scattering plasma diagnostic. This flashlamp drive system is under active development, with a prototype now being constructed. The flashlamp drive system is modular, with each module capable of driving a series pair of linear flashlamps. Each drive module contains and is controlled by a dedicated Analog Regulator Controller. Thus each module is independently operable and controllable. This modular approach imposes no intrinsic limit to the number of modules that may be applied to drive the flashlamp pairs in a laser system. Each flashlamp drive module has a switch-regulated topology. An 1800 V main capacitor bank provides 25 kJ of energy storage, while a lower voltage output capacitor bank provides filtering and the initial energy delivered to the flashlamps at the start of the drive pulse. The main bank is recharged after each flashlamp drive pulse. As energy is drawn from the output bank by the flashlamps, an IGBT switching regulator feeds current from the main bank through an inductor to replenish the output capacitor bank. The rate of replenishment is feedback-controlled to maintain a regulated supply of power to the flashlamp load, with a setpoint range of 0.07 to 1.65 MW. An Analog Regulator Controller produces two-state variable pulse width feedback switching of the regulator IGBT. The switching frequency is ≤ 20 kHz, dynamically adjusted to limit ripple of the flashlamp power to ±3% statistical standard deviation of mean. For development or troubleshooting, each module is operable independent of the laser digital control system (microcontroller and FPGA).

Plasma diagnostics - interferometry↗
NASA NTRS2017

Downlink Receiver Algorithms for Deep Space Optical Communications

The goal of the Deep Space Optical Communications project at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory is to demonstrate laser communication links at ranges out to approximately 3 AU. In this paper, we discuss a downlink receiver concept capable of demodulating optical pulse-position modulated (PPM) waveforms with data rates varying from approximately 50 kbps up to 265 Mbps, using a range of PPM orders, slot widths, and code rates. The receiver operates on recorded timestamps corresponding to the times-of-arrival of photons detected by a photon-counting detector array followed by a commercial time-tagger. Algorithms are presented for slot, symbol, and frame synchronization as well as parameter estimation. Estimates of link performance are evaluated through Monte- Carlo simulation for an optical channel that includes optical losses, detector blocking, signal clock dynamics, and pointing-induced downlink fades. Based upon these simulation results, it is expected that link closure may be achieved with at least 3 dB of margin under a variety of relevant conditions.

Tkacenko, Andre↗
NASA NTRS2006

Sequence Detection for PPM Optical Communication With ISI

A method of sequence detection has been proposed to mitigate the effects of inter-slot interference and inter-symbol interference (both denoted ISI) in the reception of M-ary pulse-position modulation (PPM) optical signals. The method would make it possible to reduce the error rate for a given slot duration, to use a shorter slot duration (and, hence, to communicate at a higher rate) without exceeding a given error rate, or to use a lower-bandwidth (and, hence, less-expensive) receiver to receive a signal of a given slot width without exceeding a given error rate. In M-ary PPM, a symbol period is divided into M time slots, each of duration T(sub s), and a symbol consists of a binary sequence ones and zeros represented by pulses or the absence of pulses, respectively, in the time slots. At the transmitter, the bit stream is used to modulate a laser, the output of which is constant (either full power or zero power, representing 1 or 0, respectively) during each time slot. However, the signal becomes attenuated (signal photons are lost) in propagation from the transmitter to the receiver and noise enters at the receiver, complicating the problem of determining the timing of the symbol periods and slots and identifying the symbols.

Moision, Bruce↗
NASA NTRS1980

Analysis of mode-locked and intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser

The paper presents analytical and computer studies of the CW mode-locked and intracavity frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser which provide new insight into the operation, including the detuning behavior, of this type of laser. Computer solutions show that the steady-state pulse shape for this laser is much closer to a truncated cosine than to a Gaussian; there is little spectral broadening for on-resonance operation; and the chirp is negligible. This leads to a simplified analytical model carried out entirely in the time domain, with atomic linewidth effects ignored. Simple analytical results for on-resonance pulse shape, pulse width, signal intensity, and harmonic conversion efficiency in terms of basic laser parameters are derived from this model. A simplified physical description of the detuning behavior is also developed. Agreement is found with experimental studies showing that the pulsewidth decreases as the modulation frequency is detuned off resonance; the harmonic power output initially increases and then decreases; and the pulse shape develops a sharp-edged asymmetry of opposite sense for opposite signs of detuning.

Siegman, A. E.↗
NASA NTRS1982

Coherently pulsed laser source

An electronically controllable apparatus is described which modulates a continuous wave laser beam so as to produce an output beam consisting of coherent pulses that are electronically controllable as to both pulse repetition rate and pulse width. The apparatus includes two acoustic devices positioned so that the laser beam passes through them in sequence, and apparatus for passing sound waves through the devices to frequency shift the laser radiation as well as to diffract it. Each acoustic device generates sound waves containing a group of frequencies which result in spaced pulses. The first acoustic device is countered by the second acoustic device to produce a collimated, coherently pulsed, laser beam.

Margolis, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Active Q switching in a GaAs/AlGaAs multiquantum well laser with an intracavity monolithic loss modulator

Active Q switching in a GaAs/AlGaAs multiquantum well laser with an intracavity electroabsorption monolithic loss modulator is demonstrated. In this device, an efficient loss modulation is achieved through the quantum confined Stark effect in a modulator section and the enhanced carrier induced band shrinkage effect in an optical amplifier section. It is found that a picosecond pulse as narrow as 18.6 ps full width at half-maximum is generated and a high repetition rate of more than 3 GHz is obtained.

Arakawa, Y.↗
DOE OSTI2022

LeTID-Affected Cells from a Utility-Scale Photovoltaic System Characterized by Deep Level Transient Spectroscopy

Photovoltaic modules from a utility-scale field experienced power loss by light- and elevated temperature-induced degradation (LeTID). Samples of one of the affected monocrystalline silicon cells were cored and extracted from the module packaging and encapsulation. One of the cell fragments was processed using a regeneration cycle of applying short-circuit-rated current in forward bias at 85 degrees C for 2 weeks, while the other fragment was kept in its outdoor-degraded LeTID state. Both samples were scribed to form 2-mm diameter isolated areas using a femtosecond-pulse-width laser micromachining system. Both isolated areas contained front grid line segments which were wire bonded to larger contact pads, and the samples were probed in a cryostat linked to a deep-level transient spectroscopy (DLTS) system. Using DLTS, a majority-carrier, hole-trap defect was detected on each sample with an activation energy of 0.42 eV. The LeTID-degraded sample, however, had a larger signal corresponding to a trap density of 1.1x10^13 cm-3, which was about five times larger than the 2.1x10^12 cm-3 trap density of the regenerated sample.

charge carrier lifetime↗
NASA NTRS1981

Theory of active mode locking of a semiconductor laser in an external cavity

An analytical treatment is given for the active mode locking of a semiconductor laser in an external resonator. The width of the mode-locked pulses is obtained as a function of the laser and cavity parameters and the amount of frequency detuning. The effects of self-modulation and saturation are included in the treatment. The pulse output is compared with that obtained by a strong modulation of the laser diode with no external cavity.

Yeung, J. A.↗
NASA NTRS1986

Analytical comparison of transient and steady state visual evoked cortical potentials

To better describe the linear-dynamic properties of the human visual-cortical response system, transient and steady state Visual Evoked Response Potentials (VERP) were observed. The stimulus presentation device provided both the evoking stimulus (flickering or pulsing lights) and a video task display. The steady state stimulus was modulated by a complex, ten frequency, sum-of-sines, wave. The transient VERP was the time-locked average of the EEG to a series of narrow light pulses (pulse width of 10 msec). The Fourier transform of the averaged pulses had properties that approximate band limited white noise, i.e., a flat spectrum over the frequency region spanned by the 10 summed sines. The Fourier transform of both the steady state and the transient evoked potentials resulted in transfer that are equivalent and therefore comparable. To investigate the effects of task loading on evoked potentials, a grammatical reasoning task was provided. Results support the relevancy of continued application of a systems engineering approach for describing neurosensory functioning.

Junker, A. M.↗
DOE OSTI2023

Time-refraction optics with single cycle modulation

Abstract We present an experimental study of optical time-refraction caused by time-interfaces as short as a single optical cycle. Specifically, we study the propagation of a probe pulse through a sample undergoing a large refractive index change induced by an intense modulator pulse. In these systems, increasing the refractive index abruptly leads to time-refraction where the spectrum of all the waves propagating in the medium is red-shifted, and subsequently blue-shifted when the refractive index relaxes back to its original value. We observe these phenomena in the single-cycle regime. Moreover, by shortening the temporal width of the modulator to ∼5–6 fs, we observe that the rise time of the red-shift associated with time-refraction is proportionally shorter. The experiments are carried out in transparent conducting oxides acting as epsilon-near-zero materials. These observations raise multiple questions on the fundamental physics occurring within such ultrashort time frames, and open the way for experimenting with photonic time-crystals, generated by periodic ultrafast changes to the refractive index, in the near future.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
NASA NTRS1991

A satellite-based radar wind sensor

The objective is to investigate the application of Doppler radar systems for global wind measurement. A model of the satellite-based radar wind sounder (RAWS) is discussed, and many critical problems in the designing process, such as the antenna scan pattern, tracking the Doppler shift caused by satellite motion, and backscattering of radar signals from different types of clouds, are discussed along with their computer simulations. In addition, algorithms for measuring mean frequency of radar echoes, such as the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) estimator, the covariance estimator, and the estimators based on autoregressive models, are discussed. Monte Carlo computer simulations were used to compare the performance of these algorithms. Anti-alias methods are discussed for the FFT and the autoregressive methods. Several algorithms for reducing radar ambiguity were studied, such as random phase coding methods and staggered pulse repitition frequncy (PRF) methods. Computer simulations showed that these methods are not applicable to the RAWS because of the broad spectral widths of the radar echoes from clouds. A waveform modulation method using the concept of spread spectrum and correlation detection was developed to solve the radar ambiguity. Radar ambiguity functions were used to analyze the effective signal-to-noise ratios for the waveform modulation method. The results showed that, with suitable bandwidth product and modulation of the waveform, this method can achieve the desired maximum range and maximum frequency of the radar system.

Xin, Weizhuang↗
NASA NTRS1973

Industrial realization of a direct Fourier transform in automated experimental data processing systems

Fourier processing of automatic signals transforms direct current voltage into a numerical form through bandpass filtration in time-pulse multiplying devices. It is shown that the ratio of the interference energy to the useful signal energy is inversely proportional to the square of the product of the depth of the width modulation and the ratio of the time constant averaging to the cross-multiplied signals.

Lyubashevskiy, G. S.↗
NASA NTRS1986

OH measurement by laser light absorption

Since the first attempt to measure atmospheric hydroxyl radicals by optical absorption in 1975 (Perner et al., 1976) this method has been continuously developed further and its major obstacles and limitations are known today. The laser beam needs to be expanded in order to reduce the beam divergence. At the same time the energy density of the laser beam which produces OH via ozone photolysis is reduced to such an extent that the self-produced OH concentration ranges well below the atmospheric value. Atmospheric absorptions should be observed over a wide spectral range so that not only the OH radicals are properly identified by several rotational lines but their absorption can be corrected for interfering absorptions from other air constituents as SO2, CH2O, CS2, etc., which can be identified in a wide spectral range with more confidence. Air turbulence demands fast spectral scanning or probing on and off the absorption line. Energy requirements should be kept small in field operations. In the experiment frequency doubled dye laser pulses at 308 nm are produced. The picosecond light pulses are expected to show a smooth profile (light intensity against wavelength) which will be broadened to the required spectral width according to the uncertainty principle. The pump laser will be an optoacoustically modulated Nd:YAG laser.

Perner, D.↗
NASA NTRS1993

X-ray observations of EX Hydrae with the Einstein Solid State Spectrometer

Einstein SSS X-ray observations of the eclipsing intermediate polar EX Hya are presented. The SSS data have a better resolution at energies extending below 2 keV than do the EXOSAT data. These data reveal the presence of a soft component with a temperature of about 0.74 keV. The phase-resolved data can be fitted to a model of two-temperature thermal plasma with a single absorber, with the result that only the normalization varies with phase. This suggests that part of the soft component might become occulted at minimum. If we assume that the reduction in the flux occurs due to the photoelectric absorption, we find that a high-density material covering only about 40 percent of the emission can fit the data equally well. The EXOSAT and Ginga data of this source favor the accretion curtain model rather than the occultation model. We modify the accretion curtain model by assuming that the modulation is caused by an absorber which partially covers the accreting column at the minimum of the 67-min pulse. An emission line at 1.72 keV is present in the data. The equivalent width of this line varies in phase with the continuum. We associate this line with Si fluorescence.

Singh, Jyoti↗