Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “ORIENTATION”

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 325 records · Page 18

Relationship between orientation factor of lead zirconate titanate nanowires and dielectric permittivity of nanocomposites

The relationship between the orientation of lead zirconate titanate (PZT) nanowires dispersed in nanocomposites and the resulting dielectric constants are quantified. The orientation of the PZT nanowires embedded in a polymer matrix is controlled by varying the draw ratio and subsequently quantified using Herman's Orientation Factor. Consequently, it is demonstrated that the dielectric constants of nanocomposites are improved by increasing the orientation factor of the PZT nanowires. This technique is proposed to improve the dielectric constant of the nanocomposites without the need for additional filler volume fraction since the nanocomposites are utilized in a wide range of high dielectric permittivity electronic components.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

Second harmonic generation in photonic crystal cavities in (111)-oriented GaAs

We demonstrate second harmonic generation at telecommunications wavelengths in photonic crystal cavities in (111)-oriented GaAs. We fabricate 30 photonic crystal structures in both (111)- and (100)-oriented GaAs and observe an increase in generated second harmonic power in the (111) orientation, with the mean power increased by a factor of 3, although there is a large scatter in the measured values. We discuss possible reasons for this increase, in particular, the reduced two photon absorption for transverse electric modes in (111) orientation, as well as a potential increase due to improved mode overlap.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Prediction of particle orientation in simple upsetting process of NdFeB magnets

The magnetic properties of NdFeB magnets are strongly affected by crystallographic texture which is highly associated with particle orientation. This study proposed a method for predicting the particle orientation in the simple upsetting process of NdFeB magnets. The method is based on finite element simulation with flow net analysis. The magnets in a cylindrical form were compressed by two flat dies in a chamber filled with argon at 750°C. Three forming speeds were taken into account in order to obtain flow stress curves used in simulations. The micrographs of the cross sections of the deformed magnets show that the particle deformation significantly increases with the compression. The phenomenon was also predicted by the proposed method. Both simulated and experimental results show that the inhomogeneity of the texture of the NdFeB magnets can be increased by the simple upsetting process. The predicted particle orientations were in a good agreement with those examined in the deformed magnets. The proposed method for predicting particle orientations can also be used in other forming processes of NdFeB magnets.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Interfacial band alignment and structural properties of nanoscale TiO{sub 2} thin films for integration with epitaxial crystallographic oriented germanium

We have investigated the structural and band alignment properties of nanoscale titanium dioxide (TiO{sub 2}) thin films deposited on epitaxial crystallographic oriented Ge layers grown on (100), (110), and (111)A GaAs substrates by molecular beam epitaxy. The TiO{sub 2} thin films deposited at low temperature by physical vapor deposition were found to be amorphous in nature, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy confirmed a sharp heterointerface between the TiO{sub 2} thin film and the epitaxially grown Ge with no traceable interfacial layer. A comprehensive assessment on the effect of substrate orientation on the band alignment at the TiO{sub 2}/Ge heterointerface is presented by utilizing x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and spectroscopic ellipsometry. A band-gap of 3.33 ± 0.02 eV was determined for the amorphous TiO{sub 2} thin film from the Tauc plot. Irrespective of the crystallographic orientation of the epitaxial Ge layer, a sufficient valence band-offset of greater than 2 eV was obtained at the TiO{sub 2}/Ge heterointerface while the corresponding conduction band-offsets for the aforementioned TiO{sub 2}/Ge system were found to be smaller than 1 eV. A comparative assessment on the effect of Ge substrate orientation revealed a valence band-offset relation of ΔE{sub V}(100) > ΔE{sub V}(111) > ΔE{sub V}(110) and a conduction band-offset relation of ΔE{sub C}(110) > ΔE{sub C}(111) > ΔE{sub C}(100). These band-offset parameters are of critical importance and will provide key insight for the design and performance analysis of TiO{sub 2} for potential high-κ dielectric integration and for future metal-insulator-semiconductor contact applications with next generation of Ge based metal-oxide field-effect transistors.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Numerical approach of the injection molding process of fiber-reinforced composite with considering fiber orientation

One of the most important challenges in the injection molding process of the short-glass fiber/thermoplastic composite parts is being able to predict the fiber orientation, since it controls the mechanical and the physical properties of the final parts. Folgar and Tucker included into the Jeffery equation a diffusive type of term, which introduces a phenomenological coefficient for modeling the randomizing effect of the mechanical interactions between the fibers, to predict the fiber orientation in concentrated suspensions. Their experiments indicated that this coefficient depends on the fiber volume fraction and aspect ratio. However, a definition of the fiber interaction coefficient, which is very necessary in the fiber orientation simulations, hasn't still been proven yet. Consequently, this study proposed a developed fiber interaction model that has been introduced a fiber dynamics simulation in order to obtain a global fiber interaction coefficient. This supposed that the coefficient is a sum function of the fiber concentration, aspect ratio, and angular velocity. The proposed model was incorporated into a computer aided engineering simulation package C-Mold. Short-glass fiber/polyamide-6 composites were produced in the injection molding with the fiber weight concentration of 30 wt.%, 50 wt.%, and 70 wt.%. The physical properties of these composites were examined, and their fiber orientation distributions were measured by micro-computed-tomography equipment μ-CT. The simulation results showed a good agreement with experiment results.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Transport driven plasma flows in the scrape-off layer of ADITYA Tokamak in different orientations of magnetic field

Parallel plasma flows in the scrape-off layer of ADITYA tokamak are measured in two orientations of total magnetic field. In each orientation, experiments are carried out by reversing the direction of the toroidal magnetic field and the plasma current. The transport-driven component is determined by averaging flow Mach numbers, measured in two directions of the toroidal magnetic field and the plasma current for the same orientation. It is observed that there is a significant transport-driven component in the measured flow and the component depends on the field orientation.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

A study of the oriented composites with the conductive segregated structure obtained via solid-phase processing of the UHMWPE reactor powder mixed with the carbon nanofillers

Electrically conductive oriented polymer nano-composites of different compositions, based on the reactor powder of ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with a special morphology, filled with particles of nanostructured graphite (NG), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and electrically conductive carbon black (CB), were investigated. Polymer composites were obtained via compaction of the mechanical mixture of the polymer and filler powder, followed by uniaxial deformation of the material under homogeneous shear (HS) conditions (all of the processing stages were conducted at room temperature). Resulted composites possess a high tensile strength, high level of the electrical conductivity and low percolation threshold, owing it to the formation of the segregated conductive structure, The influence of the type of nanosized carbon filler, degree of the deformation under HS condition, temperature and etc. on the electrical conductivity and mechanical properties of strengthened conductive composites oriented under homogeneous shear conditions was investigated. Changes in the electrical conductivity of oriented composite materials during reversible “tension–shrinkage” cycles along the orientation axis direction were studied. A theoretical approach, describing the process of transformation of the conductive system as a response on polymer phase deformation and volume change, was proposed, based on the data received from the analysis of the conductivity behavior during the uniaxial deformation and thermal treatment of composites.

77 NANOSCIENCE AND NANOTECHNOLOGY↗

TOWARD AN EMPIRICAL THEORY OF PULSAR EMISSION. XI. UNDERSTANDING THE ORIENTATIONS OF PULSAR RADIATION AND SUPERNOVA “KICKS”

Two entwined problems have remained unresolved since pulsars were discovered nearly 50 yr ago: the orientation of their polarized emission relative to the emitting magnetic field and the direction of putative supernova “kicks” relative to their rotation axes. The rotational orientation of most pulsars can be inferred only from the (“fiducial”) polarization angle of their radiation, when their beam points directly at the Earth and the emitting polar fluxtube field is ∥ to the rotation axis. Earlier studies have been unrevealing owing to the admixture of different types of radiation (core and conal, two polarization modes), producing both ∥ or ⊥ alignments. In this paper we analyze some 50 pulsars having three characteristics: core radiation beams, reliable absolute polarimetry, and accurate proper motions (PMs). The “fiducial” polarization angle of the core emission, we then find, is usually oriented ⊥ to the PM direction on the sky. The primary core emission is polarized ⊥ to the projected magnetic field in Vela and other pulsars where X-ray imaging reveals the orientation. This shows that the PMs usually lie ∥ to the rotation axes on the sky. Two key physical consequences then follow: first, to the extent that supernova “kicks” are responsible for pulsar PMs, they are mostly ∥ to the rotation axis; and, second, most pulsar radiation is heavily processed by the magnetospheric plasma such that the lowest altitude “parent” core emission is polarized ⊥ to the emitting field, propagating as the extraordinary (X) mode.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

Localization and orientation of heavy-atom cluster compounds in protein crystals using molecular replacement

A new approach is presented that allows the efficient localization and orientation of heavy-atom cluster compounds used in experimental phasing by a molecular replacement procedure. This permits the calculation of meaningful phases up to the highest resolution of the diffraction data. Heavy-atom clusters (HA clusters) containing a large number of specifically arranged electron-dense scatterers are especially useful for experimental phase determination of large complex structures, weakly diffracting crystals or structures with large unit cells. Often, the determination of the exact orientation of the HA cluster and hence of the individual heavy-atom positions proves to be the critical step in successful phasing and subsequent structure solution. Here, it is demonstrated that molecular replacement (MR) with either anomalous or isomorphous differences is a useful strategy for the correct placement of HA cluster compounds. The polyoxometallate cluster hexasodium α-metatungstate (HMT) was applied in phasing the structure of death receptor 6. Even though the HA cluster is bound in alternate partially occupied orientations and is located at a special position, its correct localization and orientation could be determined at resolutions as low as 4.9 Å. The broad applicability of this approach was demonstrated for five different derivative crystals that included the compounds tantalum tetradecabromide and trisodium phosphotungstate in addition to HMT. The correct placement of the HA cluster depends on the length of the intramolecular vectors chosen for MR, such that both a larger cluster size and the optimal choice of the wavelength used for anomalous data collection strongly affect the outcome.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Synthesizing pseudo-Kossel lines from neutron transmission data. I. An analytical approach for recovering single-crystal orientation

The energy-dispersive neutron spectra transmitted through single crystals are characterized by sharp Bragg dips at specific wavelengths, where Bragg's law is being fulfilled for certain crystallographic planes. This phenomenon allows for developing methods for crystal-orientation determination techniques similar to electron backscatter diffraction and X-ray diffraction microscopy. This work presents a new procedure to recover the orientation matrix for single crystals using transmission spectra recorded during rotation of a crystal about an axis perpendicular to a polychromatic neutron beam. The proposed method consists of an initial transformation of the as-collected wavelength–rotation maps to a wavevector $\textit{K}$ space, resulting in linear pseudo-Kossel lines that are suitable for analysis and indexing using image-processing procedures. Further, simulated neutron transmission spectra through a copper crystal with known orientations were used to set and prove the numerical approach. This technique may be expanded for cases where the neutron beam intersects multiple single-crystal grains with different orientations.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Engineering Controlled Spalling in (100)-Oriented GaAs for Wafer Reuse

Controlled spalling offers a way to cleave thin, single-crystal films or devices from wafers, particularly if the fracture planes in the material are oriented parallel to the wafer surface. Unfortunately, misalignment between the favored fracture planes and the wafer surface preferred for photovoltaic growth in (100)-oriented GaAs produces a highly faceted surface when subject to controlled spalling. This highly faceted cleavage surface is problematic in several ways: (1) it can result in large variations of spall depth due to unstable crack propagation; (2) it may introduce defects into the device zone or underlying substrate; and (3) it consumes many microns of material outside of the device zone. We present the ways in which we have engineered controlled spalling for (100)-oriented GaAs to minimize these effects. We expand the operational window for controlled spalling to avoid spontaneous spalling, find no evidence of dislocation activity in the spalled film or the parent wafer, and reduce facet height and facet height irregularity. Resolving these issues provides a viable path forward for reducing III-V device cost through the controlled spalling of (100)-oriented GaAs devices and subsequent wafer reuse when these processes are combined with a high-throughput growth method such as Hydride Vapor Phase Epitaxy.

100 orientation↗

Growth of twin-free b-oriented YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7} {sub −x} films

YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7−x} films of b orientation have been grown on the surface of (100)SrLaGaO{sub 4} crystal. It is demonstrated that the films pass to the superconducting state at a temperature of 89 K. In the nonsuper-conducting region, the film resistance decreases linearly with a decrease in temperature at a rate of 30 Ω per 100°C. According to the X-ray diffraction data on the crystallographic structure of the YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7−x} films, they are single-crystal and b-oriented. It is shown that the films contain no domains of other crystallographic orientations, including a-oriented domains. Therefore, the films are free of structural twins.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Tailoring Vanadium Dioxide Film Orientation Using Nanosheets: a Combined Microscopy, Diffraction, Transport, and Soft X‐Ray in Transmission Study

Abstract Vanadium dioxide (VO 2 ) is a much‐discussed material for oxide electronics and neuromorphic computing applications. Here, heteroepitaxy of VO 2 is realized on top of oxide nanosheets that cover either the amorphous silicon dioxide surfaces of Si substrates or X‐ray transparent silicon nitride membranes. The out‐of‐plane orientation of the VO 2 thin films is controlled at will between (011) M1 /(110) R and (−402) M1 /(002) R by coating the bulk substrates with Ti 0.87 O 2 and NbWO 6 nanosheets, respectively, prior to VO 2 growth. Temperature‐dependent X‐ray diffraction and automated crystal orientation mapping in microprobe transmission electron microscope mode (ACOM‐TEM) characterize the high phase purity, the crystallographic and orientational properties of the VO 2 films. Transport measurements and soft X‐ray absorption in transmission are used to probe the VO 2 metal–insulator transition, showing results of a quality equal to those from epitaxial films on bulk single‐crystal substrates. Successful local manipulation of two different VO 2 orientations on a single substrate is demonstrated using VO 2 grown on lithographically patterned lines of Ti 0.87 O 2 and NbWO 6 nanosheets investigated by electron backscatter diffraction. Finally, the excellent suitability of these nanosheet‐templated VO 2 films for advanced lensless imaging of the metal–insulator transition using coherent soft X‐rays is discussed.

Le, Phu Tran Phong↗

Orientational Ordering within Semiconducting Polymer Fibrils

Abstract Due to a general paucity of suitable characterization methods, the internal orientational ordering of polymer fibrils has rarely been measured despite its importance particularly for semi‐conducting polymers. An emerging tool with sensitivity to bond orientation is polarized resonant soft X‐ray scattering (P‐RSoXS). Here, P‐RSoXS reveals the molecular arrangement within fibrils (if type I or type II fibrils), the extent of orientation in the fibril crystal, and an explicit crystal‐amorphous interphase. Neat films as well as binary blends with a fullerene derivative are characterized for three different polymers, that are prototypical materials widely used in organic electronics applications. Anisotropic P‐RSoXS patterns reveal two different fibril types. Analysis of the q ‐dependence of the anisotropy from simulated and experimental scattering patterns reveal that neat polymer fibrillar systems likely comprise more than two phases, with the third phase in addition to crystal and amorphous likely being an interphase with distinct density and orientation. Intriguingly, the fibril type correlates to the H‐ or J‐aggregation signature in ultraviolet‐visible (UV–vis) spectroscopy, revealing insight into the fibril formation. Together, the results will open the door to develop more sophisticated structure‐function relationships between chemical design, fibril type, formation pathways and kinetics, interfacial ordering, and eventually device functions.

Mukherjee, Subhrangsu↗

Non‐invasive imaging of cellulose microfibril orientation within plant cell walls by polarized Raman microspectroscopy

ABSTRACT Cellulose microfibrils represent the major scaffold of plant cell walls. Different packing and orientation of the microfibrils at the microscopic scale determines the macroscopic properties of cell walls and thus affect their functions with a profound effect on plant survival. We developed a polarized Raman microspectroscopic method to determine cellulose microfibril orientation within rice plant cell walls. Employing an array of point measurements as well as area imaging and subsequent Matlab‐assisted data processing, we were able to characterize the distribution of cellulose microfibril orientation in terms of director angle and anisotropy magnitude. Using this approach we detected differences between wild type rice plants and the rice brittle culm mutant, which shows a more disordered cellulose microfibril arrangement, and differences between different tissues of a wild type rice plant. This novel non‐invasive Raman imaging approach allows for quantitative assessment of cellulose fiber orientation in cell walls of herbaceous plants, an important advancement in cell wall characterization. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2016;113: 82–90. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Sun, Lan↗

100-Fold Enhancement of Charge Transport in Uniaxially Oriented Mesoporous Anatase TiO 2 Films

Mesoporous semiconductor films are of considerable interest for applications in photoelectrochemical devices, however, despite intensive research till now, their charge transport properties remain significantly lower than their single-crystal counterparts. Herein, we report a novel low-temperature template-free technique for growing high surface area mesoporous anatase TiO2 films with a preferred [001] crystalline-orientation on FTO-coated glass substrate. Compared to mesoporous films that comprised of randomly oriented crystallites, the uniaxial orientation enables a 100-fold increase in the rate of electron transport. The uniaxially oriented mesoporous anatase TiO2 films exhibit should greatly facilitate the development and application of photoelectrochemical and electrochemical devices.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Photonic devices fabricated from (111)‐oriented single crystal diamond

Abstract Diamond is a material of choice in the pursuit of integrated quantum photonic technologies. So far, the majority of photonic devices fabricated from diamond are made from (100)‐oriented crystals. In this work, we demonstrate a methodology for the fabrication of optically active membranes from (111)‐oriented diamond. We use a liftoff technique to generate membranes, followed by chemical vapor deposition of diamond in the presence of silicon to generate homogenous silicon vacancy color centers with emission properties that are superior to those in (100)‐oriented diamond. We further use the diamond membranes to fabricate microring resonators with quality factors exceeding ~ 3000. Supported by finite‐difference time‐domain calculations, we discuss the advantages of (111)‐oriented structures as building blocks for quantum nanophotonic devices. image

Regan, Blake↗

In Situ 4D‐STEM Imaging of the Orientation of Lamellar Clusters in Polymer Crystallization

In semi‐crystalline polymeric materials, the initial stages of nucleation and the growth path of crystalline domains can determine the final performance. Here, in this work, we used four‐dimensional scanning transmission electron microscopy (4D‐STEM) imaging to analyze the changes in lamellar orientation in high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) during heating and cooling. This method allowed us to quantitatively detect the formation of lamellae clusters with different in‐plane orientations, which are not visible with traditional methods. Our analysis provided detailed insights into the orientation and size changes of crystalline domains. Additionally, this technique enabled direct observation of lattice structures in hierarchical lamellae and the growth of crystals, confirming the local variability in lamellar orientation. This innovative approach significantly improves our understanding of polymer crystallization, linking changes in morphology and lattice structures at different length scales.

4D-STEM↗