Search NASA⌕ Search

SEARCH · Search NASA

Results for “integrated drive”

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 343 records · Page 19

Computational Discovery of Ultralow Thermal Conductivity in the Energy-Degenerate Polymorphic Crystal Family A 2 M 2 M’Q 4

Crystalline materials, characterized by their well-defined lattices, typically exhibit a unique global thermodynamic minimum for a specific composition. However, in this study, we discover a quaternary chalcogenide family, A 2 M 2 M’Q 4 (A: alkali metals; M: coinage metal; M’: transition or group-IVA metals; Q: chalcogens), that exhibits pervasive energy (near-)degeneracy. For a given composition, multiple structurally distinct polymorphs exist within a formation enthalpy window of only a few milli-electron volts per atom. We quantify this inherent structural flexibility using a dedicated descriptor, σ f : the standard deviation of formation enthalpies among degenerate (meta)stable polymorphs. The consistently low σf observed across the A 2 M 2 M’Q 4 family signifies a characteristically shallow and frustrated potential energy landscape, which drives pronounced lattice anharmonicity, marking these materials as prime candidates for ultralow lattice thermal conductivity (κ L ). Employing an advanced high-throughput computational framework that integrates thermodynamics, lattice dynamics, and thermal conductivity calculations, we screen 1215 A 2 M 2 M’Q 4 compounds, identifying 30 stable candidates with κ L < 0.5 W m –1 K –1 at 300 K. Among them, Rb 2 Ag 2 SnTe 4 and Rb 2 Au 2 HfTe 4 , two representatives from the IVA and TM subgroups, are predicted to show ultralow room-temperature κ L of 0.174 W m –1 K –1 and 0.295 W m –1 K –1 , respectively. A systematic analysis suggests that the nonbonding and antibonding states induced by “dual rattlers” are the origin of low thermal conductivity in these compounds. Our results position the A 2 M 2 M’Q 4 family as a rich source of intrinsic thermal insulators and suggest that polymorphic energy degeneracy may serve as a valuable signpost for identifying crystalline families with potential anharmonicity.

cations↗

Flower-shaped 2D crystals grown in curved fluid vesicle membranes

Abstract The morphologies of two-dimensional (2D) crystals, nucleated, grown, and integrated within 2D elastic fluids, for instance in giant vesicle membranes, are dictated by an interplay of mechanics, permeability, and thermal contraction. Mitigation of solid strain drives the formation of crystals with vanishing Gaussian curvature (i.e., developable domain shapes) and, correspondingly, enhanced Gaussian curvature in the surrounding 2D fluid. However, upon cooling to grow the crystals, large vesicles sustain greater inflation and tension because their small area-to-volume ratio slows water permeation. As a result, more elaborate shapes, for instance, flowers with bendable but inextensible petals, form on large vesicles despite their more gradual curvature, while small vesicles harbor compact planar crystals. This size dependence runs counter to the known cumulative growth of strain energy of 2D colloidal crystals on rigid spherical templates. This interplay of intra-membrane mechanics and processing points to the scalable production of flexible molecular crystals of controllable complex shape.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Multi-century dynamics of the climate and carbon cycle under both high and net negative emissions scenarios

Abstract. Future climate projections from Earth system models (ESMs) typically focus on the timescale of this century. We use a set of five ESMs and one Earth system model of intermediate complexity (EMIC) to explore the dynamics of the Earth's climate and carbon cycles under contrasting emissions trajectories beyond this century to the year 2300. The trajectories include a very-high-emissions, unmitigated fossil-fuel-driven scenario, as well as a mitigation scenario that diverges from the first scenario after 2040 and features an “overshoot”, followed by a decrease in atmospheric CO2 concentrations by means of large net negative CO2 emissions. In both scenarios and for all models considered here, the terrestrial system switches from being a net sink to either a neutral state or a net source of carbon, though for different reasons and centered in different geographic regions, depending on both the model and the scenario. The ocean carbon system remains a sink, albeit weakened by carbon cycle feedbacks, in all models under the high-emissions scenario and switches from sink to source in the overshoot scenario. The global mean temperature anomaly is generally proportional to cumulative carbon emissions, with a deviation from proportionality in the overshoot scenario that is governed by the zero emissions commitment. Additionally, 23rd century warming continues after the cessation of carbon emissions in several models in the high-emissions scenario and in one model in the overshoot scenario. While ocean carbon cycle responses qualitatively agree in both globally integrated and zonal mean dynamics in both scenarios, the land models qualitatively disagree in zonal mean dynamics, in the relative roles of vegetation and soil in driving C fluxes, in the response of the sink to CO2, and in the timing of the sink–source transition, particularly in the high-emissions scenario. The lack of agreement among land models on the mechanisms and geographic patterns of carbon cycle feedbacks, alongside the potential for lagged physical climate dynamics to cause warming long after CO2 concentrations have stabilized, points to the possibility of surprises in the climate system beyond the 21st century time horizon, even under relatively mitigated global warming scenarios, which should be taken into consideration when setting global climate policy.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗

Exploring Micro-Environmental Conditions of Urban Agrivoltaics: Advancing Sustainable Green Spaces and Agriculture in Temperate Cities

Agrivoltaics, the integrated land use combining renewable energy production and agriculture, can potentially address key challenges faced by urban communities, including limited access to vacant land, fresh produce, and electricity. However, urban agrivoltaics has rarely been considered a viable solution, primarily due to a lack of experimental systems demonstrating the functionality of urban food production or green spaces alongside solar energy production. To evaluate the potential of solar photovoltaics to help mitigate heat stress on urban agriculture and green spaces in a temperate climate, we examined the microclimatic changes introduced by an urban agrivoltaics system (UrAV) when combined with vegetable crops and turfgrass, respectively. Accordingly, we installed an experimental setup instrumented with environmental sensors to compare full-sun conditions with those of an agrivoltaics system designed for urban environments. We found minimal differences for both land cover types between the control and agrivoltaics sites in air and soil temperature. However, during periods of intensified summer heat, temperatures beneath the panels cooled due to reductions in wind speed and relative humidity, which impeded the movement of hot, moist air and reduced reference evapotranspiration. Further, soil moisture in UrAV was highly spatially heterogeneous, influenced by the layout of the photovoltaic panels and their support structure, which redistributed rainfall and controlled where solar radiation could penetrate and drive evapotranspiration. Overall, our results suggest that PV-induced environmental changes in temperate climates are compatible with cultivating turfgrass or appropriate crops. These findings can help planners and designers integrate agrivoltaics into community gardens, farms, and green spaces in temperate cities.

14 SOLAR ENERGY↗

Direct measurement of the electron turbulence-broadening edge transport barrier to facilitate core–edge integration in tokamak fusion plasmas

Abstract The integration of a high-performance core and a dissipative divertor, or the so-called ‘core–edge integration,’ has been widely identified as a critical gap in the design of future fusion reactors. In this letter, we report, for the first time, direct experimental evidence of electron turbulence at the DIII-D H-mode pedestal that correlates with the broadening of the pedestal and thus facilitates core–edge integration. In agreement with gyrokinetic simulations, this electron turbulence is enhanced by high η e ( η e = L n / L T e , where L n is the density scale length and L T e is the electron temperature scale length), which is due to a strong shift between the density and temperature pedestal profiles associated with a closed divertor. The modeled turbulence drives significant heat transport with a lower pressure gradient that may broaden the pedestal to a greater degree than the empirical and theoretically predicted pedestal width scalings. Such a wide pedestal, coupled with a closed divertor, enables us to achieve a good core–edge scenario that integrates a high-temperature low-collisionality pedestal (pedestal top temperature T e,ped > 0.8 keV and a pedestal top collisionality ν * ped < 1) under detached divertor conditions. This paves a new path toward solving the core–edge integration issue in future fusion reactors.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Towards fast, accurate predictions of RF simulations via data-driven modeling: Forward and lateral models

Three machine learning techniques (multilayer perceptron, random forest, and Gaussian process) provide fast surrogate models for lower hybrid current drive (LHCD) simulations. A single GENRAY/CQL3D simulation without radial diffusion of fast electrons requires several minutes of wall-clock time to complete, which is acceptable for many purposes, but too slow for integrated modeling and real-time control applications. More accurate simulations with fast electron diffusion are even slower, requiring multiple hours of run time with parallel processing. The machine learning models use a database of 16,000+ GEN-RAY/CQL3D simulations for training, validation, and testing. Latin hypercube sampling methods implemented in πScope ensure that the database covers the range of 9 input parameters (n e0 , T e0 , I p , B t , R 0 , n ∥︀ , Z e f f , V loop , P LHCD ) with sufficient density in all regions of parameter space. The surrogate models reduce the computation time from minutes-hours to ms with high accuracy across the input parameter space. Data-driven surrogate models also allow for solving inverse and “lateral” problems. A surrogate model for the inverse problem maps from a desired current drive or power deposition profile to a set of input parameters that would result in such a profile, while a surrogate model for the lateral problem maps from a measured experimental quantity such as hard x-ray emission to a current drive or power deposition profile. In conclusion, the πScope database creation workflow is flexible and applicable to other RF simulation codes such as TORIC.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Accelerating Structure–Property Relationship Discovery with Multimodal Machine Learning and Self-Driving Microscopy

Microscopy combined with local spectroscopy is widely used to correlate nanoscale structure with functional properties in materials, but conventional measurements rely heavily on human-selected sampling locations and predefined targets, limiting data set diversity and the potential for discovery. Here, we present a framework that integrates autonomous microscopy with dual-novelty deep kernel learning (DN-DKL) for adaptive data acquisition and a dual variational autoencoder (VAE) for representation learning. DN-DKL actively guides the microscopy toward structurally and spectroscopically novel regions, enabling efficient collection of large spectral data sets. Dual-VAE embeds local structures and spectroscopic responses into a shared latent manifold that serves as a structure–property relationship map. We applied this framework for the investigation of halide perovskite films by using conductive atomic force microscopy. The results reveal distinct hysteresis behaviors that are linked to specific nanoscale structural motifs, including grain boundary junction points that show hysteresis under different bias conditions and asymmetric grain boundaries that suppress the charge transport. This framework establishes a general strategy that leverages the complementary strengths of self-driving microscopy, machine learning, and human expertise to accelerate scientific discovery in functional materials.

atomic force microscopy↗

Managing autonomous materials labs with multi-agent AI and its implications for the science of science

Self-driving lab systems (aka, autonomous experimentation) accelerate research - letting scientists learn faster, spend less resources, and fail smarter in well defined, narrow studies. The next-generation materials lab combines self-driving systems to tackle broader challenges - orchestrating complex research campaigns while optimizing lab resources. We propose that agent-based and agentic artificial intelligence will be an integral part of next-generation lab management and discuss potential implementation scenarios. Additionally, digital and physical sandboxes will allow scientists to evaluate diverse and dynamic research and lab management strategies. Beyond the immediate benefit to lab optimization, such sandboxes will enable realistic computational studies of the philosophy of science (i.e., science of science) to achieve higher level scientific efficiencies.

Computer science↗

Loss channels affecting lithium niobate phononic crystal resonators at cryogenic temperature

Here, we investigate the performance of microwave-frequency phononic crystal resonators fabricated on thin-film lithium niobate for integration with superconducting quantum circuits. For different design geometries at millikelvin temperatures, we achieve mechanical internal quality factors Qi above 10 5 –10 6 at high microwave drive power, corresponding to 5×10 6 phonons inside the resonator. By sweeping the defect size of resonators with identical mirror cell designs, we are able to indirectly observe signatures of the complete phononic bandgap via the resonators' internal quality factors. Examination of quality factors' temperature dependence shows how superconducting and two-level system (TLS) loss channels impact device performance. Finally, we observe an anomalous low-temperature frequency shift consistent with resonant TLS decay and find that the material choice can help to mitigate these losses.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Defect modeling in semiconductors: the role of first principles simulations and machine learning

Abstract Point defects in semiconductors dictate their electronic and optical properties. Vacancies, interstitials, substitutional defects, and defect complexes can form in the semiconductor lattice and significantly impact its performance in applications such as solar absorption, light emission, electronics, and catalysis. Understanding the nature and energetics of point defects is essential for the design and optimization of next-generation semiconductor technologies. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of research on point defects in semiconductors, focusing on the application of density functional theory (DFT) and machine learning (ML) in accelerating the prediction and understanding of defect properties. DFT has been instrumental in accurately calculating defect formation energies, charge transition levels, and other defect-related properties such as carrier recombination rates and lifetimes, and ion migration barriers. ML techniques, particularly neural networks, have emerged as powerful tools for enabling rapid prediction of defect properties at DFT-accuracy in order to overcome the expense of using large supercells and advanced functionals. We begin this article with a discussion of different types of point defects and complexes, their impact on semiconductor properties, and the experimental and DFT approaches typically used for their characterization. Through multiple case studies, we explore how DFT has been successfully applied to understand defect behavior across a variety of semiconductors, and how ML approaches integrated with DFT can efficiently predict defect properties and facilitate the discovery of new materials with tailored defect behavior. Overall, the advent of ‘DFT+ML’ promises to drive advancements in semiconductor technology, catalysis, and renewable energy applications, paving the way for the development of high-performance semiconductors which are defect-tolerant or have desirable dopability.

Rahman, Md Habibur (ORCID:000000027705984X)↗

Superconducting contact and quantum interference between two-dimensional van der Waals and three-dimensional conventional superconductors

Atomically thin two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenide (TMD) superconductors enable uniform, flat, and clean van der Waals tunneling interfaces, motivating their integration into conventional superconducting circuits. However, fully superconducting contact must be made between the 2D material and three-dimensional (3D) superconductors to employ the standard microwave drive and readout of qubits in such circuits. We present a method for creating zero-resistance contacts between 2D NbSe 2 and 3D aluminum that behave as Josephson junctions (JJs) with large effective areas compared to 3D-3D JJs. The devices formed from 2D TMD superconductors are strongly influenced by the geometry of the flakes themselves as well as the placement of the contacts to bulk 3D superconducting leads. We present a model for the supercurrent flow in a 2D-3D superconducting structure by a numerical solution of the Ginzburg-Landau equations and find good agreement with experiment. Finally, these results demonstrate a crucial step towards a new generation of hybrid superconducting quantum circuits.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Valuing Residential Energy Efficiency: Analysis for a Prototypical Southeastern Utility [Slides]

The increasing amount of variable renewable energy resources and shifts towards more end-use and vehicle electrification suggests profound changes to power system planning and operation. Specifically, renewable energy is expected to shift net peak demand from late afternoon to early evening and end-use electrification may significantly increase winter peak demand. Residential energy efficiency is likely to align well with these shifts as it tends to produce savings in the early evening (e.g., from lighting measures) and coincident with heating loads (e.g., from envelope and space conditioning measures). Despite the opportunity to decrease system costs and emissions, residential energy efficiency is often limited by static valuation methods and its economic potential is considerably less than its technical potential. Using hourly residential energy efficiency characterizations, utility program cost data, and a capacity expansion model, we estimate the benefits of residential energy efficiency for a prototypical, summer-peaking utility in the Southeastern region. We first establish the cost-effective residential energy efficiency portfolio through “competition” with supply-side resources in a forward-looking capacity expansion model. Importantly, we then evaluate several scenarios intended to drive an increasing amount of cost-effective residential energy efficiency through measure cost reductions, increased customer adoption, policy goals (e.g., carbon price), and delivery of an integrated package of measures. The results quantify total system cost and emissions reductions, fossil-fuel plant retirements, and peak demand reductions. Results suggest the design and prioritization of policies and programs to access the untapped amount of cost-effective residential energy efficiency.

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATI↗

Lessons Learned from Open-Source Software Training Toward Expanding the Fusion Workforce

Within the United States (U.S.), the Fusion Innovation Research Engine (FIRE) Collaboratives seek to accelerate fusion technology development through wide-ranging community-driven research activities that bring together industry, laboratories, research institutes, and academia. Increasing the maturity of key components and systems for future fusion power plants (FPPs) toward commercialization, will, by necessity, increase the need for knowledgeable engineers, designers, and researchers in industry capable of integrating and further improving these technologies within industry FPP concepts. Further, various modeling and simulation packages support these programs and are under-development within them to drive design iteration and the development of FPP digital twins. To derive the greatest benefit from model output and capabilities, training these same specialists will be vital. Thus, the development of effective and accessible software onboarding and professional development opportunities focused on fusion will be key to keeping the pace of growth high in the coming decade and beyond. A similar need exists within the advanced fission reactor community, driven by an ever-growing need for carbon-free baseload power for industrial and data center applications. Within the U.S. and around the world, several open-source packages and frameworks exist to support this endeavor, and two we will highlight here are the Multiphysics Object Oriented Simulation Environment (MOOSE) framework and OpenMC. These packages, notably, are also being utilized in the FIRE Collaboratives program. In this presentation, we will highlight the lessons learned from over 30 years of combined software development and training experience, focused on developing strong technical software foundations within the nuclear workforce, from students to professional engineers & scientists. We will connect this experience to present and emerging needs in the fusion energy community, and, finally, will outline possible paths forward to develop a large, robust, global fusion workforce.

70 - PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Electro-optic transduction in silicon via gigahertz-frequency nanomechanics

Interfacing electronics with optical fiber networks is key to the long-distance transfer of classical and quantum information. Piezo-optomechanical transducers enable such interfaces by using gigahertz-frequency acoustic vibrations as mediators for converting microwave photons to optical photons via the combination of optomechanical and piezoelectric interactions. However, despite successful demonstrations, efficient quantum transduction remains out of reach due to the challenges associated with hybrid material integration and increased loss from piezoelectric materials when operating in the quantum regime. Here, we demonstrate an alternative approach in which we actuate 5-GHz phonons in a conventional silicon-on-insulator platform. In our experiment, microwave photons resonantly drive a phononic crystal oscillator via the electrostatic force realized in a charge-biased narrow-gap capacitor. The mechanical vibrations are subsequently transferred via a phonon waveguide to an optomechanical cavity, where they transform into optical photons in the sideband of a pump laser field. Operating at room temperature and atmospheric pressure, we measure a microwave-to-optical photon conversion efficiency of 1.72±0.14×10 −7 in a 3.3 MHz bandwidth. Our results mark a stepping stone towards quantum transduction with integrated devices made from crystalline silicon, which promise efficient high-bandwidth operation and integration with superconducting qubits. Additionally, the lack of need for piezoelectricity or other intrinsic nonlinearities makes our approach applicable to a wide range of materials for potential applications beyond quantum technologies.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Controlled electron transfer by molecular wires embedded in ultrathin insulating membranes for driving redox catalysis

Organic bilayers or amorphous silica films of a few nanometer thickness featuring embedded molecular wires offer opportunities for chemically separating while at the same time electronically connecting photo- or electrocatalytic components. Such ultrathin membranes enable the integration of components for which direct coupling is not sufficiently efficient or stable. Photoelectrocatalytic systems for the generation or utilization of renewable energy are among the most prominent ones for which ultrathin separation layers open up new approaches for component integration for improving efficiency. Recent advances in the assembly and spectroscopic, microscopic, and photoelectrochemical characterization have enabled the systematic optimization of the structure, energetics, and density of embedded molecular wires for maximum charge transfer efficiency. The progress enables interfacial designs for the nanoscale integration of the incompatible oxidation and reduction catalysis environments of artificial photosystems and of microbial (or biomolecular)-abiotic systems for renewable energy.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Radio frequency mixing modules for superconducting qubit room temperature control systems

As the number of qubits in nascent quantum processing units increases, the connectorized RF (radio frequency) analog circuits used in first generation experiments become exceedingly complex. The physical size, cost, and electrical failure rate all become limiting factors in the extensibility of control systems. We have developed a series of compact RF mixing boards to address this challenge by integrating I/Q quadrature mixing, intermediate frequency/LO (local oscillator)/RF power level adjustments, and direct current bias fine tuning on a 40 × 80 mm 2 four-layer printed circuit board with electromagnetic interference shielding. The RF mixing module is designed to work with RF and LO frequencies between 2.5 and 8.5 GHz. The typical image rejection and adjacent channel isolation are measured to be ~27 dBc and ~50 dB. By scanning the drive phase in a loopback test, the module short-term amplitude and phase linearity are typically measured to be 5 ×10 -4 (V pp /V mean ) and 1 ×10 -3 radian (pk-pk). The operation of the RF mixing board was validated by integrating it into the room temperature control system of a superconducting quantum processor and executing randomized benchmarking characterization of single and two qubit gates. We measured a single-qubit process infidelity of 9.3(3) × 10 -4 and a two-qubit process infidelity of 2.7(1) × 10 -2 .

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗

Characterization and molecular simulation of lignin in Cyrene pretreatment of switchgrass

Biomass-derived solvents have been proposed as a novel pathway in biorefining for the realization of biofuels and bioproducts derived from lignocellulosic biomass. Cyrene derived from cellulose has recently been shown to have a high potential as a green organic solvent for pretreating poplar biomass. However, due to its high dynamic viscosity nature, high Cyrene concentration could cause negative effects on the sugar release of the pretreated biomass as well as driving up the operational cost of the lignin recovery. In this study, we combine experimental and computational approaches to examine the impact of Cyrene pretreatment with reduced Cyrene concentration under mild conditions on switchgrass lignin. Our experimental studies indicated correlation between pretreatment condition and recovery and structure modification of lignin. Switchgrass lignin extracted by Cyrene pretreatment possessed high preservation of β-O-4 ether inter-unit linkage, which could provide versatility in the integration of downstream lignin valorization into the modern biorefinery industries. Molecular modeling examining the solvation of switchgrass lignin polymer and the disaggregation of low-molecular weight lignin aggregates under pretreatment conditions indicated that a preferential interaction exists between Cyrene and lignin, which likely drives lignin release, and that the disruption of inter-lignin contacts can be modulated as a non-monotonic function of Cyrene : water ratio. Further, while Cyrene–lignin interactions permit the solubilization of lignin, simulations with proxy reactive-species reveal that changes to the diffusion of these reactive proxies and their localization near linkage sites under Cyrene conditions may inhibit chemical processes. In conclusion, the results indicated that loss of pretreatment efficacy caused by low Cyrene concentration could be compensated by prolonged pretreatment time and high catalyst dosage.

09 BIOMASS FUELS↗

Semi-Automatic Geographic Information System Framework for Creating Photo-Realistic Digital Twin Cities to Support Autonomous Driving Research

Digital twin cities are frequently used in vehicle and traffic simulations to render realistic on-road driving scenarios under various traffic and environmental conditions. These digital twins provide a high-fidelity replica of the physical world (e.g., buildings, roads, infrastructures, traffic) to create three-dimensional (3D) virtual-physical environments to support various emerging vehicle and transportation technologies such as connected and automated vehicles. These virtual environments provide a cost-effective digital proving ground to evaluate, validate, and test emerging technologies that include control algorithms, localization, perception, and sensors. Replicating a real-world traffic scenario in a digital twin using a traditional 3D modeling approach is a time-consuming and labor-intensive effort. Here this paper presents a semi-automated spatial framework to construct realistic 3D digital twin cities to support autonomous driving research using readily available geographic information system (GIS) data and 3D prefabricated (prefab) models. We start with a comprehensive review of geospatial data sources of essential digital entities required in a 3D digital twin city and present an integrated GIS-3D modeling pipeline using customized QGIS/GDAL and Blender scripting in Python. The pipeline outputs are realistic 3D digital twin cities compatible with common vehicle simulation software, such as CARLA and IPG CarMaker. The paper closes with a showcase to demonstrate the quality and usability of a digital twin city created to replicate the Shallowford Road corridor in Chattanooga in both Unity and Unreal engine-based virtual environment. The generated digital twin city can be applied to a hardware-in-the-loop simulation environment with an actual testing vehicle to facilitate autonomous driving research.

33 ADVANCED PROPULSION SYSTEMS↗