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At least 343 records · Page 19
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2023

A New Plasma Radar Concept for Simultaneous Magnetic and Density Measurements

An innovative, compact 288GHz interferometer has been fabricated, tested, installed and successfully demonstrated on the LAPD-U magnetized plasma at UCLA. The system takes advantage of frequency modulated (FM) radar techniques to deliver a compact heterodyne system. In addition, the reflected power from the source is taken advantage of to eliminate the need for additional quasi-optical components. Electron density in LAPD-U plasma has recently been increased substantially thereby requiring a higher frequency/shorter wavelength interferometer to avoid deleterious refractive effects. This system satisfies those needs. The system uses a 96GHz varactor tuned Gunn oscillator which passes to a passive tripler. This tripler has ~3% conversion efficiency. The 288GHz radiation is then coupled to free space using a so-called dual-mode or Pickett horn. The output 288GHz beam is then coupled to an aspheric lens manufactured from low-loss, high-density polyethylene. This lens is employed to collimate the emerging beam. Small axial adjustment of the lens position can also be used to create a slowly focusing beam so as to optimize the measured signal. In addition, up-down or side-to-side adjustment of the lens can be utilized to steer the beam vertically or horizontally – again to optimize alignment. The propagating beam passes through a beam splitter and then through a water-free, bubble-free fused quartz window into the LAPD-U vacuum vessel. The beam-splitter is a thin sheet of G10 which reflects a small fraction of the incident power (~5 %) towards a zero-bias detector optimized for the frequency range from 220 to 300GHz. Note that waveguides at this frequency have dimensions of ~0.9mm x 0.45mm and so have very large conductive losses. This drives the use of quasi-optical propagation. The detector requires no DC bias and is very responsive (> 1V/mW into 1MΩ). Radiation is coupled to the detector via a similar lens-horn arrangement used for the launch. This reflected beam acts as the local oscillator or reference millimeter-wave beam for the detector. The remainder of the launched source beam then enters the LAPD-U vacuum vessel and passes through the plasma at the mid-plane until reaching the opposing port which is closed off with an aluminum flange. This flange is used as a mirror to retroreflect the incident 288GHz beam back along its path. The retroreflected beam exits the input port but does NOT couple directly into the zero-bias detector. Instead, the majority of the return power continues towards the 288GHz source. As mentioned above the transmitted beam enters the source a second time. This would appear undesirable. However, at these frequencies multipliers are highly non-linear elements which results in a significant portion of the return beam (~20%) re-emerging from the multiplier and horn and then coupling via the G10 beam-splitter to the zero-bias detector. This approach eliminated the need for a second quasi-optical beam-splitter. The system is extremely compact measuring approximately 28 inches x 20 inches. The above did not explain how heterodyne operation was achieved. As mentioned above the Gunn oscillator is able to be varactor tuned. This allows a low voltage to be applied to control the operating frequency of the Gunn oscillator. During heterodyne operation a sawtooth shaped voltage is applied to the varactor at 750kHz using an 80MHz Arbitrary Waveform Generator (AWG). This voltage changes the Gunn frequency linearly during the up-sweep which is then reset abruptly at the sawtooth crash to be immediately followed by another linear sweep. Passage through the 288GHz multiplier triples the frequency change experienced by the electromagnetic wave. These frequency changes are small – tens of megahertz. This FM radar approach results in the launched electromagnetic wave frequencies at the detector for the reference and plasma wave to be different. The approximately 10 ns delay propagation delay for the plasma beam results in the local oscillator and plasma beams NOT having an identical frequency – there is in fact a fixed difference frequency. The frequency tuning level of the Gunn oscillator is then adjusted so that there is ONE cycle of this difference frequency during each linear ramp. During the sawtooth crash or downward re-sweep this one cycle replays in reverse but on a very fast timescale. The process then repeats. Low-pass filtering eliminates the fast re-sweep to leave a pure sine wave heterodyne signal. When the plasma is present it introduces a phase delay in the sine wave (caused by the extremely small Doppler shift resulting from the optical path length change). Of course, to measure this phase change we need a reference. This is simply obtained from an arbitrary waveform generator which provides a synchronized output pulse train which again is low pass filtered to obtain a 750kHz sinusoidal voltage reference for the interferometer. The interferometer was installed on LAPD-U where it has worked reliably and has established that electron densities exceeding 1x10 13 cm -3 are routinely achieved. In addition, the system sensitivity was able to easily observe density fluctuation at frequencies up to 50kHz. FM Radar techniques have enabled a full demonstration of a compact, sensitive, high frequency (288GHz/1mm) heterodyne interferometer.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2021

Predicting and Synthesizing Interface Stabilized 2D Layers

The compound (Pb 2 MnSe 3 ) 0.6 VSe 2 was predicted to be kinetically stable based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations on an island of Pb 2 MnSe 3 between layers of VSe 2 . This approach provides a high degree of freedom by not forcing interlayer lattice match, making it ideal to investigate the likelihood of formation of new incommensurate layer misfit structures. The free space around the island is critical, as it allows atoms to diffuse and hence exploring the local energy landscape around the initial configuration. (Pb 2 MnSe 3 ) 0.6 VSe 2 was synthesized via a near diffusionless reaction from precursors where a repeating sequence of elemental layers matches the local composition and layer sequence of the predicted compound. The VSe 2 layer consists of a Se–V–Se trilayer with octahedral coordination of the V atoms. The Pb 2 MnSe 3 layer consists of three rock-salt-like planes, with a MnSe layer between the planes of PbSe. The center MnSe plane stabilizes the puckering of the outer PbSe layers. Electrical properties indicate that (Pb 2 Mn 1 Se 3 ) 0.6 VSe 2 undergoes a charge density wave transition at ~100 K and orders ferromagnetically at 35 K. Overall, the combination of theory and experiment enables a faster convergence to new heterostructures than either approach in isolation.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Gas and dust dynamics in γ Cephei-type disks

Context. Giant planets are observed orbiting the primary stars of close binary systems. Such planets may have formed in compact circumprimary disks, which once surrounded these stars, under conditions much different than those encountered around single stars. Aims. In order to quantify the effects of the strong gravitational perturbations exerted on circumprimary disk material, the three-dimensional (3D) dynamics of gas and dust in orbit around the primary star of a compact and eccentric binary system was modeled by applying the stellar and orbital parameters of γ Cephei, a well-known system that can be representative of a class of close binaries. Methods. Circumprimary gas was approximated as an Eulerian viscous and compressible fluid and modeled by means of 3D hydrodynamical simulations, assuming locally isothermal conditions in the medium around the primary star. Dust grains were modeled as Lagrangean particles, subjected to gravity and aerodynamic drag forces. Models that include a giant planet were also considered. Results. Models indicate that spiral density waves excited around pericenter passage propagate toward the inner boundary of the disk, through at least a few pressure scale-heights from the mid-plane, inducing radial and vertical mixing in the gas. However, perturbations imparted to gas, both in terms of eccentricity and precession, are far weaker than previously estimated by two-dimensional (2D) simulations. Models predict small eccentricities, ≲0.03, and slow retrograde precession. The addition of a giant planet does not change the low eccentricity state of the disk. The parameters applied to the disk would lead to the formation of a massive planet, many times the mass of Jupiter, in agreement with some observations. Micron to mm-size dust grains are well coupled to the gas, resulting in similar dynamics and statistically similar distributions of orbital elements. The planet only affects the dust distributions locally. In agreement with outcomes of recent 2D models, the lifetime of an isolated circumprimary disk would be brief, ~10 5 years, because of its compact nature, requiring a long-term external supply of mass to allow for the in situ formation of a giant planet.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Continuous-wave planar laser induced fluorescence with a fast camera

We present planar, laser induced fluorescence (PLIF) measurements of the velocity-resolved distribution function of ions in a plasma using a modulated, narrow linewidth, continuous-wave laser. Plasma emission is acquired with a high frame rate camera, and the laser light is spread into a thin sheet so that an entire plane of the plasma is imaged at each interrogation wavelength. Fourier analysis is conducted on each pixel of the images to separate the modulated fluorescent emission from the background light. Argon ion temperatures and bulk flow maps are reported in a helicon plasma source, and standard single-point LIF measurements provide validation of the PLIF measurement.

47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
DOE OSTI2025

Low damping (111) oriented lithium aluminum ferrite thin films for spin wave applications

Spin wave-based spintronics are an alternative to conventional electronics due to their potential for efficient energy consumption, improved processing speed, and smaller device dimensions. Low damping magnetic insulators provide the medium for efficient propagation of spin waves for information transfer. Here, we have synthesized by pulsed laser deposition epitaxial spinel structure ferrite thin films of Li 0.5 (Al 1.0 Fe 1.5 )O 4 (LAFO) on (111)-oriented MgAl 2 O 4 that support isotropic magnon propagation in the film plane. Our ferromagnetic resonance measurements show low magnetic damping with a typical Gilbert damping parameter of α = 0.006 and weak-spin–orbit coupling with g = 2.02. These films have low effective magnetization, μ o M eff = 20 mT, similar to that of yttrium iron garnet, the gold standard of low loss magnetic insulators. Our findings show that LAFO is a good candidate as a spin wave medium since it can be grown at low temperatures in different crystal orientations.

Takana, Lerato [Stanford Univ., CA (United States)↗
DOE OSTI2025

Laboratory Testing to Assess the Feasibility of Polyurethane Flat Belts for Marine Energy Applications

Polyurethane flat belts have received limited scientific attention as load-bearing elements in marine energy systems, particularly in applications involving dynamic tensile and bending loads. This study evaluates their potential as a replacement for traditional wire ropes in marine energy applications, with a focus on their ability to be integrated into winch-driven wave energy converters where bending and tensile stresses can make long-term operation difficult. Polyurethane belts are hypothesized to offer enhanced fatigue resistance due to their reduced thickness in the bending plane and therefore lower bending stresses. This research involves a series of tests utilizing the National Renewable Energy Laboratory’s (NREL) Large-Amplitude Motion Platform to replicate the dynamic conditions experienced by mooring lines of winch-based point-absorber-type marine energy converters. The conditions tested include unequal coiling and uncoiling tensions and load cases resulting from the device’s unconstrained movement relative to its anchor, such as twisting and off-axis loading. Results from this study show that polyurethane flat belts can achieve more than 198 percent of the fatigue life of a conventional wire rope under similar load profiles. The stress concentrations resulting from off-axis loading and cumulative twist beyond the system’s allowable limits have been identified as potential failure modes for flat belt mooring lines used in winch-driven wave energy converters deployed in ocean environments. To mitigate these risks, the use of anti-spin systems and fairleads designed to accommodate off-axis loading while limiting twist accumulation is recommended.

13 HYDRO ENERGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

Study of magnetic reconnection at low- β using laser-powered capacitor coils

Magnetic reconnection is a ubiquitous fundamental process in space and astrophysical plasmas that rapidly converts magnetic energy into some combination of flow energy, thermal energy, and non-thermal energetic particles. Over the past decade, a new experimental platform has been developed to study magnetic reconnection using strong coil currents powered by high-power lasers at low plasma beta, typical conditions under which reconnection is energetically important in space and astrophysics. KJ-class lasers were used to drive parallel currents to reconnect MG-level magnetic fields in a quasi-axisymmetric geometry, similar to the magnetic reconnection experiment or MRX, and thus this platform is named micro-MRX. This presentation summarizes two major findings from micro-MRX: direct measurement of accelerated electrons and observation of ion acoustic waves during anti-parallel reconnection. The angular dependence of the measured electron energy spectrum and the resulting accelerated energies, supported by particle-in-cell simulations, indicate that direct acceleration by the out-of-plane reconnection electric field is at work. Furthermore, a sudden onset of ion acoustic bursts has been measured by collective Thomson scattering in the exhaust of magnetic reconnection, followed by electron acoustic bursts with electron heating and bulk acceleration. These results demonstrate that the micro-MRX platform offers a novel and unique approach to study magnetic reconnection in the laboratory in addition to the capabilities provided by traditional magnetized plasma experiments such as MRX and the upcoming Facility for Laboratory Reconnection experiments (FLARE). Future prospects to study other particle acceleration mechanisms and ion acoustic waves from magnetic reconnection are also discussed.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2023

Reconsidering tympanal-acoustic interactions leads to an improved model of auditory acuity in a parasitoid fly

Although most binaural organisms locate sound sources using neurological structures to amplify the sounds they hear, some animals use mechanically coupled hearing organs instead. One of these animals, the parasitoid fly Ormia ochracea (O. ochracea), has astoundingly accurate sound localization abilities. It can locate objects in the azimuthal plane with a precision of 2°, equal to that of humans, despite an intertympanal distance of only 0.5 mm, which is less than 1/100th of the wavelength of the sound emitted by the crickets that it parasitizes. O. ochracea accomplishes this feat via mechanically coupled tympana that interact with incoming acoustic pressure waves to amplify differences in the signals received at the two ears. In 1995, Miles et al developed a model of hearing mechanics in O. ochracea that represents the tympana as flat, front-facing prosternal membranes, though they lie on a convex surface at an angle from the flies' frontal and transverse planes. The model works well for incoming sound angles less than ±30° but suffers from reduced accuracy (up to 60% error) at higher angles compared to response data acquired from O. ochracea specimens. Despite this limitation, it has been the basis for bio-inspired microphone designs for decades. Here, we present critical improvements to this classic hearing model based on information from three-dimensional reconstructions of O. ochracea's tympanal organ. We identified the orientation of the tympana with respect to a frontal plane and the azimuthal angle segment between the tympana as morphological features essential to the flies' auditory acuity, and hypothesized a differentiated mechanical response to incoming sound on the ipsi- and contralateral sides that depend on these features. We incorporated spatially-varying model coefficients representing this asymmetric response, making a new quasi-two-dimensional (q2D) model. The q2D model has high accuracy (average errors of under 10%) for all incoming sound angles. This improved biomechanical model may inform the design of new microscale directional microphones and other small-scale acoustic sensor systems.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Photoinduced enhancement of superconductivity in the plaquette Hubbard model

Real-time dynamics techniques have proven increasingly useful in theoretically and experimentally understanding strongly correlated systems. By employing unbiased time-resolved exact diagonalization, we study pump dynamics in the two-dimensional plaquette Hubbard model, where distinct hopping integrals t h and t' h are present within and between plaquettes. In the intermediate coupling regime, a significant enhancement of d-wave superconductivity is observed and compared with that obtained by simply examining expectation values with the eigenstates of the Hamiltonian. Furthermore, our work provides a further understanding of superconductivity in the Hubbard model, extends the description of the pairing amplitude to the frequency-anisotropy plane, and offers a promising approach for experimentally engineering emergent out-of-equilibrium states.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Stability Criteria for Self-Propagating Reaction Waves in Co/Al Multilayers

The propagation of self-sustained formation reactions in sputter-deposited Co/Al multilayers is known to exhibit a design-dependent instability. Multilayers having thin bilayers (<55 nm period) exhibit stable propagating waves, whereas those with a larger period react unstably. The specific two-dimensional (2D) instability observed involves the transverse propagation of a band in front of a stalled front commonly referred to as a “spin band.” Previous finite-element studies have shown that these instabilities are thermodynamically driven by the forward conduction of heat away from the flame front. However, the magnitude of that loss is inherently tied to the bilayer design in traditional bimetallic multilayers, which couples any proposed stability criteria to a varying critical diffusion distance. Here, this work utilizes a recently developed class of materials known as “inert-mediated reactive multilayers” to decouple the thermodynamic and kinetic contributions to propagating wave stability by reducing the stored chemical energy density in normally stable bilayer designs. By depositing an inert product phase (B2-CoAl) within the mid-plane of Co and Al reactant layers, spin instabilities arise as a function of both diluted volume and critical diffusion distance. From there, a stability criterion is determined for Co/Al multilayers based on enthalpy loss from the reaction zone, and its physical significance is explored.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2023

Charge Correlations in Cuprate Superconductors

High-temperature superconductivity, with transition temperatures up to ≈134 K at ambient pressure, occurs in layered cuprate compounds. The conducting CuO 2 planes, which are universally present, are responsible for the superconductivity but also show a disposition to other competing states including spin and charge order. Charge-density-wave (CDW) order appears to be a universal property of cuprate superconductors. It has been studied via a multitude of probes including X-ray and neutron scattering, nuclear magnetic resonance, scanning probe techniques, electronic transport, and quantum oscillations. Here, we review the microscopic properties of the CDW order. We discuss the nature of the ordered state, that is, its symmetry and microscopic structure. Furthermore, we show how the CDW order is related to quenched disorder, host structure, symmetry breaking perturbations, and magnetic fields. Here, we also describe measurements of dynamic collective charge excitations that are closely related to the quasi-static CDW order. Finally, we highlight some of the debated issues in the field, including the origin of the CDW order, the relationship to spin order, and the nature of the spatial CDW correlations.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2024

A new approach to the evaluation and solution of the relativistic kinetic dispersion relation and verification with continuum kinetic simulation

Here, the present work describes a new approach to evaluation and root finding for the kinetic dispersion relation of Langmuir waves, which is central to the analytical understanding of collisionless damping in plasmas. The plasma dispersion function is solved to machine precision using direct integration in the complex plane in combination with an analytic evaluation of the residue to account for the deformation along the Landau contour. To efficiently attain machine precision, the contour is displaced in the complex plane prior to integration, and numerical subtleties related to the placement of the contour are discussed. The approach is generic in that it applies to arbitrary distribution functions, with the present manuscript focused on relativistic cases. Detailed verification of results via direct kinetic simulation in a variety of configuration space dimensions is also presented. Finally, the technique is applied to the challenging case of highly relativistic (i.e. extremely hot) plasmas. Here we show both qualitative agreement with prior work, as well as the disappearance of the Landau root which would have significant implication for real-life observation or experiment.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗
DOE OSTI2024

High-resolution infrared spectroscopy of jet cooled cyclobutyl in the α-CH stretch region: large-amplitude puckering dynamics in a 4-membered ring radical

We report gas-phase cyclobutyl radical (c-C 4 H 7 ) is generated at a rotational temperature of T rot = 26(1) K in a slit-jet discharge mixture of 70% Ne/30% He and 0.5–0.6% cyclobromobutane (c-C 4 H 7 Br). A fully rovibrationally resolved absorption spectrum of the α-CH stretch fundamental band between 3062.9 cm −1 to 3075.7 cm −1 is obtained and analyzed, yielding first precision structural and dynamical information for this novel radical species. The α-CH stretch band origin is determined to be 3068.7887(4) cm −1 , which implies only a modest (≈0.8 cm −1 ) blue shift from rotationally unresolved infrared spectroscopic studies of cyclobutyl radicals in liquid He droplets [ A. R. Brown, P. R. Franke and G. E. Douberly, J. Phys. Chem. A , 2017, 121 , 7576–7587]. Of particular dynamical interest, a one-dimensional potential energy surface with respect to the ring puckering coordinate is computed at CCSD(T)/ANO2 level of theory and reveals a double minimum C s puckered geometry, separated by an exceedingly shallow planar C 2v transition state barrier (E barr ≈ 1 cm −1 ). Numerical solutions on this double minimum potential yield a zero-point energy for the ground state (E zero-point ≈ 27 cm −1 ) greatly in excess of the interconversion barrier. This is indicative of highly delocalized, large amplitude motion of the four-membered ring structure, for which proper vibrationally averaging of the moment of inertia tensor reproduces the experimentally determined inertial defect remarkably well. Finally, intensity alternation in the experimental spectrum due to nuclear spin statistics upon exchange of three indistinguishable H atom pairs (IH = ½) matches K a + K c = even : odd = 36 : 28 predictions, implying that the unpaired electron in the radical center lies in an out-of-plane p π orbital. Thus, high-resolution infrared spectroscopy provides first experimental confirmation of a shallow double minimum ring puckering potential with a highly delocalized ground state wave function peaked at a planar C 2v transition state geometry consistent with a cyclobutyl π radical.

Chemistry↗
DOE OSTI2026

Real-time estimators for scattering observables: A full account of finite-volume errors for quantum simulation

The real-time correlators of quantum field theories can be directly probed through new approaches to simulation, such as quantum computing and tensor networks. This provides a new framework for computing scattering observables in lattice formulations of strongly interacting theories, such as lattice quantum chromodynamics. In this paper, we prove that the proposal of real-time estimators of scattering observables is universally applicable to all scattering observables of gapped quantum field theories. All finite-volume errors are exponentially suppressed, and the rate of this suppression is controlled by the regulator considered, namely, a displacement of the spectrum of the theory into the complex plane. A partial restoration of Lorentz symmetry by averaging over different boosts gives an additional suppression of finite volume errors. Our results also apply to the simulation of wave packet scattering, where a similar averaging is performed to construct the wave packets that regulate the finite volume effects. This result represents a necessary key step toward determining a broad class of scattering observables via quantum computing that are currently inaccessible via classical computing. Such observables are relevant for various applications, including hadron spectroscopy, hadron structure, and precision tests of the Standard Model. We also comment on potential applications of our results to traditional computational schemes.

Burbano, Ivan M. [University of California, Berkel↗
DOE OSTI2023

Local lattice distortions and electronic orders in strongly correlated systems by resonant total x-ray scattering: A case study of A Pt 2 X 2 intermetallics ( A = U , Ce, or La and X = Si or Ge)

Revealing local lattice distortions in physical systems is nontrivial, largely because such structural features often are not necessarily amenable to traditional crystallographic investigations. This poses limits to our understanding of the underlying physic, particularly in the case of strongly correlated systems where structural, electronic and magnetic degrees of freedom are intertwined. Using resonant total x-ray scattering coupled to differential pair distribution function analysis, we reveal the presence of pronounced local lattice distortions in the square net Pt planes in the prototypical strongly correlated APt 2 X 2 intermetallics (A = U, Ce or La and X = Si or Ge). The distortions are present before charge density wave, magnetic, Kondo lattice coherence and/or superconducting orders emerge in these materials and, as density functional calculations suggest, are likely to affect them. Finally, our study sheds light on the poorly known interactions between electronic orders and structural disorder in strongly correlated systems and also demonstrates an advanced experimental approach to determine it that is relevant to any physical system showing deviations from perfect crystallinity.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Flash x-ray radiography analysis of detonation wave propagation in additive-manufactured high explosives

Recent research has demonstrated that additive manufacturing (AM) can be used to produce directionally sensitive high explosives (HEs), but detonation wave propagation in AM HEs with variable internal structure has not been studied. In this work, samples were printed using a 73 wt. % octahydro-1,3,5,7-tetranitro-1,3,5,7-tetrazocine-based HE ink. Flash x-ray radiography imaging was used to observe density changes in two imaging planes of each sample during detonation, and high-speed imaging was used to calculate the detonation velocity at the HE surface. The detonation front initially appears to fail in internal channel regions of the HE, but late reactions occurred in two samples, which increased the material bulk density by 2.8%, possibly due to shock convergence phenomena. The calculated detonation wave pressure similarly increased, but the accuracy of the results is uncertain because of the deviation of the low bulk density printed samples from the cast charge principal isentrope. Here, this work demonstrates that structure can be effectively utilized to guide detonation wave propagation through HE charges.

3D printing↗
DOE OSTI2023

Trends in electronic structures and s ± -wave pairing for the rare-earth series in bilayer nickelate superconductor R 3 Ni 2 O 7

The recent discovery of pressure-induced superconductivity in the bilayer La 3 Ni 2 O 7 (LNO) has opened a new platform for the study of unconventional superconductors. In this publication, we investigate theoretically the whole family of bilayer 327-type nickelates R 3 Ni 2 O 7 (R = rare-earth elements) under pressure. From La to Lu, the lattice constants and volume decrease, leading to enhanced in-plane and out-of-plane hoppings, resulting in an effectively reduced electronic correlation U / W. Furthermore, the Ni's t 2g states shift away from the e g states, while the crystal-field splitting between d 3z 2 -r 2 and d x 2 -y 2 is almost unchanged. In addition, six candidates were found to become stable in the Fmmm phase, with increasing values of critical pressure as the atomic number increases. Similar to the case of LNO, the s ± -wave pairing tendency dominates in all candidates, due to the nesting between the M = (π , π) and the X = (π , 0) and Y = (0 , π) points in the Brillouin zone. Then, T c is expected to decrease as the radius of rare-earth (RE) ions decreases. In conclusion, our results suggest that LNO is already the “optimal” candidate, with Ce a close competitor, among the whole of the RE bilayer nickelates, and to increase T c we suggest growing on special substrates with larger in-plane lattice spacings.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗
DOE OSTI2023

Dark matter or regular matter in neutron stars? How to tell the difference from the coalescence of compact objects

The mirror twin Higgs model is a candidate for (strongly-interacting) complex dark matter, which mirrors SM interactions with heavier quark masses. A consequence of this model are mirror neutron stars—exotic stars made entirely of mirror matter, which are significantly smaller than neutron stars and electromagnetically dark. This makes mergers of two mirror neutron stars detectable and distinguishable in gravitational wave observations, but can we observationally distinguish between regular neutron stars and those that may contain some mirror matter? This is the question we study in this paper, focusing on two possible realizations of mirror matter coupled to standard model matter within a compact object: (i) mirror matter captured by a neutron star and (ii) mirror neutron star-neutron star coalescences. Regarding (i), here we find that (nonrotating) mirror-matter-admixed neutron stars no longer have a single mass-radius sequence, but rather exist in a two-dimensional mass-radius plane. Regarding (ii), we find that binary systems with mirror neutron stars would span a much wider range of chirp masses and completely different binary Love relations, allowing merger remnants to be very light black holes. The implications of this are that gravitational wave observations with advanced LIGO and Virgo, and x-ray observations with NICER, could detect or constrain the existence of mirror matter through searches with wider model and parameter priors.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗