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At least 379 records · Page 21

Evaluating Crystallinity in Thermoplastic composites

Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) offer many benefits for the aerospace industry due to their potential for weight reduction when compared to metal or ceramic based materials. Most PMCs currently in flight use thermoset matrices, however, thermoplastic resins are being explored as alternatives due to their ability to be remelted, which is of particular interest due to the potential for in-situ repair and manufacturing required in space. Most thermoplastic resins are semicrystalline polymers. The properties of semicrystalline thermoplastics are largely influenced by their crystallinity, which can vary due to many factors including thermal treatments, environmental conditions, and mechanical deformation. Monitoring the crystallinity of thermoplastic composites is key to ensuring these materials reliably meet the high demands required by space exploration. This talk discusses the use of multiple techniques such as Polarized Light Optical Microscopy and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy to characterize the crystallinity in various thermoplastic composites, including carbon fiber reinforced PMCs and novel bio-based Martian and Lunar regolith composites designed for in-situ manufacturing. This work aims to provide the fundamental data necessary to understand the effects of crystallinity on thermoplastic PMCs, which is key to advancing their use in space applications.

Thermoplastics↗

Evaluating Crystallinity in Thermoplastic Composites for Aerospace Applications

Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) offer many benefits for the aerospace industry due to their potential for weight reduction when compared to metal or ceramic based materials. Most PMCs currently in flight use thermoset matrices, however, thermoplastic resins are being explored as alternatives due to their ability to be remelted, which is of particular interest due to the potential for in-situ repair and faster production. Most thermoplastic resins are semicrystalline polymers. The properties of semicrystalline thermoplastics are directly influenced by their crystallinity, which can vary due to many factors including thermal treatments, environmental conditions, and mechanical deformation. Within thermoplastic PMC parts, crystallinity gradients can arise due to variations in part geometry, across part thicknesses, and along bonded joints. Monitoring the crystallinity of thermoplastic composites is key to ensuring these materials meet the high demands required for aerospace. Several different analytical techniques exist that can be used to characterize the bulk crystallinity of thermoplastic materials. However, many existing methods lack the specificity required to identify the subtle variations in crystallinity that may play a significant role in the performance and durability of PMC parts. Because of this, a significant amount of work is still required to fully characterize and understand the crystallinity profiles of thermoplastic PMCs and the resulting impact to material properties. This talk discusses the use of multiple techniques such as Differential Scanning Calorimetry, Polarized Light Optical Microscopy, and Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy to characterize the crystallinity in carbon fiber/thermoplastic composites. Samples of different crystallinity profiles were manufactured using various cooling procedures. This work aims to provide the fundamental data necessary to understand the effects of crystallinity on thermoplastic PMCs, which is key to advancing their use in aerospace applications.

Thermoplastics↗

Glide-resolved photoemission spectroscopy: Measuring topological invariants in nonsymmorphic space groups

The two classes of 3D, time-reversal-invariant insulators are known to subdivide into four classes in the presence of glide symmetry. Here, we extend this classification of insulators to include glide-symmetric Weyl metals and find a finer $\mathbb{Z}_4 ⊕\mathbb {Z}$ classification. We further elucidate the smoking-gun experimental signature of each class in the photoemission spectroscopy of surface states. Measuring the $\mathbb{Z}_4$ topological invariant by photoemission relies on identifying the glide representation of the initial Bloch state before photoexcitation—we show how this is accomplished with relativistic selection rules, combined with standard spectroscopic techniques to resolve both momentum and spin. In this work, our method relies on a spin-momentum locking that is characteristic of all glide-symmetric solids (inclusive of insulators and metals in trivial and topological categories). As an orthogonal application, given a glide-symmetric solid with an ideally symmetric surface, we may utilize this spin-momentum locking to generate a source of fully spin-polarized photoelectrons, which have diverse applications in solid-state spectroscopy. Our ab initio calculations predict Ba 2 Pb, stressed Na 3 Bi, and KHgSb to realize all three, nontrivial insulating phases in the $\mathbb{Z}_4$ classification.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Spectroscopic observation of Mars

A review is given of what is known about the surface of Mars from reflectance spectroscopy, including some new results and providing an overview of the principles involved. While some form of bound water and/or OH has been known on Mars for many years, a new result presented is the identification of structural OH in a dilute or poorly crystalline magnesian clay. The detection of water ice in the residual north polar cap is noted. Also considered is the role that reflectance spectroscopy will play in the future, from earth and as an important part of the NASA Mars Geosciences/Climatology Orbiter mission.

Singer, R. B.↗

Antarctic polar stratospheric cloud composition as observed by ACE, CALIPSO and MIPAS

The composition of polar stratospheric clouds (PSCs) in the Antarctic is measured by infrared absorption spectroscopy by the Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment (ACE) satellite and compared to lidar (CALIPSO) and emission spectroscopy (MIPAS) results. ACE observations are compared first to CALIPSO for the period 2006–2020, then to MIPAS for the period 2005–2011, and then a set of triple coincidences is studied. In both CALIPSO-ACE and MIPAS-ACE comparisons, nitric acid trihydrate (NAT) detections are in excellent agreement (∼80 % of coincident compositions is found). Supercooled ternary solution (STS) detections are in good agreement for CALIPSO-ACE (∼60 %) but in poor agreement for MIPAS-ACE (39 %). This contrasts with ice detections, in poor agreement for CALIPSO-ACE (∼30 %) and in better agreement for MIPAS-ACE (45 %). Triple coincidences show that ACE STS detections are more reliable than MIPAS STS detections. The comparison between ACE observations and homogeneous CALIPSO PSCs shows that for 11 events, CALIPSO reports STS rather than supercooled nitric acid (SNA) clouds.

Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment↗

Virus‐Based Pyroelectricity

Abstract The first observation of heat‐induced electrical potential generation on a virus and its detection through pyroelectricity are presented. Specifically, the authors investigate the pyroelectric properties of the M13 phage, which possesses inherent dipole structures derived from the noncentrosymmetric arrangement of the major coat protein (pVIII) with an α‐helical conformation. Unidirectional polarization of the phage is achieved through genetic engineering of the tail protein (pIII) and template‐assisted self‐assembly techniques. By modifying the pVIII proteins with varying numbers of glutamate residues, the structure‐dependent tunable pyroelectric properties of the phage are explored. The most polarized phage exhibits a pyroelectric coefficient of 0.13 µC m −2 °C −1 . Computational modeling and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy analysis confirm that the unfolding of α‐helices within the pVIII proteins leads to changes in phage polarization upon heating. Moreover, the phage is genetically modified to enable its pyroelectric function in diverse chemical environments. This phage‐based approach not only provides valuable insights into bio‐pyroelectricity but also opens up new opportunities for the detection of various viral particles. Furthermore, it holds great potential for the development of novel biomaterials for future applications in biosensors and bioelectric materials.

Kim, Han↗

Observing photo-induced chiral edge states of graphene nanoribbons in pump-probe spectroscopies

Photo-induced edge states in low-dimensional materials have attracted considerable attention due to the tunability of topological properties and dispersion. Specifically, graphene nanoribbons have been predicted to host chiral edge modes upon irradiation with circularly polarized light. Here, we present numerical calculations of time-resolved angle resolved photoemission spectroscopy and trRIXS of a graphene nanoribbon. We characterize pump-probe spectroscopic signatures of photo-induced edge states, illustrate the origin of distinct spectral features that arise from Floquet topological edge modes, and investigate the roles of incoming photon energies and finite core–hole lifetime in RIXS. With momentum, energy, and time resolution, pump-probe spectroscopies can play an important role in understanding the behavior of photo-induced topological states of matter.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Dilute magnetic impurity-induced effective phonon magnetic moment in Fe-doped monolayer MoS 2

Realization of large effective phonon magnetic moment in monolayer MoS 2 has established an important route for exploring intriguing magnetic phenomena in a nonmagnetic material. The sizable coupling between the orbital transition and the circularly polarized phonon results in the large effective phonon magnetic moment. In this work, using magneto-Raman spectroscopy, we investigate substitutional doping of magnetic atoms as a tuning knob of the electronic and phononic properties of MoS 2 . We show that Fe-doping polarizes the spin of the conduction bands and introduces a localized Fe band underneath the conduction band. As a result, an additional orbital transition between the Mo 4d and Fe 3d states emerges, producing an orbital-phonon hybridized mode at 283 cm −1 . Our magnetic field dependent measurements demonstrate that this new mode carries 2.8 $\mu_{\mathrm{B}}$ effective phonon magnetic moment, which is comparable to that of the undoped MoS 2 . Moreover, even though a long-range magnetic order is absent in Fe-doped MoS 2 , the local magnetic moment of Fe modifies the nature of the spin fluctuation, producing monotonically increasing quasielastic scattering spectral weight as temperature decreases. Our results highlight two-dimensional dilute magnetic semiconductors synthesized by substitutional doping as a promising material platform to manipulate the phonon magnetic moment through orbital-phonon coupling.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

The 2-micron polar haze of Jupiter

Model spectra have been constructed for the CH4 lines of the polar regions of Jupiter in such as way as to encompass the hydrogen pressure-induced opacity and haze layers revealed by high-resolution spectroscopy. Comparisons between observation and model spectra indicate that, for optically thin haze models, the polar haze is primarily located between the 70 and 5 mbar pressure levels; for opaque haze models, the top of the haze layers lies in the vicinity of the 15-mbar level. It is concluded that the polar haze is widely distributed over both polar regions and exhibits no strong correlation with auroral activities.

Kim, Sang J.↗

Exceptional Thermochemical Stability of Graphene on N-Polar GaN for Remote Epitaxy

In this study, we investigate the thermochemical stability of graphene on the GaN substrate for metal–organic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD)-based remote epitaxy. Despite excellent physical properties of GaN, making it a compelling choice for high-performance electronic and light-emitting device applications, the challenge of thermochemical decomposition of graphene on a GaN substrate at high temperatures has obstructed the achievement of remote homoepitaxy via MOCVD. Our research uncovers an unexpected stability of graphene on N-polar GaN, thereby enabling the MOCVD-based remote homoepitaxy of N-polar GaN. Our comparative analysis of N- and Ga-polar GaN substrates reveals markedly different outcomes: while a graphene/N-polar GaN substrate produces releasable microcrystals (μCs), a graphene/Ga-polar GaN substrate yields nonreleasable thin films. We attribute this discrepancy to the polarity-dependent thermochemical stability of graphene on the GaN substrate and its subsequent reaction with hydrogen. Evidence obtained from Raman spectroscopy, electron microscopic analyses, and overlayer delamination points to a pronounced thermochemical stability of graphene on N-polar GaN during MOCVD-based remote homoepitaxy. Molecular dynamics simulations, corroborated by experimental data, further substantiate that the thermochemical stability of graphene is reliant on the polarity of GaN, due to different reactions with hydrogen at high temperatures. In conclusion, based on the N-polar remote homoepitaxy of μCs, the practical application of our findings was demonstrated in fabrication of flexible light-emitting diodes composed of p–n junction μCs with InGaN heterostructures.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Screening of Polar Electron-Phonon Interactions near the Surface of the Rashba Semiconductor BiTeCl

Understanding electron-phonon coupling in noncentrosymmetric materials is critical for controlling the internal fields which give rise to Rashba interactions. We apply time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (trARPES) to study coherent phonons in the surface and bulk regions of the polar semiconductor BiTeCl. Aided by \textit{ab initio} calculations, our measurements reveal the coupling of out-of-plane $A_1$ modes and an in-plane $E_2$ mode. By considering how these modes modulate the electric dipole moment in each unit cell, we show that the polar $A_1$ modes are more effectively screened in the metallic surface region, while the non-polar $E_2$ mode couples in both regions. Finally, in addition to informing strategies to optically manipulate Rashba interactions, this work has broader implications for the behavior of electron-phonon coupling in systems characterized by inhomogeneous dielectric environments.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Ultraviolet Spectropolarimetry with Polstar: Interstellar Medium Science

Continuum polarization over the UV-to-microwave range is due to dichroic extinction (or emission) by asymmetric, aligned dust grains. Scattering can also be an important source of polarization, especially at short wavelengths. Because of both grain alignment and scattering physics, the wavelength dependence of the polarization, generally, traces the size of the aligned grains. Similarly because of the differing wavelength dependencies of dichroic extinction and scattering polarization, the two can generally be reliably separated. Ultraviolet (UV) polarimetry therefore provides a unique probe of the smallest dust grains (diameter<0.09 μm ), their mineralogy and interaction with the environment. However, the current observational status of interstellar UV polarization is very poor with less than 30 lines of sight probed. With the modern, quantitative and well-tested, theory of interstellar grain alignment now available, we have the opportunity to advance the understanding of the interstellar medium (ISM) by executing a systematic study of the UV polarization in the ISM of the Milky Way and near-by galaxies. The Polstar mission will provide the sensitivity and observing time needed to carry out such a program (probing hundreds of stars in the Milky Way and dozens of stars in the LMC/SMC), addressing questions of dust composition as a function of size and location, radiation- and magnetic-field characteristics as well as unveiling the carrier of the 2175 Å extinction feature. In addition, using high-resolution UV line spectroscopy Polstar will search for and probe the alignment of, and polarization from, aligned atoms and ions - so called “Ground State Alignment”, a potentially powerful new probe of magnetic fields in the diffuse ISM.

B-G Andersson↗

Wavelength-Dependent Spin Excitation with Circularly Polarized Light in CdSe Nanoplatelets

Zinc-blende (ZB) cadmium selenide (CdSe) nanoplatelets (NPLs) have drawn increasing attention as an ideal condensed-phase material for facilitating photon-to-spin transduction in quantum networks. Yet, a systematic investigation of their fidelity in converting circularly polarized light (CPL) to exciton spin polarization as a function of excitation wavelength is lacking. Here, this work demonstrates using time-resolved transient absorption (TA) spectroscopy combined with density functional theory calculations that ZB CdSe NPLs exhibit wavelength-dependent CPL-induced spin polarization. The capacity of CPL to inject spin polarization is maximized for resonant excitation of band-edge valence-to-conduction band (VB/CB) transitions, and the degree to which CPL induces spin polarization can be modified for non-resonant excitation wavelengths as excitation occurs at k-points away from the Γ point from VB states with varying degrees of mixed heavy-hole (HH) and light-hole (LH) characters. Furthermore, it is highlighted that spin polarization within the LH exciton (LX) population created from resonant LH/CB excitation is retained upon LX → HH exciton (HX) relaxation due to the slow electron spin-flip rate (~1.1 ps) compared to the LH → HH inter-band relaxation rate (~200 fs).

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

High Resolution UV Spectroscopy for Solar System Exploration

A new generation of high resolution UV imaging spacecraft (Polar, Galileo, HST) are studying the airglow and aurora of the Earth and the jovian planets. To keep pace with these technological improvements we have developed a laboratory program to provide electron collision cross sections of the major molecular planetary gasses. Molecular spectra under optically thin conditions have been measured with a high resolution UV spectrometer in tandem with an electron impact collision chamber. The results of various studies are reported in this paper.

spectrometry UV imaging electron cross sections mo↗

Asymmetric Character of the Ferroelectric Phase Transition and Charged Domain Walls in a Hybrid Improper Ferroelectric

Abstract In improper ferroelectrics, the spontaneous ordering is typically driven by a structural distortion or a magnetic spin alignment. The induced electric polarization is only a secondary effect. This dependence is a rich source for unusual phenomena and ferroelectric domain configurations for proper, polarization‐driven ferroelectrics. This study focuses on the polar domain structure and the hysteretic behavior at the ferroelectric phase transition in Ca 3 Mn 1.9 Ti 0.1 O 7 as a representative of the recently discovered hybrid improper ferroelectric class of multiferroics. Combining optical second harmonic generation and Raman spectroscopy gives access to the spontaneous structural distortion and the resulting improper electric polarization. This study shows that hybrid improper ferroelectrics contrast proper and improper ferroelectrics in several ways. Most intriguingly, adjacent ferroelectric domains favor head‐to‐head and tail‐to‐tail domain walls over charge‐neutral configurations. Furthermore, the phase transition occurs in an asymmetric fashion. The regime of phase coexistence of the nonpolar and polar phases shows a clear and abrupt upper temperature limit. In contrast, the coexistence toward low temperatures is best described as a fade‐out process, where 100‐nm‐sized islands of the nonpolar phase expand deep into the polar phase.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Magnetostriction of α-RuCl 3 Flakes in the Zigzag Phase

Motivated by the possibility of enhanced magnetic fluctuations in exfoliated α-RuCl 3 flakes, we study magneto-Raman spectra of exfoliated multilayer α-RuCl 3 in out-of-plane magnetic fields of -6 to 6 T at temperatures of 670 mK to 4 K. While the literature currently suggests that bulk α-RuCl 3 is in an antiferromagnetic zigzag phase with R$\bar3$ symmetry at low temperatures, we do not observe R$\bar3$ symmetry in exfoliated α-RuCl 3 at low temperatures. While we saw no magnetic field-driven transitions, the Raman modes exhibit unexpected stochastic shifts in response to the applied magnetic field that are above the uncertainties inferred from Bayesian analysis. Finally, these stochastic shifts are consistent with the emergence of magnetostrictive interactions in exfoliated α-RuCl 3 .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Many-Exciton Quantum Dynamics in a Ruddlesden–Popper Tin Iodide

We present a study on the many-body exciton interactions in a Ruddlesden–Popper tin halide, namely, (PEA) 2 SnI 4 (PEA = phenylethylammonium), using coherent two-dimensional electronic spectroscopy. The optical dephasing times of the third-order polarization observed in these systems are determined by exciton many-body interactions and lattice fluctuations. We investigate the excitation-induced dephasing (EID) and observe a significant reduction of the dephasing time with increasing excitation density as compared to its lead counterpart (PEA) 2 PbI 4 , which we have previously reported in a separate publication [J. Chem. Phys. 2020, 153, 164706]. Surprisingly, we find that the EID interaction parameter is four orders of magnitude higher in (PEA) 2 SnI 4 than that in (PEA) 2 PbI 4 . This increase in the EID rate may be due to exciton localization arising from a more statically disordered lattice in the tin derivative. This is supported by the observation of multiple closely spaced exciton states and the broadening of the linewidth with increasing population time (spectral diffusion), which suggests a static disordered structure relative to the highly dynamic lead-halide. Additionally, we find that the exciton nonlinear coherent lineshape shows evidence of a biexcitonic state with low binding energy (<10 meV) not observed in the lead system. We model the lineshapes based on a stochastic scattering theory that accounts for the interaction with a nonstationary population of dark background excitations. Our study provides evidence of differences in the exciton quantum dynamics between tin- and lead-based Ruddlesden–Popper metal halides (RPMHs) and links them to the exciton–exciton interaction strength and the static disorder aspect of the crystalline structure.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Strain-modulated anisotropic electronic structure in superconducting RuO 2 films

The binary ruthenate, RuO 2 , has been the subject of intense interest due to its itinerant antiferromagnetism and strain-induced superconductivity. The strain mechanism and its effect on the microscopic electronic states leading to the normal and superconducting state, however, remain undisclosed. Here, we investigate highly strained epitaxial (110) RuO 2 films using polarization-dependent oxygen K-edge x-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). Through the detection of pre-edge peaks arising from O:2p - Ru:4d hybridization, we uncover the effects of epitaxial strain on the orbital/electronic structure near the Fermi level. Our data show robust strain-induced shifts of orbital levels and a reduction of hybridization strength. Furthermore, we reveal a pronounced in-plane anisotropy of the electronic structure along the [110] / [1$\bar{1}$0] directions naturally stemming from the symmetry-breaking epitaxial strain of the substrate. The B 2g symmetry component of the epitaxially enforced strain breaks a sublattice degeneracy, resulting in an increase of the density of states at the Fermi level (E F ), possibly paving the way to superconductivity. Finally, these results underscore the importance of the effective reduction from tetragonal to orthorhombic lattice symmetry in (110) RuO 2 films and its relevance towards the superconducting and magnetic properties.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗