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Search indexed NASA NTRS and DOE OSTI research on propulsion, heat transfer, battery materials and energy systems. Follow report and document links to the original sources.

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At least 379 records · Page 21
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
NASA NTRS2016

Global Images of Trapped Ring Current Ions During Main Phase of 17 March 2015 Geomagnetic Storm as Observed by TWINS

A unique view of the trapped particles in the inner magnetosphere provided by energetic neutral atom (ENA) imaging is used to observe the dynamics of the spatial structure and the pitch angle anisotropy on a global scale during the last 6 h of the main phase of a large geomagnetic storm (minimum SYM-H 230 nT) that began on 17 March 2015. Ion flux and pressure anisotropy obtained from Two Wide-angle Imaging Neutral-atom Spectrometers (TWINS) ENA images are shown. The ion flux shows two peaks, an inner one at approximately radii 34 RE in the dusk-to-midnight sector and an outer peak at radii 89 RE prior to midnight. The inner peak is relatively stationary during the entire period with some intensification during the final steep decline in SYM-H to its minimum. The outer peak shows the significant temporal variation brightening and dimming and finally disappearing at the end of the main phase. The pressure anisotropy shows the expected perpendicular pitch angles inside of L 6 but shows parallel pitch angles at greater L values. This is interpreted as consistent with pitch angle-dependent drift as modeled in the Tsy05 magnetic field and Comprehensive Inner Magnetosphere-Ionosphere simulations. The TWINS results are compared directly with Radiation Belt Storm Probes Ion Composition Experiment (RBSPICE)-A measurements. Using 15 min snapshots of flux and pressure anisotropy from TWINS along the path of RBSPICE-A during the 6 h focused upon in this study, the essential features displayed in the TWINS global images are supported.

Perez, J. D.↗
NASA NTRS1994

Space Flyable Hg(sup +) Frequency Standards

We discuss a design for a space based atomic frequency standard (AFS) based on Hg(sup +) ions confined in a linear ion trap. This newly developed AFS should be well suited for space borne applications because it can supply the ultra-high stability of a H-maser but its total mass is comparable to that of a NAVSTAR/GPS cesium clock, i.e., about 11kg. This paper will compare the proposed Hg(sup +) AFS to the present day GPS cesium standards to arrive at the 11 kg mass estimate. The proposed space borne Hg(sup +) standard is based upon the recently developed extended linear ion trap architecture which has reduced the size of existing trapped Hg(sup +) standards to a physics package which is comparable in size to a cesium beam tube. The demonstrated frequency stability to below 10(sup -15) of existing Hg(sup +) standards should be maintained or even improved upon in this new architecture. This clock would deliver far more frequency stability per kilogram than any current day space qualified standard.

clocks cesium atomic frequency standard Hg ions li↗
DOE OSTI2021

Charging and ion ejection dynamics of large helium nanodroplets exposed to intense femtosecond soft xray pulses

Ion ejection from charged helium nanodroplets exposed to intense femtosecond soft X-ray pulses is studied by single-pulse ion time-of-flight (TOF) spectroscopy in coincidence with small-angle X-ray scattering. Scattering images encode the droplet size and absolute photon flux incident on each droplet, while ion TOF spectra are used to determine the maximum ion kinetic energy, Ekin, of He+ j fragments (j = 1-4). Measurements span HeN droplet sizes between N similar to 10(7) and similar to 10(10) (radii R-0 = 78-578 nm), and droplet charges between similar to 9x10(-5) and similar to 3x10(-3) e/atom. Conditions encompass a wide range of ionization and expansion regimes, from departure of all photoelectrons from the droplet, leading to pure Coulomb explosion, to substantial electron trapping by the electrostatic potential of the charged droplet, indicating the onset of hydrodynamic expansion. The unique combination of absolute Xray intensities, droplet sizes, and ion Ekin on an event-by-event basis reveals a detailed picture of the correlations between the ionization conditions and the ejection dynamics of the ionic fragments. The maximum E-kin of He+ is found to be governed by Coulomb repulsion from unscreened cations across all expansion regimes. The impact of ion-atom interactions resulting from the relatively low charge densities is increasingly relevant with less electron trapping. The findings are consistent with the emergence of a charged spherical shell around a quasineutral plasma core as the degree of ionization increases. The results demonstrate a complex relationship between measured ion E-kin and droplet ionization conditions that can only be disentangled through the use of coincident single-pulse TOF and scattering data.

Helium↗
DOE OSTI2023

Reversible Cl/Cl - redox in a spinel Mn 3 O 4 electrode

A unique prospect of using halides as charge carriers is the possibility of the halides undergoing anodic redox behaviors when serving as charge carriers for the charge-neutrality compensation of electrodes. However, the anodic conversion of halides to neutral halogen species has often been irreversible at room temperature due to the emergence of diatomic halogen gaseous products. Here, we report that chloride ions can be reversibly converted to near-neutral atomic chlorine species in the Mn 3 O 4 electrode at room temperature in a highly concentrated chloride-based aqueous electrolyte. Notably, the Zn 2+ cations inserted in the first discharge and trapped in the Mn 3 O 4 structure create an environment to stabilize the converted chlorine atoms within the structure. Characterization results suggest that the Cl/Cl - redox is responsible for the observed large capacity, as the oxidation state of Mn barely changes upon charging. Computation results corroborate that the converted chlorine species exist as polychloride monoanions, e.g., [Cl 3 ] - and [Cl 5 ] - , inside the Zn 2+ -trapped Mn 3 O 4 , and the presence of polychloride species is confirmed experimentally. Our results point to the halogen plating inside electrode lattices as a new charge-storage mechanism.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
DOE OSTI2021

ECAR-1406 AS-RUN NEUTRONIC ANALYSIS OF THE AGC-1 EXPERIMENT IRRADIATED IN THE ATR SOUTH FLUX TRAP

This Engineering Calculations Analysis Report (ECAR) documents the results of the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) detailed physics analyses performed to calculate the displacements per atom (DPA) and the fast neutron fluence (E > 0.1 MeV) of the Advanced Graphite Creep (AGC) experiment, AGC-1, irradiated in the ATR South Flux Trap (SFT) (see Figure 1) during ATR Cycle 145A, Cycle 145B, Cycle 146A, Cycle 146B, Cycle 147A, Cycle 148A and Cycle 148B. The results for these evaluations and analysis are reported herein.

22 GENERAL STUDIES OF NUCLEAR REACTORS↗
DOE OSTI2021

Floquet Gauge Pumps as Sensors for Spectral Degeneracies Protected by Symmetry or Topology

We introduce the concept of a Floquet gauge pump whereby a dynamically engineered Floquet Hamiltonian is employed to reveal the inherent degeneracy of the ground state in interacting systems. We demonstrate this concept in a one-dimensional XY model with periodically driven couplings and transverse field. In the high-frequency limit, we obtain the Floquet Hamiltonian consisting of the static XY and dynamically generated Dzyaloshinsky-Moriya interaction (DMI) terms. The dynamically generated magnetization current depends on the phases of complex coupling terms, with the XY interaction as the real and DMI as the imaginary part. As these phases are cycled, the current reveals the ground-state degeneracies that distinguish the ordered and disordered phases. In conclusion, we discuss experimental requirements needed to realize the Floquet gauge pump in a synthetic quantum spin system of interacting trapped ions.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2022

Pushing the limits: Resolving paleoseawater signatures in nanoscale fluid inclusions by atom probe tomography

New insight into the geochemistry of ancient environments can be gained through structural and chemical analyses of nanometer-scale features within minerals. Here, we present recent developments using atom probe tomography (APT) enabling direct visualization of nanoscale fluid inclusions trapped within pyrite (FeS 2 ) and thereby chemical characterization of remnant seawater. Pyrite framboids (spherical clusters of nanocrystals) were sampled from the Middle Devonian Leicester Pyrite Member (New York). Scanning transmission electron microscopy shows low density regions distributed within the pyrite consistent with nanoscale pores (<4 nm in size). APT 3D visualization and compositional mapping reveals that the nanopores are filled with water. The inclusions appear to preserve the elemental signature of the water column in which the framboids formed, specifically seawater components including Na, K, Mg, and Ca. Mg/Ca ratios within the pyrite were generally measured to be within 0.6±0.2 – consistent with calcite-dominated seawater conditions existing in the Middle Devonian. Furthermore, this study demonstrates the potential for a novel approach to reconstruct paleoenvironmental conditions from coupled elemental and structural analyses of nanoscale fluid inclusions.

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES↗
DOE OSTI2022

Feasibility study of quantum computing using trapped electrons

In this study, we investigate the feasibility of using electrons in a linear Paul trap as qubits in a future quantum computer. We discuss the necessary experimental steps to realize such a device through a concrete design proposal, including trapping, cooling, electronic detection, spin readout, and single- and multiqubit gate operations. Numeric simulations indicate that two-qubit Bell-state fidelities of order 99.99% can be achieved assuming reasonable experimental parameters.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
DOE OSTI2024

Identification of Defects and the Origins of Surface Noise on Hydrogen–Terminated (100) Diamond

Near-surface nitrogen vacancy centres are critical to many diamond-based quantum technologies such as information processors and nanosensors. Surface defects play an important role in the design and performance of these devices. The targeted creation of defects is central to proposed bottom-up approaches to nanofabrication of quantum diamond processors, and uncontrolled surface defects may generate noise and charge trapping which degrade shallow NV device performance. Surface preparation protocols may be able to control the production of desired defects and eliminate unwanted defects, but only if their atomic structure can first be conclusively identified. This work uses a combination of scanning tunnelling microscopy (STM) imaging and first-principles simulations to identify several surface defects on H:C(100)—2 × 1 surfaces prepared using chemical vapour deposition (CVD). The atomic structure of these defects is elucidated, from which the microscopic origins of magnetic noise and charge trapping are determined based on the modeling of their paramagnetic properties and acceptor states. Rudimentary control of these deleterious properties is demonstrated through STM tip-induced manipulation of the defect structure. Furthermore, the results validate accepted models for CVD diamond growth by identifying key adsorbates responsible for the nucleation of new layers.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2022

Narrow-linewidth laser cooling for rapid production of low-temperature atoms for high data-rate quantum sensing

We present a proof-of-concept demonstration of a narrow linewidth $^{87}$Rb magneto-optical trap (MOT) operating on the narrow linewidth $5S_{1/2}$ → $6P_{3/2}$ transition at 420 nm. We stabilized the absolute frequency of the 420 nm laser to an atomic transition in $^{87}$Rb and demonstrate a MOT using 420 nm light driving the $5S_{1/2}$, $F = 2$ → $6P_{3/2}, F' = 3$ transition. We then use tome-of-flight measurements to characterize the 420 nm MOT temperature, observing a minimum temperature of about $T^{(420)}_{horizontal}$ = 150μK and $T^{(420)}_{vertical}$ = 250μK before the opportunity to perform significant characterization and optimization. Although this temperature is significantly higher then the expected 420 nm Doppler cooling limit ($T_D^{(420)}$ ≈ 34 μK), these are already approaching the Doppler limit of a standard 780 nm MOT ($T_D^{(780)}$ ≈ 146 μK). We believe that with further optimization the Doppler cooling limit of ≈ 34 μK can be achieved. This initial result answers our key research question and demonstrates the viability of applying narrow linewidth laser cooling as a robust technique for future fieldable quantum sensors.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗
DOE OSTI2024

A thermal evaporation–trapping strategy to synthesize flexible and robust oxygen electrocatalysts for rechargeable zinc–air batteries

Great efforts have been devoted to the development of bifunctional electrocatalysts to accelerate the sluggish kinetics of cathodic oxygen reduction/evolution reactions (ORR/OER) in zinc–air batteries (ZABs). Here we report a thermal evaporation–trapping synergistic strategy to fabricate a bifunctional electrocatalyst of flexible N-doped carbon fiber cloth loaded with both CoFe-oxide nanoparticles and single-atom Co/Fe–Nx sites, in which the thermal evaporation process functions in both downsizing CoFe-oxide nanoparticles and trapping the evaporated Co/Fe species to generate Co/Fe–Nx sites. The obtained flexible electrocatalyst, directly serving as an oxygen electrode, displays a small potential gap of 0.542 V for the OER/ORR, large peak power densities (liquid-state ZAB: 237.4 mW cm2 ; solid-state ZAB: 141.1 mW cm2 ), and excellent charge–discharge cycling stability without decay after working more than 770 hours. Furthermore, in situ Raman spectroscopy characterization and theoretical calculations reveal that CoFe2O4 species is responsible for the OER while atomic Fe/Co sites play a key role in the ORR

Zhang, Hong-Bo↗
DOE OSTI2022

Comparing and contrasting In-Vial and full-scale systems for sparging volatile analytes

Here, in-vial sparging was demonstrated as an effective, practical alternative to a full-scale sparging system for supporting the analysis of volatile constituents. Using elemental mercury (Hg 0 ) and toluene as representative purgeable analytes, the mass removal for various sparge configurations was measured and a reduced order model was developed and validated. In the primary experiments, Hg 0 in the sparge gas was trapped on activated carbon or gold, thermally desorbed, and quantified using atomic absorption or atomic fluorescence spectroscopy. Toluene experiments using the same in-vial sparge apparatus and sparge parameters were performed to demonstrate the applicability of the reduced order model to a broad range of compounds. Toluene removal was tracked by measuring the remaining toluene in sparged aliquots using Ultraviolet-visible (UV–Vis) spectroscopy. For the sparging, flow rates varied from 25 to 75 mL/min for periods from 0 to 30 min. Sparge performance, mass removal as a function of time, and sparge gas volume were measured for both in-vial and full-scale systems. A model based on dimensionless Henry's Law coefficient, normalized sparge gas volume, and fractional extent of equilibrium matched the experimental data for both compounds and provides a practical tool for future applications. For the conditions tested in this study, the calibrated model indicated that the sparge gas in the in-vial system reached approximately 33% of its equilibrium value before exiting the water surface, while a full-scale system reached approximately 100%. The tests validated the quality, reproducibility, and predictability of sparging performance for both full scale and in-vial sparge systems. Related factors such as waste generation, worker risk, and labor were also assessed. Full scale sparge systems provide the advantage of lower detection levels due to larger sample volume, while the in-vial sparge systems provide advantages for most other factors; including automatability, reducing secondary wastes, lessening the need to clean and check the sparge apparatus, and lowering labor and costs. The data and associated reduced order model support continued development and deployment of in-vial sparge platforms as a practical option for analysis of purgeable analytes such as volatile organic compounds and volatile metals/organometallics.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1971

A study of environmental effects caused by cesium from ion thrusters

The ATS-F satellite will carry two cesium ion thrusters. Cesium is a material that is not present in the upper atmosphere, and there is concern that the introduction of this material may result in some unexpected behavior. A study has been conducted to assess the magnitude of the effects that are to be expected. No observable effects were found as a result of the study. Consideration was given to the origin and destination of the material and the various reactions that could occur. The origin was considered to be anywhere in space from altitudes of about 100 km upward. The probable short term destination is in the form of cesium ions trapped in the earth's magnetic field or as ions and atoms in the heterosphere. The maximum possible number of cesium atoms in the field of view of an earth based observer is of the order of one million per square centimeter, far too few to be observable by visible, near-visible, or radio-frequency means. Further, no phenomena could be found that would result in the occurance of an observable event.

Source record↗
DOE OSTI2023

Ablation loading of barium ions into a surface-electrode trap

Trapped-ion quantum information processing may benefit from qubits encoded in isotopes that are practically available in only small quantities, e.g., due to low natural abundance or radioactivity. Laser ablation provides a method of controllably liberating neutral atoms or ions from low-volume targets, but energetic ablation products can be difficult to confine in the small ion-electrode distance, micron-scale microfabricated traps amenable to high-speed, high-fidelity manipulation of ion arrays. Here, we investigate ablation-based ion loading into surface-electrode traps of different sizes to test a model describing ion loading probability as a function of effective trap volume and other trap parameters. We characterize loading of ablated barium from a metallic source in two cryogenic surface-electrode traps with 730 and 50 μm ion-electrode distances. Furthermore, our loading rate agrees with a predictive analytical model, providing insight for the confinement of limited-quantity species of interest for quantum computing, simulation, and sensing.

74 ATOMIC AND MOLECULAR PHYSICS↗
NASA NTRS2003

Optical Tweezers Array and Nimble Tweezers Probe Generated by Spatial- Light Modulator

An optical tweezers is being developed at the NASA Glenn Research Center as a visiblelight interface between ubiquitous laser technologies and the interrogation, visualization, manufacture, control, and energization of nanostructures such as silicon carbide (SiC) nanotubes. The tweezers uses one or more focused laser beams to hold micrometer-sized particles called tools (sometimes called tips in atomic-force-microscope terminology). A strongly focused laser beam has an associated light-pressure gradient that is strong enough to pull small particles to the focus, in spite of the oppositely directed scattering force; "optical tweezers" is the common term for this effect. The objective is to use the tools to create carefully shaped secondary traps to hold and assemble nanostructures that may contain from tens to hundreds of atoms. The interaction between a tool and the nanostructures is to be monitored optically as is done with scanning probe microscopes. One of the initial efforts has been to create, shape, and control multiple tweezers beams. To this end, a programmable spatial-light modulator (SLM) has been used to modify the phase of a laser beam at up to 480 by 480 points. One program creates multiple, independently controllable tweezer beams whose shapes can be tailored by making the SLM an adaptive mirror in an interferometer (ref. 1). The beams leave the SLM at different angles, and an optical Fourier transform maps these beams to different positions in the focal plane of a microscope objective. The following figure shows two arrays of multiple beams created in this manner. The patterns displayed above the beam array control the intensity-to-phase transformation required in programming the SLM. Three of the seven beams displayed can be used as independently controllable beams.

Decker, Arthur J.↗
NASA NTRS1987

Absolute flux measurements for swift atoms

While a torsion balance in vacuum can easily measure the momentum transfer from a gas beam impinging on a surface attached to the balance, this measurement depends on the accommodation coefficients of the atoms with the surface and the distribution of the recoil. A torsion balance is described for making absolute flux measurements independent of recoil effects. The torsion balance is a conventional taut suspension wire design and the Young modulus of the wire determines the relationship between the displacement and the applied torque. A compensating magnetic field is applied to maintain zero displacement and provide critical damping. The unique feature is to couple the impinging gas beam to the torsion balance via a Wood's horn, i.e., a thin wall tube with a gradual 90 deg bend. Just as light is trapped in a Wood's horn by specular reflection from the curved surfaces, the gas beam diffuses through the tube. Instead of trapping the beam, the end of the tube is open so that the atoms exit the tube at 90 deg to their original direction. Therefore, all of the forward momentum of the gas beam is transferred to the torsion balance independent of the angle of reflection from the surfaces inside the tube.

Fink, M.↗
NASA NTRS1980

Studies of H2O on beta-AgI surfaces - An effective pair potential model

The adsorption of a water molecule on surfaces of beta-AgI, the hexagonal crystal believed to be primarily responsible for the ice-nucleating properties of AgI, is studied on the basis of an effective pair potential model. The water molecule is represented by a rigid point charge ST-2 model and the AgI substrate by an array of point atoms, and maximal binding energy surfaces and optimal H2O configurations are generated for the water molecule adsorbed on the rigid and unrelaxed basal and prism faces. Modeling of H2O adsorption above a two-layer ledge, an iodine vacancy and an H2O molecule trapped in the vacancy indicates that H2O adsorption is favored at interstitial sites where no substrate atoms lie directly below. The prism face is found to attract the water molecule more strongly and provide larger energy barriers to surface diffusion than basal face sites, with the ideal basal faces providing hexagonal patterns of adsorption sites for the H2O with preferred dipole moments aligned.

Hale, B. N.↗
DOE OSTI2026

High-Resolution Laser Spectroscopy on the Hyperfine Structure of 255Fm (𝑍=100)

We report on high-resolution laser spectroscopy of 255Fm (𝑇1/2=20 h), one of the heaviest nuclides available from reactor breeding. The hyperfine structures in two different atomic ground-state transitions at 398.4 nm and 398.2 nm were probed by in-source laser spectroscopy at the RISIKO mass separator in Mainz, using the perpendicularly illuminated laser ion source and trap (PI-LIST) high-resolution ion source. Experimental results were combined with hyperfine fields from various atomic ab initio calculations, in particular using multiconfiguration Dirac-Hartree-Fock theory, as implemented in grasp18. In this manner, the nuclear magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole moments were derived to be 𝜇=−0.75⁢(5) 𝜇N and 𝑄s=+5.84⁢(13) eb, respectively. The magnetic moment indicates occupation of the 𝜈⁢7/2⁢[613] Nilsson orbital, while the large quadrupole moment confirms strong, stable prolate deformation consistent with systematics in the heavy actinides. Comparisons with available expectation values from nuclear theory show good agreement, providing a stringent benchmark for the used theoretical models. These results revise earlier data and establish 255Fm as a reference isotope for future high-resolution studies.

Ezold, Julie [ORNL] (ORCID:0000000250550022)↗