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At least 397 records · Page 22

Spin dynamics in permalloy nano-ellipses for honeycomb and square lattices

We report experimental and theoretical studies of spin dynamics in lattice structures of permalloy (Ni 80 Fe 20 ) nano-ellipses, with four different types of networks including honeycomb and square lattices. The lattices are patterned at the center line of the co-planar wave guide and consist of non-contacting or contacting ellipses. Micromagnetic simulations show excellent agreement with the broadband ferromagnetic resonance (FMR) experimental results. We find the existence of a spin-wave mode localized in the vertex region of the contacting nano-ellipse network. Our finding has important implications when designing an artificial spin ice (ASI) network for functional magnonics.

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

Probing free carrier plasmons in doped semiconductors using spatially resolved electron energy loss spectroscopy

We report spatially resolved measurements of free carrier collective excitations in a doped semiconductor. Using ~10 meV resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) in an electron microscope with Å spatial resolution, we identify both surface and bulk carrier plasmons at infrared energies in a freestanding film of indium tin oxide (ITO). The interference patterns of long wavelength propagating surface carrier plasmons are revealed using spatially resolved EELS, from which we extract a dispersion relation. We further show that the energies of these plasmons vary near the surfaces and grain boundaries of the film due to band bending. Modeling based on dielectric theory agrees very well with experimental results. Finally, carrier plasmons in amorphous and crystalline ITO films are compared. These results should also be helpful for understanding the free carrier plasmons in other doped semiconductors in nanoscale volumes.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Model study of the energy dependence of the correlation between anisotropic flow and the mean transverse momentum in Au + Au collisions

A hybrid model that employs the hadron-string transport model UrQMD and the (3+1)-dimensional relativistic viscous hydrodynamic code vHLLE, is used to investigate the beam energy dependence of the correlation coefficient ρ(v$^{2}_{2}$,[p T ]) between the average transverse momentum [p T ] of hadrons emitted in an event and the square of the anisotropic flow coefficient v$^{2}_{2}$. For Au+Au collisions, the model predicts characteristic patterns for the energy and event-shape dependence of the variances for [p T ] and v$^{2}_{n}$ [Var([p T ] and Var(v$^{2}_{2}$)], and the covariance of v$^{2}_{n}$ and [p T ][cov(v$^{2}_{2}$,[p T ])], consistent with the attenuation effects of the specific shear viscosity η/s. Here in contrast, ρ(v$^{2}_{2}$,[p T ]) is predicted to be insensitive to the beam energy but sensitive to the initial-state geometry of the collisions. These observations suggest that a precise set of measurements for Var([p T ]), Var(v$^{2}_{2}$), cov(v$^{2}_{2}$,[p T ]) and ρ(v$^{2}_{2}$,[p T ]) as a function of beam energy and event shape, could serve to constrain better the eccentricities and their fluctuations over the entire span of beam energies, and consequently aid precision extraction of the temperature and baryon chemical-potential dependence of η/s from the wealth of Au+Au data obtained in the RHIC beam energy scan.

73 NUCLEAR PHYSICS AND RADIATION PHYSICS↗

Spatial control of heavy-fermion superconductivity in CeIrIn 5

While crystals of strongly correlated metals exhibit a diverse set of electronic ground states, few approaches exist for spatially modulating their properties. In this study, we demonstrate disorder-free control, on the micrometer scale, over the superconducting state in samples of the heavy-fermion superconductor CeIrIn 5 . We pattern crystals by focused ion beam milling to tailor the boundary conditions for the elastic deformation upon thermal contraction during cooling. The resulting nonuniform strain fields induce complex patterns of superconductivity, owing to the strong dependence of the transition temperature on the strength and direction of strain. These findings showcase a generic approach to manipulating electronic order on micrometer length scales in strongly correlated matter without compromising the cleanliness, stoichiometry, or mean free path.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Influence of geometry on columnar to equiaxed transition during electron beam powder bed fusion of IN718

Correlation between spot-melt scan parameters (linear spot-density aka areal energy density), build geometry, and solidification microstructure evolution (columnar vs equiaxed) in a powder bed fusion technology is investigated. It is shown that to maintain the equiaxed solidification microstructure evolution in electron beam powder bed additive manufacturing (AM), the areal energy density per layer needs to be scaled with respect to the 2D cross-sectional area of the layer being melted. Samples with two different cross-sectional areas (40 × 40 mm and 20 × 20 mm) have been fabricated with varying areal energy densities. For a given square cross-section (20 × 20 mm), increasing the areal energy density (4.8 MJ/sq.m to 14.7 MJ/sq.m) transitioned the solidification microstructure from columnar to equiaxed. The observed microstructure data (Electron Back Scattered Diffraction - EBSD) is quantified by calculating the principal component (PC) score using a spatial statistics methodology. The sample with equiaxed grains is found to have a low PC score while the sample with columnar grain had a high PC score. A semi-analytical model is used to simulate the heat transfer and the local solidification conditions as a function of processing parameters (linear spot-density). The result from the heat transfer model is correlated with previously quantified microstructure data. Space-Time analysis of the melt pattern is done and correlated with the observed microstructure. In addition, from the findings, appropriate parameters have been used to additively manufacture a turbine blade with site-specific or hybrid solidification microstructure (traditional fabrication possible via a patented method of localized cold working and heat treatment).

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Comparative Dissolution of Iron-Bearing Minerals by Catecholate and Hydroxamate Siderophores under Oxic and Anoxic Conditions

Siderophores play a crucial role in biological iron (Fe) acquisition and mobilization by promoting Fe mineral and rock weathering. While the effects of the hydroxamate siderophore desferrioxamine B (DFOB) have been extensively studied, the role of catecholates in the dissolution of Fe mineral and rock under varying redox conditions remain limited. Moreover, despite Fe being one of the most redox-active metals, the siderophore-mediated redox transformations of solid-phase Fe and their impact on mineral dissolution are not well understood. Herein, this study systematically investigated dissolution behavior of both Fe(II) and Fe(III)-bearing minerals and rocks (Fe(II)- bearing basalt and olivine, and Fe(III)- bearing nontronite and goethite), by two structurally distinct biological siderophores, catecholate protochelin and hydroxamate DFOB, under both oxic and anoxic conditions. Batch experiments quantified Fe and transition metals (Mn, Ni, Zn, Mo) released from the tested minerals in the presence of siderophores. Throughout the dissolution experiments, siderophore concentrations and Fe-siderophore complexation in solutions were measured using UV-vis spectrometry. Fe redox changes under oxic and anoxic conditions by siderophores were determined, and mineral surface alterations following siderophore treatments were characterized through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF-SIMS). Results revealed distinct interplays of dissolution mechanisms, including ligand-exchange promoted dissolution and reductive dissolution, along with Fe(III) reduction and Fe(II) oxidation, contributing to the Fe(II)- and Fe(III)-rich mineral weathering under varying redox conditions. Under oxic conditions, both protochelin and DFOB enhanced Fe release from Fe(II)-rich basalt and olivine more effectively than from Fe(III)-rich minerals. DFOB induced greater Fe(II)-mineral dissolution than protochelin. This difference was attributed to a higher level of Fe(II) oxidation by DFOB in contrast to protochelin, as well as the protochelin oxidation with the loss of Fe binding groups (catechols). Under anoxic conditions, both siderophores significantly reduced Fe(III) in nontronite and goethite, with protochelin demonstrating substantially stronger Fe(III) reduction capacity than DFOB. However, Fe(III) reduction negatively impacted Fe release from Fe(III)-rich minerals. Instead, Fe release from Fe(II)-rich minerals was enhanced under anoxic conditions due to the absence of Fe(II) oxidation and labile Fe(II). Variations in siderophore adsorption also contributed to dissolution differences. Beyond iron, the release of transition metals from tested minerals was influenced by elemental contents, mineral compositions, and siderophore types, revealing distinct metal- and siderophore-dependent patterns. This systematic investigation highlights the roles of siderophores in Fe redox cycling and metal mobilization, enhancing our understanding of different siderophore behaviors in siderophore-mediated microbial metal acquisition within redox-dynamic environments, with implications for bioleaching industries and applications in agriculture and climate change mitigation.

Guo, Dongyi↗

Pulsed Thermal Tomography Nondestructive Examination of Additively Manufactured Reactor Materials and Components (Final Technical Report)

Metal Additive Manufacturing (AM) is a promising method for cost-efficient fabrication of complex shape structures for applications in harsh environment, such as in a nuclear reactor. However, internal defects (pores) occur in high-strength AM alloys, which are manufactured with Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) AM method. Pulsed Infrared Thermography (PIT) is an efficient nondestructive evaluation (NDE) method to examine actual structures, because this method offers one-sided non-contact measurements, and fast processing of large sample areas. However, imaging of material defects, particularly defects with sizes at microscopic level, is challenging. In this report, we benchmark the performance of several Unsupervised Learning (UL) algorithms designed to enhance imaging of microscopic defects in metals with PIT. UL aims to learn the latent principal patterns (dictionaries) in PIT data to detect defects with minimal human supervision. Performance of Independent Component Analysis (ICA), Sparse Coding (SC), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was compared using F-score, UL model training time and defects reconstruction time. We obtained the average F-score of 0.75, and a highest F-score of 0.89 for the EFA algorithm. Overall, EFA outperforms other UL algorithms considered in this study. In another approach, we investigate Thermal Tomography (TT), which is a computational method for reconstruction of depth profile of internal material defects from PIT nondestructive evaluation (NDE). TT algorithm obtains depth reconstructions of thermal effusivity, which has been shown to provide visualization of subsurface internals defects in metals. In many applications, one needs to determine the defect shape and orientation from reconstructed effusivity images. Interpretation of TT images is non-trivial because of blurring, which increases with depth due to heat diffusion-based nature of image formation. We have developed a deep learning convolutional neural network (CNN) to classify size and orientation of subsurface material defects in TT images. CNN was trained with TT images produced with computer simulations of 2D metallic structures (thin plates) containing elliptical subsurface voids. Performance of CNN was investigated using test TT images developed with computer simulations of plates containing elliptical defects, and defects with shape imported from scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images. CNN demonstrated the ability to classify radii and angular orientation of elliptical defects in previously unseen test TT images. We have also demonstrated that CNN trained on TT images of elliptical defects is capable of classifying shape and orientation of irregular defects. Training the CNN on irregular defect shapes instead of on elliptical shapes would make the resulting classifications more descriptive of actual defect shapes. However, this requires a much higher volume of SEM images of material defects, which are difficult to obtain because of random occurrence of defects in LPBF. To address this challenge, we developed a generative adversarial network (GAN) to augment the existing dataset of SEM defect images. The GAN model is demonstrated to create novel yet realistic defect shapes that can be used as input for simulated PTT images to train CNN. We also investigate several approaches based on Gaussian Random Circle and Bezier Curves for constructing parametric models of irregular-shape defects.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Particle emission with identification from an atmospheric pressure plasma liquid interface

A conspicuous emission phenomenon of luminous particles from the liquid anode surface of an atmospheric pressure DC glow discharge is reported. The emission has been shown to occur when the plasma forms a pattern on the surface of the liquid electrolyte. Here, the spatial-temporal evolutions of the trajectories of emitted particles were studied using a high-speed imaging system. Particles were sampled in flight using a witness plate for analysis. Critical particle characteristics were examined using electron microscope technologies. The morphology of the resulting splats and compositions suggest that they are molten droplets with a great deal of structure, including evidence of nanoprecipitation. A theoretical model was employed to estimate the particle size from the measured splats, which provides a radius range within a hundred micrometers. This experiment leads to the postulation of a mechanism in which particle emission at the plasma liquid interface is likely driven by the Taylor cone effect.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

Colonization of Naive Roots from Populus tremula × alba Involves Successive Waves of Fungi and Bacteria with Different Trophic Abilities

ABSTRACT Through their roots, trees interact with a highly complex community of microorganisms belonging to various trophic guilds and contributing to tree nutrition, development, and protection against stresses. Tree roots select for specific microbial species from the bulk soil communities. The root microbiome formation is a dynamic process, but little is known on how the different microorganisms colonize the roots and how the selection occurs. To decipher whether the final composition of the root microbiome is the product of several waves of colonization by different guilds of microorganisms, we planted sterile rooted cuttings of gray poplar obtained from plantlets propagated in axenic conditions in natural poplar stand soil. We analyzed the root microbiome at different time points between 2 and 50 days of culture by combining high-throughput Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the fungal ribosomal DNA internal transcribed spacer and bacterial 16S rRNA amplicons with confocal laser scanning microscopy observations. The microbial colonization of poplar roots took place in three stages, but bacteria and fungi had different dynamics. Root bacterial communities were clearly different from those in the soil after 2 days of culture. In contrast, if fungi were also already colonizing roots after 2 days, the initial communities were very close to that in the soil and were dominated by saprotrophs. They were slowly replaced by endophytes and ectomycorhizal fungi. The replacement of the most abundant fungal and bacterial community members observed in poplar roots over time suggest potential competition effect between microorganisms and/or a selection by the host. IMPORTANCE The tree root microbiome is composed of a very diverse set of bacterial and fungal communities. These microorganisms have a profound impact on tree growth, development, and protection against different types of stress. They mainly originate from the bulk soil and colonize the root system, which provides a unique nutrient-rich environment for a diverse assemblage of microbial communities. In order to better understand how the tree root microbiome is shaped over time, we observed the composition of root-associated microbial communities of naive plantlets of poplar transferred in natural soil. The composition of the final root microbiome relies on a series of colonization stages characterized by the dominance of different fungal guilds and bacterial community members over time. Our observations suggest an early stabilization of bacterial communities, whereas fungal communities are established following a more gradual pattern.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

1 kV Self-Aligned Vertical GaN Superjunction Diode

This work demonstrates vertical GaN superjunction (SJ) diodes fabricated via a novel self-aligned process. The SJ comprises n-GaN pillars wrapped by the charge-balanced p-type nickel oxide (NiO). After the NiO sputtering around GaN pillars, the self-aligned process exposes the top pillar surfaces without the need for additional lithography or a patterned NiO etching which is usually difficult. The GaN SJ diode shows a breakdown voltage (B V) of 1100 V, a specific on-resistance (R ON ) of 0.4 mΩ· cm2, and a SJ drift-region resistance ( R dr ) of 0.13 mΩ· cm2. Further, the device also exhibits good thermal stability with B V retained over 1 kV and R ON dropped to 0.3 mΩ· cm2 at 125°C. The trade-off between B V and R dr is superior to the 1D GaN limit. These results show the promise of vertical GaN SJ power devices. The self-aligned process is applicable for fabricating the heterogeneous SJ based on various wide- and ultra-wide bandgap semiconductors.

42 ENGINEERING↗

Direct Exfoliation of Nanoribbons from Bulk van der Waals Crystals

Confinement of monolayers into quasi-1D atomically thin nanoribbons could lead to novel quantum phenomena beyond those achieved in their bulk and monolayer counterparts. However, current experimental availability of nanoribbon species beyond graphene is limited to bottom-up synthesis or lithographic patterning. Here, in this study, a versatile and direct approach is introduced to exfoliate bulk van der Waals crystals as nanoribbons. Akin to the Scotch tape exfoliation method for producing monolayers, this technique provides convenient access to a wide range of nanoribbons derived from their corresponding bulk crystals, including MoS 2 , WS 2 , MoSe 2 , WSe 2 , MoTe 2 , WTe 2 , ReS 2 , and hBN. The nanoribbons are predominantly monolayer, single-crystalline, parallel-aligned, flat, and exhibit high aspect ratios. The role of confinement, strain, and edge configuration of these nanoribbons is observed in their electrical, magnetic, and optical properties. This versatile exfoliation technique provides a universal route for producing a variety of nanoribbon materials and supports the study of their fundamental properties and potential applications.

2D materials↗

A flexible polymer-based luminescent ink for combined thermographic phosphors and digital image correlation (TP+DIC)

Recent work on the development of integrated thermographic phosphors and digital image correlation (TP+DIC) for combined thermal–mechanical measurements has revealed the need for a flexible, stretchable phosphor coating for metal surfaces. Herein, we coat stainless steel substrates with a polymer-based phosphor ink in a DIC speckle pattern and demonstrate that the ink remains well bonded under substrate deformation. In contrast, a binderless phosphor DIC coating produced via aerosol deposition (AD) partially debonded from the substrate. DIC calculations reveal that the strain on the ink coating matches the strain on the substrate within 4% error at the highest substrate loads (0.05 mm/mm applied substrate strain), while the strain on the AD coating remains near 0 mm/mm as the substrate deforms. Spectrally resolved emission from the phosphor is measured through the transparent binder throughout testing, and the ratio method is used to infer temperature with an uncertainty of 1.7 °C. In conclusion, this phosphor ink coating will allow for accurate, non-contact strain and temperature measurements of a deforming surface.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Dynamic compression and spallation behavior of NbTaTiVZr high-entropy alloy

High-entropy alloys are a new class of materials with promising properties for aerospace and defense applications. The unique behavior of these materials is driven by the complex interactions between dissimilar atoms in a crystal and requires combined theoretical and experimental efforts to unlock their full potential. Here, we evaluate the relationship between the microstructure and the dynamic response of the equiatomic NbTaTiVZr alloy. Specifically, the shock Hugoniot, or equation of state, was measured up to a particle velocity of 0.5 mm μs −1 using gas gun plate impacts. Shock wave profile and incipient spallation experiments were used to characterize wave propagation and damage formation with post-mortem recovery experiments. Molecular dynamics simulations confirm the experimental findings and extend them up to 2.1 mm μs −1 particle velocity. Computational thermodynamic calculation of phase diagram simulations explain details of the material microstructure, which explains the measured strength and experimental damage patterns. Overall, this work provides detailed high-strain-rate characterization of a refractory high-entropy alloy, and more importantly, a framework and demonstration of the utility and necessity of a combined theoretical and experimental approach, outlining the importance of considering processing and manufacturing conditions when evaluating the performance of new materials.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Electrostatic modulation of the lateral carrier density profile in field effect devices with nonlinear dielectrics

The properties of two-dimensional (2D) electronic systems are often effectively controlled using electrostatic gating. The geometry of such field effect devices influences the effectiveness of the gate and the carrier density profile in the 2D device. Here, in this work, we analyze the gate-induced spatial variations in the lateral carrier density in patterned LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 devices. We model the electrostatics of the 2D interface using the Thomas-Fermi approximation and compute the gate-induced charge distribution at the interface. We show that the electric field lines generated by the gate are focused at the edges of the device, causing an increased depletion near its edges. This effect is accentuated in LaAlO 3 /SrTiO 3 due to the large, nonlinear dielectric constant of the substrate, and the large distance between the gate electrode and the interface. We experimentally demonstrate one consequence of this effect by directly imaging current distributions in gated heterostructures, finding that insulating regions nucleate at the edges of the device due to the gate. Our results suggest that device geometry and choice of dielectric materials control the charge distribution in 2D systems.

75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS, SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND↗

Imaging crossing fibers in mouse, pig, monkey, and human brain using small-angle X-ray scattering

Myelinated axons (nerve fibers) efficiently transmit signals throughout the brain via action potentials. Multiple methods that are sensitive to axon orientations, from microscopy to magnetic resonance imaging, aim to reconstruct the brain's structural connectome. As billions of nerve fibers traverse the brain with various possible geometries at each point, resolving fiber crossings is necessary to generate accurate structural connectivity maps. However, doing so with specificity is a challenging task because signals originating from oriented fibers can be influenced by brain (micro)structures unrelated to myelinated axons. X-ray scattering can specifically probe myelinated axons due to the periodicity of the myelin sheath, which yields distinct peaks in the scattering pattern. Here, in this work, we show that small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) can be used to detect myelinated, axon-specific fiber crossings. We first demonstrate the capability using strips of human corpus callosum to create artificial double- and triple-crossing fiber geometries, and we then apply the method in mouse, pig, vervet monkey, and human brains. We compare results to polarized light imaging (3D-PLI), tracer experiments, and to outputs from diffusion MRI that sometimes fails to detect crossings. Given its specificity, capability of 3-dimensional sampling and high resolution, SAXS could serve as a ground truth for validating fiber orientations derived using diffusion MRI as well as microscopy-based methods.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Tailoring material microstructure and property in wire-laser directed energy deposition through a wiggle deposition strategy

Developing effective strategies to directly control material microstructure, property, and anisotropy is an active research area in metal additive manufacturing. This work develops a wiggle deposition pattern for wire-laser directed energy deposition (DED) of 316L stainless steel (SS) to modify the solidification texture, particularly in the building direction, in as-deposited samples. Through multi-physics simulation, operando near-infrared imaging, and synchrotron x-ray characterization, it is found that the wiggle deposition strategy induces highly dynamic melt flow and oscillating thermal gradient in the melt pool, which is responsible for the variation of preferable grain growth direction and crystallographic texture in the sample. The specific texture reduces the anisotropy in the tensile strength of as-printed 316L SS samples cut along different directions. Also, it largely increases the ductility along the build direction. Crystal plasticity simulation is performed to correlate the sample texture with mechanical property. In conclusion, this work offers a unique approach for tailoring local properties through the control of melt pool instability by applying different tool paths.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Observation of Antiferroelectric Domain Walls in a Uniaxial Hyperferroelectric

Abstract Ferroelectric domain walls are a rich source of emergent electronic properties and unusual polar order. Recent studies show that the configuration of ferroelectric walls can go well beyond the conventional Ising‐type structure. Néel‐, Bloch‐, and vortex‐like polar patterns have been observed, displaying strong similarities with the spin textures at magnetic domain walls. Here, the discovery of antiferroelectric domain walls in the uniaxial ferroelectric Pb 5 Ge 3 O 11 is reported. Highly mobile domain walls with an alternating displacement of Pb atoms are resolved, resulting in a cyclic 180° flip of dipole direction within the wall. Density functional theory calculations show that Pb 5 Ge 3 O 11 is hyperferroelectric, allowing the system to overcome the depolarization fields that usually suppress the antiparallel ordering of dipoles along the longitudinal direction. Interestingly, the antiferroelectric walls observed under the electron beam are energetically more costly than basic head‐to‐head or tail‐to‐tail walls. The results suggest a new type of excited domain‐wall state, expanding previous studies on ferroelectric domain walls into the realm of antiferroic phenomena.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗

Low-Power Absorption Saturation in Semiconductor Metasurfaces

Saturable optical elements lie at the cornerstone of many modern optical systems. Regularly patterned quasi-planar nanostructures—metasurfaces—are known to facilitate nonlinear optical processes. Such subwavelength semiconductor nanostructures can potentially serve as saturable components. In this work, we report on the intensity-dependent reflectance of femtosecond laser pulses from semiconductor metasurfaces with Mie-type modes, caused by the absorption saturation. Moreover, arrays of GaAs nanocylinders with magnetic dipole resonances in the spectral vicinity of the GaAs bandgap demonstrate a reduced saturation intensity and increased self-modulation efficiency, an order of magnitude higher than bulk GaAs or unstructured GaAs films. By contrast, the reflection modulation is shown to be negligible in the CW regime for the same average intensities, indicating that the process is not the result of temperature effects. Our work provides a novel idea for low-power saturable elements based on nonthermal nature of saturation. We conclude by devising a high-quality metasurface that can be used, in theory, to further reduce the saturation fluence below 50 nJ/cm 2 .

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗