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NASA NTRS2003

The Petrography of Meteoritic Nano-Diamonds

At least some meteoritic nanodiamonds are likely of presolar origin because of their association with anomalous Xe-HL and Te isotopic components indicative of a supernova (SN) origin. But the abundance of Xe is such that only approx. 1 in 10(exp 6) nano-diamonds contains a Xe atom, and the bulk C-13/C-12 composition of nano-diamond acid residues is chondritic (solar). Therefore, it is possible that a significant fraction of meteoritic nano-diamonds formed within the solar nebula. Nano-diamonds have recently been detected for the first time within the accretion discs of young stars by the Infrared Space Observatory (ISO). No comparable evidence of nanodiamonds in the interstellar medium has yet been found. We have identified nano-diamonds in acid etched thin-sections of meteorites, polar micrometeorites, and interplanetary dust particles (IDPs) with the goal of determining their distribution as a function of heliocentric distance. (It is assumed the meteorites and the polar micrometeorites are from asteroids at 2-4 AU and at least some of the IDPs are from comets at >50AU). We found that nano-diamonds are heterogeneously distributed throughout carbon-rich meteoritic materials (we identified them in some IDPs and not in others), and that their abundance may actually decrease with heliocentric distance, consistent with the hypothesis that some of them formed within the inner solar system and not in a presolar (SN) environment. In order to gain further insight about the origins of meteoritic nano-diamonds we are currently investigating their distribution in unetched thin-sections. We have examined a chondritic cluster IDP (U220GCA), fragments of the Tagish Lake (CM1) meteorite, and a SN graphite spherule (KE3d8) isolated from the Murchison (CM) meteorite. We selected U220GCA because its nano-diamond abundance (in acid etched thin-sections) appears to be as much as approx. 10X higher than in Murchison matrix, Tagish Lake because it has a higher reported nano-diamond abundance than other carbonaceous chondrites (approx. 3650-4330 ppm), and KE3d8 because it is a carbon spherule with an isotopic composition suggesting that it is a bone fide presolar SN grain.

Dai, Z. R.↗
NASA NTRS1999

ICP Reactor Modeling: CF4 Discharge

Inductively coupled plasma (ICP) reactors are widely used now for etching and deposition applications due to their simpler design compared to other high density sources. Plasma reactor modeling has been playing an important role since it can, in principle, reduce the number of trial and error iterations in the design process and provide valuable understanding of mechanisms. Fluorocarbon precursors have been the choice for oxide etching. We have data available on CF4 from our laboratory. These are current voltage characteristics, La.ngmuir probe data, UV-absorption, and mass spectrometry measurements in a GEC-ICP reactor. We have developed a comprehensive model for ICP reactors which couples plasma generation and transport and neutral species dynamics with the gas flow equations. The model has been verified by comparison with experimental results for a nitrogen discharge in an ICP reactor. In the present work, the model has been applied to CF4 discharge and compared to available experimental data.

Bose, Deepak↗
NASA NTRS1997

Measurements of LET distribution and dose equivalent onboard the Space Shuttle IML-2 (STS-65) and S/MM#4 (STS-79)

Space radiation dosimetry measurements have been made onboard the Space Shuttle STS-65 in the Second International Microgravity Laboratory (IML-2: 28.5 degrees x 300 km: 14.68 days) and the STS-79 in the 4th Shuttle MIR mission (S/MM#4: 51.6 degrees x 300-400km: 10.2 days). In these measurements, three kinds of detectors were used; one is a newly developed active detector telescope called "Real-time Radiation Monitoring Device (RRMD-I for IML-2 and RRMD-II with improved triggering system for S/MM#4)" utilizing silicon semi-conductor detectors and the other detectors are conventional passive detectors of thermoluminescence dosimeters (TLDs) and CR-39 plastic track detectors. The main contribution to dose equivalent for particles with LET > 5.0 keV/micrometer (IML-2) and LET > 3.5 keV/micrometer (S/MM#4) is seen to be due to galactic cosmic rays (GCRs) and the contribution of the South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is less than 5% (IML-2: 28.5 degrees x 300 km) and 15% (S/MM#4: 51.6 degrees x 400 km) in the above RRMD LET detection conditions. For the whole LET range (> 0.2 kev/micrometer) obtained by TLDs and CR-39 in these two typical orbits (a small inclination x low altitude and a large inclination x high altitude), absorbed dose rates range from 94 to 114 microGy/day, dose equivalent rates from 186 to 207 microSv/day and average quality factors from 1.82 to 2.00 depending on the locations and directions of detectors inside the Spacelab at the highly protected IML-2 orbit (28.5 degrees x 300 km), and also, absorbed dose rates range from 290 to 367 microGy/day, dose equivalent rates from 582 to 651 microSv/day and average quality factors from 1.78 to 2.01 depending on the dosimeter packages around the RRMD-II "Detector Unit" at the S/MM#4 orbit (5l.6 degrees x 400km). In general, it is seen that absorbed doses depend on the orbit altitude (SAA trapped particles contribution dominant) and dose equivalents on the orbit inclination (GCR contribution dominant). The LET distributions obtained by two different types of active and passive detectors, RRMDs and CR-39, are in good agreement for LET of 15 - 200 kev/micrometer and difference of these distributions in the regions of LET < 15 kev/micrometer and LET > 200 kev/micrometer can be explained by considering characteristics of CR-39 etched track formation especially for the low LET tracks and chemical etching conditions.

manned↗
NASA NTRS2004

Method for Forming MEMS-Based Spinning Nozzle

A nozzle body and assembly for delivering atomized fuel to a combustion chamber. The nozzle body is rotatably mounted onto a substrate. One or more curvilinear fuel delivery channels are in flow communication with an internal fuel distribution cavity formed in the nozzle body. Passage of pressurized fuel through the nozzle body causes the nozzle body to rotate. Components of the nozzle assembly are formed of silicon carbide having surfaces etched by deep reactive ion etching utilizing MEMS technology. A fuel premix chamber is carried on the substrate in flow communication with a supply passage in the nozzle body.

Robert S Okojie↗
NASA NTRS2005

Mars Express OMEGA Observations over Terra Meridiani

The OMEGA hyperspectral imager (0.35 to 5.08 micrometers) covered the hematite-bearing plains and underlying etched terrains of Terra Meridiani during several orbits with spatial resolutions ranging from several hundred meters to approximately 2 km. We extracted and analyzed surface reflectance spectra from OMEGA data for the approximately 864,000 square kilometers surrounding the Opportunity site. In this paper we focus on analysis of OMEGA orbit 485 data for the plains and etched terrains located to the northeast of the Opportunity landing site.

Arvidson, R. E.↗
NASA NTRS2003

Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) Broadband Light Source Developed

A miniature, low-power broadband light source has been developed for aerospace applications, including calibrating spectrometers and powering miniature optical sensors. The initial motivation for this research was based on flight tests of a Fabry-Perot fiberoptic temperature sensor system used to detect aircraft engine exhaust gas temperature. Although the feasibility of the sensor system was proven, the commercial light source optically powering the device was identified as a critical component requiring improvement. Problems with the light source included a long stabilization time (approximately 1 hr), a large amount of heat generation, and a large input electrical power (6.5 W). Thus, we developed a new light source to enable the use of broadband optical sensors in aerospace applications. Semiconductor chip-based light sources, such as lasers and light-emitting diodes, have a relatively narrow range of emission wavelengths in comparison to incandescent sources. Incandescent light sources emit broadband radiation from visible to infrared wavelengths; the intensity at each wavelength is determined by the filament temperature and the materials chosen for the filament and the lamp window. However, present commercial incandescent light sources are large in size and inefficient, requiring several watts of electrical power to obtain the desired optical power, and they emit a large percentage of the input power as heat that must be dissipated. The miniature light source, developed jointly by the NASA Glenn Research Center, the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and the Lighting Innovations Institute, requires one-fifth the electrical input power of some commercial light sources, while providing similar output light power that is easily coupled to an optical fiber. Furthermore, it is small, rugged, and lightweight. Microfabrication technology was used to reduce the size, weight, power consumption, and potential cost-parameters critical to future aerospace applications. This chip-based light source has the potential for monolithic fabrication with on-chip drive electronics. Other uses for these light sources are in systems for vehicle navigation, remote sensing applications such as monitoring bridges for stress, calibration sources for spectrometers, light sources for space sensors, display lighting, addressable arrays, and industrial plant monitoring. Two methods for filament fabrication are being developed: wet-chemical etching and laser ablation. Both yield a 25-mm-thick tungsten spiral filament. The proof-of-concept filament shown was fabricated with the wet etch method. Then it was tested by heating it in a vacuum chamber using about 1.25 W of electrical power; it generated bright, blackbody radiation at approximately 2650 K. The filament was packaged in Glenn's clean-room facilities. This design uses three chips vacuum-sealed with glass tape. The bottom chip consists of a reflective film deposited on silicon, the middle chip contains a tungsten filament bonded to silicon, and the top layer is a transparent window. Lifetime testing on the package will begin shortly. The emitted optical power is expected to be approximately 1.0 W with the spectral peak at 1.1 mm.

Tuma, Margaret L.↗
NASA NTRS2005

A back-illuminated megapixel CMOS image sensor

In this paper, we present the test and characterization results for a back-illuminated megapixel CMOS imager. The imager pixel consists of a standard junction photodiode coupled to a three transistor-per-pixel switched source-follower readout [1]. The imager also consists of integrated timing and control and bias generation circuits, and provides analog output. The analog column-scan circuits were implemented in such a way that the imager could be configured to run in off-chip correlated double-sampling (CDS) mode. The imager was originally designed for normal front-illuminated operation, and was fabricated in a commercially available 0.5 pn triple-metal CMOS-imager compatible process. For backside illumination, the imager was thinned by etching away the substrate was etched away in a post-fabrication processing step.

Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor imager (CM↗
NASA NTRS1999

CF2 Detection in Radio-Frequency Ar/CHF3 Plasmas by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

CFx radicals, in particular CF2, are instrumental in anisotropic etching of SiO2. In order to optimize the CFx radical population in a given process environment, it is imperative that we understand their production mechanism. Towards this goal, we have conducted a series of quantitative measurements of CF2 radicals in low pressure RF plasmas similar to those used in SiO2 etching. In this study, we present preliminary results for Ar/CHF3 plasmas operating at pressures ranging from 10-50 mTorr and powers ranging from 100-500 W in the GEC reference cell, modified for inductive (transformer) coupling. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscop) is used to observe the absorption features of the CF2 radical in the 1114 cm-1 and 1096 cm-1 spectral regions. The FTIR spectrometer is equipped with a high-sensitivity mercury cadmium telluride (MCT) detector and has afixed resolution of 0.125 cm- 1. The CF2 concentrations are measured for a range of operating pressures and discharge power levels, and are compared to measurements of the relative CF2 concentrations made by mass spectrometry using the method of appearance potential for radical selectivity.

Kim, J. S.↗
NASA NTRS2007

Design and Fabrication Highlights Enabling a 2 mm, 128 Element Bolometer Array for GISMO

The Backshort-Under-Grid (BUG) superconducting bolometer array architecture is intended to be highly versatile, operating in a large range of wavelengths and background conditions. We have undertaken a three-year program to develop key technologies and processes required to build kilopixel arrays. To validate the basic array design and to demonstrate its applicability for future kilopixel arrays, we have chosen to demonstrate a 128 element bolometer array optimized for 2 mm wavelength using a newly built Goddard instrument, GISMO (Goddard /RAM Superconducting 2-millimeter Observer). The arrays are fabricated using batch wafer processing developed and optimized for high pixel yield, low noise, and high uniformity. The molybdenum-gold superconducting transition edge sensors are fabricated using batch sputter deposition and are patterned using dry etch techniques developed at Goddard. With a detector pitch of 2 mm 8x16 array for GISMO occupies nearly one half of the processing area of a 100 mm silicon-on-insulator starting wafer. Two such arrays are produced from a single wafer along with witness samples for process characterization. To provide thermal isolation for the detector elements, at the end of the process over 90% of the silicon must be removed using deep reactive ion etching techniques. The electrical connections for each bolometer element are patterned on the top edge of the square grid supporting the array. The design considerations unique to GISMO, key fabrication challenges, and laboratory experimental results will be presented.

Allen, Christine↗
NASA NTRS1977

Method of forming grooves in the [011] crystalline direction

An A-B etchant is applied to a (100) surface of a body of semiconductor material, a portion of which along the (100) surface of the body is either gallium arsenide or gallium aluminum arsenide. The etchant is applied for at least 15 seconds at a temperature of approximately 80.degree. C. The A-B etchant is a solution by weight percent of 47.5%, water, 0.2% silver nitrate, 23.8% chromium trioxide and 28.5% of a 48% aqueous solution of hydrofluoric acid. As a result of the application of the A-B etchant a pattern of elongated etch pits form having their longitudinal axes along the [011] crystalline direction. Grooves are formed in the body at a surface opposite the (100) surface on which was applied the etchant. The grooves are formed along the [011] crystalline direction by aligning the longitudinal axes of the grooves with the longitudinal axes of the etch pits.

Marinelli, Donald Paul↗
NASA NTRS1978

Semiconductor heterostructure

A technique for fabricating a semiconductor heterostructure by growth of a ternary semiconductor on a binary semiconductor substrate from a melt of the ternary semiconductor containing less than saturation of at least one common ingredient of both the binary and ternary semiconductors wherein in a single temperature step the binary semiconductor substrate is etched, a p-n junction with specific device characteristics is produced in the binary semiconductor substrate by diffusion of a dopant from the melt and a region of the ternary semiconductor of precise conductivity type and thickness is grown by virtue of a change in the melt characteristics when the etched binary semiconductor enters the melt.

Hovel, Harold John↗
NASA NTRS1979

Semiconductor structure

A technique for fabricating a semiconductor heterostructure by growth of a ternary semiconductor on a binary semiconductor substrate from a melt of the ternary semiconductor containing less than saturation of at least one common ingredient of both the binary and ternary semiconductors wherein in a single temperature step the binary semiconductor substrate is etched, a p-n junction with specific device characteristics is produced in the binary semiconductor substrate by diffusion of a dopant from the melt and a region of the ternary semiconductor of precise conductivity type and thickness is grown by virtue of a change in the melt characteristics when the etched binary semiconductor enters the melt.

Hovel, Harold J.↗
NASA NTRS2008

Part Marking and Identification Materials on MISSE

Many different spacecraft materials were flown as part of the Materials on International Space Station Experiment (MISSE), including several materials used in part marking and identification. The experiment contained Data Matrix symbols applied using laser bonding, vacuum arc vapor deposition, gas assisted laser etch, chemical etch, mechanical dot peening, laser shot peening, and laser induced surface improvement. The effects of ultraviolet radiation on nickel acetate seal versus hot water seal on sulfuric acid anodized aluminum are discussed. These samples were exposed on the International Space Station to the low Earth orbital environment of atomic oxygen, ultraviolet radiation, thermal cycling, and hard vacuum, though atomic oxygen exposure was very limited for some samples. Results from the one-year exposure on MISSE-3 and MISSE-4 are compared to those from MISSE-1 and MISSE-2, which were exposed for four years. Part marking and identification materials on the current MISSE -6 experiment are also discussed.

Finckenor, Miria M.↗
NASA NTRS2009

"The Waters of Meridiani" - Further Support for a Fluvial Interpretation of the Ridged, Layered Units

A relatively unknown terrestrial fluvial environment, the mesoscale megafan, provides analogs for various Martian landscapes, including the etched unit (etched unit, Unite E of Arvidson et al., 2003; ridge-forming unit R of Edgett, 2005) of the Sinus Meridiani region on Mars. A global survey of Earth shows that megafans are very large partial cones of dominantly fluvial sediment with radii on the order of hundreds of km, and very low slopes. Responsible fluvial processes are sufficiently different from those of classical arid alluvial fans and deltas that it is useful to class megafans as separate features. The megafan model calls into question two commonly held ideas. 1. Earth examples prove that topographic basins per se are unnecessary for the accumulation of large sedimentary bodies. 2. River channels are by no means restricted to valleys (Meridiani sediments are termed a "valley-ed volume" of Edgett). These perspectives reveal unexpected parallels with features at Meridiani-several channel-like features that are widespread, mostly as ridges inverted by eolian erosion; channel networks covering thousands of sq km, especially on intercrater plains; and regional relationships of sediment bodies situated immediately downstream of highland masses. These all suggest that fluvial explanations are at least part of the Meridiani story.

Wilkinson, Justin↗
NASA NTRS2003

New Methods of Sample Preparation for Atom Probe Specimens

Magnetite is a common conductive mineral found on Earth and Mars. Disk-shaped precipitates approximately 40 nm in diameter have been shown to have manganese and aluminum concentrations. Atom-probe field-ion microscopy (APFIM) is the only technique that can potentially quantify the composition of these precipitates. APFIM will be used to characterize geological and planetary materials, analyze samples of interest for geomicrobiology; and, for the metrology of nanoscale instrumentation. Prior to APFIM sample preparation was conducted by electropolishing, the method of sharp shards (MSS), or Bosch process (deep reactive ion etching) with focused ion beam (FIB) milling as a final step. However, new methods are required for difficult samples. Many materials are not easily fabricated using electropolishing, MSS, or the Bosch process, FIB milling is slow and expensive, and wet chemistry and the reactive ion etching are typically limited to Si and other semiconductors. APFIM sample preparation using the dicing saw is commonly used to section semiconductor wafers into individual devices following manufacture. The dicing saw is a time-effective method for preparing high aspect ratio posts of poorly conducting materials. Femtosecond laser micromachining is also suitable for preparation of posts. FIB time required is reduced by about a factor of 10 and multi-tip specimens can easily be fabricated using the dicing saw.

rock varnish↗
NASA NTRS2009

Improved Starting Materials for Back-Illuminated Imagers

An improved type of starting materials for the fabrication of silicon-based imaging integrated circuits that include back-illuminated photodetectors has been conceived, and a process for making these starting materials is undergoing development. These materials are intended to enable reductions in dark currents and increases in quantum efficiencies, relative to those of comparable imagers made from prior silicon-on-insulator (SOI) starting materials. Some background information is prerequisite to a meaningful description of the improved starting materials and process. A prior SOI starting material, depicted in the upper part the figure, includes: a) A device layer on the front side, typically between 2 and 20 m thick, made of p-doped silicon (that is, silicon lightly doped with an electron acceptor, which is typically boron); b) A buried oxide (BOX) layer (that is, a buried layer of oxidized silicon) between 0.2 and 0.5 m thick; and c) A silicon handle layer (also known as a handle wafer) on the back side, between about 600 and 650 m thick. After fabrication of the imager circuitry in and on the device layer, the handle wafer is etched away, the BOX layer acting as an etch stop. In subsequent operation of the imager, light enters from the back, through the BOX layer. The advantages of back illumination over front illumination have been discussed in prior NASA Tech Briefs articles.

Pain, Bedabrata↗
NASA NTRS2009

Fabricating Radial Groove Gratings Using Projection Photolithography

Projection photolithography has been used as a fabrication method for radial grove gratings. Use of photolithographic method for diffraction grating fabrication represents the most significant breakthrough in grating technology in the last 60 years, since the introduction of holographic written gratings. Unlike traditional methods utilized for grating fabrication, this method has the advantage of producing complex diffractive groove contours that can be designed at pixel-by-pixel level, with pixel size currently at the level of 45 45 nm. Typical placement accuracy of the grating pixels is 10 nm over 30 nm. It is far superior to holographic, mechanically ruled or direct e-beam written gratings and results in high spatial coherence and low spectral cross-talk. Due to the smooth surface produced by reactive ion etch, such gratings have a low level of randomly scattered light. Also, due to high fidelity and good surface roughness, this method is ideally suited for fabrication of radial groove gratings. The projection mask is created using a laser writer. A single crystal silicon wafer is coated with photoresist, and then the projection mask, with its layer of photoresist, is exposed for patterning in a stepper or scanner. To develop the photoresist, the fabricator either removes the exposed areas (positive resist) of the unexposed areas (negative resist). Next, the patterned and developed photoresist silicon substrate is subjected to reactive ion etching. After this step, the substrate is cleaned. The projection mask is fabricated according to electronic design files that may be generated in GDS file format using any suitable CAD (computer-aided design) or other software program. Radial groove gratings in off-axis grazing angle of incidence mount are of special interest for x-ray spectroscopy, as they allow achieving higher spectral resolution for the same grating area and have lower alignment tolerances than traditional in-plane grating scheme. This is especially critical for NASA Constellation- X project that will utilize hundreds of gratings all of which need to be precisely aligned for x-ray observation of space.

Iazikov, Dmitri↗
NASA NTRS2007

Large-Area Permanent-Magnet ECR Plasma Source

A 40-cm-diameter plasma device has been developed as a source of ions for material-processing and ion-thruster applications. Like the device described in the immediately preceding article, this device utilizes electron cyclotron resonance (ECR) excited by microwave power in a magnetic field to generate a plasma in an electrodeless (noncontact) manner and without need for an electrically insulating, microwave-transmissive window at the source. Hence, this device offers the same advantages of electrodeless, windowless design - low contamination and long operational life. The device generates a uniform, high-density plasma capable of sustaining uniform ion-current densities at its exit plane while operating at low pressure [<10(exp -4) torr (less than about 1.3 10(exp -2) Pa)] and input power <200 W at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. Though the prototype model operates at 2.45 GHz, operation at higher frequencies can be achieved by straightforward modification to the input microwave waveguide. Higher frequency operation may be desirable in those applications that require even higher background plasma densities. In the design of this ECR plasma source, there are no cumbersome, power-hungry electromagnets. The magnetic field in this device is generated by a permanent-magnet circuit that is optimized to generate resonance surfaces. The microwave power is injected on the centerline of the device. The resulting discharge plasma jumps into a "high mode" when the input power rises above 150 W. This mode is associated with elevated plasma density and high uniformity. The large area and uniformity of the plasma and the low operating pressure are well suited for such material-processing applications as etching and deposition on large silicon wafers. The high exit-plane ion-current density makes it possible to attain a high rate of etching or deposition. The plasma potential is <3 V low enough that there is little likelihood of sputtering, which, in plasma processing, is undesired because it is associated with erosion and contamination. The electron temperature is low and does not vary appreciably with power.

Foster, John E.↗