Simulations of solar cell absorption enhancement using resonant modes of a nanosphere array
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solar (photovoltaic), solid state lighting, phonon↗
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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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Electronic readout systems for microchannel plates
The modes of operation of position-sensitive electronic readout systems which use high-gain microchannel plate (MCP) electron multipliers are described, and their performance characteristics, along with those of the MCP, are compared. Among the structures presented are the wedge-and-strip, Codacon, and multilayer coincidence-anode MAMA (Multimode Microchannel Array) arrays. Spatial resolution of 25 x 25 sq microns (coincidence anode arrays) is achieved with an array format of 256 x 1024 pixels. On the basis of the performance data it is concluded that the readout systems using only conducting electrodes offer the best performance characteristics.
Timothy, J. G.↗
Electric Field Induced Interfacial Instabilities
The study of the interface in a charge-free, critical and near-critical binary fluid in the presence of an externally applied electric field is presented. At sufficiently large fields, the interface between the two phases of the binary fluid should become unstable and exhibit an undulation with a predefined wavelength on the order of the capillary length. As the critical point is approached, this wavelength is reduced, potentially approaching length-scales such as the correlation length or critical nucleation radius. At this point the critical properties of the system may be affected. In this paper, the flat interface of a marginally polar binary fluid mixture is stressed by a perpendicular alternating electric field and the resulting instability is characterized by the critical electric field E(sub c) and the pattern observed. The character of the surface dynamics at the onset of instability is found to be strongly dependent on the frequency f of the field applied. The plot of E(sub c) vs. f for a fixed temperature shows a sigmoidal shape, whose low and high frequency limits are well described by a power-law relationship, E(sub c) = epsilon(exp zeta) with zeta = 0.35 and zeta = 0.08, respectively. The low-limit exponent compares well with the value zeta = 4 for a system of conducting and non-conducting fluids. On the other hand, the high-limit exponent coincides with what was first predicted by Onuki. The instability manifests itself as the conducting phase penetrates the non-conducting phase. As the frequency increases, the shape of the pattern changes from an array of bifurcating strings to an array of column-like (or rod-like) protrusions, each of which spans the space between the plane interface and one of the electrodes. For an extremely high frequency, the disturbance quickly grows into a parabolic cone pointing toward the upper plate. As a result, the interface itself changes its shape from that of a plane to that of a high sloping pyramid.
Kusner, Robert E.↗
Doping Scheme in Atomic Chain Electronics
Due to the dramatic reduction in MOS size, there appear many unwanted effects. In these small devices, the number of dopant atoms in the channel is not macroscopic and electrons may suffer significantly different scattering from device to device since the spatial distribution of dopant atoms is no longer regarded as continuous. This prohibits integration, while it is impossible to control such dopant positions within atomic scale. A fundamental solution is to create electronics with simple but atomically precise structures, which could be fabricated with recent atom manipulation technology. All the constituent atoms are placed as planned, and then the device characteristics are deviation-free, which is mandatory for integration. Atomic chain electronics belongs to this category. Foreign atom chains or arrays form devices, and they are placed on the atomically flat substrate surface. We can design the band structure and the resultant Fermi energy of these structures by manipulating the lattice constant. Using the tight-binding theory with universal parameters, it has been predicted that isolated Si chains and arrays are metallic, Mg chains are insulating, and Mg arrays have metallic and insulating phases [1]. The transport properties along a metallic chain have been studied, emphasizing the role of the contact to electrodes [2]. For electronic applications, it is essential to establish a method to dope a semiconducting chain, which is to control the Fermi energy position without altering the original band structure. If we replace some of the chain atoms with dopant atoms randomly, the electrons will see random potential along die chain and will be localized strongly in space (Anderson localization). However, if we replace periodically, although the electrons can spread over the chain, there will generally appear new bands and band gaps reflecting the new periodicity of dopant atoms. This will change the original band structure significantly. In order to overcome this dilemma, we may place a dopant atom beside the chain at every N lattice periods (N > 1). Because of the periodic arrangement of pant atoms, we can avoid the unwanted Anderson localization. Moreover, since the dopant atoms do not constitute the chain, the overlap interaction between them is minimized, and the band structure modification can be made smallest. Some tight-binding results will be discussed to demonstrate the present idea.
Toshishige, Yamada↗
Characterizing oxygen dynamics in multicellular tumor spheroids
In 2018, an estimated 1.7 million people in the United States will be diagnosed with cancer, and over one third of those people will die due to a lack of effective treatments and lack of a cure. To combat this issue, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) is developing an ex vivo 3D tumor spheroid model that can be used to more efficiently and effectively conduct cancer research. Ultimately, the goal is for this model to become patient-derived as it would be a huge advancement in personalized medicine. To begin validating the biological relevance of these tumor spheroid models as in vivo surrogates, LLNL will use flexible microelectrode arrays (MEAs) to characterize their oxygen dynamics. LLNL MEAs were inserted into the tumor spheroids and amperometric oxygen detection was conducted using a 3-electrode system with 10 μm diameter platinum (Pt) working electrodes (WE), an Iridium Oxide (IrOx)-plated reference electrode (RE), and a platinum counter electrode (CE). Preliminary results suggest that real-time amperometric oxygen detection can feasibly be achieved in tumor spheroids using LLNL’s MEAs, however, the 10 μm diameter Pt WEs may lack both the sensitivity (-0.034 nA/% DO) and the limit of detection (LOD) (0.272 nA or 7.45% DO) needed to detect oxygen levels found in tumor spheroids in the 3.96-15.79% DO range.
37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
Tailoring electrode microstructure via ink content to enable improved rated power performance for platinum cobalt/high surface area carbon based polymer electrolyte fuel cells
Improvements in polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) electrode performance have primarily focused on catalyst and ionomer developments, marginalizing the importance of catalyst ink formulation. In this study, the effect of ink formulation is examined across a series of cathodes comprised of PtCo supported on high surface area carbon (PtCo/ HSC ) and Nafion ionomer using an array of in situ electrochemical and ex situ characterization techniques. In contrast to prior work on Pt/Vu systems, ink water content had little effect on the electrochemically determined ionomer coverage for the PtCo/HSC electrocatalyst examined here. Characterization using nano-scale resolution X-ray computed tomography (nano-CT) demonstrated that water-rich ink formulations lead to a reduction in aggregate size (ionomer + PtCo/HSC), improving local O 2 transport. This understanding, combined with the use of a commercially-available electrocatalyst was used to produced state-of-the-art membrane electrode assemblies with Pt loadings of 0.03/0.08 mg Pt /cm 2 on the anode and cathode respectively, having; i) > 1 A/mg Pt (0.9 V iR-free , 150 kPa, 80 °C, 100% RH, H 2 /O 2 ), ii) 320 mA/cm 2 at 0.8 V, 150 kPa, 80 ° C, 100% RH, H 2 /Air), and iii) > 1 W/cm 2 elec at rated power (0.67 V, 250 kPa, 94 °C, 65% RH, H 2 /Air) or < 0.11 g Pt /kW rated .
25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
A cylindrical quadrupole ion trap in combination with an electrospray ion source for gas-phase luminescence and absorption spectroscopy
A relatively simple setup for collection and detection of light emitted from isolated photo-excited molecular ions has been constructed. It benefits from a high collection efficiency of photons, which is accomplished by using a cylindrical ion trap where one end-cap electrode is a mesh grid combined with an aspheric condenser lens. The geometry permits nearly 10% of the emitted light to be collected and, after transmission losses, approximately 5% to be delivered to the entrance of a grating spectrometer equipped with a detector array. The high collection efficiency enables the use of pulsed tunable lasers with low repetition rates (e.g., 20 Hz) instead of continuous wave (cw) lasers or very high repetition rate (e.g., MHz) lasers that are typically used as light sources for gas-phase fluorescence experiments on molecular ions. A hole has been drilled in the cylinder electrode so that a light pulse can interact with the ion cloud in the center of the trap. Simulations indicate that these modifications to the trap do not significantly affect the storage capability and the overall shape of the ion cloud. The overlap between the ion cloud and the laser light is basically 100%, and experimentally >50% of negatively charged chromophore ions are routinely photodepleted. The performance of the setup is illustrated based on fluorescence spectra of several laser dyes, and the quality of these spectra is comparable to those reported by other groups. Finally, by replacing the optical system with a channeltron detector, we demonstrate that the setup can also be used for gas-phase action spectroscopy where either depletion or fragmentation is monitored to provide an indirect measurement on the absorption spectrum of the ion.
46 INSTRUMENTATION RELATED TO NUCLEAR SCIENCE AND ↗
Rigid Biopolymer Nanocrystal Systems for Controlling Multicomponent Nanoparticle Assembly and Orientation in Thin Film Solar Cells. Final Report
The focus of the proposed research is to direct the assembly of single or binary nanoparticles into meso- or macroscale three-dimensional crystals of any desired configuration and crystallographic orientation without using prohibitively expensive lithographic processes. The epitaxial nucleation of defect-free, surface-bound bulk single crystals will revolutionize technologies for energy to generate new types of solar cells that yield maximum conversion efficiencies. It has been proposed that having a nanostructured bulk hetero-interface will enable efficient charge-carrier separations, similar to organic based heterojunction cells but with potential improvements, including thermal and long-term stability, tunability of energy levels, large adsorption coefficients and carrier multiplication. However, engineering such devices requires nanoscale control and ordering in both 2- and 3-dimensions over macroscopic areas and this has yet to be achieved. In Nature, bulk organic and inorganic materials are arranged into precise and ordered programmed assemblies through the sequestration of raw materials into confined spaces and association through highly specific non-covalent interactions between biomolecules. Using similar strategies, the proposed research will focus on confining metal and semiconductor nanocrystals to pre-determined surface patterns and controlling their arrangement through tunable, orthogonal biomolecular binding. Once a perfect two-dimensional seed layer has been constructed, successive layers of single nanocrystals will be nucleated epitaxially with long-range order and tunable crystallographic orientations. The proposed research exploits the ability of biomolecules to bind specific targets in a tunable, orthogonal, multivalent, and reversible manner to the arrangements of DNA-nanoparticle conjugates on chemically defined surfaces. Through careful balance of the attractive and repulsive forces between the particles, the array, and the outside surface, it is envisioned that single or mixed nanoparticles can be packed to adopt uniform crystal orientation in two and three dimensions from simple mixing and annealing of biomolecule-nanoparticle conjugates with biomolecule-stamped surfaces. To control the crystallographic alignment of each particle with its neighbors, the nanoparticles will be assembled using a mixture of non-covalent biomolecular interactions. To create solar cells in which layers of donor and acceptor nanocrystals that are not only oriented normal to the top and bottom electrodes but are also arranged in a checkerboard pattern, multicomponent nanocrystals (e.g. CdSe, CdTe) will be conjugated with biochemical linkers such that only interactions between the CdTe and CdSe promote particle packing within the array. The proposed research will: (1) elucidate the role of single and binary cooperative particle-DNA interactions in influencing nanoparticle crystallographic orientation in two and three dimensions; (2) understand how confinement of nanoparticles on patterned arrays of biomolecules and modification of the surrounding substrate can nucleate long-range order over macroscopic areas via predefined grain boundaries; and (3) synthesize and characterize DNA conjugated semiconductor nanocrystals and assemble them into 2- and 3-D binary superlattice arrays for photovoltaics.
14 SOLAR ENERGY↗
Persistent and partially mobile oxygen vacancies in Li-rich layered oxides
Increasing the energy density of layered oxide battery electrodes is challenging as accessing high states of delithiation often triggers voltage degradation and oxygen release. Here we utilize transmission-based X-ray absorption spectromicroscopy and ptychography on mechanically cross-sectioned Li 1.18–x Ni 0.21 Mn 0.53 Co 0.08 O 2–δ electrodes to quantitatively profile the oxygen deficiency over cycling at the nanoscale. The oxygen deficiency penetrates into the bulk of individual primary particles (~200 nm) and is well-described by oxygen vacancy diffusion. Using an array of characterization techniques, we demonstrate that, surprisingly, bulk oxygen vacancies that persist within the native layered phase are indeed responsible for the observed spectroscopic changes. We additionally show that the arrangement of primary particles within secondary particles (~5 μm) causes considerable heterogeneity in the extent of oxygen release between primary particles. Finally, our work merges an ensemble of length-spanning characterization methods and informs promising approaches to mitigate the deleterious effects of oxygen release in lithium-ion battery electrodes.
25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
Bilayer Ion Trap Design for 2D Arrays
Junctions are fundamental elements that support qubit locomotion in two-dimensional ion trap arrays and enhance connectivity in emerging trapped-ion quantum computers. In surface ion traps they have typically been implemented by shaping radio frequency (RF) electrodes in a single plane to minimize the disturbance to the pseudopotential. However, this method introduces issues related to RF lead routing that can increase power dissipation and the likelihood of voltage breakdown. Here, we propose and simulate a novel two-layer junction design incorporating two perpendicularly rotoreflected (rotated, then reflected) linear ion traps. The traps are vertically separated, and create a trapping potential between their respective planes. The orthogonal orientation of the RF electrodes of each trap relative to the other provides perpendicular axes of confinement that can be used to realize transport in two dimensions. While this design introduces manufacturing and operating challenges, as now two separate structures have to be precisely positioned relative to each other in the vertical direction and optical access from the top is obscured, it obviates the need to route RF leads below the top surface of the trap and eliminates the pseudopotential bumps that occur in typical junctions. Here in this paper the stability of idealized ion transfer in the new configuration is demonstrated, both by solving the Mathieu equation analytically to identify the stable regions and by numerically modeling ion dynamics. Our novel junction layout has the potential to enhance the flexibility of microfabricated ion trap control to enable large-scale trapped-ion quantum computing.
42 ENGINEERING↗
Brine Availability Test in Salt (BATS) FY21 Update
This report summarizes the 2021 fiscal year (FY21) status of ongoing borehole heater tests in salt funded by the disposal research and development (R&D) program of the Office of Spent Fuel & Waste Science and Technology (SFWST) of the US Department of Energy’s Office of Nuclear Energy’s (DOE-NE) Office of Spent Fuel and Waste Disposition (SFWD). This report satisfies SFWST milestone M2SF- 21SN010303052 by summarizing test activities and data collected during FY21. The Brine Availability Test in Salt (BATS) is fielded in a pair of similar arrays of horizontal boreholes in an experimental area at the Waste Isolation Pilot Plant (WIPP). One array is heated, the other unheated. Each array consists of 14 boreholes, including a central borehole with gas circulation to measure water production, a cement seal exposure test, thermocouples to measure temperature, electrodes to infer resistivity, a packer-isolated borehole to add tracers, fiber optics to measure temperature and strain, and piezoelectric transducers to measure acoustic emissions. The key new data collected during FY21 include a series of gas tracer tests (BATS phase 1b), a pair of liquid tracer tests (BATS phase 1c), and data collected under ambient conditions (including a period with limited access due to the ongoing pandemic) since BATS phase 1a in 2020. A comparison of heated and unheated gas tracer test results clearly shows a decrease in permeability of the salt upon heating (i.e., thermal expansion closes fractures, which reduces permeability).
11 NUCLEAR FUEL CYCLE AND FUEL MATERIALS↗
The organic redox transistor for neuromorphic computing
Inspired by the in-memory computing architectures of biological systems, neuromorphic computing using crossbar arrays of artificial synapses based on non-volatile memory (NVM) devices with variable conductances has emerged as a new paradigm to enable massively parallel and ultra-low power computing hardware for data centric applications. Although inference has been demonstrated successfully using crossbars based on a variety of NMV technologies, efficient learning and scaling to large arrays (>10 6 elements) remains a challenge due to the synaptic elements' non-ideal electrical characteristics which degrades ANN accuracy. A further challenge is that in the conductive state memristors draw large currents >μA resulting in significant voltage drops in the interconnect wires and increased probability of failure in scaled arrays. We suggest the organic polymer redox transistor (RT) is an alternate approach that could solve many of these challenges, enabling both inference and parallel outer product updates, as recently demonstrated by Fuller et al. An RT consists of redox-active channel and gate electrodes in contact with a liquid or solid electrolyte. lon insertion through the electrolyte controls the channel electronic conductivity, while electron transfer through an external circuit maintains overall charge neutrality. Unlike a rechargeable battery, in the RT the voltage built-up across the electrolyte is kept to a minimum (typically <100 mV) by using the same material for the gate and channel. Elimination of the voltage offset simplifies integration of the RT into programmable arrays by enabling the use of various selectors. RTs based on inorganic and organic materials have been recently demonstrated with conductance tuning occurring at potentials of just a few mV and hundreds to thousands of linearly and symmetrically programmable conductance states, enabling near ideal accuracy in neural network simulations. Introduced in the 1980's, redox transistors with metallic gate electrodes and organic channel materials, also known as organic electrochemical transistors (OECTs), have been explored for a variety of applications such as chem- and bio-sensing, neural interfaces, and low cost printed circuits. A typical channel material for OECTs is the conducting polymer poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) doped with poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS). PEDOT is a p-type semiconducting polymer with mobile positively charged polarons that hop chain-to-chain.
Talin, Albert Alec↗
Hybridization of Localized and Guided Modes in 2D Metal-Insulator-Metal Nanocavity Arrays
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bio-inspired↗
Surface plasmon resonances of Ga nanoparticle arrays
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charge transport↗
Fabrication of Electrostatically Actuated Microshutters Arrays
A new fabrication process has been developed to actuate microshutter arrays (MSA) electrostatically at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. The microshutters, made with silicon nitride membranes with a pixel size of 100 x 200 sq microns, rotate on torsion bars. The microshutters are actuated, latched, and addressed electrostatically by applying voltages on the electrodes the front and back sides of the microshutters. The atomic layer deposition (ALD) of aluminum oxide was used to insulate electrodes on the back side of walls; the insulation can withstand over 100 V. The ALD aluminum oxide is dry etched, and then the microshutters are released in vapor HF.
microshutter arrays (MSA)↗
Grid indentation analysis of mechanical properties of composite electrodes in Li-ion batteries
We report that electrodes in commercial rechargeable batteries are microscopically heterogeneous materials. The constituent components, including active materials, polymeric binders, and porous conductive matrix, often have large variation in their mechanical properties, making the mechanical characterization of composite electrodes a challenging task. In a model system of LiNi 0.5 Mn 0.3 Co 0.2 O 2 cathode, we employ the instrumented grid indentation to determine the elastic modulus and hardness of the constituent phases. The approach relies on a large array of nanoindentation experiments and statistical analysis of the resulting data provided that the maximum indentation depth is carefully chosen. The statistically extracted properties of the active particles and the surrounding medium are in good agreement with the tests of targeted indentation at selected sites. Lastly, the combinatory technique of grid indentation and statistical deconvolution represents a fast and reliable route to quantify the mechanical properties of composite electrodes that feed the parametric input for the mechanics models.
25 ENERGY STORAGE↗
The digital mirror Langmuir probe: Field programmable gate array implementation of real-time Langmuir probe biasing
High bandwidth, high spatial resolution measurements of electron temperature, density, and plasma potential are valuable for resolving turbulence in the boundary plasma of tokamaks. While conventional Langmuir probes can provide such measurements, either their temporal or spatial resolution is limited: the former by the sweep rate necessary for obtaining I-V characteristics and the latter by the need to use multiple electrodes, as is the case in triple and double probe configurations. The Mirror Langmuir Probe (MLP) bias technique overcomes these limitations by rapidly switching the voltage on a single electrode cycling between three bias states, each dynamically optimized for the local plasma conditions. The MLP system on Alcator C-Mod used analog circuitry to perform this function, measuring Te, VF, and Isat at 1.1 MSPS. Recently, a new prototype digital MLP controller has been implemented on a Red Pitaya Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) board which reproduces the functionality of the original controller and performs all data acquisition. There is also the potential to provide the plasma parameters externally for use with feedback control systems. The use of FPGA technology means the system is readily customizable at a fraction of the development time and implementation cost. A second Red Pitaya was used to test the MLP by simulating the current response of a physical probe using C-Mod experimental measurements. This project is available as a git repository to facilitate extensibility (e.g., real-time control outputs and more voltage states) and scalability through collaboration.
47 OTHER INSTRUMENTATION↗
The Digital Mirror Langmuir Probe: Field Programmable Gate Array Implementation of Real-Time Langmuir Probe Biasing
High bandwidth, high spatial resolution measurements of electron temperature, density and plasma potential are valuable for resolving turbulence in the boundary plasma of tokamaks. While conventional Langmuir probes can provide such measurements either their temporal or spatial resolution is limited: the former by the sweep rate necessary for obtaining I-V characteristics and the latter by the need to use multiple electrodes, as is the case in triple and double probe configurations. The Mirror Langmuir Probe (MLP) bias technique overcomes these limitations by rapidly switching the voltage on a single electrode cycling between three bias states, each dynamically optimised for the local plasma conditions. The MLP system on Alcator C-Mod used analog circuitry to perform this function, measuring Te, VF, and Isat at 1.1 MSPS. Recently, a new prototype digital MLP controller has been implemented on a Red Pitaya Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) board which reproduces the functionality of the original controller and performs all data acquisition. There is also the potential to provide the plasma parameters externally for use with feedback control systems. The use of FPGA technology means the system is readily customisable at a fraction of the development time and implementation cost. A second Red Pitaya was used to test the MLP by simulating the current response of a physical probe using C-Mod experimental measurements. This project is available as a git repository to facilitate extensibility (e.g. real-time control outputs, more voltage states) and scalability through collaboration.
70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗